The Permanent Settlement was introduced by the British East India Company in the late 18th century as a means to stabilize revenue collection in their newly acquired territories. Under this settlement, the land revenue was fixed permanently for a particular tract of land, and the zamindars (landowners) were made responsible for collecting and paying the revenue to the British authorities. However, the zamindars were not interested in improving the land under the Permanent Settlement due to several reasons:



One of the primary reasons why zamindars were not motivated to improve the land was the lack of incentives provided by the Permanent Settlement. Since the revenue was fixed permanently, regardless of the productivity of the land, the zamindars did not have any financial incentive to invest in improving agricultural practices or infrastructure on their estates.



Another factor that discouraged zamindars from improving the land was their tendency towards rent-seeking behavior. As the revenue collection was their responsibility, they often resorted to extracting maximum rent from the peasants rather than investing in land development. This behavior resulted in the exploitation of the peasants and further discouraged any efforts to enhance agricultural productivity.



The zamindars' land tenure under the Permanent Settlement was not secure. The British authorities could revoke their rights if they failed to pay the fixed revenue. This insecurity made the zamindars hesitant to invest in long-term improvements on the land as they feared losing their estates and the revenue associated with them.



The Permanent Settlement did not provide any provisions for the development of infrastructure such as irrigation canals, roads, or schools. Without proper infrastructure, the zamindars faced challenges in improving the agricultural productivity of their estates. Lack of irrigation facilities, for example, limited the ability to cultivate higher-yielding crops or expand agricultural activities.



In summary, the lack of incentives, rent-seeking behavior, insecure land tenure, and absence of infrastructure were some of the key reasons why zamindars were not interested in improving the land under the Permanent Settlement. These factors hindered the agricultural development and perpetuated the exploitative relationship between the zamindars and the peasants.