INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

10 TIUDITIONAL AND
advisers informed him that his ideas were llllpracticable
j but that "if the necessaries of life
could be bought a~ a low rate, the idea which
your Majesty has entertained of maintaining a
large army at a small expense might be carried
out, and all apprehension of the great forces of
the :Moguls would be removed." The Sultan
then consulted with his most experienced ministers
as to the means of reducing the price
of provisions without resorting to severe and
tyrannical punishments. His councillors repli~d
that the necessaries of life wou1d never
become cheap until the price of grain v.:'l fixed
by regulations and tariffs. "Cheapness of grain
is a universal benent." To this end several
regulations respecting the sale of grain and
other necessaries were accordingly made.
Regulation I. fixed the prices of all grains,
a.nd this tariff lasted throughout the reign of the
Sultan. Regulation II. described the methods
for ascertaining that the tariff was adhered to.
Regulation III. provided the ways and means
for the accumulation of corn in the king's grananes.
It is worthy of transcription. * " The
• From Elliot's History of India.