Famine and Poverty in Rural Interior

Famine and Poverty in Rural Interior

2020-04-27 15:05:04

• Famine and Poverty in Rural Interior
  • Reasons of Famines Were :
  • Measures Taken to Combat Famine
  • PYQs

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![[Drawing 2022-09-12 12.39.50 Famines and Poverty .excalidraw |700]]

Image unavailable in web version: List of Famines

A total of 1.52 crore people lost their lives due to famines and 40 crores were affected.

Reasons of Famines Were :

• Stagnation in agricultural technology
• Failure of investment to raise yield per acre
• Drain of the agriculturists resources into the hands of intermediaries
• Low govt investment in irrigation
• Rapid rise in population from 1920s
• The supply of food grains declined from 1900-1943

Measures Taken to Combat Famine

Name	Year	Head	Details
Campbell Commission on Famine	1866	Sir John Lawrence	Famine in Odisha 1866-67 Took no action depended on demand and supply logic
Stretchy Commission on Famine	1880	Lord Lytton	Great Famine in 1876-78 in Madras, UP, Bombay etc 5 mil people died in 1 year employment on works be given wages should be adjusted from time to time duty of state to provide relief to poor affected areas be divided into circle be put under competent officer new famine fund was created
Lyall Commission on Famine	1896	Lord d Elgin-II	34 mil were affected relief operation were undertaken suggestion to impart greater flexibility
MacDonnell Commission on Famine	1900	Lord Curzon	emphasized the benefits of early distribution of advances purchase of seed and cattle, temporary wells etc appt of famine commissioner in a province better transport facilities, agri banks, imp of irrigation facilities etc

PYQs

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1. “The recurring famines in the 19th century were the inevitable consequence of the British policy and expose the real character of the paternal solicitude for the peasantry on the part of the British administration.” Examine this statement critically. [2002, 60m]

• Policy

1. “India underwent suffering and mortality in the wake of recurring famines in the later half of the 19th century.” Comment. [2003, 20m]

2. Trace the development of the famine policy of the British in India 1876 and 1921. Did it provide relief to the people? [2005, 60m]

3. Critically examine the impact of the famine policy on rural India. Describe the official remedial measures undertaken. [2008, 60m]

4. Explain the factors responsible for the recurrence of famines in the nineteenth century. What remedial measures were adopted by the British Indian Government? [2017, 20m]