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SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES (Proceedings other than Questions & Answers) ______

Friday, June 5, 2009 / Jyaistha 15, 1931 (Saka ) _____

REFERENCE BY SPEAKER

Re: World Environment Day

MADAM SPEAKER: Today is the World Environment Day. The theme chosen by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for

World Environment Day, 2009 is “Your Planet Needs you! Unite to Combat

Climate Change.”

Let us rededicate ourselves, on this day, to combat the challenges of climate change and to ensure a cleaner and greener environment.

ANNOUNCEMENT BY SPEAKER

Re: Nomination of Panel of Chairmen

MADAM SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that under Rule 9 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, I have nominated the following Members as members of the Panel of Chairmen.

1. Shri Basudeb Acharia

2. Shri P.C. Chacko 3. Shrimati Sumitra Mahajan

4. Shri Inder Singh Namdhari

5. Shri Franscisco Sardinha

6. Shri Arjun Charan Sethi

7. Dr. Raghuvansh Prasad Singh

8. Dr. M. Tambidurai

9. Shri

10. Dr. (Smt.) Girija Vyas

INTRODUCTION OF MINISTERS

MADAM SPEAKER: I request the Prime Minister to introduce his

Council of Ministers to the House.

The Prime Minister then introduced the Members of his Council of

Ministers to the House.

MOTION OF THANKS ON THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS

DR. (SHRIMATI) GIRIJA VYAS, moving the motion, said: A new chapter of the Indian history starts with the address of the Hon. President.

Undoubtedly, the phase we are passing through is one of the major challenges pertaining to internal security. Border fencing and flood-lighting has been arranged so as to put a check on the problem of infiltration. For this purpose, 13 intermediate check-posts have been created which will protect our borders along Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar. There are 13 immigration check-posts having all special security gadgets. In addition, 359 border blocks have been identified covering 90 districts and 17

States. I hope that the Government would take special care of the women living at interior places who are constantly facing ugly behaviour and maltreatment. Let there be special care of security of these women in these areas. We all know that until the police force is modernized, it is very difficult to tackle this problem. Hence, the Central Government has prepared a comprehensive scheme in this direction. As the Central

Government arranges for paramilitary force and other forces, I must say that the Government is very much committed to this job with all consciousness.

For this, I congratulate the Central Government. This Government has also appreciated the fact that unless there is mutual understanding amongst the

State Governments and the Union Government, this problem cannot be completely taken care of.

The Government has decided to form regional hubs of the NSG and this scheme has been initiated at Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Mumbai.

My request is that this should be done at other places too. The Government has tried to reflect its stand with the formation of the Unlawful Activities

Prevention Act and to me, huge benefit is going to be achieved with this act. The Hon. President has said in her address that all of us should share the anti-terrorism stand of the U.N.O. For this the previous Government should be congratulated for initiating related programme ahead. I also want to congratulate the UPA Government for the fact that it did not allow the growth rate to fall down from nine per cent in the last three years of its total five years’ governance and also kept up the growth rate at 7.4 per cent. This is indeed a major achievement. A lot has been done towards enhancement of the living standard of people and the per capita income grew at the rate of

7.4 per cent per annum. The fiscal deficit came down to 2.7 from 4.5 during the last five years. The President has indicated that the momentum of the growth rate came down a little bit in the last few months. I want to say that we are committed to the poor; committed to provide bread and butter, employment and health services to the common man. The Hon. President has indicated her wish to speed up the growth rate. The Government is making efforts in this direction. Under NREGS, approximately 3.4 crore people have been provided jobs which comprises 49 per cent women, 30 per cent Scheduled Castes and 25 per cent Scheduled Tribes. This has stopped the outflow of rural migration.

Fingers have been raised by the opposition on the Bharat Nirman project but we continue to march with our objectives. Today the youth is the backbone of our country. There is no dearth of employment in our country. But there are certain private companies which are resorting to lay off their staff. I request the Government on behalf of you to kindly use your good offices and tell these companies not to lay off their staff. So far the matter pertains to women, the UPA Government have done a lot for them in the last five years. Inspite of all that I do think that we still need to do a lot for them.

