§ MR. C. J. O'DONNELL (Newington, Walworth)To ask the Secretary of State for India, if he will state the extra cost due to the partition of Bengal and the consequent duplication of civil establishments, distinguishing between the total of salaries payable to Europeans and those payable to Natives of India.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) A rough estimate of the extra cost of establishments will be found at page 242 of the recently issued Blue-book £Cd. 2746]. To this estimate must be added, vide page 246, the cost of a second member of the Board of Revenue, and a Commissioner for the Surma valley. The total extra cost will therefore be between Rs.9 and 10 lakhs annually. The details of the new establishments required are now being worked out. As regards the second part of the Question, the Indian Civil Service is open to all subjects of His Majesty without distinction of race. There are several Indian members of that Service now serving in Bengal, some of whom will probably obtain posts in the new province. In addition, a certain number of the appointments listed as open to the Provincial Service of Bengal will be transferred. Until details are settled I am unable to give exact figures.
§ MR. C. J. O'DONNELLTo ask the Secretary of State for India if he will 278 say what expenditure has been incurred at Dacca in establishing a new headquarters under the recent partition scheme.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The estimate of the cost of buildings, including land, for the new headquarters at Dacca given by the Government of India in August last was about Rs.10 lakhs, and in addition temporary buildings costing Rs. 1,85,000 were to be erected by the end of the year. I understand that the latter have already been completed. I am unable to say what amount has been spent up to date on the permanent buildings, but I observe, from a notification published in the Gazette, that a large area of land has already been appropriated for them.