Vol. 10 · pages 1076–1080

1055 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Honourable Member appoint a non-official auditor to look into the accounts of this amount ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not think it is necessary to do so. The matter will come before the Public Accounts Committee which is the committee appointed by this House. Diwan Chaman Lall :.......... May I ask why has the Honourable Member delayed placing this matter before the Public Accounts Committee.... The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It has not been delayed. Diwan Chaman Lall : ........... considering that this expenditure ceased last year? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It has not been delayed. It has been put before the Public Accounts Committee. Diwan Chaman Lall : Why has it not been put before it so far ? Mr. President : Next question. 459 * Junior Readers in Government Presses 1635. Hajee Chowdhury Mohammad Ismail Khan : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state the basis on which officiating Junior Readers are confirmed in the permanent posts of Junior Readers, in all the Government of India Presses ? (b) Is it a fact that the nature of the duties and the cadre of Copyholders are quite different from those of Junior Readers ? (c) Is it a fact that some officiating Junior Readers who entered the Junior Reader’s grade earlier, have been declared junior in the Junior Reader’s grade to some of the copyholders who failed to qualify in the Readership Examination in which they appeared along with the former in any Government of India Press ? (d) Is it a fact that the order by which the qualified copyholders are once allowed to work in the Junior Reader’s posts can be altered if they continue to maintain their efficiency to the utmost satisfaction ? (e) Do Government propose to consider the desirability of giving preference in the permanent posts of Junior Readers, to those qualified Copyholders who have more length of total service as officiating Junior Readers at their credit ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 8th April 1946, pp. 3649-50.

1056 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Confirmation is made according to seniority in the rank of copyholders except, in the case of men who have qualified in the reader’s examination in the third chance for whom certain reservations have been made. (b) Yes. (c) Yes. (d) Yes, unless the junior copyholder is confirmed earlier. (e) No. The present rules have been framed after full consideration. 1636. * Hajee Chowdhury Mohammad Ismail Khan : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether the scale of pay of the New Scale Junior Readers is Rs. 55-3-85 and that or Copyholders Rs. 45-4-60-EB-5-80 (in the ‘C grade of the United Scale), in the Government of India Press, New Delhi ? (b) Is it also a fact that anomalies still exist between the pay of Junior Readers and that of Copyholders because a permanent Junior Reader with four or five year’s service as such at his credit is getting Rs. 64 per month only, whereas a temporary Copyholder, officiating as a Junior Reader would be getting Rs. 67 per month ? (c) Is it a fact that the Manager of the said press had recommended ‘B’ grade, after a very careful consideration, to Junior Readers, which being the only alternative of removing the existing anomalies ? (d) Does the Honourable Member propose to sanction ‘B’ grade of the unified scale for Junior Readers at an early date for the purpose of removing these anomalies? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) A permanent Junior reader on revised scale of pay is entitled to Rs. 64 p.m. after four years’ service and to Rs. 67 p.m. after five years’ service. In certain cases a temporary Copyholder in the unified scale, if appointed as reader is entitled lo Rs. 67 p.m. (c) Yes. (d) The unified scale is a temporary scale and was intended for the clerical staff of the Government of India. It was made specially applicable to the Copyholders and Junior Revisers of the Government of India Presses. The applicaiton of the ‘B’ Grade of the unified scale would create more anomalies and complications as there arc several grades of readers on different rates of pay in the various Government of India Presses. Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 8th April 1946, p. 3650.

