The Muslim rulers' conquest of India wreaked havoc on India's social economy. But when their rule stabilized, things changed. After all, unlike the invaders who came specifically to plunder wealth, they settled in India and became the rulers of India.
As rulers, in order to ensure the normal operation of the state apparatus, as well as to resist foreign enemies and consolidate national defense, they cannot but shoulder the responsibility of developing the economy. The emergence of relative unity provides favorable objective conditions for socio-economic development. In the later period of the Delhi Sultanate, many areas were seceded, and some of the rulers of the newly established states such as Parmani and Vyayanagar attached greater importance to economic development.
First, reclaim wasteland
The Delhi Sultanate was constantly under the threat of constant Mongol invasions and internal rebellions, and it was constantly financially constrained to maintain a large army. Allah-Ude-al-Din Karji has mainly adopted the method of raising taxes and controlling prices.
He raised land taxes to 1/2 of total production, doubled commercial taxes, and increased ranch and housing taxes. While these measures can temporarily increase the revenue of the national treasury, they have a detrimental effect on economic development.
Some of the more discerning rulers recognized the importance of developing agriculture and trade, in addition to tax increases, as the main way to generate income through open source. Among the more prominent are Qutb-ud-al-d-Din Ebeck of the "slave dynasty", Gias-Ud-al-Din Tuglouk, Muhammad bin Tuglouk, and Feruzsha Tuglouk of the Tugluk dynasty.
In his edict to his governors, Qutb emphasized that one of their duties was to expand arable land, increase production, and promote economic prosperity. It also speaks of protecting farmers from excessive oppression and tyranny. The "slave dynasty" and the Karj dynasty built a series of water irrigation projects.
Water conservancy irrigation projects
Guias-Oud-al-Din Tuglouk paid attention to the reclamation of wasteland, and reduced the increased land tax to between 1/5 and 1/3 of total production. It is stipulated that the annual increase in land tax in each province shall not exceed 1/11 to 1/10.
During the reign of Muhammad bin Tuglok, the initial emphasis was on increasing taxes, but because of excessive taxes, coupled with famine and turmoil, the land was largely deserted, which made him realize that in order to increase national revenue, he must follow the path of agricultural development.
Guias-Oud-din Tuglouk
He established the Ministry of Agriculture to promote the reclamation of wasteland and improve agricultural production conditions, built many canals, dug many wells, and promoted the cultivation of high-yield crops. During the reign of Feruzsha Tuglouk, great emphasis was placed on improving agriculture.
He encouraged the people to reclaim wasteland, expand the area under cultivation, and impose only a slight land tax on newly cultivated land. He established the Ministry of Public Works to promote the construction of water conservancy by the state and to provide irrigation facilities for farmers. Most prominently, he opened 5 canals, the water of which leads from the Jumuna, Satrej and Gagra rivers.
The short is tens of miles, the long is 160 li. Although some of the main supplies are for new cities, large tracts of land benefit where the canal passes and increase agricultural production. He also built 50 small dams, 30 reservoirs, and 150 utility wells.
It is said that he also took the money himself to finance the water conservancy repair. For farmers who benefit from these water conservancy facilities, a water tax equivalent to 1/10 of the output is levied, and in the case of land reclamation for irrigation, the water tax is halved. He also opened 1,200 orchards with state funds to increase state revenues.
Second, build water conservancy
Sudan's attention has encouraged private water conservancy and agricultural conditions. Although the scale of civil engineering is small, it has various forms, adapts measures to local conditions, and has remarkable results. As a result, the proportion of irrigated area in the total arable land area has increased significantly, and the reclamation of wasteland has also been promoted. Agricultural tools are also gradually improving.
For example, an improved Persian watermill was widely used in Austria, Bengal and Punjab. In the Agra region, large buckets were used to irrigate the fields, which improved efficiency.
Emphasis has been placed on the selection and cultivation of improved seeds, as well as on soil improvement and fertilization methods. What is more prominent is that the area under cultivation of cash crops has increased, and there is a trend towards specialization in regional planting. For example, pepper and ginger from the Malabar coast, sugar cane from Kanauj, wheat from Malhua, rice from Sasuti, grapes from Daulatabad, etc. are known for their high yields and quality.
Grapes from Daulatabad
The expansion of the area under the cultivation of cash crops shows that the land conditions have been used economically and that the technology for planting suitable crops according to soil quality has been better mastered.
Although agriculture has developed, the harm caused by war and heavy taxation policies is great, and almost every major development has been followed by greater damage, offsetting its results. This is true of both the Delhi Sultanate and other countries. So the whole thing is that the agricultural economy is in a very unstable state.
Third, business incentive policies
The Delhi Sultanate, Bhamani and Vyayanagar have implemented policies to encourage handicrafts and commerce. Private mining has also increased, and according to regulations, mining needs to be approved by the state, and 1/5 of the output must be paid to the state as a tax.
Fourth, the issuance of currency
The Delhi Sultanate issued a standard currency during the Iltutmish period to facilitate commerce. The basic currency is: mohur, gold coins; Tanka, silver coins; Geetal, copper coin. 1 tanka is equal to 50 gittals.
Tanka is the standard monetary unit, the predecessor of the modern Indian rupee. Gold coins are mainly used for bulk trade and are less popular in the general market. The issuance of standard money facilitated the circulation of goods and economic ties throughout the country.
In the 13th and 16th centuries, a number of new cities appeared, mostly capitals or provincial capitals of the Delhi Sultanate and other countries, some of which were newly built. Delhi is the most important and prosperous commercial center.
Ibn Batuta, a Moroccan traveler who came to India in the early 14th century, called it the most opulent city in the eastern part of the Muslim world, saying that it was home to the richest merchants, a large number of government-run artisanal workshops, and products from all over the country. Foreign trade continued to develop, mainly by sea.