85 Calling Attention to [ 4 DEC. 1970 ] a matter of urgent public 86 importance (c) whether, nstcad of absorbing the former water exploration work in non-haid rock and Supply Department employees of the Assam alluvial areas including chronically famine Governm nt engaged in procurement the affected areas since 1954-55. This services of n any of them have now been organisation has now been renamed as the terminated whereas new employees mostly Central Ground Water Board and it has also from outside th State of Assam have now been been decided to undertake groundwater appointed; and exploration throughout the country including hard rock areas. While selecting areas for (d) whether it is a fact that the FCI has not exploration, needs of chronically famine vet started irorurement of paddy this year in affected areas are also kept in view. The districts like Nowgong? exploratory programme is finalised after 1 HE MINIS! ER OF STATE IN THE inviting proposals from the State MINISTRY 01 FOOD, AGRICULTURE, Governments. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CO- (b) Yes, Sir. OPERATION f'-HRI ANNASAHEB SHIN DE): (a) In the beginning of the last season the (c) During 1970-71 exploratory work is procurement of paddy was slow on account of being carried out in the districts of Ghazi-pur, rigid specifications about moisture content A/amgarh, Ballia, Banda. Hamirpur. Jalaun which was subsequently relaxed by the Mate and Allahabad of Uttar Pradesh and districts Government. Thereafter the procurement Monghvr and Muzzafarpur of Bihar. In picked up and over 89,000 tonnes of paddy Rajasthan a quantitative assessment of were procured by the Corporation in the areas groundwater survey of three different areas in allotted to it. Western Rajasthan i.e. Jalore, Barunda (district Jodhpur) and Lathi Basin (district (b) Excepting one report of non-delivery of Jaisalmer) has been undertaken with UNDP some quantit of paddy there was no report of assistance. Report in respect of Jalore area has unnec ssary delay and corruption against the been received and reports in respect of co-i peratives and traders who acted as prom Barunda and Lathi Basin arc expected to be- mg agents of ECI (luring the last season. reach by the end ol this year. The programme for the next year 1971-72 is yet to be finalised (c) The infoi naiion is being collected and and this would be done keeping in view the will be laid on ihe Table of the Sabha. proposals to be received from the State (d) The decisi >n about the terms and con- Governments. ditions on whirl the Food Corporation has to procure padt v in Nowgong district lias been 12 NOON taken by the State Govt, recently. The Corporation is taking steps to appoint the co- CALLING ATTENTION TO A MATTER operative societies as their procurement agents OF URGENT PUBLIC IMPORTANCE in accordance with the decision. REPORTED SHORTAGE OF SMALL COINS IN THE COUNTRY CAUSING GREAT DIFFICULTIES TO fSuRvrv OF UNDERGROUND WATER BY STATES TRADERS AND PUBLIC 886. SHRI I ,DER SINGH: Will the SHRI N. G. GORAY (Maharashtra): Sir. I Minister of EG )D AND call the attention of the Minister of Finance to AGRICULTURE be pleased to si ite: the reported shortage of small coins in the (a) whether ii is a fact that the Central country causing great difficulties to traders Government ha e accepted proposals from and public. State Governments to help/undertake survey of underground water in the chronically [MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN in the Chair.] famine effected areas. MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: Where is (b) if so, win her the said survey will in- the Finance Minister? clude parts of LLP., Bihar and Rajasthan; and SHRI N. G. GORAY: What is this? (c) if so, the details of the areas to be surveyed in these States and the programmes SHRI M. S. GURUPADASWAMY (My- drawn up in this connection? sore) : The House has to take serious notice of this. THE MINIS ER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OI FOOD, AGRICULTURE. SHRI N. G. GORAY: I want that you COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CO should take serious notice of this. This calling OPERATION (SHRI ANNASAHF.B SHIN attention notice was sent to us yesterday DE) (a) Yes, Sir. The Exporatorv Tube-wclls evening and I hope that the Ministrv of Organisation has been doing ground- Finance also knew about it, and I am reallv surprised to find that none of them is here lo fTransferred from the 26th November. represent the Government. It is a ven serious 1970. matter. (Interruptions) MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN. Order, order, please. 