The main methods adopted by the British in colonial India in the 2nd half of the 19th century to reduce expenditure and increase government revenue were —
(A) Confiscation of jagirs of old servants of the native kings.
(B) Confiscation of rewards of old servants of the native kings.
(C) Stopping social welfare works.
(D) Grant of large jagirs to the native kings by the East India Company.

Correct option is D

Correct Answer: (A), (B), (C)
Explanation:
→ Statement (A) is true: The British government in colonial India confiscated the jagirs (land grants) of former servants of native kings. These were typically rewards given to individuals who served local rulers, but after the British annexation, they took control of these land grants to reduce expenditure and centralize power.
→ Statement (B) is true: Along with the confiscation of jagirs, the British also took away rewards from old servants of the native kings. This was a part of the broader strategy to reduce costs and maintain control over resources by consolidating power.
→ Statement (C) is true: The British also stopped many social welfare works that were undertaken by the local rulers, such as infrastructure projects or welfare schemes, which were expensive. By halting these works, they aimed to cut down government expenditure.
→ Statement (D) is false: The British did not grant large jagirs to the native kings. Instead, they typically reduced or confiscated the resources of local rulers and shifted administrative control to the British colonial state.
Information Booster:
→ The British colonial administration focused on reducing expenses and increasing revenue in India by restructuring the economic and administrative systems.
→ Confiscating jagirs and rewards was part of a larger effort to eliminate the power of native rulers and consolidate wealth and power under the British government.
→ The British reduced social welfare programs because they were seen as unnecessary expenditures, which weakened the support of the local population but served the imperialist goals of the British.
→ The revenue-generating methods used by the British were designed to maximize profits, such as land revenue policies, which extracted as much wealth as possible from the peasantry.
→ The cessation of social welfare works led to widespread dissatisfaction and contributed to social unrest and rebellion in some areas during the 19th century.
→ British economic policies aimed at exploiting India’s resources to benefit the empire, and this included not only reducing expenditures but also ensuring that India’s wealth was directed towards British interests.