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SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES (Proceedings other than Questions & Answers) ______

Wednesday, December 10, 2014 / Agrahayana 19, 1936 (Saka) ______

REFERENCE BY SPEAKER

HON'BLE SPEAKER: Hon'ble Members, today is the Human Rights Day.

It was on this day, in 1948 that the United Nations General Assembly adopted the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, recognizing human rights as inalienable rights of all men and women.

Let us, on this occasion, reaffirm our faith in human rights and resolve to promote social progress and better standard of life for all and also facilitate spread of awareness among people about basic human rights.

COAL MINES (SPECIAL PROVISIONS) BILL, 2014

THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF POWER,

MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF COAL AND MINISTER

OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL) moved for leave to introduce a Bill to provide for allocation of coal mines and vesting of the right, title and interest in and over the land and mine infrastructure together with mining leases to successful bidders and allottees with a view to ensure continuity in coal mining operations and production of coal, and for promoting optimum utilization of coal resources consistent with the requirement of the country in national interest and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

PROF. SAUGATA ROY opposing the motion for introduction of the Bill said: I oppose introduction of the Bill on the ground that it opens the door for de- nationalisation of Coal Mines which were nationalised in 1973 and it seeks to nullify the Coal Mines Nationalisation Act, 1973. It will hand over our energy sector to the private sector and thus will open the scope for total exploitation of coal miners and the people of this country.

SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL: The Hon'ble Supreme Court of India in its judgement on 24th of September, 2014 has held the allocation of coal blocks made through the Government dispensation route and through the Screening Committee route, both as arbitrary and illegal. This judgment has reset the agenda of the allocation of natural resources in the country as a result of which allocation of 204 coal blocks stood cancelled. At that point of time, the entire country was seized of the problem, and there were fears that this will immediately lead to a crisis, both in the supply of coal as well as fears that lakhs of employees of the mines which have started producing, which will start producing or where the work has already started, will suddenly become jobless. It also led to the fear that lakhs of crores of rupees which are invested by the people where banks have lent money could become NPAs. At that point, it was necessary for the Government to take pro- active measures to address the situation to come up with the redeeming solution to the jobs of the people. Therefore, the Ordinance was introduced which does not seek to denationalize the coal mines at all, which is basically addressing the problems arising out of the Supreme Court judgment. It has also provided for certain enabling provisions and certain amendments which will take care of the interests of small scale industry, medium industry, and the small consumers of coal in the country in the long run in a transparent and honest fashion.

The Bill was introduced.

SUBMISSION BY MEMBERS

Re: Derogatory remarks made by a Member outside the Parliament

against the Prime Minister.

THE MINISTER OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT, MINISTER OF

HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND MINISTER OF

PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI M. VENKAIAH NAIDU) responding to the issue raised by several hon. Members said: I thought that the Hon'ble

Member would withdraw his objectionable speech and regret so as to bury the hatchet but unfortunately he is raising a technical issue. You can see the proceedings records to ascertain as to what has been said about the hon. Prime Minister inside the House too. This is not an issue pertaining to a party or an individual but to the dignity and decorum of the House and the Country. This is a serious issue. A Minister uttered something outside this House. That issue was raised and discussed in this House. The Minister apologized in the House but the

Member concerned did not do so. The Chair may call for the record and refer to it before taking a decision. After going through the rules, I have reached to a decision that it would not be in the fitness of things to take a harsh decision, rather it would be better for the Member to regret in the House. The notice is not only about what has happened and what has been said outside the House but also about what has been said inside the House, what has been done inside the House. We are all concerned about the dignity, decorum and standards of Parliament set by many people. Madam Speaker, you please allow Dr. Kirit Somaiya to complete his submission and then whatever appropriate action you think fit, you take and we will go by the chair. Madam if you want to refer it to the Committee let it be referred to the Committee. Let the House decide and then move forward.

Thereafter, Hon’ble Speaker made an observation.

OBSERVATION BY SPEAKER

HON. SPEAKER: I would like to request all the Members that all the hon.

