Dr. Ambedkar As The Member of Executive
Governor General Council
Questions and Answers
______________________________________________
PART IV
134
[f.1]Drop
in the Output of Coal
250.
K. C. Neogy : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to refer to his
statement in reply to starred question No. 349, asked by me in the Legislative Assembly on
the 20th March, 1943, to the effect that the drop in the production of coal was so slight
that no detailed enquiry had been held into its cause, and state whether it is a fact that
there has been a considerable drop in the output of coal both in British India and in the
Indian Stales since January last?
(b)
If the answer to (a) be in the affirmative, is the Honourable Member in a position to
indicate the extent of such drop, month by month, ever since it was noticed ?
(c)
Was any warning given about the threatened coal shortage by any trade organisation or any
individual member of the trade to the knowledge of Government ? If so, when did such
warning come to the knowledge of Government for the first time, and what steps, if any,
were taken thereupon ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar:
(a) Compared with the corresponding month of last year, the output of coal in British
India and Indian States has shown a decrease during 1943. During the first 5 months of the
year the drop was slight ; but from June onwards it has become more considerable.
(b)
1940 was the peak year for coal production. Since then production has fallen slightly year
by year. The fall assumed serious proportion from June 1943. Compared with the
corresponding months of 1942, the output in June, July and August of this year fell by
about 353,000 tons each month, while September showed a decrease of 299,000 tons.
(c)
A warning was given by an individual member of the trade in August 1943. Government were
already well aware of the situation by that time and were actively considering remedial
measures. The following are some of the principal steps that have been taken to improve
the situation.
(1) More wagons have been provided to take away
coal, particularly in the Bengal and Bihar fields.
(2)
Efforts are being made to ensure the prompter delivery of colliery stores and machinery.
(3)
Women have, since August, been permitted to work underground in the Central Provinces and
Berar coalfields.
(4)
Action has been taken to prevent interference with colliery Labour from military
activities in the coal fields.
(5)
Schemes are under preparation to provide a greater quantity of consumer goods for
collieries and in particular of food, and arrangements are being made to ensure an
adequate ration at concession rates to the miners.
(6)
Welfare officers are about to be appointed in the Bengal and Bihar coalfields to promote
the health and general welfare of miners.
Mr.
K. C. Neogy: Is the Honourable Member in a position to indicate the principal factors that
contributed to this coal shortage ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: Sir, the principal factor that contributed to the shortage
of coal is undoubtedly the shortage of Labour. That was due to the fact that Labour was
drawn away from coal Fields by the ' Grow More Food ' campaign and by the military works
that were started near about the area where the coal mines are situated.
135
[f.2]
The Coal Trade Conference at Delhi
251.
K. C. Neogy : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state whether the
principal object of the Conference of representatives of coal trade and other interests,
that was held in Delhi on the 23rd October last under his chairmanship, was to consider
the question of increasing the output of coal ? If so, what were the circumstances that
led to the decision to hold the conference, and the result of the discussions thereat ?
(b)
Has the present effort to increase the output of coal been influenced in any degree by the
necessity of stimulating an increased export of coal from India for war purposes or
otherwise ?
(c)
Is it a fact that in a letter issued by the department of Labour to the invitees at the
Conference, mention was made of the persistent and increasing fall in the output of coal
coupled with the increasing demand for Indian coal, both inside and outside India, which
was stated to have caused the Central Government acute anxiety ? When was such anxiety
first caused to the Government of India and due to what circumstances, and what action has
been taken ever since for the purpose of improving the situation, and with what result ?
(d)
Is the internal supply of coal in the country likely to be affected in any manner by any
policy that Government may have in view with the object of stimulating the export of coal
on Government or private account ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: (a) Yes, Government believed that one of the principal
reasons for the decline in output was shortage of Labour. If this shortage could be made
good, the fall in production would be arrested and an increase to the target figures would
become probable. Government were anxious to secure the full co-operation of employers in
any measures they proposed for this purpose. The principal result of the discussions was
an agreement that in Bengal and Bihar the Employers' Associations should initiate schemes
on uniform lines for the supply of foodgrains and other commodities to their Labour and
the Government of India should assist the Associations in giving effect to such schemes.
(b)
An increase in output of coal is necessary to meet the internal requirements of Indian
industry as these have increased and output has diminished.
