The Bihar famine of 1873–1874 (also the Bengal famine of 1873–1874) was a famine in British India that followed a drought in the province of Bihar, the neighboring provinces of Bengal, the North-Western Provinces and Oudh. It affected an area of 140,000 square kilometres (54,000 sq mi) and a population of 21.5 million.[1] The relief effort—organized by Sir Richard Temple, the newly appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal—was one of the success stories of the famine relief in British India; there was little or no mortality during the famine.[2]
A 1907 map of Bihar, British India, shown as the northern region of Greater Bengal. Monghyr district (top middle) was one of the worst-hit areas in the Bihar famine of 1873–74.
Illustration and story in Penny Illustrated, London, 14 February 1874, reporting Queen Victoria's donation of £1,000 in aid of famine relief. Since Bihar was then in the Bengal Presidency, the famine was also referred to as the Bengal Famine of 1873–74. The Queen is referred to as the "Empress of India" two years before she added that title.
As the impending famine came to light, a decision was made at the highest level to save lives at any cost.[1]Rs. 40 million were spent on importing 450,000 tons of rice from Burma.[3] Another Rs. 22.5 million were spent in organizing relief for 300 million units (1 unit = one person for one day).[1]
In addition, for the first time, inspection of villages by the government officials was carried out to identify those in need of aid or employment.[3] In Sir Richard Temple's own description (in a contemporary correspondence), the generous aid allowed the laborers to stay in good physical condition and to return to their fields when the rains finally arrived; their actions put to rest any fears among relief officials that the government handouts were making the laborers "dependent."[4]
Road construction became a major project of the famine relief works;[5] the Road Cess Act of 1875, which was enacted just before the famine began,[6] established a fund for the "construction of roads, especially their metaling and bridging."[5] The construction of the Irrawaddy Valley State Railway in Burma, which began in 1874, also provided employment in the earthworks for many famine immigrants from Bengal.[7]
Aftermath
The famine proved to be less severe than had originally been anticipated, and 100,000 tons of grain was left unused at the end of the relief effort.[8] According to some,[8] the total government expense was 50 percent more than the total budget of a similar relief effort during the Maharashtra famine of 1973 (in independent India), after adjusting for inflation.
Since the expenditure associated with the relief effort was considered excessive, Sir Richard Temple was criticized by British officials. Taking the criticism to heart, he revised the official famine relief philosophy, which thereafter became concerned with thrift and efficiency.[2] The relief efforts in the subsequent Great Famine of 1876–78 in Bombay and South India were therefore very modest, which led to excessive mortality.[2]
Hall-Matthews, David (1996), "Historical Roots of Famine Relief Paradigms: Ideas on Dependency and Free Trade in India in the 1870s", Disasters, 20 (3): 216–230, doi:10.1111/j.1467-7717.1996.tb01035.x, PMID 8854458
"Chapter X: Famine", Imperial Gazetteer of India, vol. III: The Indian Empire, Economic, Published under the authority of His Majesty's Secretary of State for India in Council, Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1907, pp. 475–502
Nisbet, John (1901), Burma Under British Rule - and Before, vol. II, Westminster: Archibald Constable and Co. Ltd
Yang, Anand A. (1998), Bazaar India: Markets, Society, and the Colonial State in Bihar, Berkeley: University of California Press
Further reading
Bhatia, B. M. (1991), Famines in India: A Study in Some Aspects of the Economic History of India With Special Reference to Food Problem, 1860–1990, Stosius Inc/Advent Books Division, p. 383, ISBN81-220-0211-0
Dutt, Romesh Chunder (1900), Open Letters to Lord Curzon on Famines and Land Assessments in India, London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co. Ltd (reprinted 2005 by Adamant Media Corporation), ISBN1-4021-5115-2
