Vol. 10 · pages 741–745

720 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES collieries and for the Singareni collieries in Hyderabad. Steps are also being taken to prevent colliery workers being employed on other works in the coalfields. (ii) The mining associations have agreed to provide foodgrains to their labour at the rate of 6 seers to the rupee. The Government of India are arranging with Provincial Governments to provide foodgrains for miners and their dependants in certain quantities. In addition, wages together with dearness allowance have been raised to 50 per cent above their 1939 level. Further, the Government of India are encouraging all collieries to introduce a production bonus based either on attendance or on out-put, and it is understood that many collieries have already introduced such a bonus. (iii) Every effort is being made to obtain machinery from abroad. Government is prepared to allow depreciation both for Excess Profits Tax and Income-tax on new coal cutting machinery now to be purchased at an annual rate of 50 per cent on the written down value of such machinery. The trade have been asked whether they will accept these terms and if so, to send details of the machinery they require. Their reactions arc awaited. (iv) A proposal to encourage production by granting bonuses on increased out-put free of Excess Profits Tax is under discussion with the trade. (v) Steps are also being taken to provide consumer goods, standard cloth and medical stores in adequate quantities. (d) (i) Government are not aware of any colliery owner who is deliberately refraining from producing the maximum possible. In order, however, to prevent any such possibility, a scheme is under consideration and is being discussed with the trade by the Coal Commissioner, whereby a target figure of production will be fixed for each colliery. It is proposed under the scheme that where a mine owner fails to produce the target tonnage, the Coal Commissioner will, unless he is satisfied that there is some good reason for such default, issue a formal warning to the mine owner that in the event of persistent default, Government will requisition his mines and may, if circumstances so require, acquire the mines outright. (ii) The distribution of coal is made by the Controller of Coal Distribution working under the direction of the War Transport

721L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Department in accordance with a rationing scheme approved by the War Resources Committee of Council. All coal despatches are made against licenses or priority certificates issued from the Controller of Coal Distribution’s office. These are based on the quotas fixed for each industry within the general rationing instructions and in line with the recommendations made by the Departments concerned with the various industries. Detailed dayto-day instructions are issued to each colliery as to the consignee against whom they should load. The actual loading on the part of the collieries receives a check at the weighment depot stations. The returns compiled by the depot stations are further scrutinised by the allotment offices. Inspectors working under the Railways and the Controller’s organisation make frequent checks of actual booking at stations of arrival and at destination stations to ensure that collieries have booked the wagons to the consignee for whom the wagon has been allotted in accordance with the priority certificate, and that at the destination stations the wagon is delivered to the proper consignee and not allowed to go into the open market. Several cases of coal having been sold in the black market have been detected and prosecutions have been launched. (e) Every possible step is being taken to develop the capacity of the Railway collieries to their full extent as quickly as circumstances permit. Whilst considerable progress has been made I am not yet in a position to state that all Railway Collieries are being worked to their full capacity. Present difficulties are due to : (i) shortage of labour, (ii) unavoidable delay in the introduction of mechanical plant, (iii) want of line capacity to move the increased output. All these difficulties are expected to be overcome shortly. Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan : In reply to part (b), the Honourable Member said about the collieries which are not working to full capacity. How many of them are represented by European companies ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am unable to give any answer to that at this stage. I do not think we can have any information as to which are not working to full capacity and which of them are European-owned and which Indian-owned. Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan : Will the Honourable Member be pleased to make an inquiry and inform this House during this session before the Railway Budget comes in ?

722 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not think I can undertake to make such an inquiry. Mr. K. C. Neogy : Is the Honourable Member in a position to give the information asked for by Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan, not with reference to the nationality of the owning interest but as to whether all the collieries, big and small, are doing the work properly, and whether the Honourable Member’s scheme is intended to apply to the smaller collieries as much as to the larger ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is intended to apply to all collieries and with regard to the first part of the question put by my Honourable friend all I can say is that I am prepared to undertake an inquiry which will help in producing more coal. I do not want to hold any assize enquiry over the coal mines. Mr. N. M. Joshi : May I ask, whenever the Honourable Member makes a statement that the wages of the miners have been increased by 50 per cent, he will also state at the same time that the cost of living in the colliery areas has increased three times the pre-war cost of living index, in order to avoid misunderstanding regarding the statement which he makes ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I believe that this is a direction to me and not a question. Nawabzada Muhammad Liaquat Ali Khan : Is any quantity of coal exported from India ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: No, except to Ceylon. Mr. N. M. Joshi: Is it a fact that the Honourable Member had stated that women miners are not compelled to go underground and if he has made such a statement, may I ask how he reconciles that fact with the statement which he has just now made that the Government of India are taking steps to refuse employment to miners elsewhere ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not see any contradiction. Sir Muhammad Yamin Khan : In reply to part(c) of the question about the taxation adjustment, the Honourable Member has not explained what was the demand of the colliery owners— whether they were unwilling to pay the E. P. T. and whether they have wanted exemption from the Payment of E. P. T. On what ground do they want to be exempted from E. P. T. ?

723L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : On the ground that coal was a wasting asset. Maulvi Muhammad Abdul Ghani: May I know the quantity of coal exported to Ceylon ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I must have notice of that question. 154 * Publication of Certain Annual Reports Concerning Labour on Railways 43. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state if the following reports have since been issued ? If not, why not, and when are they likely to be issued ? (i) Annual report on the working of the Payment of Wages Act, IV of 1936, by the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of Railway Labour, Calcutta; and (ii) Annual report on the working of the Hours of Employment Regulations on the Indian Railways during the year 1941-42 ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The last reports published were for the year 1940-41. Printing of future reports has been temporarily discontinued due to acute shortage of paper. 155 @ The Coal Mines Safety (Stowing) Amendment Bill The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member) : Mr. President, in view of the desire expressed by some Honourable Members of the House that they would like to have some more time to consider the Bill. I do not propose to make the motion for consideration of the Bill which is put down against my name. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1944, 10th February 1944, p. 210. @Ibid., p. 211.

724 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 156 *Administrative Officers Promoted as Commissioned Officers in Civil Pioneer Force in Provinces 111. Mr. G. Rangiah Naidu : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state: (a) the number of Administrative Officers promoted as Commissioned Officers in the Civil Pioneer Force in various Provinces in 1941, 1942 and 1943; if not, why not; (b) if there is any subsequent law passed to restrict the Civil Pioneer Force Officers to apply for Commissioned Officers’ posts in the army; (c) the number of Commissioned and Administrative Officers recruited from among the Hindus such as Non-Brahmins, Backward and Scheduled Communities, Christians, Mahomedans and AngloIndians; (d) the rate of daily rations of the Pioneer and that of the Administrative Officers, separately; and (e) how many clerks who were working in the Civil Pioneer Force Department, were promoted as Administrative Officers in 1941, 1942 and 1943; if not, why not? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a), (c) and (c) With regard to these parts, three statements giving the required information separately are placed on the table of the House. These refer to 1942 and 1943; the Civil Pioneer Force had not been raised in 1941. (b) No, but if an officer undertakes service in the Civil Pioneer Force he is under an obligation to serve in the force so long as his services are required— vide Civil Pioneer Force Ordinance, Section 9. At present no officer can be released. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1944, 16th February 1944, pp. 281-83.