There are different factors that contributed to the increase of famine in colonial India since the mid eighteenth century. Some of the possible reasons are:
Colonial extraction
The British government extracted large amounts of resources from India, such as textiles, spices, opium, and taxes, which reduced the domestic wealth and consumption of the Indian population. This also made India more dependent on imports and vulnerable to market fluctuations.
Agricultural policies
The British introduced land reforms that favored large landlords and commercial crops over small peasants and subsistence crops. This resulted in loss of land, debt bondage, and displacement of millions of farmers who could no longer afford to grow or buy food. The export-oriented agriculture also reduced the availability of food grains for domestic consumption¹⁴.
Laissez faire ideology
The British government adopted a policy of non-intervention in famines, based on the belief that the market would restore equilibrium and that any excess deaths were due to overpopulation. The government refused to regulate food prices, provide relief works, or restrict exports of food grains during famines. Instead, they blamed the weather, local officials, or the Indians themselves for the crisis.
War-time inflation
During World War Two, the British government imposed a war-time funding strategy that shifted resources away from the poorest Indians to provision British and American troops and support war-related activities. This was done by increasing taxes, printing money, and devaluing the Indian rupee. This caused a massive inflation that pushed food prices beyond the reach of most Indians. The government also diverted food grains from Bengal to other regions for military use, creating an artificial scarcity.