TUESDAY, THE 8TH AUGUST, 2006 (The Rajya Sabha met in the Parliament House at 11.00 a.m.) #11:08 a.m. (The House adjourned at 11.08 a.m. and re-assembled at 12-00 Noon.) 1. Starred Questions Answers to Starred Question Nos. 221 to 240 were laid on the Table. 2. Unstarred Questions Answers to Unstarred Question Nos. 1484 to 1638 were laid on the Table.

12:00 Noon. 3. Papers Laid on the Table Shri P. Chidambaram (Minister of Finance) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), under section 296 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, together with Explanatory Memoranda on the Notifications:— (1) S.O. 1152 (E), dated the 20th July, 2006, publishing the Income-tax (Sixth Amendment) Rules, 2006. (2) S.O. 1153 (E), dated the 20th July, 2006, notifying ten public facilities as infrastructure facility for the purpose of section 36(1)(viii)(d) of the Income- tax Act, 1961. Shrimati Ambika Soni (Minister of Tourism and Minister of Culture) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, for the year 2002-2003, 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. (ii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala, for the year 2003-2004, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. ______# From 11.00 a.m. to 11.08 a.m. some points were raised. RAJYA SABHA (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. (iii) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Society. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (iv) (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal, for the year 2003-2004, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Sangrahalaya. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (v) (a) Annual Report of the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, for the year 2004-2005. (b) Annual Accounts of the Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda, for the year 2004-2005 and the Audit Report thereon. (c) Review by Government on the working of the above Institute. (d) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) and (b) above. (vi) (a) Twenty-eighth Annual Report of the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, for the year 2004-2005. (b) Annual Accounts of the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath, for the year 2004-2005 and the Audit Report thereon. (c) Review by Government on the working of the above Institute. (d) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (b) above. 8TH AUGUST, 2006 Shrimati Kanti Singh (Minister of State in the Department of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises) on behalf of Shri Sontosh Mohan Dev laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Department of Heavy Industry) and the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), for the year 2006-2007. Shri Praful Patel (Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation) laid on the Table:- I. 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 Indian Airlines Limited, New Delhi, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (b) Annual Report and Accounts of the Airline Allied Services Limited, New Delhi, for the year 2004-2005, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (c) Statements by Government on the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on the Accounts of the Indian Airlines Limited and Airline Allied Services Limited for the year 2004-2005. (d) Review by Government on the working of the above Companies. II. Statements (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. Shri S.S. Palanimanickam (Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance) laid on the Table:- I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Notification G.S.R. 333 (E) dated the 1st June, 2006, publishing the Central Excise (Amendment) Rules, 2006, under sub-section (2) of section 38 of the Central Excise Act, 1944, together with an Explanatory Memorandum on the Notification. RAJYA SABHA II. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Notification G.S.R. 418 (E) dated the 13th July, 2006, publishing Notification No. 25/2006-Service Tax, dated the 13th July, 2006, exempting the taxable services falling under sub-clauses (s), (t) and (u) of clause (105) of section 65 of the Finance Act, 1994, provided or to be provided by a practicing chartered accountant, a practicing cost accountant and a practicing company secretary respectively, in his professional capacity, to a client, under sub-section (4) of section 94 of the Finance Act, 1994, together with an Explanatory Memorandum on the Notification. III. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Notification G.S.R. 426 (E) dated the 17th July, 2006, publishing Notification No. 74/2006-Customs, dated the 17th July, 2006 extending the imposition of final anti- dumping duty on 2-MNI (2-Methyl (5) Nitro Imidazole) originating in or exported from the People's Republic of China, up to and inclusive of 17th day of July, 2007, pending the outcome of the sunset review investigations by the designated authority, under sub-section (7) of section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, together with an Explanatory Memorandum on the Notification. IV. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Notification G.S.R. 123 (E), dated the 28th February, 2006, publishing the Customs Tariff (Identification, assessment and collection of countervailing duty on subsidies articles and for determination injury) Amendment Rules 2006, under section 11A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, together with Delay Statement and an Explanatory Memorandum on the Notification. V. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue), under section 159 of the Customs Act, 1962, together with Explanatory Memoranda on the Notifications:— (1) G.S.R. 122 (E) dated the 1st March, 2006, amending Notification No. 80/70- Customs, dated the 29th August, 1970; Notification No. 157/90-Customs, dated the 28th March, 1990; Notification No. 153/94-Customs, dated the 13th July, 1994; G.S.R. 583 (E), dated the 13th July, 1994; and, G.S.R. 360 (E) dated the 16th May, 2001, thereby substituting certain entries in the said Notifications, along with Delay Statement. 8TH AUGUST, 2006 (2) G.S.R. 370 (E) dated the 20th June, 2006, publishing Notification No.62/2006 – Customs dated the 20th June, 2006, amending G.S.R. 118 (E), dated the 1st March, 2002, so as to provide that exemption from Customs duty on pulses would be available to imports through any port. (3) G.S.R. 378 (E) dated the 23rd June, 2006, publishing the Courier Imports and Exports (Clearance) Amendment Regulations, 2006. (4) G.S.R. 379 (E) dated the 23rd June, 2006, publishing Notification No.63/2006 – Customs dated the 23rd June, 2006, amending G.S.R. 118 (E), dated the 1st March, 2006, so as to allow imports of sugar at zero custom duty. (5) G.S.R. 386 (E) dated the 28th June, 2006, publishing Notification No.66/2006-Customs dated the 28th June, 2006, amending G.S.R. 118 (E), dated the 1st March, 2002, so as to allow imports of wheat at a concessional rate of customs duty of 5%. Shrimati Kanti Singh (Minister of State in the Department of Heavy Industry, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Department of Heavy Industry) and the Engineering Projects (India) Limited (EPI), for the year 2006-2007. (ii) Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Department of Heavy Industry) and the Scooters India Limited (SIL), for the year 2006-2007. Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal (Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance) laid on the Table:- I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) Notification No.: BCC: HRM : 98, dated the 7th April, 2006, publishing the Bank of Baroda (Officers) Service (Amendment) Regulations, 2006, under sub-section (4) of section 19 of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980. RAJYA SABHA II. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) under section 48 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999:— (1) G.S.R. 412 (E) dated the 11th July, 2006, publishing the Foreign Exchange Management (Current Account Transaction) (Amendment) Rules, 2006. (2) G.S.R. 413 (E) dated the 11th July, 2006, publishing the Foreign Exchange Management (Transfer or Issue of Security by a Person Resident outside India) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2006. III. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Draft Notifications of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs), under sub section (2) of section 53 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949:— (1) Draft Notification F.No.15/5/2006 – BOA, regarding granting of exemption under sub-section (1) (2) and (9) of section 10B of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, for appointment of Managing Director in Coastal Local Area Bank Ltd. (2) Draft Notification F.No.15/6/2006 – BOA, regarding granting of exemption under sub-section (1) (2) and (9) of section 10B of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 for appointment of Chairman and CEO in Ganesh Bank of Kurundwad. IV. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs), under sub-section (4) of section 19 of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970:— (1) No.IR/AMEND/01/2006, dated the 13th May, 2006, publishing the Dena Bank (Officers’) Service (Amendment) Regulations, 2005. (2) CO/HRD/IRP/2005-06/1592, dated the 15th May, 2006, publishing the Central Bank of India (Officers’) Service (Amendment) Regulations, 2005. (3) No.PAD/SUP/177/49, dated the 8th June, 2006, publishing the Indian Overseas Bank (Officers’) Service (Amendment) Regulations, 2005. (4) No.HO/P/IR/RS/169, dated the 28th June, 2006, publishing the Bank of India (Officers’) Service (Amendment) Regulations, 2006.