1057 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 460 * Uses of Thorium 1642. Sri M. K. Jinachandran : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state the uses to which Thorium could be put militarily ? Is the article capable of being used for any civil purpose ? If so, what ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : According to recent reports it seems possible that in the chain reactions which led to the release of atomic energy a part of the Uranium can be replaced by Thorium. Thorium is used in the manufacture of incandescent gas mantles, lamps, radio valves, etc. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Where is it to be found in India ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Travancore. Sri A. Karunakara Menon : Only in Travancore or in any other part of India ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I want notice of that. Mr. Manu Subedar : Has Government been approached by His Majesty’s Government or by anybody outside India in order to control this supply of Thorium, and have Government committed themselves to any particular country ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no knowledge of any such suggestion. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Are Government getting this thing examined by their geological experts ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I will bear that suggestion in mind. Sri A. Karunakara Menon : Are they exporting this product to any foreign country ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no information. If my Honourable friend wants any information, he must give me enough notice. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Is it being exported? If so, every step possible should be taken to stop its export for national security. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I will find out. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 8th April 1946, p. 3655.

1058 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 461 * Muslims in Central P. W. D. 1646. Mr. Muhammad Rahmat-UIIah : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state the ratio of Muslim employees in the following posts in the Central Public Works Department :—(i) Superintending Engineers, (ii) Executive Engineers, (iii) Assistant Executive Engineers, (iv) Sub-Divisional Officers, (v) Subordinates, (vi) Head Clerks, (vii) Divisional Accountants ? (b) Why is the Muslim ratio inadequate in gazetted posts ? (c) Why are not the Muslims given promotions on communal basis when the appointments are made on communal basis and when the ratio is hardly eight per cent ? (d) What will be the policy of Government on the confirmation of staff of the Central Public Works Department in the near future ? What steps will be taken to adjust the ratio in all posts? (e) On what basis are the construction and maintenance works allotted to Sub-Divisional Officers and Subordinates? If the Muslims are deprived of the above works and if the complaint is made to the Chief Engineer or the Superintending Engineers, what steps do they take to check communalism ? (f) Is it a fact that the Store or the Standard Measurement Books are allotted to the Muslim Subordinates? Is it a fact that they are not entrusted with the construction and the maintenance works in the Central Public Works Department in Delhi and outside ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) (i) Superintending Enginccrs-6 per cent. (ii) Executive Engineers-17 per cent. (iii) Assistant Executive Engincers-14 per cent. (iv) Sub-Divisional Officers-17 per cent. (v) Subordinatcs-22 per cent. (vi) Head Clerks-24 per cent. (vii) Figures for Divisional Accountants are not readily available. (b) The posts of Superintending and Executive Engineers are filled by promotion and the orders regarding reservation of appointments * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1946, 8th April 1946, p. 3656.

1059 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS for minority communities do not apply to cases of promotion. It is not, therefore, possible to secure the 25 per cent, quota for Muslims in such posts. As regards Assistant Executive Engineers who are appointed both by direct recruitment as well as by promotion, the shortage of Muslims is due to the refusal of a Muslim candidate to accept the offer of appointment which was recently made to him. (c) As already stated, promotions are not made on communal considerations. (d) All confirmations of direct recruits and other temporary personnel holding no substantive appointments under Government will be made with due regard to the requirements of the orders regarding reservation of appoinments for minority communities. No adjustment of the ratio can, however, be made in the case of appointments made by promotion, but in effecting retrenchment, if any, the orders regarding observance of the communal representation rules will be duly followed. (e) Construction and maintenance works are not allotted to Sub-Divisional Officers and Subordinates on any communal basis. (f) No. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : May I ask, as regards the appointment of Superintending Engineer, if the Honourable Member said on the floor of the House that one place was vacant and he has appointed a person who is not even qualified to carry on the work as Superintending Engineer, while the Mussalmans who could be appointed as Superintending Engineer were not appointed ? I also pointed out to him on the floor of the House that the appointment will be made when the Assembly is over and we will have to come up with an adjournment motion. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : My Honourable friend is completely mistaken. I said that the Executive Engineer was called upon to do the current duties of the office. No appointment has been made. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : You said he can carry on the work of this Superintending Engineering. I cannot understand the work of this man when he is not carrying on for a day or two, but for months together. Is this the efficiency of this Department ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : My Honourable friend is entitled to have this opinion.