894 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES
ENTRY 64-A
*The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, with regard to the amendment to have a new entry 64A. I may say that this matter was placed before the Premiers’ Conference and the Premiers’ Conference did not agree to the proposal.
With regard to the question of distribution of food, we have provided in article 206, that for a period of live years, the Centre may have control over the distribution of food.
With regard to the second amendment, namely, the introduction of the new entry 64B...
Mr. President : That has not been moved.
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : Sir, I cannot accept the amendment moved.
Mr. President : I shall put the amendment to vote. The question is :
“That after entry 64 of List I, the following new entry be added :—
‘64-A, Co-ordination of the development of agriculture including animal husbandry, forestry and fisheries and the supply and distribution of food.’ “
(The amendment was negatived.)
† The Honourble Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : With regard to the first part of the amendment, there is the proposal of the Drafting Committee to put this matter in the Concurrent List, and if my Friend Prof. Saksena were to examine the Concurrent List, he will find that there is an entry corresponding to entry 64B, (a) in entry 35A of the concurrent List.
With regard to (b) it is a matter of controversy and the Drafting Committee has not yet come to any conclusion on the question. The Drafting Committee feels that (a) is a perfectly logical consequence of the power which we have already given to Parliament to declare certain industries of national importance. If Parliament has the power to declare certain industries to be of national importance, then Parliament should also have the power to regulate the goods and the products of such industries. But (b) is about goods of industries other than those declared by Parliament to be of national importance. As I said, that is a matter of some controversy and the Drafting Committee has not come to any conclusion. I suggest Prof. Saksena may allow the matter to stand over till we reach entry 35 in the Concurrent List.
Prof. Shibban Lal Saksena : I have no objection to waiting.
Mr. President : Then it is held over.
*CAD, Vol. IX, 31st August 1949, pp. 809-810.
† Ibid., p. 811.