8TH AUGUST, 2006 V. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs) under sub-section (4) of section 23A of the Regional Rural Banks Act, 1976:— (1) S.O. 977 (E) dated the 30th June, 2006, notifying the amalgamation of Alaknanda Gramin Bank, Ganga-Yamuna Gramin Bank and Pithoragarh Kshetriya Gramin Bank into a single Regional Rural Bank, namely, the Uttaranchal Gramin Bank with its head office at Dehradun. (2) S.O. 978 (E) dated the 30th June, 2006, notifying the amalgamation of Bastar Kshetriya Gramin Bank, Bilaspur Raipur Kshetriya Gramin Bank and Raigarh Kshetriya Gramin Bank into a single Regional Rural Bank, namely, the Chhattisgarh Gramin Bank with its head office at Raipur. (3) S.O. 979 (E) dated the 30th June, 2006, notifying the amalgamation of Palamau Kshetriya Gramin Bank and Santhal Paraganas Gramin Bank into a single Regional Rural Bank, namely, the Vananchal Gramin Bank with its head office at Dumka. (4) S.O. 980 (E) dated the 30th June, 2006, notifying the amalgamation of Bundelkhand Kshetriya Gramin Bank, Damoh-Panna-Sagar Kshetriya Gramin Bank and Shivpuri-Guna Kshetriya Gramin Bank into a single Regional Rural Bank, namely, the Madhya Bharath Gramin Bank with its head office at Sagar. (5) S.O. 981 (E) dated the 30th June, 2006, notifying the amalgamation of Shri Venkateshwara Grameena Bank and Kanakdurga Grameena Bank into a single Regional Rural Bank, namely, the Saptagiri Grameena Bank with its head office at Chitoor. Shri Dinsha J. Patel (Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas) laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of India (Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas) and the GAIL (India) Limited, for the year 2006-2007.

