Correct Option
Under the Permanent Settlement of 1793, Zamindars were recognized as landowners responsible for collecting revenue and remitting a fixed amount to the British government. While they were required to issue pattas (title deeds) to the cultivators, there was a significant lack of official oversight or a robust administrative mechanism to ensure compliance. The British administration primarily focused on receiving the fixed revenue from the Zamindars and largely refrained from interfering in their internal arrangements with the tenants. This absence of official checks allowed many Zamindars to disregard the requirement of issuing pattas, leading to the exploitation of peasants through arbitrary demands and insecurity of tenure.
Incorrect Options
Option (1): The Zamindars were trusted by the farmers.
This statement is incorrect. The relationship between Zamindars and farmers was often characterized by exploitation and distrust. Zamindars frequently demanded higher rents, imposed illegal cesses, and evicted tenants, which led to widespread resentment rather than trust among the farming community.
Option (3): It was the responsibility of the British government.
This statement is incorrect. While the Permanent Settlement was a British policy, the direct responsibility for issuing pattas rested with the Zamindars. The British government's policy was one of minimal intervention in the day-to-day management of land by Zamindars, as long as the fixed revenue demand was met. They did not establish a system to actively enforce the issuance of pattas by individual Zamindars.
Option (4): The farmers were not interested in getting pattas.
This statement is incorrect. Farmers had a strong interest in obtaining pattas as these documents provided security of tenure and defined their rights and obligations. Without pattas, farmers were vulnerable to arbitrary eviction and exploitation by Zamindars. Their inability to secure pattas was due to the Zamindars' refusal and the lack of an enforcement mechanism, not a lack of interest on their part.