1 SAMBHAR LAKE.
2 Sales and issues com-
3 pared,
4 Distribution of salt over
5 areas of Consumption.
6 Financial results of the
7 lease of the Sémbhar
8 Lake.
9 REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN INDIA
10 but this is doubtless due largely to emigration. Speculation
11 in grain in connection with the famine also appears to have
12 checked to some extent the investment of capital in salt. Pur-
13 chases were made only of such quantities as were required to
14 meet the immediate demand; and traders were desirous of
15 clearing and disposing of their salt as quickly as possible.
16 If the price of Pachbadra salt be kept low, the Pachbadra
17 source may possibly retain a part of the trade which was
18 diverted to it during the year; but with the return of good
19 seasons, the demand for SAdmbhar will revive, as the salt is
20 good and the Lake is well situated for the supply of areas of
21 consumption.
22 The actual clearances were in excess of the sales, as will
23 be seen from the figures below ;— t
24 1898.99, 1899-1900,
25 Mads, Mds
26 Sales te es we 41,26 748 $2,01,238
27 Clearances ... ea = 89,24,927 84,12,290
28 Of the salt which was issued during the year under report,
29 mauuds 33,82,010 were removed by railway and maunds 30,280
30 by road. In years of good rainfall the greater part of the
31 salt which leaves the Lake by road is removed by Banjaras;
32 but during the year under report the drought and the scarcity
33 of water and fodder prevented these carriers from visiting
34 Sambhar, and the salt was removed partly for local consump-
35 tion and partly by traders with camels.
36 16. The territorial distribution of the salt issued, compared
37 with that issued in 1898-99, is shown below :—
38 1898-99. 1899-1900. Difference.
39 ds. Mds Mds
40 North-Western Provinces and Oudk 28,80,562 22,13,800 —6,66,762
41 The Panjab ene wwe 2,68,725 2,564,185 14,540
42 Réjputéna — a 5,338,643 5,21,990 —11,653
43 Central india coe oe 2,21,615 4,01,310 +1,79,695
44 Central Provinces one eee 16,457 17,200 +743
45 Booval (for Nepal se ag 8,925 3,800 —125
46 Bombay we one oe ae 5 +5
47 Total « 39,24,927 34,12,290 ~~ §,12,637
48 The large decrease in the bookings to the North-Western
49 Provinces and Oudh was widely distributed over that area. As
50 already stated, Pachbadra salt to some extent took the place of
51 Sambhar in these Provinces; and the diminution of the total
52 quantity of salt consigned to them appears to have been due to
53 - the employment of capital in other branches of trade.
54 17. ‘Lhe running account of the financial result of the work-
55 ing of the lease of the Sambhar Lake, from 1870-71 down to
56 to the close of the past year, now extends over 30 years. The
57 full particulars of this account, which were given last year
58 in an appendix attached to the report, and which formerly
59 appeared in statements in the body of the report, have been
60 omitted, as it appears unnecessary to reproduce in each year’s
61 report the figures of past years in so much detail, A summary
62 of the results is, however, given below :—
63 Stock Account.
64 Salt produced (including excesses found in stock)— Mds,
65 Down to the close of 1898-99 tee va 10,16,95,542
66 Daring 1899-1900 bee ae as ies 18,50,590
67 Total w 10,85,46,132
68 Salt cleared from account (including gales, free deliveries, wastage and dryage)—
69 Down to the close of 1898-99 sve ase tse 9,78,7 1,468
70 During 1899-1900 vee vee eee 1 $2,66,908
71 ——
72 Total ww —-:10,06,88,374
73 Balance in stock at the cloge of 1899-1900 ie 29,07,758
74 —
75 ( 10 )