Vol. 10 · pages 881–885

860 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 278 * Composition of Employees’ Delegation to the Tripartite (Labour) Conferences † 533. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai: Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state : (a) whether the Employees’ Delegation to the Tripartite (Labour) Conferences or Standing Committee is composed of representatives of— (i) the Indian Federation of Labour; (ii) the All-India Trade Union Congress ; and (iii) other workers ; (b) which industries and workers are included in category (iii) of “Other workers” and how their representatives are elected or nominated ; (c) if the representatives of “other workers” are nominated by Government whether it is proposed to discontinue the practice ; if not, why not; and (d) on what basis and considerations Government nominate these delegates and whether the Provincial Governments have any hand in such nominations ; if so, to what extent ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b), (c) and (d). Category (iii) relates to labour interests not adequately represented on the two all-India labour organisations, viz., the All-India Trade Union Congress and the Indian Federation of Labour. The nominations are made by the Government of India after taking into consideration suggestions received from Provincial Governments. It is not the intention to discontinue the practice at least for the time being. Such nomination is necessary at the present stage of development of workers’ organisations in the country. 279 @ Hydro-Electric Schemes 539. Mr. Manu Subedar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state how many hydro-electric schemes are at present functioning in India ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 28th February 1945, p. 798. @ Ibid., p. 804. † Answer to this question laid on the table, the questioner being absent.

861 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (b) What is the amount of power generated by each of them ? (c) How much of this power is used for industrial purposes ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) 34 excluding private, industrial and military installations. (b) It is not possible to give information about individual stations. The total energy generated by all the stations is approximately 1983 million K.W.H. (c) About 56 per cent. 280 * Hydro-Electric Schemes 540. Mr. Manu Subedar : (a) Will the Labour Member please state how many other hydro-electric schemes have been considered ? (b) How many of them are going to be dealt with by (i) the Government of India, (ii) the Provincial Governments, and (iii) the Indian States ? (c) What will be the total horse-power of these schemes ? (d) How many of them have been already sanctioned by the Government of India ? (e) For how many of them is machinery either under negotiation or under order ? (f) What is the approximate date when they are expected to function and make power available ? (g) Which of these schemes will be the first ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) A large number of schemes have recently been considered ; several of them are in various stages of investigation. Plant requirements for 31 have so far been notified to the Secretary of State. (b) (i) Under the present constitution, development of Hydro Electric Schemes falls within the purview of the Provincial Governments. The Government of India are, however, rendering them such assistance as is asked for through the Central Technical Power Board which they have recently set up for the initiation, co-ordination and pushing forward of electricity development schemes. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 28th February 1945, pp. 804-05.

862 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (ii) and (iii). Of the 31 schemes mentioned in reply to part (a), 14 are being dealt with by Provincial Governments, 13 by Indian States and 4 by private concerns. (c) Approximately 6,70,000. (d) 28 schemes requiring plant before the end of 1947 have so far been approved by the authorities concerned. (e) Seven. (f) Between the end of 1946 and 1949. (g) The Mohammadpur Hydro Electric Schemes of the U. P. Government will probably be the first to start functioning out of postwar schemes. Mr. Manu Subedar : Is it a fact that the Government of India are unduly strict with regard to hydro-electric projects which arc submitted to them from the Provinces and from the States ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I do not suppose there is any ground for believing that they are more strict than the necessities of the case require. 281 * Electrical Commissioner’s Report † 541. Mr. Manu Subedar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member state why a copy of the report produced by the Electrical Commissioner with the Government of India has not been placed in the library of the House ? (b) Has the Policy Committee, in connection with power, reported ? (c) If so, will a copy of their report be made available to the Members of the Legislature ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Presumably the Honourable Member refers to the proceedings of the Technical Power Conference of which the Electrical Commissioner was the Chairman. The report is under print and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House as soon as the printed copies become available. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 28th February 1945, p. 804. † Answer to this question laid on the table, the questioner being absent.

863 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (b) and (c). Presumably the reference is to the second meeting of the Policy Committee held on 2nd February 1945. The Record of the meeting is being finalised and copies will be placed in the Library of the House in due course. The Record of the first meeting of the Committee is already available in the Library of the House. 282 * Scheduled Castes Employees of Central Public Works Department 556. Mr. Piare Lall Kureel : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state : (a) the number of members of the scheduled castes employed in the Central Public Works Department as Executive Engineers, Sub-Divisional Officers and Subordinates in the permanent, temporary and work-charge staff, separately ; (b) whether it is a fact that none of the temporary incumbents of the posts of Subordinates belonging to the members of the scheduled castes were confirmed as permanent staff during the year 1944 ; and (c) what measures Government propose to take to secure a fair representation of the members of the scheduled castes among the permanent staff of the Central Public Works Department ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (b). The number of permanent and temporary Executive Engineers in the Central Public Works Department is 12 and 55 respectively. Two of the temporary Executive Engineers are members of the Scheduled Castes. There are no officers of that community among the permanent Executive Engineers and there are no posts of Executive Engineers borne on the work charged establishment. The rest of the information required by the Honourable Member is not readily available. It is being collected and will be supplied to him as soon as possible. (c) Under the orders regarding communal representation in the Public services, one out of every twelve vacancies (other than vacancies * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 25th February 1945, pp. 812-13.

864 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES filled by promotion) is set aside for members of the Scheduled Castes. These orders, which are generally applicable to all classes of posts in the Central Public Works Department will secure a fair representation for members of the Scheduled Castes, in that Department. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : May I ask whether the Scheduled Castes are reckoned as one of the minorities so that their share comes from 33 per cent ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : They are a separate category. Dr. Sir Zia Uddin Ahmad : Then if you put them in a separate category how will the percentage of 33 per cent, reserved for minorities, be affected by this category ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It is not affected at all; it is quite apart from that. 283 * Liens on New Delhi Quarters of Government Servants Transferred to Calcutta and Bombay 564. Syed Ghulam Bhik Nairang : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state: (a) whether it is a fact that allotment to Government servants of Government quarters at New Delhi is made according to seniority in service which is reckoned from the date of a person’s continuous appointment at New Delhi/Simla ; (b) whether such persons transferred to Simla hold their liens on quarters at New Delhi during the period of their transfer ; (c) whether Government laid down recently that officers transferred to the Branch Secretariat at Calcutta are also allowed to retain liens on Government quarters at New Delhi whereas those transferred to Attached Offices will not be eligible for this privilege ; (d) whether it is a fact that the staff transferred to Calcutta with the office of the Additional Chief Engineer, Central Public Works Department, was allowed to retain liens on their quarters at New Delhi and were allotted quarters on their return to Delhi; * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 28th February 1945, pp. 817-18.