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A History of Agriculture in India v2.c56.s1: Price Control Measures of Ala-ud-Din

A History of Agriculture in India v2.c56.s1

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English

Contents

Price Control Measures of Ala-ud-Din

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Ala-ud-din made his mark in history by his price control measures. Barni thus narrates how it was achieved. 'The Sultan consulted with his most experienced ministers as to the means of reducing the prices of provisions without resorting to severe and tyrannical punishments. His councillors replied that the necessaries of life would never become cheap until the price of grain was fixed by regulations and tariffs. Cheapness of grain is a universal benefit. So some regulations were issued, which kept down the price for some years.

Regulation I. Fixing the Price of Grain

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| Wheat | per maund | 7½ jitals |
| Barley | " | 4 " |
| Rice | " | 5 " |
| Māsh | " | 5 " |
| Chanā | " | 5 " |
| Moth | " | 3 " |

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This scale of prices was maintained as long as Ala-ud-din lived, and grain never rose one dáng, whether the rains were abundant or scanty. This unvarying price of grain in the markets was looked upon as one of the wonders of the time.

Regulation II. Administrative Arrangement

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To secure the cheapness of grain, Malik Kabul Ulugh Khan, a wise and practical man, was appointed controller of the markets. He received a large territory and used to go round the markets in great state with many a horse and on foot. He had clever deputies, friends of his own, who were appointed by the crown. Intelligent spies also were sent into the markets.

Regulation III. Accumulation of Corn in the King's Granaries

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The Sultan gave orders that all the khalsa villages of the doab should pay the tribute in kind. Corn was brought into the granaries of the city of Delhi. In the country dependent on the New City half the Sultan's portion of the produce was ordered to be taken in grain. In Jhain also, and in the villages of Jhain, stores were to be formed. These stores of grain were to be sent into the city in caravans. By these means so much royal grain came to Delhi that there never was a time when there were not two or three royal granaries full of grain in the city. When there was a deficiency of rain, or when for any reason the caravans did not arrive, and grain became scarce in the markets, then the royal stores were opened and the corn was sold at the tariff price, according to the wants of the people. Grain was also consigned to the caravans from New City. Through these two rules, grain never was deficient in the markets, and never rose one dáng above the fixed price.

Regulation IV. Control Over Transportation

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The Sultan placed all the carriers of his kingdom under the controller of the markets. Orders were given for arresting the head carriers and for bringing them in chains before the controller of the markets, who was directed to detain them until they agreed upon one common mode of action and gave bail for each other. Nor were they to be released until they brought their wives and children, beasts of burden and cattle, and all their property, and fixed their abodes in the villages along the banks of the Jumna. An overseer was to be placed over the carriers and their families, on behalf of the controller of the markets, to whom the carriers were to submit. Until all this was done the chiefs were to be kept in chains. Under the operation of this rule, so much grain found its way into the markets that it was unnecessary to open the royal stores, and grain did not rise a dáng above the standard.

Regulation V. Regrating

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The fifth provision for securing the cheapness of grain was against regrating. This was so rigidly enforced that no merchant, farmer, corn-handler, or any one else, could hold back secretly a man or half a man of grain and sell it at his shop for a dāng or a diram above the regulated price. If regrated grain was discovered, it was forfeited to the Sultan, and the regrater was fined. Engagements were taken from the governors and other revenue officers in the doab that no one under their authority should be allowed to regrate, and if any man was discovered to have regrated, the deputy and his officers were fined, and had to make their defence to the throne.

Regulation VI. Control Over Cultivators

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Engagements were taken from the provincial revenue officers and their assistants that they would provide that the corn-carriers should be supplied with corn by the raiyats on the field at a fixed price. The Sultan also gave orders that engagements should be taken from the chief diwan, and from the overseers and other revenue officers in the countries of the doab, near the capital, that they should so vigorously collect the tribute that the cultivators should be unable to carry away any corn from the fields into their houses and to regrate. They were to be compelled to sell their corn in the fields to the corn-carriers at a low price, so that the dealers should have no excuse for neglecting to bring the corn into the markets. A constant supply was thus secured. To give the villagers a chance of profit, they were permitted to carry their corn into the market and sell it at the regulation price.

Regulation VII. Control Over Market

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Reports used to be made daily to the Sultan of the market rate and of the market transactions from three distinct sources: 1st, the superintendent made a report of the market rate and of the market transactions; 2nd, the barids, or reporters, made a statement; 3rd, the manhis, or spies, made a report. If there was any variance in these reports, the superintendent received punishment. The various officials of the market were well aware that all the ins and outs of the market were reported to the Sultan through three different channels, and so there was no opportunity of their deviating from the market rules in the smallest particular.

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All the wise men of the age were astonished at the evenness and the price in the markets. If the rains had fallen regularly, and the seasons had been always favourable, there would have been nothing so wonderful in grain remaining at one price; but the extraordinary part of the matter was that during the reign of Ala-ud-din there were years in which the rains were deficient, but instead of the usual scarcity ensuing, there was no want of corn in Delhi, and there was no rise in the price either in the grain brought out of the royal granaries, or in that imported by the dealers. This was indeed the wonder of the age, and no other monarch was able to effect it. Once or twice when the rains were deficient a market overseer reported that the price had risen half a *jital*, and he received twenty blows with the stick. When the rains failed, a quantity of corn, sufficient for the daily supply of each quarter of the city, was consigned to the dealers every day from the market, and half a *man* used to be allowed to the ordinary purchasers in the markets. Thus the gentry and traders, who had no villages or lands, used to get grain from the markets. If in such a season any poor person went to the market, and did not get assistance, the overseer received his punishment whenever the fact found its way to the king's ears.

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For the purpose of securing low prices for piece goods, garments, sugar, vegetables, fruits, animal oil, and lamp oil, five Regulations were issued.

Cites (1)