Holt Mackenzie introduced the Mahalwari system in the north-west province of Bengal presidency in 1822.

The Mahalwari system was a land revenue settlement system introduced by the British during their colonial rule in India. This system aimed to reform the existing land revenue administration and increase revenue collection efficiency. Holt Mackenzie, a British administrator, was instrumental in implementing this system in the north-west province of Bengal presidency in 1822.

Key Points:

- Introduction of Mahalwari system: The Mahalwari system was first introduced in the Punjab region by Thomas Theophilus Metcalfe in 1822, and later Holt Mackenzie implemented it in the north-west province of Bengal presidency, which included areas of present-day Uttar Pradesh.

- Objective: The main objective of the Mahalwari system was to simplify the land revenue administration and increase revenue collection.

- Unit of assessment: Under the Mahalwari system, the unit of assessment and revenue collection was the mahal or village. The entire village was considered as a revenue unit, and revenue was collected from the village as a whole.

- Revenue sharing: The revenue was shared among the different landholders in the village, including the zamindars, cultivators, and other stakeholders. The share of revenue for each landholder was determined based on the size and quality of their land holdings.

- Responsibility of landholders: The landholders were responsible for collecting and paying the revenue to the British administration. They had the freedom to manage their land and make improvements, but they had to pay the stipulated revenue share.

- Advantages: The Mahalwari system had several advantages. It simplified the revenue administration by eliminating the intermediaries and directly collecting revenue from the village. It also allowed landholders to have more control over their land and encouraged them to invest in agricultural improvements.

- Limitations: However, the Mahalwari system had certain limitations. It relied heavily on the cooperation of the landholders, and if they failed to pay the revenue, it could lead to revenue arrears. It also did not address the issue of landlessness among the rural population.

Overall, the introduction of the Mahalwari system by Holt Mackenzie in the north-west province of Bengal presidency aimed to streamline the land revenue administration and improve revenue collection. It had its advantages and limitations, but it marked a significant change in the British land revenue policies in India.