History lord lytton- 19/8/2019

• The famine of 1876-78 had resulted from the failure of two monsoons. The worst affected areas were Madras, Mysore, Hyderabad, Bombay, Central India and the Punjab. It took a toll of five million lives in a single year. The outbreak of cholera and fever added to the misery of the suffering population. Lytton’s Government failed miserably to tackle the situation. The government’s relief measures seemed to be inadequate. The first Famine Commission (1878-80) under Sir Richard Strachey was appointed.
• In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act was passed. This Act empowered a Magistrate to secure an undertaking from the editor, publisher and printer of a vernacular newspaper that nothing would be published against the English Government.
• In the same year, the Arms Act was passed. This Act prevented the Indians to keep arms without appropriate license.
• Lord Lytton was Viceroy of India from 1876 to 1880
• Lord Lytton introduced uniform salt tax throughout British India.
• The system of decentralisation of finance that had begun in the time of Lord Mayo was continued during the time of Lord Lytton. The provincial governments were empowered with some control over the expenditure of all provincial matters like land-revenue, excise, stamps,
  law and justice. Lytton wanted to encourage the provinces in collecting the revenue and thereby strengthen the financial power and position of the provinces.