Report of the Royal Commission on Labour in India

Bibliographic data

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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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter V. - Working conditions in factories

Collection:: Economics Books

56 CHAPTER V. have been more extensively introduced than elsewhere, and their compara- tive success is probably due in great part to the fact that the woman factory inspector employed there has devoted special attention to their provision and inspection, and to the education of the women workers in their use. The Government of India, women doctors and representatives of women’s associations all stressed the importance of the provision of creches where an appreciable number of women are employed, and the bulk of employers, although preferring voluntary to compulsory schemes, also favoured their inauguration. We recommend that creches should be provided in all places where women are employed in considerable numbers, and we would make the obligation a statutory one in all factories employing not less than 250 women. Children up to the age of 6 years should be admitted to such creches because, under present conditions, it is difficult to prohibit the presence in factories of those between 6 and 12 years when younger children and infants are admitted. This statutory requirement could be embodied in the Factories Act, power also being given to Governments to require the establishment of creches in places employing fewer women than 250 where, in their opinion, the circumstances warranted it. The organisation and inspec- tion of factory creches should be one of the duties of the women factory inspectors whose appointment in the industrial provinces we have recommended elsewhere. The creches might with advantage be linked up with the women’s and children’s welfare centres referred to in the chapter dealing with the health and welfare of the industrial worker, but this is a matter which could best be arranged by employers themselves. Refreshment Sheds and Canteens. Some employers provide lunch sheds and the practice might be adopted more generally. Where there are good trees in the factory compound, these provide a more pleasant place for a meal than a shed, but many compounds are treeless and, in any event, a shelter is needed in wet weather. In many mills we were struck by the lack of suitable places for this purpose and the number of operatives to be seen taking meals in all kinds of uncomfortable places. Caste creates an additional complication, but this is by no means insurmountable, as has been proved in a number of cases. The provision of some shelter where rest and refreshment can be taken is in many cases necessary and, moreover, would be generally appreciated by the workers. Similarly the provision of canteens might be considerd in the case of the larger factories. These need not be elaborate in structure or equipment, and should not involve any very heavy initial outlay. In the course of our tours we came across several successful experiments in this direction. In one instance a Brahmin cook had been installed in a kitchen attached to a factory mainly employing skilled and semi-skilled workers, and the stimulus given by the management to the taking of substantial refreshment in the mid-day break was stated to have contributed to the well-being of the workers and to have had an encouraging effect on output. Similarly in one or two cotton mills in different parts of India small canteens for the supply of light refreshments and drinks, both hot and cold. had been installed for

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