HOW INSENSETIVE IS THE DEBATES ON HUMAN PROBLEMS IN LOK SHABHA JUST AFTER MUMBAI KILLING OF INNOCENT BY KASAB

LOK SABHA  SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES  (Proceedings other than Questions & Answers)  Friday, December 19, 2008 / Agrahayana 28, 1930 (Saka)  

RESIGNATION BY MEMBERS

MR. SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that I have received a letter dated 17^th December, 2008 from Prof. Vijay Kumar Malhotra, an elected Member from South Delhi Parliamentary Constituency of Delhi and a letter dated 18^th December, 2008 from Shri Sartaj Singh Chhatwal, an elected Member from Hoshangabad Parliamentary Constituency of Madhya Pradesh, resigning from the membership of Lok Sabha.

I have accepted their resignations with effect from 18^th December, 2008.

SUBMISSION BY MEMBERS

(i)                Re: Non-reduction in prices of diesel and cooking gas commensurate with fall in crude oil prices in International Market.

THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE) responding to the point raised by hon’ble Members, said: Before the House got adjourned, the hon. Members raised this issue. We are alive to this problem. We will look into it and we will come back to the House as soon as a decision is taken.

(ii) Re: Situation arising out of reported statement of a Cabinet Minister on the killing of Mumbai ATS chief in terrorist attack in Mumbai on 26.11.2008.

THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE) responding to the issue raised by the hon’ble Members, said: I said that the House is meeting for a couple of days; before the House adjourns, I would come and explain the Government’s position. I am reiterating that.

DEMANDS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY GRANTS (GENERAL) - 2008-09

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL):  This is the second batch of the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2008-09 includes 13 Grants primarily intended to provide resources required for the fiscal stimulus package announced recently. The authorization is being sought for the gross additional expenditure of Rs. 55,604.83 crore of which the cash outgo is Rs. 42,480.10 crore and the technical supplementaries with an expenditure being matched by savings on enhanced receipts/recoveries Rs. 13,124.69 crore. A token provision for enabling re-appropriation of savings involving items of new services and new instruments of services is Rs. 4 lakh only. I would request for a discussion on this.

SHRI HARIN PATHAK: It is the duty of the Government to seek approval for the Supplementary Demands for Grants for the current fiscal year. The hon. Minister has sought 55,605.63 crore rupees more for the current fiscal years 2008-09. I would like to draw the attention of the Government towards some such important budgetary heads for which the amount sought is not sufficient and more funds are required for it. Rs. 3500 crore has been demanded for National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. I think that despite certain shortcomings it is a very good scheme. I think that this amount of Rs. 3500 crore will be insufficient if this scheme is implemented in all the districts. Though this scheme has certain shortcomings still it is a good scheme and I urge that the allocation for this  scheme should be raised. Rs. 900 crore more has been demanded for Prime Mantri Gram Yojana. This amount also be increased since all the projects under this scheme are held up. An amount of Rs. 2400 crore more has been demanded for Urban Infrastructure Development for small and medium towns. This amount should also be increased, as this scheme is a welfare scheme. The special allocation of Rs 2300 crore for Accelerated Irrigation Scheme and other Water Resources Programme should also be increased. Gujarat is the first State in the country which has provided 24 hours power supply to 18,000 villages. I urge that instead of giving loans grants should be given to the State like Gujarat and these should be encouraged. The National Calamity Contingency Fund of Rs. 1467.70 is very low. Rs. 500 crore has been allocated in the special Supplementary Demands for the development of state Highways. It should be increased to Rs. 1000 crores and Gujarat should be allocated more out it. The Congress Government has failed to understand the economy of the country. The condition of the country is deteriorating day by day. The development of the country has slowed down due to the directionless economic policy during these four and half years. Poverty and unemployment have increased and the price rise is not an exception to it. I can firmly assert that the prices of 33 essential commodities have increased from 30 per cent to 300 per cent during April  till November-December this year. Have the Government assessed its economic policy? In spite of the fall in the price of crude oil in the international market there is no respite from the price rise. Technically inflation is coming down but the common man is not getting any benefit of it. It is the duty of the Government to increase the per capita purchasing power and per capita income. Unless the per capita income is increased, the economic condition of the country cannot be improved. The Government should think about the villages, the cities and the common man. There is a need for a political will and there is a need for honest thinking for the common man, instead of politicizing it. If the government think in the right direction then, the economic resources available in the country are sufficient.

