1 REVIEW BY SECTIONS.
2 SULTANPUR SALT
3 WORKS.
4 Stocks, manufacture, and
5 sales,
6 REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN INDIA
7 Down to the end of 1896-97, the revenue of these works
8 was steadily progressive, and it was hoped that this improve-
9 ment would continue. During the year under review, however,
10 there was a large decrease of Rs. 80,114 compared with
11 1896-97, and the figures are below these of 1895-96 and
12 1894-95 also, by Rs. 76,914 and Rs. 44,170 respectively.
13 This decrease in receipts has of course been due to a smaller
14 quantity of salt having been excised during the past year, and
15 the causes which have led to this result will be fully explained
16 in the next paragraph. As regards the details, under the head of
17 receipts, it may be explained that the falling off in the revenue
18 derived from the Hakimi cess during 1896-97 and 1897-98, as
19 compared with 1894-95 and 1895-96, is owing to the rate of the
20 cess having been reduced from varying amounts (one anna and
21 nine pies to six pies) to one uniform charge of three pies a
22 maund with effect from the 7th of January 1896.
23 Compared with 1896-97, there was a décrease of Rs.
24 1,956 in the expenditure incurred at the works during the
25 year. This difference was owing, partly to ordinary minor
26 fluctuations under fixed and contingent charges, and also to
27 Pachotra payments under the latter head having been smaller
28 than usual owing to the reduction of the Hakimi cess.
29 29. Statistics of stocks, manufacture and sales at the Sul-
30 tanpur Salt Works during the past four years will be found in
31 the following statement :—
32 Stock at the : Stock in
33 Year commence: iat oe ee hand at the
34 ears ment of the ming heen close of the
35 year weak sent year.
36 Mds, Mads. Mads, Mds
37 1894-95 ws en _ 537 1,00,485 94,614 6,408
38 1895-96 ... tee eee 6,408 1,19,392 1,08,133 17,667
39 1896-97 ... aee eee 17,667 1,19,494 31,11,877 25,284
40 1897-98 ... aoe pes 25,284 68,485 (2) 80,093 13,676
41 The quantity of salt manufactured during the year fell
42 below the outturn of 1896-97 by 51,009 maunds, and is the
43 lowest recorded inthe table. ‘The yjast year was a most un-
44 favourable one for these salt works. During the hpt season,
45 when manufacture is always most brisk, storms occurred very
46 frequently, and salt lying in the evaporation pans was injured
47 and greatly depreciated in value by dust being deposited upon
48 it. Besides this, manufacture was impeded from the very com-
49 mencement of the year. Owing to scarcity and high prices
50 prevailing all over the country when the time for manufacture
51 arrived, capital which used to be invested in the works was
52 diverted to the grain trade. The tightness of the money
53 market accentuated this difficulty and advances of funds were
54 hard to obtain. Added to this, there were persistent rumours
55 that the branch railway to Farakhnagar was about to be
56 closed, and men with capital were most reluctant to lay it out
57 on the salt works. This caution was not uncalled for, as at
58 the beginning of December 1897, notice was issued by the
59 Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway to the effect that
60 the Farakhnagar branch would be closed for traffic from the
61 1st January 1898. There was then a stock of about 30,000
62 raunds of salt lying on the works, which could not be disposed
63 ef and removed at such short notice, and which was practically
64 (@) Inclades wastage maunds 63,
65 ( 26 )