§ MR. CAINE (Cornwall, Camborne)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that on the 7th December last the number of persons on famine relief in India was 91,000, and that by the telegram of the 23rd instant the number had risen to 312,000; whether he can say to what extent failure of the spring crops on unirrigated land is anticipated on account of the holding off of the usual winter rains; whether he can state what are the agricultural prospects for the next three months, what is the anticipation as to additional relief required, and what steps are being taken in order to ensure to the peasant cultivators timely remissions of their revenue due upon the coming spring harvest.
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Lord G. HAMILTON, Middlesex, Ealing)Owing to the early termination of the monsoon rains and the holding off of the winter rains, the crops on unirrigated lands over certain portions of the Bombay Presidency and the South-East Punjab, and also in the Baroda State, Rajputana, and Central India are poor, and in places have failed. In these tracts agricultural prospects are not good. There is, however, sufficient pasturage and water for the cattle. Food prices are comparatively low, and outside the affected tracts crop prospects are promising. Relief is being given by local governments according to the requirements of the people, and will be expanded as may be necessary. The local Governments have also full discretionary powers as to the suspension or remission of the land revenue, and I do not doubt that they will make proper use of them.