Asiatic Quarterly Review,
AND ORIENTAL AND COLONIAL RECORD.
RENEWED CONSIDERATION
OF AGRICULTURAL BANKS FOR INDIA.
WHEN WILL SOMETHING PRACTICAL BE DONE?
BY SIR W. WEDDERBURN, BART.
In the recent debate at Simla on the Panjab Alienation of Land Bill, Sir Edward Law, on behalf of the Government of India, announced that a Conference will shortly be held in Calcutta to consider the question of agricultural banks as a remedy for excessive rural indebtedness in India. He stated that the Conference will consist "of a few people who are specially qualified to speak on the subject, and to look at it with regard to Indian conditions"; and he expressed a hope that they will be able to propose measures which will benefit peasant proprietors throughout India. I welcome this intimation as far as it goes; but trust that something will be done beyond mere consideration of the subject. This subject has been spoken on, and written on, and looked at, from every point of view for the last twentyfive years. In the meantime the unhappy rayat lies crushed and paralyzed by his load of debt; while two terrible famines have passed over India, finding in him. a ready victim. When will something practical be done?
Sir E. Law did not in any way indicate the lines upon which Government propose to proceed. But it may be presumed that they will in the main be guided by two important documents, in which official experience has been