(c)
Yes. Since the beginning of the War, Government have been anxious to maintain the output
of coal at its maximum. The peak year for coal production was 1940. There was a very
slight fall in 1941 on the 1940 figures and a further slight drop in 1942. It seems more
than likely that the 1943 figures will show a further drop on the 1942 figures.
From
about June of this year, it became plain that output was not going to be sufficient to
meet the increased demands for coal being made by essential consumers such as War
Industries, railways and for military projects of the first importance. Supplies of coal
for all consumers have accordingly been rationed. In order to meet these rationed demands,
and such outside demands as it might feel
necessary to meet, Government have to ensure that 25.65 million tons of coal per annum
will be made available for consumption. This is a larger quantity than has ever been made
available before; and measures to increase production have, therefore, become of the
utmost urgency.
As
regards the action that has been taken to improve the situation, the Honourable Member is
referred to the answer given to part (c) of his starred question No. 15. It is too early
yet to assess the results of these and other measures.
(d)
No.
Mr. Govind V.
Deshmukh : Is it a fact that in order to increase the output of coal production,
female Labour has been employed underground in coal mines ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: I said so.
Mr.
Govind V. Deshmukh : If it is so, will the Honourable Member say how long female Labour
will be employed in these mines ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar:
Well, while the emergency lasts.
Mr. Govind V. Deshmukh : Will the Honourable Member
tell me what precautions have been taken to look after these female Labour employed
underground in the mines ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar:
We are contemplating measures and if my Honourable friend will table a question some time
in the next Session, I will give him some information.
Mr.
K. C. Neogy: Has there been any suggestion from His Majesty's Government for the purpose
of stimulating export of coal ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I have no
information on the point.
Mr.
President (The Honourable Sir Abdul Rahim) : Next question.
136
[f.3]
Appointments of Managers of Government of India
Presses, New Delhi and Calcutta
253. H. A. Sathar H. Essak Sait : Will the Honourable Member for
Labour be pleased to state :
(a)
whether he is aware that for the recent appointment of Managers of the Government of India
Presses, New Delhi and Calcutta, the claims of the senior-most Muslim assistant Managers
were overlooked ; if so, the reason therefor;
(b)
whether it is a fact that the Manager of the Government of India Press, New Delhi, refused
to relieve a Muslim clerk recently selected for a clerical job in the office of the
controller of Printing and Stationery, while he relieved a number of non-Muslim clerks
selected for clerical posts in the Controller's Office, Assembly Department and Supply
Department;
(c)
whether it is a fact that the Assistant Manager of the Government of India Press, New
Delhi, ordered the transfer of six Muslim piece-composition of the Lino Section ; if so,
the reasons for such wholesale transfer of Muslims from this Section ;
(d)
whether it is a fact that the post of a correction checker in the Government of India
Press, New Delhi, was recently filled by the officiating Manager by the appointment of a
junior new-scale man, overlooking the claims of the senior incumbent in the old scale ; if
so, why ;
(e)
whether the Managers and Assistant Managers of Government Presses are empowered to make
appointments and promotions and order transfers and declare certain posts selection posts
; if so, whether any rules have been laid down for their guidance in these matters;
(f)
whether the Honourable Member proposes to institute an enquiry to find out whether these
rules are strictly observed by these officers in all cases; and
(g)in
view of the frequent and increasing complaints about arbitrary and unjust actions in these
matters by the authorities of the Government of India Presses, whether the Honourable
Member proposes to consider the advisability of constituting an independent committee with
powers mentioned in (e) above ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar:
(a) No.
(b)
No.
(c)
Yes. This was done in the normal course of sectional interchange which takes place every 3
months to allow each worker periods of easy and strenuous work. Three non-Muslim piece
compositors were also transferred along with the Muslims and 2 Muslim piece compositors
brought on to the Lino Section.
(d)
Yes. The post of Correction Checker being a selection post, the best man available was
selected on merit.
(e)Managers of the Government of India Presses are
empowered to appoint and promote men to certain classes of posts in accordance with the
rules laid down in the Departmental Handbook. They are not competent to declare any post
as selection post. (1) and
(g).
No specific irregularities of the nature mentioned above have so far occurred
necessitating the action suggested.
Mr.
