187 Stoppage, of bus service [2 DECEMBER 1986] in Delhi by DTC. 188

REPORT OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS not ask for permission earlier will not COMMITTEE get a chance. SHRI NIRMAL CHATTERJEE (West SHRI GURUDAS DAS GUPTA (West Bengal): Sir, I beg to lay on the Table a copy Bengal): Sir, the matter is more serious than (in English and Hindi) of the Fifty-Ninth has been made out by my hon. friend. There is Report of the Public Accounts Committee report in the newspapers that the Delhi (Eighth ) on action taken on the Administration has advised the DTC to stop 175th Report of the Committee (Seventh Lok the playing of buses. It means that the Sabha) relating to Drought Prone Area Government does not want the buses to move Programme. and, as a result, the Government does not MR. CHAIRMAN: Now, Mr. Sukomal Sen want the people to go for their normal work. It and Mr. Gurudas Das Gupta wanted to means that the Government is a party to the mention something about the inconvenience strike that has been sponsored by a political caused to Members by the stoppage of buses. party. We, of course, protest against the Mr. Sukomal Sen. massacre thai has taken place. But the question is whether it is a State-sponsored "bandh" winch is taking place in Delhi today Re STOPPAGE OF BUS SERVICE IN, because the West Bengal Government has DELHI BY D. T. C. been accused on a number of occasions that it is sponsoring "bandhs". Now, it seems that SHRI SUKOMAL SEN (West Bengal): Sir, Delhi Government is sponsor-' ing the today a "bandh" has been called by a political 'bandh'*. And what is more important is that party to protest against the massacre in Punjab. while fighting against terrorism, we must be I am not going into the merits of the "bandh". on guard against *.. Any action on the part of But I am surprised to see that the Delhi the Government which encourages the forces Transport Corporation has officially of * is inimical to the... " announced that it will suspend the bus service today. It has come out in the newspapers and MR. CHAIRMAN: All references to * over the radio also they announced the inten- will be deleted because. the hon. Member tion of the DTC to suspend the bus service sought permission from me only to mention today. the inconvenience caused to the Members. A political party can organise a SHRI CHATURANAN MISHRA (Bihar): strike, buses can be stopped by picketers and That will cause greater inconvenience in agitators or even by the employees i future. (Interruptions) themselves. They can also go on strike. It is for MR. CHAIRMAN: Mr. A. G. Kulkarni. the people to choose whether they will travel in buses or not. Tt is for the people to choose . SHRI A. G. KULKARNI (Maharashtra ): I whether they will stop the buses or not. am raising my voice against the What has the Government to do in it ? inconvenience caused to the Members of I would like to know whether the Delhi Parliament. I am concerned only with the Administration and the Government are also Members of Parliament. I waited up to 10. joining the "bnndh" ? Otherwise how can 10. The Matador comes at 9. 50 or 9. 55. I the Delhi Administration or the DTC would request you to direct the Minister for announce in such a manner, newspapers and Parliamentary Affairs or the Minister for over the radio, that they will suspend bus Surface Transport, whoever he is. to see that operations ? It is outright opportunism on the j some arrangements are made to bring the part of the Delhi Administration, the t Members of Parliament. I was very much Government of and the DTC. I ■ inconvenienced. Fortunately, I got a would Iike to have a statement from the hon. rickshaw. I came in a rickshaw and had to Minister. walk from that door to the door of the Rajya Sabha. I am not concerned with the bandh MR. CHAIRMAN: I have already ask- ' ed the or with, the Minister to come. Now, Mr. Das Gupta. (Interruptions). There will be no general "'Deleted as ordered by the Chair. discussion. Members who did 189 Stoppage • of bus service [ RAJYA SABHA ] in Delhi by D. l. L. Iyv

[Shri A. G. Kulkarni] GOVERNMENT MOTION RE. GENE- political party or non-political party. It is their RAL ECONOMIC SITUATION IN THE job. The Government has to maintain law and COUNTRY order. T am not con- \ cerned with it. A protest THE MINISTER OF FINANCE (SHRI has to be lodged. The Government has failed on ): Sir, I the point that the Minister for Parliamentary beg to move: Affairs and the Minister for Surface Transport were not alert in providing Matador or other "That the general economic situation in vehicles to the Members of Parliament. I will the country be taken into consideration. " request you to direct them to be careful infuture. Sir, I welcome this occasion to have a discussion in the House on the general THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE economic situation in the country. I would MINISTRY OF SURFACE TRANSPORT like to take this opportunity to . share with the (SHRl RAJESH PILOT): Sir, I fully share th j House my perception of our economic feelings expressed by the hon. Members here. achievements as well as the problems we face We received a message from the Delhi and the solutions that we must jointly Administration that because of the law arid endeavour to find. order situation and on their advice, the D. T. C. should not operate tomorrow. The present economic situation is charac- (Interruptions). Let me complete. Let me terised by several favourable factors. As the complete please. We have checked up and House is aware, the momentum of economic there have cases or there have been occasions growth is being maintained. It is a matter of in the past when on the advice of the Delhi particular satisfaction that in the first two years Administration, the Department had to act like of the Seventh Plan we have been able to this. But we, on the D. T. C. side, are not in a finance over 40 per cent of the Central Plan position to ask the reason, lt is the Delhi target in real terms at 1984-85 prices. This is Administration which has to do it taking into unprecedented. We have substantially stepped consideration the law and order situation. up programmes for the poor and taken new As far as the inconvenience caused to the initiatives for the benefit of the workers. The infrastructure sectors of the economy are Members of Parliament is concerned, 1 do performing very well. The price situation is agree that there was a communication gap under control. New issues in the capital market which took place. In the morning itself; at 11. have reached record levels. Tax revenues, 00 o'clock, when I realised it, we did arrange a particularly personal income-tax revenues, Matador which has come here. But the fact is continue to display a remarkable buoyancy and that we should have been more alert to our foreign exchange reserves are at a com- provide transport to the Members of fortable level. At the same time, it is important Parliament particularly when the Parliament is to anticipate the problems ahead so that we can in session. We are also concerned about the find proper solutions well in time without inconvenience to the public at large. The jeopardizing our economic development. common citizen has also got affected. But we There are two major areas of economic had to agree to the advice of the Delhi concern, namely, the balance of payments and Administration because of various reasons. In the rapid growth of Government expenditure, future, we will try to sort out different mainly on account of the implementation of alternatives so that the public is not so much the Pay Commission's recommendations, inconvenienced. increase in subsidies and outlays on account of SHRI GURUDAS DAS GUPTA: * the natural calamities, etc. In these areas of MR. CHAIRMAN: Nothing will go on concern, we must act decisively, and I would record. Now, Shri Vishwanath Pratap Singh like to take a few minutes to elaborate these will move the Government Motion. points. SHRI A. G. KULKARNI (Maha- *Not recorded as directed by the Chair. ; rashtra): Sir, is he making a statement ?