Railway Budget 1997-98 PHALGUNA 20, 1918 (Saka) Demands Excessfor Grants (Railways) 262 Demands for Grants on Account Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) (Railways) [English] [English] (vl) Need to set up a Docrdarshan Kendra (viii) Need to take over ancient temples in at Madurai, Tamil Nadu Dhankanal Parliamentary Constituency In Orissa for their proper protection and SHRI N.S.V. CHITTHAN (Dindigu!) : Sir, Doordarshan conservation. plays a vital part in communicating information, knowledge to all parts of the national particularly in SHRI K.P. SINGH DEO (Dhenkanal) : A large rural areas. It has become a powerful entertainment number of ancient monuments and temples are lying in media for the common man. Hence, the number of the State of Orissa in a dilapidated condition. Out of viewers is increasing day by day. There should be the them the following temples are located in Dhenkanal creation of additional Doordarshan Kendras to meet the constituency : demand and to prepare quality programmes in regional 1. Kapileswar Mahadev Temple, Hatuari, languages. Kamakhyanagar Sub-Division. Unfortunately, in Tamil Nadu where the viewership 2. Chandrasekhar Jew, Kapilash, Sadar Sub- is very high, there is only one Kendra in Chennai which Division. is not able to meet the growing demand of quality 3. Annakoteswara, Latedeipur, Sadar Sub- programmes. Division. I, therefore, request the Union Government to set 4. Astha Sambhu Temples, Kualo, up an additional Kendra at Madurai, which is the second Kamakhyanagar Sub-Division. largest city in Tamil Nadu with high cultural, historical 5. Rock Cut Ananthasayan-Vishnu on river and religious background, and also one at Coimbatore Brahmani Bed, Kamakhyanagar Sub- to cater to the needs of the Western parts of Tamil Division. Nadu. These temples are neither being protected by the At present, there is only one Tamil News Bulletin Archaeological Survey of India nor the State which is telecast. I request that this should be increased Archaeological Department. I have been following the to three per day. matter with the State as well as the Central Government since 1993. In the meantime, a ‘No Objection Certificate* (vii) Need to desilt rivers of eastern U.P. has been issued by the State Government to the ASI for the transfer of these five temples. But the ASI has been SHRI HARIVANSH SAHAI (Salempur) : Mr. Deputy making inordinate delay in taking over these temples. Speaker, Sir, the river of Ganga flows through Allahabad, As the protection of these temples is very ncessary, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Gazipur and Balia - district of Eastern these temples should be taken over by the ASI at an Uttar Pradesh, the Gomti river flows through Sultanpur early date. I urge upon the Central Government to take and Jaunpur, the Ghagara river through Faizabad, action in the matter without any further delay and Gonda, Azamgarh, Gorakhpur and Devaria and Rapti, immediate steps should be taken to allocate funds in Badi Gandak and Choti Gandak flows through Gorakpur- 1997-98 financial year for the proper conservation of Dewaria. In the summer season, the flow of all the river these five temples of Dhenkanal. goes down substantially and the water left in the livers is not safe for drinking. The pollution experts have held that the Ganga water at Kashi is not safe for drinking. Due to slowing down of the flow in there rivers, the very 14.19 hrs. existence of these rivers is in the danger. The silt is RAILWAY BUDGET — GENERAL piling up at the river bed and the sand area is expanding DISCUSSION, 1997-98 causing danger of floods, as the water flowing capacity of these rivers is decreasing. The decreasing water DEMANDS FOR GRANTS ON ACCOUNT level in the rivers is leading to irrigation crisis. More (RAILWAYS), 1997-98 than 400 crore rupees have been spent to clean the DEMANDS FOR EXCESS GRANTS — pollution of the Ganga river alone. Still there is no RAILWAYS, 1994-95 improvement. I would like to invite the attention of the Union Government to these serious issue and demand SUPPLEMENTARY DEMANDS FOR GRANTS — that the desilting operation should be carried out in RAILWAYS 1996-97 — Contd. Ganga, Gomati, Ghagra, Rapti, Badi Gandak, Choti Gandak rivers was to save them from extinction and the fTranslation] local unemployed people should be provided MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER : I have to make a request employment in this work. that as many as 50 Members have given their names 263 Railway Budget-1997-98 MARCH 11, 1997 Demands for Excess Grants (Railways) 264 Demands for Grants on Account Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) (Railways) to speak and until now the Members have been normally and outside the Parliament. When Rail Budget was taking more than one hour to express their views on introduced, some persons said that Rail Budget was a this issue. Therefore, you should fix the maximum ceiling good one and the interest of everyone was kept in mind of 10 minutes for all the Members so that all Members while some said that the Budget was not a balanced who have given their names gets the opportunity to one and attention was paid to certain areas only and speak. the other areas were neglected. Some said that the SHRI RAM NAIK (Mumbai-North) : Mr. Deputy Budget was a populist one and was prepared keeping Speaker, Sir, if the leaders of all the party speak first in view the elections. Shri Ram Vilas Paswan is the then, even 10 minutes would not be required. You give Minister of Railways and he is fortunate enough to just seven minutes. Let me conclude my views. present the Rail Budget twice and God knows, how many times he presents the Rail Budget in future. Shri SHRI MUKHTAR ANIS (Sitapur) : Would it not be Ram Vilas Paswan is a senior MP and is popular as a party-wise? dynamic and wise leader of the country. Therefore, while MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER : Yes, it is so. preparing the Rail Budget, he has shown his wisdom SHRI RAM NAIK : Let me finish first. Mr. Deputy and cleverness. He gave an impression that something Speaker, Sir, all Members who have given their names has been done for everyone and there everyone was should get a chance to speak. If to cover all, minutes happy with a word of praise for him. The Members from are given to each member than it will be good. Kerala who were up in arms, have been calmed down. The hon. Members of Himachal Pradesh have also been MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER : Let him finish first, then cooled down. Thus, he has tried to pacify one :\nd all. you can go ahead. But how would he deal with the burden which he has SHRI RAM NAIK : But all the Members who have imposed on the people and towards fulfilling the given their names, should get a chance to speak, announcements made by him as a result of which keeping it in view time adjournment should be done. discussions take place almost everyday during zero We will go accordingly tonight or tomorrow as decided hour, during Budget speech in the House and in public by the Chair. In my case, all Members should get the gatherings outside the House? How will he fulfil the chance. assurances made by him? Does this Budget give any SHRI MUKHTAR ANIS : Sir, almost all important indication of fulfilling those assurances? So far as leaders have spoken. If You fix the time limit of seven delivering speech is concerned, nobody can outsmart minutes then the Member will get a chance to raise the Shri Ram Vilas Paswan. His voice is loud and when he issues of his or her constituency. This way, they will be sat this side, he was expert in out voicing others. He able to raise the matters relating to their constituency utilised zero hour almost everyday and the Chair could and the Railway Member would also come to know not avoid him. