Question

Who became the first governor general of Bengal?

Answer 1

Warren Hastings became the first governor-general of Bengal. He brought many developments into the state and people were cherished by his rule as governor. Warren Hastings abolished the dual system of government which was started by Robert Clive.

About Warren Hastings

• Warren Hastings was the first Governor of the Presidency of the Fort William in Bengal in the year 1772
• He was the first Governor-General of Bengal in 1774 till he resigned in the year 1785
• He was a writer or can be called as a clerk in the early stages of his career in the East India Company at Calcutta in 1750
• He became the British resident at Murshidabad, the capital of Bengal in the year 1758, after Mir Jafar was given as the Nawab after the Battle of Plassey.
• During his tenure, the first Anglo-Maratha and the second Anglo-Mysore and wars were fought
• In the year 1773, the Regulating Act of 1773 was passed during his period
• He gave support to Sir William Jones in the formation of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1785

Abolition of Dual system of Government in Bengal

• Warren Hastings abolished the Dual System which was established by Robert Clive.
• In this Dual System of Government in Bengal, the company had Diwani rights that is the rights to collect revenue and the Nizam or Indian chiefs had the power on administrative authority
• The Nawab’s annual allowance which was around Rs.32 lakh was reduced to half that Rs.16 lakh
• The annual tribute which was paid to the Mughal Emperor came to an end