H. A. Sathar H. Essak Sait : With reference to part (d) my Honourable friend admitted that
the claims of a Muslim were overlooked for certain reasons. Is he aware that the Muslim
whose claims were overlooked had worked for 22 years ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am prepared
to accept that from my Honourable friend, although I have no information.
Mr.
H. A. Sathar H. Essak Sait : Then he said that the answers to (a) and (b) were in the
negative. Will he lake it from me that with regard to (a) the appointments have been made
this year.
Tlie
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I must have
notice of that.
137
[f.4]
Trade Unions Supplied with Government Publications, etc.
35.
Mr. Muhammad Azhar Ali : Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state:
(a) the
names of the Trade Unions, both registered and unregistered, separately, whose objects are
not confined to one province ;
(b) the names of the Trade Unions, both registered
and unregistered, separately, who are supplied official publications free of cost;
(c)
the names of the Trade Unions, both registered and unregistered separately, who were
invited to take part in the Tripartite Labour Conference and Committees ; and
(d)
the reasons for the differential treatment, if any, in the subject matters referred to in
parts (b) and (c) ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar :
(a) A list of registered trade unions, whose objects are not confined to one province,
compiled from materials readily available is attached. Particulars regarding unregistered
trade unions are not available.
(b)
I presume the Honourable Member is referring only to unions whose objects are not confined
to one province.
Copies
of certain bulletins, annual reports, etc., have been furnished free of cost, on request,
to the two All-India Associations of workers, namely the All-India Trade Union Congress
and the Indian Federation of Labour. No official publication is supplied free of cost to
any individual trade union as such.
(c)
The constitution of the Tripartite Labour Conference and the Standing Labour Committee
provides for the nomination of workers' representatives in the following manner:
(i)
For the Labour Conference—
11
representatives of employees, of whom 4 will be nominated by Government in agreement with
the All-India Trade Union Congress, 4 will be nominated by Government in agreement with
the Indian Federation of Labour, and 3 will be nominated by Government as representatives
of other employees interests.
(ii)
For the Standing Labour Committee—
5
representatives of employees, 4 of whom will be nominated by the Labour Member in
agreement with the two All-India Associations of workers and the fifth nominated
independently by the Labour Member.
The
nominations to the Conference and the Committees have been in accordance with their
constitution and there has been no question of any differential treatment between
different unions.
(d)
It will be clear from the replies to (b) and (c) that no differential treatment has in
fact occurred.
Central
Trade Union registered in the various Provinces
Printing
Presses-1.
Government of India Press Workers Union.
Seamen—
2.
Indian Merchants Navy Officers Asssociation, Bombay.
Miscellaneous—
3.
The All-India Telegraph Line Staff Union, Lahore.
4.
The Indian Sugar Industry Employees Association, Lucknow.
5.
Indian Sugar Mills Association, Calcutta.
6.
Indian Jute Mills Association, Calcutta.
7.
Imperial Bank of India, Indian Staff Association, Calcutta.
8.
Central Council of Tobacco Manufacturing Workers Union.
9.
All-India Telegraph Workmen's Union, Lahore.
10.
The Indian Southern Provinces Sugar Marketing Board, Madras.
Railway
and Transport—
11.
N. W. Rly. Junior Clerks Association.
12.
Bengal Assam Rail Road Workers' Union.
13.
Assam Bengal Rly. Employees Association.
14.
E. I. Railway Employees Association, Calcutta.
15.
Bengal and Assam Railway Employees Association.
16.
B. N. R. Employees Union, Calcutta.
17.
B. N. Rly. Indian Labour Union, Kharagpur.
18.
N. W. Rly. Employees Union, Karachi.
19.
G. I. P. Railwaymen's Union, Bombay.
20.
G. 1. P. Railway Accounts Staff Union, Bombay.
21.
B. B. & C. I. Railway Employees Association, Ahmedabad.
22.
B. B. & C. 1. Railwaymen's Union, Bombay.
23.
National Union of Railwaymen of India & Burma, Bombay.
24.
B. B. & C. 1. Railway Employees Union, Bombay.
25.
G. 1. P. Railway Contractors & Licenced Coolies Union, Bhusawal.
26.
N. W. Railway Accounts Union, Lahore.
27.
N. W. Railway Union, Lahore.
28.
E. I. Railwaymen's Union, Lucknow.
29.
Railway Workers Association, Moradabad.