87 Calling Attention to [ EAJYA SABHA ] a matter of urge public 88 importance SHRI BHUPESH GUPTA (West Bengal): come now. One is Rs. 100 currency note and Not only have the small coins become other Rs. 10 currency note. The Rs. 1,000 scarce bu( even the Ministers have become currency note is not here. scarce. SHRI DAHABHAI V. PATEL: What about SHRI N. G. GORAY: There is no busi- the coins? ness before the House now. SHRI BHUPESH GUPTA: Coins are there. SHRI M. S. GURUPADASWAMY: May Sir. they were a little late. Let us take it easy. I say here, Mr, Deputy Chairman . . . Let him answer. In future, they should be careful. SHRI DAHYABHAI V. PATEL (Guja rat): He gave an assurance that MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: Do you ivanl there will be no such lapses and still it is to say anything as to why yon are late? happening. THE MINISTER OF REVENUE AND SHRI M. S. GURUPADASWAMY: I EXPENDITURE IN THE MINISTRY OF have been standing for a long time. You FINANCE (SHRI VIDYA CHARAN please allow me. I wanl to make a submis- SHUKLA): Sir, I would like to apologise sion to you. It is not a question of mere humbly to the House for being late. 1 was lapse, an ordinal \ lapse on the part of a answering questions in the Lok Sabha and the Minister. The agenda is there, the Order lion. Speaker was indulgent towards an lion. Paper is there, the item is already entered. It Member to ask a supplementary question even is expected of the person concerned in the alter twelve of the clock, and I was answering Government to be present in right time. I that question, and so, I could not come in time consider this a grave omission on the part of to this House. Therefore . . . the Minister, MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: You could DR. B. N. ANTAN1 (Gujarat): It is an have sent your deputy. instill to the House. SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA: The SHRI M. S. GURUPADASWAMY: The Deputy Minister also came. But his question Chair should take notice. Mr. Goray has al- wa after me. Anyway, I wish to apologise to ready said that the House should take serious the House for the inconvenience caused. notice of this omission on their part I suggest that the Chair should admonish the MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: The hon. Minister concerned, whoever he is, Mr. Minister has tendered an apology and he has Chavan or his Deputy, for having insulted explained that he was held up in the other ihis House. It is not a thing that can be House to answer a supplementary question. In overlooked. This has been repeated. 1 view of this, I think, let the matter be closed t h i n k in the past also it has been clone. note. This is being repeated. When such a question is (oming up when we find that the Mr. Goray has already called the attention Minister is absent. I do not think we can just of the hon. Minister, and now Mr. Shukla can pass it over. I expected von to safeguard the make the statement. interests of the House, the clignitv of the House I expect. . . SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA: Mr. Deputy Chairman, Sir, there is no general MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: All shortage of coins in the country. Some com- right. plaints regarding shortage of coins from a tew places are being received from time to SHRI M, S. GURUPADASWAMY: What time and the reasons for such complaints are all right? difficult to ascertain as this reflects mainly local or seasonal factors. However, the MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: Yon have Reserve Bank of India have been making made your point. additional supplies of small coins to those places from where requests have been re- SHRI M. S. GURUPADASWAMY: I am ceived by them for supply of such coins. saying to you that you should take notice of Government have taken further steps to this . . . increase production of small coins in the Mints. MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: You have made your submission also. SHRI N. G. GORAY: Sir, I would like to ask two or three questions. Firstly, is this SHRI M. S. GURUPADASWAMY: . . shortage affecting the transactions in the . market place, in the transport system, in cities and admonish the Minister. like Bomhay, Calcutta and Delhi? Sir, I am surprised to learn from the Minister that there MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: You have is no shortage of coins in cities completed it. Do you want to say anything, Mr. Sliukla? SHRI BHUPESH GUPTA: Sir, I have a submission to make. Two Ministers have 89 Calling Attention to [4 DEC. 1970 ] a matter of urgent'.public 90 importance like Delhi. But I would like to tell him that in that the metallic value has to be on par; the Cil of Delhi itself this shortage is being otherwise problems will arise. I should also experi