Vol. 15 · pages 1096–1100

1077PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (c) Yes. (d) While every effort is made by the College authorities to admit students from as many States as possible provided the applicants are otherwise suitable, preference is given to the Centrally Administered Areas and those States where facilities for Medical education are limited. The question of the adequacy of the rules of admission to the College from the point of view of the maintenance of the All India character of the Institution is, however, engaging the attention of Government. (e) A statement containing the required information is laid on the Table of the House. (See Appendix VII, Annexure No. 12). Shri Alexander: With reference to answer to part (a) may I know whether the Government have received any complaints against the administration of the College and if so, whether the Government propose to take over the administration of the College ? Dr. Ambedkar: I have no information. Shri Kamath: Do not those seven officials mentioned by the Minister, represented the Government which has nominated them in the Committee ? Dr. Ambedkar: I must have notice of the question. Shri Kamath: Has the Hon. Minister all the names of the officials, their designations or their ranks ? Dr. Ambedkar: I must also have notice for this question. Shri Brajeshwar Prasad: May I know whether the Secretary of the Finance Ministry is a Member of this Committee in an individual capacity or in his official capacity ? Dr. Ambedkar : I would like my hon. colleague to answer that question. The Minister of Finance (Shri C. D. Deshmukh): In his official capacity. Shri Kamath: Is it a fact that at no point of administration or the Committee’s work the Minister of Health comes into contact with this institution ?

1078 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES Dr. Ambedkar: She must be, I am sure. Shri Kamath: Government is not represented at all. He does not know. Dr. Ambedkar: I cannot say what is the original constitution of this body. Mr. Deputy Speaker: Next question, Mr. Guha. (61) *TRAINING OF MIDWIVES AND NURSES 1081. Dr. M. V. Gangadhara Siva: (a) Will the Minister of Health be pleased to state the names of the institutions in Delhi maintained by Government and those which receive Government grant for training midwives, nurses and health visitors in Delhi ? (b) What is the number of students of each of these categories fixed for admission to these institutions ? (c) Is it a fact that more students than can be admitted in these institutions apply every year for admission ? (d) If so, how many approximately are refused admission ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): ( a) and (b) A statement containing the required information is laid on the Table of the House (See Appendix VII, Annexure No. 13.) (c) Yes. (d) The information is being collected and will be laid on the Table of the House in due course. (62) **EMETINE 1093. Shri Kamath: Will the Minister of Health be pleased to state : (a) what steps have been taken in the past and are being taken at present to cultivate in India Ipecacuanha plants, the roots of which yield Emetine, a specific for amoebic dysentery; *P. D., Vol. 9, Part I, 17th September 1951, p. 1403. **Ibid., p. 1405.

1079PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (b) the incidence of amoebic dysentery in India; (c) the quantity and value of Emetine and Ipecac root imported annually into India and from which countries; (d) whether it is a fact that some work has been done in the direction of Ipecac cultivation in West Bengal by the Cinchona Directorate, if so, with what result; and (e) whether it is proposed to extend the existing West Bengal Ipecac plantations, and if so, what steps are contemplated ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) It is understood that difficulties attending its cultivation in India have so far deterred its being taken up on a commercial scale. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is carrying on experimental cultivation of ipecacuanha and has included it in the coordinated scheme formulated by the Council for the cultivation of medicinal plants in Coimbatore, Panchagani and Darjeeling; (b) The incidence of emoebic dysentry is considered to be high particularly in the Eastern and Southern parts of India, namely, Madras and West Bengal. As the disease is not notifiable, no statistics are however maintained; (c) Statistics regarding the imports of Emetine Hydrocholoride and Ipecac root are not available; (d) and ( e). The information has been called for from the Government of West Bengal and will be laid on the Table of the House in due course; (63) *AYURVEDIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE 1094. Dr. V. Subramaniam : (a) Will the Minister of Health be pleased to state whether the scheme for the establishment of an Ayurvedic Research Institute as per the recommendations of the Committee on indigenous systems of medicine (Pandit Committee) has been placed before the Standing Committee of Parliament for the Ministry of Health and the Standing Finance Committee ? (b) If so, what are their recommendations and has the scheme since been sanctioned ? *P. D., Vol. 9, Part I, 17th September 1951, p. 1406.

1080 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) and ( b) The scheme is under active consideration. It will be shortly placed for approval before the Standing Committee of Parliament for the Ministry of Health and the Standing Finance Committee. (64) *DIRECTORATE OP HOUSING 259. Shri Kamath : Will the Minister of Health be pleased to state: (a) the date on which the Directorate of Housing was set up ; (b) the date on which it came to an end; (c) the nature and volume of work accomplished by the Directorate during this period; and (d) what were the qualifications of the Director of Housing ? The Minister of Law (Dr. Ambedkar): (a) and (b) No separate Directorate of Housing as such was set up. A Directorate of Housing with a skeletion personal staff was appointed with effect from the 4th October, 1948. The Director of Housing relinquished charge of his office on the 1st July 1951. (c) The Director of Housing gave advice to the various Ministers of the Government of India, the State Governments and Local Bodies on questions relating to housing. Most of his time was however taken up with the construction and management of the Government Housing Factory. (d) The attention of the hon. Members is invited to the reply given to part ( c) of his Starred Question No. 390 on the 7th December, 1949. *P. D., Vol. 9, Part I, 17th September 1951, p. 1413.

1081PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (65) *LEPERS 1176. Dr. Deshmukh : (a) Will the Minister of health be pleased to refer to the answer given to starred question No. 1326 asked on the 8th April 1948, regarding lepers and leper-asylums in India and state whether Dr. Dharmendra who was deputed to U.S.A., U.K., South America and the Philippines has since returned ; (b) If so, what is the result of his tour; (c) What work is he doing at present; (d) Has the treatment of the lepers undergone any radical change since his return and if so, in what way; (e) What steps have been taken for the establishment of a Central Teaching and Research Institute for Leprosy; (f) Has a permanent cure as well as an effective preventive against leprosy now been discovered; (g) If so, to what extent are the people of India benefiting from this? The Minister of Law(Dr. Ambedkar): ( a) Yes, on the 12th November, 1948. (b) During his tour he studied anti-leprosy work carried on in the various countries he visited. (c) He is at present the Head of the Leprosy Research Department at the Calcutta School of Tropical Medicine. His activities include research, teaching and clinical work. He is also the Editor of the Journal “Leprosy in India” published by the Hind Kusht Nivaran Sangh. (d) With the introduction of sulphone treatment for leprosy the duration of treatment has been shortened. (e) The Central Leprosy Institute Committee recommended the location of the institute in Madras State, by taking over and expanding the Lady Willingdon Leprosy Sanatorium at Tirumani, and the silver Jubilee Children’s Clinic, Saidapet, both in Chingleput District, Madras State, on certain financial conditions being satisfied by the Government of Madras. The *P. D., Vol. 9, Part I, 20th September 1951, p. 1527.