L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 699
134
- Drop in the Output of Coal
- K. C. Neogy : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to refer to his statement in reply to starred question No. 349, asked by me in the Legislative Assembly on the 20th March, 1943, to the effect that the drop in the production of coal was so slight that no detailed enquiry had been held into its cause, and state whether it is a fact that there has been a considerable drop in the output of coal both in British India and in the Indian States since January last ?
(b) If the answer to (a) be in the affirmative, is the Honourable Member in a position to indicate the extent of such drop, month by month, ever since it was noticed ?
(c) Was any warning given about the threatened coal shortage by any trade organisation or any individual member of the trade to the knowledge of Government ? If so, when did such warning come to the knowledge of Government for the first time, and what steps, if any, were taken thereupon ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Compared with the corresponding month of last year, the output of coal in British India and Indian States has shown a decrease during
- During the first 5 months of the year the drop was slight; but from June onwards it has become more considerable.
(b) 1940 was the peak year for coal production. Since then production has fallen slightly year by year. The fall assumed serious proportion from June 1943. Compared with the corresponding months of 1942, the output in June, July and August of this year fell by about 353,000 tons each month, while September showed a decrease of 299,000 tons.
(c) A warning was given by an individual member of the trade in August 1943. Government were already well aware of the situation by that time and were actively considering remedial measures. The following are some of the principal steps that have been taken to improve the situation.
- Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1943, 17th November 1943, pp. 421-22.