No. 440A., dated Ranchi, the 28th—31st July 1913.
From—G. MILNE, Esq., I.C.S., Offg. Director of Agriculture, Bihar and Orissa,
To—The Secretary to the Government of Bihar and Orissa, Revenue Department,
Ranchi.
I have the honour to submit the Annual Report on the Civil Veterinary
Department of this Province for the year ending 31st March 1913. The
report which was due in my office on the 1st July and to Government on the
15th July was received on the 24th of that month. The Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, explains that the delay was due to his inability to
obtain in time the reports and returns due from his subordinates.
2. Mr. Quinlan held charge throughout the year of the districts now form
ing the province of Bihar and Orissa. In addition he was for some time
during the month of April 1912 in charge of the districts of the Presidency
and Burdwan Divisions. The area of the Superintendent's charge amounts to
83,181 square miles included within British India, while touring is rendered
more difficult by the fact that in the south of the province lie a large number
of native States with an aggregate area of 28,648 square miles. With regard
to these the functions of the Department are confined to occasional correspon-
dence on such matters as may be referred to it for opinion and advice.
8. I regret to report that the anticipations formed by my predecessor and
expressed in paragraph 3 of his review of the previous year's report do
not appear to be justified by an examination of the statistics of admissions from
this province to the Bengal Veterinary College at Belgachia. The Superin-
tendent reports that only 17 students belonging to Bihar and Orissa are at
present studying in Calcutta. Of these 5 were in the 3rd-year class, 4 in the
2nd-year class while 8 had been admitted in March 1912. Of the five men
that passed out of the College in 1912-13 four have been employed. I under-
stand that in March 1913, 16 men belonging to the Province joined at Bel-
gachia but the Superintendent informs mo that about half this number will
probably for one reason or another leave before completing one full year's
course. This at least has been the experience of the past. I invite parti-
cular attention to the remarks of the Superintendent on the physique and
general intelligence of those students and the difficulties that are experienced
in obtaining recruits for a training in veterinary science. The question of
the adequacy of the stipends given by District Boards and of the creation
of stipends by Government for backward races in the less wealthy districts
is at present under my consideration, and it appears probable that a slight
increase in the amount of the scholarships granted might favourably affect
the situation since it has been ascertained that the unavoidable expenses of
a youth at Belgachia are somewhat heavy. The real difficulty however, is
in my opinion to be found not in the fact that stipends are somewhat small
or that the college is situated in Calcutta but in that the men at present
recruited are of a type that is not satisfactory or suitable for employment on
veterinary work. An analysis of the nominal roll of the men at present
entertained shows that out of 59 men actually on the list 34 are Bengali
Hindus, 14 Bihari Hindus, 7 Muhammadans, 2 Oriyas, 1 Madrasi, and 1 Chris-
tian. The caste of these officers is as follows :—
Kayesth ... ... ... ... ...
Brahman
...
... ... ... ...
Baidya
...
...
...
...
...
Kshatriya ...
...
...
...
...
Kalwar
...
...
...
...
...
Bania
...
...
...
...
...
Muhammadan
...
... ... ...
Christian
...
...
...
...
...
24
19
3
3
1
1
7
1