Economic and infrastructural development under Maharaja Ranbir Singh (1856–1885): Agricultural reform, handicraft revitalization, trade expansion and fiscal modernization in Jammu and Kashmir

This paper examines the economic and infrastructural reforms introduced by Maharaja Ranbir Singh after his accession to the throne of Jammu and Kashmir in 1856. Drawing primarily on the attached source and supplemented by published scholarship on Kashmir’s craft economy, the study analyzes reforms in agriculture, handicrafts and cottage industries, trade and commerce, and revenue and monetary administration. The evidence suggests that Ranbir Singh’s policies were designed to strengthen the agrarian base, improve land and irrigation systems, support artisanal production, and integrate Jammu and Kashmir more effectively into regional and trans regional markets. The paper argues that these reforms represented a significant phase of state-led modernization that helped stabilize the economy while preserving the cultural identity of local production systems.