1 REVIEW BY SRCTIONS
2 INTERNAL BRANCH,
3 Decreases in receipts.
4 Decrease in fixed
5 and eontingent charges
6 explained.
7 €
8 + REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE NORTHERN INDIA
9 The gross revenue shows a falling off compared with 1892-
10 93 of Ry 41,823, and of Rs. 20,230 compared with 1891-92.
11 Compared with any other year, the gross revenue is larger.
12 The excise duty on salt is less as compared with the previous
13 year by Rs. 43,759; but the revenue received as license fees
14 is more by Rs. 1,075, and that as fees for the clearance of sitta
15 more by Rs. 707. The falling off in the excise duty on salt is
16 unanimously ascribed by both the Assistant Commissioners and
17 all the Superintendents of the Internal Branch to be due to the
18 unsettled rainy weather which prevailed all over the country
19 during 1893. This resulted in diminishing the yield of crude
20 Saltpetre in the crude works, and the amount consequently
21 that came to refineries to be worked up. The quality, more-
22 over, was as inferior as the quantity was deficient. Next, this
23 bad weather deteriorated the earths in refineries and caused
24 the yield of kootia saltpetre and of salt therefrom to be defi-
25 cient. Finally, much of the salt educed was of inferior quality,
26 and was either destroyed during the year or remained unexcised
27 and in bond at its close.
28 The fixed charges, which include a payment of Rs. 1,698
29 on account af exchange compensation allowance, are less than
30 those of the previous year by Rs. 4,351. The following are,
31 the items of increase or decrease in these charges :—(1) sa-
32 lary of Assistant Commissioner, increase Rs. 4,158, owing
33 to payment of deputation allowance to Mr. Ashton while on
34 duty in Bengal; to pay and allowances of a Superintendent
35 while an Assistant Commissioner was on leave; and to pay and
36 allowances of the Superintendent officiating for Mr. Ashton
37 while the latter was on deputation in Bengal ; (2) exchange
38 compensation allowance Rs. 1,698: nothing was paid on this
39 account in 1892-93; (3) salaries of clerks, decrease Rs. 695,
40 owing to vacancies being left unfilled; (4) salaries of Super-
41 intendents and Assistant Superintendents, decrease Rs. 10,526,
42 owing to two Superintendents being on deputation at Sambhar
43 from the Punjab groups of cireles to assist in the supervision
44 of manufacture there; (5) salaries of inspectors and petty
45 officers, increase Rs. 631, owing to transfers caused by the
46 exigencies of the service ; (6) servants and guards, increase
47 Rs. 383, caused by the transfer of certain mem temporarily to
48 the Lower Diyision from the Delhi salt sources.
49 The contingent charges have diminished by Rs. 595, or
50 from Rs. 35,574 to Rs. 34,979, owing to the following causes :—
51 (1) Travelling allowance, increase Rs. 58. This increase
52 would have been much greater owing to Mr. Ashton’s deputa-
53 tion to Bengal but for two Superintendents having been
54 deputed from the Upper Division to Sambhar to do duty there
55 in assisting to supervise the manufacture of salt ; (2) convey-
56 ance of tents, decrease Rs. 70; (3) purchase and repairs of
57 tents, increase Rs. 656, caused by renewal of condemned tents
58 in 1893-94; (4) house-rent and horse allowance, decrease
59 Rs. 277, caused by the deputation of two Superintendents to
60 Sambhar, where there are free quarters, and house-rent is not
61 paid ; (5) hot weather charges, decrease Rs. 22; (6) service
62 postage charges, decrease Rs. 217, owing to deputation of two
63 Superintendents to Sambhar and reduction of ottice work ; (7)
64 telegram charges, increase Rs. 2; (8) stationery charges,
65 decrease Rs. 30, owing to reduction of office work ; (9) rewards
66 to seizers of smugglers, &c., decrease Rs. 414, owing to the
67 scizures being fewer in 1893-U4; (10) miscellaneous, decrease
68 Ks, 45.
69 ( 58 )
70 Q