1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1898-99,
2 A larger quantity of salt was excised from this source during’ DIDWANA. -
3 the year ; 2,52,582 maunds having paid duty, compared with Plueinations ih revenue
4 2,38,403 maunds during 1897-98—an increase of 14,179 maunds. _ plained.
5 Under charges, the increase in the cost of establishment
6 was due to the Assistant Commissioner having drawn an
7 ~ annual increment to his pay, and te his having received, under
8 the orders of the Government of India, a large sum on account
9 of arrears of exchange compensation allowance. Contingent
10 expenditure also was greater, owing to larger refunds having
11 to be made of half duty on salt booked to the Bikaner State, as °
12 already explained in paragraph 5. :
13 15. Salt is manufactured at Didwdna by the evaporation Manufacture of salt,
14 of brine obtained from wells. The brine is rich, the supply is
15 abundant, and production is independent of climatic conditions.
16 The source is capable of producing salt in large quantities, but _
17 the salt is not of first-rate quality. Owing partly to this, and
18 partly to the position of the source in a desert country
19 at a distance from railway communication, the demand for the
20 salt is limited. During the past two years the following Quantities of salt produced.
21 quantities of salt were manufactured :—
22 Mds.
23 1897-98 ia ‘is ue ig ra 1,94,187
24 1898-99 es see ase we ws ——_‘1,99,669
25 Increase oe + 5,532
26 Salt is purchased from the manufacturers at two, two and-a-
27 half, and three pies a maund according to quality. The Cost of manufacture.
28 average cost of manufacture and storage during the year.under
29 report amounted to 4°63 pies a maund, as compared with 5°51
30 pies a maund during 1897-98.
31 The quantities of salt made, sold, and in store at the source Stocks of salt,
32 during the past two years are shown below :—
33 1897-98, 1898-99.
34 Mds. Mds.
35 Opening balance of stock cee eee 6,14,661 5,43,708
36 Quantity of salt produced iss ws 1,94,137 1,99,669
37 Excesses discovered in heaps of salt cleared “sg 13,313 22,148 °
38 Total os 8, 22,111 7,665,525
39 Qauntity of salt sold 2,78,403 2,92,582
40 tos 2,475
41 Deficits found in heaps of salt cleared...
42 Total oe 2,78,403 2,95,057
43 5,438,708 4,70,468
44 Closing stock balance ws oe
45 The stock balance at the close of the year was less than that
46 of 1897-98, but was more than sufficient to meet any demand
47 likely to arise. Salt can be made with such facility at this
48 source, and the trade is so small in comparison with-the quan-
49 tity of salt which can be produced, that a much smaller balance
50 of stock would suffice. Manufacture has been restricted dur-
51 ing a past two years with a view to reducing the stock in
52 hand.
53 16. Didwadna salt was sold at one anna a maund from the
54 1st April to the 13th December 1898, and at nine pies a
55 maund from the 14th December 1898 to the close of the year.
56 The latter rate still obtains at the source. During 1897-98
57 the rate was uniform at one annaa maund throughout the
58 year. The sales effected at the source during the past two Sales of salt
59 years, of duty-paying and duty-free salt, are shown below:—
60 1807-98, 1898-99. _Differenee.
61 M
62 €
63 Trade: sales and issues
64 of salt,
65 Mads. ds. 8.
66 Full duty-paid salt ... « ——-2,88,408 2,52,582 ++14,179
67 Duty-free salt issued to the Jodh-
68 pur Darbar as ee 40,000 40,000
69 Total as 2,78,403 2,92,582 +14,179
70 s Sees —_———
71 ( 11 )