78
REPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94.
[APP.
APPENDIX R.
Present system under which revenue is raised from hemp-drugs.
1.—KHALSA.
(1) Sections of the Excise Act, 1881, relating to hemp-drugs.
Sec. 11.—The Chief Commissioner "may from time to time make such rules to restrict
and regulate the cultivation of hemp and the preparation of intoxicating drugs
therefrom as he may deem necessary to secure the duty leviable in respect of
those drugs."
Sec. 12.—"No
intoxicating drug shall be sold except under and in accordance
with the terms of a license granted under the provisions hereinafter contained.
Provided as follows:
(d) Any cultivator of the hemp plant may sell any intoxicating
drug prepared from his plants to any person licensed under this Act to sell
the same, or to any person authorized to purchase the same by the Collector's
order in writing."
Sec. 13.—Subject to rules made by the Chief Commissioner under the Act "the Collector
may grant licenses
for the retail sale
of intoxicating drugs
within his district or any part thereof or at any place therein."
"Licenses for the sale........ of intoxicating drugs wholesale
shall be
granted only by such officer as the local Government from time to time ap-
points in this behalf."
Sec. 20.—The Chief Commissioner "may from time to time make rules to regulate
the grant of licenses or passes to persons possessing or transporting intoxi-
caling drugs for the supply of the licensed vendors of such drugs."
Sec. 22.—
No person shall have in his possession any larger quantity of such
drugs than that specified in section 3, clause
(k)
[bhang, or any prepara-
tion or admixture thereof, one-quarter of a seer; ganja or charas, or any
preparation or admixture thereof, five tolas] unless he is permitted to
manufacture or sell the same.
Sec. 55.—The Chief Commissioner may make rules (a) as to the period for which licenses
shall be granted, (b) as to the fees payable for licenses, and the times of
payment, (c) as to the security to be given by licensees, (d) as to the forms
and conditions of licenses, &c.
(2) Ganja.
Cultiration of ganja and disposal of crop.—The cultivation of ganja is restricted to the
Khandwa Tahsil of the Nimar district. Harvesting is supervised by a special establishment,
and the cultivators are bound to bring the whole of their produce to the Government Store-
house at Khandwa. The drug is purchased at the store-house by the wholesale vendors of
the province, the terms of purchase being arranged between the cultivators and the wholesale
vendors without interference on the part of Government. Wholesale vendors of other parts
of British India and foreign dealers are also freely permited to buy.
No direct tax is imposed on cultivation, but the following fees are payable at the Store-
house.
(1) Storage fees.—Payable at the rate of 6 pies per mensem by cultivators or pur-
chasers of ganja kept in the store-house. Cultivators and wholesale vendors
of ganja in the Central Provinces are exempted from the payment of storage
fees for a period of 30 days following the date of their storage or purchase
for transport to other districts of the Central Provinces (as the case may be).
(2) Permit fees.—Payable by all purchasers of ganja other than Government licens-
ed vendors at Re. 1 per maund of the quantity, permission to purchase which
is asked for.
(3) Registration fees.—Payable by all purchasers of ganja other than Central Pro-
vinces licensed vendors, at Re. 1 per maund of the quantity of which the trans-
fer by sale is registered.
Wholesale vend.
2. Disposal of wholesale vend contracts.—Under the rules in force Deputy Commissioners
are authorized to grant licenses for wholesale vend, but the
practice is for them to report for approval by the Commis-
sioner of Excise the names of the persons to whom and the terms on which they purpose to
give the wholesale contracts.