Vol. 10 · pages 921–925

900 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES (f) In most of the cases the dependants are minors or persons incapable of taking care of large amounts. The amount invested in these cases are paid in instalments through Postal Money Order. Only preliminary payments and lump sum payments are made through the Deputy Commissioners and Managers of Tea Estates. The amounts are sent to the Managers of Tea Estates only in cases in which the dependants live in tea Estates. It is found expedient to do so because the Managers will be in a position to identify the dependants, effect the payment promptly and forward the acquittance to the Commissioner of Workmen’s Compensation. This system has worked satisfactory so far. 313 * Bad Health of Labourers Returned from Assam Projects 1314. Dewan Abdul Basith Choudhury : (a) Is the Honourable the Labour Member aware that several hundred labourers returned from the project works in Assam in a very bad state of health ? (b) Is he also aware that a large number of them are still suffering from various diseases ? (c) Is it a fact that no proper arrangements have been made for their treatment ? (d) If the replies to parts (a) to (c) be in the affirmative, does he propose to consider the desirability of representing the difficulties of these unfortunate labourers to the authorities concerned ? (e) If the replies to parts (a) to (c) be in the negative, does he propose to enquire and lay the result of the enquiry on the table of the House ? The Honourable Dr. B . R. Ambedkar : (a) Virulent forms of malaria and some other diseases are incidental to the work in the unhealthy jungle tracts of Assam where the war operations have been in progress; therefore some labourers returned from the projects in a bad state of health. The Ex-Gratia payments of compensation for deaths by diseases have therefore been specially ordered to be paid by the Government of India as there is no provision for payment * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 26th March 1945, p. 2010.

901 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS of compensation in such cases under the Workmen’s Compensation Act. Compensation is paid also to labourers who on returning from projects die of diseases contacted in the projects. (b) The Government have no information. (c) The labourers returning to Tea Gardens are treated in the Garden Hospitals as in the case of other Tea Estates labourers and those returning to villages may avail of the treatment in the local hospitals. No other medical arrangements are practicable in the case of labourers who return individually to their gardens and villages. (d) The question does not arise in view of the answers to (a), (b) and (c). (e) The facts ascertained have been stated above. 314 * Grievances of Employees of Government of India Press, Calcutta 1315. Mr. Abdul Qaiyum : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state: (a) Whether the employees of the Government of India Press, Calcutta, submitted memorials on the 20th December, 1944, and 24th January, 1945; (b) the nature of the grievances mentioned therein; and (c) the action taken or proposed to be taken by Government ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. (b) The employees asked for (1) increase in basic wage and fixation of a minimum wage of Rs. 10 p.m. (2) grant of enhanced dearness allowance, (3) concessional rates of grain supply, (4) reduction in working hours, (5) extension of casual leave to piece workers, (6) abolition of the piece system, and (7) abolition of the system of classifying employees as superior and inferior and the grant to inferior employees of the privileges allowed to superior employees. (c) Items at (2), (3), (5) and (7) referred to in part (b) are under consideration. It is not possible to consider the other items during the present emergency. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 26th March 1945, p. 2010.

902 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 315 * Hours of Work for Employees of Government of India Press, Calcutta 1316. Mr. Abdul Qaiyum : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) the total number of hours of work per week for the employees of the Government of India Press, Calcutta; (b) whether the Bengal Government have reduced the hours of work of the Bengal Government Presses to forty hours per week within a bonus ; and (c) whether Government propose to reduce the hours in their Presses : if not, why not ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) 48. (b) The hours have been reduced to 40 per week but no bonus has been granted. (c) No reduction can be contemplated during the present emergency. 316 @ Revision of Scale of Pay of Employees of Government of India Press, Calcutta 1317. Mr. Abdul Qaiyum : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) whether the dearness allowance granted to the Press employees corresponds to the abnormal rise in the cost of living ; (b) when the last revision of pay of the Press employees of Calcutta took place ; (c) whether the Government Press employees in Calcutta have to pay more for rationed and non-rationed articles than the Railway and other employees ; and * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 26th March 1945, p. 2010. @ Ibid. p. 2010.

903 L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (d) whether Government propose to revise the scale of pay ; and, if not, why ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The existing rates of dearness allowance were fixed with due regard to the rise in prices and a revision thereof is under consideration. (b) In 1924. The revised rates of pay for new entrants were introduced in 1933 and 1934. (c) Yes. They have to pay more as compared with Railway employees but the concessions admissible to them are the same as for all other employees of the Central Government. (d) Government do not propose to undertake any general revision of pay during the present emergency. 317 * Leave Benefit to Piece Workers of Government of India Press, Calcutta 1318. Mr. Abdul Qaiyum : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state : (a) whether the piece workers in the Calcutta Central Government Press are entitled to the same leave benefit as the salaried employees; (b) whether the salaried employees in Delhi and Calcutta are entitled to the same casual leave; and (c) if not, whether Government propose to equalise the condition in Delhi and Calcutta ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) No. (b) No. (c) Salaried employees in all the Government of India Presses have been granted casual leave up to 15 days in a calendar year. Government of India have, in view of the climate and other conditions raised the limit of casual leave to 20 days per year for all Central Government servants in Delhi including the New Delhi Press employees. The higher limit of casual leave is not extended only to the Calcutta Press employees. * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 26th March 1945, p. 2010.

904 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES 318 * Desirability of Giving Certain Benefits to Inferior Servants of Government of India Press, Calcutta 1319. Mr. Abdul Qaiyum : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state if it is not a fact that the inferior servants of the Government of India Press, Calcutta, are not entitled to get any benefit enjoyed by the superior servants, such as General Provident Fund, permanent service, house allowance, Medical leave, etc. ? (b) If so, do Government propose to sanction all the privileges to the inferior staff as are enjoyed by the superior staff ? (c) Is it not a fact that employees of the Government of India Press, Calcutta, appointed after 1928, are not allowed the compensation leave in lieu of attending on holidays ? (d) Is it not a fact that only 25 per cent, allowance is granted to the employees for attending on closed holidays and that no payment is made for attending on non-closed holidays ? (e) If so, under what circumstances have the employees appointed after 1928 been deprived of the benefit of compensation leave ? The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) and (b). No. They are entitled to medical leave. Permanent inferior servants are also entitled to the benefits of permanent service, e.g., pension, leave on average pay or earned leave and extraordinary leave. The question of granting them house rent and other privileges is under consideration. (c) Yes. (d) In lieu of compensatory leave they are paid overtime for working on closed holidays at 25 per cent above their normal rates. (e) For administrative reasons. 319 @ Schemes for Technical Education of Students Abroad 1320. Dewan Abdul Choudhury : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether there are two different schemes before Government for sending students abroad for higher * Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 26th March 1945, p. 2010. @ Ibid.