Vol. 10 · pages 896–900

875 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) The object is to have experienced and suitably trained staff to tackle problems of labour administration, e.g., industrial relations including the settlement of Labour disputes, factory inspection, and labour welfare, wage regulation and inspection, employment exchanges, demobilisation and resettlement, which are of immediate importance to India. The course will cover mainly all the subjects enumerated above and will be conducted partly at the headquarters of the Ministry of Labour and partly in other centres in the United Kingdom. It will last for a period of about six to eight months. (c) The intention is to send three batches of 20 officers each, each batch including 12 officers of the Central Government and eight of the Provincial Governments and States. Financial sanction has been accorded to the sending of 12 Central Government officers with the first batch of trainees and this will cost the Central Government about a lakh of rupees. The Provincial Governments and States will bear the expenditure in connection with their nominees. Sardar Sant Singh : Will the Honourable Member say how he proposes to make the selections ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : With regard to the selections of nominees of Provinces and States, the matter rests with them. With regard to the selection of officers from Centre it rests with the Central Government of India. If the point of my Honourable friend is whether communal proportions will be recognised in making the selections, I want to tell him that I do propose to apply that principle. Sardar Sant Singh : Will preference be given to those who are better qualified so far as educational qualifications are concerned. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : It will be one of the qualifications. Mr. Lalchand Navalrai : May I know from the Honourable Member whether these officers will be selected by the heads of the particular Departments or by some committee. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : They are selected by the different Departments. The Muhammad Yamin Khan : Are they officers already in Government service ?

876 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes, they will be officers already in service. Shrimati K. Radha Bai Subbarayan : May I ask if Government will include women, as welfare of women workers is very important. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. 295 * The Mines Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member): Sir, I beg to move for leave to introduce a Bill further to amend the Mines Maternity Benefit Act, 1941. Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim): The question is : “That leave be granted to introduce a Bill further to amend the Mines Maternity Benefit Act, 1941.” The Motion was adopted. The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I introduce the Bill. 296 The Factories (Second Amendment) Bill @ Presentation of the Report of the Select Committee The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member): Sir, I present the Report of the Select Committee on the Bill further to amend the Factories Act, 1934. 297 † The General Budget-List of Demands—contd. Mrs. Renuka Ray (Nominated Non-Official): Sir, May I just say that I should like to move my cut motion No. 189 on the Consolidated * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 8th March 1945, p. 1206. @ Ibid., 10th March 1945, p. 1311. † Ibid., 10th March 1945, p. 1312.

877 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS List of Motions under Demand No. 23 under the head Department of Labour, after Mr. N. M. Joshi’s motion, during the time allotted to Unattached Members. The Unattached Members, Mr. Frank Anthony and Sardar Sant Singh and Mr. Hooseinbhoy Lalljee, have agreed to allow my cut motion to take precedence over theirs. I have also notified the Honourable the Labour Member accordingly. I hope you will kindly agree to this arrangement. Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim): Has the Government Member any objection to it ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (Labour Member): I do not have any rights in this matter; the matter, I think, is entirely in your discretion, Sir. Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim): As the Honourable Member has got the permission of those unattached Members in whose time this motion will be moved and the Government have enough time till Monday or Tuesday to be ready with their reply to the motion, I think I shall allow the motion to be entered on the agenda. 298 * Registered Trade Unions 814. Mr. Manu Subedar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state how many registered Trade Unions there are in India and what the total membership is ? (b) What is the total number of persons employed in industrial concerns excluding State concerns ? (c) On what basis have Government recognized Trade Unions for State employees such as Posts, Telegraphs, Railways, etc. ? (d) What channel have Government provided for representation of subordinate services in the Civil Departments of the Government of India of their legitimate grievances, particularly with regard to dearness caused by the war ? (e) What assistance or contribution or grant, direct or indirect, has been given to labour Unions in India by the Government of India during the last five years and for what purposes ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 8th March 1945, p. 1171.

878 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) On the 31st March 1942, there were 747 registered unions and the membership of 455 unions out of these (which submitted returns) was 5,73,520. I regret later information is not available. (b) According to the latest available reports the average daily number of persons employed during 1943 in private factories subject to the Factories Act, 1934, was about 21 lakhs and that in mines subject to the Mines Act, 1923, about 3 1/2 lakhs. In the Assam tea plantations the average number of workers on the books was a little over 6 lakhs during 1942-43. (c) A copy of the Rules regulating recognition of unions of industrial employees of the Central Government is laid on the table. (d) Members of Subordinate Services in Civil Departments can represent their grievances either orally or in writing to the Heads of Departments or similarly placed officers or can approach such authorities or Government through recognised unions, staff councils or works committees, where they exist. It is also open to any aggrieved Government servant to make representations to the Head of his Department or the Government of India in accordance with the instructions laid down in Home Department Notification No. 106/38, dated the 24th August, 1938, a copy of which is laid on the table. (e) The Railway Department grant to railway employees who are union officials certain facilities in regard to causal leave and free passes for railway journeys for attending meetings of the union. No other direct assistance is granted to labour unions as such by the Government of India. 299 * Hours of Work, Wages, etc., of Labour in War Supplies Factories @936. Mr. Amarendra Nath Chattopadhyaya : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state the number of hours for which the labour in factories producing War supplies and in the mines, has to work at a stretch, and what wages they are paid for their labour ? * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. II of 1945, 13th March 1945, p. 1407. @ Answer to this question laid on the table, the questioner being absent.

879 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (b) Do the same labour work in shifts in the same factories and mines ? (c) What is the rate of overtime wages for labour in factories and mines ? (d) What is charged for rations supplied to labour in factories and mines and what is the quantity allotted to each labourer in mills, factories and mines ? Is there any officer appointed by Government to watch the Distribution of ration to labourers in factories, mills and mines ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Hours of work in Factories are regulated by sections 34,36-38 of the Factories Act, 1934 and those in Mines by sections 22B and 22C of the Indian Mines Act, 1923. In the case of factories producing war supplies exemption has been granted by Provincial Governments in several cases from all or some of the provisions. Instructions have been issued that except for short periods and in emergent conditions, the hours of work should not exceed 60 a week. Ordinarily no exemption is granted from the statutory requirements as to intervals of rest. It is regretted that more precise information is not available. Wage rates vary considerably in different classes of factories and mines and in different units in any particular class. I regret detailed information regarding wages or general averages of wages are not available. (b) The question is not understood. (c) Section 47 of the Factories Act, 1934, prescribes the rates of overtime wages in factories. No Exemption has generally been allowed from the provisions of this section. No overtime work is permissible in mines except in the case of an emergency involving serious risk to the safety of the mine or the persons employed therein. (d) There is no uniformity in regard to prices charged for rations supplied to labour in factories and mills. But it is known that several employers do supply foodgrains, etc., at less than controlled rates and a large number of controlled rates. In ‘rationed’ areas, workers receive the same scale of rationed articles as the general public. ‘Heavy workers’ are eligible for extra-rations. In addition, industrial canteens supplying cooked food now receive supplies outside the ration.