Parliamentary Bulletin

PART - I

(TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTEENTH SESSION) No. 4755] TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009 Brief Record of the Proceedings of the Meeting of the Rajya Sabha held on the 24th February, 2009

11-00 a.m. 1. Reference by the Chair The Chairman felicitated the three Indians who have won the Oscar Award at the 81st Annual Academy Awards. 2. Starred Questions Starred Question Nos. 101 to 104 and 106 were orally answered. Answers to remaining questions (105 and 107 to 120) were laid on the Table. 3. Unstarred Questions Answers to Unstarred Question Nos. 707 to 856 were laid on the Table. 12-00 Noon. 4. Papers Laid on the Table The following papers were laid on the Table:— 1.(1) A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under sub-section (1) of Section 619A of the Companies Act, 1956:— (a) Thirty-ninth Annual Report and Accounts of the Water and Power Consultancy Services () Limited, formerly known as WAPCOS, New , for the year 2007-2008, 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.

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(2) Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. 2. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT), NOIDA, for the year 2007-2008. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Council. (ii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (NCHMCT), Srinagar, for the year 2007-2008. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Society. (iii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Akademi. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (iv) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC), Udaipur, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Centre. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (v) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the South Central Zone Cultural Centre (SCZCC), Nagpur, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Centre. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (vi) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Eastern Zone Cultural Centre (EZCC), Kolkata, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts.

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(b) Review by Government on the working of the above Centre. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (vii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Akademi. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (viii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC), Allahabad, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Centre. (ix) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Foundation. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (x) (a) Annual Report of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Kolkata, for the year 2006-2007. (b) Annual Accounts of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), Kolkata, for the year 2006-2007 and the Audit Report thereon. (c) Review by Government on the working of the above Council. (d) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) and (b) above.

(xi) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata, for the year 2006-2007, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts.

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(b) Review by Government on the working of the above Hall. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (xii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Centre. (xiii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, New Delhi, for the year 2007-2008, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Centre. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. 3. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation Notification No. G.S.R. 21(E), dated the 12th January, 2009, publishing the Aircraft (Ist Amendment) Rules, 2009, under sub-section (3) of section 14-A of the Aircraft Act, 1934, along with Explanatory Note. 4.(1) A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under sub-section (1) of Section 619A of the Companies Act, 1956:— (a) Twentieth Annual Report and Accounts of Donyi Polo Ashok Hotel Corporation Limited, Itanagar, for the year 2006-2007, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (b) Twenty-first Annual Report and Accounts of Pondicherry Ashok Hotel Corporation Limited, Puducherry, for the year 2006- 2007, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (c) Fifth Annual Report and Accounts of Kumarakruppa Frontier Hotels Private Limited, New Delhi, 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.

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(d) Reviews by Government on the working of the above Corporation. (2) Statements each (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. 5. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, under Section 62 of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006:— (1) G.S.R. 800 (E), dated the 19th November, 2008, publishing the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (Authorizing Entities to Lay, Build, Operate or Expand City or Local Natural Gas Distribution Networks) Amendment Regulations, 2008. (2) G.S.R. 801 (E), dated the 19th November, 2008, publishing the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (Determination of Network Tariff for city or Local Natural Gas Distribution Networks and Compression Charge for CNG) Amendment Regulations, 2008. (3) G.S.R. 802 (E), dated the 19th November, 2008, publishing the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (Authorizing Entities to Lay, Build, Operate or Expand Natural Gas Pipelines) Amendment Regulations, 2008. (4) G.S.R. 807 (E), dated the 20th November, 2008, publishing the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (Determination of Natural Gas Pipeline Tariff) Regulations, 2008. 6. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (1) Production sharing contract signed between Government of India (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) and the Reliance Industries Limited for exploration of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) in respect of Block SP (East)-CBM-2001/1. (2) Production sharing contract signed between Government of India (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) and the Reliance Industries Limited for exploration of Coal Bed Methane (CBM) in respect of Block SP (West)-CBM-2001/1. 7.(1) A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under sub-section (1) of section 619A of the Companies Act, 1956:— (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Bharat Heavy Plate and

30327 Vessels Limited (BHPV), Visakhapatnam, for the year 2007- 2008, 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. (2) Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. 12-01 p.m. 5. Message from Reported and Government Bill laid on the Table I. Secretary-General reported to the House a message from the Lok Sabha informing the Rajya Sabha that the Lok Sabha at its sitting held on the 20th February, 2009 had passed the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Bill, 2009, with the following amendments (passed by the Rajya Sabha on the 16th December, 2008):— Enacting Formula 1. Page 2, line 5,- For “fifty-ninth”, substitute “Sixtieth”. Clause - 1 2. Page 2, line 9, - For “2008”, substitute “2009. II. The Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Bill, 2009, as passed by Lok Sabha, was laid on the Table. 12-02 p.m. 6. Report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture Shri Sitaram Yechury presented One Hundred Forty-ninth Report (in English and Hindi) of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture on Development of tourism infrastructure and amenities for the Commonwealth Games 2010.