30.
E. 1. Railway Guards' Association, Lucknow.
31.
Railway Workmen's Union of India, Allahabad.
32.
B. N. Railwaymen's Association, Gorakhpur.
33.
E. B. Railway Workers' Union.
34.
Association of Accountants, E. 1. Railway.
35.
Association of Accountants, N. W. Railway, Lahore.
36.
All-India Railway Mechanical Workers' Federal Union, Lahore.
37.
Delhi Sonipat Bus Service Union, Sonipat.
38.
Ittehad Motor Union, Panipat.
39.
N. W. Railway Guards Association, Lahore.
40.
Federated Union of the N. W. Railway Workers, Lahore.
41.
Union of the E. 1. Railway Ticket Checking staff, Calcutta.
42.
E. 1. Railway Joint Hands Union, Hooghly.
43.
All-India Railwaymen's Union, Nagpur.
44.
United Union of N. W. R. Workers, Lahore.
45.
Delhi-Garmuktesar Motor Association.
46.
East Indian Railway Muslim Employees Association, Lucknow.
47.
S. S. Light Railway Employees Union, Saharanpur.
48.
B. N. W. Railway Workers Association, Gorakhpur.
49.
E. 1. Railway Workers Association, Calcutta.
50.
The Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway Employees' Union, Perambur, Madras.
51.
The South Indian Railway Labour Union, Golden Rock, Trichinopoly.
52.
The South Indian Railway Employees Association, Villupuram.
53.
The All-India Railwaymen's Federation, Mylapore, Madras.
138
[f.5]
Communal Composition in the Office of the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor
of Railway Labour
1.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury : Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to state
:
(a)
how many office clerks there are in the office of the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and
Supervisor of Railway Labour ;
(b)
how many Inspectors of Railway Labour have been appointed temporarily or permanently from
December, 1942, upto the second week of February, 1944; and
(c)
out of these appointments, how many were recruited from— (i) depressed classes, (ii)
caste Hindus, (iii) Muslims, and (iv) members of other communities ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: (a) Eleven including a Stenographer.
(b) Five
temporary Inspectors only have been appointed from December, 1942, upto January, 1944.
(c)
(i) Three. (ii) and (iv) None. (iii) Two.
139
[f.6]
Muslim Inspectors of Railway Labour
2.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state
the number of persons who served temporarily as Inspectors of Railway Labour and who were
trained hands at the time of the first appointment of Mr. Jadhav, Conciliation Officer
(Railways) ?
(b) How many of these Inspectors were Muslims, and
how many of the Muslims who had served temporarily as Inspectors were given chance of
appointment to permanent or quasi-permanent vacancies ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar:
(a) Two.
(b)
Both were Muslims. One has secured appointment elsewhere and the other at present
officiating as an Inspector of Railway Labour.
140
[f.7]
Depressed Class Appointments of Inspectors of Railway Labour
3.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury :
(a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please stale if it is true that five Inspectors
of Railway Labour posted respectively at Dacca, Tatanagar, Ajmer, Asansol and Jalpainguri
went on deputation to the Central Civil Supplies Department or as Civilian Labour Welfare
Officers, in the military Department ?
(b)
Is it true that all these five long standing officiating vacancies which will continue up
to the duration of the War, were filled up by five depressed class Hindu Inspectors who
have been appointed arbitrarily by the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of
Railway Labour, superseding the claims of two Muslims who have served temporarily for more
than six months and who are trained hands ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar :
(a) Yes, but all deputations were not to the Civil Supplies Department or as Civilian
Labour Welfare Officers.
(b)
No, as will be clear from the reply to part (c) of question No. I of .the same member.
141
[f.8]Depressed
Class Appointments of Inspectors of Railway Labour
4.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury: Will the Honourable the Labour Member please stale if it
is a fact that five long standing officiating vacancies of Inspectors of Railways Labour
occurred because of the deputation of two Muslims, viz., Mr. A. Hamid and Mr. A. Karim,
one Sikh, Mr. T. Singh, and two caste Hindus ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar :
It is true that the vacancies arose because of the deputations.
142
[f.9]
Depressed Class Appointments of Inspectors of Railway Labour
5.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury: Will the
Honourable the Labour Member please state if it is a fact that five depressed class
appointments of Inspectors of Railway Labour were made without any advertisement and
without selection by the Selection Board ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar :
No. Only three Scheduled Class candidates were appointed. Recruitment was not made by
advertisement or by a Selection Board.
