VEDANTA
IAS
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FAMINE COMMISSIONS DURING BRITISH PERIOD
A major characteristic of British rule in India and the net result of the British economic policies
was the prevalence of extreme poverty among its people.
The poverty of the people found its expressions in series of famines which ravaged all parts of
India in the second half of the 19th century the first of these famines occurred in Western UP in
1860-61 and cost over 2 lakhs of lives.
Campbell Commission 1866
In 1865-66, a famine engulfed Orissa, Bengal, Bihar, and Madras and took a toll of nearly 20
lakhs of lives with Orissa alone loosing 10 lakh lives, since the famine was most severe in Orissa;
it is called the Orissa famine. The Government officers though forewarned took no steps to
meet the calamity.
The Government adhered to the principles of free trade and the law of demand and supply, the
Government did provide employment to the table booked men leaving the work of charitable
relief to voluntary agency. But the famine proved a turning point in the history of Indian
famines for it was followed by the appointment of a committee under the chairmanship of Sir
George Champ ell.
The old doctrine that the public was responsible for the relief of the helpless was abandoned.
The Government was expected to borrow money in order to finance for building of Railways
and canals. Further the district officers were made responsible for saving all preventable
deaths.
Stretchy Commission 1880
The great famine of 1876-78 was perhaps the most grievous calamity experienced since the
beginning of the 19lh century. It affected Madras, Bombay, Uttar Pradesh and the Punjab. About
five million people perished in a single year. The Government made half-hearted efforts to help
the famine-stricken.
The government famine machinery was inadequate and ineffective and the unwise policy was
amply clear. In 1880, the Government of Lytton appointed a commission under Richard stretchy
to formulate general principles and suggest particular' measures of preventive or protective
character. The Commission recommended the adoption of certain basic principles.
Firstly, employment on works must be ordered before the physical efficiency of applicants had
been unpaired by privation. Wages paid should be adjusted from time to time to provide
sufficient food for a labourer's support. Secondly, it should be the duty of the state to provide
gratuitous relief to the impotent poor and listed the category of persons entitled to receive it.
The relief provided could be in form of supply of raw grain or money or cooked food, to be
provided on condition of residence in poor-houses or relief camps. For distribution of relief, the
distressed tracts should be divided into circles and each circle placed under a competent
officer. Supplies of food in distressed areas should be carefully watched. The commission also
made suggestions in regard to suspensions and remissions of land revenue and rents. The cost
of famine relief was to be borne by the provincial governments.
However, central assistance was to be made available whenever necessary. In times of
excessive drought, facilities should be provided for migration of cattle to grassy forests areas
where abundant pasturage was available. The Government accepted in general and
commission's recommendation and steps were taken to fund new resources for the creation of
a famine fund.
In 1883 the provisional famine code was formulated which formed a guide to and basis for the
provincial famine codes. The code provided for precautions to be taken in ordinary times, the
instructions to be followed during relief campaign and the duties of all concerned when the
famine actually began.
Lyall Commission 1896
Closely following this came the famine of 1896- 97. It affected almost every province though in
varying degrees of intensity and the total population affected was estimated at 34 million. The
relief measures were conducted with a fair degree of success.
Expensive relief operations were undertaken and in many parts of the country, people were
relieved in their own homes. A commission presided over by Sir James Lyall, ex-Lt Governor of
Punjab, adhered to largely the views expressed by their predecessors in 1880 suggesting some
alterations which were designed to impart greater flexibility to the maxims then adopted.
McDonnell Commission 1900
Following the famine of 1899-1900, the government of Lord Curzon appointed MacDonnell. It
submitted its report in 1901 in which it summarized accepted principles of relief suggesting
variations wherever necessary. The commission emphasized the benefits of a policy of moral
strategy, early distribution of advances for purchase of seed and cattle and sinking of
temporary wells. It also advocated the appointment of a famine commissioner in a province
when relief operations were expected to be extensive.
It also emphasized enlistment of non-official assistance on a larger scale and preference in
particular circumstances of village works to large public works which had hitherto been the
backbone of relief schemes. The commission also stressed the deniability of better transport
facilities, opening of agricultural banks, improvement of irrigation facilities, and vigorous
measures to faster improved methods of agriculture. Most of the recommendations of the
commission were accepted and before Curzon left India, he had taken various measures to
prevent and combat famine.
With the enactment of the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms, the famine relief measures and
responsibility was entrusted to the provincial government in the year 1921. Though, the British
took the above said measures, on famine they proved inadequate to provide relief to the
millions.
The vastness of the country, diverse causes for famines and supervisory approach by the
government failed to bring out desired results. And above all the basic culture of a colonial rule
with its exploitation and extractive orientation prevented any whole-hearted effort in this
sphere and failed to provide relief and easy recovery to the millions in India.