Members will have to exercise restrain in their language both inside the House as well as outside it. Whenever any Member is insulted outside the House, the Member gives a privilege notice in this regard. Similarly, Members have to ensure that they do not say anything derogatory against other Members either in the House or outside. The fact of the matter is that we indulge in provocative language even in the House. It should not be the practice. One hon. Minister had said something outside the House, she had not mentioned about any person, still she tendered her apology because the language of the Minister should be civil. If any Member of the House has said anything about a former Prime Minister even though in case of his grandson, is not appropriate. People expect the use of civil language from us since we represent them. I would like to tell hon. Kalyan Banerjee that if one extends apology it does not belittle one’s stature. We should not mind saying the word sorry in case we even inadvertently commit any wrong deed. I cannot force anyone to do so and expression of regret is not a matter of compulsion.

Thereafter, Shri Kalyan Banerjee expressed his regret.

SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE: Respecting the Chair I would like to say that I express my regret if I have hurt the sentiments of anybody.

*MATTERS UNDER RULE 377

(i) SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI laid a statement regarding need to undertake

immediate repair of service roads on National Highway No.4 in Hubballi,

Karnataka.

* Laid on the Table as directed by the Chair. (ii) SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK laid a statement regarding need to run a train

from Singrauli in Madhya Pradesh to Delhi via Bhopal.

(iii) SHRI RAVINDER KUSHAWAHA laid a statement regarding need to start

inland waterway from Deoria in Uttar Pradesh to Haldia in .

(iv) SHRI ARJUN LAL MEENA laid a statement regarding need to undertake

conversion of Udaipur-Ahmedabad via Dungarpur and Himmatnagar

railway line into broad-gauge.

(v) DR. ANSHUL VERMA laid a statement regarding need to ensure payment

of arrears of wages and other service benefits to employees of closed Sugar

mill at Hardoi in Uttar Pradesh.

(vi) SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH laid a statement

regarding need to operate morning and evening flights between Surat and

New Delhi.

(vii) SHRI CHINTAMAN NAVASHA WANGA laid a statement regarding

need to construct a new overbridge on National Highway No.8 at

Ghodbunder in Palghar Parliamentary Constituency, Maharashtra.

(viii) SHRI GANESH SINGH laid a statement regarding need to establish a

Sports Authority in Satna Parliamentary Constituency, Madhya Pradesh.

(ix) DR. SANJAY JAISWAL laid a statement regarding need to permit clinical

tests of cosmetics on animals in the country. (x) SHRI DADDAN MISHRA laid a statement regarding need to float tenders

for removal of boulders, mortars and sand deposited in rivers and drains

originating from Nepal causing inundation and erosion of land along the

river course in Shrawasti Parliamentary Constituency, Uttar Pradesh.

(xi) SHRIMATI RANJEET RANJAN laid a statement regarding need to send

a team of experts to Bihar to report on the causes and suggest remedial

measures for tackling polluted underground drinking water causing cancer

and goiter among the people of North Bihar.

(xii) SHRI S.P. MUDDAHANUME GOWDA laid a statement regarding need

to convert National Highway Nos. 4 and 206 in Karnataka into six lane and

four lane highways respectively.

(xiii) DR. K. GOPAL laid a statement regarding need to continue the National

Agriculture Insurance Scheme in the country.

(xiv) DR. RATNA (NAG) DE laid a statement regarding need to undertake

construction of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in West

Bengal as per programme guidelines and technical specifications.

(xv) SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU laid a statement regarding

need to make Supplementary Budgetary Provisions during 2014-2015 for

establishment of premier educational institutions and creation of Knowledge

hubs in Andhra Pradesh. (xvi) SHRI BHAGWANT MANN laid a statement regarding need to make

remittances by Non-Resident Indians to their relatives in India tax-free.

(xvii) SHRI E. T. MOHAMMAD BASHEER laid a statement regarding need to

review the recommendations of Dr. Meena Kumari Committee constituted

for comprehensive review of the deep sea fishing policy.

