Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology

20th February 1661

Akhand Bharatiya Empire, Imperial Capital Bengaluru, Simhasana Bhavana

Vijay was constantly monitoring the issuance of Bharat Stack documents throughout the empire, but he was very surprised when he heard about the invention of a carbonated drink like cola.

Its invention came at an unexpected era, but nonetheless, he was overjoyed. The worth of companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi in his last life doesn't have to be mentioned. These companies had so much influence that a European hegemon like the Soviet Union had to exchange several of their warships, frigates, and battleships in order to get their product. At one point, PepsiCo had become a company with a navy comparable to a superpower in the year 1989.

Vijay was not originally planning to invent the soda drink because he did not know if the people would accept it and whether it was the correct time for the empire, but now it seemed like he didn't have to do anything since one of the citizens of the empire did it himself.

" Sri Ram Reddy is it? " he muttered as he remembered the name in his mind.

He quickly took out the letter and wrote down instructions for Baskaracharya to buy a major stake in whatever venture Sri Ram Reddy had established in order to increase the production volume of Desi Cola and provide guidance.

He sent the letter with satisfaction evident on his face. He could not wait for the day when a company called Desi Cola would hold the world's second-largest navy. He did not know how the existence of the Bharatiya Empire would affect the timeline, but thinking about it still made him grin foolishly.

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The Prime Minister of the empire, Vinod, the Director of Bharatiya Tax Bureau, Radha Krishnan Iyengar, the Minister of Health, Vinay, the Minister of Trade, Commerce and Industry, Rajesh, and the Minister of Transport, Naveen, had all gathered in the conference room, waiting for His Majesty patiently.

*Click!*

Soon enough, the conference room door opened, and Vijay entered, looking majestic and regal, everyone got up to show their respect.

Vijay gestured for everyone to sit down, and he motioned for Ganesh to bring over the documents which the ministers had prepared.

"Am I right to believe that all the policies have been planned and are ready to be implemented?"

Vinod immediately responded, "Yes, Your Majesty. With the majority of the people of the empire having some form of identification, we can now identify who best needs the services and who is getting the services. Though, due to this, the strain on the government has increased immensely since we require a lot more people in order to check all this data. But since the technical difficulty in this job is not too much, we have expanded the recruitment role to college students and high school students also."

Vijay thought about it and nodded, but then he got a doubt. "Is the paper production keeping up? Providing millions of pieces of paper to the people and the printing of millions of textbooks, notebooks, and other sorts of books—it should have taken millions of tons of paper. Is it still sustainable?" Although the topic was completely going on a tangent from the main topic, he felt it necessary to ask the question.

The ministers looked at each other. They had never thought about these questions since paper came from trees, and there were plenty of trees in the empire. All the attention was suddenly directed towards the Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Industry, Rajesh.

Rajesh was not expecting such a question to be asked, but fortunately, he did know something about this.

"It should be sustainable, Your Majesty. Every time the farmer brings down a tree for paper production, he plants a couple more tree saplings to replace it."

Briefly thinking about it, he added.

"Not to mention, we still have very rich vegetation in the Bharatiya Empire. It is no problem even if we want to double the amount of paper."

Vijay nodded. It seemed like there wasn't a big problem, but he knew the environmental concerns in the future which will be brought by developing countries whose resources would be plundered by developed countries during the Industrial Revolution, would be immense. So, he immediately decided to start making a change.

He was not ignorant. No matter how much people said that Earth is not a zero-sum game, it could not be further from the truth. Whether in his past life or this life, Vijay saw the truth very clearly. If he came up with the Industrial Revolution in this era, then the Europeans, who had already built a foundation for the Industrial Revolution, would be faster in obtaining it, and the plundering of wealth and resources from places like Africa and America would only be more extreme and faster. Vijay was confident in keeping the resources of the Southeast Asian region in Southeast Asia, but he was not too sure if he could do the same for the resources and people of Africa and the Americas. So, it was imperative that, even though the paper-making technology was able to keep up with the production needs of the Bharatiya Empire, this could not always be the solution. People always say that if it is not broken, don't fix it, but this was the one time he disagreed with the saying.

Thinking about all this, Vijay's expression turned serious, "Vinod, a technology has been invented in the Bharatiya Academy of Civilian Sciences where hemp fibres can be used to make paper and bags. Hemp is a fast-growing plant that could be harvested every once in a while in large quantities. This should be a perfect replacement for the current traditional paper raw materials."

"I do understand that hemp could be misused by people for its addictive narcotic characteristics that have no other use than to break up families and destroy the sanity of the people, but this alone cannot be enough to completely stop hemp production in the Bharatiya Empire. Remember, the baby cannot be thrown out with the bathwater. So, let's make an exception to the government this time and allow the government to establish large-scale hemp farms ranging from a few hundred acres to thousands of acres all over the empire, responsible for producing the majority of paper and bags for civilian use."

"In order to not have too many loose links, all the hemp fibres will be processed into raw material suitable for paper production on the hemp farm and will not be taken out."

"I'll have the military station troops in these farms, as this hemp farm could be one of the incomes to the government."

