MADRAS IN 1948 (OUTLINE OF THE ADMINISTRAT1.0N) PART I PRINTED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT GOVERNMENT PRESS M ADRAS 19 4 9 / • PREFATORY NOTE “ Madras in 1948 ” is a general summary of the salient features of the administration during the calendar year 1948. The Madras Administration Report, 1647-48, which is being published simultaneous^, contains detailed informa­ tion on the work of the various departments in the official vear 1947^8 ■ ' The tragic death of Manatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, at the hands of an assassin shocked the public and cast a deep gloom over the whole of the Province as it did throughout the rest of India. The swift and vigorous police action imdertaken bj". the Government of India in Hyderabad was the outstanding event of the year and it ended the sta|;e of uneasiness and tension prevailing in the border districts of this Province. The jNIinistry which was formed in March 1947 continued in office throughout and initiated measures of far-reaching significance for the amehoration and betterment of the masses. The chief among them were :— (i) the extension of Pi’ohibition throughout the Province; (ii) the re-organization and extension of education to suit the national ideals and needs of a free India ; (iii) intensification ofthePirka Development Scheme ; and (iv). nationalization of bus transport in the Madras City. A brief reference has been made in this booklet to each of the above items and also to the work o each depa^<^ment. CONTENTS PAOE Prefatory N ote iii CHAPTER I.—GENERAL The Executive 1 The Legislature 'l '2 Legislation :i The Services ‘ , 10 Training of Clerks 10 e ^ t of Public Services 10 Separation of ihe Judiciary from the Executive II OHAPTER II.—FINANCE Finance- Accounts, 1947-48 .. .. .. .. ., ,.12 Budget, 1 9 4 8 -4 9 .............................................. .. .. 16 Provincial Borrowing ., .. .. ., .. .. 18 CHAPTER IIL—SEASONAL CONDITIONS, REVENUE AND EXCISE Rainfall and Crops .. .. .. .. .. ., ., 19 Famine .................................................................... ..19 Land Revenue ................................................................... 19 Forest Panchayats .. .. .. .. .. .. .. zO Schemes for sinking New Wella .. .. .. .. 20 Court of Wards ......................................................... .. 21 Commercial Taxes .. .. .. .. .. .. ..22 Excise and Prohibition .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 CHAPTER IV.—LAW AND ORDER P olice..........................................................................................30 Prisons .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 33 Administration of the Habitual Offenders’ Settlement .. .. 35 Reclamation of Kallars, Koravars, Yanadis and Sugalis .. 35 Civil Justice .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36 Fire S ervices............................................................................. 37 Registration .. .......................................... .. .. 38 vi Contents CHAPTER IV.—LAW AND ORDER—cowi. PAGE Motor Vehicles .. .. .. .... ,. .. 39 Motor Transport .. .. .. .. •. .. .. 40 . The Chemical Examiner’s Department .. ..............................41 Criminal Justice ........................ ........................ 42 CHAPTER V.—LOCAL ADMINISTRATION General •. ....................... • •. •. .. 44 Mmiicipalitiea .. •• •• •• •• .. .. 44 District Boards .. .. • • .. .. .. .. 45 Panchayats.................................................................................... 45 Local Eund Audit ....................................... .. .. ..45’ CHAPTER VI.—PUBLIC HEALTH AND MEDICINE Vital Statistics .. ............................................. .. 46 Public Health ................................... ......................... 4 6 Medicine .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 49 Indian Medicine .. ., .. ..................................52 The King Institute, Guindy ....................................................53 CHAPTER VII.—EDUCATION Elementary (Basic) Education 55 Secondary Education 56 Improvement of the status of teachers 58 Collegiate Education .. .. .. 58 Technical Education 59 Adult Education ................................... 59 National Cadet Corps 60 General GO Government Examinations 61 CHAPTER VIII.—AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND CO-OPERATION Agriculture .. .. .. ,. .. .. .... 62 Animal Husbandry ........................................................ ...... Co-operation ..... ., ,, ., ,. 67 G on tents vU CHAPTER IX.—NATURAL RESOURCES PAGE Forests ...............................................................................71 Fisheries, .............................................................................. 72 Cinchona Plantations .. ........................ .. .. 73 CHAPTER X.—TRADE AND INDUSTRY Trade .