There is no law pertaining to mentally retarded women. Not only that there is no provision for the rehabilitation of rape victims. I, therefore, request you to kindly intervene and impress upon the Government to pass such laws at the earliest. I also request the Government to undertake the social auditing and gender auditing which is the need of the hour. Hon. President in her address has talked about the monitoring of the system. I request that this should also be applied to State Governments.

SHRI P.C. CHACKO: The speech of the Hon. President of is the best compliment to the unflinching faith the common man of India in the democratic process. The multifarious programmes that are announced in

Her speech are going to transform the face of the rural India. Indeed, it is the bounden duty of this newly elected Parliament and the Government to fulfill the aspirations of over a billion people. While discussing about the programmes, it is worthwhile to go back into the history. In 2004, the 14th

General Elections produced a hung Parliament and the world was looking down upon India, saying that democracy is going to be finished. But today the history will testify that Dr. ’s Government in the last five years was one of the most effective and the most functional Government in the history of this country.

Today, the world is facing an economic crisis. But, even during this worst period, our country has attained seven per cent growth rate. In the last five years, the average rate of growth of this country was 8.5 per cent. This is a fact tad nobody can dispute that. In the last five years, the programmes implemented by the UPA Government have no parallel in the recent history.

The Right to Information Act was passed by the last Government. As per that law, every citizen in this country is entitled to get all the information regarding the decision taken process in the country. Like that, the National

Rural Employment Guarantee Act was passed by the UPA Government.

Today, we see its effects in the villages. The Hon. President has made a very categorical statement in her speech that this is going to be a widespread programme and would spread throughout the country. The development of the rural India is well taken care of by the Bharat Nirman project. The

National Rural Health Mission is for the poor people of this country. Today,

90 per cent of the programmes which are being implemented by the State

Governments are programmes either under the Rural Employment

Guarantee Programme or under the National Rural Health Mission. Funds are provided by the UPA Government through the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan for primary education throughout the country. The investment in agriculture has been increased by four-fold. Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal

Mission is transforming the face of the urban cities of India. This

Government is envisaging and the President of India has made it very clear that we want a slum-free India. Indira Awas Yojana is being implemented more effectively in this country. In addition to this, Rajiv Awas Yojana is going to be implemented to rebuild the slum and provide better accommodation for the slum dwellers in this country.

Today, terrorism is a threat to this country. We have made it very clear that internal security and zero tolerance towards terrorism is the policy of this country. It is not in words but in deeds we have shown it very clearly in the last November attack in Mumbai. The Communal Harmony Bill was passed by the last Lok Sabha. We are going to implement it in full measure.

There has been a demand that one-rank-one pension scheme should be implemented and it is our resolve that we are going to do justice to this demand. A unique identity card is going to be provided for every citizen of this country. Hundred days’ programme is clearly mentioned in our

Rashtrapatiji’s speech and Dr. Girija Vyas has aptly explained it. I would like to reiterate only one point here. It cannot be over-emphasized about the early passage of the Women Reservation Bill in the Parliament in the next

100 days. The UPA and the Congress has a declared policy. Women’s rights will be given back to them. We are extremely happy and grateful to hon.

Rashtrapatiji that it is mentioned in the Address This Government has also decided that 50 per cent representation would be given to the women in the

Panchayati Raj System. I wish all the parties in this House join to support this move of 50 per cent reservation in the Panchayati Raj System. A number of programmes for women’s upliftment like their share in the

Central Government services, the National Mission for Empowerment of

Women for the implementation of women-centric programmes. These kinds of programmes are there for us to implement. The reforms which have been implemented since 1991 to this day are consistently being opposed. Why should one not think of the necessity, the needs of this country?

India is pursuing a foreign policy not dictated by anybody. We have not compromised with it. We have no enemies in the world. India will not compromise its interests. Out foreign policy will not be compromised.

India is prospering now. God willing, if we see the future of this country after 10 years, it will be totally different and better. The people of this country are with this Government. This Government, with a strong determination and will, will implement all the programmes announced by the Hon. President. All the flagship programmes will continue. In addition to that, the new programmes announced by the President are going to be part of this progress. This is a new era which has just started. This is the beginning of this Lok Sabha and I wish that all the parties, with all their participation, come together to pass this Motion of Thanks unanimously so that we rise to the expectations of the common man of this country who have given a resounding victory to the UPA and the Congress.