(xviii) SHRI RAMA KISHORE SINGH laid a statement regarding need to

enhance the rate of Honorarium of 'Preraks' engaged under Sarva Siksha

Abhiyan and also regularize their services.

DEMANDS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY GRANTS (GENERAL), 2014-15

SHRI M. VEERAPPA MOILY initiating said: Six months have elapsed after the present Government came and presented the Budget. But when we look at the performance of the Government it is quite disappointing. I must say that the general image of the performance of the Budget of this Government is rather pro- rich and anti-poor. The increase in budgetary allocation from UPA to NDA is about 93 per cent for urban development whereas for rural development the figure is only about 7 per cent. It is more urban-biased. The allocation of funds by the

BJP in their Budget clearly shows their strong preference for sectors such as defence, road infrastructure, urban development to the prejudice of the social sector. Many of the projects like Swachh Bharat, Adarsh Gram Yojana which are supposed to be the favourite projects of the Prime Minister, there is no allocation. Even in case of all the macro numbers of the economy whether it is CAD, fiscal deficit, revenue deficit or non-plan expenditure, the economy is in woods.

Corporate sentiment is very high but it has not been translated into any firm investment revival. NPAs are high at 4 percent while the amount of stressed loans in the economy has gone very high. Even at the worst of the time in the economy, during the economic depression in 2008-09, this had not come to this precipice.

Now, it is worst. We do not know as to where we are leading to ultimately. If the same thing continues for another one or two months, then I am afraid that some of the banks may be liquidated or may become bankrupt. The Government is totally insensitive to the problems of the agriculturists, farmers, industries and manufacturing sector. Manufacturing and job creation have been reduced totally.

As regards social sector funds, I have already said that allocation has been slashed.

Fundamentals of our economy are becoming weak day-by-day. The step of the

Government towards winding up a historical institution like Planning Commission is a step in the wrong direction because of the historical role it has played in shaping our country. With the fall in global crude oil prices we have a God sent opportunity to strengthen oil exploration sector in our country but the steps taken by the Government like fixing of gas prices is an unscientific manner only resulted in weakening of the sector. The Government increased the price of even the branded oil. What is the idea of branded oil? The idea is to maintain the greenery, and to ensure that pollution is reduced. Decisions are taken in an isolated way without taking any holistic view. Unless you wake up and focus on your job, things are going to be very bad.

DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK: I think that the kind of revolutionary steps the Government has taken during the last six months has not only infused a new sense of confidence among the people of India but has also left its imprints on the entire world. During the previous NDA Government the GDP growth rate had spiked to eight percent which reduced to four percent during the

Congress regime. I am fairly confident that this Government will most likely achieve the growth rate of eight percent with the kind of promise it is showing in achieving the growth rate of 5.7 percent. If we compare the fiscal deficit number of the last five years with the present six months of this Government, one will find a huge gap in the performance. The Government has taken certain definitive steps which have resulted in reduced rate of inflation including the food inflation. The image of India has also improved in the eyes of the IMF. Perhaps for the first time in the history of our country diesel prices have fallen seven times. For the first time the onion price has not gone above Rs. 20-25. For the first time inflation has been controlled. More than eight crore people have benefitted from Pradhan

Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna. Insurance amount for accident has been enhanced upto one lakh rupees. Health insurance has been hiked to Rs. 30,000. The transfer of gas cylinder subsidy directly to the beneficiary has been highly successful. The scheme to provide houses to three crores of poor would benefit the slum dwellers. Make in India and Skill Development Programme would change the face of India.

Also, country’s money would not go out.

DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN: In the federal structure, more importance needs to be give to the states. The Government of India should provide hundred per cent uninterrupted assistance to agriculture, health, education sectors. Amma Medical shops in Tamil Nadu provides all medicines at a very low price. The decision of the UPA Government to shift from naphtha based urea fertilizer plant to gas based fertilizer plant had let to shut down of the fertilizer plants in Tamil Nadu namely

SPIC in Tuticorin, Madras Fertilizer plant in Manali. Government of India should take necessary steps to continue the subsidy to these plants and revive them. The decision taken by the Government of India to withdraw NAIS (National

Agricultural Insurance Scheme) and replace it with the National Crop Insurance

Programme (NCIP) from Rabi season 2013 was a rude shock to farmers. Through the Memorandum submitted by our hon. People’s Chief Minister, to hon. Prime

Minister, it was requested that the Government of Tamil Nadu may be permitted to continue with implementation of NAIS during next year also. Government of

India is requested to restore the uniform pattern of 50 per cent subsidy to small and marginal farmers and 35 per cent to other farmers in all blocks. The Government of India should ease its norm regarding a minimum area of 5,000 hectares required for National Investment Manufacturing Zone. It is very difficult to find such large stretches contiguously in States like Tamil Nadu. The Government of India should ensure its due share of power to the State from the Central grid. Our Chief

Minister, had requested the expeditious completion of 756 KV inter-regional transmission which will add necessary transmission capacity for transfer of surplus power to the southern region to expedite the work on the High Voltage Direct

Current line with 6,000 MW transmission capacity from Chhattisgarh to Pugalur in

Tamil Nadu. The financial incentive available for development of ultra mega power plants should be extended to distribute small and medium solar park of 1

MW to 10 MW capacities. In Tamil Nadu, social security pensions are provided under eight schemes while the Government of India supports only three pension schemes. The total financial commitment to the State Government for a year is Rs.

4,491 crore whereas the Government of India contributes only Rs. 600 crore a year. With regard to the Central Sales Tax rates, which were reduced to two per cent with effect from 1st June, 2008, the Government of Tamil Nadu had been submitting its compensation claims regularly, but has not received the promised compensation in full. A sum of Rs 7098.88 crore has to be reimbursed from the

Government of India for pending compensation for a period up to 31st March,

2012.

PROF. SAUGATA ROY: The Finance Minister has actually brought an extra Supplementary Demands of around Rs. 12,501 crore. But the extra outflow will be as little as Rs. 501 crore by savings and enforcing cuts in the expenditure.

While increasing money for the Swachh Bharat, Skill India, and Ganga Rejuvenation, the Government is planning to cut expenditure on education by Rs.

11,000 crore, on Panchayat, Rural Development and Sanitation by 25 per cent and on Health by Rs. 7,000 crore. We have already complained in this House that plans are being made to limit the NREGA to 200 districts. Only in case of West

Bengal, Rs. 1,000 crore is pending on the NREGA count. In a debt stressed State like West Bengal, we have repeatedly pleaded for a moratorium on interest payment for three years, instead of giving us more money the Government is withholding money that is due to us. I do hope that the Finance Minister will spare a little thought for the poorest of the poor in the country. National Council of

Applied Economic Research is estimating the GDP growth for the whole fiscal as five per cent. Whereas the Finance Minister has promised eight per cent growth in the short-term. Crude price, has fallen by 40 per cent from June to now. This is not passed on to the consumer. The Finance Minister increased the excise duty on fuels. There is no justification for such a large increase in the excise duties on fuel.

The fiscal deficit is very high. How does the Finance Minister hope to make that up? He has lined up a big disinvestment programme. Instead of strengthening the public sector further. In spite of inflation easing to 2.82 per cent so far, interest rates have not been cut. Achche din aane wale hain hopes are already dwindling.

All our problems should be solved if only the black money can be brought from abroad. We shall get Rs. 15 lakh in our accounts, and the economy will flourish. SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB: After Independence, most political analysts felt that India would break into smaller parts as there was no binding force. So, it was decided to keep economic power with the Centre and allow the

States to be receipts of funds from the Centre. On the economic front, incremental reforms requires States to play a much bigger role. There is no doubt that States are now becoming the nerve centres of reform process. Scrapping of the Planning

Commission would allow the States to determine their own spending priorities and apply discretionary use of transfer from the Centre. We have reached a point where we need to return economic power to the States to become a true federal in character. The expansion of middle-class be viewed by the State as an incentive to attract more investment and promote growth. The Centre will prosper only if the

