§ Sir HENRY COTTONasked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he can state what was the amount of opium issued and the amount of duty levied in the Assam Valley districts year by year from 1895–6 to 1907–8; what was the Treasury price of opium during this period; and to what figure was the Treasury price of opium raised on 1st April, 1909?
The MASTER of ELIBANKThe figures are:—
Year. Amount of Opium issued Amount of Duty levied. Treasury Price. Sirs. Rs. Rs. per Sir. 1895–6 … 51,063 14,89,215 37 1896–7 … 49,146 14,23,730 37 1897–8 … 49,552 14,25,949 37 1898–9 … 49,771 14,33,237 37 1899–0 … 48,783 13,92,531 37 1900–1 … 48,427 13,80,171 37 1901–2 … 45,399 13,93,886 37 1902–3 … 47,692 13,59,223 37 1903–4 … 50,091 14,27,024 37 1904–5 … 51,423 14,65,929 37 1905–6 … 53,217 15,15,240 37 1906–7 … 57,270 16,37,409 37 1907–8 … 62,410 17,78,684 37 The Treasury price was raised to Rs. 40 per sir from 1st April, 1909. A portion (at present Rs. 8½ a sir) of the Treasury price of issue is credited, not to "Excise" as duty, but to "Opium" as representing the estimated cost of production.