Q. Firoz Shah Tughlaq’s policies are often described as being guided by religious orthodoxy and benevolent public welfare. Consider the following pairs related to his administrative and economic reforms:
Scheme/TermPurpose
1.Diwan-i-KhairatDepartment of Public Works (Irrigation)
2.SharbA new tax levied on water used for irrigation
3.Diwan-i-BandaganDepartment for managing the massive slave establishment
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Answer: B
Notes:
Explanation:
- Pair 1: Incorrect. Diwan-i-Khairat was the Department of Charity, created to provide for the marriage of poor Muslim girls. The Department of Public Works was indeed active in his reign (building canals, cities, etc.) but was not called Diwan-i-Khairat.
- Pair 2: Correct. Sharb (or Haqq-i-Sharb) was an irrigation tax levied at 1/10th of the produce on lands that utilized water from the state-constructed canals. This was a new tax sanctioned by the Ulema.
- Pair 3: Correct. Firoz Shah Tughlaq was famous for accumulating a massive number of slaves and created a separate department, Diwan-i-Bandagan, to administer this large and complex establishment.
