1070 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
(b) What steps are being taken to obtain adequate quantities and build up reserves of copper, silver, nickel, platinum, tin, mercury, graphite and potash;
(c) what steps are also being taken to develop and exploit hydraulic (electrical) power resources in all those Provinces which do not have coal mines within easy reach, so as to develop local industries;
(d) whether any steps are being taken to draw power from wind through wind mills and to popularise the use of wind mills ; and
(e) whether Dr. Krishnan’s suggestion of establishing “well-equipped laboratories” to “assess the quality and quantity of the various minerals” and also his suggestion that locally available minerals shall be utilised in preference to imports will be fully studied ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes.
(b) During the war Government had a proposal under consideration to build up in India a strategic stock of certain important minerals and related substances; but it did not materialise. Government are considering a revision of its mineral policy and due attention will in that connection be paid to these minerals which are in short supply in India.
(c) Generally speaking steps are being taken by Provincial and State Governments to develop and exploit Hydro-Electric Power Resources to the maximum extent of technical manpower at present available for such investigations. Central Technical Power Board is already assisting in certain cases subject to limit of its present strength in manpower and will do more when adequate technical staff is procured. Government of India are fully aware of the necessity for far greater measure of HydroElectric System development throughout the country than is at present being undertaken, particularly in areas which are remote from major coal deposits, but they consider that this cannot be achieved without a far greater body of experienced technical personnel than at present exists and to this end are doing their utmost to recruit Specialists Technical personnel on contract.
(d) No special steps are being taken by Government of India to draw power from wind or to popularise use of Wind Mills at present. Government is advised that such installations, while useful in selected