______SUPPLEMENT TO SYNOPSIS OF DEBATE ______(Proceedings other than Questions and Answers) ______Tuesday, March 8, 2016/Phalguna 18, 1937 (Saka) ______MOTION OF THANKS ON THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS - Contd. DR. K. KESHAVA RAO: The tolerance, diversity and the pluralism of this country are under attack today. The intolerance has come to a level where men in many high positions today have been speaking something which has crossed the tolerance level. The entire House has also expressed its concern over this issue. These things should be taken care of by the Government. We never said that what a particular person or a group of people have said is right. It is, certainly, condemnable. But it should not give room wherein lawyers go and take into their hands all the powers to beat a boy. This address spoke on two issues. The issues are, 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas'. Then along with it, they have talked about rozgar. 'Financial inclusion' is not necessarily social inclusion. Social inclusion is what this country needs to address first before you get into financial inclusion. This social inclusion, this social justice is also important when you talk about financial inclusion. Financial inclusion is very necessary. But what is needed most in this country is social inclusion. We talked about banks, capital restructuring of banks,

______This Synopsis is not an authoritative record of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. 109 although this should have been spoken much during the Budget Speech. You are trying to give Rs. 70,000 crores. But it should not mean that NPAs are written off. The Debt Recovery Act should be there for the NPAs to be recovered. In the President's Address, the Government has included Micro Finance in the name of MUDRA. About housing, they have said, '2022'. But this is nothing new. We had the National Housing and Habitat Policy of 1998, 2007, 2008, 2012 and 2013, and we have JNNURM, etc. Today is a historic day as far as Telangana is concerned and as far as this country is concerned. Not very much depending on the Central Government, the Telangana Government met the Government and entered into an agreement to share Godavari waters. They have talked about 8,000 clusters coming in for organic farming, but we already have 1 lakh acre area being taken for organic farming. SHRIMATI RAJNI PATIL: Hon'ble President has given more emphasis on three issues which include progress of the poor, prosperity of farmers and employment to the youth. If government gives this day dreaming we should congratulate it. Although, Our farmer is poor, he is a labourer, he has no money, he is a victim of the drought, he is a victim of the circumstances but his self esteem is very high. In Maharashtra, since last four years, especially in my area of Vidharbha and Marathwada one farmer is committing suicide in every thirty five hours and government is not taking appropriate action in this severe crisis as is expected of it. One Member of Parliament of BJP is saying that now a days committing suicide by farmers have become a fashion stunt. We condemn such people. Today, youth are in the maximum numbers in our country. We are teaching them hatred. We are teaching them casteism, we are teaching them violence. If we do not give positive thoughts to them then we are going into wrong direction. In the last, I want to mention only about women. Women constitute half of the population of this country and the issue of their reservation is in the hands of this government. UPA Government has already played its role by getting it passed in Rajya Sabha. I want to urge the Prime Minister and his ministers that if today they want to celebrate women's day in the real sense then they must gift this reservation to the women of this country. 110

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, THE MINISTER OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND THE LEADER OF THE HOUSE (SHRI ARUN JAITLEY), intervening in the discussion, said: The current year is the second year of this Government and the President's Address really represents the policy/programme and the future roadmap, as far as the Government is concerned. When the UPA was in power and we were on the other side, the principal issue every year in the debate used to be corruption. But I found that as far as the level of corruption is concerned, it is not a matter of core concern any more. All the groups represented in this House are mainstream political parties which are a part of India's parliamentary democracy. The unity of this country is paramount. But in the name of freedom of thought, freedom of expression, I have no hesitation in saying that both my party and the Government are absolutely clear that anybody who raises a voice against the sovereignty and integrity of India, we are certainly against them. We will discourage them. Questions are often raised against the intention and policy of the Government with regard to Black Money. If the list of account holders of Indian origin in HSBC Bank is made public without following the due procedures, it would benefit the same account holders. As sharing such information would violate the specific provision of those bilateral cooperation treaties, which say that such information could only be made public at the time of filing of cases in the courts. Such breach would disentitle us from getting further information and evidence. Therefore, we are following the procedures very strictly. In the cases, where assessments have been completed and criminal cases have been filed, the names of accused persons are already in public domain and I have no hesitation in sharing those names. Under the FATCA Agreement with the USA, there is now increased emphasis on sharing of information globally. A lot more information is going to come gradually and those, who have money abroad but did not declare, would face strict penal provisions.

