Economic "Development and Disparity", "Eastern States" vs "South & Western States"

Today's economic outlook can be drawn from the revenue reforms enacted during British era. Some states are so called developed states and some remained poor in spite of being resourceful

         There may be many factors that culminated today's "Economic Development or Disparity", but in my view these two reforms remained most prominent factors, Permanent settlement in Eastern states(Bihar, Bengal and Orissa) and Ryotwari system in Weatern and Southern states( Mumbai and Coorg Areas).

         Permanent Settlement Act was enacted by the East Indian company in 1793 in Bihar, Bengal and Orissa states. The ownership of the land was given to Zamindars and they had to collect the fixed amount as tax from the Peasants. If the Peasant failed to pay, he would be evicted from the land. East India company gradually de-industrialised the area and ruined the local artisan works. Eastern states lacked in development even after the independence whereas the western states leapfrogged in the realm of economic development. Many industries were established in these states, also the land evicted peasants from Eastern states fled to those western states to enjoy the fruits of more exploitation.

         In these states the second reform was enacted called Ryotwari system, "ryot" means cultivator. There were no intermediary between land owners and government. Cultivators had to pay taxes directly to the government and they could be increased or decreased according to the quantum of land and cultivation.

         Although there were many demerits of this reform, yet these states enjoyed more development than those of eastern states. On the other hand in Bihar( I am being somewhat more specific to Bihar) many zamindars helped peasants in adopting new techniques of agriculture, but a rent seeking tendency occured because of some bad Zamindars, that led to the corruption culture in Bihar. The rent seeking tendency is still prevailing in the state. Corruption was also there in Ryotwari states, but that was turnover based, and development work was duly completed

        Even though the abolition of Zamindari system in Bihar, the rent seeking tendency is yet existed in the form of civil servants. One should not doubt why majority of civil servants are from Bihar