Vol. 10 · pages 861–865

840 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) 19 rooms in the Western Court and 69 quarters are reserved for the Honourable Members of the Indian Legislature during the sessions. During the non-Session periods, 7 rooms in the Western Court and 8 quarters are reserved for Members visiting Delhi in connection with the work of the Central Legislature. (b) No ; the rooms in the Western Court were allotted to the Members of the National Defence Council in the absence of any intimation of the meeting of the Select Committee on the Insurance Bill in January, 1945 or of any demand for accommodation from the Members. Arrangement was however made to accommodate the members of the Select Committee who asked for accommodation in the Western Court. (c) Arrangement is always made to accommodate the Members of the Central Legislature provided timely notice is given. 262 * Construction of a Road to Imperial Research Institute at Mukteswar 178. Mr. Badri Dutt Pande : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state if there is a proposal to construct a cart or motor road to the Imperial Research Institute at Mukteswar in the Naini Tal district ? (b) If so, what will be the length of the road and the cost of construction ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) There is no such proposal before this Government. (b) Does not arise. 263 @ Examination of Commercial Aspects of Indian Spring-waters 308. Mr. K. C. Neogy : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour member be pleased to refer to unstarred question No. 50 of the 5th August, 1943, and the reply thereto, and make a statement indicating the results * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 14th February 1945, p. 337. @ Ibid., 19th February 1945, pp. 454-55.

841 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS of the examination of the commercial aspects of Indian springwaters, and the trial given thereto, the location of the different springs where trials have been made and the composition and properties of the respective waters ? (b) Have Government any scheme for the working of any of these sources of spring-water through State agency or through the agency of any private enterprise ? If so, what are the details of such schemes ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (b). Waters of certain thermal mineral springs in Bihar were investigated by the Geological Survey of India and after examination of the chemical properties of these waters it was decided that there would be no advantage in Government undertaking during war time the commercial exploitation of these waters. 264 * Damodar River Transport for Coal in Bengal 310. Mr. R. R. Gupta : Is the Honourable the Labour Member aware that in the last century a proposal was considered by the Government of India for providing river transport to the movement of coal from the Bengal coal fields to Calcutta by rendering the river Damodar as an all weather navigable channel ? If not, will Government consider the advisability of re-examining such a proposal in connection with the proposed multi-purpose Damodar River project ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am not aware of any such proposal but there was a proposal to take out a canal from the Damodar river from Raniganj to Calcutta. The enquiry now being made is examining the possibility of a multipurpose scheme for the control of the Damodar—this examination will extend to the possibilities of encouraging navigation. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 19th February 1945, p. 455.

842 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 265 * Discovery of Petroleum Near Rawalpindi 314. Mr. T. T. Krishnamachari : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state: (a) whether his attention has been drawn to the reports appearing in the newspapers about the discovery of petroleum near Rawalpindi and the Punjab ; and (b) whether the monopoly for exploiting this petroleum has been given to a foreign concern ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes, Government have seen the reports referred to— (b) The matter is the concern of the Provincial Government and Government of India have no information. 266 * Women Workers in Mills and Factories of Delhi Province 327. Shrimati K. Radha Bai Subbarayan : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) the total number of women workers in the year, 1944, in the mills and factories in Delhi Province to which the Factories Act is applied; (b) whether action under the Factories Act was taken against any of these concerns for failure to conform to the provisions of Acts for safeguarding the interests of women workers ; and (c) whether a Women Labour Welfare Officer has been appointed for Delhi Province ; and, if so, what her duties are ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : With your permission, Sir, I propose to reply together to question Nos. 327 and 328. I have made enquiries and will lay a report on the table in due course. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 19th February 1945, p. 456. @Ibid., p. 463.

843 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 267 * Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Company 403. Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) whether he has completed the enquiry promised by him in his answer to Mr. Neogy’s question No. 419 in the last session regarding the Delhi Electric Supply and Traction Company ; (b) the profit the company is making; and (c) the result of the enquiries, and whether Government propose exercising the option to purchase it ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (c). The Honourable Member’s attention is drawn to the reply given to Mr. K. C. Neogy’s question on 9th February 1945. (b) The dividend declared by the Company since 1939 has been as follows: 1939—11 per cent. 1940—11 per cent. 1941—11 per cent. income tax free. 1942—9 per cent. 1943—9 per cent. Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : Have Government decided to take over the Company ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes, Sir. Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : When will it come into effect ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : As soon as the license ends. Mr. K. C. Neogy : Has the notice been actually served as yet ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I believe so. 268 @ Government Contribution to Indian Labour Federation 404. Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) whether, in view of the fact that the President of the Trade Union Congress, Sri Jamnadas Mehta, has denied the fact of having * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 21st February 1945, p. 583. @ Ibid., pp. 583-84.

844 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES received the amount from the Government as alleged by the Labour Member, he has investigated into the matter; (b) whether the amount has been credited in the accounts of the Trade Union Congress ; and (c) in whose hands the money is being given ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The Honourable Member is apparently referring in this question to Indian Federation of Labour of which Mr. Mehta was the President and not to the All-India Trade Union Congress. (a) I would refer the Honourable Member to my reply to Mr. Lalchand Navalrai’s question No. 31 on the 2nd November, 1944. (b) I have no knowledge. (c) The payment was originally mae to the representatives of the Federation through the National War Front and later, through the Chairmen, National Service Labour Tribunals. From June 1944, the payment is made to the Secretary of the Federation. Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : Is it not necesssary that Government should satisfy themselves that when money is sanctioned for a particular organisation it has been credited to the accounts of that organisation ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is not my business to check the accounts of any organisation. Mr. T. S. Avinashilingam Chettiar : In view of the Honourable Member’s statement on a previous occasion that an auditor had been sent to audit the accounts may I know if the auditor’s report has been received ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : My Honourable friend must put down a specific question on that point. Mr. Abdul Qaiyum : Will the Honourable Member give the names of the office-bearers of the organisation who actually received the money ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : First of all it was paid through the National War Front; then a change was made and the money was paid through the Chairmen of the National Labour Service Tribunals; and from June, 1944 it is paid to the Secretary of the Federation. Mr. Abdul Qaiyum : Will the Honourable Member give the name of the particular gentleman who received the money ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I shall require notice.