Vol. 10 · pages 676–680

655L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS of the house, while others may prefer quarters at a higher level irrespective of the arrangement of the rooms. It cannot therefore, be said that quarters Nos. 2 and 3 are more inconveniently arranged than No. 20. No. 11 was not occupied by any Member of the Legislature, as it was exchanged for No. 20. In the circumstances explained, no special enquiry is called for. (d) As already stated, the quarters for the Members of the Legislature were reserved in consultation with the House Committee of the Legislature. No changes seem necessary unless the House Committee expresses a desire for them. Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan : May I ask if the Members who attended the Sub-Committee meetings in Simla were asked to deposit a sum of Rs. 75 as security before they could get electricity and water ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I must have notice of that question. Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan : Does the Honourable Member know that Members have been asked to deposit money here in Delhi ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no idea. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : May I ask if there is any officer appointed to go round these quarters and look to the comforts of the Members ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no idea. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : Will the Honourable Member then appoint some officer ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I will make inquiries in the matter. Dr. P. N. Banerjea : How many meetings of the House Committee are held during every Session ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is for the House Committee to decide how many times they should meet. Dr. P. N. Banerjea : Have you any information on the subject ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I remember there was a meeting of the House Committee during the last Session. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : May I know if some of the Members of the House Committee have died and have they been replaced by some other Members ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am very sorry to hear the news but I am sure the house will take such steps as are necessary to fill the vacancy.

656 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 87 * Provision of a Rickshaw Stand at the Cart Road Quarters, Simla 62. Mr. Amarendra Nath Chattopadhyaya : Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state if Cart Road quarters in Simla are kept for occupation by the Members of the Central Legislature ? If so, does he propose to ask the Municipal Committee of Simla (i) to set up a Rickshaw Adda near about the quarters for the convenience of the Members ; and (ii) not to charge security deposit for temporary occupation of the quarters by the Assembly Members for electric light ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As the Members occupy a very limited number of quarters on the Cart Road for short periods at a time, Government do not feel justified in approaching the Simla Municipal Committee for the provision of a rickshaw stand in the locality. The supply of electric energy in Simla is the concern of the Simla Municipal Committee and Government regret they are unable to interfere with the Municipal arrangements in this respect. 88 @ Water Supply in New Delhi and Delhi 66. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state the arrangements that have been made for the supply of sufficient water for all purposes in New Delhi and Delhi itself to remove the inconvenience caused by the scarcity of water in these very hot days ? (b) Is it a fact that the Jumna river bed was being straightened to get water to the pumps ? If so, how far has that scheme progressed, and will the water brought therefrom be sufficient for all purposes in both Delhi and New Delhi ? (c) What arrangements are proposed to be made to cool the water which in these summer days gets too hot in the pipes ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1943, 28th My 1943, p. 130. @Ibid., pp. 134-35.

657L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) In order to improve the supply of filtered water, five additional filters were installed this summer, and two large pumping sets have been ordered from England and are expected in India in October. The scarcity of unfiltered water was due to a sudden fall in the level of the Jumna. In order to raise the level of the water, a series of bunds was put up across the channel. The situation has since improved and there is now no shortage. (a) Experiments for training the river so as to divert its dry weather channel along the right bank, on which the pumping station is situated, are being conducted at the Central Hydrodynamic Research Station, Poona. A committee of experts recently appointed to investigate the matter have submitted their report which is being examined. (b) No arrangements for cooling the water are feasible. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : Why is it not feasible ? Is it because it is too cold here ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The Honourable Member is entitled to draw his own conclusions. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : Is it unusually cold here ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I leave my Honourable friend to draw his own conclusions. Pandit Lakshmi Kanta Maitra : Why don’t you utilise the Defence of India Act for this purpose. 89 * Muslim Assistant Estate Officers in Central Public Works Department 71. Mr. Nabi Baksh Mahi Baksh Bhutto : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state the number of Assistant Estate Officers in the Central Public Works Department ? (b) How many of them are Musalmans ? (c) Is the ratio of Muslims maintained ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Four ; one post being vacant at present. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1943, 28th July 1943, p. 139.

658 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (b) None. (c) Not at present, but the ratio of Muslims will soon be adjusted as the Federal Public Service Commission has been asked to recruit a Muslim for the Vacant post. 90 * Construction of New Buildings at Ghaziabad 72. Sardar Sant Singh : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state if his attention has been drawn to the leading article in Dawn of the 29th June, 1943, under the caption “Thick Waste”? If so, what is the reason for building these houses at Ghaziabad and not near about New Delhi ? (b) Is it a fact that, these houses will be temporary constructions for the period of war ? If so, is he aware that accommodation for the Gazetted personnel of the Government of India is inadequate in New Delhi ? If so, why do not Government propose to construct houses which may be of use to the Gazetted staff after the war ? (c) What use will Government make of the houses at Ghaziabad if these are not required by the Defence Department after the war ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. But the facts stated in the article are not entirely correct. (b) and (c). The matter is under consideration, and no definite decision has been reached. 91 @ Scheme of Sickness Insurance for Industrial Workers 127. Mr. Nabi Baksh Illahi Baksh Bhutto : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state if the Scheme of Sickness Insurance for Industrial Workers has been completed ? (b) When is the Scheme expected to come into operation ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central). Vol. III of 1943, 28lh July 1943. p. 139. @ Ibid., 2nd August 1943, p. 268.

659L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (c) Does the Honourable Member propose to lay on the table a copy of the Scheme ? (d) Is it also proposed to lay on the table the opinions expressed by Provincial Governments on the Scheme ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) No. (b) The Government of India have appointed a Special Officer to prepare a draft scheme of Sickness Insurance for workers in selected industries. The scheme is now under preparation but it is not possible at this stage to say when it will come into operation. (c) and (d) These points will be considered later on. Legislation will be necessary, and the House will of course be fully informed of the details of the scheme. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : How far has the scheme been completed ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : A preliminary report has been received. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : When approximately is this going to be completed ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I cannot say anything about it. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : Say two years or one year ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Within two months’ time. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : Thank you. 92 * Fixing Rents Lower than Pre-war Rental Value in Babar Road Area 132. Sardar Sant Singh : (a) Is the Honourable the Labour Member aware : (i) that rents for middle class tenement houses in the Babar Road Area have been fixed by the Rent Controller at Rs. 42-8-0 per mensem from the 1st July, 1942 ; and (ii) that this rent is less than the rental value of Rs. 560 per annum assessed by the New Delhi Municipal Committee for levying house-tax on these houses ever since 1938-39 ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1943, 2nd August 1943, p. 271.