Dyson, Tim (1991), "On the Demography of South Asian Famines: Part I", Population Studies, 45 (1): 5–25, doi:10.1080/0032472031000145056, JSTOR 2174991, PMID 11622922
Dyson, Tim (1991), "On the Demography of South Asian Famines: Part II", Population Studies, 45 (2): 279–297, doi:10.1080/0032472031000145446, JSTOR 2174784, PMID 11622922
Famine Commission (1880), Report of the Indian Famine Commission, Part I, Calcutta
Ghose, Ajit Kumar (1982), "Food Supply and Starvation: A Study of Famines with Reference to the Indian Subcontinent", Oxford Economic Papers, New Series, 34 (2): 368–389, doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.oep.a041557, PMID 11620403
Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Enquire into the Famine in Bengal and Orissa in 1866, vol. I, II, Calcutta: Government of India, 1867
Hall-Matthews, David (2008), "Inaccurate Conceptions: Disputed Measures of Nutritional Needs and Famine Deaths in Colonial India", Modern Asian Studies, 42 (1): 1–24, doi:10.1017/S0026749X07002892
Hill, Christopher V. (1991), "Philosophy and Reality in Riparian South Asia: British Famine Policy and Migration in Colonial North India", Modern Asian Studies, 25 (2): 263–279, doi:10.1017/s0026749x00010672
Klein, Ira (1973), "Death in India, 1871-1921", The Journal of Asian Studies, 32 (4): 639–659, doi:10.2307/2052814, JSTOR 2052814, PMID 11614702
McAlpin, Michelle B. (1983), "Famines, Epidemics, and Population Growth: The Case of India", Journal of Interdisciplinary History, 14 (2): 351–366, doi:10.2307/203709, JSTOR 203709
Temple, Sir Richard (1882), Men and events of my time in India, London: John Murray.
January 07, 2023
bihar, famine, 1873, 1874, also, bengal, famine, 1873, 1874, famine, british, india, that, followed, drought, province, bihar, neighboring, provinces, bengal, north, western, provinces, oudh, affected, area, square, kilometres, population, million, relief, eff. The Bihar famine of 1873 1874 also the Bengal famine of 1873 1874 was a famine in British India that followed a drought in the province of Bihar the neighboring provinces of Bengal the North Western Provinces and Oudh It affected an area of 140 000 square kilometres 54 000 sq mi and a population of 21 5 million 1 The relief effort organized by Sir Richard Temple the newly appointed Lieutenant Governor of Bengal was one of the success stories of the famine relief in British India there was little or no mortality during the famine 2 A 1907 map of Bihar British India shown as the northern region of Greater Bengal Monghyr district top middle was one of the worst hit areas in the Bihar famine of 1873 74 Contents 1 Relief 2 Aftermath 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 Further readingRelief Edit Illustration and story in Penny Illustrated London 14 February 1874 reporting Queen Victoria s donation of 1 000 in aid of famine relief Since Bihar was then in the Bengal Presidency the famine was also referred to as the Bengal Famine of 1873 74 The Queen is referred to as the Empress of India two years before she added that title As the impending famine came to light a decision was made at the highest level to save lives at any cost 1 Rs 40 million were spent on importing 450 000 tons of rice from Burma 3 Another Rs 22 5 million were spent in organizing relief for 300 million units 1 unit one person for one day 1 In addition for the first time inspection of villages by the government officials was carried out to identify those in need of aid or employment 3 In Sir Richard Temple s own description in a contemporary correspondence the generous aid allowed the laborers to stay in good physical condition and to return to their fields when the rains finally arrived their actions put to rest any fears among relief officials that the government handouts were making the laborers dependent 4 Road construction became a major project of the famine relief works 5 the Road Cess Act of 1875 which was enacted just before the famine began 6 established a fund for the construction of roads especially their metaling and