need. The other question is whether it like in know whether it is not a fact that iu is a Fact that this shortage is due in ihe some areas there is almost scarcity of small assignm tit that the Mints have accepted from coins which causes difficulty. May I know co titties like Greece ami Thai land? My third whether (he Government has any spc-cia! question is whether the Gov-ernmenl will ta e arrangement to make the supplies of small eare to see that while supplying roins to coins available to the specified areas where foreign countries there will be no shortage if difficulties have arisen? Would the coins in our own country. Government take verv prompt steps in regard to meeting the requirements there? SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA: Sir, J did say that i lere was a shortage of (dins SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA: Some and understand! JI\. such a shortage will defi guild suggestions have been given liv the nitcly hamper nine activities where small hon'ble Member. We shall surely look into coins have to IK used. Here I have also indi- them. About this metallic value that I was cated that we lave taken measures to increase referring to, we have already started minting the prod action of coins. It is a fact that we these coins in a l u m i n i u m magnesium alloy have a cepted some foreign orders for minting so thai the metallic value does not exceed the som foreign coins, from countries like Thai face value of these coins. All these things are and and Middle Eastern countries. under constant review. We hope that within the next two, three or four months the .SHRI N. G. GORAY: Greece. situation will come back to absolute normal. SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA: Yes, Greece. It is not beta ise of this order that this shortage has arisen. The real reason that seems to me is i lat the metallic value of 5 paise and l_! pais, —probably these two coins —is a little more than their face-value and therefore, some | lOple are using or misusing these coins for soj ic purpose. Therefore there is a shortage in certain regions, particularly in Byiulla in Hi nhay. And in the Reserve Bank Ollice here there have been queues of people asking for these particular coins. For the other coins lere is no such difficulty, coins like 50 pai e or '_!() paise and others. Bombay, Bangalore, Byculla, Nagpur, etc. from these places there have been such de- mands. And we have, as I indicated, started minting these coins in greater numbers now in our Mint- in Hyderabad, in Alipore as well as in Bo ubav. Instead of working for 48 hours a week, now these Mints are working 60 hours i week and producing additional coins ih t are necessary. But the main fact of the n lallic use of these coins— that will have in I gone into ami corrected. Ibis will have ti be first corrected; only then a permanent solution to this recurrent coin shortagi in several parts of the country can he tli i SHRI l'RANAB KUMAR MUKHERJEE SHRI BHUPE II GUPTA: Sir, the hon'ble (West Bengal): May I know from the Minister Minister s jiving an explanation that the whether it is a fact that in the rural areas metallic value of these coins is higher than the sometimes some unholy businessmen and fa e value, This is certainly a serious propositi traders hoard a large number of small coins n. Why did the Government not lake llii into and create artificial deficit in the lo-cality? II account in view of the fact that this t ia\ give so, what measures ate the Government going rise to this kind of malpractice t which lie has to adopt to prevent it? made a reference? I shouli also like to know, Sir, whether in issuim new coins the Govern- Is it a fact that an old institution of silver ment has considered the advisability of mak- refiner) in Calcutta i-. going to be closed ing some of these paisa coins a little bigger down by the Government of India throwing than what th y are keeping in view 50(1 employees out of job? If so, what mea- are the Government going to take to re- employ these retrenched'employees? 