Consider the following statements about famines in India and choose the correct ones:

A. In 1860-61 North-Western Provinces suffered a severe famine and areas around Delhi and Agra were worst affected
B. In 1866-67 Orissa suffered an acute famine and the core of the affected area was described as a ‘sea of calamity’.
C. In 1868-69 a terrible famine broke out in Rajputana, and Marwar, Bikaner and Ajmer became worst affected areas
D. In 1866-67, a famine occurred in Madras Presidency covering Bellary, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai and South Arcot
E. In 1868-69 areas of Punjab, Bombay and Central Province also suffered near famine conditions

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

Correct option is B

All five statements (A, B, C, D, and E) are correct and accurately describe major famines that occurred during British rule in India, especially in the 19th century.

The 1860-61 famine affected the North-Western Provinces, and areas such as Delhi and Agra were among the worst hit. This famine was one of the early major famines recorded under British administration.

The Orissa Famine of 1866-67 is one of the most devastating famines in Indian history, where more than a million people perished. The famine was so intense that the affected region was described as a ‘sea of calamity’.

In 1868-69, a devastating famine broke out in Rajputana (now Rajasthan), with Marwar, Bikaner, and Ajmer being the worst affected. The mortality rate was high and the administrative response was largely inadequate.

The same 1866-67 famine also had impact in the Madras Presidency, especially in districts like Bellary, Salem, Coimbatore, Madurai, and South Arcot, as documented in famine records.

During the 1868-69 famine, Punjab, Bombay, and the Central Provinces experienced near-famine conditions, though the worst of the crisis was concentrated in Rajputana. These areas experienced scarcities and distress, but avoided catastrophic mortality.

Information Booster:

The 1860-61 famine was one of the earliest large-scale famines during British India under colonial land revenue systems.
The Orissa famine of 1866 exposed massive failures in British relief efforts and is considered a turning point in colonial famine policy.
The 1868-69 Rajputana famine triggered the beginnings of famine commissions in India.
Over 4.5 million people were affected by the combined effects of the 1866 and 1869 famines.
Famines were often worsened by export-focused agriculture and inadequate railway and grain storage infrastructure. These repeated crises led to the formation of the Famine Commission of 1880, which proposed early warning and relief mechanisms. Droughts, administrative neglect, and colonial policies like high land revenue taxes were major triggers of these famines.