Bihar famine of 1873–1874

[3] In Sir Richard Temple's own description (in a contemporary correspondence), the generous aid allowed the laborers to stay in good physical condition and to return to their fields when the rains finally arrived; their actions put to rest any fears among relief officials that the government handouts were making the laborers "dependent.

"[5] The construction of the Irrawaddy Valley State Railway in Burma, which began in 1874, also provided employment in the earthworks for many famine immigrants from Bengal.

[7] The famine proved to be less severe than had originally been anticipated, and 100,000 tons of grain was left unused at the end of the relief effort.

Taking the criticism to heart, he revised the official famine relief philosophy, which thereafter became concerned with thrift and efficiency.

[2] The relief efforts in the subsequent Great Famine of 1876–78 in Bombay and South India were therefore very modest, which led to excessive mortality.

A 1907 map of Bihar , British India , shown as the northern region of Greater Bengal . Monghyr district (top middle) was one of the worst-hit areas in the Bihar famine of 1873–74.
Illustration and story in Penny Illustrated , London, 14 February 1874, reporting Queen Victoria's donation of £1,000 in aid of famine relief. Since Bihar was then in the Bengal Presidency , the famine was also referred to as the Bengal Famine of 1873–74 . The Queen is referred to as the "Empress of India" two years before she added that title.