91 Calling Attention to [ RAJ YA SABHA J a matter of urgent public 92 importance SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUkLA: Sir, the proportions? Secondly, these 20-paise coins second question is not really concerned with arc likely to be confused with half-a-rupee this. As for the silver refinery which is coins. Especially in darkness when we get refining silver which is retrieved from the down from a rickshaw or scooter, we arc not old coins, we are going into the second stage able to decipher whether it is a 20-paise coin where we will be having silver of 99.99 per or a half-a-rupee coin. Will the Government cent purity. t h i n k of taking steps to remove this dillicullj and maintain certain differential I am sorry I could not exactly follow the characteristics between the 20 paise coin and first part of the hon. Member's question. the half-a-rupee coin? SHRI PRANAB KUMAR MUKHERJEE: The first part of my question was whether the SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA: Sir, Government is aware thai in the rural areas we shall surely look into the difficulty that the sometimes complaints ha\e been received that hon. Member has mentioned. As for the first there is shortage of coins which is mainly due question regarding guidelines, in reply to Mr. to hoarding of a large number of small coins Mani 1 base already indicated that the Reserve by the unholy businessmen and traders. Bank, when they hold a meeting to (ix the coinage programme, do give guidelines to the SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA: Yes, mints according to which coins of various Sir. I have already said that it is quite likely denominations are minted, so that all demands and it may be true also that some unscrup- for ihc various denominations are properly ulous business men might have hoarded the 2- met. paisa and 5-paisa coins, because of their metallic value, and melted them to make more SHRI MAHAVIR 1YAGI (Uttar Pradesh): money out of them. And the coins shortage Sir. on a point of procedure. In the I,ok Sabha, would arise to a large extent because of such generally supplemcntaries arc allowed only to illegal and anti-national activities. I have those Members who are partv to the Calling already stated that. Attention Notice, not to the whole House. Here it is permitted to the whole House, with SHRI A. D. MAM (Madhya Pradesh): May the result that quite a lot of time is taken. I ask the Minister to give some information about the principles on which these coins are SHRI A. D. MANI; No, no, we should have minted? Does the number of coins in an opportunity, circulation have some relationship or some SHRI M A H A V I R TYAGI: I only ratio to the total notes in circulation, or is it wanted to know if it would be possible, if the based on the requirements of the various House felt like that, to amend our rules or our regional centres according to the information procedure. submitted by them from time to time? Secondly, I would like to ask him whether his MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: I have no attention has been drawn to the fact that some objection to follow the suggestion made by of the hanks have been unable to supply coins, Mr. Tyagi if the House accepts it. particularly to those who want them and, if so, whether the Government has taken steps to SHRI BHUPESH GUPTA: I suggest, Sir. help the banks to see that the demands of their thai the Calling Attention matter should clients are met. continue for more than two hours. Will you accept it? Just because somebody is making a SHRI VIDYA CHARAN SHUKLA: Sir, suggestion, you say "All right." there is a coinage programme that is fixed tor all the three mints year by year. Regular MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: No, / said thai meetings are held by the Reserve Bunk of if it is acceptable to the House. I will welcome India and they fix this coinage programme that suggestion. It is really a good suggestion, and the production programme for the three Mr. Bhupesh Gupta; you should understand minis. Therefore, this has regular relation- that. Now, Mr. Lokanath Misra. ship with the notes in circulation and it is all SHRI LOKANATH MISRA (Orissa): May done by the Reserve Bank when they hold the I know from the hon. Minister whether he meeting and fix the coinage programme year would not consider it intellectual bank- by year. Really speaking, if everything had r u p t c y , if not financial bankruptcy, that the been normal, this coin short age would have mi n t i n g cost of the coins should be more never arisen. But because of the abnormal than their real value in the market? How-docs factors that I have mentioned, this situation he justify more money being spent on the has arisen. minting of the coin itself? The metallic value SHRI K. P. of the coin is higher than the face value of the MALLIKARJUNUDU coin. Who was responsible for minting these (Andhra Pradesh): Sir, there are coins of coins with this metallic value, and what various denominations. Mav I know whether a c i i c m has been taken against people who there are any guidelines or rules or norms are responsible for such wrong actions? governing the issue of these coins in certain 93 Payers laid [4 DEC. 1970 ] on the Table 94

