WEDNESDAY, THE 7TH DECEMBER, 2005 (The met in the House at 11-00 a.m.) 11-00 a.m. 1. Starred Questions The following Starred Questions were orally answered:- Starred Question No.202 regarding Defence framework agreement with various countries. Starred Question No.203 regarding Production of bio-diesel under National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Starred Question No.204 regarding Solar energy plants in the country. Starred Question No.205 regarding Allocation for rural drinking water plan. Starred Question No.206 regarding Soldiers killed while fighting terrorists. Starred Question No.207 regarding RTV buses plying in Delhi. Answers to remaining Starred Question Nos. 201 and 208 to 220) were laid on the Table. 2. Unstarred Questions Answers to Unstarred Question Nos. 1510 to 1646 were laid on the Table. 12-00 Noon 3. Matters raised with permission (1) Shri Jaswant Singh, Leader of the Opposition, raised a matter regarding reported resignation of a Minister from the Union Council of Ministers. Shri Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of Defence, responded. @(2) Shri N.K. Premachandran raised a matter regarding reported punishment of scooping out the eye of an Indian National working in Saudi Arabia. ______@ At 12-29 p.m. RAJYA SABHA Some other Members also spoke. Shri E. Ahammed, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, responded. 12-26 p.m. 4. Papers Laid on the Table Shri Pranab Mukherjee (Minister of Defence) laid on the Table 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) Forty-first Annual Report and Accounts of the Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), Bangalore, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of thereon. (b) Statement by Government accepting the above Report. (ii) (a) Thirty-first Annual Report and Accounts of the Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited, Hyderabad, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (b) Statement by Government accepting the above Report. (iii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Goa Shipyard Limited, Vasco- da-Gama, Goa, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (b) Statement by Government accepting the above Report. (iv) (a) Thirty-fifth Annual Report and Accounts of the Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (b) Statement by Government accepting the above Report.

7TH DECEMBER, 2005 Shri Shankersinh Vaghela (Minister of Textiles) laid on the Table:- I. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under sub-section (1) of section 619A of the Companies Act, 1956:— (a) Twenty-second Annual Report and Accounts of the National Handloom Development Corporation Limited (NHDC), Lucknow, for the year 2004-2005, 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 copy (in English and Hindi) of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India () and the National Handloom Development Corporation Limited for the year 2005-2006. Shri P.M. Sayeed (Minister of Power) laid on the Table:- I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Power Notification G.S.R.362 (E) dated the 8th October, 2005, publishing the Bhakra Beas Management Board (Amendment) Rules, 2005, under sub-section (3) of section 97 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966. II. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Power, under section 179 of the Electricity Act, 2003:— (1) No.L-5/25(5)/2003-CERC dated the 25th August, 2005, publishing the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (Terms and Conditions of Tariff) (First Amendment) Regulations, 2005. (2) No.Eco.1/2005-CERC dated the 22nd September, 2005, issuing guidelines for determination of Tariff by Bidding Process for procurement of power by Distribution Licensees. (3) No.L-7/25(7)/2004-Legal dated the 19th October, 2005, continuing the billing of charges on provisional basis for a period up to 31st March, 2006.

III. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Annual Report of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), New Delhi, for the year 2004-2005, under sub- section (2) of section 101 of the Electricity Act, 2003. RAJYA SABHA

Shri Manikrao Gavit (Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs) on behalf of Shri Shriprakash Jaiswal laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Home Affairs, under sub-section (3) of section 156 of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force Act, 1992:— (1) G.S.R. 322 dated the 24th September, 2005, publishing the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force, Para-Medical Staff, Group ‘C’ Posts Recruitment Rules, 2005. (2) G.S.R. 324 dated the 24th September, 2005, publishing the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force, Veterinary Cadre Group ‘A’ Posts Recruitment Rules, 2005. Shri E.V.K.S. Elangovan (Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry) laid on theTable:- I. 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) Annual Report and Accounts of the STCL Limited, Bangalore, for the year 2004-2005, 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) Annual Report and Accounts of the State Trading Corporation of India Limited (STC), New Delhi, for the year 2004-2005, 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 copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Quality Council of India, New Delhi, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Statement by Government accepting the above Report.

