grudging consent of his Council, he abolished the old system of farming out the salt revenue and placed the salt monopoly in the hands of a few trustworthy officers, on terms which secured a large yearly increase of revenue from sales effected at lowered rates. In the Customs Department also he achieved a number of reforms which placed the service under more efficient control, and freed the trade of the country from vexatious or ill-adjusted burdens[1].
Under orders from England the settlements of land-revenue had lately been carried on from year to year, by means of the Provincial Councils. In 1781 Hastings improved the process of collecting the revenue by doing away with the Provincial Councils, and transferring their powers to a committee of four of his best civil officers, including Anderson and John Shore. The new Board of Revenue were 'sworn to receive no perquisites,' and instead of a fixed salary were paid by a commission of one per cent, on the net collections. This amount was doubled on all moneys paid at once into the Calcutta Treasury. By this means the costs of collection were largely curtailed, for a swarm of middlemen no longer shared in the profits, while no more fees or perquisites were exacted from those who furnished the revenue. The new Board soon decided to relet the lands at moderate rates, on leases yearly renewable, to all those Zamíndárs who had paid their rents punctually and shown themselves capable of managing their estates without oppressing the ráyats.
- ↑ Gleig, Auber.
