130
DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
children, where there were no common schools in the vicinity or where common schools were closed to them.
Next comes the welfare activities of the Sangh. The medical aid which the Sangh undertakes to render to the Untouchables falls under this head. This is done by itinerant workers of the Sangh who go in Harijan quarters to give medical aid to the sick and ailing among the Untouchables. The Sangh also maintains a few dispensaries for the use of the Untouchables. This is a very small activity of the Sangh.
The more important part of the welfare activity of the Sangh relates to water supply. The Sangh does this by
(1) sinking new wells or installing tube wells and pumps for the use of the Untouchables; (2) repairing old ones; and
(3) persuading Local Governments and Bodies to sink and repair wells for the Untouchables.
The third line of activity undertaken by the Sangh is economic. The Sangh seems to run a few industrial schools and it is claimed that the industrial schools run by the Sangh produced a number of trained artisans who have taken to independent living. But according to the reports, more successful and substantial work was done by way of organizing and supervising co-operative societies among the Untouchables.
II
From this summary of its activities an impression may be created that the Sangh must be spending quite a lot of money on the welfare of the Untouchables. What are the facts? It will be recalled that the normal amount of money which the Sangh expected to be able to spend on the uplift work among the Untouchables was to be about Rs. 6,00,000 per year. How much has the Sangh been actually spending ? The Secretary of the Sangh in his Report issued in May
1941 says [1] :—
“During the course of the last 8 years the various branches and the central office of the Sangh have spent approximately Rs. 24,25,700 and Rs. 3,41,607 respectively, on the Harijan work. Looking to the needs of the problem, this sum of Rs. 27,67,307 is too insignificant an amount.”
- Report, p. 58.