States does and vice-versa. But enhanced fiscal autonomy must be the first step in this direction. India can only take the reform process forward if States and Centre enjoy the mutual trust. The relationship between the State and the Centre and an atmosphere of mutual trust and cooperation is of paramount importance in economic growth. India’s fiscal state has undergone a dramatic change. Global rating agencies have raised India’s outlook from ‘negative’ to ‘stable’. The primary reason is the drastic fall in global crude oil prices. Fiscal consequences of the drop in oil prices are significant and positive, no doubt. The problem of jobless growth which has attracted a lot of attention, but no one talks about the problem of growth-less jobs. Seventeen out of thirty two PSEs have made negative growth. These seventeen PSEs are promoting growth-less jobs. The ground condition of employment and opportunities are not positive. No doubt, inflation has eased but risks are still looming around. We need to replace this rickety indirect tax system with GST. Not much progress has been done in Direct Tax Code either. Out of the total expenditure of some 14 per cent of GDP, two per cent of GDP goes on subsidies. As Africa and other parts of developing world are prospering, the demand for food would rise and Indian farmers must be empowered to take advantage of this opportunity. It was decided by the Union Government to compensate the State Government towards CST loss till implementation of GST.

Another issue is relating to opening of branches of Banks in rural areas. There are around 4,597 gram panchayats in Odisha which do not have any brick and mortar branch. We have panchayat Sabha Kendras where we will be providing the house to open branches of Banks. Our effort would be that all these panchayats should have at least one local branch. Our concern here is that those Left Wing

Extremists areas have been left out of this PMJDY. I would request that banks should also be told that they should go into those areas. Jan Dhan Yojana will be a better source to reach every household, every people because a lot of development work is going on Odisha. Changes are taking place. But greater change can come when the Government takes hard decisions for the country.

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR: On behalf of my state, I want to put a number of demands before the hon. Minister. An amount of Rs.2684 crore was demanded from the Union Government for repairing and modernization of 100 years old water supply infrastructure of Mumbai but that was not provided with.

An increase of Rs.1500 crore should be made in the next Budget allocation to the

State keeping in view the loss suffered due to drought, flood and cyclone. Mumbai is located on the seashore, therefore, Rs.200 crore should be made available for beautification of seashore. India habitat centre or trade fare should be started in

Mumbai also. The Union Government should provide Rs.20 crore for bull sperm cold storage in Mumbai. Rs.300 crore should be provided for modernization of police force in Maharashtra besides an amount of Rs.200 crore for setting up of new police stations. Rs.17.50 crore should be provided to the state for development of forest area under the National Afforestation Scheme. Separate funds should be made available for industrialization in Mumbai. Rs.2000 crore should be provided for erecting a memorial of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea.

Provision of more funds should be made for construction and maintenance of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Additional fund should be made available for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to the state. An special package should be sanctioned for the farmers of the state who have been affected by natural calamity. Maharashtra requires Rs.144332 lakh crores for National Disaster Respond Funds. Maharashtra should get enhanced amount of fund for sports. Special funds are required for refurbishment and development of jetties located on seashores of Mumbai. SHRI B. VINOD KUMAR: It has been stated that the proposals in the

Supplementary Demands for Grants will not result in any significant variation in total estimated expenditure, because the net cash outgo is only Rs.500.71 crore.

This is first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2014-15 which includes 54 grants. Finance Ministry, in the process of revising the Budget

Estimates for 2014-15 propose that the expenditure on education is to be cut by

Rs.11,000 crore. The Department of Panchayati Raj, Rural Development and

Sanitation are facing average cuts of 25 per cent. The RE for the health sector expenditure is proposed to be Rs.7,000 crore lower than what was originally envisaged in the Budget. As we are going to pass these Demands and

Appropriation Bills, I would like to make a comment that the new State of

Telangana has taken up 2-3 ambitious projects like water grids. We are going to connect all the 10,000 villages in the Telangana state and also to repair and renovate water bodies in the rural areas. The Department of Chemicals and

Fertilizers announced an ambitious programme of Janoushadhi Pharmacies. So, the Government should allocate some funds for opening up of Janoushadhi

Pharmacies across the country so that the poor can purchase generic drugs in those pharmacies.

SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN: The Supplementary Demands for Grants placed before this House by our Finance Minister includes 54 Ministries and

Department. The gap between the export and import is 21 per cent. Production is not good in the mining service sector and other sectors also. The indirect tax collection has gone down and the deficit comes to about 89.06 per cent. The prices are going up without any control. There is a negative growth in the industrial sector also. The Government has decided to dismantle the Planning Commission which has a role with regard to resource mobilization, allocation to the weaker sections of the states. The 14th Lok Sabha passed a significant Act as far as

NREGA is concerned which was aimed at creating assets and employment. Now there are only 2500 blocks which are confined to NREGA. It is not a Scheme, it is an Act. The changes which have been done by the Government in this Act, have to be reviewed. In Kerala, we have cent percent education. We have better planning, housing and health systems. But we are not getting funds as per the prescribed norms. Therefore, there should not be uniformity but flexibility. The proposal for the development of social sector in the year 2013-14 was 10.8 per cent but it is reduced to 4.42 per cent. The cooperative movement in Kerala is not merely for commercial or financial purpose. It undertakes a large number of social activities.

But the Finance Bill which was passed in this House in 2005 had created a number of difficulties in their day-to-day functioning. At the time of the elections this

Government had promised that within 100 days they will bring back black money.

That has not been done.

DR. KIRIT SOMAIYA: After a gap of so many years, one is encouraged to congratulate the Finance Minister for confining the Supplementary Demands to Rs.5,000 crore only. He has saved Rs.12,000 crore. The price of petrol has gone down by about 9-10 per cent and that of diesel has gone down by 12 per cent.

Now, price rise has been controlled during the period of 4 months. The prices of all the commodities including crude oil have come down. The sale of vehicle from two wheelers to four wheelers has gone up. The GDP is 5-6 per cent and I am confident that when the Finance Minister will present the Budget of 2015, we would have touched the figure of 6 per cent of GDP. The Government is taking action for opening of bank accounts of more than 33 per cent people who are in the category of have-nots. They have been included in the Financial Inclusion Plan of

India. We have to motivate the bank staff also.

SHRI DEEPENDER SINGH HOODA: The debate on Supplementary

Demands for Grants gives us an opportunity to review the economic policies of the

Government. The GDP growth rate in the July-September quarter of this fiscal has come down. We must not forget that one per cent GDP growth rate translates into

7.5 lakh new employment opportunities. If this rate of growth is maintained by the economy the youths of this country will get 19.5 lakh less job opportunities. The current account deficit has climbed up from 1.77% to 2.7 per cent. The agriculture growth rate has slowed down. The growth rate in manufacturing sector has also come down. Rupee has been depreciating. Current account deficit has been growing. Fiscal deficit has not been showing any sign of cooling down. This

Government wants to cut the subsidies completely. The subsidies meant for fertilizers is being cut down. The whole country has been witnessing the shortage of urea. The minimum support prices for the crops is another matter of concern.

One of the major reasons for the decline in agriculture growth rate is the lower

MSP. I demand that the Government should announce the minimum support price of wheat at Rs. 1800. We were expecting that the Government will demand additional funds for One Rank One Pension Scheme in the supplementary demands but this has not happened. It means that this scheme will not be implemented till

March or April. This Government has been planning for a deep cut in the social sector budget. I demand that the Government should make a detailed statement in this regard.

*SHRI N. KRISTAPPA:

SHRI SHER SINGH GHUBAYA: A large number of people belonging to the Schedule Caste community live in Punjab particularly in my Parliamentary constituency Ferozepur. They have got scant resources of income. I request the

Government to make arrangements for the housing facilities for them. Besides, there is very much shortage of drinking water. The Government should ensure that the poor people get pure drinking water. There are 1465 villages in my constituency, Ferozepur. Of them more than 600 villages have got cent per cent schedule caste population. I request the Government to devise such a plan that these villages are developed on priority basis. The Government provides Rs. 3000

* Please see Supplement per acre for the purpose of fencing in the border region. I demand that this compensation should be hiked to Rs. 10,000 per acre per year. The canal system of Punjab should be upgraded. All the water channels in the 3 districts of Punjab namely Ferozepur, Muktsar and Fazilka are not made of bricks and mortar. I demand that these channels should be cemented. Punjab has seen a tremendous increase in the number of patients suffering from cancer and kidney ailments. The

Government should ensure free treatment facility for the poor people by setting up an institute or by providing a financial package to Punjab.