SHRI L.K. ADVANI: I rise to support the Motion of Thanks on the

President’s Address. Motion of Thanks is always passed unanimously.

Delivering my first speech in the first session of the , I congratulate hon. Prime Minister, Leader of the House and UPA Chair

Person along with others on the mandate they have got in the 2009 elections.

I am always of the view that India has set a remarkable example before the whole world by making the parliamentary democracy a success. When we adopted it in 1950 doubts were raised that the basic conditions which should have been in any country for the success of the parliamentary democracy are not available here. People are not educated here. Despite all these things, the way India has run parliamentary democracy in these 60 years has added to our reputation in the whole world. Ours is not only the biggest democracy but a live democracy also in which the people take decision after a deep thinking. This mandate of the people is a mandate for stability and for bi- polarity. This mandate is for good governance, development and security.

These are the touch stones which make the voters judge whether we have made this Government a stable Government. Are they discharging their duty accordingly? So, they will be watching it closely. I think that there will be beginning of new relations between the Government and the Opposition during the fifteenth Lok Sabha. Both the people of this country and we also have the same ambition that the century should be India’s century.

The 26/11 incident of Mumbai is not an ordinary incident. This is an invasion of the country. I urge that the evidence, which we have given to

Pakistan related to the incident of 26/11 should be made public. I would also like to know the progress made in the case of the only terrorist captured alive of the 26/11 incident. I urge that this case should not be delayed and action should be taken at the earliest.

The Central Government including the Prime Minister; including the then Home Minister; and including the National Security Advisor had indicated that the next terrorist attack may be from the sea. They had said it in the Parliament, and publicly. Therefore, the country and the Parliament must know as to what went wrong where. I am happy to know that there is mention of one-rank one-pension for our ex-servicemen in the Address. It has also been mentioned in the Address that the National Literary Mission will be recast as National Mission for Female Literacy to make every women literate in the next five years. I welcome this announcement. In this regard, the Government of Madhya Pradesh has launched Laadli Laxmi

Yojana. This scheme is launched to check dropouts of girls and this scheme is successful in the State. In regard to Women Reservation Bill, I would like to reiterate the stand of my party that whenever the Government brings this

Bill we will support it wholeheartedly. Today, literacy is not only a familiarity with alphabets but also literacy means IT literacy i.e. computer literacy. It should be formally introduced in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. There is mention of providing a unique identity card to the citizens of the country.

This unique identity cards should be multi-purpose so that we should not have to carry separate cards for everything. It will also be useful for the purpose of security point of view. An hon. Member of Congress has said that Congress Government will not tolerate that any citizen of the country sleeps empty stomach but according to a report of UNICEF the number of hungry people in India increased from 209.5 million in 2005-06 to 230 million by the end of 2007-08. It is a matter of concern. The Union

Government and State Governments should ensure that no child of the country goes to the bed empty stomach. I have been criticized when I raised the issue of black money stashed away in Swiss Banks during election campaign. I am happy that the Government has accepted this undisputed fact and filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court that steps are being taken to bring back that money. But this matter of bringing back this black money has not been included in the Government’s 100 day action plan. I am sure that this question would be addressed. There is no mention of corruption in the Address. An hon. Member has mentioned about zero tolerance approach in regard to terrorism. I wish that this zero tolerance approach should be adopted in respect of corruption also. In regard to foreign policy, today the whole country is concerned about incidents of Australia. Atrocities are being committed and attacks are being taking place against Indians in

Australia. The Government should send a delegation of Members of

Parliament. It will definitely express the concerns of the country in this regard. Situation in our neighbourhood was deteriorating in recent past.

Now new Government has been formed in Nepal. I hope that Indo-Nepal relation will progress on the basis of our traditional relationship with Nepal.

There is no mention of Bangladesh and continuing illegal migration from there in the Address. We have been neglecting this issue for years. In respect of IMDT Act, the Supreme Court has even said that you are in a way collaborating with foreign aggression. Despite that no action has been taken in this regard. The process of normalization of relationship with China should be continued but we should never let him feel that we are bending backwards to satisfy them. Once again, I support this Motion of Thanks.

