Vol. 10 · pages 1026–1030

1005 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS employed on the surface on a permanent basis, and how many with six days employment in the week; and (c) how many of these women have come to be employed by the Welfare Fund mentioned in answer to starred question No. 466, dated the 25th, February, 1946 and how many by Provincial Governments ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Exact figures are not available but approximately 50 per cent of the women workers withdrawn from underground in coal mines have been provided with work on surface. Of the remaining 50 per cent about half have gone to their villages while some of the remainder are sitting down at collieries because they are refusing contract work, e.g. coal loading. (b) All women withdrawn from underground in the State Railways’ Collieries have been fully employed on surface works on a permanent basis; 1,060 women employed on six days per week basis. (c) No women have yet been employed by the Welfare Fund but sites are being requisitioned for the establishment of vegetable gardens and farms in the Jharia and Raniganj Coalfields and after requisition it is intended that women excluded from underground works will be employed under Head “Malis” appointed by Welfare Fund. The number of women which will be employed by the Provincial Governments is not known at present. Prof. N. G. Ranga : In regard to the women who are obliged to stay at home because they do not like to work under the terms of contract work, what steps do Government propose to take in order to help these women with some employment without the mediation of these contractors ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I cannot give an off hand answer. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Why do Government fail to provide work without the mediation of these contractors ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : This practice has been going on for a long time in State railway collieries. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Is it not a fact that the Royal Commission on Labour reported very strongly against the system of contractors. Will the Honourable Member devise some system to control the vagaries of these contractors ? Do not Government take urgent steps

1006 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES to devise some other means of providing employment to these women ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I hope we shall be able to deal with that matter. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : Will the Honourable Member consider the question of submitting this to the Coal Commission that is about to tour India ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not know that I can do so. I can bring the matter to the notice of the Department concerned. 420 * Ban on Contractors Related to Officers of C.P.W.D. 1143. Shri Satya Narayan Sinha : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state if it is a fact that in the Central Public Works Department, orders have been issued that contracts for works should not be awarded to any contractor who is a close relative of any officer employed in the Department ? (b) Is it a fact that near relatives include cousins, brother-inlaw, etc. and that officer includes for the purpose of this order Head Clerks, clerks, draftsmen, surveyors, etc. ? (c) Why was the order issued, and how many contractors have been put out of the list as a result of this order ? (d) Docs any such rule exist in the working of Public Works Departments in provinces or other countries or in Departments like Military Engineering Service, Railways, Municipal or District Boards in India ? (e) Was the order issued under directions of the Government of India or by the Chief Engineer, Central P.W.D. on his own initiative ? (f) In view of the obvious hardship on persons being penalised for the sin of being related to others working in the Department, do Government propose to reconsider the order and withdraw it ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 21st March 1946, p. 2700.

1007 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (b) The term ‘close relative’ includes also first cousin and brother-in-law. The term ‘officer’ does not include for the purpose of the order non-gazetted staff. (c) The object was to ensure greater public confidence in the Central Public Works Department. Names of 25 contractors have so far been removed from the approved list of Contractors. Cases of others are under consideration. (d) Enquiries on this matter have not been made and the Government of India are not aware whether such rule exists in other Departments or Countries. (e) By the direction of the Government of India. (f) The matter is under the examination of Government. 421 * Report on Family Budget Enquiries 1156. Sri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state when he intends to publish reports on the Family Budget Enquiries which started nearly three years back ? (b) Will the Honourable Member place before the House the dates on which the first and the last Family Budget were collected in every centre where such enquiries were conducted and state why such an extraordinary period was chosen, for the conduct of such enquiries ? (c) Are Government aware that the whole purpose and results of these enquiries have been most seriously vitiated by leaving out of account the factor of qualities of items consumed by the workers from the questionnaires of the Family Budget Enquiries altogether ? (d) Will the Honourable Member please state if an Experts Committee was appointed to ensure uniformity and correct procedure in such Family Budget Enquiries ? If so, how many times did it meet ? Is it a fact that sampling techniques and other important decisions on methods and principles of obtaining and compiling data applied in these enquiries, were approved by the said Experts Committee either before or after their application ? If not, why not ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 21st March 1946, p. 2710.

1008 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Reports on the Family Budget Enquiries are expected to be completed and published by the end of September 1946. (b) A statement containing the information required is placed on the Table of the House. As cost of living index numbers constituted an essential basis for adjustment of dearness allowance, which was urgently required during the war period and as no reliable data in this respect were available, a beginning had to be made without waiting for conditions to return to normal. (c) The answer is in the negative. (d) An Expert’s Committee was appointed to discuss methods of preparing cost of living indices. It met once and laid down general principles regarding the methods of investigation, which were generally followed. Statement showing the dates of starting and closing the Family Budget Enquiries at the various selected centres Name of Centre Date of starting the collection of budgets Date on which the work was finished I. Ajmer (1) …… 15-11-43 15-11-44 II. Bengal (4)— 1. Howrah & Bally 28-7-43 28-7-44 2. Kharagpur 28-7-43 28-7-44 3. Narayanganj 28-7-43 28-7-44 4. Calcutta 1-8-44 317-45 III. Bihar (4)— 1. Monghyr & Jamalpur 9-5-44 31-10-44 2. Dehri-on-Sone 1-11-44 31-1-45 3. Jamshedpur 1-2-45 30-6-45 4. Jharia 1-7-45 25-11-45 IV. Bombay (4)— 1. Bombay 22-1-44 28-2-45 2. Ahmedabad 22-1-44 28-2-45 3. Sholapur 22-1-44 28-2-45 4. Jalgaon 22-1-44 28-2-45 V. C. P. & Berar (2)— 1. Jubbulpore 10-4-44 15-4-45 2. Akola 2nd week of July 1944 15-4-45 VI. Delhi (1) 13-10-43 31-10-44 VII. Punjab (3)— 1. Lahore 1-1-44 30-4-45 2. Ludhiana 1-1-44 30-4-45 3. Sialkot 1-1-44 30-4-45

1009 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Name of Centre Date of starting the collection of budgets Date on which the work was finished VIII Khewra (2)— 1. Khewra 1st week of April 1944 10-1-45 2. Dandot & A.C.C.I. 15-10-44 10-1-45 IX Sind (1)— 1. Karachi 1-8-44 31-7-45 X Orissa (2)— 1. Cuttack 15-12-44 15-9-45 2. Berhampur 15-1244 15-9-45 XI U.P. (1)— 1. Cawnpore January 1945 Enquiries are proceeding. XII Assam (3)— 1. Tinsukia April 1944 15-10-45 2. Silchar April 19-14 15-10-45 3. Gauhati April 1944 15-10-45 Prof. N. G. Ranga : Will such enquiries be made at least in few test cases in regard to agricultural labour? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I will bear that in mind although I cannot commit myself. 422 * Compilation of Unweighted Retail Price Index Number 1155. Sri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state the purpose behind the compilation of unweighted Retail Price Index Number by groups about industrial cities and town of this country published in the indian Labour Gazette ? (b) Were the items and their qualities constituting the groups for which Retail Price Index Numbers are worked out ever made known to the public ? If not, why not ? (c) Will the Honourable Member place before the House total number of items for each group of every centre for which Retail Price Index Numbers arc being released by the Labour Department ? In this connection, will he also slate what the criterion was for fixing upon * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 21st March 1946, p. 2708.