The Permanent Settlement of 1793 was an agreement between the East India Company and the zamindars of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. It aimed to establish a stable and predictable revenue system for the Company and to provide the zamindars with a secure source of income.

Limitation of Zamindar's Power:
The Permanent Settlement limited the zamindar’s power to collect rent from the ryot, or peasant. Before the settlement was introduced, the zamindars had almost unlimited power to extract rent from the ryots, often using force and coercion. The ryots were at the mercy of the zamindars and had to pay whatever rent was demanded of them, regardless of their ability to pay.

Under the Permanent Settlement, the zamindars were given the right to collect rent from the ryots, but their power was limited in several ways:

1. Fixed Rent: The zamindars were required to pay a fixed revenue to the Company, which was based on the estimated value of the land. This meant that they could not raise the rent arbitrarily and had to manage their estates efficiently to generate enough revenue to meet their obligations.

2. Hereditary Rights: The zamindars were granted hereditary rights to the land, but these rights were subject to the payment of revenue to the Company. They could not sell or mortgage their estates without the Company’s permission.

3. Legal Ownership: The zamindars were recognized as legal owners of the land, but their ownership was subject to the payment of revenue to the Company. They could not evict the ryots from their land without a legal process.

Impact of Limitation on Ryots:
The limitation of the zamindar’s power had a significant impact on the ryots. They were no longer at the mercy of the zamindars and had some protection against arbitrary rent increases and evictions. However, the fixed rent system also meant that they had to pay the same amount of rent regardless of their ability to pay. This led to widespread indebtedness and poverty among the ryots, who often had to borrow money at high interest rates to meet their rent obligations.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Permanent Settlement limited the power of the zamindars to collect rent from the ryots, but it also created a system of fixed rents that had negative consequences for the ryots. The settlement was a significant development in the history of land revenue systems in India and had a lasting impact on the social and economic structure of the country.