FRIDAY, THE 17TH AUGUST, 2007 (The met in the Parliament House at 11-00 a.m.) 11-00 a.m. 1. Starred Questions The following Starred Questions were orally answered:- Starred Question No.81 regarding Stoppage of express trains at Alamnagar station. Starred Question No.84 regarding Package for jobless farmers in Assam. Starred Question No.86 regarding Assessment of passenger traffic requirements. Starred Question No.87 regarding Procurement of wheat. Answers to remaining Starred Question Nos. 82, 83, 85 and 88 to 100 were laid on the Table. 2. Unstarred Questions Answers to Unstarred Question Nos. 589 to 743 were laid on the Table. 12-00 Noon. 3. Papers Laid on the Table Shri Mahavir Prasad (Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of (Ministry of Small Scale Industries) and the National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC), for the year 2007-2008. Shri Suresh Pachouri (Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Ministry Parliamentary Affairs) on behalf of Shri B.K. Handique laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers (Department of Fertilizers), Notification S.O. 529 (E), dated the 9th April, 2007, amending S.O. 520(E) dated the 10th April, 2006, by substituting certain entries in the original notification, under sub-section (6) of section (3) of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. RAJYA SABHA Dr. Anbumani Ramdoss (Minister of Health & Family Welfare) on behalf of Shrimati Panabaka Lakshmi 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:— (a) Twenty-third Annual Report and Accounts of the Hospital Services Consultancy Corporation (India) Limited (HSCC), 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. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Corporation (2) Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. II. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Department of Health) Notification G.S.R. 773 (E), dated the 29th December, 2006, publishing the Prevention of Food Adulteration (10th Amendment) Rules, 2006, under sub-section 2 of section 23 of the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. III. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Department of Health) Notification G.S.R. 242 (E), dated the 28th March, 2007, publishing corrigendum to Notification G.S.R. 773 (E), dated the 29th December, 2006, regarding Prevention of Food Adulteration (10th Amendment) Rules, 2006. 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 No G.S.R.311 (E), dated the 26th April, 2007, publishing the Indian Railways (Open Lines) General (Amendment) Rules, 2007, under section 199 of the Railway Act, 1989. II. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Railways (Railway Board) Notification No G.S.R.283 (E), dated the 11th April, 2007, publishing the Railway Claims Tribunal (Procedure) Amendment Rules, 2007, under sub-section (3) of section 30 of the Railway Claims Tribunal Act, 1987. 17TH AUGUST, 2007 III. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Railways) and the IRCON International Limited, for the year 2007-2008. (ii) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Railways) and the RITES Limited, for the year 2007-2008. (iii) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Railways) and the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL), for the year 2007-2008. (iv) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Railways) and the Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited, for the year 2007-2008. (v) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Railways) and the Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR), for the year 2007-2008. (vi) Report on the Progress made in the intake of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes against vacancies reserved for them in Recruitment and Promotion Categories on the Railways for the year ending the 31st March, 2005. Shri (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:— (a) Thirtieth Annual Report and Accounts of the State Seeds Corporation Limited (GSSC), Gandhinagar, 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. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Corporation. (2) Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. RAJYA SABHA II. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation) and the State Farms Corporation of India Limited (SFCI), for the year 2007-2008. (ii) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation) and the National Seeds Corporation Limited (NSC), for the year 2007-2008. Shri Taslimuddin (Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution) I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Consumer Affairs), Notification S.O. 297 (E) dated the 27th February, 2007, publishing the Removal of (Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions) on Specified Foodstuffs (Amendment) Order, 2007, under sub-section (6) of section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. II. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Consumer Affairs), under sub-section (1) of section 31 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986:— (1) G.S.R. 462 (E), dated the 4th August, 2006, publishing the Consumer Protection (Second Amendment) Rules, 2006. (2) G.S.R. 637 (E), dated the 13th October, 2006 publishing the Consumer Protection (Third Amendment) Rules, 2006 III. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (a) Forty-first Annual Report and Accounts of the Cooperative Stores Limited (Super Bazar), New Delhi, for the year 2006-2007, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Store. 17TH AUGUST, 2007 Shri M.V. Rajasekharan (Minister of State in the Ministry of Planning) on behalf of Shri S.S. Palanimanickam laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Notification No.81/2007-Customs dated the 3rd July, 2007, amending the First Schedule to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 so as to increase the customs duty rates on wines, vermouths and other specified fermented beverages falling under heading 2204 and 2205 or tariff item 2206 00 00 from 100% to 150% together with an Explanatory Memorandum thereon, under section 8(A) of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. Dr. Akhilesh Prasad Singh (Minister of in the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution) laid on the Table:- I. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Food and Public Distribution) under sub- section (3) of section 41 of the Warehousing Corporation Act, 1963:- (1) G.S.R. 241 (E) dated the 26th March, 2007, increasing the maximum limit of the authorized Capital of the Bihar State Warehousing Corporation to ten crores of rupees, divided into ten lakhs shares of the face value of one hundred rupees each. (2) G.S.R. 261 (E) dated the 29th March, 2007, increasing the maximum limit of the authorized Capital of the Kerala State Warehousing Corporation to fifteen crores of rupees, divided into fifteen lakhs shares of the face value of one hundred rupees each. II. (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) Nineteenth Annual Report and Accounts of the Hindustan Vegetable Oils Corporation Limited (HVOC), New Delhi, for the year 2002-2003, 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 Company. (2) Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. RAJYA SABHA III. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) Statement giving reasons for not laying the Annual Report of the Food Corporation of India for the year 2005-2006, within stipulated period. (ii) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Department of Food and Public Distribution) and the Food Corporation of India (FCI), for the year 2007-2008. Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal (Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance) laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Eighth Progress Report on the Action Taken Pursuant to the Recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Stock Market Scam and matters relating thereto. 12-02 p.m. 4. Report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice Dr. E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan presented the Twenty First Report (in English and Hindi) of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law & Justice on the Judges (Inquiry) Bill, 2006. 12-03 p.m. 5. Reports of the Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development Prof. Ram Deo Bhandary presented the following Reports (in English and Hindi) of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development: - (i) 196th Report on Action Taken by Government on the recommendations/observations contained in the Hundred Seventy-second report on ‘University and Higher Education’; (ii) 197th Report on Action Taken by Government on the recommendations/observations contained in the Hundred Eighty-third report on ‘Major Issues Concerning Kendriya Vidyalayas’; and

17TH AUGUST, 2007 (iii) 198th Report on Action Taken by Government on the recommendations/observations contained in the Hundred Eighty-fourth report on ‘Major Issues Concerning Navodaya Vidyalayas’. 12-04 p.m. 6. Reports and Statement of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence Shri K.B. Shanappa laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Reports and Statement of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (2006-2007):- (i) Twenty-second Report* on “Review of Implementation Status of Group of Ministers (GoMs) Report on Reforming National Security System in Pursuance to Kargil Review Committee Report – A Special Reference to Management of Defence”; (ii) Twenty-third Report* on Action Taken by the Government on the Recommendations contained in the Twelfth Report of the Committee (Fourteenth ) on ‘Review of Medical Services and Education in the Defence Sector’; and (iii) Statements showing further action taken by the Government on the recommendations contained in Chapter – I & V of the Eighth Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) regarding action taken by the Government on the recommendations contained in their Second Report (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Defence for the year 2005-2006.

______* Reports at Sl. No. (i) and (ii) were presented to Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha on the 20th July, 2007 and 3rd August, 2007, respectively, under Direction 71A of the Directions by the Speaker and the Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha was informed accordingly on the same dates, as mentioned against each. RAJYA SABHA 12-05 p.m. 7. Report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Gireesh Kumar Sanghi laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Twentieth Report♣ of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilizers on Action Taken by the Government on the recommendations contained in the Seventh Report of the Committee (2005-2006) (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on ‘Availability and Price Management of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals’. 12-06 p.m. 8. Supplementary Demands for Grants (General), 2007-2008 Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, laid on the Table a statement (in English and Hindi) showing the Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for the year 2007-2008 (First Batch). 12-07 p.m. 9. 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 Monday, the 20th August, 2007. (The House adjourned at 12-09 p.m. and re-assembled at 2-31 p.m.) ♦2-35 p.m. (The House adjourned at 2-35 p.m. till 11-00 a.m. on Monday, the 20th August, 2007) ______[Due to interruptions in the House, the main items of business on the Agenda for the day, namely, the legislative business, further discussion on the Short Duration Discussion, Private Members’ Business(Resolutions) and Statements by Ministers could not be taken up ] ______♣ This Report was presented to Hon'ble Speaker, Lok Sabha under Direction 71A of the Directions by the Speaker on the 24th July, 2007 and the Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha was informed accordingly on the 25th July, 2007. ♦ From 2-31 p.m. to 2-35 p.m. some points were raised.