SHRI JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN YADAV: For the past 6 months this

Government is busy only in selling dreams to the country. The issue of black money was very much discussed. But even after 180 days the black money has not come back in the country. The Government had promised to provide jobs to 5 crore youths but instead this Government has imposed a ban on recruitment for an year. If the Government has any time bound plan for generating employment opportunities, it should tell the house about the number of people who have been given jobs in the 6 months past. The Government had promised to provide pucca houses but now it is being said that they should construct houses by raising loans from banks. The Government has not decreased the prices of diesel and patrol.

The prices of items of daily use have not come down. The Government talks about swadeshi but has been inviting FDI in the country. The Government should build smart villages instead of smart cities. The Government has been discriminating against Bihar in every field. The Government wants to difute MNREGA.

SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH: When the Government came in, India’s economy which we inherited was a sinking ship. There was crisis confidence; and the GDP was below 5 per cent over the last two years. The prices were spiraling and the inflation was around 8 to 10 per cent. In the last six months, we have been able to revive the economy. The GDP is expected to grow at 6.5 per cent in the next year and then henceforth to 7 per cent. Our CPI inflation is low at 5.52 per cent and it is going down further. India’s FDI investment has gone beyond 40 billion dollars. In the last 100 days, a plethora of schemes were announced, basically, to control inflation. Rs.2,200 crore was given to the Swachh Bharat

Scheme. In agriculture, the Minimum Support Price for Kharif crops increased by

3.8 per cent and on Rabi crops it has gone up by 3.6 per cent. The National

Livestock Mission has been launched by our Prime Minister to push to the livestock sector. From all quarters about 600 million people who do not have power will be given power under the Deendayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Scheme.

We are talking about Digital India Project and Make-in-India Project. The pace of construction of roads would increase from 3 km a day to 30 km a day. We have schemes like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. At the end, I must say that the

Government has deregulated diesel, enabled direct transfer of subsidies, given FDI to defence, removed bottlenecks which were there on coal, given environment clearance moved and progressed on GST, revived manufacturing sector and is also looking at foreign investors coming into our country.

*SHRI G. HARI:

DR. ARUN KUMAR: The Government has taken progressive steps in the last six months. The Government has worked tirelessly to restore the credibility of our country in the world and as a result of that the GDP is on the rise. The fiscal deficit is the outcome of the chaotic situation created by the previous Government.

I do not say that MNREGA should be discontinued nor do I say it should continue but 90 per cent allocation made for this scheme is going down the drain due to corruption. The Government must think on this aspect. Similarly, the subsidy given to farmers is also being looted. In Bihar paddy is being procured at Rs.1100 per quintal whereas Rs.1660 is being given as bonus. Therefore, subsidy to farmers should be managed in such a manner that it directly reaches to them.

SHRI BADRUDDIN AJMAL: In North-East, about 70-80 lakh people work in tea gardens and 19 lakh people out of them get subsidy on foodgrains.

Now, the Government has decided to discontinue the said subsidy and people are making a hue and cry on this issue there. The hon. Prime Minister had said that they would make the North-East an industrial zone under the industrial policy but recently on 4th instant, the Government has announced that it would not implement industrial policy in North-East. The Government should provide financial

* Please see Supplement assistance to the poor open heartedly and it should not discontinue subsidies being given to them. Flood and erosion are the main problems faced by . The

Government would present its new budget in March next year and it should pay attention to this problem. There is no road connectivity from Meghalaya,

Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other states, this aspect should also be taken into account. The Government should also pay attention towards education in the backward areas of the North-East and should provide sufficient budget for the same. A major bridge is to be constructed on the Brahmaputra River. The

Government should provide some funds in the Budget so that work on it can be taken up. I also demand a medical college in my area, so kindly provide funds for the same.

