1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1896-97.
2 The largest quantity of saltpetre is obtained from the REVIEW BY SECTIONS.
3 province of Behar; the North-Western Provinces and Oudh are INTERNAL BRANCH.
4 next in importance, and the Punjib is the third on the list.
5 The increase was small in conuection with the North-Western
6 Provinces and Oudh; but large in Behar and the Punjib. The
7 saltpetre industry is such an important one that the steady
8 progressive increase during the past four years of the trade of
9 saltpetre producing areas is very satisfactory.
10 64. The next statement shows the quantities of saltpetre Saltpetre salt excised and
11 salt excised and of salt and sitta (impure salt) destroyed in “its snd salt destroyed.
12 saltpetre refineries in the Internal Branch dnring the past
13 four years :-—
14 Sitta and salt destroyed.
15 Year, Salt excised, :
16 Sitta. Salt, in bond.
17 Mds. Mds. Mds. Mads.
18 1893-94 us ao a 55,977 56,718 6,327 14,688.
19 1894-95 or ie aa 55,133 62,990 32,991 28,104
20 1895-96 aoe ae vi f 72,025 75,966 16,919 57,779
21 1896-97 cae wae sie 722652 98,241 65,903 69,7 9%
22 During the past year maunds 2,36,796 of purified and
23 impure salt were dealt with compared with maunds 1,64,910
24 during 1895-96, or an inerease of maunds 71,886. These figures
25 show that in connection with the salt producing capabilities of
26 saltpetre refineries, the interests of Government were closely
27 looked after during the year under report.
28 The quantity of salt excised during the year shows a small
29 excess of maunds 627 over the figures of 1895-96, Of the total
30 quantity of maunds 72,652 excised, maunds 251 were taxed in
31 the Punjib, maunds 33,770 in North-Western Provinces and
32 Oudh, maunds 21,508 in Behar, and maunds 17,123 in Calcutta.
33 Of this last-mentioned quantity only maunds 1,655 were con-
34 sumed in Calcutta itself, and maunds 15,468 were exported
35 under rawannas into the interior of Bengal, chiefly to the
36 Burdwan district. e
37 The quantity of sitta destroyed was more than in 1895-96
38 by maunds 22,275. Ofthe total quantity of maunds 98,241,
39 maunds 57,301 were destroyed in the Punjéb, maunds 13,054
40 in the North-Western Provinces and Oudh, maunds 10,168 in
41 Behar, and maunds 17,718 in Calcutta. There is practically
42 no market for duty paid saltpetre salt in the Punjdb, and only
43 a limited demand elsewere. It is therefore not profitable to
44 _purify all of this impure salt which is produced.
45 In the quantity of salt destroyed during the year there is
46 a large increase of maunds 48,984 compared with the figures.
47 of 1895-96. Of the total quantity, one maund was destroyed
48 inthe Punjab, maunds 52,062 in the North-Western Provinces
49 and Oudh, maunds 562 in Behar and maunds 13,278 in Calcutta.
50 As I have already remarked, the market for saltpetre salt
51 bearing the excise duty is limited, and the large quantity
52 destroyed by saltpetre refiners during the year shows that the
53 supply was in excess of the demand.
54 The destruction of salt (both pure and impure) produced
55 in saltpetre refineries does not affect the interests of the salt
56 revenue prejudicially. Those interests are served by such salt
57 ( 63 )