Vol. 10 · pages 791–795

770 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (ii) the Delhi Central Electric Power Authority Board, and (iii) the Central Electric Power Control Board ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (i) The Central Electricity Board is the authority set up under section 36-A of the Indian Electricity Act, 1910, for making rules under Section 37 of that Act. (ii) The Delhi Central Electric Power Authority Ltd., is a private company and acts as a Central Organisation in Delhi Province for the generation or purchase in bulk of electric energy and for its distribution to bulk consumers, i.e. those who undertake to consume or to pay for not less than 5,00,000 units per annum. (iii) The functions of the Central Electric Power Control Board are : (a) to advise the Government of India regarding any measure of control to be applied to the supply of electricity by any public electricity supply undertaking; (b) to administer such control, as may have been approved by the Government of India in the case of any public electric supply undertaking and, in particular, to issue permits for new supplies of electricity or for restriction of existing supplies in accordance with the general principles laid down by the Government of India; (c) to collect such information from public electricity supply undertakings as it considers necessary in order to be in a position to advise Government regarding the necessities of control and as to the areas in which surplus electric power is likely to be available; and (d) to collect such information as may be required to assist in co-ordinating the development and utilization of electric power on the best lines in furtherance of the general interests of the war effort and industrial development of India. 204 * Electricity Charges paid by Consumers in Shahdara, Delhi 225. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Ali: Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state : (a) if it is a fact that (i) the Central Electricity Board, (ii) the Delhi Central Electric Power Authority Board, and * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 30th March 1944, pp. 1757-58.

771L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (iii) the Central Electric Power Control Board have supervision, power and control on the supply of electric to Shahdara town; (b) if it is a fact that the Pitkeathly Report recommended a uniform charge for current consumption within the Province of Delhi; (c) if it is a fact that the licence granted to the Upper Jumna Valley Electricity Company, Limited, for distribution of current to Shahdara town was on a date before the Pitkeathly Report; if so, the reasons for not amending the licence on the recommendations of that Report and reducing the charges from annas-/6/- per unit to annas-/4/- per unit; and (d) whether Government propose to give the licence for distribution to a company whose service will be less expensive by inviting tenders; if not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Assuming that the Honourable Member’s reference to the supervision, power and control on the supply of electricity to Shahdara town, is in regard to the conditions and rates of supply, the authorities mentioned are not responsible in the matter. (b) No. (c) First Part—Yes. Second Part—The Report did not recommend that the licence be amended. (d) Until such time as it is found possible to give a supply of energy to the Shahdara licensee from the Central Power House in Delhi, the rates which the Shahdara licensee is charging (and which are within the terms of his licence) cannot be regarded as excessive, and there can be no question of giving a second distribution licence to any person for this area. 205 * Electricity Charges paid by Consumers in Shahdara, Delhi 226. Mr. Muhammad Azhar Ali : Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state : (a) if it is a fact that the Upper Jumna Valley Electricity Company, Limited, pays the United Provinces Government for the supply at annas -/2/6 per unit; * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 30th March 1944, p. 1758.

772 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (b) if it is a fact that the said Company charges the consumers of Shahdara town at annas -/6/- per unit; (c) at what rate the Company calculate the operating charges; and (d) the number of consumers in each year from 1939, together with the amount of expenditure in each year for the maintenance of services by the said Company ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (b) Yes. (c) Government have no information. (d) A statement giving the number of consumers is appended. The expression “expenditure for the maintenance of services” is not sufficiently definite to enable any figures to be given. Number of consumers Year ending 31st March 1939 … … 114 Year ending 31st March 1940 … … 118 Year ending 31st March 1941 … … 131 Year ending 31st March 1942 … … 141 Year ending 31st March 1943 … … 143 206 * The Factories (Second Amendment) Bill The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member): Sir, I beg to move for leave to introduce a Bill further to amend the Factories Act, 1934 (Second Amendment). Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim) : The question is : “That leave be granted to introduce a Bill further to amend the Factories Act, 1934 (Second Amendment).” The motion was adopted. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I introduce the Bill. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 3rd April 1944, p. 1870.

773L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 207 * Closing of Arches between Quarters on Irwin Road, New Delhi 771. Mr. Muhammed Azhar Ali: (a) Is the Honourable the Labour Member aware that sometime back some of the passengers (arches) in between the Government quarters situated on the Irwin Road, New Delhi, were closed for vehicular traffic, etc.? (b) Is the Honourable Member aware that some of these have been closed by erecting small pillars of cements and others by putting up a revolving iron bar gate fixed in a ‘V’ type of structures ? (c) What is the object and utility of putting up these iron bar gates when ‘V’ type of structures can easily block the way for vehicular traffic ? (d) Is the Honourable Member further aware that children while playing get hurt—sometimes very seriously—by these iron bar gates ? (e) Does the Honourable Member propose to consider the desirability of getting these iron gates removed immediately and have them utilized in some other way ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: (a) Yes. (b) Yes. (c) To stop cycle traffic. (d) No. (e) Government will be prepared to consider the suggestion of the Honourable Member. 208 @ Absence of Muslim Officers in Central Stationery Office 773. Mr. Muhammad Nauman : (a) Is the Honourable the Labour Member aware that none of the officers in the Central Stationery Office is a Muslim ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 4th April 1944, p. 1914. @Ibid., p. 1915.

774 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (b) Is it also a fact that a new post of Assistant Controller, Stationery, has been recently sanctioned and has not yet been filled up ? If so, does the Honourable Member propose to reserve it for a Muslim ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The answer to the second part is that the post would be filled according to the communal representation rules. 209 * Desirability of Posting a Technical Officer to the Office of Controller of Printing and Stationery 774. Mr. Muhammad Nauman : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please say: (a) whether it is a fact that the work in the Government of India Presses is of a technical nature; (b) Whether it is also a fact that none of the officers at the headquarters’ office of the Controller of Printing and Stationery is an officer drawn from the technical side; and (c) if the replies to parts (a) and (b) are in the affirmative, whether he proposes to consider the desirability of posting a technical officer to the Controller’s Office ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes, mostly. (b) Yes. (c) No, because detailed technical supervision and scrutiny of printing work is not necessary in his office. 210 @ Government Contribution to Indian Labour Federation 776. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai: (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state whether it is a fact that his Department makes * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1944, 4th April 1944, p. 1915. @ Ibid., pp. 1915-16.