1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1899-1900. .
2 influents. In years of short rainfall in particular the nadiis SaMBHAR LAKE.
3 the most important of the Lake feeders. The dam would, it
4 was feared, reduce the volume of water entering the Lake
5 from the nadi; and, in view of the important interests in-
6 volved in connection with the manufacture of salt, its con-
7 struction was abandoned on a repesentation made by this De-
8 ‘partment. The whole question of obstructions on the water-
9 ways leading into the Lake is now under consideration, and
10 further information on the subject will be given in the report
11 of 1900-01. 5
12 13. The quantities of salt manufactured, sold, andin store stocks of salt.
13 at the Simbhar Lake during the year under report, compared
14 with those of 1898-99, will be found below :—
15 . 1898-99, 1899-1900,
16 Credits— Mads. Mas,
17 Opening balance of stock tee ee =—32,35,761 48,24,074
18 Quantity of salt produced ae ve 88,17,712 16,38,910
19 Excesses discoverod in heaps of calt cleared 89,093 2,11,680
20 ” Total wae 85,92,566 61,74,664
21 Debits — — —--—
22 Quantity of salt sold... wee ae 41,26,743 82,01,233
23 Issues of salt free of both price and duty tee 29,410 26,060
24 Leticits found in heaps of salt cleared vw. = 112,889 89,618
25 Total vee = 42,68,492 32,66,906
26 Closing stock balance .. ans see 43,24,074 29,07,758
27 The closing balance of the year was less than that of
28 1898-99 by maunds 14,16,316. It represents the probable
29 demand of about nine months only. If the rainfall in the com-
30 ing month be favourable, manufacture will probably recom-
31 mence by December 1900, and trade demands will be met. The
32 situation is critical and everything depends upon the character
33 of the ensuing season. If the season be again unfavourable,
34 the North-Western Provinces and Oudh must look to the Panjab
35 mines, Calcutta and Kharagora for their supply of salt. The
36 prospects at present are fairly good.
37 14. Kighty-three heaps of salt, estimated to contain Results of estimation of
38 35,71,442 maunds, were cleared during the year, and the actual “"
39 outturn was 37,483,509 maunds. ‘The excess amounted to
40 1,72,067 maunds, equal to 4°82 per cent. This large excess ap-
41 pears to indicate an unnecessary stringency of estimation ; but
42 it is in some measure accounted for by the lowness of stocks,
43 which led to the issue of salt shortly after its manufacture,
44 and by the dryness of the seasons which diminished the ordin-
45 ary amount of wastage.
46 15, Sambhar salt continued to be sold ata uniform price rade: snles and issues
47 of four annas a maund, and there was nochange in the charge, _—_of salt.
48 (three pics a maund) made for clearing salt by. departmental
49 agency. The following figures show the sales effected at the
50 Lake during the past two years :— : Sales of salt,
51 1898 99, 1899-1900. Difference.
52 Mds. Mads, Mds.
53 Through traffic sales wes 14,33,784 9,772,080 —4,61,704
54 Ordinary aales ... wee ¥ 26,92,059 # 22,29,153 —4,63,806
55 Total wn 41,26,748 32,01,238 —9,25,510
56 * Includes 5,000 maunds issued on payment of price but free of duty to the Rénpur Darbar.
57 There was a large decrease in sales during the year under
58 report. The salt in store being inferior in quality to that
59 ‘usually produced, a part of the trade of the Lake was diverted
60 to Pachbadra. The consumption of salt in areas usually sup-
61 plied in whole orin part by Sambhar was probably also affect-
62 ed to some extent by the famine which prevailed over such a
63 large area in Upper India. In the Jodhpur State.the effect of
64 the famine on the consumption of salt has been very marked,
65 (9)