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Famine Policy, The famine of 1876-78 had resulted from the failure of two monsoons. It covered an area of two lakh, fifty thousand square miles and affected fifty eight million people. The worst affected areas were, Madras, Mysore, Hyderabad, Bombay, Central India and the Punjab. It took a toll of five million lives in a, single year. The outbreak of cholera and fever added to the misery of the suffering population. Lytton's, Government failed miserably to tackle the situation. The government's relief measures seemed to be, inadequate. The first Famine Commission (1878-80) under Sir Richard Strachey was appointed and it, made many commendable recommendations. They include provision of funds for famine relief and, construction work in the annual budget. The Famine Code came into existence in 1883., , The Royal Titles Act, 1876, The British Government passed the Royal Titles Act. Queen Victoria was invested with the title of Queen, Empress of India. Lord Lytton held a Darbar at Delhi on January 1, 1877 to proclaim the title of Queen., He spent huge amount of money on pomp and show of the Darbar. At that time, India was in the grip of, famine. Therefore, the Indians felt very bitter about it., , The Vernacular Press Act and the Arms Act (1878), In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act was passed. This Act empowered a Magistrate to secure an, undertaking from the editor, publisher and printer of a vernacular newspaper that nothing would be, published against the English Government. The equipment of the press could be seized if the offence, was committed. This Act crushed the freedom of the Indian press. This created adverse public opinion, against the British Government. As a result, a public agitation happened in Calcutta helmed by, Surendranath Banerjee., In the same year, the Arms Act was passed. This Act prevented the Indians to keep arms without, appropriate license. Its violation would be a criminal offence. The Europeans and the Anglo- Indians, were exempted from the operation of these legislations., , Free Trade Policy, Lord Lytton introduced uniform salt tax throughout British India., Further, the House of Commons passed a resolution in July, 1877 which recommended abolition or, reduction of import and export duties to the government of India because it suited British economic, interests. Lord Lytton accepted the spirit of the resolution and, in spite of poor financial condition of, India caused by the famine, abolished import duties on twenty-nine articles. But it failed to satisfy the, British cloth manufacturers. Therefore, Indian economic interest was further sacrificed and, in 1879, the, duties on the coarser kinds of imported cotton were removed. Thus, Lytton became an easy instrument, of intensifying economic exploitation of India by Britain.
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Financial Reforms, The system of decentralisation of finance that had begun in the time of Lord Mayo was continued during, the time of Lord Lytton. In 1870, Lord Mayo took the initiative of separating central and provincial, finances. The provincial governments. were granted fixed sums out of central revenues for, administering certain services like Police, Jails, Education etc., as they liked. Lytton took further steps in, the direction of this policy of financial devolution. The provincial governments were authorised to meet, out the expenditure on certain heads like land revenue, excise, stamps, law and justice etc., as suited, them. For this purpose, the provinces were assigned certain sources of revenue like excise, licence fee,, etc. It was also decided that the surplus above the estimated income would be shared equally between, the centre and the provinces and, in case of deficit, the centre would meet half the deficit of a province., It was expected that the new system would induce the provincial governments to develop their revenue, resources., , Statutory Civil Service Act 1878, The Charter Act of 1833 had declared that all Indians would be entitled to get government jobs on merit., The Charter Act of 1853 had made the Provision of holding a Competitive examination in London for, recruitment to high services under the Company. The Indians were allowed to compete in that, examination. Thus, the right of the Indians to get even the highest jobs; Civil Services on merit was, accepted by the government in principle though, in practice, every possible effort was made to check, their entry into them. Lord Lytton straightforwardly proposed to debar the Indians from the covenanted, (Contracted) services. But his proposal was not accepted by the British Government. He, then, introduced the Statutory Civil Service in India in the year 1878. It was decided in 1879 that on the, recommendation of provincial governments the government of India could employ some Indians of, good social standing in the services though confirmation of their jobs was to be sought from the, Secretary of State for India. The members of this Statutory Civil Service were to enjoy equal status with, the members of the Covenanted Services. Their number, however, could not exceed one-sixth of the, total number of the members appointed to the covenanted service in a year. The British Government, accepted this scheme. The Statutory Civil Service scheme was a temptation for the Indians with a view, to dampening their spirit to compete for covenanted service., Besides, the maximum age for competition in the examination for covenanted service was twenty-one, years so far. It was now reduced to nineteen years by the British Government. It, therefore, became, further difficult for the Indians to compete for that examination though the Statutory Civil Service was, established exclusively for Indians. It, in fact, meant indirect denial of entry to Indians into high services, of the Indian government. But, it gave positions of influence only to those Indians who were loyal to the, British. Therefore, the Indians did not like it. It was dropped by the British Government after eight years., , Lytton and the Second Afghan War (1878-80), The Afghan policy of the British was based on the assumed threat of Russian invasion of India. The first, Afghan War (1838-42) proved to be a disastrous one for the British in India.