SHRI V. KISHORE CHANDRA S. DEO: I rise to support the Supplementary Demands for Grants. We are all aware of the meltdown that took place in the USA. This meltdown has had a cascading effect all over the world. However, we are fortunate that in India, we have partially or substantially insulated due to nationalization of banks. The people will understand and appreciate the wisdom with which late Shrimati Indira Gandhi had nationalized banks at that particular moment of time. Our banks, due to the protection given by the Central Government and by the State are in a much better footing today than these global players also. Government  proposes to strengthen the nationalized banks by pumping more money into them. I welcome this proposal. Now the Banks have to rise to the occasion. Most banks had reduced the housing loans. It will give a fillip to that particular sector of the economy. Indian Banks have to protect the citizens from unemployment and layoffs. They should also help the small and medium industries by reducing interest to at least 10 per cent. I think that a two-year moratorium to such industries will help a lot. Basically, the idea is to boost the confidence of the people in our country. It is also necessary to bring down the prices of commodities. Likewise, the Government could also probably review the policy on service tax. The crude-oil prices have come down considerably. I congratulate the Government for having reduced the petrol and diesel prices. The Government could consider reduction of the prices of LPG and kerosene also. Waiver of loan for the farmers is historic and an unprecedented measure that this Government took. I think today, by any standards, our economy has gained in strength, and we are one of the stronger economies in the universe. I think we should be proud that we were not affected to the extent that many other countries have been affected or are going to be affected. I compliment and thank the Finance Minister and the Government for the measures that they have taken. I would appeal to all my colleagues to stand in one voice and support this.  SHRI N. N. KRISHNADAS: First of all, I would like to make it clear that this Government should be thankful to the Left Parties in the country. We extended our support to this UPA Government for four-and-a-half years. But we prevented the efforts of this Government which were made during that time to disinvest the financial institutions, including the nationalized banks and insurance institutions. Everybody is now able to understand the importance of the public sector institutions. Whatever it may be, this stand of ours in a certain way saved our country. To meet the emerging situation of global recession, the Government has declared a package worth Rs. 20,000 crore. But everybody knows that it is totally inadequate. I would demand that an additional sum of at least Rs. 20,000 crore may be envisaged to meet the situation. Almost all the State Governments in the country are under acute financial crisis now. All the State Governments in the country have demanded at least a 50 per cent grant to meet the expenditure on account of implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. I would like to refer to the grants of rural development and specifically to some of our rural development schemes like Indira Awas Yojana. More funds should be allocated for the Indira Awas Yojana. For National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme in our country funds should be increased. Only Rs. 21 crore has been envisaged for the  Ministry of Labour and Employment. More funds should be envisaged. Regarding the issue of power, I would like to mention that more funds should be envisaged to generate more power.

About agriculture sector this Government through its Budget itself, decided and envisaged to give a package of Rs.66,000 crore, as loan waiver. Even now, every day we are hearing about the suicide of farmers in different parts of the country. We are facing shortage of food grains; food production in the country is getting reduced, and that may be one reason for that. So, more attention should be paid to this agriculture area and the interest should not exceed four per cent on all kinds of farm loans.

SHRI SHAILENDRA KUMAR: Today, 70 per cent population of India depends on farming. But a farmer is not getting remunerative prices for his produce. Therefore, farmer community needs the utmost attention of the Government. The Government has made commendable progress in construction sector but a lot is needed to be done in the construction of National Highways. Revenue Villages should be linked to main roads. The condition of people belonging to SC community as well as poor community is pitiable. Each village should be connected to the mainstream of development. As far as potable drinking water is concerned it is not available in the villages even today. The people in the villages drink  flouride and arsenic contaminated water. They are become victim of waterborne diseases. That is the reason for polio not being eradicated. Providing potable drinking water to each and every house will bring Bharat Nirman in real sense. A lot of things has to be done for the development of villages. The amount of Legislators’ Development Fund provided is not adequate for this development. Therefore, this fund should be increased by Rs.2 crore for each legislative constituency. Whichever party rules the State it diverts the development fund according to its own priority. Therefore, there should be a competent monitoring committee to ensure proper utilization of development fund. As far as electrification is concerned, electrification is done in Gram Sabha only but the electricity is not provided to the poor and backward people residing in slums falling under the same Gram Sabha. Such type of irregularities should not be committed in the rural areas. It is said that education is free for children from the age of 6 years to 14 years but we want that free education should be imparted from 6 years of age upto graduation level. Special education campaign should be launched for scheduled castes. Uniform education should be imparted to everybody. With regard to health sector, scheduled castes and backward people hardly get any medical facility. Doctors do not want to go to the villages. Proper medical facilities should be provided at the village level as  well as to the people residing in slums. In this period of recession work is done on contract basis. A number of irregularities are committed in the implementation of National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Backward districts of the backward States should be identified so as to bring them in the mainstream of development. There should be a coordination between Centre and States so that a comprehensive development should take place in the country.