SHRI BHUPESH GUPTA: You must ans- on and we get the aluminium coins, for wer this question because Mr. Misia has be- instance, where the face value is more than come a high den mination coin in the mint of the metallic value. It is not the minimum the Swatantra Part). Therefore, you must period, the period which I mentioned. It is the answer it. maximum period within which we shall try to remedy the position. Actually the process of SHRI LOKANATH MISRA: I am in the remedying is going on even now. For Swatantra Party. But you arc much higher. complete normalisation it might take a few You arc an ally of the ruling party. The ruling months. party in his country is very much appreciated. The efore, you have appreciated very much PAPERS LAID ON THE TABLE in your value. (i) FIRST ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS SHRI VIDYA iHARAN SHUKLA: The ultimate respons > ilit\ in such matters is OF Tttt: MADHYA PRADESH SI AT I AGRO-IN that of the Government. But it is really the OESTRUS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Reserve Bank wl it 11 manages these things. LIMITED, BH©FAL. They fix up all these technical matters, about (ii) SECOND ANNUAL REPORT AND the metallic content of the various coins of ACCOUNTS OF THE HARYANA AGRO- various denominations that have to be used, INDUSTRIES CORPORATION LIMITED, how m in coins or how mam pieies of these va CHANDIGARH. ions coins should be minted, etc. It is the Reserve Bank which nor-mallv does these THE DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE hings. As the honourable Member knows t MINISTRY OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, ickel and copper are the main things whii i are COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CO- used in these coins, and in the recen past not OPERATION (SHRI S. C. JAMIR): Sir, I beg when this decision was taken I e value of to lay on the Tabic, under sub-section (I) of these non-ferrous metals has g me up in the section (iI9A of the Companies Act, 1956, a market and because of that tl s phenomenon copy each of the following Reports: — has arisen. When the decision was taken to put some element of nickel nod copper in (i) First Annual Report and Accounts of the these coins of this denomination, probably at Madhva Pradesh State Agro Industries that time the market value was not as high as Development Corporation Limited, Bhopal, it is today. And there! ore. I would not say for the year 1969-70, together with the that this mistake has teen deliberately Auditors' Report on the Accounts. [Placed in committed. A situation like this has just come library. See No. LT-4311/70.] out and we are tryin; our best to remedy this. (ii) Second Annual Report and Accounts of the Harayana Agro-Industries Corporation MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: Mr. Goray. Limited, Chandigarh, for the year 196H-69, SHRI N. G. ( ORAY: I would like to ask together with the Auditors' Report on the only one hi ic question . . . Accounts. [Placed in Library. See No. LT-4 390/70.] SHRI I ORAM IH MISRA: The value of Mr. Bhupesh Gupta has also gone up REPORT or Tin COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC simultaneously. RELATIONS AND PUBLICITY IN PUBLIC UNDERTAKINGS SHRI BHUPESH GUPTA: My friend, Mr. Mixta, has appreciated in value. But the THE MINISTER OF REVENUE AND trouble is hi is a coin in the black-market. EXPENDITURE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI VIDYA SHRI N. G. GORAY: Sir, let us come from CHARAN human coil I to metallic coins. The Minister SHUKLA): Sir, I beg to lay on the Table ;i has said just now that it will take about two or copy of (he Report (in English and Hindi) of tin e months to remedy the shortage. Does he the Committee on Public Relations and not think that this period is too long? If tl • Publicity in Public Undertakings. [Placed in people who are indulging in this sort of a Library. See No. LT-4481/70.] thing come to know that it will take wo or NATIONAL COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT three months, the scarcity will go U] still COR-PORATION (AMENDMENT) RULES, further. Will he not still shorten the period so 1970. that the shortage of coin supply is remedied? THE DEPUTY MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE. SHRI VIDYA > WARAN SHUKLA. We COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND CO are doing our best to shorten this period. 1 am OPERATION (SHRI only saying Hi ee or four months so that our JAGANNATH new pvodiuti n schedule that we have put into PAHADIA): Sir, I beg to lay on the Table operation in the three mints goes under subsection ('.'•) of section 22 of the National Cooperative Development Corpo- ration Act, 1962, a copv of the Ministry of Food. Agriculture, Community Development and Cooperation (Department of Cooperation) Notification G.S.R. No. 1884, dated the 14th November, 1970 (in English