Vol. 10 · pages 886–890

865 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (e) whether it is a fact that the period of break in the continuous employment of certain persons employed in the Central Public Works Department which occurred on account of their transfers to places other than Simla has been condoned on their re-transfer to Delhi, as a special case ; (f) whether it is a fact that the Central Government servants transferred from Delhi to Calcutta, Bombay, etc. in the interest of service are not allowed to hold liens on their quarters at New Delhi and on their return to New Delhi are considered not to be continuously employed for the purpose of allotment of quarters ; and (g) whether Government propose to accord such persons the same treatment as is accorded in the cases mentioned in parts (c) and (e) above ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) Persons transferred to Simla on or before 10th November, 1942 retain liens on quarters occupied by them in New Delhi but those transferred to Simla after that date temporarily are allowed to retain liens for a period of one year from the date of their transfer. (c) Yes. (d) Two members of the staff of the Office of the Additional Chief Engineer, Central Public Works Department were allowed to retain the quarters allotted to them in Delhi for the period of their stay in Calcutta which was less than one year. (e) Yes, but the break in such cases was under one year. (f) Central Government servants are allowed to retain liens on their quarter if the Departments concerned certify that the individuals will return to Delhi within a period of one year. (g) Does not arise, in view of reply to part (f). 284 * Production Cess on Coal Mines 565. Prof. N. G. Ranga : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state if Government have levied a Production cess of Rs. 1-4-0 on portion of coal despatched from mines in British India ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 28th February 1945, pp. 818-19.

866 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (b) Is the cost of recruiting unskilled labour from Gorakhpur, Ballia and other districts of the United Provinces and their maintenance at the coal fields defrayed out of the proceeds of the cess ? (c) What is the Contract Form the labour (including women) have to sign ? Will Government place on the table of the House a copy of the order under which this labour is recruited and their contract form ? (d) What is the machinery to recruit them ? (e) Where are they usually stationed ? (f) What was the approximate number of this labour at the various coalfields on the 31st December 1944 ? (g) Have separate camps been established for them ? If so, are latrine and bath-room conveniences provided ? (h) How many batches have been sent by now and what is their numerical strength ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) The expenditure is initially met by Government. A part of it is recovered from mine owners and the balance is recouped from the Production Cess Fund. (c) No form of contract is signed by labourer who verbally agree to serve for a period of 6 or 12 months. (d) Labour Supply Depot, Gorakhpur, run by the Government of the United Provinces. (e) Coalfields in Bengal and Bihar and Singareni colliery in Hyderabad. (f) (i) Bengal/Bihar coalfields. 15,400. (ii) Singareni Colliery. 2,500. (g) Yes, latrines are provided in most camps and will soon be provided in all, but not bath-rooms. Adequate water supply is however made available. (h) The total number of labourers despatched is : Bengal/Bihar coalfields. 37,000. Singareni collieries. 5,000.

867 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 285 * Medical Aid at Coal Mine Workers Camps 566. prof. N. G. Ranga : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to say if” there is any provision for rendering medical aid to the coal mine workers at their camps ? (b) If so, has any schedule been drawn up for maintaining any minimum stock of medicines and surgical instruments at such camps ? What is the number of medical staff and their qualifications ? (c) Is, there any arrangement for the treatment of venereal diseases, at these camps ? (d) Is any record maintained of the incidence of sickness ? (e) If so, what is the total number of cases of malaria and venereal diseases from the beginning of these establishments of the labour camps up to the 31st December, 1944 ? (f) Is there any arrangement for periodical medical examination of the workers ? (g) If so, what are the diseases most prevalent which these examinations show and their percentage ? (h) Have any deaths taken place ? If so, how many and due to what reasons ? (i) Is there any supervision machinery for the Medical Department of the Camp ? Does the local Civil Surgeon visit the camps and treat serious cases ? Are serious cases taken to Civil Hospitals ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) An adequate stock of medical supplies and surgical instruments are kept at each camp. One graduate in medicine is in charge of each camp with more than 1,000 labourers ; while one licentiate in medicine is in charge of each camp with less than 1,000 labourers. (c) Yes. (d) Yes. (e) The camps, are spread over a large area and it has therefore not been possible to collect the information in the time available. (f) Yes. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 28th February 1945, p. 819.

868 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (g) Annemia. In this case also time is required to collect the statistics asked for. (h) yes. 156 up to end of last December. The majority of deaths is due to natural causes. A small number is due to accidents at work sites. (i) Yes. A post of chief Medical Officer of the Directorate of Unskilled Labour Supply has been sanctioned. In view of the special provisions made the local Civil Surgeon does not visit the camps. Serious cases are taken to Civil Hospitals. 286 * Rations at Coal Mine Workers Camps 567. Prof. N. G. Ranga : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state if the workers living at these mining labour camps are provided with rations directly by Government or through a contractor ? (b) Is each worker allowed to draw his ration separately or are the rations given in bulk to a gang of fifty men ? (c) Is it a fact that labour are usually supplied short weights by the contractor ? (d) Can this labour purchase their rations from the Local Government Ration Shops or Depots ? If not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Workers in mining labour camps are issued rations by Government through a contractor under the supervision of Group Officers. (b) Rations are issued weekly in bulk for each gang. (c) No. (d) No, as they are issued free Government rations. 287 @ Corporal Punishments at Coal Mine Workers Camps 568. Prof. N. G. Ranga : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour member be pleased to state whether it is a fact that corporal punishment * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 28th February 1945, pp. 819-20. @ Ibid., p. 820.

869 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS is being given to the workers at these coal mining labour camps ? Does this apply to men and women both ? (b) Does any inachinery exist for the redress of these workers’ grievances ? (c) Are the Labour Welfare Adviser to the Government of India and his Assistants or the Coal Mines Welfare Commissioner and the officers under him empowered to look after the welfare of these workers or conduct inquiries into their grievances ? If not, why not ? (d) If so, who investigates their complaints ? (e) Is any record maintained of these cases ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) No. There are no women’s camps. (b) Yes. The workers can approach the Deputy Director Labour Supply (Coal) for redress of grievances. (c) No. The Labour Camps are looked after by the Deputy Director Labour Supply (Coal) and his staff. (d) Chief Liaison Officer and the Group officers of the Unskilled Labour Supply Directorate. (e) If cases are submitted in writing, the records are kept in the office of the Deputy Director Labour Supply (Coal). Oral complaints are dealt with on the spot. Where considered necessary records are kept. 288 * Mica Commission 661. Mr. Manu Subedar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state the object of appointing the Mica Commission ? (b) What were its terms of reference and composition ? (c) What assistance have Government rendered at any time to the mica producers of this country ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (b). The Honourable Member presumably refers to the Mica Enquiry Committee. His attention is invited to Resolutions No. MD-55, dated 15th May, 1944 and 23rd October 1944, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the Indian Legislature. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 5th March 1945, pp. 1022-23.