30328 7. Report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Tapan Kumar Sen laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Twenty-fifth Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Petroleum and Natural Gas (2008-2009) on “Marketing, Supply, Distribution, Dealerships and Pricing of Kerosene and other Petroleum Products”. 12-03 p.m. 8. Reports of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence Shrimati Viplove Thakur laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Reports of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (2008-2009):— (i) Thirty-fourth Report on “Human Resource Planning, Shortage of Manpower, Infusion of Hi-Tech Training and Infrastructure for the Armed Forces”; (ii) Thirty-fifth Report on “Action Taken by the Government on the recommendations of the Committee contained in their Twenty- ninth Report (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on Demands for Grants (2008-2009) of the Ministry of Defence”; and (iii) Thirty-sixth Report on “Status of implementation of Unified Command for Armed Force”. 12-04 p.m. 9. Statements by Ministers (1) Shri Prem Chand Gupta, Minister of Corporate Affairs, laid on the Table a statement (in English and Hindi) on the status of implementation of recommendations contained in the Seventy-first Report of the Department- related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance. (2) Shri K. Venkatapathy, Minister of State in the Ministry of Law & Justicelaid on the Table a statement (in English and Hindi) on the status of implementation of recommendations contained in the Twenty-sixth Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice.

30329 12-05 p.m. 10. Matters raised with permission (1) Shri Yashwant Sinha raised a matter regarding problems being faced by the paddy farmers of Jharkhand in selling their crops to the FCI. 12-08 p.m. (2) Shri Prakash Javadekar raised a matter regarding terrorist and smuggling activities arising in Myanmar border. *12-24 p.m. The House adjourned and re-assembled at 12-37 p.m. 12-37 p.m. (3) Shri Birendra Prasad Baishya raised a matter regarding appointment in North-East Frontier Railways. 12-40 p.m. (4) Shri Prasanta Chatterjee raised a matter regarding purchase of Air Defence Missile system. 12-42 p.m. (5) Shri Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi raised a matter regarding IIM in Rajasthan. 12-45 p.m. (6) Shri M. Rama Jois raised a matter regarding bad condition of NH 48 between Bangalore and Mangalore. 12-47 p.m. (7) Shri Prabhat Jha raised a matter regarding apprehension expressed by Naval Chief regarding smuggling of nuclear weapon through containers. 12-50 p.m. (8) Dr.(Smt.) Kapila Vatsyayan raised a matter regarding need to protect dialects of the country.

* From 12-11 p.m. to 12-24 p.m. some points were raised.

30330 12-54 p.m. (9) Shri Bharatkumar Raut raised a matter regarding expenditure from Government treasury on advertisements in newspapers. #1-00 p.m. 11. Special Mentions After taking 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 Lalit Kishore Demand to stabilize the rate of interest Chaturvedi levied by NABARD on agricultural loans. 2. Dr. Gyan Prakash Pilania Concern over malnutrition prevailing amongst children in the country. 3. Shri M.V. Mysura Need for immediate approval of Reddy financial restructuring proposal of Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., Vishakapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. 4. Shri D. Raja Concern over plight of Bhopal Gas tragedy victims. 1-01 p.m. The House adjourned and re-assembled at 2-03 p.m. 2-03 p.m. 12. Government Bills — Returned/Passed (1) The High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2009, as passed by Lok Sabha. Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj, Minister of Law & Justice, moved motion for the consideration of the Bill. The following Members took part in the discussion:— 2-06 p.m. 1. Shri Arun Jaitley 2-28 p.m. 2. Shri Shantaram Laxman Naik

# From 12-57 p.m. to 12-59 p.m. some points were raised.

30331 2-47 p.m. 3. Shri P.R. Rajan 2-57 p.m. 4. Prof. P.J. Kurien 3-16 p.m. 5. Shri Virendra Bhatia 3-34 p.m. 6. Shri Ram Jethmalani 3-55 p.m. 7. Shri D. Raja 4-08 p.m. 8. Shri B.S. Gnanadesikan 4-13 p.m. Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj replied to the debate. 4-44 p.m. The motion for consideration of the Bill was adopted. Clauses 2 to 15 were adopted. Clause 1, the Enacting Formula and the Title were adopted.

