798 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
(f) What is the wage earned by women underground, and how does it compare with the earnings of women employed in other trades ?
(g) What steps have Government taken to safeguard the health and morale of women underground in coal mines ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Yes.
(b) Yes.
(c) August 1943 in the case of coalfields in Central Provinces and Berar, November 1943 in the case of Bengal and Bihar and December 1943 in the case of Orissa. Owing to severe shortage of male labour in these coalfields.
(d) The Government are most anxious to re-impose the ban as soon as the production of coal reaches a figure which makes possible such re-imposition.
(e) An accurate figure of the total number of women employed underground cannot be given as this figure varies from day to day. It is however estimated that about 16,000 women are at present employed underground in all coal mines in Bengal, Bihar, Central Provinces and Orissa.
(f) Women employed underground are entitled to the same wages as men on similar work. The wages of women employed underground vary from annas 0-12-0 to annas 0-15-0 a day exclusive of the free rice concession. Up-to-date information in respect of wages of women in other trades is not readily available.
(g) Women are not allowed to be employed underground in galleries which are less than 5 [1] / 2 feet in height. They are also entitled to the benefits of the Mines Maternity Benefit Act,
- For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of this Act and rules made thereunder, three Inspectors have been appointed. In addition, three Welfare Officers have also been appointed and a Lady Welfare Officer for mines is being appointed.
Mr. Manu Subedar : Has the Honourable Member seen the report in the United Kingdom about women in coal mines in which it is stated that no woman should work with any clothing above the waist-line ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Yes.
Mr. Manu Subedar : In view of this fact that neither in the United Kingdom nor in the United Slates of America, nor in any country in