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* Mica Industry to be placed on a Sound and Stable Footing
“The Government of India is prepared to do its best to put this industry on a sound and stable footing,” observed the Hon’ble Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, Labour Member, addressing a Mica Conference between representatives of the Government of India, the Bihar Government, trade associations and spokesmen of mica labour, held at Kodarma (Bihar) on April 29.
The Bihar Government was represented, among others, by Mr. E. C. Ansorge, Adviser ; Mr. J. S. Wilcock, Secretary, Revenue Department; and Mr. M. Z. Khan, Deputy Commissioner, Hazaribagh district. Mr. D. L. Mazumdar, Joint Secretary, Labour Department, Dr. E. L. G. Clegg. Director, Geological Survey of India, and Mr. J. T. K. Crosfield, Supervisory Field Officer of the Geological Survey, represented the Central Government.
“The Government of India,” said Dr. Ambedkar, “realised that after the war, India might not retain its monopoly in mica to the same degree as today.” He indicated that, with a view to placing the industry on a stable and permanent footing, the Government proposed to set up an Inquiry Committee which would deal both with the immediate and ultimate problems of the mica industry.
The Committee’s terms of reference would be ; Working of the Mica Control Order, both in regard to war production and the effect of the Order on long-term policy, and the review of any orders that may have been passed by the Government in connection with that order; the present system of marketing— both inland and abroad ; standardisation of quality ; the extent to which alternative sources of supply may have jeopardised or are likely to jeopardise the position of this country as
- Indian Information, May 15, 1944, pp. 533-35.