SHRI SHARAD YADAV: In the President’s Address, there is mention of economic inequality and social disparity prevailing in the country. Infact, the Address the highlights Government’s policies. Even after 62 years of Independence, if you walk a mile in any part of the country, you will invariably come across a helpless daily wager. This Government has got the majority and mandate. Their member tally has gone up to 206 but their behaviour shows as if they had got two-third majority. Today, no new inventions are taking place in the country. This country is dependent on a foreign language for last 150 years and the language has become a hurdle in the progress of people. Today, we are so happy at the progress of a few people that we are neglecting others. The condition of those people who work hard and create resources for the progress of this country, has become worse. I am here to express my disappointment. This is a strange country where truth and honesty have failed to be appreciated and recognized for thousands of years. We all have given tickets to various candidates having caste considerations in the mind. We accept this fact but they continue to refuse this fact for the last 60 years. Today, our Indian Society is divided and fragmented. With the rising influence of English, the social disparity has also widened. For the people with the vernacular language as the medium of instruction languages, the employment opportunities have shrunk. As per the Arjun Sen Gupta Committee report, the 78 per cent of our countrymen earn just Rs. 20 a day. This poverty and unemployment has a direct link with language. The country cannot march ahead with the alien language or with the help of translation. Our forefathers had laid strong foundations of science in our country with so many innovations and inventions in our own languages. But, the question is where we stand today!

I applaud the Leader of Opposition for raising the issue of unaccounted money of our corporate tycoons, bureaucrats and politicians lying deposited with the foreign banks. There is a miscampaign among the public that all politicians are corrupt. No politician is good enough. To counter this disinformation, the Government have to first of all, disclose the names of all those people who have accounts with foreign banks. The money can be retrieved later.

The NDA Government had launched a scheme to provide foodgrains to the BPL people, but there are a lot of malpractices in that scheme. Those should be checked.

As far as women reservation is concerned, I think that the appalling conditions in which Indian women live, are due to the caste system. The caste system has perpetuated the hegemony of handful of people over millions in our country for the thousands of years. Now when handful of such people have come here, they have hatched a conspiracy and brought this Women Reservation Bill. We would not allow this to happen. This

Bill, in its present form, is unacceptable to us.

SHRI B. MAHTAB: Hon. President’s Address to both the Houses of

Parliament reiterates the UPA Government’s commitment to the pursuit of the same set of objectives, policies and programmes pursued since 2004.

Hon. President has laid down an agenda for 100 days and the next five years.

The Government has focused on areas such as urbanization and administrative reforms. Hon. President has laid stress on institutionalizing transparency and public accountability. A lot has been said to strengthen existing schemes for the poor by creating a new Food Security Scheme.

These goals are not bad by themselves. But there would be two subsequent problems. First, how will a deficit ridden Government fund them? Second, how will a corrupt bureaucracy implement them? I am reminded of two letters, which have been written by our Chief Minister, Mr. Navin Patnaik relating to the flood situation that arose in 2008. In June and September,

2008 Orissa faced serious floods in river Subarnarekha and subsequently in the Mahanadi system. In September, the Hon. Union Home Minister announced a financial assistance amounting to Rs. 500 crore for Orissa. But, in reality an amount of only Rs. 98 crore was released from NCCF. Further, in 2006, the Hon. Prime Minister had visited Orissa after the State of Orissa faced devastating floods. There, the Hon. Prime Minister had announced Rs.

500 crore and we received Rs. 25 crore and on 27th April, 2009 the

Government is asking us to pay back Rs. 80 crore which was spent in 2006.

Is this the way, the Government has to uplift a backward State! In the early nineties- a large section of Southern Orissa, which is very well known as a KBK district, had a Special Plan for ten to twelve years. In 2006-07, when the Plan was coming to a close, we had pleaded before the previous

Government to allow this programme to continue for at least another Plan period and we were told that money does not grow on trees. Orissa

Government was forced to, from the paltry sum of its revenue, start a programme. You thrust upon different States a number of programmes.

