MADRAS m 1947 (OUTLINE OF THE ADMINISTRATION) PART I t’RINTED BY THE BUPBEINTENDENT GOVERNMENT PRESS MADRAS 19 4 8 iy Prefatory Note (b) legislation to remove the social disabilities of Harijans, (c) legislation to reduce the rents in zamiadari areas to the level of those prevailing in ryotwari areas as a preliminary step to the abolition of zamindaria altogether, and (d) intensification of the Firka ])evelopinent Scheme. A brief reference has been made in this booklet to each of the above items and also to the work of each deoartment. CONTENTS PAQE P b e f a t o b y N o t e iii CHAPTER I,—GENERAL The Executive 1 The Legislature 2 Legislation 3 The Services .. S Traini-ag of Clerks 9 Cost of Public Services 9 Separation of Judiciary from the Executive 0 CHAPTER IL—FmANCE Finance— Accounts, 1946-47 10 Budget, 1947-48 ..................................... II Provincial Borrowing 13 CHAPTER III.—SEASONAL CONDITIONS, REVENUE AND EXCISE Rainfall and C r o p s ............................................................ 14 Famine 14 Land Revenue ......................... • .. 14 Forest Panchayata . 14 Schemes for sinking New VVella • • < < .. 15 Court of Wards , 17 Commercial Taxes ......................... .. Excise and Prohibition ........................................................... .. 17 CHAPTER IV.—LAW AND ORDER Police .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 Prisons .. 25 Criminal Tribes Settlements • • • • • .. 27 Civil Justice .. • • • < .. 28 Registration • • • • , • .. 29 Firo Services..................................... • ■ « » .. 30 .. ... Motor Vehicles • • • • .. 31 Motor Transport .. .. Chemical Examiner’s Department • * ■ • a a .. 33 Criminal Justice • » ♦ • f • « 33 CHAPTEH V.—LOCAL ADMINISTRATION ?AQB General 35 Municipalities 35 District Boards 35 Panchayats .. 35 Local Fund Audit 36 CHAPTER VI.—PUBLIC HEALTH ANDJiIEDICINE Vital Statistics - .. ., .. .. .. .. 37.. Public Health .. .. .. 37 Medicine ......................... ................................................ 39 Indian M e d ic in e ...................................................................... 43 The King Institute, Guindy 43 CHAPTER VII.—EDUCATION Ga:ieral ................................................................................. 46 Government Examinations ................................................ 49 CHAPTER V m .—AGRICULTURE, VETERINARY AND CO-OPERATION Agriculturo .. .. .. .. ' ......................................60 Veterinary Services .. .. ..................................... 52 Co-operation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 63 CHAPTER IX.—NATURAL RESOURCES Forests ........................................................... .. .. 56 Fisheries ............................................................ ,. .. 57 Ciichona Plantations ............................................... ■ .. 57 CHAPTER X.—TRADE AND INDUSTRY Trade .. .. .. .............................................. 59 Ports ............................................................ .. .. 59 Industries and Commerce .. .................................... .. gO Textile control .. .. .. .. .. .. 03 Companies....................................................................... .. 65 Industrial Occupations .. .................................... .. cq CHAPTER XI.—PUBLIC WORKS AND ELECTRICITY Electricity .. .. ........................... .. .. 57 Public Works (General) 68 Irrigation .. 70 Special Projects 72 Highways .. 73 CHAPTER XII.—CIVIL SUPPLIES PAGE Civil Supplies 74 CHAPTf® XIII.—RURAL RECONSTRUCTION AND MISCELLANEOUS Eirka Development .. .. .. .. ■ .. .. 84 Charitable Institutions .. .. .. .. .. .. 87 Communities eligible for Hf>Ip by the Labour Department .. 88 Broadcasting .. .. .. .. ■ .. .. .. 89 Emigration .. .. .. .. .. 90 greetings to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of the attainment of Independence by India and expressing appreciation of the services of those who have suffered and undergone sacrifices in the cause of Indian Freedom was passed by both the Houses. (6) There was a debate on the decontrol and derationing of foodgrains in the Legislative Assembly for two days and in the Council for one day. The Assembly sat for 74 days and transacted official business on 67 days and non-of&cial business on 7 days. Out of 2,664 questions received for the Legislative Assembly, 2,235 were admitted, 1,400 of them were answered, 835 not answered, 219 disallowed, 30 withdrawn and 171 referred back to the Members of the Legisla'tive Assembly. The Council sat for 36 days and transacted official business on 30 days and non-official business during the remaining daj's. Out of 650 questions received for the Council, 600 were admitted, 372 of them were answered, 228 not answered, 14 d.s- allowed, 9 M4thdra%vn, 7 referred back to the Members and 20 