1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1899-1900,
2 consumption within the State; the excess in the quantity PACHBA DRA.
3 cleared over that purchased being salt which was purchased
4 during 1898-99. The Darbar is entitled to receive 1,70,000
5 maunds of salt yearly from this source on payment of the price
6 only, but the drought in Jodhpur territory was so severe
7 that there was a considerable diminution in the demand of
8 the year.
9 25. The following figures show in a comparative form Distribution of salt over
10 the territorial distribution of the duty-paid and duty-free salt 9zess of consumption,
11 which was cleared from the source during the past two «
12 years -—
13 1898-99, 1899-1900. Difference.
14 Mds Mds. ~ Mds.
15 Rajputéina ahs a we -2,84,262 252,142 —~82,120
16 F Central India ak wae we =—:1,97,942 —1,69,647 —28,295
17 Central Provinces ... sig ee «108,981 89,600 — 14,331
18 North-Western Provinces and Oudh we 1,44,525 5,387,115 -+4-8,92,590
19 Total ow 7;80,660 10,848,504 4-3,17,844
20 ——
21 The increased quantity consigned to the North-Western
22 Provinees and Oudh took the place of Sdmbhar salt.
23 26. The famine led to a large increase in the number of
24 cases of theft and attempt at theft of salt in the Luni salt
25 tract. In 1898-99, 44 persons were arrested for the theft of
26 maunds 5-24-13 of salt; while during the year under report
27 123 persons were concerned in the removal of maunds 69-19-0
28 of salt from the Luni river and its affluents. In all cases in
29 which the people appeared to have been impelled to theft by
30 want, they were released unconditionally and only professional
31 thieves, or persons not in straitened circumstances, were
32 prosecuted in the Jodbpur courts. In all 80 persons were
33 departmentally released. The revenue of the British Govern-
34 ment is, under any circumstances, only affected indirectly by
35 petty thefts of salt from the Luni, and in a period of drought
36 and famine like the present there is practically no fear of
37 salt removed from the Luni reaching, in any appreciable
38 quantity, areas supplied with salt paying duty to the British
39 Government. .
40 The usual distribution of free salt at the rate of six seers
41 a head to the population of the river delta was effected in
42 April 1899, when maunds 5,775-36-0 were issued to the in-
43 habitants, numbering 38,506 souls, of 39 villages in the San-
44 chor pargana of Jodhpur territory.
45 ‘The Luni salt tract.
46 27. The sales of salt effected at Falodi by the officials of ¥ AG ee
47 the Jodhpur Darbar during the year were as follows :— Sales of salt by the Jodh-
48 Was. pur Darbér.
49 Opening balance of stock oon a see wee = 74,917 .
50 Sales during the year pee ose ove ws «10,099
51 Closing stock balance ve «64,818
52 The quantity sold was part of the salt due to the Darbar free
53 of duty under the salt agreements, and the sum realized from
54 a sale price of 14 annas a maund, v7z., Rs, 947, was ercdited to
55 this department.
56 28. It is stipulated in Article XI of the salt agreement Financial results of ‘the
57 with the J adhiouy State, that in the event of the cital wealings parca in the Jodupur
58 tions from the gale of salt at Didwana, Pachbadra and Falodi St
59 exceeding in any year the charges properly debitable against
60 these sources, one half of the excess shall be paid to the Dar-
61 bdr, The figures below, which show the financial result during
62 ( 15)