BUDGET BY SHARED REVENUES 181
period of its currency :—
| PRO | OVINCIAL | L SURPLU | USES OR | DEFICITS | S (IN RU | UPEES) | Col8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provinces | 1912-13 | 1913-14 | 1914-15 | 1915-16 | 1916-17 | 1917-18 | 1918-19 |
| C.P. ... Burma ... Assam ... Bengal ... Bihar & Orissa UP. ... Punjab ... Madras ... Bombay ... | 5085246 8874174 3610494 14705270 7022199 9588749 7411069 4330275 7083281 | 1881245 914026 —2217691 480842 —920062 50704 —692512 —5298411 1558566 | —6544416 —3729808 —4550789 —3967607 —1870264 —4611080 —3730641 —1207754 —2639924 | —13836 1896621 658812 1028156 1133562 —973090 —1133541 318508 —951099 | 4235704 9427702 6044904 3708638 5919907 3427808 500995 2571241 122434 | 1870517 12067708 2800634 5280082 7176786 —2268311 —695216 1042303 611321 | 920121 4873587 435872 732237 3643564 3686945 1185930 —972354 1681066 |
Compiled from the Annual Finance and Revenge Accounts of the Government of India.
While the condition of Provincial Finance was thus undoubtedly prosperous, the erratic movements in the provincial balances do not quite bear out the hope of orderly progress that was entertained of the permanent settlement. It should be noted, however, that the period during which the permanent settlement was current was not wholly a normal period. Part of the permanent settlement was no doubt a peace period, but it was not even as long as a quinquennium, and it should not on that account detract from the merits of a permanent settlement if it disclosed the faults of the quinquennial settlements. Most of the period covered by the permanent settlement was, however, a period of the Great War, the abnormal events of which could not have had any but disturbing effects on Provincial Finance.
Whether the permanent settlements would have been adequate for the purpose in view if sufficient length of time had been allowed for conditions to have become settled it is not given to us to say. For, from April 1, 1921, provincial Finance in British India entered on an entirely new phase. That phase of it will be dealt with in another part. Here the study of the growth of Provincial Finance as it developed stage by stage under the old phase comes to an end. But this study will not be complete until we deal with the mechanism which inter-related the finances of the Central and Provincial Governments under the old phase. But before we proceed to do so it might be of interest as well as of value that the study of the final stage in the development of Provincial Finance were to close with the following retrospect of provincial revenue and expenditure which shows, as nothing else can, the small beginnings, the large strides and the vast proportions that Provincial Finance had reached during the half century over which it had been allowed to run its course.
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