sign in sign up
<<
Home , Indian Overseas Bank

4. COMMITTEE SECTION- III (Committee on Govt. Assurances)

4.1 Main Functions:- This Section provides support and assistance to the Committee on Government Assurances in ensuring accountability of the Executive to the Parliament in respect of assurances given on the floor of the Rajya Sabha. The Section in co-ordination with the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs culls out assurances given on the floor of the Rajya Sabha; processes requests for extension of time for fulfilment of assurances, received from various Ministries; prepares memoranda containing request for dropping of assurances for consideration of the Committee; scrutinises Implementation Statements furnished by Ministries/Departments to ensure that the issues involved in the assurances are fulfilled fully and satisfactorily; drafts reports on various subjects of vital importance as per the directions of the Committee; reviews the progress of implementation of the pending assurances so as to expedite fulfilment thereof; issues notices for the meetings of the Committee; liaises with various organisations to facilitate on-the- spot-study tours by the Committee in connection with the pending assurances; prepares study notes on the visits of the Committee and minutes of the meetings of the Committee; maintains data on pending assurances, prepares Quarterly Statements of pending assurances and assurances under examination by the Committee.

4.2 Culling of Assurances:- During the period under report 820 assurances were culled out from the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha and the Ministries/Departments concerned were asked to fulfil them expeditiously. As on 31.12.2001, 1425 assurances were pending. Ministry-wise details are given in (Annexure 4.1).

4.3 Meetings of the Committee and Dropping of Assurances:- During the year under Report, the Committee held 9 sittings as given below:- S. Date of Main Agenda (Dropping/Considerations, Time No. Meeting etc.) Devoted 01 02-01- The Committee considered requests for dropping of 1hr.05 min. 2001 Assurances received from various Ministries 02. 16-02- -do- 0hr.40 mins. 2001 03. 30-03- -do- 0hr.40 mins. 2001 04. 25-04- The Committee considered and adopted the 53rd 0hr.25 mins. 2001 Report of the Committee 05. 15-06- The Committee heard the Secretary in the Ministry 1hr.35min. 2001 of Human Resource Development (Department of Secondary and Higher Education) in connection with the fulfillment of assurances pertaining to Department of Secondary and Higher Education in general and assurances related to Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan in particular. 06. 27-08- The Committee considered and adopted the 54th 0hr.35 mins. 2001 Report of the Committee 07. 01-10- The Meeting was adjourned after making an 0hr.05 mins. 2001 obituary reference to the passing away of Shri Madhavrao Scindia, Member, Lok Sabha. 08. 08-11- The Committee considered requests for dropping of 1 hr.00 2001 assurances received from various Ministries mins.

09. 09-11- The Committee heard (i) the Secretary in the 3 hrs.10 2001 Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in connection mins. with the fulfillment of long pending assurances pertaining to that Ministry and (ii) the Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation in connection with the fulfillment of pending assurances.

The Committee considered 56 requests for dropping of assurances received from various Ministries/Departments and taking into account the genuine difficulties of the Ministries in fulfilling them, accepted 29 requests. In 3 cases, the Committee took oral evidence of the representatives of the Ministries to review the progress of implementation of some pending assurances and to examine the entire gamut of the issues involved therein. A statement showing examination of assurances during the year 2001 is placed at (Annexure-4.2). In 4 cases, personal hearing of representatives of Ministries/State Government are pending due to paucity of time (Annexure 4.3)

4.4 Implementation of Assurances:- The Section scrutinised 738 Implementation Statements laid on the Table of the Rajya Sabha during the period under review. Assurances which were not found to have been fully or satisfactorily fulfilled or where replies did not contain precise information asked for in the question, were appropriately referred to the concerned Ministries/Departments.

4.5 Preparation of the Reports:- During the period under review, two Reports were prepared for consideration and adoption by the Committee. The details are given below:-

Report No. Subject Presented on 53rd Review of progress of implementation of 26th April,2001 assurances 54th -do- 29th August,2001

4.6 Tour/Visits of the Committee:- The Committee undertook 3 study tours outside Delhi and made 6 local visits to the Organisations headquartered in Delhi to acquire first hand information regarding progress of implementation of some pending assurances. The details are given below:-

