Write a very short note Permanent Settlement.

The Permanent Settlement, also known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal, was a significant land revenue system introduced by the British East India Company in 1793, during the colonial period in India. This system was initially implemented in the provinces of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha. The primary objective of the Permanent Settlement was to stabilize land revenue collection by fixing the revenue demand on land permanently.

Under the Permanent Settlement, land revenue was fixed in perpetuity for each plot of land, and the responsibility for payment rested with the landowners or zamindars. The British intended this system to provide a stable source of revenue for the colonial administration, eliminate the role of intermediaries, and encourage investment in agricultural development.

However, the Permanent Settlement had several consequences. The fixed revenue demands often proved to be burdensome for the zamindars, who, in turn, exerted pressure on the peasantry. The system led to absentee landlordism, as the zamindars, facing financial challenges, sold or mortgaged their rights, resulting in the detachment of landlords from their estates.

Despite its initial objectives, the Permanent Settlement did not bring the desired stability to the revenue system and contributed to socio-economic issues in the affected regions. Over time, the British had to introduce other land revenue systems to address the shortcomings of the Permanent Settlement.