143
[f.10]
Depressed Class Appointments of Inspectors of Railway Labour
6.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury :
(a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state if the Conciliation Officer
(Railways) and Supervisor of Railway Labour was justified in appointment of all the five
new depressed class Inspectors without any selection ? Are they from amongst relatives of
his own province of Bombay ?
(b)
Was the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of Railway Labour justified in
appointing his relations and his own community people as clerks and Inspectors ? Is the
Honourable Member aware that there were qualified depressed class candidates from other
provinces also ?
(c) Why did not consider the claims of those who
once served creditably in officiating vacancies as Inspectors ?
(d)
Why did the Supervisor of Railway Labour appoint Inspectors without consulting the
Selection Board ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar :
(a), (c) and (d). I would refer to my reply to the previous question. The candidates
appointed are not related to the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of Railway
Labour.
(b)
I have given the information relating to Inspectors. As regards clerks out of eleven only
one belongs to the Scheduled Caste whom the present Conciliation Officer (Railways) has
appointed.
144
[f.11]Depressed
Class Appointments of Inspectors of Railway Labour
7.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury: Is the Honourable Member for Labour prepared to consider
the desirability of filling up the five vacancies of Inspectors of Railway Labour by
forming a Selection Board so that the legitimate claims of all communities may not be
jeopardised ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The question of filling of vacancies in the grade of
Inspectors is under examination of Government.
145
[f.12]Bengalee
Inspectors in the Office of the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of Railway
Labour
8.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour please state
how many Bengalee Inspectors there are in the office of the Conciliation Officer
(Railways) and Supervisor of Railway Labour ? If there is only one Bengalee, why are not
more Bengalees appointed ?
(b)
Is it not a fact that there are sufficient number of qualified Bengalees, both amongst
Hindus and Muslims, who are awaiting chances ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar :
(a) Two. (b) There may be sufficient and suitable Bengalees available for appointment but
the presumption behind the question that the appointments are made with any reference to
the province of a candidate is not correct.
146
[f.13]Qualifications
of Mr. D. G. Jadhav, Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of Railway Labour
9.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member state if it is
true that Mr. D. G. Jadhav is at present the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and
Supervisor of Railway Labour, Government of India ? If so, what are his qualifications ?
Was he in Government service or in Railway service before ?
(b)
Will the Honourable Member please state if it is a fact that Mr. Adur Rahman Puri, the
Head Clerk of the Office of the Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of Railway
Labour has been degraded to the post of an Inspector ? If so, what are the reasons ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes. Mr. D.
G. Jadhav at present holds the post. Mr. Jadhav was an elected member of the Bombay
Legislative Assembly prior to his present appointment. Besides being an elected member of
the Backward Class Board, Bombay, he had served on many Select Committees, Development
Boards, Advisory Committees and was an arbitrator of Co-operative Societies in the
District of East Khandesh. He is a B.A., L.L.B., having graduated in 1934 and taken his
law degree in 1940. He has not been in Government or Railway Service before.
(b) The Honourable Member is presumably referring
to Mr. Abdul Hamid Puri. He is reverted to his substantive post of an Inspector on expiry
of his tenure of appointment as Head Clerk.
147
[f.14]
Conciliation Officers (Railways) and Supervisors of Railway Labour
10.
Mr. Muhammad Hussain Choudhury : (a) Will the Honourable Member for Labour be pleased to
slate who were the Conciliation Officers (Railways) and Supervisors of Railway Labour
since its creation ?
(b)
Does he consider it desirable to post an I.C.S. Officer or otherwise an experienced
officer as Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of Railway Labour ?
The
Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar :
(a) The combined post of Conciliation Officer (Railways) and Supervisor of Railway Labour
was held only by Mr. Khaleeli, I.C.S., before Mr. Jhadev was appointed to it.
(b)
I do not consider it necessary that the post should be held only by an I.C.S. Officer or
some other person who has had experience as an Officer of Government.
148
[f.15]
Output, etc. of Coal in British India and the States
19.
Mr. K. C. Neogy : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state:
(a)
the output of coal in British India and in the States, separately, for the years 1941,
1942 and 1943 ;