Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

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Monograph

Identifikator:: 1850495947

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-233603

Document type:: Monograph

Title:: Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Place of publication:: London

Publisher:: His Majesty's Stationery Off.

Year of publication:: 1931

Scope:: xviii, 580 S.; graph. Darst., Kt.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter XV. - Housing of the industrial worker

Collection:: Economics Books

HOUSING OF THE INDUSTRIAL WORKER. 285: colonies somewhere in the vicinity of established towns, so that Shere may be opportunity of contact with others living in a differ- ent environment and in different spheres of life. When a community, employed almost wholly in one industry, such as those at Khargpur and at Jamshedpur, is segregated far from other communities and cut off from outside interests, an introspective attitude gradually forces itself upon the residents and a warped outlook on life tends to develop. As a result, these isolated communities only too often become active foci of discontent and disruption, even where general conditions of life are of a higher standard than those to which the members of the com- munity have been accustomed. This psychological factor should be taken into consideration in planning for future developments of this kind. Local Self-Government. The creation and development of industrial enterprises has in some cases necessitated the leasing of extensive areas by employers and the provision of services, such as water, sanitation, housing, roads, lighting, etc., which under normal conditions are usually provided by local author- ities. In some of these industrial areas there is a large resident population, at Jamshedpur for example itis well over 100,000. So farno attempt has been made to institute a system of local self-government such as obtains in other parts of India. In the notified area a committee has been constituted of representatives of the two large industrial companies owning the works situated in the area, but the resident population is not required to pay taxes in respect of the services provided. At the Khargpur Railway Colony on the Bengal Nagpur Railway and at Golden Rock on the South Indian Railway, the administrations have provided for the establishment of colony committees acting in an advisory capacity. These committees are composed of persons of whom some are nominated by the adminis- bration and others elected by the resident population. At Khargpur the colony committee levies a conservancy cess upon the residents. The principle of local self-government has been accepted in India, and we believe that in these special areas developments in this direction are required as a means of developing a sense of responsibility amongst the Inhabitants. We recognise that, where the employer bears the full cost of providing services essential to the well-being of any community, the facts of the case demand that an effective limit to the powers of any 8uthority administering such area should be provided. We recommend that Government should give continued consideration to the problems treated in these special areas with a view to devising a system whereby the principles of Jocal self-government may be applied. Responsibility of Municipal Councils. One fact which stands out from the outline we have given is that bhe action taken by the parties concerned—employers, Government and local bodies—is in inverse ratio to their responsibility. Employers have done most; municipal councils least. The latter are primarily responsible for the health of their citizens, and that responsibility cannot

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