1 REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN INDIA
2 to maunds 5,02,909 compared with maunds 5,65,009 in
3 1901-02. The quantities of salt sold and issued at the Kohat
4 Mines were less than those of 1g0t-o2 by maunds 51,379 and
5 maunds 52,732 respectively. At the Mandi Mines, where salt
6 is issued as soon as it is sold,a decrease of maunds 9,368
7 occurred in the transactions of the year.
8 Sales. Ob salt Mee ot 18. Sales of salt free of duty were less than those of
9 Arend Ill, 1901-02 by maunds 99,247, and there was a decrease also of
10 Gales to the Jodhpur Maunds 16,057 in issues. The Jodhpur Darbar purchased
11 State, maunds 1,914,645 during 1901-02, but only maunds 1,42,420
12 could be removed by the close of that year. There was
13 therefore a large uncleared balance, and only maunds 87,398
14 were purchased during the year under report; but maunds
15 1,26,363 were removed from the sources for consump-
16 tion. The last Census showed that the population of te
17 State had decreased from 2,528,178 souls in 1891 to
18 1,935,565 souls in tgol, and a smaller quantity of salt is
19 consequently now required .for consumption. The Raj
20 duty on the salt supplied free of British duty to the
21 Jodhpur State was reduced by the Darbar from Rs. 2-6-6
22 to Rs. 2 a maund with effect from the 1st April 1903.
23 Sales of salt free ofduty The annual allowance of salt free of duty to the Rampur
24 to the Rampur State. State is given according to the calendar year, and two yearly
25 quantities of mautids 5,000 each were purchased during the
26 official year under report. The quantity ‘actually issued, «
27 however, amounted to maunds 5,000 only. In the old
28 Customs Manual, which was published in 1866, the quan-
29 tity of salt which the Rampur State is entitled to receive
30 annually free of duty is stated to be maunds 6,000, and
31 maunds 6,000 has in consequence hitherto been regarded
32 by the Department as the authorised quantity. For many
33 years, however, only maunds 5,000 a year have actually been
34 taken; and from a letter written by the Nawab, dated the 23rd
35 December 1864, which is published in Aitchison’s Treaties, it
36 would appear that the State is only entitled to maunds 5,000
37 a year. In these circumstances the Government of the United
38 Provinces has been asked for information as to the quantity
39 of duty free salt to which the States really entitled.
40 Issues of salt free of 16. The issues of salt free of both prige and duty were
41 Appande ti "larger by maunds 4,700, maunds 39,360 having been taken by
42 the different States compared with maunds 34,660 in 1go1-o2,
43 and there was a kalance of maunds 17,150 due at the close of
44 the year. A running account is kept of these transactions and
45 salt is issued as applications for it are received.
46 Sale ated os the Biles 17. Allusion was made in the Report of 1901-02 toa
47 ment of half duty, desire expressed by’ the Bikaner Darbar to discontinue the
48 Appendix IIL, arrangement under which a refund of duty is made on salt
49 booked to the State up to a maximum ‘quantity of 20,000
50 maunds a year and to.adopt in its stead an arrangement for
51 the purchase by contractors appointed by the Darbar of the full
52 quantity of salt to which the State is entitled at the salt
53 sources on payment of the price and of half of the duty. This
54 arrangement was to have come into force from the 1st of Octo-
55 ber 1g02; but the Political Agent has informed me that no
56 contract forthe half duty salt has been given by the Darbar,
57 and that the system of a refund of duty may be allowed to
58 continue. Maunds 20,284 were booked to the State from
59 Didwana and Pachbadra compared with maunds 19,542 in
60 1901-02, The increase in the quantity was owing to arush
61 for salt at Didwana after the reduction of the duty was
62 announced,
63 ( 8 )