Write the financial and administrative forms of Lord William Bentinck.
The advent of lord William Bentinck ushered in a new era in annals of India in many ways. Although his tenure of office covered only a short span of seven years, it saw a period of enduring reforms. They may be classified as financial administrative, social and educational.
Financial reforms:
When Bentinck assumed the governor generalship in 1828, the financial position of the company was poor. The exchequer was very weak. The state budget showed a deficit of one million rupees. It became necessary on the part of the governor general to take effective steps to improve the financial condition. To achieve this he adopted the following measures. He reduced the salaries and allowances of all officers and additional staff were removed. In the military department, he abolished the system of double batta. By these financial reforms at the time of his departure he left the treasury with a surplus of Rs. 1.5 millions.
Administrative reforms:
Bentinck’s administrative reforms spent of his political maturity and wisdom. In the judicial department he abolished the provincial court of appeal established by Cornwallis. They were largely responsible for the huge arrears of cases. This step was readily accepted by the directors since it cut down their expenditure. Another good measure of Bentinck was the introduction of local languages in the lower court and English in fhe higher court in the place of Persian. Even in matters of revenue Bentinck left his mark. He launched the revenue settlements of the North West province under the control of R.M. Bird: This settlement was for a period of 30 years and it was made either with the tillers of the soil, or with the landowners.