Vol. 10 · pages 826–830

805 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 233 * Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Company 419. Mr. K. C. Neogy : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether it is a fact that the Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Company Limited, is a company incorporated outside India ? How long has this Company been operating in the Delhi Province and what is the area served by it ? (b) How many units of electricity did this Company use for traction purposes, how many units did it sell to consumers in its area of supply during the past twelve months or so, how many units out of its total supply did it generate from its own power station, and how many units did the Company buy from the Delhi Central Electric Power Authority Limited ? (c) Is it a fact that the Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Company Limited has not increased the supply of current from its generating station to any considerable extent for a number of years, and has been for some time, for all practical purposes, dependent upon the Government power station at present under the control of the Delhi Central Electric Power Authority Limited ? (d) Is it a fact that the Delhi Central Electric Power Authority Limited is a company sponsored by Government and works on a no-profit basis ? (e) What is the price that the Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Company Limited pays per unit of electricity supplied by the Delhi Central Electric Power Authority Limited, and what are the different rates at which the Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Company Limited sells electricity to its different classes of customers ? (f) Is it a fact that the Government have an option to purchase the Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Company Limited in February, 1947, when their present licence expires, provided a notice is served on the Company in February 1945 ? If so, has the question of exercising the option been considered as yet, and with what result ? (g) What is the amount that the Government will have to pay in case they decide to purchase this undertaking, and to what extent will the * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1944, 15th November 1944, p. 780

806 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES purchase enable the Government to utilise the sterling balance held to the credit of India in England ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. The Company’s licence runs from the 2nd March 1905 : The area of supply now includes; (i) the whole of the area in the jurisdiction of the Delhi Municipal Committee; (ii) the whole of the Delhi Civil Station Notified Area; (iii) the whole of the West Delhi Notified Area; and (iv) a tract of land in the jurisdiction of the Delhi District Board. (b) During war-time it is not in the public interest to supply the information. (c) Yes. The Company’s generating plant is now used more or less as a stand-by. (d) Yes. (e) A statement is laid on the table. (f) Yes. The question is now under the consideration of the Chief Commissioner, Delhi. (g) Under the first proviso to sub-section (1) of section 7 of the Indian Electricity Act, 1910, the price to be paid for the property of the licence, if the option of purchasing were exercised, would be its fair market value at the time of purchase of determined by arbitration. It is not possible to answer the second half of the question till the amount likely to be involved is known. STATEMENT The Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Co. Ltd., are charged at 69 anna per unit of electricity supplied in bulk by the Delhi Central Electric Power Authority Limited. Rates charged by the Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Co. Ltd. Lighting and fans—Three annas per unit less 3 pics discount per unit for prompt payment of bills. Domestic power, (Cooling, water heating, refrigerators, radiators and air conditioning)—One anna per unit nett. Battery charging—Two annas per unit less ten per cent discount for prompt payment of bills.

807 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Industrial— A Consumer with connected load up to 75 K.V.A. Restricted hour supply—1.1 anna per unit less a discount of .1 anna per unit for prompt payment of bills. Unrestricted hour supply—Rates as for Restricted hour supply and in addition a charge of Rs. 5 per H. P. per month less ten per cent discount for prompt payment of bills. Special rates are quoted. Mr. K. C. Neogy : Is the Honourable Member aware that a few years ago, the Delhi Municipal Committee applied for a licence for the purpose of enabling itself to supply electricity in the area concerned or at least part of it and that as a result of that application, an enquiry was held into the position of this company by a Committee over which perhaps Sir James Pitkeathly presided or the Electrical Adviser to the Government of Bengal, presided ? Is the Honourable Member in a position to give this House an idea about the comments made by this Committee or these individuals, in regard to the affairs of this company ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : If the Honourable Member will put down a specific question, I shall certainly be glad to give the information. Mr. K. C. Neogy : Has the Honourable Member tried to ascertain the total amount of profits earned by this Company ? Has the attention of the Honourable Member been drawn to a statement in a recent article in the Hindustan Times in which it has been stated that the total profits earned by the company was already about five times its capital? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes, Sir, I have noticed. Mr. K. C. Neogy : Is the Honourable Member in a position to say whether that is a fact or not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I cannot say anything about that now. If the Honourable Member wants information, he will give notice of a question. Mr. K. C. Neogy : With reference to part (b) May I know the proportion of units actually produced by this company to the units purchased by the company at cost price from the Government undertakings ?

808 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have already answered that during war time, it is not in the public interest to give the information. Mr. K. C. Neogy : I know. Is the Honourable Member in a position to deny that it is a very small proportion of the units actually distributed by this company that is produced by it ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : That, I am afraid, will be circumventing the provisions of the Act which prohibits me from giving the information. Mr. K. C. Neogy : I did not know that the Honourable Member was prevented even from giving the proportion. However, I give up that point. As regards the point that the matter is under consideration of the Chief Commissioner having regard to the important policy involved do Government propose to direct the Chief Commissioner in regard to coming to any particular conclusion, or do the Government of India merely propose to carry out, or rather endorse, the decision of the Chief Commissioner in this behalf ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The Government of India themselves are considering this matter. Mr. K. C. Neogy : With regard to part (f), having regard to the shortness of time during which notice is to be served, if at all, will the Government come to a very quick decision in the matter ? Will the Government be pleased to take this House into their confidence at the earliest possible opportunity in regard to this case ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I can assure my Honourable friend that Government will certainly come to its own conclusions before the time expires. Mr. K. C. Neogy : Having regard to the fact that this Legislature is virtually in the position of a Provincial Legislature so far as Delhi Province is concerned, does the Honourable Member propose to let this House have an opportunity to consider and discuss this matter ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I shall bear the Honourable Member’s suggestion in mind. Mr. R. R. Gupta : Do the Government propose to increase the capacity of the electric power house situated in New Delhi under the Government control ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : That question does not arise. I cannot give an answer.

809 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 234 * Refusal of Facilities to All-India Womens Conference for Studying the Condition of Women in Coal Mines 579. Mrs. Renuka Ray : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state: (a) if it is a fact that the All-India Women’s Conference approached the Government for facilities to send an investigation Committee for an impartial studying of women in coal mines and that on the 3rd May, the Government of India informed the aforesaid organization that there was no objection against such investigation, and the time was not suitable at present; and (b) if it is a fact that subsequently on a request from the All-India Women’s Conference on the 26th May, the Government of India again refused the facilities and informed them that Government would let them know when the time was suitable and that upto now the All-India Women’s Conference has not heard from the Government; what the causes are which led to this course of action ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) the reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The reasons were explained in the Government of India’s letters to the President of the Conference. Mr. K. C. Neogy : May I know the reasons which led the Government to pass the order referred to in part (b) ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The time was not suitable. Mr. N. M. Joshi : What does the Government mean by saying that the time was not suitable ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I think the word ‘suitable’ is a very simple word. Everybody can understand it. I do not think I can further simplify it. Mrs. Renuka Ray : Is it a fact that the Government allowed the Regge and the Health Survey Committees to go and investigate during * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1944, 20th November 1944, pp. 1000-01.