'Report on the Development of the Baluch-Persian Caravan Route and on the Nushki, Chagai and Western Sinjerani Districts, for the year 1899-1900' [‎5v] (10/64)

REPORT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BALUCH-PERSIAN CARAVAN ROUTE AND
6
Experience bad shown the Khan that the administration of Nushki was quite beyond
his powers; he has therefore, in my opinion, acted wisely in securing for himself an annual
income in excess of the revenue which he realized of late years from Nushki, relieving im-
self at the same time of the responsibility of administering a turbulent frontier distncu
4. To administer Nushki, a Tahsil in charge of a Tahsildar of the 2nd grade was sanc
tioned. The new appointment was conferred on Mahomed Ynsaf Khan, Sarishtidai in the
Office of the Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Zhob, and he was transferred to Nushki.
5. It is premature to say what effect the transfer of the district will have in bettering
the cond’tion of the inhabitants ; yet it was noticeable that, towards the close of the year
under review, a distinct diminution in the number of frontier outrages occurred, and it is
significant that this decrease in crime has been maintained ever since. Moreover, not a
single case of a serious outbreak has taken place in Nushki since the transfer of the district
was effected: indeed, the people appear to be more contented than they have been for years.
I would draw special attention to this as the rates for grain, throughout the winter, have
been abnormally high, consequent on the famine in Eastern Baluchistan,
On my return to Nushki from Seistan, I was much pleased to see that out of the four
tribal forts in N ushki two had been abandoned altogether, and their enclosures sown with
wheat, and that of the other two forts one was empty and one only in occupation. ^1 think
that the fact of only one fort being occupied in a district which has, for years, enjoyed an
unenviable reputation for lawlessness speaks for itself, and that it is not unnatural to assume
that this state of affairs is not wholly disconnected with the transfer of the Nushki district to
Government.
6. The revenue realized from Nushki from the date the district was taken over up to 31st
March of the present year was Rs. 1,068-11-3, divided as follows
Rs. a. p.
I.—Land Revenue ....... 782 6 3
V.— Excise 187 8 0
XVI.—Law and Justice 98 13 0
1,068 11 3
The smallness of the sum realized is attributable partially to the revenue operations having
been inaugurated too late in the year to be of any practical use, and partially to the scantiness
of the rainfall which characterized the preceding winter.
7. I would venture to call attention here to the weakness of the Nushki Tahsil
Establishment,* and I would respectfully submit that for the Tahsil Establishment to dis
charge their duties with efficiency it is necessary that their strength be augmented by the
appointments of a Kanungo on a monthly salary of Rs. 50 and a Naib-Tahsildar on Rs. 75.
8. Following on the transfer of Nushki to Government, sanction was accorded to the erec
tion of several new buildings. To enumerate these : First in importance comes the Nushki
dispensary.+ I am gratified to he able to say that the dispensary is being freely made use of
by patients, who are coming from so far afield as Shorawak, the Registan and the Valley of
the Helmand to take advantage of the medical treatment which the opening of a dispensary
in Nushki offers them. The other buildings consist of a sub-treasury X built of brick, a six-
roomed bungalow, with the usual offices and out-houses annexed, which can be used either as
a visitors resthouse or as a chapo rich ana, and a new serai for caravans, two rooms in which
have been set apart for the sole use of Shiah pilgrims. The Nushki Tahsil was further
improved by additions consisting of a new Police wing, four double-storyed defensive towers
built one at each corner of the lhana, and many minor structural alterations and additions
which add in no small degree to the comfort both of the Tahsil Establishment and Levies.
9. On the Quetta-Pan jpai Telegraph System reaching Nushki on 16th May the branch
post office there was replaced bv a combined post office and telegraph office in charge of sub
postmaster. The increased rapidity of inter-communication between Quetta and Nushki,
secured by the opening of the telegraph line, is likely to prove beneficial to trade.
10. The Nushki trading bazar has grown steadily in size during tlie year under review,
and now numbers 133 shops and 109 houses, representing a capital value of Rs. 75,000.§ I do
not think that it is necessary for me to again draw a comparison between the 25 to 30
The Tabsil Establishment as at present constituted consists merely of
One Tabsiblar of the 2nd grade, on ... .
One Peshkar, on #
One Muharir, on . , ,
Three Patwaries, on Rs. 25 each. , . ,
One Peon A low-ranking infantryman, orderly or assistant (South Asian context). , on . . .
E*.
200
50
30
75
10
tantUcha?g?an"hi8 C f3ly! e8 & building 8et aparfc for female in -patients and quarters for the Hospital Assis-
out under t S h , e , 8u ^ pervis*lon , of the^oca/offidau!*^ W ° rk8 Departmeut ‘ but a11 tbe 0tber building9 1 name "<*6 Carrie
§ Ibis amount represents the actual sum spent by traders on their shops, godowns and houses.