INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

OF PAST FAMLVES. 101
spent in so economical a way. We may therefore
congratulate ourselves so far. Our latest
famine-excluding Ajmere, of course, for reasons
already given-shows a minimum of mortality,
while the cost of relief per head is one of the
most economical on record. I have no doubt
but that the present famine will out'\trip this
preceding one in showing a very decided diminution
of the percentage of deaths; but whether it
will show an equally economical expenditure
per head of population cannot at present be
anticipated.
It is just possible that this column 8 may
supply a rough estimate of the funds required
in any future famine. It would appear from the
figures in this column, that about.5 of a shilling
-i.e., sixpence per head of population affectedwill
represent the sum that must be expended to
combat successfully with famine, on the principle
now acted upon. But it is probable that
the enormous expenditure now being incurred
for the present famine may negative this idea.
The exceedingly high cost of relief per head
of population, and the very disproportionate
results, in both the Orissa and Ajmere famines,