The earlier famines in
the Nagpur District of which records-remains was that of 1818-19. The
immediate cause was the failure of the monsoon followed by excessive
rain in the cold weather. Acute distress and famine conditions
prevailed, resulting in serious loss of life. Many of the poorer
cultivators of Nagpur are said to have sold their children into slavery.
In 1825-26, according to oral tradition, famine attended with loss of
life occurred in Nagpur, and it is said that many people died after
eating the cooked food doled out to them at the Raja's palace. The cause
of the famine was a deficiency of rainfall. Grain was sold at 6 seers a
rupee. In November 1831 there were heavy falls of rain at the time when
the autumn crops had been cut and gathered but had not been threshed and
harvested. The grain was severely injured, while the continuous rains
prevented the spring sowings and caused such seed as had been sown to
rot in the ground. The outturn of both harvests was very poor, and
severs famine appears to have ensued for a period of 8 or 9 months. The
price of grain rose to 8 seers to the rupee in April 1832. Distress was
acute and was not alleviated by any special demand for labor, while
starving refugees from Berar and Khandesh flocked into the District. It
was recorded that many people changed their caste to obtain food and
parents sold their children for 10 lbs. of wheat. The death rate for the
famine period was locally estimated at a fifth of the population. Cooked
food was doled out, by the Bhonsla administration at Nagpur to 5000
people daily, and alms house were established at center places. Grain
was distributed without interest from granaries at Nagpur, Chanda and
Bhandara. The export of food stuffs was strictly forbidden, and a price
was fixed for sale, pressure being directed to cause the holders of
stocks of grain to retail them at fixed rates. In the city of Nagpur
5000 persons are said to have died from want of food. On the whole, the
Bhonsla administration did as much as any native government would
consider its duty towards the relief of its distressed subjects, but it
must be remembered that the country had just had the advantage of twelve
years of British rule under the Regency of Sir Richard Jenkins,
concluding in 1830, and the Maratha officials who had acted under
English officers were still carrying on the government according to the
methods which they had then learnt. In 1868 the rains ended abruptly a
month before time, but an opportune shower in September saved the
situation over the greater part of the country. Only slight distress was
experienced in Nagpur District.
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The Seasons From 1892 to
1896 |
Abnormal rain fell in
September and October 1892, and it was followed by excessive rainfall in
the first Three months of 1893 when 8 1/3 inches were received as
against an average of 1 ½. This caused were ripening, the atmosphere
moist. Wheat and linseed were spoiled by rust and the pulse were
destroyed by linseed were spoiled by rust and the pulses were destroyed
by insects. Juar gave an outturn was 823 percent of normal. The year
1894-95 brought no return of prosperity. Excessive rain (21 inches as
against 11 inches in as average year) fell in the autumn of 1894,
causing great damage to the autumn crops and greatly impeding the sowing
and germination of the spring crops. Although the cold weather rainfall
was normal, both the harvests were very poor. Juar gave an outturn of 45
percent cotton of 30 percent, and linseed of 23 percent, the average
harvest being 54 percent of normal. It is noticeable that the harvest of
the following or famine year, 1896-97, when the outturn was 67 percent
of the normal. Although the poorer classes felt the want of food, the
distress did not become general and the people has sufficient sustaining
power to tide over the year. Famine condition did not prevail in the
District but the people were distinctly impoverished. The birth rate was
normal at 35 in 1894 and 34 per mille of population in 1895; but the
death rate increased to 38 ½ in 1894 and 35 in 1895; as against 25 in
1892 and 1893. The special feature of the cycle of wet years was that
damage was done to the best lands, while the poorer cultivators did not
suffer so much. In 1895-96 the autumn rains were very short, being only
4 ½ inches as against an average of 11. The monsoon however had been
satisfactory up to the end of August and the autumn crops yielded
excellently; the sowings of spring crops however were short and their
yield deficient, wheat and gram each giving only half the normal
harvest.
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The Scarcity Of 1897 |
In 1896-97, the famine
year, the monsoon rains had been abundant and up to the but the critical
months of September and October, which determine to a great extent the
nature of both the harvest, less that 2 ½ inches were received, the
result being the partial failure of the autumn harvest and a further
shrinkage to 514,000 acres in 1896-97 against 615,000 in 1894-95. Juar
and wheat, however, yield fairly, and the all round outturn was 67
percent of normal. The District thus escaped fairly easily as compared
with most others and such distress as existed was due to the cumulative
effect of a succession of bad years and was accentuated by the high
prices resulting from the famine condition prevailing over a large part
of India. In September 1896, the price of juar rise from 18 to 14 seers,
that of rice from 12 to 9 seers, and that of wheat from 14 to 10 seers
to the rupee. It is interesting to note in passing that what were then
famine rates are now, ten year later, little more that the standard
prices. In addition a number of weaves had been thrown out of
employment, owing to the year being Singhasta people became alarmed and
accused the dealers of having combined to raise prices. The Kosthis,
always inclined to be turbulent, were joined by the lawless classes of
the town and began looting the markets and grain shops. A riot
developed, but was promptly suppressed by the aid of the military and
the volunteers, and the ringleaders were severely punished. Slight
disturbances broke out in other towns, following the example of Nagpur,
but were soon put down. Towards the end of 1896 the usual migration of
laborers finding no work there, many of these wandered back into where
matter were much worse than in Nagpur. It was estimated that about
16,000 persons entered the District of whom 4000 settled here.
