Conventional Long Name: | Cutch Agency |
Common Name: | Cutch Agency |
Nation: | British India |
Status Text: | Agency of British India |
Year Start: | 1819 |
Year End: | 1924 |
Event End: | Formation of the Western India States Agency |
S1: | Western India States Agency |
Flag S1: | British Raj Red Ensign.svg |
Image Map Caption: | Map of the Cutch Agency area |
Stat Area1: | 19725 |
Stat Year1: | 1901 |
Stat Pop1: | 488,022 |
The Cutch Agency was one of the agencies of British India. The appointed Political Agent looked after only one territory, that of the princely state of Cutch, which had a surface of 19725km², not including the Rann of Kutch.
The agency's headquarters were at Bhuj, where the Political Agent used to reside. He reported to the Political Department office at Bombay, Bombay Presidency.[1]
The agency was formed in 1819 when Cutch State became a British protectorate.[2]
Captain James MacMurdo was first appointed Political Agent, as Collector and Resident of Cutch. He worked from his officeat Anjar[3] while the capital of Cutch State was located away at Bhuj.
The progressive prosperity of Cutch was devastated by the famine of 1899-1900,[2] which was felt everywhere with extreme severity; between 1891 and 1901 the population of the state of Cutch decreased from 558,415 inhabitants in 1891 to 488,022 in 1901, owing to the famine.[4]
On 10 October 1924 the Cutch Agency was abolished and merged into the Western India States Agency.[5] [6] [7]