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The new income disclosure scheme, just announced by us, is not an 'Amnesty Scheme' as such. Under this scheme, it has been said that if any income has escaped assessment, declare it now and pay the due tax on its current market value plus 50 per cent penalty. We are fighting a serious global crisis and we need the support of all political parties. World economy is now so much inter- linked that global economic crisis has become a daily phenomena, which was earlier a matter of once in a decade. There is too much volatility and uncertainty in the global economy and we need to create firewalls around Indian economy to keep off the adverse effect of global crisis. When the world is progressing on the right track, it is easier to sail through it. But when the global situation is adverse, it becomes challenging to sustain own pace. Therefore, our emphasis today is on our service sector, which is doing well. Our manufacturing is somewhat recovering. Urban demand is also recovering. But then there are challenging areas. We have had two very bad years of monsoon. So, the rural demand is poor. There is agrarian crisis. So, we need to put in a lot of money into the villages, into the rural areas. If Rs. 27,000 crores are allocated under the Rural Road Scheme by the Centre and the states, it would make a big difference. Allocation on MNREGA is the maximum this year and the maximum amount under it is for interest subvention. We would provide for electricity and irrigation, as these sectors are facing crisis. The current situation of public sector banks is definitely challenging, but most of their bad debts do not belong to our regime. Due to increased imports of cheaper steel from China, the demand of steel produced in our steel mills has decreased and hence, almost all the steel mills are running in loss and they are not in position to repay their loans to the banks. Our Government has imposed import duties on steel and has also taken action against the steel imported from China, so that our local mills are not forced to close down. Today, we have record generation and distribution of the power in the country. But, some of the states have formulated a 112 populist policy of selling the electricity on cheaper rates in view of vote bank politics, without taking into consideration the resulting loss. They should make provision in their budgets for the loss. But, the state governments have been compensating their loss by taking loans from the banks without any scheme to repay those loans. This is a lesson for all of us. Hence, after steel sector, State discoms are also responsible for the overall loss of the public sector banks. There are more than 15 such State discoms and to bring them out of crisis, a central "Udaya Scheme" has been formulated. The third role in it is of highways sector. We have started to put much money in this sector from the last budget. We, of course, gained from the huge reduction of prices of oil in global market. This gain was distributed among three stakeholders. The maximum part of this gain was transferred to the consumers. Second part was taken by the oil companies which compensated their previous loss. The third part, which we took as infrastructure cess or excise duty, was put in the infrastructure sector to fulfill the requirements of rural roads, highways and railways etc. All these assets are public properties and we need to increase public investment in these sectors in today's scenario. Behind our current growth rate, three factors are responsible - public investment, foreign direct investment and urban demand. The only purpose of our current economic policies is to accelerate the demand of rural sector, to create rural infrastructure, to mobilise the resources for the farmers and to improve the economic conditions of the banks. So far as the inflation is concerned, is has been come down in comparison to the previous Government barring the pulses and some other items. The question of intolerance is being politicized unnecessarily. Our Government have not interfered in any appointment or course in any Educational Institution. It is the success of our Government that we are compelling Pakistan for the first time to own up that an attack in India is taking place from their soil.

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Millions of people have connected with banks under our Social Protection Scheme. What I am urging is that all of us have to work together on the issues of poverty, economic growth and on the unity and integrity of the country. With these words, I support and commend to this House that the Presidential Address be accepted after the Prime Minister replies to it. Discussion concluded and the Prime Minister to reply later. ______GOVERNMENT BILL The Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 - Contd. SHRI TARUN VIJAY: I support this Bill. The product is responsible for the dignity of it's producer country. India has established the standard of quality. The Indian quality and the Indian Standard are accepted through out the globe. The Bureau of Indian Standard has been established so that the credibility of Indian standard can build up. Today, in India, 'Make in India' has become a movement. There are good engineers, architects, technocrats and doctors in India, hence, Indian products must be the best in quality. Japan is great not only the reason that it's economy is great, but the fact that the credibility of 'Made in Japan' is accepted through out the world. The similar thing we want to do with the Indian product. For the purpose, we have to extend the horizon of the Bureau of Indian Standard. We all are grateful to this Government as it is developing a mechanism. Now under this law the BIS will get the right to take penal action. Issue of cyber security is a very sensitive issue. Now this issue will also come under the BIS. It is a great achievement. BIS is known for its excellence and credibility. The schools and hospitals should also be constructed as per the norms of BIS. If everybody will strengthen the 'Make in India' programme then our country will earn respect in the whole world. DR. E. M. SUDARSANA NATCHIAPPAN: I support this Bill. We are founders of the International Standards Organisation. The ISO covers standards pertaining to many aspects all over the world.