7TH DECEMBER, 2005

12-27 p.m. 5. Messages from (i) The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2005 (ii) The State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Bill, 2005. Secretary-General reported to the House the following messages received from Lok Sabha signed by the Secretary-General of Lok Sabha :— (I) “In accordance with the provisions of rule 96 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, I am directed to enclose the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2005, as passed by Lok Sabha at its sitting held on the 6th December, 2005.” (II) “In accordance with the provisions of rule 96 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, I am directed to enclose the State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Bill, 2005, as passed by Lok Sabha at its sitting held on the 6th December, 2005.” 6. Bills Laid on the Table Secretary-General laid on the Table a copy each of the following Bills as passed by Lok Sabha:— (I) The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2005 (II) The State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Bill, 2005. 12-28 p.m. 7. Report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources Shri Manoj Bhattacharya laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Fourth Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Water Resources (2005-2006)on Action Taken by the Government on the Recommendations/Observations contained in the Third Report of the Committee (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on “Demands for Grants (2005-2006)” of the Ministry of Water Resources. RAJYA SABHA 12-40 p.m.# 8. Government Bill —Introduced The Carriage by Road Bill, 2005 Shri T.R. Baalu (Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways) moved for leave to introduce a Bill to provide for the regulation of common cariers, limiting their liability and declaration of value of goods delivered to them to determine their liability for loss of, or damage to, such goods occasioned by the negligence or criminal acts of themselves, their servants or agents and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. 12-41 p.m. 9. Government Bill — Returned The Punjab General Sales Tax (As in force in the Union Territory of Chandigarh) Repeal Bill, 2005, as passed by Lok Sabha. Shri S. Regupathy (Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs) moved:- “That the Bill to repeal the Punjab General Sales Tax Act, 1948, as in force in the Union Territory of Chandigarh, as passed by Lok Sabha, be taken into consideration.” 12-42 p.m. The motion for consideration of the Bill was adopted. Clauses 2 was adopted. Clause 1, the Enacting Formula and the Title were adopted. 12-43 p.m. The motion moved by Shri S. Regupathy that the Bill be returned was adopted and the Bill was returned. 12-44 p.m. 10. Short Duration Discussion Shri Shivraj Vishwanath Patil, Minister of Home Affairs, replied to the discussion on the internal security scenario in the country, raised by Shri Arun Shourie on the 1st December, 2005. The discussion was concluded. 7TH DECEMBER, 2005 1-47 p.m. 11. Government Bill — Passed The National Tax Tribunal Bill, 2005, as passed by Lok Sabha. Shri Hansraj Bhardwaj (Minister of Law and Justice) moved:- “That the Bill to provide for the adjudication by the National Tax Tribunal of disputes with respect to levy, assessment, collection and enforcement of direct taxes and also to provide for the adjudication by that Tribunal of disputes with respect to the determination of the rates of duties of customs and central excise on goods and the valuation of goods for the purposes of assessment of such duties as well as in matters relating to levy of tax on service, in pursuance of article 323B of the Constitution and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, as passed by Lok Sabha, be taken into consideration. motion for the consideration of the Bill.” The following Members took part in the discussion:— 1-51 p.m. 1. Shri Surendra Lath** 2-10 p.m. 2. Shri E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan 2-21 p.m. 3. Shri Prasanta Chatterjee 2-24 p.m. 4. Dr. K. Malaisamy 2-40 p.m. 5. Shri C. Ramachandraiah 2-50 p.m. 6. Shri Mangani Lal Mandal** 2-57 p.m. 7. Shri Rajeev Shukla** 3-02 p.m. 8. Shrimati N.P. Durga 3-08 p.m. 9. Shri Shantaram Laxman Naik 3-18 p.m. Shri Hansraj Bhardwaj replied to the debate. 3-31 p.m. The motion for consideration of the Bill was adopted. Clauses 2 to 30 and the Schedule were adopted. Clause 1, the Enacting Formula and the Title were adopted. 3-32 p.m. The motion moved by Shri Hansraj Bhardwaj that the Bill be passed was adopted and the Bill was passed. ______** Spoke in Hindi. RAJYA SABHA 3-33 p.m. 12. Special Mentions 3-33 p.m. 1. Shri Vijay J. Darda raised a matter regarding demand for revival of ailing sugar mills in the country. 3-36 p.m. 2. Shri Santosh Bagrodia raised a matter regarding impact of sickness of PSEs on the Small Scale Industries in the country. 3-38 p.m. 3. Shri Kripal Parmar** raised a matter regarding the establishment of Ski Village by a foreign company in Himachal Pradesh. 3-40 p.m. 4. Dr. Alladi P. Rajkumar raised a matter regarding demand to set up low temperature thermal desalination system plants in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh for conversion of sea water into potable water. 3-44 p.m. 5. Shri Shantaram Laxman Naik raised a matter regarding unilateral decision to close Dabolim Airport in Goa for civilian operations. 3-45 p.m. 6. Shrimati Prema Cariappa raised a matter regarding demand for comprehensive action plan for effective prevention and control of Japanese Encephalitis in Karnataka and other parts of the country. 3-48 p.m. 13. Discussion on the Statement made by Minister Shri Kamal Nath, Minister of Commerce and Industry, made a statement on the WTO negotiations and the likely issues that may come up at its Sixth Ministerial Conference to be held at Hong Kong from 13th to 18th December, 2005. ______** Spoke in Hindi. 7TH DECEMBER, 2005 4-05 p.m. Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi** raised a discussion on the statement of the Minister. The following Members took part in the discussion:— 4-39 p.m. 1. Shri Nilotpal Basu 5-05 p.m. 2. Shri Santosh Bagrodia 5-25 p.m. 3. Shri Arjun Kumar Sengupta 5-39 p.m. 4. Shri Arun Jaitley 5-59 p.m. 5. Shri R. Sarath Kumar 6-08 p.m. 6. Shri Manoj Bhattacharya 6-18 p.m. 7. Shri Ravula Chandra Sekar Reddy 6-24 p.m. 8. Shri Sharad Anantrao Joshi 6-36 p.m. Shri Kamal Nath replied to the discussion. The discussion was concluded. 7-04 p.m. 14. Statement by Minister Shri Shankersinh Vaghela, Minister of Textiles, laid on the Table a statement (in English and Hindi) on the Status of implementation of recommendations contained in the Sixth Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour.

(The House adjourned at 7-05 p.m. till 11-00 a.m. on Thursday, the 8th December, 2005)

______** Spoke in Hindi.