Vol. 10 · pages 766–770

745L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 177 * Scheme for Control of Price and Distribution of Coal, etc. 577. Mr. Amarendra Nath Chattopadhyaya : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour please stale if it is a fact that a scheme for control of distribution and price control of coal and for encouragement of increase of output has been made ? If so, will the Honourable Member be pleased to state and lay on the table as well a statement giving detail of the policy forming the background of this scheme ? (b) Is it a scheme which does away with the middlemen between colliery owners and actual consumers ? If so, what are the advantages accruing in consequence of the scheme, and the disadvantages created by the scheme to the present coal suppliers ? (c) Why should a bonus be paid to collieries for excess raising of coal, or why should a commission of 0-4-0 be paid by collieries and consumers to any middleman when collieries can supply to consumers directly ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. A statement@ regarding the scheme, is placed on the table. The scheme consists of five parts : (a) an estimation of the monthly output of each colliery, (b) the formation of a Coal Control Board to advise Government on the working of the scheme, (c) the distribution of all output by Government at fixed prices, (d) the encouragement of production by the grant of bonuses on increased output free of Excess Profits Tax, and (c) control of mining operations. The intention behind the scheme is (i) to ensure that all the coal available is properly distributed at fair prices to the consumers who require it and (ii) to afford every encouragement to the maximum production of coal. (b) No. The second part of the question docs not arise. (c) The bonus is paid to encourage production. The amount of the commission has not been fixed. It will be fixed by the Government of India. A middleman will only be employed it a colliery and consumers mutually agree that he should be employed. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1944,22nd March 1944, p. 1393. @ Statement omitted.—Ed.

746 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 178 * Levy of Cess on Coal for Bonus Fund Purposes @ 578. Mr. Amarendra Nath Chattopadhyaya : Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state whether it is a fact that cess will be levied on coal for creating a fund to meet the bonus to be paid to collieries ? Is it not a double tax on consumers ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The answer to the first part is that that is the intention. As regards the second point the imposition of the cess would mean in all probability a tax on consumers—but the bonus is itself for the benefit of consumers as tending to increase the production of coal which at present is insufficient for consumer’s needs. 179 † Deduction from Overtime of Muslim Employees of the Government of India Press, New Delhi, for Friday Prayers 587. Seth Yusuf Abdoola Haroon (on behalf of Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi) : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether it is a fact that one hour is deducted from the Overtime of the Muslim employees of the Government of India Press, New Delhi, who go on Friday to offer Friday Congregation Prayers ? (b) Is it a fact that previously no deduction was made for this one hour? (c) Have Government considered the advisability of resuming the old practice or in the alternative to consider that one hour as a part of the casual leave or leave on average pay ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1944, 22nd March 1944, p. 1395. @ Answer to this question laid on the table, the questioner being absent. † Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1944, 22nd March 1944, pp. 1398-99.

747L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) Prior to 1931, no deduction was made, but this practice was irregular and was abolished. (c) In view of the reply to part (b), the other questions do not arise. Under the Indian factories Act, an employee is entitled to overtime for the hours worked in excess of the normal working hours fixed under the Act. In calculating overtime, prayer intervals are deducted from the total hours worked by the employee. Seth Yusoof Abdoola Haroon : Does the Honourable Member know that this trouble has arisen because the Government of India have advanced the time by one hour? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not think so. Seth Yusoof Abdoola Haroon : Docs the Honourable Member suggest that prayer time can be changed because Government have changed their time ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is not a question of prayer time being changed. The question relates to whether prayer time should be allowed as overtime work. 180 * Wages in the Government of India Press, New Delhi, for work on Sundays and Other Holidays 588. Seth Yusuf Abdoola Haroon (on behalf of Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi ) : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether it is a fact that on the instructions of the Manager of the Government of India Press, New Delhi, employees come on Sundays and other festival holidays to cope with the urgent work of Government but after the day’s work they are given only four hours’ wages, but previously twelve hours’ wages used to be paid to them ? (b) Have Government considered the advisability of resuming the old practice of paying twelve hours’ charges to those who receive * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1944, 22nd March 1944, p.

748 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES regular pay after working for eight hours on closed days, or at least increase four hours to eight hours ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, in accordance with the Indian Factories Act, men working on Sundays are allowed, in lieu of a compensatory holiday, an extra payment for 4 hours’ work, that is, their day’s pay plus and additional 50 per cent. For attendance on other closed holidays, an additional 25 per cent. of their day’s pay is allowed. Twelve hours’ extra wages (that is, a day’s pay plus 150 per cent.) instead of the 4 hours’ permissible were paid by mistake some years ago. (b) No. 181 * Non-Supply of Stools to Lino-Machine Coolies 589. Seth Yusuf Abdoola Haroon (on behalf of Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi): (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to slate if it is a fact that the coolies who are working Lino Machine, are not provided with stools and they have to keep standing throughout the day and that they submitted applications, but no attention has been paid to them ? (b) Is it a fact that the work of Barmen is taken from the Coolies and that the posts of Barmen have been abolished ? (c) Have Government considered the advisability of removing these grievances of the coolies ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The coolies working Lino Type Machines do not really work standing. They are required to release obstructions in the distributor bar of the Lino machines, for which purpose they have to climb on Lino machines for attending to them. A stool would, therefore, be useless for the purpose of their duty. For resting labourers usually sit on the floor. (b) and (c). There arc no posts of Barmen in the Government of India Presses and no such post ever existed in the New Delhi Press. The questions do not, therefore, arise. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1944, 22nd March 1944, p.

749L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 182 * Labour Adviser to the Labour Department @ 627. Mr. K. S. Gupta : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state if the post of Labour Adviser to the Labour Department is a new creation ? If so, why is it created ? (b) If it is an already existing post, who was the last incumbent, and on what salary ? (c) Is it a fact that Mr. B. L. Waters has been appointed Labour adviser to the Labour Department of the Central Government ? What is his salary and overseas allowance and allowances, if any ? (d) Is it a war measure that necessitated the appointment of Mr. Waters ? What was he drawing as salary in the British Ministry of Labour and National Service ? (e) Has he any previous experience of Indian conditions ? If so, under what Head of the Government of India ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (b). The post of Labour Adviser was created in December 1942. It was held by Mr. D. T. Jack till June 1943 and is now held by Mr. B. L. Waters. Mr. Jack’s salary was Rs. 2,750 a month. The Labour Adviser is to advise on all important matters of labour legislation and administration, and in particular the manner in which labour problems that are under consideration or which may arise, have been or are being dealt with in England. (c) Yes. Mr. Waters draws a salary of Rs. 2,000 p.m. He is not paid any overseas of other monthly allowance. (d) Yes. At the time of his appointment to his present post, Mr. Waters was drawing a salary of £880 in the scale of £850—30—1,000 per annum in the British Ministry of Labour and National Service. (e) No, Sir. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1944, 27th March 1944, pp. 1559-60. @ The question hour for today having been dispensed with, answers to these questions were, in pursuance of convention, laid on the table of the House. —Ed. of D.