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Question

Which Sultan established a separate department (Diwan-i-Amir Kohi) to take care of agriculture?

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2020 Tier-II (English) Previous Year Paper (29-Jan-2022)
The correct answer is

Muhammad Bin Tughlaq

Understanding Diwan-i-Amir Kohi and Sultan who Established it

The question asks about the specific Sultan who established a separate department focused on agriculture, known as Diwan-i-Amir Kohi. This department was a significant administrative reform aimed at improving agricultural practices and increasing cultivation.

Identifying the Sultan behind Diwan-i-Amir Kohi

Historically, the Sultan of Delhi Sultanate known for introducing various administrative and economic reforms, including initiatives in agriculture, was Muhammad Bin Tughlaq. Among his many experiments and policies, the establishment of a dedicated agriculture department, Diwan-i-Amir Kohi, stands out.

The main purpose of the Diwan-i-Amir Kohi was to bring uncultivated land under cultivation and improve the crop yield in the Doab region, which was experiencing famine at the time. The department provided loans (sondhar) to peasants for purchasing seeds and implements and dug wells for irrigation.

Analyzing the Options

Let's look at the provided options and their relevance:

  • Khizr Khan: Khizr Khan was the founder of the Sayyid dynasty, which ruled after the Tughlaq dynasty. His reign focused more on consolidating power after the invasion of Timur, and he is not credited with establishing the Diwan-i-Amir Kohi.
  • Jalal-ud-din Khalji: Jalal-ud-din Khalji was the founder of the Khalji dynasty, preceding the Tughlaqs. While he was a Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, the establishment of this specific agriculture department is not attributed to him.
  • Tughril Beg: Tughril Beg was a prominent leader of the Seljuk Turks and the founder of the Seljuk Empire, which was a powerful force in the Middle East, not a Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate in India. This option is completely unrelated to the context of Delhi Sultanate administration.
  • Muhammad Bin Tughlaq: Muhammad Bin Tughlaq ruled the Delhi Sultanate from 1324 to 1351. He was known for his ambitious projects and administrative experiments, including the shift of the capital and the token currency. The establishment of the Diwan-i-Amir Kohi is one of his notable administrative measures aimed at improving agriculture.

Based on historical records, it is clear that Muhammad Bin Tughlaq was the Sultan who established the Diwan-i-Amir Kohi to promote agriculture.

Sultan Dynasty Notable Agricultural Reforms
Muhammad Bin Tughlaq Tughlaq Dynasty Established Diwan-i-Amir Kohi, provided agricultural loans (sondhar)
Khizr Khan Sayyid Dynasty No specific major agricultural department attributed
Jalal-ud-din Khalji Khalji Dynasty No specific major agricultural department attributed
Tughril Beg Seljuk Empire (Not Delhi Sultanate) Not relevant to Delhi Sultanate administration

Conclusion

The separate department known as Diwan-i-Amir Kohi, created specifically to oversee and improve agriculture, was established by Sultan Muhammad Bin Tughlaq during his rule in the Delhi Sultanate.

Revision Table: Key Sultans and Departments

Department/Reform Sultan Associated Purpose
Diwan-i-Amir Kohi Muhammad Bin Tughlaq Agriculture (bringing fallow land under cultivation, providing aid)
Diwan-i-Arz Balban Military Department
Diwan-i-Riyasat Alauddin Khalji Market Control Department
Diwan-i-Khairat Firoz Shah Tughlaq Charity Department

Additional Information: Muhammad Bin Tughlaq's Rule and Agriculture

Muhammad Bin Tughlaq's reign (1324-1351) was marked by ambitious projects and sometimes controversial policies. While some of his experiments, like the token currency and shifting the capital to Daulatabad, faced challenges, his effort to create a dedicated agriculture department, Diwan-i-Amir Kohi, shows his awareness of the importance of agriculture for the state's revenue and the welfare of the people.

The department was intended to function for a period of three years to improve farming in a designated area. However, due to various factors including administrative issues and potentially unfavourable conditions, the department's success was limited during his lifetime. Despite this, the establishment of such a specialized department indicates a notable attempt at state intervention in agriculture during the Delhi Sultanate period.

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Similar Questions

  1. ________ organised his trusted nobles into a group of forty known as Turkan-i-Chahalgani.

  2. Diwan - i - Arz was essentially the department of ______ under Delhi Sultanate.

  3. He was a Delhi Sultan who started the practice of Sijada and Paibos in the court. Who was he?

  4. Who among the following revolted against Balban, Sultan of Delhi, and declared himself as an independent ruler of Bengal in 1279?

  5. Ziyauddin Barani wrote his chronicle first in 1356 and another version _____ years later.

  6. Muhammad bin Tughlaq introduced a copper coin called _______ in place of the silver coin. 

  7. In which of the following forts was Razia Sultan imprisoned by Malik Ikhtiyar-ud-din Altunia?

  8. Which of the following combinations of ‘Ruler – Predecessor’ is correct with respect to the Delhi Sultanate?

  9. Who composed Tabaqat-i-Nasiri in the Delhi Sultanate period?

  10. Arrange the following rulers of the Delhi Sultanate in the correct chronological order of their reigns, starting from the earliest:

    1. Razia Sultan

    2. Ghiyas ud din Balban

    3. Qutb al-Din Aibak

    4. Iltutmish


Important Questions from Delhi Sultanate

  1. Consider the following statements :

    1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince.

    2. It was during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughluq that Taimur occupied Multan and crossed the Indus.

    3. It was during the reign of Deva Raya II of Vijayanagara Empire that Vasco Da gama reached the Coast of Kerala.

    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  2. Which of the following Sultans died while playing Polo or Chaugan?
  3. In which of the following years did Razia become the Sultan of Delhi?

  4. Which of the following dynasties ruled before the Tughluq Dynasty?

  5. Which Sufi saint was put to death by Jalaluddin Khilji for attempting a rebellion?

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