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..15 Ports ...... .............75 Industries ,. .. .. ., .. .. .. .. 76 Textile control .. ...... .. .. 80 Companies .. ........... .............84 Industrial Occupations ,, .. .. ., .. .. 85 CHAPTER XI.—PUBLIC WORKS AND ELECTRICITY Electricity ........................................................ -. .. 87 Public Works (General and Buildings) ........................ .. 88 Irrigation .. .. .. .. .. •. .. 90 Speciail ProJects .. .. .. .. .. .. • 93 Highways .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Ol CHAPTER X n .—CIVIL SUPPLIES Civil Supplies .. • . • • • • ■ • • .. 97 CHAPTER X in .—RURAL RECONSTRUCTION AND LHSCELLANEOUS Firka Development 106 Charitable Institutions .............................................. 109 Communities eligible for help by the Labour Department 109 Provincial Broadcasting 110 E m igration.................................................................... 111 Information and Publicity Department 112 I n d e x .................................. .................................. 116 MADRAS IN 1948 (OUTLINE OF THE ADMINISTRATION) CHAPTER 1-GENERAL The Executive His Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Edward Nye, G.C.I.E., K.C.B., M.C., Continued as-Governor of Madras till the forenoon of the 7th September 1948 on which date His Excellency Colonel Sliri Sir Krishna Kumarsinhji Bhavsinhji, K.S.C.I., Maharaja of Bhavnagar, took charge as Governor. There were the following changes in the Council of Ministers dxiring the year :— Dr. P. Subbarayan resigned the office with effect from the forenoon of the 5th April 1948. i\Ir. Daniel Thomas died on the 15th June 1948. Dr. S. Gurubatham was appointed as a Minister with effect from the 26th June 1948 forenoon. The allocation of business among the Ministers as at the end of the year was as follows :— (1) The Hon’ble Sri 0. P. Ramaswamy Reddiar, Premier, in charge of Public (excluding Elections, Excluded Areas and Partially Excluded Areas), Hindu Religious Endowments, Home, Legislation and High Court. (2) The Hon’ble Dr. T. S. S. Rajan, in charge of Food, Re-settlement of Ex-soldiers and Resettlement Directorate. (3) The Hon’ble Sri M. Bhaktavatsalam, in charge of Public Works, Information and Broadcasting. (4fThe Hon’ble Sri B. Gopala Reddi, in charge of Finance, Commercial Taxes, Public (Elections and Excluded and Partially Excluded Areas), Motor Transport and Registration. (5) The Hon’ble Sri H. Sitarama Reddi, in charge of Indus­ tries, Planning and -Development, Newsprint Control, Paper Control and Mines and Minerals, Companies and Labour, Ceded Districts Economic Development Board, Agricultural Labour. (6) The Hon’ble Sri K. Chandramouli, in charge of Local Administration and Co-operation. (7) The Hon’ble Sri T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiyar, in charge of Education, Cinemas and Cinematograph Act. (8) The Hon’ble Sri K. Sladhava JMenon, in charge of Agri­ culture, Forests, Veterinary and Prisons, Sladras Suppression of Immoral Traffic Act and Legal Department. (9) The Hon’ble Sri Kala Venkata Rao, in charge of Land Revenue. (10) The Hon’ble Sri A. B. Shetty, in charge of Public Health and Medicine. (11) The Hon’ble Sri V. Kurmayya, in charge of Harijan Uplift, Fisheries, Cinchona and Rural Development,’ Posts and Telegraphs. (12) The Hon’ble Dr. iS. Gurubatham, in charge of Khadi, Firka Development and Cottage Industries, Prohibition, Excise, House Rent Control and House Accommodation. The Legislature The fourth session of the second Legislative Assembly began on the 20th January 1948 and the eighth session of the Legislative Council began on the 23rd January 1948 and they continued till the 24th May 1948, when they were prorogued by a notification by His Excellency the Governor with effect on and from that date. Their present sessions, viz., the fifth session of the Legislative Assembly began on the 12th July 1948 and the ninth session of the Legislative Council began on the 22nd July 1948. On the 5th April 1948 Dr. P. Subbarayan, then Leader of the House (Assembly) resigned his office as Minister. The Hon’ble Sri B. Gopala Reddi was appointed Leader of the House (Assembly) on the 14th April 1948 and continues as such. A Joint session of the Madras Legis­ lative Assembly and the Madras Legislative Council was held on the 4th September 1948 under a message from His Excellency the Governor in pursuance of sub-section (1) of section 63 of the Government of India Act in order that His Excellency might have an opportunity to address both the Chambers together on the eve of his departure from this Province. There w'ere eight by-elections to the Assembly and one to the Council during the year. One member was nominated to the Council. One of the by-elections to the Assembly was held to fill the vacancy caused by a motion passed by the Assembly under rule 6 of the Madras Assembly Rules declaring the seat of Sri U. Muthuramalinga Thevar, vacant as