'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR, 1910-1911' [‎219v] (22/150)

Forests.
Manufactures
and Industries.
xvi
BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[I9I0-
1 .
The year was marked by a change of some importance i n the
administration of forest areas in the Deccam In view of the d.sproportionatety
large number of impoundings and forest offences reported from the Central
Circ e a special committee was appointed by Government to cons.der the whole
question of forest conservancy in the Deccan districts. Exhaustive inquiries
Zl held and the decision was ultimately made to abandon altogether certain
W area of land nominally forest, in which the regeneration of tree growth
hJ proved plainly impracticable, and the retention of which m reserved
L/was -e^^of ^rassment^ ^
AhmedTaglrt Sitara and Sholdpur was transferred during the year to the Revenue
Department The land will be given out for cultivation or else made
available for pasture under rules designed to conserve as far as possible its grazing
capacity In addition nearly 60 square miles in the Central Circle were formally
disforested Apart from these changes there was no material alteration in the
La of land under forest in the 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. . The action of the river m Sind
caused a net decrease of about 12 square miles. Impoundings and forest offences
increased in the Northern and Southern Circles, but in the Central Circle the
removal of forest restrictions from the abandoned areas led to a decrease ot 30 per
cent in the number of cattle impounded and of 27 percent in the amount of
compensation levied for forest offences. In Sind offences shghty increased but
the number of cattle impounded decreased by 28 per cent In fire protection
the record of the year is satisfactory. Although damage by fire was considerably
greater than in 1909-1910 in the Northern Circle, the area burnt was still com
paratively small; and against this must be set a substantial improvement m the
Central Circle and a decrease in Sind of 70 per cent, compared with the abnormal
figures of the previous year. The net revenue from forests was Rs 16 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees .
The gross revenue shows an increase of Rs. 92,000, but this was partially counter
balanced by an increase in expenditure due principally to the introduction of
re-organization measures affecting the subordinate establishment.
33 With the continuance of high prices for raw cotton the position of the
spinning and weaving industry showed little improvement during the year.
Several mills went into liquidation, others remained wholly or^ partially close
few were able to yield more than nominal returns. Ginning an pressing
factories worked under more favourable conditions, because the area sown W1
cotton had increased through the anticipation of a good market, and in spi e 0
damage occasioned by unseasonable rain and frost the total output was on
12 per cent, below that of the previous year: while the prevalence of hig p
made cotton growers anxious to sell their stocks and to realize immediate P r ° e)
There are signs, however, of a growing tendency on .the part of producers t0 ^
against the gin owners’ trusts which have hitherto enjoyed a practica mon P
in some districts. The hand-loom industry chiefly supplies a local deman w ^
fluctuates more or less with the character of the season. The conditionsj ^
past year were favourable, but the industry in general shows few signs 0 ^
progress. Attempts to introduce improved methods have been han >c a PP ^
the want of skilled manipulators or, when these are specially frame ,
absence of capital. Sugarcane growers experienced a satisfac ory ^ ^
although the area under cane in the Poona district was slightly below ^
preceding year. The problem of financing cultivators on the Nira ® at j ve
advanced an important step with the decision to establish village c0 ^ nia tcl>
credit societies supported from a Central Bank in Bombay. There are [jard"' 316
factories in the 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. and several iron and brass foundries. qiake 5
factory An East India Company trading post. situated near the black cotton area of the Satara 15 r