The system of 'dagh' (branding of horses), 'huliya' (descriptive roll of soldiers) and cash payment to soldiers was introduced in the Delhi Sultanate by:

Alauddin Khalji (ruled 1296-1316) introduced the system of "dagh" (branding of horses), "huliya" or "chehra" (a descriptive roll of soldiers), and the payment of salaries to soldiers in cash.

Why these reforms were needed:

• Alauddin wanted to build a large, permanent standing army, to defend the kingdom against the Mongols and to conquer new territories.
• There was widespread fraud in the army: soldiers brought poor-quality horses for inspection, or the same horse was shown more than once, and false soldiers were presented at the muster.

About the reforms:

• "Dagh": horses were branded with the royal mark, so that they could not be replaced with inferior horses or shown twice.
• "Huliya" (chehra): a descriptive roll was kept for each soldier, recording his physical features, so that no one else could take his place.
• Cash salaries: soldiers were paid in cash, directly by the state, instead of being given iqtas.
• Regular inspections (musters) of the army were held.

Market reforms:

To make it possible for soldiers to live on fixed cash salaries, Alauddin controlled the prices of goods in the markets of Delhi.

NCERT on Alauddin's army:

• NCERT notes that Alauddin raised a large standing army to face the Mongol threat, and that the soldiers were paid in cash.
• It also notes that his administrative measures were successful, and that the Mongol invasions were repelled.

Other reforms of Alauddin:

• He raised the land revenue and measured the land.
• He set up a department to collect arrears of revenue.
• He banned drinking and controlled the nobles through spies and marriage restrictions.

Later history:

Sher Shah Suri and Akbar revived the system of branding horses (dagh) and descriptive rolls (chehra), as part of the mansabdari system.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Balban organised the military department.
• ✗Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Firoz Shah Tughlaq did not introduce this system.