SHRI ALOK KUMAR MEHTA: I am happy that a lot of amount is being allotted for development of villages. Rs.18,0000 crore for rural employment will definitely bring development. But a lot of difficulties are being experienced in the implementation as the amount is not provided in time, job cards are not being prepared when required. The amount of Supplementary Grants-2008-2009 is Rs.53,604 crores. At present the whole country is reeling under economic recess. In this situation if we increase our investment in villages, our villages will be less affected by this recession. Demand of Rs.13,656 crore for fertilizer is justified but a lot of monitoring is needed in this sector. What happened to the subsidy which has to be given? This fact should be taken into account. Corruption has engulfed the whole country. Substandard fertilizers are made available to the farmers. Sometimes artificial scarcity is created, due to which farmers have to face a  lot of difficulties. Subsidy should directly be given to the farmers. Today, in employment sector fill gap arrangement is made through Employment Guarantee Scheme. New employment opportunities should be created. Nominal Budget has been allotted for this sector. Labourers should be given guarantee of social guarantee. As far as road transport is concerned there is a demand of Rs. 500 crore for this sector. East-West Corridor is our lifeline. This ambitious scheme connecting 6-7 States should be completed expeditiously.

SHRIMATI M.S.K. BHAVANI RAJENTHIRAN: The UPA Government with regard to the five flagship programmes, as announced in the National Common Minimum Programme, like the NREGS, the National Rural Health Mission, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, has achieved maximum results. I want to insist upon a few points. The first thing is that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has been repeatedly insisting upon linking of rivers. If all the major rivers in Tamil Nadu are linked properly, we can preserve the rain water through this linkage. So, enough fund should be allocated by the UPA Government to Tamil Nadu for linking of the river projects. Railway Ministry has announced five important projects for Tamil Nadu. But due to the acute shortage of money, the State Government is unable to put the 50 per cent share for these project. So, I urge upon the Union Government to  allocate the sufficient fund to enable the State Government to complete its 5 important projects. Third, an acute electricity shortage prevails in Tamil Nadu. IT industries are fastly coming to Tamil Nadu. Due to heavy rainfall and floods, all the roads and bridges in Tamil Nadu are in a bad condition. A fund of Rs.5000 crore should be allocated to Tamil Nadu to correct all these damages. Tamil Nadu maintains the best distribution as far as PDS is concerned. Recently, the UPA Government has reduced the price of petrol and diesel. I would request to the UPA Government enough to reduce the price of gas cylinders also. Purified water is now needed for the school children in the rural schools. For this Scheme, the UPA Government has allocated Rs.100 crore. The UPA Government should consider allocating more funds for this best scheme to cover all the schools in India. On behalf of the DMK Party, I support the Supplementary Demands for Grants.

SHRIMATI KALPANA RAMESH NARHIRE: A number of farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra. Therefore, their loan has been waived off in the Budget 2008-2009. But the condition of waiving off of loan is that the farmer should have not more than five acres of land. As a result of which several farmers have not benefitted from the said scheme. There is shortage of power in Maharashtra and rural areas face a load shedding of 16 hours and urban areas face 10 hours. People from rural areas  are migrating to urban areas in search of employment so employment to them should be provided in rural areas itself. Sufficient funds have not been provided under Indira Awas Yojana for construction of houses therefore, it should be increased. Due to paucity of funds roads have not been completed under Prime Ministers Gram Sadak Yojana, so allocation should be increased for the same. Along with it, the Government should ensure that funds provided are properly utilized by States.

SHRI B. MAHTAB: While deliberating on the Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2008-09, I am reminded of the two economic theories-one is we should live according to our means and another is Charvak Theory. What is this theory? As far as I understand it is, you purchase cow by getting money, invest it in productive use, earn more and you can prosper and you can also take ghee. So, there is nothing to deride Charvak’s Theory, but the stress is how you are going to invest the money that you are incurring as loan. India is the second fastest growing economy. But truth is that within the 20 biggest economies, India has second fast growth rate next to China. What is the competitiveness ranking of India? India has dropped in its global competitiveness ranking to the 50^th position. India should grow within its means. Markets are still eager to finance the firms which hold low debt and good quality assets on their books. Stress  should be given on investment in public sector, health, education, rural development, sanitation and drinking water. The States should have been provided with more funds. The Central Government brings out certain schemes and programmes and asks the States to have a matching share. A number of States are unable to provide the matching shares, and they are tied up to go along with the programmes despite the financial constraints. Why special provision is being provided to encourage diesel cars? Providing diesel to farmers and providing diesel to buses for commuters is one thing. Why do you provide relief or concession or subsidy-to diesel care owners or diesel car producers? KVS programmes was one of the best programmes initiated in the late 1990s for development of under-developed areas. Now, BRG has come in. BRG is new programme which is being implemented in many underdeveloped districts but no special package has been provided. I would again point out that large parts of Orissa still remain underdeveloped, and a special package for Orissa should be given. I support the Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) and request the Government to provide more funds to Orissa for its development.