RAJYA SABHA Shri S.S. Palanimanickam (Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance) laid on the Table:- I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Notification No. 78/2006-Customs, dated the 8th August, 2006, seeking to exempt specified manufactured goods from whole of the additional duty of customs leviable under sub-section (5) of section 3 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, when imported from Nepal, under sub-section (7) of Section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act 1975, together with an Explanatory Memorandum on the Notification. II. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) Notification No. 79/2006-Customs, dated the 8th August, 2006, seeking to exempt light weight coated (LWC) paper, weighing up to 70 g/m2, imported by actual users for printing of magazines, from additional duty of customs of 4%, under section 159 of the Customs Act, 1962, together with an Explanatory Memorandum on the Notification. 12:01 p.m. 4. Message from Lok Sabha The Government Securities Bill, 2006 Secretary-General reported to the House the following message received from Lok Sabha, signed by the Secretary-General of Lok Sabha:- "In accordance with the provisions of rule 96 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, I am directed to enclose the Government Securities Bill, 2006, as passed by Lok Sabha at its sitting held on the 7th August, 2006." 5. Bill Laid on the Table Secretary-General laid on the Table a copy of the Government Securities Bill, 2006, as passed by Lok Sabha.

______** Spoke in Hindi.

8TH AUGUST, 2006 12:02 p.m. 6. Matters raised with permission 12:02 p.m. (1) Shri Tarlochan Singh** raised a matter regarding need for enhancing the minimum support price of paddy for the current season. Some Members also spoke. Shri Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, responded. 12:10 p.m. (2) Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu raised a matter regarding serious flood situation in the States of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and in other parts of the country. Shri Penumalli Madhu, Shri Ravula Chandra Sekar Reddy, Shri Janardhana Poojary, Shri Manohar Joshi, Shri Sitaram Yechuri, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Shrimati N.P. Durga, Shri Uday Pratap Singh, Shri C. Ramachandraiah, Shri M.V. Mysura Reddy and Shri K. Keshava Rao also spoke. Shri Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Information and Broadcasting, responded. 12:59 p.m. (3) Shri Tapan Kumar Sen raised a matter regarding appointment of a foreign national as Chief Operating Officer at I. G. I. Airport, Delhi. 1:02 p.m. (4) Shri Yashwant Sinha raised a matter regarding closure of two Regional Training Institutes at Hazaribagh in Jharkhand. %1-28 p.m. (The House adjourned at 1.28 p.m. and re-assembled at 1-38 p.m.)

______** Spoke in Hindi. % From 1.25 p.m. to 1.28 p.m. some points were raised. RAJYA SABHA 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, responded. 1:17 p.m. (5) Shri B.J. Panda raised a matter regarding vandalising the Statue of Late Shri in Orissa. Some Members also spoke. 1:38 p.m. 7. Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) 2006-07 Shri Lalu Prasad, Minister of Railways, laid on the Table a statement (in English and Hindi) showing the Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) for the year 2006-07. 1:39 p.m. 8. Government Bill — Passed The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2006, as passed by Lok Sabha. Shrimati Renuka Chowdhury (Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development) moved:- “That the Bill to amend the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000, as passed by Lok Sabha, be taken into consideration.” The following Members took part in the discussion:— 1:58 p.m. 1. Shrimati Maya Singh** 2:21 p.m. 2. Ms. Sushila Tiriya** 2:35 p.m. 3. Shri Virendra Bhatia** 2:52 p.m. 4. Shri Matilal Sarkar 3:14 p.m. 5. Shrimati S.G. Indira 3:23 p.m. 6. Shri Rajniti Prasad** 3:34 p.m. 7. Ms. Pramila Bohidar

______** Spoke in Hindi.

8TH AUGUST, 2006 3:38 p.m. 8. Shri Vijaykumar Rupani** 3:49 p.m. 9. Maulana Obaidullah Khan Azmi$$

3:59 p.m. Shrimati Renuka Chowdhury replied to the debate.

4:24 p.m. The motion for consideration of the Bill was adopted. Clauses 2 to 26 were adopted. Clause 1, the Enacting Formula and the Title were adopted.

4:26 p.m. The motion moved by Shrimati Renuka Chowdhury that the Bill be passed was adopted and the Bill was passed.

(The House adjourned at 4.27 p.m. till 11-00 a.m. on Thursday, the 10th August, 2006)

______** Spoke in Hindi. $$ Spoke in Urdu.