Vol. 10 · pages 1041–1045

1020 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 428 * Strike in Indian School of Mines 1265. Sri M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether there has been a strike in the Indian School of Mines ? (b) Has the strike ended ? (c) Is it a fact that recently a deputation of the students waited upon the Honourable Member ? (d) Is it a fact that the graduates of the Indian School of Mines are not permitted by the Coal Mines Regulations to hold any responsible position in coal mines ? (e) Will Government consider the advisability of amending the Coal Mines Regulation so as to make the diploma of the Indian School of Mines equivalent to the Second Class Mine Manager’s Certificate of competency subject to the holder obtaining practical experience in coal mines for a further period of one year ? If not, why not ? (f) What steps do government propose to take to remedy the grievances of the students ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: (a) Yes. (b) Yes. (c) Yes. (d) Yes. The certificate or diploma holders of the Indian School of Mines must secure a Second Class or First Class Colliery manager’s certificate before they can be appointed to a responsible position in a coal mine. (e) and (f). The matter is under consideration. Government are considering the extent to which the regulations under the Mines Act can be altered to give some weightage under those Regulations to the Diploma of the School of mines, but they do not consider that it is possible to treat that diploma as a substitute for the Second Class mine manager’s certificate granted under those regulations. Prof. N. G. Ranga : When Government are responsible for both certificates as well as diploma, what is it that prevents the Government of India to see that diploma holders are given training which will be * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 29th March 1946, p. 2981.

1021 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS considered equivalent to the training or efficiency which certificate holders are expected to possess ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have discovered in my examination of the subject that there are certain anomalies and I am taking steps to rectify them. 429 * United States Army Chapel, New Delhi 1268. Sri S. T. Adityan : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state whether it is a fact that the United States Army Chapel, New Delhi, is proposed to be converted for secular purposes ? (b) What are the names of applicants who have offered to purchase this Chapel ? (c) Are Government aware that it would the religious susceptibilities of a large section of Christians if a Church is converted for any other use except religious worship in a Christian form ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The matter is under consideration. (b) The Government have not received any offer for the purchase of this Chapel. (c) It is understood that the Chapel has not been consecrated and its use for purpose other than religious worship in a Christian form should not therefore wound the religious susceptibilities of a large section of Christians. 430 @ Thorium and Uranium Deposits in India 1276. Diwan Chaman Lall : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether there are, and if so, to what extent, Thorium and Uranium deposits anywhere in India ? What steps are being taken to exploit the existing resources ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : No deposit of economic value has yet been found. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 27th March 1946, p. 2985. @Ibid., p. 2987.

1022 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The mineral monazite (one of the Thorium bearing minerals) does occur along the southern coast line of India notably on the Travancore coast. 431 * Import of Typewriters 1279. Mr. Manu Subedar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please slate how many typewriting machines have been imported in India since the 1st of April, 1940 ? (b) How many of these have been released for the Civil population and in which Provinces, and by what test ? (c) Is it a fact that there is a great shortage in India of these machines and that business firms are put to very great incovenicnce ? (d) What steps have Government taken in order to increase the availability of these machines ? (e) Did this constitute one of the articles, about which the Hydari Mission negotiated ? (f) What is the general position about the availability of typewriting machines, and what is the forecast of Government during the next twelve months ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) About 76,000 up to December 1945. (b) From April 1940 to October 1943—information not available. From October 1943 to the end of 1945—about 2950. The test by which releases were made was one of essentiality. These releases were made to commercial and industrial concerns, public utilities, educational institutions, professional people and businessmen and preference was given to war industries or agencies engaged in work connected with the war effort. (c) Yes, there has been a great shortage of typewriters in India. (d) Since the end of the war, typewriters for public use are being imported through commercial chanels as in prewar days. Government have impressed upon the various importing firms the desirability of importing typewriters in as large a number as possible. The firms have been invited to come up for Government assistance, if necessary, after * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 29th March 1946, p. 2988.

1023 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ascertaining the supplying capacity of their principals in America. Import licences for large quantities of typewriters have been issued. For the period July to December 1945 alone, licences for import from U.S.A. were issued for 11,717 typewriters. The acute shortage of typewriters in India was also brought to the notice of the American authorities in August last and they were requested to accord high priority to the releases of at least 15,000 typewriters for shipment to India by the end of June 1946. (e) No. (f) Only 4,400 typewriters (excluding Hermes “Baby” typewriters from Switzerland which are unsuitable for regular office work) were imported into this country during the six months from September 1945 to February 1946 against India’s minimum yearly requirements of 15,500 machines. The present position is, therefore, unsatisfactory but some improvement is expected during the next twelve months. 432 * Contract Works given by Horticultural Division Central P. W. D., New Delhi 1381. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : Will the Honourable the Labour Member kindly place on the table of the House a comparative statement showing the amount of contract works given by (i) tenders and (ii) work orders, separately, to Muslims, Hindus and Scheduled Caste Contractors in the Horticultural Division of the Central P. W. D., New Delhi, during the period from 1st November, 1943, to the 28th February 1946, by the present Superintendent, Horticultural Operations, New Delhi? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The information asked for is not readily available and the time and labour involved in collecting it would be incommensurate with the value of the result. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : What are the reasons why the information is not readily available ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is not available in the form in which my Honourable friend wants it. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 29th March 19-16, p. 3133.

1024 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Prof. N. G. Ranga : Is any effort being made to give additional opportunities for scheduled caste contractors to have their share ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : They can get their share in accordance with the rules laid down. Prof. N. G. Ranga : There are only very few from the scheduled castes, because they are so poor. 433 * Muslim Horticultural Subordinates in Central P. W. D. 1382. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member kindly state if it is a fact that three B. Sc. Muslims were appointed in the Central P.W.D. as Horticultural Subordinates on the 28th February 1945, 19th March 1945, and 23rd May 1945, but they were not given charge of Sections till the 28th November 1945 ? (b) On what duties were they put during the intervening period ? (c) If they were not required for specific work expected of them, why has public money to the amount of Rs. 5,000 been wasted in this way, who is responsible for that and what action do Government propose to take against the officer concerned ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) and (c) As the men were fresh from college and had no practical experience, they were given preliminary training as probationers before being placed in formal charge of sections. 434 @ Scales of Pay and Increments to Chowdhries and Assistant Chowdhries in Horticulture Division 1383. Mr. Ahmed E. H. Jaffer : Will the honourable the Labour Member kindly state the scales of pay and increments allowed to * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1946, 29th March 1946, p. 3133. @ Ibid., p. 3134.