RELIEF WORK IN INDIA.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 205, 23 May 1908, Page 10

RELIEF WORK IN INDIA.

INCIDENCE OF THE FAMINE. - ; .The' Secretary.of State' for India received the following telegram from the Viceroy, dated March .28, 10u8: ; — ' ■ ' ."There has. been but little rain during the week, and . practically none'in United Provinces. Rain urgently wanted in Northern India, and would even now benefit the.late sown crops.. v lh , a largo , part ' of Bengal, however, crops are so far advanced that rajii now would do 'morc'hai-m. than good. It wa's 1 anticipated.that harvest operations would cause some decrease in numbers on relief, but their effect has been less than was expected, and .for the whole, country the numbers are, only 80,000 less than last week. In-United Provinces numbers are now —'on works 956,036, on gratuitous 'relief 378,191. In addition, 28,282 persons are being relieved in Balrampnr estates. Condition of • the people on relief continues fair, and satisfactory feature is that number in poorhouses is steadily decreasing', and- soveral poorhouses havobeen closed: In Central India tli6re has been further fall in numbers on; works, whifch are now 93,750, but, numbers on gratuitous relief have risen to 35,000 owing to increase of-distress in - Indore. -Rajputana is still free from general distress. In the Punjab, . Bengal, Central Provinces, and' Bombay 'there has teen littlo change: in- numbers' receiving aid from the State. Distress has extended to Ganjani, where-test works'havo been opened. Total number, of persons in receipt of State relief iii the whole of India is- now 1,511,000."