_Three Annas per Head per Year._
Let me give you the figures regarding education which is very
interesting. The average amount spent by the Government is 85 lacs of
rupees for education. The population of Bengal is 450 lacs, _i.e._,
5 persons per rupee per year. It means three annas per head per year
spent for the noble cause of education! (laughter) It means again
one pice per head per month! (Shame). And we are told that England's
duty in India is to spread education so that the degraded people of
the country may be elevated! (laughter) And three annas per head per
year is spent for this noble cause! But don't you think these are
purely educational expenses. It also includes the cost of building
(Laughter). It includes the cost of inspection which exceeds the pay of
the teachers (Shame). You can well imagine what is left for education
proper. Talk of education gentlemen? Who cares for education? Not the
bureaucracy.
GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGEMENT OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY--MR. SWAN'S
RECOMMENDATIONS.
With regard to expenditure on commerce and industry, well, you may say
very little, practically nothing is spent. I will simply quote to you
the observations of a member of the Indian Civil Service, Mr. J. Swan,
who has written a report on the industrial condition of Bengal.
"While the industrial development of the province must depend on
private enterprise I think the encouragement of Government might take a
more active form than it has hitherto done."
Encouragement of the Government might take a more active form! Well,
you cannot expect a member of the Civil Service to write more than
that. Then again:--
"Adequate capital is particularly necessary in case of industries run
by Indian capital and under Indian management owing to the reluctance
of banks and of firms to give them credit."