Explanation:

The Permanent Settlement, or Zamindari System, covered around 19 percent of the territory under British rule. Introduced in Bengal and Bihar, it was extended to Orissa, Banaras (Varanasi), and northern Madras. Features: • The zamindars were given proprietary rights over their land. • In 1790, a ten-year settlement of tax to be paid was made with the zamindars, and in 1793, the settlement was made permanent. • A fixed tax on the land had to be paid by the zamindar, and the revenue was to be collected by him from the cultivators who had now become tenants (the ryots or raiyyats). • The zamindar was allowed to keep onetenth to oneeleventh of the revenue and give the rest to the Company government. • The zamindar, as the owner of the land, could sell, mortgage, or transfer it; his heirs could inherit the land along with its rights and liabilities. But, under the ‘sunset clause’ introduced in 1794, if the tax due was not paid by the sunset of a certain date, the zamindari would be taken over by the government and auctioned, and the rights would be transferred to the new owner. • Regulations made in 1793, 1799, and 1812 empowered the zamindar to seize the tenant’s property if the rent had not been paid, and, for this, he did not need the permission of any court of law. In 1797, there was an auction in Burdwan (present day Bardhaman). It was a big public event, a number of mahals (estates) held by the Raja of Burdwan were being sold.