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Introduction of this law is a welcome step. But we have some ambiguities here. Many people want to have their manufacturing done here in this country. The question is whether we are going to re- register the existing Bureau of Indian Standards or we are going to comply with the same registered institution. I hope the hon. Minister will take note of it. The Indian Standards have now been widened in many aspects. We are making this institution a regulatory authority. Now it will give accreditation to the other institutions. We are giving them the power to give licence also. But the question is how it will be regulated. Are we having the international level infrastructure? We have to note down shortcomings in this regard. Many of the countries are now coming forward with Indian manufacturing system. They are investing huge amount of money. We have to first make proper standards. Five per cent more is going to be added to electronic goods and the manufacturing cost is going to increase. Our manufacturing sector will suffer. The Bureau of Indian Standards is one of the primary institutions of the country. We have so many legislations but in practical terms we are not competitive with other countries. If we impose the standards strictly as per this legislation, then only we will be competitive and our country will come up to that level. SHRI NARESH AGRAWAL: We support this bill. Many bills were brought but corruption could not be curbed. It has been said that a governing body will be made. ISI marked goods were considered to be of good standard. Later, even duplicate goods had ISI mark. Food adulteration has affected health of people of the country. All jewelers should have holograms on their jewels. All packed foods should have hologram. Adulteration is considered biggest crime in Europe. Farmers are suffering from adulteration in fertilizers. FCI should be given license to sell its products. Newspapers are full of misleading advertisements of health products. It should be checked. Too many laws are not effective. Chinese goods are losing their credibility. Goods of good standard will have to be produced to compete in world market. Certification of goods will be effective only when people's confidence is won.

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DR. R. LAKSHMANAN: I rise to support this Bill. The Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015 is brought in order to replace the existing Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986. So far, 19,300 standards have been formulated for about 9,500 products and services by BIS. Each and every day market is flooded with new products. So, there is an urgent need to step up the process of formulation of standards for the products and services. Nowadays online purchase of articles, materials has increased manifold. What is the Government's stand on these products and services? Government has the responsibility to protect the interest of consumers. We have to ensure that standard products at an affordable price reach the consumers. Coming to the provision of compulsory Hallmarking of gold, I request the Government to further strengthen the provisions of Section 14 of the present Bill. Sub-section (4) of Section 13 should include provisions for mobile-testing laboratories. Government should devise a stringent mechanism so that BIS Hallmark symbol is not imitated by anti-social elements. SHRI MUNQUAD ALI: Though this Bill is already passed by , there are numerous things which need to be discussed. I treat this Bill as very important one, because the outlook to certify the quality of a number of food articles, goods and jewelry etc. would be decided through this Bill. Today in our country lots of duplicate companies, shops and selling centres have opened where duplicate goods are sold by putting genuine marks on them and lakhs of innocents and poor people are cheated. Therefore, I request the Government to strengthen the Indian Standard Bureau as far as possible and also to consider to make stringent laws against the people selling goods without standard marks. SHRI T.K. RANGARAJAN: I would like to bring before this August House that BI Standard mark be made on products whether they are manufactured in this country are imported, so that standard must be there. Despite the introduction of hallmark standard fifteen years ago, only 30 per cent jewellery in India is hallmarked. We are not manufacturing the agarbattis. Today, the agarbatti is imported from Vietnam and Cambodia. Those sections will become

