Vol. 10 · pages 1036–1040

1015 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I did not say that Government has decided. I said that the government will not demolish temporary buildings unless it is found that they are not required for essential purpose. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Are Government considering the advisability of renting out these buildings to the local public who are in need of housing accommodation as soon as their official use is over ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : If they are not essential for the purposes of Government and if the public is prepared to take them on hire, Government will be pleased to consider that. Sir Mohammad Yamin Khan : How long is this Rent Control Ordinance of June 1944 going to remain in force ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : My Honourable friend knows that it will last as long as the emergency lasts. Mr. President: Next question. 425 * Abolition of Bricks Control Order in Delhi 1242. Sri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) if his attention has been drawn to the news item in the Hindustan Times of the 3rd March, 1946, regarding revised brick prices ? (b) if he is aware of the statement in the budget speech of the Honourable the Finance Member regarding the immediate necessity of putting up buildings as rapidly as possible for housing accommodation and the necessity of releasing all controlled materials in this regard ? (c) Why the sale of bricks is still controlled, and why it is necessary that so long after the cessation of hostilities permits should be taken for purchase of bricks in Delhi; and (d) if he proposes to consider the desirability of abolishing all controls in his Department before the end of this financial year, that is, 1st April, 1946, in view of the urgent necessity for additional * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 27th March 1946, p. 2967.

1016 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES house accommodation for the vastly increased population of Delhi and New Delhi, if not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) Yes. (c) and (d). Continuance of price control and distribution control was considered necessary in order to ensure that the price of bricks was maintained at a reasonable level and that the disposal of the bricks from the Government and private stocks was carried out in an orderly manner. The entire subject is, however, now under further consideration. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Is not the Honourable Member responsible for the building of houses and all these things in the centrally administered areas, and if so, will he try to apply the same consideration to the other towns in the centrally administered areas also ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I shall bear in mind what has been said by my Honourable friend. Mr. Manu Subedar : In view of the fact that all control orders have been abolished in Bombay, will Government inquire why they could not be abolished all over India, and why particularly in the centrally administered areas the Honourable Member should not now abolish them? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I shall made inquiries. 426 * Requisitioned Houses in Qarol Bagh, Delhi 1258. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer: (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state if it is a fact that the undermentioned houses in Karol Bagh, Delhi which were requisitioned by Government for allotment to Government servants, have been lying vacant or unoccupied for a period varying from one to six months ? 1. 15-A/39 First Floor I. 2. 15-A/9 Ground Floor I. 3. 15-A/9 Ground Floor II. 4. 6/73 First Floor III. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 27th March 1946, p. 2977.

1017 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 5. 6/73 Ground Floor I. 6. 24-25 First Floor 7. No. 19 Birla Flat 8. 53/7 Ground Floor I. 9. 15- A/2-3-4 Ground Floor I 10. Birla Building Ground Floor II. 11. Birla Building Ground Floor I 12. 6/75-76 First Floor VI 13. 642 B.D. 14. 25310 M. C. 15. 15-A/39 Ground Floor II 16. 15-A/39 Ground Floor I 17. 6/75-76 First Floor V 18. Ganesh Bhawan … 19. 6/64 Ground Floor (b) Is it also a fact that most of such houses were successively allotted, but refused by various allottees, mostly because of lack of proper living conditions and privacy ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) A statement showing the position of the requisitioned houses in question is placed on the table of the House. (b) Some of these houses proved unpopular and were refused when offered and were thus lying vacant for some time as shown in the statement laid on the table of the House. Statement showing the position of the leased houses in question Sr. No. Name of the House Date from which lying vacant Remarks 1 15-A/39 F.F. I 26th June 1945 It was offered to officials on 26lh June 1945, 15th August 1945, 12lh November 1945, 21st November 1945 and 31st January 1946 but was refused successively by all. It has been released from 8th March 1946. 2 15-A/9 G.F. I 14th January 1946 The allotment made to the previous allottee was cancelled from 14th January 1946. It was re-allotted on 28th January 1946 and accepted on 7th February 1946. 3 15-A/9 G.F. II 15th November 1945 The house was re-allotted to officials on 20th Nov. 1945, 21st Dec. 1945, 28th Jan. 1946 and 16th Feb. 1946 but was refused by all in turn. It has been re-allotted from 14th March 1946. 4 6/73 F.F. II September 1945 The house was offered to different officials on 4th Oct. 1945, 26th Oct. 1945 and

