Which one of the following ancient Indian records is the earliest royal order to preserve foodgrains to be utilised during the crises in the country ?

The Sohgaura copper-plate inscription (4th–3rd century BCE) explicitly records the establishment of a state granary to store grain as a precaution against famines, making it the earliest known royal order for foodgrain preservation in ancient India [1]. Ashokan edicts, though crucial administrative and moral proclamations from the Mauryan period, are a corpus of 3rd-century BCE edicts and do not predate Sohgaura in this specific administrative instruction [2]. The Prayaga-Prasasti is a Gupta-era eulogistic pillar inscription praising Samudragupta, while the Mehrauli pillar inscriptions relate to later Gupta rulers and record achievements rather than an early famine-relief granary order [3]. Hence Sohgaura is the earliest record of such a royal order.

Sources

1. [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: The Rise of Empires > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 108
2. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 4: Emergence of State and Empire > Edicts of Ashoka > p. 52
3. [3] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > II. Epigraphical Sources > p. 89