§ Mr. VINCENT KENNEDYasked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he will say when death registration was set up in India; will he give the number of deaths to date under the heading of starvation and famine or kindred headings; and will he say of the revenue in India for 1908–9—viz., £59,035,100—what was the proportion of direct and indirect levies?
The MASTER of ELIBANKDeath registration was instituted generally in British India between 1870 and 1875, the exact date varying in different provinces. There is no reliable record of the number of deaths resulting from starvation or famine. In times of famine special efforts are made to secure an exact report of deaths directly resulting from starvation, 1687W but, as was explained in the answer given to a similar question on the 20th July, the number of deaths so recorded is small, and is not an indication of the excess mortality directly or indirectly brought about by privation in seasons of drought and scarcity. Of the £69,035,000, the receipts from taxation represent £40,586,300. The latter figure includes £19,696,100 on account of "Land Revenue." If "Land Revenue" be excluded as not being strictly taxation, the receipts from taxation would be £20,890,200.