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5 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1902-1903,
6 in quality, and local traders or firms with agents at the, Lake,
7 who can choose their own time for the submission of itdents,
8 have therefore an advantage over purchasers ata distance.
9 The trade in Sambhar salt is more in the hands of large capi-
10 talists than the trade in Punjab rock salt ; and until a good
11 - and level grade of salt can be produced, it is difficult to ensure
12 absolute equality of treatment to purchasers on the spot and
13 purchasers at a distance, The decline of through traffic is,
14 however, likely to be prejudicial to the interests of consumers,
15 as it tends to throw the trade into the power of a Ring, and
16 the subject is in consequence engaging my attention. The
17 admirable arrangements made at Khewrah to ensure that the
18 quality of all salt supplied is uniform, and that all traders are
19 treated alike, encourage the public to deal direct with the
20 Department without the intervention of middlemen. The
21 circumstances at Sambhar are different, and the decline of
22 through traffic there may be due to causes beyond the control
23 of any system of administration. The subject, however, will
24 be fully investigated.
25 67. Asum of Rs. 84,92,365 was paid during the year
26 into. treasuries, post offices and stations on the Indian
27 Midland Railway on account of the revenue on salt sold
28 under the through traffic system. The payments into trea-
29 suries amounted to Rs. 83,05,175, into post offices to Rs.
30 43,610, and intorailway stations to Rs. 1,43,580. The
31 payments of salt revenue into post offices, which amounted
32 to Rs. 1,19.883 in -1g00-01 and Rs. 46,852 in 1901-02,
33 fell still further to Rs. 43,610 during the year. As was
34 pointed out in paragraph 41 of the Annual Report for 1898-
35 99, the fee of eight annas per 1co rupees of revenue re-
36 ceived by the Post Office was prohibitive. Since the close of
37 the year the Government of India have ordered the reduction
38 of the fee to two annas per hundred rupees with effect from the
39 -tst July 1903. The effect of the reduction, which was notified
40 in Notification No, 3689-S.R., dated the 19th June 1903, of
41 the Finance Department, will be observed during the current
42 year. The list of stations on the Indian Midland Railway
43 authorised to receive the revenue of this Department was
44 revised during the year. In letter No. 2550-S.R., dated the 12th.
45 May 1902, from the Finance Department, the Government of
46 India withdrew the prohibition against the payment of salt
47 revenue into stations at localities where post offices author-
48 ised to receive such revenue exist, and the Railway Adminis-
49 tration desired that authorisation should be withdrawn from
50 stations at which buginess was not likely to be done. Thirty
51 six.stations have accordingly been selected into which the
52 revenue of this Department may be paid.
53 68. The number of traders with whom the Department
54 had direct dealings was smaller during the year by 331, the
55 total number being 2,896 against 3,227 in 1901-02, The
56 decline of through traffic at Sambhar and Pachbadra was res-
57 ponsible for this decrease, the number of traders dealing di-
58 rect with the Department in the Punjab having been larger
59 by 48.
60 . 6g. An account of receipts and expenditure in connection
61 with the bagging and clearance of salt, prepared in accord-
62 ance with the principles described in paragraph 55 of my
63 » Report for 1g00-o1, is given below :—
64 Receipts. Charges.
65 he ee he ape tre |
66 Fixed. Contingent. Total,
67 Rs. Rs. Rs. Rs,
68 Cis-IndusMines «75,445 5,000 38,920 43,920
69 , Sambhar s+ 7792 7,000 4,706 11,706
70 Pachbadra _ se 8979 3,000 14,701 17,708
71 Total oe 88,216 15,000 58327 73,327
72 —_—oees ba ceeemenmnel ree weeny .
73 ; 7 ( 27 )
74 Payments
75 Revision
76 Number
77 Through
78 THROUGH
79 TRAFFIC.
80 Revenue realised on
81 ales under the sysiems.
82 of salt Pe-
83 venue into the Post
84 Office and revision of
85 the postal charge.
86 of ist of
87 stations On the Indian
88 Midland Railway au-
89 thorised to receive
90 salt revenue,
91 of traders
92 who dealt direct with
93 the Department.
94 Appendix X.
95 trafic re-
96 ceipts and charges,