Now also certain programmes will be thrust upon us, as has been indicated, but what is the absorbing capacity of the respective States? That is why,

Orissa has been demanding to grant it Special Category Status.

This Government is going to provide 25 kilograms of rice or wheat at

Rs. 3 per kilogram in a month. Orissa has been doing it since last August.

My point here is that success of this programme can only happen if we follow what we have done in Orissa. If we have a world view of the Public

Distribution System (PDS) in different parts of this world, our PDS system is the largest distribution mechanism but it is the worst and corrupt mechanism. Several States have different system. I would insist on calling the Food Ministers and having a uniform mechanism and a proper monetary system, which can actually deliver this. I am reminded of the UNICEF

Report “Impact of Economic Crisis on Women and Children in South Asia”.

It clearly says that the impact of global economic crisis has added 20 million

Indians into the battle for hunger for each night. Today, the number of hungry in India has increased from 209.5 million in 2004-2006 to 230 million by the end of 2007-08. There is a need to use the crisis as an opportunity. Spend more for the poor; and in those States that are backward; and spend more for the large sections of population of this country who have elected us.

DR. M. TAMBIDURAI: I have some reservations on the Address that the Hon. President had delivered. Corruption has not find a mention in the entire President’s Address. Utmost and immediate steps are required to eradicate corruption that is expanding in leaps and bounds in the Indian economy. The issue of fake currency is to be tackled on a war-footing.

More than 55 million people have been pushed below the poverty line now.

So, there is a need to fill up six lakh vacancies in defence and Central services. There is also need to regularize five lakh casual workers in the

Central services and three lakh extra-departmental workers in the postal services. There is also no proposal to provide employment to the educated unemployed.

The biggest problem confronting India today is terrorism. We demand a stringent anti-terrorism law with adequate safeguards. We also need to modernize the police force and the armed forces. There is an urgent need to increase the Defence Budget to 3.5 per cent of GDP from the present level of 2.5 per cent. Besides the farming community needs not just loan-waivers that benefit a few rich farmers but a comprehensive rehabilitation package addressing all their problems. The procurement price of sugarcane and paddy must also be raised adequately. Karur is famous for its textile industries, but it was affected because of many factors, mainly due to frequent power cuts, leading to widespread unemployment in Karur and adjoining areas. This House is well aware of the feelings in Tamil Nadu about the plight of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Nearly 3.5 lakh Tamil people are confined to camps in Sri Lanka. An amount of Rs. 10,000 crore may be provided for rehabilitation and relief work of the Tamils in Sri

Lanka.

SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL: Her Excellency, the President has touched upon several issues like the women reservation Bill etc. in her

Address which should be taken into account by the Government. But nothing has been mentioned in the Address about preventing the female foeticide. Female foeticide has become a major problem leading to sex ratio skewed in favour of male child. Mega highways are being constructed but the compensation being given in the accidental deaths occurring on these highways is not sufficient enough. The number of vehicles has been increasing in cities, so there is a need for formulating a national traffic plan to get rid of traffic jams in cities. There is difference in the wages being given to labourers working under the NREGA. It ranges between 9 to 15 rupees only. If a labourer gets such a paltry amount, it is not going to help him. Therefore, there is a need for proper implementation of this scheme.

Besides, there should be proper arrangement of facilities like tarpaulin, water and medicines for the labourers at the worksites. The distribution of kerosene under the Public Distribution System is faulty. Therefore, it should be reviewed because it is not reaching the intended beneficiaries. There is no mention of forward trading in the President’s Address. This is something unusual which is being taking place in the Indian agriculture market leading to heavy increase in the prices of agriculture commodities. This august

House should also take this issue in consideration. There is a provision for construction of water tank under the NREGA for the BPL families. I request that in the dessert state like ours, APL families should also be given assistance for constructing water tanks under the above scheme and an amendment to this effect should be carried out in the NREGA.

** ** ** **

P.D.T. ACHARY, Secretary-General.

****Supplement covering rest of the proceeding is being issued separately © 2009 BY LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT NOTE: It is the verbatim Debates of the Lok Sabha and not the Synopsis that should be considered authoritative.