Consider the following statements regarding irrigation works: 1. The shahnahr in the Punjab was repaired during the reign of Shah Jahan. 2. In most cases, peasants had to dig their own water courses as the state provided no support. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The correct option is 1 only Explanation The question pertains to the agrarian infrastructure and state intervention in agriculture during the Mughal Empire. While the Mughal state derived the bulk of its revenue from agriculture, its direct involvement in irrigation infrastructure was selective, focusing on specific strategic or royal projects, while general irrigation was largely managed by the peasantry with financial assistance from the state. Statement-wise Analysis: - Statement 1 is Correct: The Shahnahr (Royal Canal) in the Punjab refers to the canal system originally initiated by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. During the Mughal period, it was repaired and extended. Specifically, during the reign of Shah Jahan, the canal drawing water from the river Ravi was repaired and re-excavated (under the supervision of Ali Mardan Khan) to irrigate the fields and gardens around Lahore. Shah Jahan also repaired the canal bringing water from the Yamuna to Shahjahanabad (Delhi). - Statement 2 is Incorrect: While it is true that the majority of irrigation in Mughal India was carried out by peasants through individual means (such as wells and temporary channels), the assertion that the state provided "no support" is factually incorrect. The Mughal administration actively encouraged the expansion of cultivation and the improvement of irrigation. The state provided taccavi (agricultural loans) to peasants for digging wells, purchasing seeds, and cattle, especially during times of distress or to encourage cultivation in new areas. Key Takeaway: The Mughal state undertook major irrigation works (like the Shahnahr) and provided financial support (taccavi loans) to peasants for smaller works like wells; it was not a passive observer in the agrarian economy.

Consider the following statements regarding irrigation… - NCERT Class 12 History MCQ

NCERT Class 12 History — Chapter 4: Peasants, Zamindars and the State - Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire (c. 16th - 17th centuries)

mcqmedium

Consider the following statements regarding irrigation works:

The shahnahr in the Punjab was repaired during the reign of Shah Jahan.
In most cases, peasants had to dig their own water courses as the state provided no support.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

NCERT textbook question

From NCERT Themes in Indian History - 2 · Page 200

Options

A1 only
B2 only
CBoth 1 and 2
DNeither 1 nor 2

Did you get this right?

Solution

The correct option is
1 only

Explanation

The question pertains to the agrarian infrastructure and state intervention in agriculture during the Mughal Empire. While the Mughal state derived the bulk of its revenue from agriculture, its direct involvement in irrigation infrastructure was selective, focusing on specific strategic or royal projects, while general irrigation was largely managed by the peasantry with financial assistance from the state.

Statement-wise Analysis:

Statement 1 is Correct: The Shahnahr (Royal Canal) in the Punjab refers to the canal system originally initiated by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. During the Mughal period, it was repaired and extended. Specifically, during the reign of Shah Jahan, the canal drawing water from the river Ravi was repaired and re-excavated (under the supervision of Ali Mardan Khan) to irrigate the fields and gardens around Lahore. Shah Jahan also repaired the canal bringing water from the Yamuna to Shahjahanabad (Delhi).
Statement 2 is Incorrect: While it is true that the majority of irrigation in Mughal India was carried out by peasants through individual means (such as wells and temporary channels), the assertion that the state provided "no support" is factually incorrect. The Mughal administration actively encouraged the expansion of cultivation and the improvement of irrigation. The state provided taccavi (agricultural loans) to peasants for digging wells, purchasing seeds, and cattle, especially during times of distress or to encourage cultivation in new areas.

Key Takeaway:
The Mughal state undertook major irrigation works (like the Shahnahr) and provided financial support (taccavi loans) to peasants for smaller works like wells; it was not a passive observer in the agrarian economy.

Your note

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