568 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
contractor should pay his labourers not less than the wages paid for similar work in the neighbourhood.
Rao Bahadur N. Sivaraj : What steps, if any, are taken by the Government to enforce this clause in the contract ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I cannot say offhand, but I will make inquiries and let the Honourable Member know..
Mr. N. M. Joshi : May I ask whether this condition about fair conditions to be given by contractors applies to the other Departments of the Government of India such as the contractors of the Supply Department ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : If my Honourable friend will give me notice I will make inquiries.
Mr. N. M. Joshi : The question was about contractors taking Government contracts, not only the Public Works Department. The Honourable Member only answered for the Public Works Department. He should have answered for the Government of India.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : That question should be addressed to the Supply Department.
Mr. N. M. Joshi : May I ask whether there is a central Government of India or only a Government of India divided into ten or eleven of twelve members ?
Mr. President (The Honourable Sir Abdur Rahim): The Honourable Member knows that questions have to be addressed to the Departments concerned.
7
*** Bevin Boys Selected from India for Training** in the United Kingdom
Dr. Sir Ziauddin Ahmad : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state what is the total number of Bevin Boys selected by the Government of India for training in the United Kingdom ? In how many batches were they sent ? How many of those were (i) Muslims, (ii) persons belonging to scheduled caste, in each
- Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. III of 1942, 23rd September 1942, pp. 455-56.