bridging 5 The construction of the Irrawaddy Valley State Railway in Burma which began in 1874 also provided employment in the earthworks for many famine immigrants from Bengal 7 Aftermath EditThe famine proved to be less severe than had originally been anticipated and 100 000 tons of grain was left unused at the end of the relief effort 8 According to some 8 the total government expense was 50 percent more than the total budget of a similar relief effort during the Maharashtra famine of 1973 in independent India after adjusting for inflation Since the expenditure associated with the relief effort was considered excessive Sir Richard Temple was criticized by British officials Taking the criticism to heart he revised the official famine relief philosophy which thereafter became concerned with thrift and efficiency 2 The relief efforts in the subsequent Great Famine of 1876 78 in Bombay and South India were therefore very modest which led to excessive mortality 2 See also EditCompany rule in India Drought in India Famine in India Great Famine Ireland Great Famine of 1876 1878 Bengal famine of 1943 Famine in India Timeline of major famines in India during British ruleNotes Edit a b c Imperial Gazetteer of India 1907 p 488 a b c Hall Matthews 2008 p 4 a b Imperial Gazetteer of India 1907 p 488 Hall Matthews 1996 p 218 Hall Matthews 1996 p 221 a b Yang 1998 p 50 India The Times 28 October 1873 7a Nisbet 1901 p 24 a b Hall Matthews 1996 p 219References EditHall Matthews David 1996 Historical Roots of Famine Relief Paradigms Ideas on Dependency and Free Trade in India in the 1870s Disasters 20 3 216 230 doi 10 1111 j 1467 7717 1996 tb01035 x PMID 8854458 Chapter X Famine Imperial Gazetteer of India vol III The Indian Empire Economic Published under the authority of His Majesty s Secretary of State for India in Council Oxford at the Clarendon Press 1907 pp 475 502 Nisbet John 1901 Burma Under British Rule and Before vol II Westminster Archibald Constable and Co Ltd Yang Anand A 1998 Bazaar India Markets Society and the Colonial State in Bihar Berkeley University of California PressFurther reading EditBhatia B M 1991 Famines in India A Study in Some Aspects of the Economic History of India With Special Reference to Food Problem 1860 1990 Stosius Inc Advent Books Division p 383 ISBN 81 220 0211 0 Dutt Romesh Chunder 1900 Open Letters to Lord Curzon on Famines and Land Assessments in India London Kegan Paul Trench Trubner amp Co Ltd reprinted 2005 by Adamant Media Corporation ISBN 1 4021 5115 2 Dyson Tim 1991 On the Demography of South Asian Famines Part I Population Studies 45 1 5 25 doi 10 1080 0032472031000145056 JSTOR 2174991 PMID 11622922 Dyson Tim 1991 On the Demography of South Asian Famines Part II Population Studies 45 2 279 297 doi 10 1080 0032472031000145446 JSTOR 2174784 PMID 11622922 Famine Commission 1880 Report of the Indian Famine Commission Part I Calcutta Ghose Ajit Kumar 1982 Food Supply and Starvation A Study of Famines with Reference to the Indian Subcontinent Oxford Economic Papers New Series 34 2 368 389 doi 10 1093 oxfordjournals oep a041557 PMID 11620403 Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Enquire into the Famine in Bengal and Orissa in 1866 vol I II Calcutta Government of India 1867 Hall Matthews David 2008 Inaccurate Conceptions Disputed Measures of Nutritional Needs and Famine Deaths in Colonial India Modern Asian Studies 42 1 1 24 doi 10 1017 S0026749X07002892 Hill Christopher V 1991 Philosophy and Reality in Riparian South Asia British Famine Policy and Migration in Colonial North India Modern Asian Studies 25 2 263 279 doi 10 1017 s0026749x00010672 Klein Ira 1973 Death in India 1871 1921 The Journal of Asian Studies 32 4 639 659 doi 10 2307 2052814 JSTOR 2052814 PMID 11614702 McAlpin Michelle B 1983 Famines Epidemics and Population Growth The Case of India Journal of Interdisciplinary History 14 2 351 366 doi 10 2307 203709 JSTOR 203709 Temple Sir Richard 1882 Men and events of my time in India London John Murray Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bihar famine of 1873 1874 amp oldid 1123037263, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