116 completely unemployed. We are importing the things and selling here. What have we done for the past 50-60 years to develop these small- scale industries into a quality industry? Even the Bindi that ladies wear also comes from China. I request the Minister that please don't destroy our small-scale industry. SHRI BHUPINDER SINGH: Though the hallmark standard was introduced fifteen years ago, World Gold Council says that only 30 percent gold is hallmarked in India. The question here is not, as to how the duplicate things are made, but, the concern is that the packed things do not contain the quantity mentioned thereon. If there is some poverty here, the reason is that our people are not aware of their rights. The question is that who is going to implement this Act and where the action is taken. Today, no one can claim that the food we are taking is not at all adulterated. We lack infrastructure and the states needs to be supported in this matter. Upgradation of the laboratories along with an increase in the manpower is necessary. The quality of the product should be checked at the very point from where the product is manufactured. We don't have the infrastructure to check how fake products are being named as the branded products. Defective goods should not be manufactured in the country and the quality of the goods manufactured outside the country also be checked. There are not only fake medicines for human consumption, but fake seeds and fertilizers are also there. The pesticides used in the fields are no longer effective. The issues are pending in the consumer forums for long. You should frame such a rule that the case of a product will not be sub-judice at the place where that has been manufactured. You can file a case in the court against a company at the place from where the product has been purchased and the consumer forum will decide on that there itself. His case will not go in the High Court and Supreme Court. SHRI : I support the Bureau of Indian Standards Bill, 2015. It is a step to support the 'Make in India'. The Bureau of Indian Standards has been provided more powers through this Bill. With the establishment of the BIS as the National Standards Body of India, it will have a very meaningful and defined standards

117 which will make our products much competitive and saleable, not only domestically, but internationally too. I would like to know the provisions made for regulations regarding testing of the products, for good laboratories, particularly for research laboratories. Once BIS is done, it should not be that the prices go beyond the capacity or affordability of the consumer. A lot many goods are imported, they are assembled, and they are re-labelled. If substandard goods are coming from other countries, how would the BIS deal with them? How would they certify such products? Penalty provisions have been made in this Bill and this is a good thing to prevent the misuse of standard mark. Majority of the people are not aware of the hallmarking of jewellery etc. The Minister should explain whether that would affect the pricing of the products. A lot of manufacturing houses are coming out with different products and they will also be going for BIS standards. Will this not affect the small and medium manufacturers? With respect to things where security of the country also comes into question, how would you regulate those through this Bill? Will this Bill help our country and our economy to grow the way it has been sought by it? SHRI VIVEK GUPTA: I would like to bring you attention towards some shortcomings in this bill. The seller has been defined in it, but what is happening today in e-commerce is that the product is manufactured by someone and some another is selling it, it needs to be put in order. When some complaint is made, the concerned company backtracks firstly and says that the product had not been manufactured by it. The Director General has been given the power to issue the license in this bill. If he refused to issue the license, then the power to review the application has also been given to the Director General itself. So, it should be revisited. The goods selling in India should at least be at par with ISI Mark and that should not be optional but should be mandatory. We export a lot of goods, you should also have some sort of control on it, so that goodwill of India is not at stake internationally. The people will be benefitted a lot if all the information regarding standards of all the goods are made available at a website. What will happen to the goods purchased earlier by the people after these standards are in place? I would only say that this 118

ISI Mark is a standard of the country, you make it more strong and make it mandatory.

THE MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN), replying to the debate, said: This is an important Bill. In order to protect the interests of consumer, we are trying to bring a bill for consumer protection. The bill provides for recalling of ISI-marked products not conforming to relevant standards. Consumers can file complaints electronically from their homes. People need not take services of advocates to represent. They can represent themselves. We are facing the menace of adulteration of food products. We lack in infrastructure, have limited resources and shortage of staff. The Bill seeks to bring more products and services under the ambit of standardisation. Stringent action will be taken on complaints against people not conforming to relevant Indian standards. BIS certification would be mandatory for import and export of items. We would like that Indian Standard become our international brand. The Bill also provides for compulsory Hallmarking of precious metal articles.

The motion for consideration of the Bill was adopted. Clauses etc., as amended, were adopted. The Bill, as amended, was passed. ______SPECIAL MENTION Demand to give Compensation immediately to the Farmers Affected by Drought in Various States in the Country SHRI VIJAY JAWAHARLAL DARDA: I would like to draw the attention of the House towards problems being faced by farmers of ten drought -affected districts of the country. They are still waiting for compensation. Work days for farmers and labourers under MANREGA have been increased from 100 to 150 days to prevent migration. But this is yet to be implemented. Less amount has been 119 released than the amount sought. Restructuring of loans taken by farmers is still incomplete.

SHUMSHER K. SHERIFF, Secretary-General. [email protected]

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