Todar Mal was Akbar's revenue minister. He carried out a careful survey of crop yields, prices and areas cultivated for a 10 years period (1570-1580).
On the basis of this survey, tax was fixed on each crop in cash. Each province was divided into revenue circles with its own schedule of revenue rates for individual crops. This revenue system came to be known as zabt. However, this zabt system was present in only those areas where Mughal administrators could survey the land.