SHRI C. K. CHANDRAPPAN: In the Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) under the heading of Agriculture or Irrigation, no money has been allotted. In the context of global financial melt down, it is accepted  by everybody that more public spending should be there to generate the capacity of the people to purchase, to generate more employment and to strengthened our economy. Only one-third of the agricultural land available in our country is irrigated. It is with that one-third irrigated agricultural land, the peasants have performed the miracle of India making a self-sufficient country. Further, we should invest massively on irrigation and agriculture. Under the energy sector, for atomic energy and nuclear power schemes, a lot of allotments have been made. It is good but, we should have spent much more for developing thorium technology. We have a lot of thorium deposit and if we develop that technology time will come that we would not have to depend more on other countries for import of uranium. Now, a financial package is there. While introducing the Supplementary Demands for Grants, the hon. Minister said that this is to support the package. I would like to say in regard to Kerala that the Centre has allotted the Iddiku and Kuttanar package. This Idukki and Kuttanad package has a component of debt waiver. Therefore, sufficient funds should be allotted for it. Certain concession should be given to Kerala. Concession means certain reality should be accepted. Kerala is a State with a very big population density. If the Centre says the PMGSY scheme should be introduced with eight metres road, it will be impossible. A concession I ask is for six metres, then we will make that road in the whole of Kerala and the scheme will be successfully implemented. Under Indira Awas Yojana the allotted per unit is so little i.e. Rs. 35,000, we cannot make even a small hut there. So, at least an amount of Rs. One lakh should be allotted so that a reasonably good house can be built. More rice should be allotted to Kerala so that the Public Distribution System there may function effectively.

SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN: Through the Supplementary Demands for Grants, the honourable Minister has asked for an additional expenditure of Rs. 55,604.83 crore, which was not anticipated during the time of Budget. He says that this additional expenditure would be matched by savings of the Ministries and by enhanced receipt. There is every apprehension of the reduced revenue collection this year so how he says that it is going to be matched by enhanced receipt. I have very strong reasons to feel that by having such additional expenditure, the fiscal deficit and the revenue deficit both are going to rise. He said that the fiscal deficit had been brought substantially down to 1.7 per cent and he has struck to the policy laid down by the FRBM Act and according to that, the revenue deficit has also come down. He went on saying that for four or five years, there has been a GDP growth of more than nine per cent. I am asking one question.  What is his policy intervention during the UPA rule that it enhanced the GDP growth to nine per cent.

The GDP growth is not very significant. A number of countries in one world witnessed such a growth since USA spent a lot and exported a lot. The countries with high growth imported so many things which they could not even consume. So was the case with India. The hon. Ex-Finance Minister took the credit that it happened because of him. What will he say about disinvestments? It is a different matter that his colleagues from the Left did not allow it. Did the hon. Ex-Finance Minister go for any economic reforms? The hon. Finance Minister did not have any vision or alternative. You were having two flagship programmes. They are agricultural loan waiver scheme and the NREGP. I will simply say with regard to NREGP that it is only national loot by a cartel of contractors, of Government officials etc.

SHRIMATI TEJASVINI GOWDA: India is facing the crisis. I am urging my Government to take care because in the coming days, our IT professionals and our IT industry may face some challenges. I am confident that my Government will save them from this embarrassment and from the difficulties. Let me compliment by Government for reducing interest rates on housing loans. This step is going to benefit the middle class and poor  class of this country; definitely there will be more job opportunities through the building activities which will benefit the jobless poor labourers of this country. At the same time I urge upon the Government to reduce VAT as it will benefit people more. The North-Eastern regions are getting more allocations. I would say that the loan waiver of about Rs.75,200 crore is not an easy job. It is a revolutionary thing. Finally, I would say, let us strengthen the rural women folk. They are bringing silent revolution through self-help groups.

