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HT This Day: April 1, 1947 -- Bill to establish Indian Salt Board introduced in Central Assembly
The Assembly agreed to the Finance Minister’s motion to refer to a Select Committee the Bill for continuance on control over capital issues for the next five years
New Delhi: A Bill to establish an Indian Salt Board in order to control the production and distribution a salt was introduced in the Central Assembly today by the Finance Minister, Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan. Special provision has been made in it honouring the Gandhi-Irwin Pact for manufacture of salt by individuals for their own purposes and for local sale.
The Assembly agreed to the Finance Minister’s motion to refer to a Select Committee the Bill for continuance on control over capital issues for the next five years. The Finance Minister hoped the Bill would be passed this session.
The various delegations to the Asian Relations Conference visit the Assembly daily in turn. Today the delegates from Ceylon, Siam and China were among the visitors and they appeared to be impressed with the dignity and decorum with which the proceedings are conducted in the premier legislative House of India.
An important declaration was made during the question-hour when the Industries Minister Mr C. Rajagopalachari announced that the Government would start production of steel and were in consultation with provincial Governments on the subject. He added that the Government’s own plans for steel production would take priority over those of private concerns.
Mr Nauman of the Muslim League asked for leave to move adjournment of the House to discuss the Delhi administration’s alleged discrimination against the “Muslim” Press regarding publication of reports of communal disturbances.
The Home Minister, Sardar Patel, pointed out that the Dawn was not the only paper which had been warned. Similar warnings had also been given to the National Call and Anjam. Further, objection had been taken to writings in the Statesman, the National Call, the Hindustan Times and Dawn.
This matter had been referred to the Central Press Advisory Committee and its reports received yesterday was now under consideration. He said that if action was taken it would be taken against all the papers mentioned or against none at all.
The Home Minister emphatically asserted that the Delhi administration had shown lattitude to the Press to the extent that no provincial Government had shown. If the move thought public interest would be served by a debate on such trifling matters, he (the Home Minister) would have no objection. The Pres dent held the motion out of order it was defective in substance.
Censure motion ruled out
Mr. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar asked for leave to move an adjournment motion censuring the Government for appointing Mr Turner a Principal Finance Secretary in preference to an Indian.
Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan said he would not object to the motion and maintained that the appointment we made on considerations of seniority and merit. Mr Ayyangar contesting this recalled how when a similar motion was put forward in the House on a former occasion the then Finance Member said that the claim of an Indian official, Mr Narahan Rao would not be ignored.
The president ruled out the motion as being inadmissible as it concerned an individual. The comment in the lobby was that Mr Turner he been used twice to defeat Indianization. When an Indian was due to be appointed Financial Commissioner of Railways, Mr Turner was shunted off to the railways to prevent to appointment of an Indian. And now Mr Turner has been brought back to the Finance Department to prevent the appointment of an Indian who is already holding the post of the Finance Secretary.
The Finance Minister moved that the time for presentation of report on the Investigation Commission Bill be extended until April 3. Mr P. J. Griffiths staged ‘formal’ opposition to the Bill being delayed but Mr Yami Khan, Professor Ranga and Dr Ziauddin Ahmed opposed the European leader’s view. The motion was agreed to.
The following is the statement of objects and reasons attached to the Bill relating to salt introduced by the Finance Minister in the Assembly today:
With the withdrawal of the duty on salt, whether produced in, or imported into India, it has become necessary to revise the law relating to salt. At the same time, as explained in my Budget speech, it is desired that Government’s interest in salt which has hitherto been largely confined to the collection of duty should hereafter be positive and should be directed towards developing India’s salt resources to the utmost and to the full satisfaction of her needs of salt for domestic, agricultural and industrial purposes.
The Bill proposes to amend the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944 (Act I of 1944) so as to provide for continuance of Government production of salt and of control over organized manufacture and for extension of control to distribution and importation and also to wholesale and retail sale, in so far as may be necessary to ensure that the benefits of the new form of administration are passed on to the consumer. The control will be entrusted to an expert body to be called the Indian Salt Board.
Special provision is made for manufacture by individuals for their own purposes and for local sale.
The provisions relating to the formation of the Board and its conduct of business are similar to those designed to be applied to Electricity Boards under the Electric (Supply) Bill 1946.
The Salt Board will be linked with the Central Board of Revenue firstly because the present salt administration forms part of the Central revenue organization, secondly because other field work in this connection can be more economically performed by the Central Excise staff which is distributed throughout British India than by a separate establishment created for the purpose and thirdly because any profits which the Board may make will be made over to the Central Revenues.
The Notes on Clauses briefly explain the main provisions of the Bill.
