Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal.
Lord Cornwallis was the Governor-General of India from 1786 to 1793 and is known for his significant administrative reforms during his tenure. The Permanent Settlement was one of the key reforms introduced by him.

Permanent Settlement in Bengal:
- The Permanent Settlement, also known as the Permanent Settlement of Bengal, was introduced in 1793 by Lord Cornwallis. It was a land revenue system aimed at fixing the land revenue demand in perpetuity.
- The system was implemented in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha, and later extended to other parts of British India.
- Under the Permanent Settlement, the land revenue was fixed at a permanent rate, usually one-eleventh of the expected value of the produce of the land.
- The Permanent Settlement was also known as the Zamindari System, as it granted the Zamindars (landlords) the hereditary right to collect land revenue from the peasants.
- The main objective of the Permanent Settlement was to provide a stable source of income for the East India Company and ensure the loyalty of the Zamindars.
- However, the Permanent Settlement had several drawbacks, such as the exploitation of the peasants by the Zamindars, lack of incentives for agricultural improvements, and inflexibility in revenue collection.
- Despite its shortcomings, the Permanent Settlement remained in place in Bengal until it was abolished in 1950 after India gained independence.
In conclusion, Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement in Bengal as a land revenue system, which had both positive and negative impacts on the agrarian economy of British India.