L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 591
(d) What steps are Government taking so that the industry may be able to dispose of its stocks of qualities not purchased by the Joint Mica Mission ?
(e) Are Government prepared to permit the export of Mica by private firms to the United States of America and other Allied countries ? If not, why not ?
(f) Are Government aware that since the Joint Mica Mission is controlling the purchase and export of Mica, the production of loose Mica splittings has considerably decreased and several thousands of workers have been thrown out of employment due to the closing of numerous factories and home splitting centres ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The Joint Mica Mission has not assumed control of export of mica from this country. It has, however, undertaken to purchase all mica offered to it which is of merchantable quality and which is trimmed and graded to the usual recognised trade standards.
(b) Government have no reason to suppose that the Mission is not implementing the undertaking.
(c) The Mission is only purchasing scheduled qualities of mica ; no other qualities are merchantable among the United Nations. Such qualities can however be exported to neutral countries provided they do not conflict with any general orders issued by Government. The Mission never refuses to purchase schdeuled qualities of mica provided they arc up to the Mission’s standards. The Government of India are not aware that there arc any large stocks of scheduled qualities of mica remaining unsold.
(d) Qualities of mica not purchased by the Joint Mica Mission are not merchantable in the United Nations. Government are accordingly not taking steps to assist the industry to dispose of such stocks. In the unlikely event of such stocks being merchantable in neutral countries, Government have no objection to the issue of licences for the export of such stocks provided they do not conflict with any general orders issued by Government.
(e) Export of mica by private firms is not prohibited. The United Nations will however not import mica by private firms but will only import mica purchased by the Joint Mica Mission. The United Nations require all merchantable mica which the mica industry in India can