Kist
Topic: Colonial Economy: Land Revenue, Drain, Deindustrialisation · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Colonialism and the Countryside"
Meaning
Kist means an instalment, a part-payment made on a set date. Here it was a part-payment of land revenue or rent. Under the Permanent Settlement of 1793, the zamindar had to pay his fixed revenue to the Company in instalments, on time. Ryots and jotedars also paid their rent to the zamindar in instalments. If one kist was missed, the whole chain of payments broke down.
Example
In early 19th-century Bengal, jotedars sometimes delayed paying their rent instalments on purpose. This meant the zamindar could not pay his own instalment to the Company. Under the Sunset Law, the estate could then be auctioned if the money was not paid by sunset on the due date.
Don't confuse with
- Jama: the total revenue or rent fixed for an estate or village. A kist is one part of that total, paid in instalments.
Related concepts
- Francis Buchanan
- Jotedar
- Bargadar
- Gantidar
- Haoladar
- Mandal
- Under-ryot
- Patta and qabuliyat
- Munsiff
- George Chinnery