Chandragupta Maurya and His Times c9.134

c9.134

Salt Superintendent (*Lavaṇādhyaksha*). The manufacture of salt was a government monopoly administered by the Salt Superintendent called *Lavaṇādhyaksha*. It was worked under a system of licences, on payment of a fixed fee, or a share of the output. Lessees of salt-fields had to pay rent (*prakraya*) and ⅙ of the salt (*Lavaṇabhāga*) manufactured by them. This salt the Superintendent sold at full market rates, and realized in addition a supertax of 5 per cent called *Vyājī* (derived from the difference between government and public measure), together with the extra tax of 8 per cent (*mūlya*) and the assaying fee of ⅛ *paṇa* (*rūpa*).