Vol. 10 · pages 1011–1015

990 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 406 * Housing Conditions of Labourers Employed by Central P.W.D. and Building Contractors in New Delhi 867. Shri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) the number of labourers employed directly under the Central Public Works Department and by building contractors in New Delhi for the construction of buildings in New Delhi and near about, (b) if it is a fact that these labourers are housed in miserable ill-ventilated hovels, exposed to the vagaries of the weather all the time in sun, and rain and cold, and (c) if the answer to (b) above is in the affirmative, what steps he proposes to take in order to provide them with cheap and sanitary housing arrangements, if none, why ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) About 12,000 labourers are employed directly under the C.P.W.D. whereas the number of labourers employed by the building contractors varies with the magnitude of the building programme. (b) Some of the C.P.W.D. labourers have been allotted Government quarters and others have made their own arrangements for residential accommodation. As regards the labourers employed by the contractors, about 9,000live in their houses in the urban area of Delhi. The remaining labourers who come from outside either come to the work daily from their villages or are accommodated by the contractors at the site of the works in thatched huts which give them a certain amount of protection against sun, rain and cold. (c) The Government have already considered the question of providing permanent accommodation to the labourers employed by the contractors and are considering the development of model bustees in the villages near Delhi, from which labour comes. Government’s scheme for subsidised housing for the poorer sections of the people * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1946, 12th March 1946, p. 2224.

991 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS should also assist in the provision of better housing for contractors’ labourers. The question of providing housing facilities to C.P.W.D. labourers who have not been provided with Government accommodation is under Government’s active consideration. 407 * Making Mica a Central Subject 890. Shri Satya Narayan Sinha : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether it is a fact that the British Parliament is going to amend the Government of India Act in such a way as to make Mica a Central subject? (b) If so, will the Honourable Member kindly have it postponed till the representative Government is ushered in Bihar, which is a question of a few weeks ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) A bill has been introduced in the British Parliament to amend the Government of India Act in such a way as to give the Centre power to make laws in regard to certain matters including Mica for the transitional period from War to Peace. (b) For the long period Government are considering the introduction of legislation in this House with reference to Item 36 of List I of the Government of India Act to bring certain aspects of Mica under Central Control. 408 @ Grievances of Employees of Government Press, Aligarh 896. Pandit Sri Krishna Dutt Paliwal : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state : (a) whether the employees of the Government Press, Aligarh, have given notice of strike, if so, what are their grievances and demands, * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1946, 12th March 1946, p. 2236. @ Ibid., p. 2238.

992 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (b) if Government intend to give them a minimum living wage, if so, when, and how much, (c) the amenities provided to them such a bathing facilities, outdoor games, education of children, provision of quarters and medical aid, (d) their working period per week, and whether Government propose to reduce these hours to 40 per week, (e) if Government propose to supply them foodgrains at concession rates similar to those enjoyed by the Delhi Press and other Government Departments, and (f) whether Government intend to abolish the piece wage system and introduce monthly pay on the basis of the wages earned by the employees at present ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. The grievances are : (i) reduction made by the Government of U. P. in the rationing of wheat, (ii) revision of pay and grades, (iii) concessional rates of foodgrains on the lines of concession allowed to Government servants in Delhi, (iv) abolition of piece rates, (v) revision of working hours, and (vi) provision of quarters. The immediate cause of the notice of a strike is the reduction in wheat rationing. (b) The question is a general one which is engaging the attention of Government. (c) No facilities exist at present other than for outdoor games and medical attendance. The question of granting other facilities is under consideration. (d) The weekly working hours are 48. The question whether a reduction is advisable is being considered. (e) No. The Employees of the Aligarh Press get foodgrains at concession rates on the lines of the U. P. Government’s orders. (f) The present policy of Government is to substitute gradually time scales of pay for both piece rates as opportunities occur.

993 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 409 * Certain Promotions of Junior Readers in Government of India Presses 900. Hajee Chowdhury Mohammad Ismail Khan : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state the basis on which Junior Readers in all the Government of India Presses are promoted to the post of Senior Readers ? (b) Is it a fact that certain departmental employees who passed the Readership Examination at an earlier date and entered the Junior Reader’s grade earlier have been superseded not only in the Junior Reader’s grade but also in the Senior Reader’s grade, by those who entered the Junior Reader’s grade later, in any of the Government of India Presses ? (c) Is it also a fact that certain qualified Copyholders who have greater length of total service as Junior Readers at their credit, have been declared Junior in the Junior Reader’s grade, to those who have lesser length of total service as Junior Readers and who failed to qualify in the Readership Examination in which they appeared along with the former? (d) Is it a fact that Copyholders who have put in greater length of total service in copyholder’s posts have been treated as Senior ? (e) Does the Honourable Member propose to consider the desirability of filling up Senior Reader’s posts on the basis of total length of service in the Junior Reader’s grade ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Except for the post of Head Reader which has been declared a “selection post”, the basis for the promotion of Readers from one grade to another is seniority cum fitness. (b) and (c) Yes, in those cases where Senior Copyholders qualified in the readers’ examination before the confirmation as reader of their juniors who qualified earlier. The examination being a qualifying one, it is the length of service and not the date of passing the examination that determines seniority for the purpose of appointment as readers. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1946, 12th March 1946, p.2240.

994 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (d) Yes, upto April 1943, after which seniority is determined by the length of continued service. (c) As stated in (a) above, this is already being done except in certain selection posts of Head Readers in different Presses which are filled by selection on merit. 410 * Muslim Section Holders and Overseers in Government Press, New Delhi 904. Hajee Chowdhury Muhammad Ismail Khan : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state the total number of permanent and temporary posts of Overseers and Section holders in the Government of India Press, New Delhi, and how many of them are at present held by Muslims ? (b) What are the duties and functions of the various Overseers in the said Press ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) 7 Overseers, 12 Section holders. Of the seven Overseers’ posts, two are held by Muslims. One is vacant. Four out of the 12 posts of Section holders are held by Muslims. (b) An Overseer is entirely responsible for— (i) maintaining quality and quantity of the outturn of the operatives working under him, (ii) keeping the sections under him fully occupied with work, (iii) expeditious handling and economical production of work, (iv) careful scrutiny of all overtime requisitions and keeping overtime down to a minimum, and (v) ensuring equitable distribution of work among the operatives. A non-technical Overseer is responsible for strict supervision over most secret and confidential work at all stages in the Press. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1946, 12th March 1946, p. 2242.