RAJYA SABHA FRIDAY, THE 31ST AUGUST, 2007 (The Rajya Sabha met in the Parliament House at 11-00 a.m.) *11-03 a.m. (The House adjourned at 11-03 a.m. and re-assembled at 12-00 Noon.) 1. Starred Questions Answers to Starred Question Nos. 261 to 280 were laid on the Table. 2. Unstarred Questions Answers to Unstarred Question Nos. 1984 to 2138 were laid on the Table. 12-00 Noon 3. Papers Laid on the Table Shri (Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs) on behalf of Shri B.K. Handique laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of (Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals) and the Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL), for the year 2007-2008. (ii) Memorandum of Understanding between the (Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Department of Chemicals and Petro Chemicals) and the Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited (BCPL), for the year 2007-2008. Shrimati Panabaka Lakshmi (Minister of State in the Ministry of in the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare) laid on the Table:- I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Department of Health and Family Welfare) Notification G.S.R. 997 (E), dated the 19th June, 2007, amending S.O. 463 (E) dated the 29th March, 2007, for extending to the State of Sikkim and appointing the 19th June, 2007, the date on which the said Act will come into force in the State of Sikkim, under sub section (3) of section 6 of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971. ______* From 11-00 a.m. to 11-03 a.m. some points were raised. 31ST AUGUST, 2007 II. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), Kolkata, for the year 2005-2006, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Institute. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. Shri Naranbhai Rathwa (Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways) laid on the Table:- I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) Notification G.S.R. 435 (E), dated the 15th June, 2007 publishing the Railways (Punitive Charges for Overloading of Wagon) Rules, 2007, under section 199 of the Railways Act, 1989. II. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) Notification G.S.R. 14 dated the 27th January, 2007, publishing the Railways Protection Force (Amendment) Rules, 2006, under sub-section (3) of section 21 of the Railway Protection Force Act, 1957, together with delay statement. Shri Kantilal Bhuria (Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution) laid on the Table:- I. (1) A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under sub-section (1) of section 619A of the Companies Act, 1956 — (i)(a) Fortieth Annual Report and Accounts of the Orissa Agro Industries Corporation Limited (OAIC), Bhubaneswar, for the year 2001-2002, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Corporation. (ii)(a) Thirty-sixth Annual Report and Accounts of the Himachal Pradesh Agro Industries Corporation Limited, Shimla, for the year 2005-2006, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon.

RAJYA SABHA (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Corporation. II. Statements (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (I) above. Dr. Akhilesh Prasad Singh (Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution) laid on the Table:- I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Food and Public Distribution) Notification G.S.R. 423 (E), dated the 13th June, 2007, publishing the Warehousing Corporation (Amendment) Rules, 2007, under sub- section (3) of section 41 of the Warehousing Corporations Act, 1962. II. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Food and Public Distribution) Notification S.O. 1309 (E)/Ess. Com/Sugarcane, dated the 31st July, 2007, publishing the Sugarcane (Control) (Amendment) Order, 2007, under sub- section (6) of section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. 12-01 p.m. 4. Message from — The Inland Vessels (Amendment) Bill, 2007 Secretary-General reported to the House the following message received from Lok Sabha, signed by the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha:- "In accordance with the provisions of rule 120 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, I am directed to inform you that Lok Sabha, at its sitting held on the 30th August, 2007, agreed without any amendment to the Inland Vessels (Amendment) Bill, 2007, which was passed by Rajya Sabha at its sitting held on the 22nd August, 2007." 31ST AUGUST, 2007 12-02 p.m. 5. Statements of the Public Accounts Committee Shri Ravula Chandra Sekar Reddy laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the Statements showing action taken by the Government on the Recommendations contained in the following Action Taken Reports of the Public Accounts Committee:- (i) Sixty-first Report of the Committee (Tenth Lok Sabha) on “Alleged unauthorised importations of plant and machinery, mis-declaration and under-invoicing of goods by a textiles manufacturer”; (ii) Fifth Report of the Committee (Eleventh Lok Sabha) on “Building for Permanent Mission at New York”; (iii) Eighth Report of the Committee (Eleventh Lok Sabha) on “Modvat Scheme- Fraudulent Availment of Credits”; (iv) Twenty-first Report of the Committee (Eleventh Lok Sabha) on “Revision in the Format of Union Government Appropriation Accounts (Civil)”; (v) Fourth Report of the Committee (Thirteenth Lok Sabha) on “The Advance Licensing Scheme”; (vi) Sixtieth Report of the Committee (Thirteenth Lok Sabha) on “Aircraft Accidents in Indian Air Force”; (vii) Sixth Report of the Committee (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on “Excesses over Voted Grants and Charged Appropriations (2000-2001)”; (viii) Fifteenth Report of the Committee (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on “Refunds under the Income Tax Act, 1961”; (ix) Seventeenth Report of the Committee (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on “Union Government Appropriation Accounts (Civil) 1996-97”; and (x) Twenty-second Report of the Committee (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on “Excesses over Voted Grants and Charged Appropriations (2001-2002)”. RAJYA SABHA 12-03 p.m. 6. Recommendations of the Business Advisory Committee The Deputy Chairman informed Members that the Business Advisory Committee in its meeting held on Thursday, the 30th August, 2007, has allotted time for the Government Legislative Business as follows:- BUSINESS TIME ALLOTED

