Himalayan Times (1954)

Right' • s • $ittti»f«fi(Bi ?i.i<£« August 15, 1954

operation Actually, im-
ports fell to jtist oyer
2,000,000 tons in 1953.
During 1954, there will be
no imports for ourrent
consumption. About
165,000 tons whioh had
been imported upto June
1954 and any further
quantities that may come
in, will be utilised for
building up reserves

r During the peak period
in - December 1947. the
rationed population excee-
ded 14 46 croreti — repre-
senting over 40 per cent
of the country's popula-
tion. Prior to the relaxa- ,
tion of controls, in mid-

1952. 10.80 crores people
were subject to rationing.
The members stood ,at
8.34 crorea at the end
of 1953, and dropped
to 4.4 crores on April 30,

1953. Today, rationing is
only an unpleasant memory

Prices Fall

A year ago the people's
main conoern related to
the prices of foodgrains.
Have these fallen ?

Rice, which cost Rs. 36
per maund at Patna in
September 1951 could be
brought for only Rs, '14
6t the same place un July
17, 1954. Similarly, wheat
whioh could not be bought
for less than Rs. 23 per
md in February 1953, was
available at Hapur on
July 17, 1954 at about
half that price. Taking
all cereals together, the

index of prices has shrunk
from 495 in October 1050
to 377.3 on July 3, 1954.

High foodgrain prices
were one of the main
worries of the Union
Government when the Five'
Year Plan went into ope-
ration. Today, the problem
before it is how to pre-
vent tall in prices so that
they do not go below
levels which may be un-
economic for the cultivator.

This change in the price
situation hiphlights the all-
round transformation that
has taken place in the
country's food budget —
from i952- to 1954. The
nation can look to the
future with confidence. '
INDIA HELPS TIBET
FLOOD VICTIMS
Kalimpong, Aug. 10
Shri B. K. Kapur,
Political Officer in Sikkim, I
is proceeding to Gyantse
shortly to inspect the
Government of India pro-
perty that has suffered so
heavily during the recent
floods there.

The Government of
India have sanctioned an
amount of Rs. 50,000/-
for the relief of the Tibetan
inhabitants of Gyantse
who suffered -during the
recent floods. This amount
is being spent on the
purchase of foodgrains and
cloth which have started
moving and will be deli-
vered at Saiigang by the
26th August, 54."

NEW ENDURANCE SWIM-
MING RECORC SET UP
Allahabad, Aug. 10
Amidst unprecedented
scenes x>f enthusiasm and
jubiliation Hira Lai Chau-
rasia achieved his cheri.
shed ambition of breaking
the endurance swimming
record of 88 hours 12
minutes, held by Robin
Ghatterji,' 30 minutes after
midnight on Monday
August 2, 1954.

He entered water at
8.25 a. m. on Friday July
30 inst at 40 minutes past
midnight on Monday, Col.
Vohra one of the judges on
duty,announced the break-
ing of the record. As his
words flowed in the tense
atmosphere, a deafening
cheer went up the mid-
night sky and continued
for 15 minutes.

Ecstatic in his success
Hira Lal forgot the fati-
gue of. his ordeal and
swam his way to glory
fur another 43 minutes.

He left the tank at
1-21 a. m. aud Col. Vohra
wrote in his remarks that
h» was very bright, cheer-
ful anoS. excited in his
success.

Three gold medals
were announced to be
awarded by Shri Beni
Prasad Tondon M. L. C,
Shri J. N. Misra, Treasure
A.D.O.A. and the Barhai
Sabha to Hira Lal Chau-
rasia.