SHRIMATI RANJEET RANJAN: Today we are witnessing economic slump as it had happened in thirties. This is a global phenomenon. I am happy to say that now India is a leading country and I think R&D sector has become an Indian strength. Today, we have to think in a constructive way in view of recession. Let us take more care of agriculture and rural farming sector.

SHRI K. FRANCIS GEORGE: There has been a demand from the States, especially from the State of Kerala that the Central Government should allow it to raise its borrowing limit and also the fiscal deficit limit. I plead the Government to raise these limits. A mention was made about loan waiver scheme for which I applaud the Government. Rupees sixty-six thousand crore was given to the farmers but the point to be noted is that a  large number of farmers have been left out of this scheme. The Eduki Package has been announced and I am immensely grateful to the Government for that. But I can say with all authority that a large number of farmers in Eduki have been left out of the loan waiver scheme.

SHRI P.C. THOMAS: When the hon. Finance Minister announced the waiver scheme it was mentioned that all loans of eligible farmers from 31.12.07 will be waived. But when the implementation scheme came from 31.12.97 whatever loan has been taken before those are excluded. So, I would like to submit that all loans taken even before 1997 must be included under this scheme. When the scheme was announced it was not mentioned that short-term loans would mean loans for 18 months alone will be included. There are people, very eligible farmers, who have taken loans for 19 months, 24 months etc. Their loans must also be waived.

SHRI S.K. KHARVENTHAN: I rise to support the Supplementary Demands for Grants. Our Government already reduced the prices of petrol and diesel. I request the Honourable Prime Minister to reduce the price of Domestic Gas Cylinder. For my constituency particularly for Natham, Vadasanthur, Kallimandhayam I had requested our Honourable Finance Minister to open Nationalised Bank Branches. Our Government sanctioned 2 branches for Natham, one Bank for Vedachenthoor. I request the Finance  Minister to direct RBI to open Nationalised Bank Branches at Kallimandhayam and Vadasanthur.

SHRIMATI JHANSI LAKSHMI BOTCHA: I rise to support the supplementary demands for grants today. RBI has assured business community that it would take all possible steps to maintain adequate money supply in the country’s finance system. The bank hoped that India would soon emerge from the impact of global financial crisis and restore its growth story. The central bank expressed satisfaction over decreasing trend of inflation and hoped that it would soon come under the comfortable limits.

Housing loans interest rates were reduced. Here I want to bring to the notice of the House that the Andhra Pradesh Government has embarked upon building 60 lakhs house for the poor in the last four years. I request the union government to clear all pending proposals from AP state government to expedite the work. Prices of Petrol and diesel were reduced very recently. I request the government to reduce the prices of Kerosene and LPG also as this will benefit the women a lot in rural and urban areas. NREGP is really playing a key role in improving the rural infrastructure. Further funds as envisaged in the supplementary grants should be granted to improve and strengthen NREGP. In view of the recent attack of terrorists, sufficient funds should be allocated to strengthen the police force.  THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI P. CHIDAMBARAM): replying said: a couple of months ago when i came before this house with the first Budget Supplementary Demands, we asked for a cash outgo of Rs.1,00,5,000 crore. This must be seen as a continuation of that request. Therefore, subsequent to the Budget, we are now asking for a cash expenditure for S. 1,47, 000/- crore. This is mainly because of the global slow down which as we expected would affect us though not as much as the developed economies, but it will affect us to some extent. Now, what we are doing is another well known, well tried system, namely enhance public expenditure so that it stimulates demand. Where are we allocating this money amounting to Rs.2745 crore for Indira Awas Yojana? Rs.35,000 is what this Government arrived at this year after setting up the grant component and I am afraid that you have forgotten that we have also said that upto Rs.20,000 per beneficiary will be made available to the public sector banks at the DRI interest rate of four per cent. Now, Rs.180 crore for SJSY, Rs.3500 crore for NREGA, Rs.6750 crore for Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana, Rs.900 crore for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and Rs.1175 crore for the North-Eastern Region. These are all programmes which form part of the flagship programme to the UPA Government. Not a penny is being given to any corporate house or any big business. We are  also giving to the State Government and the Union Territories Rs.2300 crore under accelerated irrigation benefit. Rs.2300 crore are being given under the Ministry of Water Resources for irrigation and Rs. 2400 crore under urban infrastructure and small medium towns and Rs.1300 crore for urban infrastructure and governance, Rs.1000 crore or old age pension. Where are these money going? These money are going to the States. We are giving Rs. 6500 crore of food subsidy. We are giving Rs.2728 crore for our ex-servicemen and then a number of other small items are there. Technology upgradation fund for the textile sector amounts Rs.1400 crore.

All the Supplementary Demands for Grants were voted in full.