1. Consideration and passing of the following Bills:- (i) The Carriage by Road Bill, 2005 1 Hour (ii) The Indian Boilers (Amendment) Bill, 1994 2 Hours 2. Consideration and passing of the following Bills, after they have been passed by Lok Sabha:- (i) The Payment and Settlement Systems Bill, 2006 3 Hours (ii) The Competition (Amendment)Bill, 2007 3 Hours (iii) The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2006 2 Hours The Committee has recommended that the sitting of the Rajya Sabha fixed for Monday, the 3rd September, 2007, may be cancelled. The Committee further recommended that the House may sit up to 6-00 P.M. and beyond, as and when necessary, for the transaction of Government Legislative and other Business and if required, the House may dispense with the Lunch Hour. 12-04 p.m. 7. Statement by Minister Shri R. Velu, Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways, laid on the Table a statement (in English and Hindi) on the status of implementation of recommendations contained in the Twenty-first and Twenty-fourth Reports of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways. 31ST AUGUST, 2007 12-05 p.m. 8. Statement regarding Government Business Shri Suresh Pachouri, Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, made a statement regarding Government Business in the Rajya Sabha during the week commencing Wednesday, the 5th September, 2007. 12-06 p.m. 9. Special Mentions After taking the sense of the House, the Deputy Chairman directed that the following Special Mentions may be treated as laid on the Table of the House:— 1. Shri Brij Bhushan Tiwari Concern over denial of loans by the Punjab National Bank in Siddharthanagar district of Uttar Pradesh.

2. Shri Karnendu Bhattacharjee Need to explore alternative sources of energy. 3. Shri Santosh Bagrodia Concern over frequent accidents in Ordinance Depots. 4. Shri Jai Parkash Aggarwal Concern over leakage of examination papers in the country. 5. Shri Moinul Hassan Concern over exorbitant pricing of gas by private gas producer in KG basin. 6. Ms. Mabel Rebello Need to redesign all employment programmes for poor in the country. (The House adjourned at 12-07 p.m. and re-assembled at 12-30 p.m.)

RAJYA SABHA 12-30 p.m. 10. Statement by Minister Shri A. R. Antulay, Minister of Minority Affairs, laid on the Table a statement (in English and Hindi) on the follow-up action on the recommendations contained in the Report of the High Level Committee headed by Justice Rajinder Sachar on the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community of India. *12-35 p.m. (The House adjourned at 12-35 p.m. and re-assembled at 2-30 p.m.) 2-30 p.m. 11. Private Members’ Resolution —Under Consideration Shri Shantaram Laxman Naik moved the following Resolution:— "That this House urges upon the Government to make a comprehensive study of all the instructions/orders issued by the Election Commission of India purportedly under article 324 of the Constitution for the purpose of regulating various aspects related to Assembly and Parliament Elections and all other elections under the Constitution and make necessary amendments to article 324 to spell out the limited scope of the said article as far as exercise of powers by the Commission is concerned and further incorporate matters covered by such instructions/orders as are required to be implemented as an effective law, in the Representation of People Act, 1951 and in the Conduct of Elections Rules 1961.” Shri Shantaram Laxman Naik had not concluded his speech while moving the Resolution. ♠2-48 p.m. (The House adjourned at 2-48 p.m. till 11-00 a.m. on Wednesday, the 5th September, 2007) ______

______* From 12-31 p.m. to 12-35 p.m. some points were raised. ♠ From 2-31 p.m. to 2-48 p.m. some points were raised.