Vol. 10 · pages 841–845

820 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES warehousemen of the Government of India Press, New Delhi, had been representing; (b) whether it is a fact that these people have been representing their case for this purpose for the last fifteen years approximately; (c) whether it is a fact that some warehousemen who have been serving for the last fifteen and twenty years and whose pay is only Rs. 25 per month at present, are not benefited at all by this Time Scale of pay at present; (d) whether it is a fact that not a single increment has been sanctioned to any man, immediately; and (e) if the answers to (a) to (d) be in the affirmative, will the Honourable Member please consider the advisability of sanctioning at least one increment to all Binders and warehousemen just at the time of introducing the Time Scale of pay so that some immediate relief may be gained by these men who have been waiting for the last so many years ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) Yes, for some time past. (c) Yes, but they will be benefited as soon as they earn their next increment. (d) Yes, because no increment has been yet earned since the 22nd June 1944 when the Time Scale came into force. (e) No action as proposed is necessary, as the men will earn their increments next year. Qazi Muhammad Ahmad Kazmi : Will the Honourable Member be pleased to consider that some persons will be on the verge of retirement and will not be able to get any benefit from this time-scale. Isn’t it proper in such case for the Government to give them some increment in lieu of their past services ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not think it is prudent to alter the law in order to meet hard cases!

821 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 243 * Development of Mahanadi Projects in Orissa 607. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state : (a) if he is aware that Sir M. Visweewaraya Committee’s report on Mahanadi to stop the ravages of floods in Orissa has suggested the development of Mahanadi projects and a system of irrigation canals to irrigate huge areas of land in Cuttack, Sambalpore, Puri and Balasore Districts; (b) if such a scheme was estimated to cost about rupees four crores in 1938-39; and (c) whether Government of India will consider the advisability of taking the initiative and developing that scheme, in view of the financial disabilities of the subvention province of Orissa and also of the great need of India for more rice production ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (b) No. Information on the subject has been called for. (c) Government cannot give such an assurance at this stage without a careful examination of the scheme. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Is Government prepared to examine this scheme carefully ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Will it form part of the investigations of one of the various sub-committees or the National Planning structure of committees ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I cannot say as regards the procedure that Government should adopt. But I shall examine the thing. Prof. N. G. Ranga : Thank you. 244 @ Arrangements for Supply of Rice to Colliery Labour in Bihar 611. Mr. K. C. Neogy : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to explain in detail the arrangements that are in operation * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1944, 20th November 1944, p. 1018. @ Ibid., p. 1021.

822 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES in the province of Bihar in the matter of supplying rice to colliery labour ? (b) Has the Honourable Member received any complaint that the Bihar authorities are charging some of the collieries prices for rice to be supplied to their labour force which are higher than the control prices and that the quality of rice supplies is also bad ? If so, what are the different points raised in these complaints, and what are the ascertained facts relating thereto ? (c) How does the system in Bihar in the matter differ from the system introduced in the Bengal collieries ? (d) What action do Government propose to take to remove the complaints made on behalf of a section of the Bihar collieries in this matter ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Under an order issued by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Dhanbad, under the Defence of India Rules dated the 20th April 1944, every colliery worker is entitled to buy from the colliery shop at prices equal to the controlled prices fixed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner, an amount of foodgrains not exceeding a total of four seers of foodgrains per week (of which not more than two seers shall be rice) for himself and each adult dependent, and two seers (of which not more than one seer shall be rice) for each minor dependent. In additional every heavy worker is entitled to half a seer of free ration in rice for each attendance; but miners who prefer may draw the whole or some part of the free ration in other grains. (b) The reply to the first part is in the affirmative. The facts are that the Bihar Government have charged the Colliery Associations the actual cost of rice supplied up to the 1st November 1944. The bulk of these supplies originated in Nepal where the Bihar government had to purchase above their control rate. Consequently supplies of Nepal rice have been made to the Colliery Associations at approximately Rs. 1—8—0 above the local wholesale control rate. From the 1st November 1944, the Bihar Government have decided to charge the local wholesale control rate plus four annas administrative charge and to bear the resulting loss. The facts relating to the complaint regarding quality are being ascertain.

823 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (c) In the Bengal collieries there is no rationing system but employers of more than 1,000 workers must buy their supplies of grains from the Civil Supplies Department of the Government. In Bihar every colliery is required to buy through the Rice Administrator, Indian Mining Association or the Secretary Joint Supply Pool. (d) The Honourable Member’s attention is invited to the answer given to clause (b) of the question. 245 * Contract for Construction of Clerks’ Quarters at Lodi Road, Delhi 612. Shri K. B. Jinaraja Hegde : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state : (a) whether the contract for the construction of clerks’ quarters at Lodi Road for about Rs. 28,60,000 was given to a higher tenderer instead of lower tenderer who quoted 11.25 below the schedule of rates; (b) if the answer to (a) is in the affirmative what was the total excess amount the Government had to pay over the lowest tenderer, (c) if it is a fact that the same firm was given another contract for a similar construction at the very place for about Rs. 50,00,000 at 5 per cent, above the schedule of rates, rejecting the lowest tenderer; and (d) were the above tenders examined by the Department before they were accepted ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) No. (b) Does not arise. (c) No. A portion of the Lodi Road project was given to this firm as its tender rate was low in comparison with that of others. (d) The tenders were examined and accepted by the Chief Engineer, Central Public Works Department who is the competent authority in such cases. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1944, 20th November 1944, pp. 1021-22.

824 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 246 * Prescribing Set Form of Receipt for Rent under Delhi Rent Control Ordinance 625. Mr. Kailash Bihari Lall : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state if the Government propose to prescribe a set form of receipt to be compulsorily granted by the landlord to the tenants under the Delhi Rent Control Ordinance, 1944 ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Government have the matter under examination. 247 @ Increase in Cost of Living in Certain Cities 100. Mr. Badri Dutt Pande : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state: (a) if it is a fact that the living index has shown an increase in the cost of living by 182 per cent in certain cities; if not, what the fact is; (b) if it is a fact that the wages of Railway servants working in those cities have not been raised by 182 per cent; if not, what the correct fact is; and (c) if the Government propose to increase the wages of the employees in those cities where the cost of living has arisen by 182 per cent accordingly; if not, why not; The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Government are aware that the published cost of living indexes have risen in some towns by 182 or more over the index of August, 1939. (b) The answer to the first part is in the affirmative. In regard to the second, Railway workers are compensated for increased cost of living by relief in cash and concessions in kind which together are considered adequate to meet the needs and are adjusted from time to time as the situation demands. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. V of 1944, 20th November 1944, p. 1027. @ Ibid. p. 1038.