‘REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY, FOR THE YEAR 1919-20’ [‎310v] (168/192)

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BOMBAY ADMINISTRATION REPORT.
[1919-1920
in the previous year, the large decrease of 41 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees being due primarily to
a reaction from the comparatively abnormal removals of salt during the
previous year which overstocked the up-country markets and partly to the
slump in the market prices of salt which had previously been inflated by
speculative traders. The result was that many of the shilotris had either to
destroy a portion of the old salt in order to make room for new salt or to
cease manufacture before the close of the manufacturing season for want of
platform accommodation. Scarcity of labour hampered the rapid development
of the Bhandup salt-works, the produce of which was 151,246 maunds against
152,728 maunds in the previous year. The closing balance at Bhandup on
30th June 1920 was 96,382 maunds as against 44,199 maunds on the same
date in the previous year. Sales during the financial year show a decrease of
861,534 maunds. The decrease was due to the fact that in 1918-19 traders
and consumers feared a repetition of the scarcity of salt which prevailed in
the preceding year and consequently hoarded large quantities of salt. The market
was thus overstocked and caused a large fall in the sales during the year under
review. The sales at the Dharasna and Chharwada salt-works rose from
2*68 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds to 3-25 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds. More than two-thirds of the
salt sold was sent to places beyond 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 loss and wastage at
Dharasna and Chharwada rose from 1,766 maunds to 100,983 maunds and at
the other salt-works from 97,643 to 383,506 maunds. Heavy floods were
responsible for the extraordinary loss of 98,171 maunds at Chharwada. The
loss in the salt-works in the vicinity of Bombay was partly due, as stated
above, to the destruction of large quantities of inferior salt to make room for
new and superior salt on the platforms and partly to the use of larger quantities
of salt for strengthening the brine. The balance on 30th June was nearly 67J
lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds against 62f lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds on the same day in the previous
year.
4. The total weight of salt of all kinds imported into 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. rose
from 2*39 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds to 3*65 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds and the duty from Rs. 299
lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees to Rs. 4*56 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees . The increase in quantity was due to a more favourable
manufacturing season in Goa, the quantity of Goa salt sent to Mysore territory
being double that of previous years.
5. The total quantity of salt issued and imported for consumption 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. decreased from 41*84 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of maunds to 35*72 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees of
maunds, giving an average consumption of 13*2 lbs. per head. It is now clear
that the previous years’ record per capital figure of 15*5 was to a large extent
due to a reaction from the comparative shortage of salt in the preceding year.
Speculative traders hoarded large stocks of salt with a view to manipulating the
market in case of shortage. The considerably reduced removals during the
year under report afford sufficient evidence of such hoarding. Prices declined
substantially in all districts except Kaira where there was a slight increase.
6. The total quantity of fish brought to the 32 yards for curing increased
from 207,610 maunds to 256,610 maunds. The increase was due to the
favourable fishing season on the Kanara coast. The yards were worked at a
profit of Rs. 2,170 against a loss of Rs. 2,674.
7. The gross receipts decreased from Rs. 1,83,69,689 to Rs. 1 , 63 , 92 , 321 ,
while the expenditure, exclusive of refunds, increased from Rs. 27,57,773 to
Rs. 28,34,698. On the receipt side the very large decrease of Rs. 18 , 78,93
under “ Excise duty on Salt ” was due to a large falling off in the removals o±
sea-salt, and the decrease of Rs. 2,05,025 under “ Bagging and sewing charges
was due to ( 1 ) the decreased issues of Baragra salt, (2) the fact that merchants
preferred to use their own bags and (3) the reduction in the rate of bagging-
On the expenditure side the increase of Rs. 1,03,939 under “ Salt purchase an
freight” was partly due to the grant of grain compensation to aganas a
Kharaghoda. The decrease of Rs. 1,49,335 under a Bagging and
charges ” was due partly to smaller issues of Baragra salt and partly to
lower rate of bagging charges.
8. The number of detected offences against the Salt Act fell from 99 to
96, of which 27 each were of smuggling foreign salt across the frontier a
clandestine removal of natural salt.