Vol. 10 · pages 776–780

755L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (b) The reply to the 1st part is in the negative. With regard to the second part, I would invite the Honourable Member’s attention to Home Department Resolution No. 23/5/42-Ests. (S), dated the 11th August, 1943, under which 8 1/3per cent of all vacancies to be filled by direct recruitment are to be reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates and certain concessions in regard to age limit and fees have been granted to such candidates. Vacancies are advertised in important newspapers for the information of all candidates. (c) No. According to the orders issued under the Home Department Resolution, to which I have referred, a minimum standard of qualifications has to be prescribed in all cases and the reservation of vacancies for members of Scheduled Castes is subject to this condition. 188 * Hardships suffered by Tenants in Old Delhi and Shahdara 191. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Ali: (a) Is the Honourable Member for Labour aware of the hardships suffered by the tenants in Old Delhi and Shahdara ? (b) Are Government aware that some rich landlords have increased the rent by 150 per cent during the last two years and in spite of the applications of the Punjab Urban and Rural Act ? (c) Is it a fact that some landlords have cut off water connections and electric connections with a view to bring pressure on tenants to vacate the premises or increase the rent ? (d) Do Government propose to extend to Old Delhi and Shahdara the provisions of Rent Control Act lately applied for protection of New Delhi tenants ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes, gnerally. (b) and (c). I am aware that increases in rent have taken place, but under the Punjab Urban Rent Restriction Act, 1941, these are matters for the decision of the courts. (d) There are administrative difficulties in the extension of the New Delhi House Rent Control Order, 1939, to the areas in question but the Government of India have other measures under consideration. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1944, 27th March 1944, pp. 1571-72.

756 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 189 * Irregularities reported under Payment of Wages Act against East Indian Railway 54. Mr. Ananga Mohan Dam : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state the nature of irregularities reported by the Inspector under the Payment of Wages Act against the East Indian Railway since 1938, and the action taken thereon by the Government, by the Railway Board and by the Railway Administration, respectively ? If no action has been taken, what are the reasons therefor ? (b) Have any of these irregularities been repeated in reports from year to year ? (c) What action has been taken on the irregularities referred to in part (b) ? If not, why not ? (d) What are the reasons for not taking proceedings under the Payment of Wages Act against the Railway Administration for the repetition of irregularities ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (b) Information is being obtained and will be placed on the table of the House in due course. (c) The irregularities detected were brought to the notice of Railway Administration for rectification. (d) Government does not consider it necessary to proceed formally under the Act when satisfactory settlement in individual cases can be otherwise achieved. 190 @ Technical Experts Recruited for Training of War Technicians 222. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state the number of technical experts recruited by the Government of India for the training of War Technicians ? What is their monthly emoluments including salary and other allowances ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1944, 30th March 1944, p. 358. @ Ibid., 25th February 1944, p. 539.

757L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (b) What is the total number of centres of War Technicians, and how many of these are in close association with Engineering Colleges and Railway Workshops ? (c) How many of these expert Instructors are posted in War Technician Centres associated with Engineering Colleges and Railway Workshops ? (d) Now that the Indians have already been trained, can these Instructors be more usefully employed elsewhere ? (e) Is it a fact that these expert Instructors have also been allotted a duty of inspecting other centres in addition to teaching work ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Apparently the reference is to British Specialist Instructors. 100 British Specialist Instructors were recruited, of whom 87 are now in service. Their emoluments range between Rs. 620 and Rs. 872 per month with free furnished quarters or lodging allowance in lieu plus conveyance allowance in suitable cases. (b) total number of training centres under the technical Training Scheme … … 270 Centres in Engineering Colleges … … 12 Centres in Railway Workshops … … 27 (c) 10 in each. (d) In the opinion of Government they cannot be more usefully employed than in connection with the training of technicians. (e) Yes, in a few cases. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : Has any centre been established in Karachi ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I want notice. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : Is it not a fact that these expert instructors who are deputed to centres associated with Engineering Colleges or workshops have got additional duties of inspecting centres which have been established outside these institutions. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As I said, yes, in a few cases. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : May I know if these experts who are associated with Engineering Colleges are subject to the discipline of Government or are associated with other members of the staff of the college concerned ?

758 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: I want notice. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : Are the Government aware of this fact that these experts who are associated with Engineering Colleges do not consider themselves to belong to the staff of the Engineering College and they do not consider that they are subject to the discipline to which members of the staff are subjected; are the Government aware of the fact that they spend a good deal of time in inspecting other institutions and they consider the teaching job to be unattractive, and they have no heart in their teaching work ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I will enquire into what my Honourable friend has said. 191 * Strike in the Government of India Press 230. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi: (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state if it is or it is not a fact that as a result of great discontent among the employees of the Government Press, a strike took place on the 1st December, 1942, which was pacified by the visits of the Labour Secretary and the Labour Welfare Officer, to whom the major grievances were given by the workers ? (b) What has been done by Government to remove their grievances especially about the following : (i) the grant of dearness allowance to the Press employees on the lines of Railway rates; (ii) the grant of casual leave to all the industrial employees; (iii) the levy of a uniform rate of five per cent house-rent on all the employees, irrespective of their date of occupation of Press quarters; (iv) the revision of the numerous existing grades of pay of the employees of the Binding Branch into one time-scale of pay, so as to afford a living wage; and (v) the grant of at least old scales of pay to all the employees of the Press ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1944, 25th February 1944, p. 546.

759L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (b) (i) and (iii) As the questions affected all services, the requests of the Press employees for separate treatment have not been acceded to. I may add that it was decided on the representation of the Press Workers that dearness allowance should not be included in calculating the rent payable by occupants of Government residences. (ii) and (iv) Both the questions are at present under consideration. Steps are being taken to expedite a decision on them. (v) This is not the opportune time to undertake a general revision of scales of pay. Such a revision can only be undertaken after the war in the light of post-war conditions. 192 * Promotion of Qualified Copyholders and Revisers as Readers in the Government of India Presses 231. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state : (a) whether it is a fact that the case of amending the rule regarding the promotion of qualified copyholders and revisers as readers in the Government of India Presses, is pending consideration in the office of the Controller of Printing and Stationery, India, for more than 1 1/2 years; (b) whether it is a fact that the views of all the Government of India Presses, their Works Committees and Workers Unions, were invited by the Controller of Printing and Stationery on the subject; (c) whether it is a fact that the Controller of Printing and Stationery also suggested to postpone the Readership Examination for an indefinite period, i.e. till all the qualified men on the waiting list were absorbed as readers permanently; (d) whether it is a fact that some qualified copyholders and revisers with more than fifteen years’ service at credit have, according to the present rules, been rendered junior to those who have put in only four or five years’ service, though all qualified together in the same examination; * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1944, 25th February 1944, pp. 546-47.