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The Great Game , a series of political manoeuvres for influence in Central Asia between the Russian and, British Empire, was played out in Afghanistan during Lord Lytton’s tenure. Afghanistan was a key, element in this game as its location acted as a buffer between the two empires. When Lord Lytton was, appointed the Viceroy of India, he was instructed by the home government to follow a forward policy. In, the beginning, Lord Lytton made friendly overtures to the Amir of Afghanistan, Sher Ali Khan. It was, believed that Shel Ali Khan had pro-Russian leaning and no effort was spared to change his mind. In, September 1878, Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain was sent as an envoy to Afghanistan but no audience, was granted to Sir Nevilles. Having exhausted all diplomatic options, Lytton planned an invasion of, Afghanistan, leading to the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The Russian attempt to send a mission to, Afghanistan was the main cause of the Second Afghan War. Soon after the outbreak of the war in 1878,, the British troops captured the territory between Kabul and Kandahar. The ruler of Afghanistan, Sher Ali, fled from his country and died in 1879. His son Yakub Khan became the ruler and the British concluded, theTreaty of Gandamak with him. A British Resident was sent to Kabul but soon he was murdered along, with other British officers by the Afghan rebels. Although the British troops were able to recapture, Kabul, the difficulties in holding it increased due to the activities of the rebels. Ultimately Britain won all, the battles and the Treaty of Gandamak put a more British receptive Amir as the ruler of Afghanistan., But it came at a huge cost for the colonial government along with heavy losses to the British Army. This, was enough to be a factor for the defeat of the Conservative Party in London of which Lytton was a part, of. The outcome of the war was not what the British had in mind, but it did bring an end to the ‘Great, Game’, ending years of struggle with the Russians., Lytton's Afghan policy was severely criticized because he was responsible for the murder of the British, officers including the Resident in Kabul., , Conclusion, During his administration, millions died due to famine. The various anti-Indian Acts imposed during his, tenure undermined his credit. Thus, most of the administrative measures of Lord Lytton went against, the interests of the Indians. Lord Lytton was concerned only with the security of the Empire and cared, least for the interests and sentiments of those over whom he ruled for nearly four years. Therefore, he, has been regarded as one of the most reactionary governors-general of India. Yet, his measures helped, the Indians in another way. The national feelings of the Indians were further roused by his reactionary, measures., , Points to remember, 1. The policy of Lord Lytton was reactionary which provoked the national sentiments of the Indians., 2. Among the measures, the one taken up by him was to move a little forward in the policy of financial, devolution with expectation that the provincial governments would develop their revenue resources., 3. Due to a serious famine in the years 1876-1878 and inadequacy of the relief provided by the, government, a Famine Commission was appointed which suggested several measures to the, government, forming the basis of its subsequent famine policy.
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4. Lytton held a Darbar at Delhi on January 1, 1877 where Queen Victoria was declared the Queen, Empress of India with all pomp and show (A grand ceremony) at a time when India was in the grip of, famine., 5. Lord Lytton helped in intensifying the economic exploitation of India by Britain by pursuing the policy, of free trade and abolishing import-tax on thirty articles including the tax on the coarse cloth., 6. Lytton passed the Vernacular Press Act in 1878 which curbed the liberty Of the Indian Press publishing, newspapers in local Indian languages., 7. Lord Lytton passed the Arms Act in 1878 by which the Indians were asked to seek licence to keep, sell, or purchase arms., 8. He introduced the Statutory Civil Service in India to provide jobs to loyal Indians and dampen, (Reduce) the spirit of the Indians, in general, to compete for covenanted services., 9. The qualifying age of Covenanted Service Examination held in London was also reduced from 21 to 19, so that it became further difficult for the Indians to compete for it., 10. Thus, most of the administrative measures of Lytton went against the interests of Indians., , Source used : NCERT, Tamil Nadu Board, IGNOU Modern History, NIOS textbooks. Wikipedia notes for, UPSC exam., *****