lapsed. The sessions of the Assembly and the Council were prorogued by His Excellency the Governor in the first week of January 1948. Legislation During the year, 29 Acts were enacted by the Madras Legislature. Besides these, 1 Regulation was made. Madras Act I of 1947 [The Madras Maintenance of Public Order Act, 1947] gives power to the Government to take effective and timely action to deal with subversive activities which have for their aim the creation of disorders involving menace to the peace and tranqu.lUty of the Province. The Act provides for preventive detention; the imposition of collective fines and censorshij); the control of meetings and processions, and camps, drills and parades; the requisitioning of property; and the control of services essential to the life of the community. Madras Act II of 1947~[The Madras District Municipalities and Local Boards (Amendment) Act, 1947] emi^owers Goverrxment to postjjone ordinary elections to municipal councils and local boards and vaUdates all orders issued on the subject before the passing of the Act. The Act also provides for the preparation and publication of electoral rolls or o f alterations to such rolls, at such times as the Provincial Government may direct. Madras Act III of 1947 [The Madras City Municipal (Amendment) Act, 1947] amends the definition of “ company ” in the principal Act so as to includd within its scope a foreign company as well as a company formed in pursuance of a law of an Indian State. These companies will, in future, be hable to pay the tax on companies levied under the City Municipal Act. , Madras Act IV o f 1947 [The Madras Payment o f Salaries and Removal of Disqualifications (Amendment) Act, 1947] raises the salary of the President of the Legislative Council from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 per mensem, thus placing the President in. the matter of salary, on a par with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. Madras Act V of 19'i’7 [The Madras Temple Entry Authoriza­ tion Act, 1947] removes the disabilities imposed by custom or usage on certain classes of Hindus in respect of entrj' into Hindu temples and offering worship therein. It confers on the excluded classes a right to enter any temple which is open to the general Hindu public and offer worship in the same manner and to the same extent as other classes of Hindus. In view of this Act, the Malabar Temple Entry Act, 1939, and the Madras Temple Entry Authoriza- zation and Indemnity Act, 1937, are no longer needed and have accordingly been repealed. As. a result of the inclusion within the limits of the City, of the Saidapet Municipality, the Semb'.em Panchayat, and certain other areas, from 1st April 1946, Madras Act VI of 1947 [The Madras City ]\Iunicipal (Second Amendment) Act, 1947] increases the -number of divisions in the City from 40 to 60 and the number of divisional councillors from 45 to 66. Of the divisional coun­ cillors, 50 are to be elected to general seats, 5 to seats reserved • for members of Schedaled Castes, to 4 seats reserved for Muslims, 2 to- seats reserved for Ind'.an Christians, 1 to a seat reserved' for Anglo-Indians and 4 to seats reserved for -women. All the divisional councillors are to be elected by joint electorates, as in the case of municipahties in the mufassal. The Act also increases the number of seats reserved for labour from 2 to 4. Madras Act VII of 1947 [The Malabar Irrigation Works (Con­ struction and levy of Cess) Act, 1947] confers on the Government the power to construct irrigation works for conserving water and regulating" its supply, in the district of Malabar. Provision has been made for the acquisition of lands for that purpose, and also for existing water-courses being utilized by Government for leading water, although their beds maj’ not belong to Government. Parsons who' are deprived of their right in a water course or whose accus­ tomed supply of water is materially diminished, will be entitled to compensation under the Act, the amount of the compensation being assessed by a Special'Court constituted for the purpose. The Act also provides for the issue of permits for the irrigation of lands and makes the payment of w£iter-oess obligatory, whether the water made available for irrigation is aotuall}^ taken or not. Madras Act V III of 1947 [The Madras City Police and District Police (Amendment) Act, 1947] confers, on members of the Madras Fire Services, above the rank of fireman, powers similar to those now exercised in the City of Madras by police officers above the ranli o f constaljle, when a fire breaks out. The penalty for giving false alarms of fire has been eniianced in the case of a second or subsequent offence to one of imprisonment, not'exceeding six months to which fine (without limit of amount) may be added. As Fire Services have been or will