2
some years before the proposed Ranchi Central Asylum can be made ready
for occupation. In the meantime the pressing needs of the Asylum will have
to be attended to.
4. Lieutenant-Colonel C. E. Sunder, I.M.S., was in charge of the Asylum
throughout the year under review. The superior staff is reported to have worked
well. One of the disadvantages in the Asylum management is the want of good
and reliable men to serve as attendants. The pay of an ordinary male attendant
is Rs. 7 per mensem and that of Jamadars Rs. 10 per mensem. As the work
in a Lunatic Asylum is unpopular, these low rates of pay do not attract a
better class of men to serve as attendants. The pay of these appointments
should, therefore, in my opinion be revised. I will ask the Superintendent
to submit definite proposals on the subject and will submit the same for the
consideration of Government.
5. There was an increase of 22 lunatics in the total population of the Asy-
lum in 1912. As this is the only Asylum in this Province, it is expected that
the increase will be more marked in the current year. The Superintendent
remarks that the popular prejudice against Lunatic Asylum treatment is fast
wearing away.
6. There was a slight increase in the mortality at the asylum during the
year under report being 26 against 21 in 1911; the percentage on the daily
average strength being 10.56 against 9.12 in 1911. This is attributed to the
fact that a large number of the patients admitted were in a bad state of
health.
7. The total expenditure for the maintenance of the Asylum including
charges on all accounts amounted to Rs. 27,553, the average cost per head
being Rs. 11-13-10 against Rs. 107-12-10 in 1911. The amount realised
from paying patients showed an increase of Rs. 121, which is satisfactory.
Deducting these receipts which were credited to Government the cost per
lunatic was Rs. 110-14-9 against Rs. 107-5-1. The falling off in the receipts
from manufactures is due to the fact that one of the worksheds was under
reconstruction during the year under review.
8. It was decided some years ago that a Central Asylum for European
lunatics for Northern India should be established at Ranchi. A site for its
location has already been selected. The Government of India accorded admi-
nistrative approval to the scheme and have undertaken to provide the initial
cost roughly estimated at Rs. 13,12,688. The Asylum will be under the
direct control of this Government, but the recurring charges for its up-keep
would be shared by the provinces sending their lunatics to it. Detailed plans
and estimates of cost of the project are now being prepared by the Public
Works Department of this Government. It has been decided that there will
be accommodation in the Asylum for 180 lunatics—92 males and 88 females.
9. A Central Asylum for Indian lunatics is also to be established at
Ranchi. It is intended to provide accommodation for the lunatics of two
Provinces only, viz., Bengal and Bihar and Orissa. There will be accommo-
dation for 1,500 lunatics, 1,222 males and 278 females, three-fourths of the
accommodation being reserved for lunatics from Bengal and one-fourth for
Bihar and Orissa. The initial cost roughly put down as 27 lakhs will be
borne by the two Provinces in the proportion of 3:1. A site has recently
been selected and approved by a Committee composed of the representatives
from both Provinces. The arrangement of the various buildings on the site
has also been settled by this Committee. Plans and estimates of cost of this
project are being prepared in the Public Works Department.
10. During the year under report, the laws relating to the custody of
lunatics in India were amended and assimilated with the modern English
law on the subject and the Indian Lunacy Act, 1912, was brought into effect.
11. The forms of Statement No. VI showing the types of insanity and
No. VII showing the causes were revised in accordance with the Government
of India, Home Department, Resolution No. 224-234, dated the 20th March
1912. The statistics for 1912 are presented in the revised forms.