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CHAPTER XIV, 
is no less great. In more than one centre in India we have seen the 
attempts being made by voluntary organisations, such as the Red Cross 
Society in Calcutta, to provide training for health visitors, and these 
pioneer efforts have demonstrated the possibility of obtaining suitable 
women for work of this kind. It may not always be necessary for Gov- 
ernments to open their own training schools, although this has been done 
in two provinces, but we think that the time has come when the training 
should be standardised by instituting a Government diploma which 
should be the recognised qualification required of all women aspiring 
to such posts. 
In a number of municipal areas and in certain industrial con- 
cerns a beginning has been made in the development of child welfare 
work, and instances came to our notice which enable us to appreciate 
the results to be achieved by women working almost single-handed. We 
have also seen excellent work in progress in centres organised by the 
more progressive employers, those of the Cawnpore Woollen Mills, 
the Empress Mills in Nagpur and a few of the jute mills deserving of 
special mention. But these efforts are unfortunately isolated and few 
in number and, more often than not, they have failed to develop along 
proper lines because neither trained health visitors nor medical supervi- 
sion by a woman doctor were available. Both are essential if welfare 
work of this nature is to succeed. For the larger cotton and jute indus- 
trial areas we commend the suggestion made to us that a group of mills or 
factories should combine to form a scheme in which each mill has its own 
welfare centre and health visitor, medical supervision and control being 
carried out by a woman doctor paid for by the group. Where single units 
are of great size, asin the jute industry, the management may prefer to 
have the full-time services of a woman doctor. This has been done by 
the Angus Jute Mill Company with great advantage in connection with 
both medical and welfare work. We have already recommended the 
appointment of a woman Assistant Director of Public Health in certain 
provinces for the organisation, co-ordination and supervision of all forms 
of welfare work among women and children undertaken by public autho- 
rity. Her advice should also be at the disposal of employers desiring 
to initiate and develop welfare schemes for their women employees. 
We suggest that, as in the case of medical facilities, it should be possible, 
at least in the larger industrial areas, for Government, local authorities 
and industrial managements to co-operate in the development of child 
welfare centres and women’s clinics. In some cases the employers might 
prefer to carry out their own schemes, but in each area the co-operation 
we have suggested should make it possible for municipal councils, in 
developing their own welfare schemes, to take cognisance of employers’ 
efforts and so plan their organisations as gradually to meet the 
needs of the whole community. For approved schemes, financial aid 
in the form of percentage grants should be given by Government. 
Acceptance of grants would imply inspection and supervision and 
the maintenance of a reasonable standard of efficiency, while the financial 
help would supply the impetus to progressive advance which is at present 
30 generally lacking.