Statement of Views of the Maliya Darbar on the Information Required by the Indian States Inquiry Committee (Financial)

1. The Salt-producing States of Kathiawar were free in the prduction and the sale of salt until the Government of India induced the States to come to some agreement in the interest of Imperial revenues. [...] The Maliya Dabar are of opinion that as the revenue (so far as this State is concerned) of these two departments are derived from the subjects of the State it is but fair that the results of the working of these departments should accrue to the State. [...] It is an admitted fact that the currency that is not the currency of an autonomous state must be detrimental to the Stale and its subjects due to the extent of depreciatdn of the currency the depreciation being due to the artificial exchange ratio and also due to the reduced intrinsic value not to mention the loss of seigniorage to the States. [...] Thus the extraordinary expendture which this State out of all the States of Kathiawar has got to bear solely due to the concentration of this tribe within the limits of the territorial jurisdiction almost amounts to.1 of the total income of the State (meagre as the latter already is) which is being eaten up in this exceptional and extraordinary part of the administration of the State. [...] It is therefore most earnestly hoped that while considering the qUestion of this State in the matter of settling the future additional contributions to the Union purse the committee will pay due regard and attention to the aforesaid existing commitments of the State manifestly accruing from the heavy obligation of maintaining its control over the criminal tribe of Mianas concentrated within its t