L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 851
272
*** Abolition of Distinction between Orthodox and** Un-Orthodox Quarters
451. Mr. H. A. Sathar H. Essak Sait : Will the Honourable the Labour Member be pleased to state :
(a) the reasons that led to the decision to abolish the distinction between “orthodox” and “un-orthodox” types of quarters as stated in the Labour Department Memorandum, dated the 25th January, 1945; and
(b) the effect of this decision on (i) the present occupants of such quarters and (ii) those who qualify for these quarters in the future ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) According to the allotment rules hithertho in force, applicants for accommodation had to apply either for the orthodox or the un-orthodox type of quarters and those who applied for one type of quarters were considered ineligible for the other type. In view of the present shortage of accommodation, the above rules very often worked to the disadvantage of the officers eligible for these types of accommodation, and produced the anomalous result that if an applicant failed to secure accommodation in the type he had applied for, he was obliged to go without any accommodation at all, even though he might have secured accommodation in the other type, had he applied specifically for that type.
Further, the maintenance of the distinction between the two types of quarters entailed extra work in the Estate Office in as much as the allotment of the two types of quarters had to be kept separate. Besides, it was also felt that the maintenance of the distinction between orthodox and un-orthodox quarters and their allotment on the basis of the orthodoxy or otherwise had become out of date.
(b) (i) None.
(ii) The decision of 25th January 1945 has since been slightly modified on 15lh February 1945. Those who are eligible for the particular category of ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’ type of accommodation will be eligible to apply for both types of quarters.
- Legislative Assembly Debates (Central), Vol. I of 1945, 21st February 1945, p. 618.