L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 801
Dr. G. V. Deshmukh : Besides the statutory provision, do Government know of any arrangement that should be made to safeguard the welfare of these pregnant women and children ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : I am sure the Honourable Member will allow me to say that intelligence is not the monopoly of himself ?
Dr. G. V. Deshmukh : Neither is it the monopoly of the Government.
229
*** Shortage of Labour in Coal Mines**
- Mr. Manu Subedar : (a) Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state if it is a fact that shortage of labour in coal mines was due to higher wages offered by Army contractors for the construction of aerodromes, etc. ?
(b) What were the wages in coal mines before the war, and what have been the wages during each of the five years of the war ?
(c) Is it true that the falling off in the output of coal mines was due to the reluctance of coal mine-owners to pay proper wages, having regard to the rise in the cost of living ?
(d) What steps have Government taken to deal with the situation created by (i) shortage of labour, and (ii) shortage of coal ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) Employment of labour at higher rates by Army contractors was a contributory cause of the shortage of labour in collieries;
(b) A statement@ is laid on the Table of the House.
(c) It is a fact that wages of colliery labour were not for long sufficiently adjusted to meet the increased cost of living. This was one factor in the falling off of the supply of labour.
(d) I invite the attention of the Honourable Member to the replies given in the Legislative Assembly by the Honourable Member for Supply to parts (a), (b), (d), (e) and (f) of Mr. Neogy’s starred question No. 17. This describes the various steps taken by Government to deal
- Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. IV of 1944, 10th November 1944, p. 561.
@ Statement not included here. —Ed.