L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 979
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*** Loss to Junior Copyholders in Government** Press, New Delhi
- Maulana Zafar Ali Khan : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member kindly state whether it is a fact that in the Government of India Press, New Delhi many Junior Readers are sustaining a loss of Rs. 10 or Rs. 5 per month in their promotion from the post of a Copyholder to that of a Junior Reader, and that the rate of increment too is Rs. 5 per annum in the case of Copyholders whereas Rs. 3 only for Junior Readers ?
(b) What steps do Government propose to take to compensate them for their monetary loss and redress the anomaly in the existing rates of pay of a Copyholder and a Junior Reader ?
(c) Is it also a fact that the arrears of the unified scale of pay to Copyholders sanctioned in the month of July, 1945, still remain unpaid, in spite of there being several representations in person ?
(d) What are the reasons therefor, and do Government propose to give any compensation for such delay under the Payment of Wages Act ? If not, why not ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar: (a) Yes, in the case of those Copyholders who chose the unified scale of pay and were later promoted as Junior Readers.
(b) The question is under consideration.
(c) Yes.
(d) Although issued in July 1945 the orders had retrospective effect from September 1st 1944. Time had to be allowed to the employees concerned to elect for the unified scale. Then the pay of those who chose the scale had to be fixed allowing each the benefit of past service to the extent of three years. The accounts authorities are pre-auditing the bills. Payment will be made shortly. The reply to the latter portion of the question is in the negative.
- Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. Ill of 1946, 6th March 1946, p. 1952.