'ANNUAL REPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1908-1909' [‎82v] (26/132)

I
Railways.
Finance:
General.
I
Imperial.
Provincial.
XX
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT. C^OS-iqq^
were on account of direct aod Rs. 79,01,137 on account of m irect recei-ts, th Q
corresponding figures for 1907-1908 being Rs. 69,25,213 (Rs. 3,64,974 direct
and Rs. 65,60,269 indirect).
40. With the addition of 63 miles of line opened during the year th Q
total length of railway open for traffic in the Bombay Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. was 4,24^
miles. Work was also in progress on the Bombay Harbour Branch of the
Great Indian Peninsula Railway, the extension of the Gaik war s Mehsaua
Railways from Kheralu to Dabbora, and the branch line from Mirpur-Khas to
Jhudo, the last two constructions being on the metre-gauge. The m 0 4.
important works completed during the year were an overbridge near the
Chaupati level-crossing on the Bombay Baroda and Central India Railway
Bombay, and the doubling of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway from Raida to
Poona. There were no important administrative changes or innovations during
the year.
41. There was an increase of 89 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in the gross revenue, which
amounted to 15 crores 43 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The gross expenditure increased by 35 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
and amounted to 7 crores ^0 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . Of the increase in revenue 76§ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees fell
under the Imperial head and 12^ lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees under the Provincial. Imperial expendi
ture on the other hand showed an advance of only lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees , while the
remaining 33f lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of the increase in expenditure were contributed by the
Provincial head.
Under Imperial revenue there was a very large increase of 117 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
in the receipts from Opium, the causes of wffiich are explained separately under
that heading. There were also appreciable increases of 2, 2J and 4f lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
respectively in the receipts from Salt, Excise and Customs, but all other princi
pal heads of revenue showed more or less decrease. The decrease under Land
Revenue, however, was only the result of larger grants from Imperial to Provincial,
which outweighed a real improvement in the collections. The decrease of
B4f lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in the profits of the Mint was also apparent in part, and will bo
reduced by nearly one-third after adjustment of the profit on the circulation of
nickel coin, but the remainder was due to the reduced coinage of rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . The
latter cause accounted for a fall of 3 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in the expenditure of the Mint,
which formed the only considerable decrease under Imperial expenditure and
was counterbalanced principally by increases of If lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees under Excise and of
1 lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees each under Refunds and Drawbacks and under Assignments and Com
pensations. Payments on account of grain compensation, local allowances
and the Royal bonus contributed to the increase under a number of heads.
The causes which affected the Imperial Land Revenue receipts wen
mainly responsible for an improvement of 121 Mkhs urider the game head o]
Provincial revenue. Of other increases, the greatest was one of lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
under Excise, which was principally counterbalanced by a decline of 1 lakh One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees
under Interest and by smaller decreases under Stamps, Assessed Taxes and
Miscellaneous. In the case of Provincial as of Imperial expenditure the
Royal bonus and other allowances formed the most general items of increase
and contributed to the largest advance—that of 12| lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in the cost of the
Police. The same items were common to the increases of 4| lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees under Land
Revenue, If Mkhs under Jails and 2 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees under Education in addition to specific
causes m each case; while an increase of 6f lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees under the head Medical
was chiefly the result of large grants towards hospitals and dispensaries and
towards the sanitary schemes of Municipalities. The only other noticeable
“ e wa + s ^ of ™<Jer Excise, where it was due to the re-organisa-
tion of establishment which equally affected the same head of Imperial