L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 567
(c) The raising of Civil Pioneer Force Units under Ordinance No. X of 1942 was entrusted to Provincial Governments who therefore become responsible for deciding on the composition of their respective units.
(d) The Government of India addressed all Provincial Governments regarding the percentage of Scheduled castes to be recruited in future and directing that the percentage both of officers and men should be up to the percentage of Scheduled castes in the province and that where this percentage had not been previously met it should be made up in recruitment to subsequent units.
Mr. N. M. Joshi : May I ask what is the function of this Civil Pioneer Force ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : The function of the Civil Pioneer Force is more or less analogous to that of the Fire Brigade. When there is an air raid and property is destroyed, the Civil Pioneer Force will come into operation and do rescue work.
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*** Prescribed Government Conditions** for Contractors as regards Payment of Wages, etc., to their Employees
Rao Bahadur N. Sivaraj : Will the Honourable the Labour Member please state if he is aware that in Western Countries conditions have been prescribed to be observed by the contractors in the matter of wages and benefits to their employees ; if so, whether the Government of India have prescribed any such conditions for the contractors in India ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes. In certain western countries contracts require that contractors should observe certain labour conditions in respect of such matters as hours of work, wages and conditions generally. The Government of India have prescribed in the case of Central Public Works Department contracts that the
- Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1942, 22nd September 1942, p. 386.