"As you wish, Your Majesty," Vinod readily agreed because this was not a big deal to him, and not to mention the government was getting another source of income. but, he was still confused as to why His Majesty wanted to do it. Didn't Rajesh just say that there is no problem in expanding the production of paper? Then why? Even if he considered that it might be due to the bag issue, he couldn't justify it to himself because jute bags are now popular throughout the empire. Although smaller bags could not be produced due to the material nature of jute, larger bags are common, not to mention they are durable, so people usually reuse the bags multiple times.

Vijay did not explain his reasoning, and he was not surprised by the lack of resistance from the government.

More importantly, as far as corruption is concerned, due to the government running a business—which Vijay was always against—he was not too concerned in this specific case. Even if the hemp farms across the empire faced a problem of corruption, it would not affect the government too much, and its backwardness would not hinder anything. Since the sole objective of the hemp farm is to make raw materials for paper and raw materials for bags, the damage they could do to the government is not too big. Also, he was not worried about their salability since both paper and bags are essential to any market, so when the raw materials flow out of the farms, they are bound to be sold out.

"Alright, put that aside for now. Tell me about the policies." Vijay finally came back to the main topic,

Everyone understood the habits of His Majesty, so they did not find it surprising. Vinod immediately got up and took the role of the person presenting the bill. He took the document in his hand and started to read the bill he had prepared after thorough consideration and preparations.

The Bharatiya Empire Population Growth and Cultural Expansion Bill, 1661

Preamble: To ensure the long-term cultural, economic, and civilizational growth of the Bharatiya Empire, this bill aims to encourage population growth through targeted incentives while maintaining the dignity of citizens. It also establishes a framework for expanding the empire's cultural influence beyond the subcontinent through voluntary migration and resource-driven development.

Section I: Title and Scope

This act shall be known as the "Bharatiya Empire Population Growth and Cultural Expansion Bill, 1661." It shall apply to all territories governed by the Bharatiya Empire and all citizens under its jurisdiction.

Section II: Objectives

To increase the population of the Bharatiya Empire to 350 million within 20 years. To encourage the migration of 50 million citizens every 20 years to Southeast Asia and other strategic regions. To safeguard and promote the cultural identity of the Bharatiya Empire beyond its current borders. To provide support systems for families, particularly in the aspirational and middle classes, to foster sustainable population growth.

Section III: Family Support Incentives@@novelbin@@

Education Support Program: a. All children under the age of 14 from aspirational and middle-class families shall receive free education-related services, including i. Free food (morning and afternoon meals). ii. Free uniforms. iii. Free textbooks and essential learning materials. Transportation Subsidies: a. Children under the age of 6 shall be entitled to free transportation on all government-operated services. b. Children aged 6 to 14 shall receive a 50% reduction in transportation fares. c. The Ministry of Transportation shall reimburse public and private transport operators for subsidized fares upon verification. Healthcare Access Program: a. Children under the age of 6 shall receive free medical treatment at public hospitals. b. Children aged 6 to 14 shall receive a 50% subsidy on medical expenses. c. The Ministry of Health shall ensure accurate record-keeping to prevent fraudulent claims.

Section IV: Tax Incentives for Large Families

Families with three or more children shall receive a 5% reduction in annual income tax obligations. This reduction shall apply to families with up to five children; no further reduction will be granted beyond the fifth child.

Section V: Inheritance Law Reform

All self-earned wealth may be disposed of at the sole discretion of the owner without legal obligation to divide among heirs. In cases of inherited wealth, all legal heirs shall receive equal portions unless a written testament states otherwise.

Section VI: Migration and Land Grant Program

Eligible citizens who voluntarily migrate to Southeast Asia or designated expansion regions shall receive the following benefits: a. A plot of arable land, free of charge, upon committing to a minimum service period of five years. b. Access to basic infrastructure and community development programs. The Ministry of External Affairs shall administer this program and verify compliance.

Section VII: Implementation and Oversight

The Prime Minister shall oversee the execution of this bill through the relevant ministries. An inter-ministerial committee shall be established to monitor progress, address logistical challenges, and ensure compliance. The Ministry of Finance shall allocate sufficient funds to support the programs outlined in this bill.

Section VIII: Review and Amendment

This bill shall undergo a comprehensive review every five years to assess effectiveness and recommend adjustments as necessary. Any proposed amendments shall be subject to approval by the Emperor.

Section IX: Commencement

This act shall take effect on the first day of Chaitra in the year 1661. All conflicting laws and regulations are hereby repealed or amended to align with the provisions of this act.

Signed, Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire

Vijay Devaraya, Emperor of the Bharatiya Empire

Dated: 20th February 1661

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Seeing that everything was alright, Vijay decisively signed the document and officially passed the Bharatiya Empire Population Growth and Cultural Expansion Bill, which would be hailed by future historians and history lovers as the single bill that made Sanathana Dharma and the religions and cultures under its umbrella eternally immortal.

Far in the future, people started to celebrate February 20th, the day the bill was signed, as Cultural Day, where one would look back throughout the year and celebrate the cultural aspects of their way of life.