1018 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Sr. No. Name of the House Date from which lying vacant Remarks 4th Dec. 1945 but was refused by all. It was finally accepted on 3rd Jan. 1946. 5 6/73 G. F. I 5th February 1946 The allottee was declared ineligible from getting Government accommodation and he vacated the house on 5th Feb. 1946. It was re-allotted on 22nd Feb. 1946. 6 24/26 (Should be 22/6) November 1945 The house was offered to different officials on 19th Oct. 1945, 26th Nov. 1945, 21st Dec. 1945 and 28th Jan. 1946 but was refused by each allottee. It was finally accepted on 16th Feb. 1946 and has been occupied by the allottee. 7 No. 19 Birla Flat January 1946 Reserved for casual visitors. 8 53/75 G.F. I 23rd Dec. 1945 Surrendered by the previous allottee on 23rd Dec. 1945. It was re-allotted on 28th Dec. 1945 and accepted on 3rd Jan. 1946. 9 15-A/2, 3, 4 G.F. I 7th Dec. 1945 It was offered on 30th Jan. 1946 and 16th Feb. 1946 but was refused. It has been re-allotted from 14th March, 1946. 10 Birla Flat G. F. II (Represents Birla Flat No. 11) 31st January 1946 The house stands allotted to an Officer who is in occupation of flat No. 22 by mutual exchange. He has been asked to shift to his flat. 11 Birla Flat G. F. I (Represents Birla Flat No. 7) 31st January 1946 This flat was occupied by mutual exchange by the allottee of Hutment No. 164. He has been asked to vacate the Hutment and to go to his flat. 12 6/75-76 F. F. VI 20th January 1946 The house was vacated by the previous allottee on 20th January 1946 due to resignation. It has been re-allotted from 4th March 1946. 13 B. D./642 January 1946 Vacated by the previous allottee in Jan. 1946. It has been recommended for release. 14 25310-M.C. (should be 2531 M. C.) 18th August 1945 This house was offered to officials on 26th June 1945, 15th August 1945, 13lh Sept. 1945, 19th Oct. 1945,26lh Nov. 1945 and 21st Dec. 1945, but was refused by all in turn. It has been released from 15th March, 1946. 15 15-A/39 G. F. II 3rd July 1945 Both these sets proved unpopular and were refused when offered. 16 15-A/39 G.F. I 9th Aug. 1944 These sets were released from 8th March 1946. 17 Ganesh Bhawan (should be Ramesh Bhawan) 28th Feb. 1946 Fell vacant due to the allottee being declared ineligible for Government accommodation. The house has been realloted from 4th March, 1946. 18 6/64 28th Feb. 1946 The house has been allotted elsewhere from 4th March, 1946.

1019 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 427 * Requisitioned Houses in Qarol Bagh, Delhi 1259. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state if Government are aware that in most cases where the requisitioned houses in Karol Bagh, Delhi, were accepted by the allottees, they were sublet by the respective allottees, on black-market rents to the general public who were driven to pay high rents on account of grave shortage of living accommodation in Delhi ? (b) Are Government also aware that this practice of subletting is so prevalent that on an enquiry by the Estate Office, three flats out of four in house No. 6 / 73 in Karol Bagh, were found to be sub-let ? (c) Is it a fact that most of the unoccupied houses in Karol bagh are being utilised by the local staff of the Central Public Works Department for their private ends ? (d) In view of these facts, do Government propose to consider the advisability of terminating the lease of the houses referred to in part (a) of the preceding question to save them from black market transactions and misuse and making them available to the needy general public among whom many are Government employees on the waiting list for Government accommodation ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) No. (b) It is a fact that two flats out of the four in house No. 6/73 Karol Bagh were found to have been sub-let, but it does not follow from this one case, that sub-letting is widely prevalent. (c) No. (d) Government have already de-requisitioned a few houses in the Karol Bagh area, and have always under their examination the de-requisitioning of houses not required by them or which they are unable to utilise. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 29th March 1946, p. 1259.