Page:Gazetteer of the province of Oudh ... (IA cu31924024153987).pdf/234

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BAH

156

Kodo

not Ve*y regular, nor is however, so closely connected with

is tbelo-west-priced grain, btit its stipply is

that of sanw^n. The that of famine and scarcity, that they must be treated together. stibject of prices is,

The

Bahraich and Gonda may be considered as ofle, and first a now (February 1874) occurring in Gonda-Bahraich may From the seems to be typical of every year of scarcity.

districts of

sketch of what

is

be given, as it soutbem portion of those districts an immense export of kodo, juar, maize, and a little rice is going on from every ghat on the river Gogra, which forms their western boundary, and by country carts to Oolonelganj and Nawabganj. _

Meanwhile, in the nOTthern portions of those very districts, many would be starving if large Government relief works were not in progress, yet there exportis abundant communication, good roads and rivers, connecting the rag and the starving portion of the districts. starving parganas are Balrampur, Utraula, Nanpara. The following are the prices now current (February 15, 1874) in that neighbourhood:

The

Sera per rupee.

Kodo, grain Kodo, husked

Wheat Gram Bice Ju^r Maize

In Gonda,

itself

~ ...

...

...

>

...

...

_ ...

the following are the rates

Wheat

.,

Maize Ju^r

...

,

M.

Kice

The



,«

13

latter rates also prevail in the central station, Bahraich.

These are not famine prices. Wheat in IS&O- was 8 sers for the rupee in 18^5, 10 sers for the rupee ; in 1861—10 sers for the rupee, yet there was no famine. Now there is a partial famine when wheat is 14 sers, and one grain, kodo, wholesome enough if unmildewed, can be got at 22'7. Therefore comparatively high prices in one year do not indicate scarcity, nor a compaira.tively low price abundance. Again, the high prices of Balrampur and Nanpara do not attract grain thither. On the other hand, at any rate up' till a very recent period, there was exportation to a large extent from Nanpdra to districts where the present rates are no higher, or even lower, than in Nanpara.

m

a district stricken by famine apply In point of fact, the graim prices merely to a portion of the food of the people. Famines commence first with a want of money and employment there is no great competition for the grain, for it is beyond the means of the masses, and it makes no difference to. tha ma^iO£ity whethea: j,iiaK,. theia; mam f^od now, is 16 sers or 24

per rupee.