The Damin-i-Koh was created by the British Government to settle which one of the following communities?

The Damin-i-Koh was a large area of land demarcated by the British in 1832 specifically for the settlement of the Santal community [1]. Located in the foothills of the Rajmahal Hills, this territory was surveyed, mapped, and enclosed with boundary pillars to separate it from the plains and the hill-dwelling Paharias [1]. The British encouraged the Santals to settle here because they were willing to clear dense forests and practice settled plough agriculture, unlike the Paharias who refused to cut trees [1]. The land grant stipulated that Santals must clear and cultivate at least one-tenth of the area within ten years [1]. Over time, the Santals migrated from regions like Cuttack, Birbhum, and Hazaribagh to occupy this 'land of the Santals'. However, increasing exploitation by moneylenders and the British administration eventually led to the Santal Rebellion of 1855-56.

Sources

1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART III, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: COLONIALISM AND THE COUNTRYSIDE > 2. The Hoe and the Plough > p. 241