4-45 p.m. The motion moved by Shri Hans Raj Bhardwaj that the Bill be returned was adopted and the Bill was returned. 4-46 p.m. (2) The National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Bill, 2009, as passed by Lok Sabha. Shri , Minister of State in the Ministry of Urban Development, moved motion for the consideration of the Bill. The following Members took part in the discussion:— 4-47 p.m. 1. Shri S.S. Ahluwalia Ψ5-05 p.m. 2. Shri Jai Parkash Aggarwal 5-21 p.m. 3. Shri Prasanta Chatterjee 5-27 p.m. 4. Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad 5-36 p.m. Shri Ajay Maken replied to the debate. 5-59 p.m. The motion for consideration of the Bill was adopted. Clauses 2 to 6 were adopted. Clause 1, the Enacting Formula, the Preamble and the Title were adopted.

Ψ From 4-57 p.m. to 5-04 p.m. some points were raised.

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6-00 p.m. The motion moved by Shri Ajay Maken that the Bill be passed was adopted and the Bill was passed. 6-01 p.m. 13. Messages from Lok Sabha Reported and Government Bills laid on the Table I. Secretary-General reported to the House three messages from Lok Sabha informing Rajya Sabha that Lok Sabha at its sittings held on the 24th February, 2009, had passed— (i) The Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill, 2009; (ii) The Appropriation Bill, 2009; and (iii) The Finance Bill, 2009. II. The following Bills, as passed by Lok Sabha, were laid on the Table:— (i) The Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill, 2009; (ii) The Appropriation Bill, 2009; and (iii) The Finance Bill, 2009 6-02 p.m. 14. &(a) Statutory Resolution – Negatived Shri Balavant alias Bal Apte moved the following Resolution:— "That this House disapproves of the Central Universities Ordinance, 2009 (No.3 of 2009) promulgated by the President on the 15th January, 2009". 6-03 p.m. &(b) Government Bill — Passed The Central Universities Bill, 2009, as passed by Lok Sabha. Shrimati D. Purandeswari, Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development, moved motion for the consideration of the Bill.

& Discussed together.

30333 The following Members took part in the discussion on the Statutory Resolution and the bill:— Φ6-07 p.m. 1. Shri Balavant alias Bal Apte Θ6-32 p.m. 2. Dr. Ram Prakash 6-42 p.m. 3. Shri Matilal Sarkar 6-58 p.m. 4. Shri Brij Bhushan Tiwari β7-09 p.m. 5. Shri N.K. Singh 7-23 p.m. 6. Shri Janardhan Waghmare 7-33 p.m. 7. Shri D. Raja 7-45 p.m. 8. Shri Bhagat Singh Koshyari 7-57 p.m. 9. Shrimati Sushila Tiriya 8-03 p.m. 10. Dr. Barun Mukherji 8-11 p.m. 11. Shri Rajniti Prasad 8-12 p.m. Shrimati D. Purandeswari replied to the debate. 8-37 p.m. The Statutory Resolution moved by Shri Balavant alias Bal Apte was negatived. 8-38 p.m. The motion for consideration of the Bill was adopted. Clauses 2 to 47, the First Schedule and the Second Schedule were adopted. Clause 1, the Enacting Formula and the Title were adopted.

8-40 p.m. The motion moved by Shrimati D. Purandeswari that the Bill be passed was adopted and the Bill was passed.

Φ From 6-04 p.m. to 6-06 p.m. some points were raised. Θ From 6-29 p.m. to 6-31 p.m. see item no. 15 and From 6-31 p.m. to 6-32 p.m. see item no. 16(a). β From 7-08 p.m. to 7-09 p.m. see item no. 16(b).

30334 Π15. Statements by Minister Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh, Minister of Rural Development, laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following statements regarding:— (1) Status of implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA); (2) Expansion of the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) to include pension scheme for Widows and Persons with Disabilities; and (3) Status of implementation of the components of Bharat Nirman relating to the Ministry of Rural Development. 16. Messages from Lok Sabha Reported and Government Bill laid on the Table I. Secretary-General reported to the House two messages from Lok Sabha informing Rajya Sabha that Lok Sabha at its sitting held on the 24th February, 2009:— Ω(a) agreed without any amendment to the Prevention of Money- Laundering (Amendment) Bill, 2009 passed by Rajya Sabha at its sitting held on the 19th February, 2009. π(b) had passed the Metro Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2009. II. The Metro Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2009, as passed by Lok Sabha, was laid on the Table. 8-41 p.m. 17. Half-an-Hour Discussion Shri Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi raised a discussion on points arising out of the answer given in the Rajya Sabha on the 7th March, 2008 to Unstarred Question No. 831 regarding ‘Requirement of wheat for distribution to BPL families’.

Π At 6-29 p.m. Ω At 6-31 p.m. π At 7-08 p.m.

30335 9-02 p.m. Dr. Akhilesh Prasad Singh, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, replied to the discussion. 9-16 p.m. The House adjourned till 11-00 a.m. on Wednesday, the 25th February, 2009.

V.K. AGNIHOTRI, Secretary-General