What were the causes of frequent occurrence of famines India in the 19th century?
Ans . The British Economic policy had a large role to play in the frequent occurrence of famines in India. 1. The ruination of Indian industries increased the pressure on land. The land holdings became smaller and the number of mouths to be fed much larger. 2. The British extracted maxim revenue in form of taxes from the peasantry through permanent settlement, ryotwari and mahalwari settlement. 3. The new urban-based Zamindars had no interest in improvisation of land. The Indian peasant had neither improved implements nor better seeds. 4. They were also ignorant of modern techniques of farming. As a result, the peasantry always remained indebted and impoverished and the Indian agriculture faced stagnation. 5. This British policy of indifference towards agriculture and reforms led to frequent occurrence of famines in India. The 19th -20th century in India was marred with famines. The first famine occurred in western Uttar Pradesh in 1860 in which two lakh people died. . This was followe