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Statistics Of Relief And
Mortality |
Relief works opened in
November, but the distress was never very serious. Up till January the
number on works were quite insignificant and the maximum on all forms of
relief was reached in May with 18,000 persons of 2 ½ percent of the
population. The circular road around Ambajheri was constructed and the
Nagpur-Umrer, Umrer-Bhiwapur and Kalmeshwar-Katol roads were improved.
Poor-houses at Nagpur and Kamptee were opened by private subscription in
the autumn of 1896, and were afterwards taken over by Government, and
poor-houses and kitchens were supported by private subscriptions at
various other centers. Special relief was given to the weaves of Nagpur,
kamptee and Umrer, advances being made to middlemen who supplied thread
to the workmen, while the cloth produced was purchased by Government.
The net expenditure amounted to Rs.80,000. The total expenditure on
famine relief was Rs.5 lakhs, and about a lakh was distributed from the
India Charitable Fund. No revenue was suspended. The birth-rate was 50
per mille in July and August 1897, when wheat was 8 seers and juar 8 ½
seers. There was a marked increase in number of cases of this category
reaching 3300 in 1897, as against about 1500 in the two preceding years.
The famine was accompanied by a scarcity of fodder and water, which
caused serious losses of cattle. The bulk of the morality of stock
occurred after the rains had set in, and was no doubt due to the
famished and weakened animals surfeiting themselves on the new and damp
grass which was unfit for consumption.
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The Famine of 1900 |
In the following year
1897-98, a bumper harvest was reaped, but in 1898-99, there was no rain
between the end of September and the hot weather, and though the end of
harvest was a good one the spring crops were short. On the whole however
the harvest was 92 percent of normal. In regarded as an ominous sign.
The monsoon failed completely, the rainfall of the period June-August
being only 11 as against an average of 32 inches while from October to
January none was received. The annual fall was less than a third of the
average in each tahsil except Ramtek, where it was about a half. In
spite of the scanty rainfall cotton and juar gave 45 percent of an
average outturn and Katol tahsil was not severely distressed. The other
crops naturally failed completely. The Dongartal tract in the north was
most affected, the people here being poor and without resources, and
next to this came the greater part of Umrer. Relief operations commenced
from September and were developed in extent as the distress increased.
Road-works, kitchens and village relief were the Three principal methods
employed for supporting the destitute classes. Under the public works
department 11 camps in all were opened, and the highest number of
workers was 39,000 the average being about 15,000. The Ambajheri,
Telinkheri and Jumma Talao tank were deepened, and new road were made
from Nagpur to Bishnur, Patansaongi to Khapa and Bhiwapur to Pauni.
Other roads were improved the distribution of cooked food in kitchens
commenced on a small scale and was gradually extended, till in the rain
213 kitchens were open and 67,000 persons were being given food. Village
relief was also begun on a small scale in the Deolapar tract and the
Umrer tahsil, and was gradually extended over the whole District during
the hot weather and rains. The maximum number in receipt of cash doles
was 12,000 in September. Help was given to weavers in the town on the
same system as in 1897 but on a much more lavish scale, the cloth of the
nominal value of nearly the same amount was obtained. The total number
of person relieved increased gradually to 66,000 in the beginning of
July and 108,000 in August, the last figure being equivalent to 14
percent of the population. The total famine expenditure was Rs.19½
lakhs and the loss to Government on account of suspensions of revenue
and forest and other concessions was about 7½ lakhs more. About 2 lakhs
were distributed from the Indian Charitable Fund for the purchase of
seed grain blankets and clothing.
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Mortality And Prices |
The mortality of 1900 was
the highest on record for the inevitable results of exposure and
unsuitable food especially in the case of children, which no efforts of
Government can avert, lowered the physical condition of the people and
made them an easy prey to the attacks of disease. The water- supply was
insufficient and therefore necessarily polluted, and a fertile source of
disease. The year was exceptionally unhealthy and small-pox and malaria
fever. The birth rate was normal, indicating the absence of any marked
physical deterioration. Although the supply of juar fodder was fairly
adequate, Cattle suffered heavily from want of food and water and the
mortality amounted to about 36,000 head, being considerably higher than
the average. Wheat averaged about 9 seers a rupee and juar a little over
10 seers from September 1899 to October 1900. At the commencement of the
famine an outbreak of petty offences against property occurred, but
proved to be only temporary, and the number of cases of this class was
less than 2000 as against 3000 in 1897.
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Concluding Remarks |
From 1900 the district
has enjoyed a succession of fairly prosperous seasons, and the large
profits raped from the cotton crop, together with the demand for labor
caused by the development of mining and factory industries and the
extension of communications has raised wages to a level never before
dreamt of and enabled the poorer classes to enjoy an unprecedented
degree of comfort. At the time of writing another failure of crops is
being experienced owing to the short monsoon of 1907, but it seems
unlikely that a single bad year can now produce serious distress over
the District as a whole, or unless it should be followed by other
seriously retard its development.
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