Place Name of the Organisation Subject and a) Chennai Petroleum Assurances pertaining to Hyderabad Corporation Ltd. Starred Question No334 From 7.1.2001 to b) Neyveli Lignite dated 17.4.2000 regarding 11.1.2001 Corporation Ltd. Uniform VRS for PSU c) Ltd. employees and USQ.3046 d) Trust dated 21.8.2000 regarding e) effect of privatization of f) Indian Overseas Bank PSUs on SC/ST employees, g) National Mineral USQ.143 dated 30.11.99 Development Corporation regarding amendment to Ltd.(NMDC) policy on VRS and USQ. h) Mishra Dhatu Nigam Ltd. No.421 dated 25.4.2000 i) regarding provided j) for higher education by nationalized Banks.. Local Visits at Delhi a) Pawan Hans Helicopters Assurances pertaining to 17.5.2001 and Ltd. Starred Question 15.6.2001 b) National Termal Power No234dated 15.12.98 Corporation regarding restructuring of c) Container Corporation of Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd. Ltd., USQ.5599 dated d) 17.5.2000 regarding Ltd. restructuring of NHPC, NTPC and PGC.,SQ.299 dated 8.12.2000 regarding changes in Railway Administration, SQ.163 dated 30.11.2000 pertaining to Ministry of Labour regarding wages to women workers(employment provided to women by PSUs between 1995- 2000),USQ.4519 dated 8.5.2000 regarding strategy for tapping rural market of SAIL products and USQ.2330 dated 11.12.2000 regarding concentration of SAIL on bulk buyers. Bangalore-Mangalore- a) Kudremukh Iron Ore Assurances pertaining to Company Ltd. Starred Question No. 334 From 15.7.2001 to b) ITI Ltd. dated 17.4.2000 regarding 21.7.2001 c) HMT Ltd. Uniform VRS for PSU d) Hindustan Aeronautical employees, USQ. 1013 Ltd. dated 5.3.2001 regarding e) Spices Trading amounts spent on Corporation Ltd. VRS/VSS in PSEs., USQ. f) Coffee Board 3011 dated 18.12.2000 g) regarding productivity h) consumption and export of i) items dealt by commodity j) New Mangalore Port Boards, SQ.125 dated Trust 17.12.1999 regarding k) NPAs of Nationalised l) Banks, USQ.2464 dated m) 19.3.2001 regarding Ltd. appointment of SCs/STs in n) the high level posts in Corporation Ltd. Major Ports, USQ.228 o) dated 28.2.1996 regarding Corporation Ltd. Joint Venture projects in oil sector and SQ.327 dated 12.12.2000 regarding promotion of LPG as auto fuel. Chennai-Portblair- a) Indian Overseas Bank Assurances pertaining to Kolkata b) Indian Bank Starred Question No. 125 From 5.10.2001 to c) Chennai Petroleum dated 7.12.99 regarding 11.10.2001 Corporation Ltd. NPA’s of Nationalised d) Chennai Port Trust banks, USQ.896 dated e) Andaman & Nicobar 28.11.2000 regarding Islands Forest & Plant action plan for weak Development Corporation banks, SQ.85 dated Ltd. 27.2.2001 regarding cost f) Indian Navy of production of the g) I.B.P. cylinder, USQ.2099 dated h) 21.12.99 regarding volume i) UCO Bank of traffic handled by major j) United ports, USQ.539 dated k) Jessop & Co. Ltd. 24.11.2000 regarding l) Burn Standard Co. Ltd. attacks on forest staff, m) Andrew Yule Co. Ltd. SQ.383 dated 15.12.2000 n) Tea Board regarding wireless sets for o) Ltd. forest officials, USQ.2648 dated 23.12.98 regarding Naval Base in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, USQ.3446 dated 17.4.2001 regarding valuation of IBP assets, USQ.1013 dated 5.3.2001 regarding amount spent on VRS/VSS in PSE’s, SQ.103 dated 30.7.2001 regarding losses suffered by heavy industrial units in Public Sector, USQ.1898 dated 13.3.2000 regarding purchase preferences for PSE’s, USQ.3011 dated 18.12.2000 regarding productivity consumption and export items dealt by Commodity Boards, USQ.976 dated 29.11.2000 regarding rampant corruption in Central Coal Fields Ltd. And USQ.317 dated 25.7.2001 regarding survival/revival plans of ECL. Local visits at Delhi a) Punjab and Sind Bank Assurances pertaining to 8.11.2001 b) Punjab SQ.125 dated 7.12.1999 regarding NPA’s of Nationalised Banks.

4.7 Inspection:- The inspection of the Section was conducted on 18th October, 2001 by Shri P. P. K. Ramacharyulu, Deputy Secretary. Comments/suggestions are awaited.

4.8 Goals and Analysis:- The comprehensive Assurance software has proved of immense help in keeping records as well as monitoring the progress of implementation of pending assurances. Since a definite time frame cannot be set for expeditious fulfillment of all pending assurances because of factors like policy decisions, on going investigations etc., a review has been undertaken to target those assurances which are pending for want of information and also find out default in seeking timely extension of time for fulfillment of assurances. The Committee heard Secretaries of several Ministries having large number of assurances pending for a long time. The meeting had the desired effect which reflected in seeking of timely extension and furnishing of Implementation Reports by Ministries such as Human Resource Development and Petroleum & NaturalGas.

4.9 Computerisation:- The Section has successfully completed the target of data entry in respect of all the assurances. Presently, three computers are installed in the Section. All the three computers have Internet connectivity.

4.10 Budget Allocation:- The section was sanctioned a budget grant of Rs. 22,000/- for meeting the expenditure in respect of refreshments etc. for Committee meetings for the financial year 2001-2002.

4.11 Training to staff:- All the Dealing Assistants went through training on Office Procedure and Service Conditions organized by Training Unit in the Secretariat.