Amlah
Topic: Colonial Economy: Land Revenue, Drain, Deindustrialisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Colonialism and the Countryside"
Meaning
An amlah was an officer working for a zamindar in Bengal. A zamindar was a big landholder who collected revenue for the state. At rent collection time, the amlah came to the village to collect dues from the ryots (peasants). This job was hard after the Permanent Settlement of 1793. Bad harvests made ryots unable to pay. Some ryots delayed payment on purpose. Rich peasants called jotedars also blocked collection. Because of this, zamindars often fell behind on the fixed revenue they owed the Company.
Example
In the late 1790s, amlahs in Bengal often came back from villages without the full rent. In 1798, Burdwan alone had more than 30,000 court cases pending over unpaid rent.
Don't confuse with
- Gomastha: a gomastha was a paid servant of the East India Company who watched over weavers. An amlah worked for a zamindar and collected land rent.
Related concepts
- Izaradari system
- Lord Cornwallis
- Permanent Settlement
- Mahal
- Collector
- Cutcherry
- Sunset law
- Bengal Tenancy Act 1885