SHRI BHAGWANT MANN: Punjab is badly trapped in a quagmire of debt. A sum of Rs.1.25 lakh crore as a loan is outstanding against Punjab.

Wherever we visit in Punjab, the Dalit and poor people demand the wages for the work they had done under the MNREGA as the same has not been paid to them for the last two years. Therefore, the outstanding wages under the MNREGA should immediately be released. The farmers are also committing suicides due to burden of loans on them. The paddy crops of farmers were recently procured but they have not got the payment for the same. Businessmen are sitting on dharna. They are also asking for financial aid. Roads are in a dilapidated state. More than 40 lakh boys and girls are unemployed as a result of which they have become drug addict and are compelled to leave their country. I, therefore, request the

Government to kindly provide funds with open hands so that Punjab regains its erstwhile status.

SHRI E.T. MOHAMMAD BASHEER: This Government is really lucky enough to have a favorable position of the global price commodities including crude oil price in the international market. So, the present capital market boom or recovery in the economy is not due to the financial management of the

Government. The country had some dreams when this Government came to power. People were saying that the success story of Gujarat will be repeated at the national level. But everybody knows what exactly is happening in India now.

Public sector industries are facing crisis. This Government is spoiling the public sector industries. At the same time this Government is opening up economy for

FDI. Multinational companies are now coming into India to invest in all the sectors including Defence and Railways. All public sector institutions are now coming under their control. The Government should desist from that.

SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN: This NDA Government has completed six months in office. Now it is the right time to evaluate the performance of this

Government over the last six and a half months. The hon. Finance Minister is making his earnest efforts to contain the fiscal deficit to 4.1 per cent of the total

GDP. But the only dispute which I would like to raise is how is he going to achieve it. I want to know from Hon. Minister whether he is going to cut social infrastructure funding. If it is so then it is definitely going to affect the poor and the common man in the country. Besides though crude oil price has come down and there is a positive financial climate in the international arena, no relief is being given to public at large. When the excise duty has not been increased, the benefit definitely should go to the consumers. But the government is not giving even this benefit to the poor. In view of this scenario, I would like to say that Minimum

Government, Maximum Governance, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Achhe Din

Ayenge – all these slogans have proved to be false.

SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA: The amount of Rs. 1259.5 thousand crore are there in this Supplementary Demands. But only Rs. 2 crore have been provided for agriculture sector. So, I would like to appeal the hon. Finance

Minister to increase this amount in the supplementary grants. Today farmers are at the receiving end from all quarters, be it issue of urea or electricity. Therefore I want to urge upon the Government to take issues of farmers on priority basis. So far as availability of drinking water is concern, this Government has not provided for any project for drinking water in hilly and remote areas. So, I would appeal to the hon. Minister to work on it so that drinking water is made available to all the poor. So far as renewable energy is concerned, three states have been selected for solar power. I appeal to the hon. Minister to also include Haryana for this purpose.

SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR: We know the Planning Commission is going to be scrapped, so I would like to know from the hon. Minister which planning body is likely to be setup thereafter. I believe that this move is going to affect the criteria adopted for the backward states. Besides the hon. Prime Minister had made a promise during elections that Bihar will be given special status. So this government will have to take care of Bihar state and other states while undertaking this process. The works under Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana have been hampered. So, I request the hon. Minister to provide funds to the states under this scheme a road may be constructed. So far as Jan Dhan Yojana is concerned around 8 crores accounts have been opened so I want to know whether the funds will be transferred to these accounts of the poor.

** ** ** **

ANOOP MISHRA, Secretary-General.

**Supplement covering rest of the proceedings is being issued separately. © 2014 BY LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT NOTE: It is the verbatim Debates of the Lok Sabha and not the Synopsis that should be considered authoritative.

English and Hindi versions of Synopsis of Debates are also available at http://loksabha.nic.in.