1 GENERAL REVIEW.
2 Adjustment of depart-
3 mental accounts for
4 1896-97 with the Comp-
5 troller, India Treasuries.
6 Strength of establishment.
7 REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN INDIA
8 Excluding treaty payments, the incidence of charges on
9 receipts amounts to 5:59 per cent. as compared with 6°35 per
10 cent. during 1896-97 and 6°50 per cent. during 1895-96. The
11 decrease in the percentage of the year under review is in some
12 measure due to a special cause—a small outturn of salt at the
13 Sambhar Lake, owing to an unfavourable manufacturing sea-
14 son, involving smaller payments on account of the cost of
15 manufacture.
16 2. The adjustment of the accounts of the Northern India
17 Salt Revenue Department for the year 1896-97, between this
18 office and the Comptroller of India Treasuries, and as published
19 in the Finance and Revenue Accounts of the Government of
20 India fot that year, was completed during September 1897.
21 Under receipts, the accounts of the Comptroller show Rs.
22 1,240-3-9 more than those of this Department, owing to a pay-
23 ment into the Quetta Treasury having been erroneously credit-
24 ed to this Department. This difference the Comptroller was
25 unable to adjust owing to the closure by him of the accounts
26 of 1896-97. Under charges, the accounts of this Department
27 show Rs. 1,670-9-5 more than those of the Comptroller, owing
28 to certain payments in the Kohat Mines Division not having
29 been debited to this Department by the Comptroller. This
30 difference also could not be adjusted owing to the closure of
31 the accounts of 1896-97. The accounts of 1897-98 are still
32 under adjustment, and the result will be reported upon in the
33 next annual report.
34 3. The following figures show the strength of the estab-
35 lishment of the Department, including the Kohat Salt Mines,
36 at the close of the year under report, as compared with 189G-
37 97 :—
38 Number Number
39 of officers, of men,
40 1896-97 oe oe ov 161 2,689
41 1897-98 Sis se. ove 160 2,486
42 Difference ee —1 —203
43 ——
44 —
45 These reductions occurred in the following sections of the
46 Department :-—
47 Number Number
48 of officers, of men,
49 Falodi Salt Souree si i ?
50 Panjéb Mines Division tes 196
51 . Total Sei —_— —_—
52 I 203
53 In letter No. 30858.R., dated the 16th of July 1897, De-
54 partment of Finance and Commerce, the Government of India
55 sanctioned the final relinquishment of the Falodi salt source
56 and the reduction of the establishment posted there, comprising
57 one Inspector, one jemadar, and six peons. This reduction
58 was effected by the absorption of appointments in vacancies,
59 that of the Inspector on the 23rd September 1897, and those of
60 the jemadar and peons on the 1st October 1897.
61 Towards the close of the year under review, the Government
62 of India decided upon the abolition of the Indus Preventive
63 line, a section of the Panjab Mines Division, and in letter
64 No. 10308.R., dated the Ist March 1898, I was directed by
65 Government to take immediate steps for the disbandment of the
66 Indus Preventive force. By the end of March 1898, I was
67 enabled to effect the reduction of 196 men by the absorption of
68 their appointments in vacancies in the Department. Particulars
69 of tne reduction of the rest of the establishment will be submit-
70 ted in the next annual report, the arrangements to that end
71 taking effect during 1898-99.
72 ( 2)