India, its administration & progress / Sir John Strachey.

  • John Strachey
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: India, its administration & progress / Sir John Strachey. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    various branches of the public service was to be left to the Provincial Government to determine. The system of financial decentralisation inaugurated by Lord Mayo was largely developed during the vice- royalty of Lord Lytton, when I was myself Financial Member of the Council, and a similar policy has been followed by his successors. The effect has been felt throughout the whole system of Indian administration. While no useful powers of financial control have been surrendered by the Central Government, the Provincial Governments have been freed from vexatious interfer- ence which weakened their authority and efficiency, and their relations towards the Government of India have become more harmonious. They are entrusted with the management of those branches of the revenue wdiich depend for their productiveness on good adminis- tration, and they have now a direct and, so to speak, a personal interest in rendering that management as effi- cient as possible, because they know that a large portion of any increase of income that may be obtained will be at their disposal for useful expenditure within their own provinces. There has been obtained, at the same time, a stronger and more real power of control by the Central Government than was before possible. The financial arrangements between the Supreme and Provincial Governments vary in detail, but are in each case similar in principle. Some branches of the public administration are obviously imperial rather than provincial in their nature. The Government of India must, for instance, be responsible for the military defence of the Empire, for payment of the interest on the Public debt, and for the charges to be met by the Home Government. Some departments, such as the Post Office, Telegraphs, and Mint, must be managed
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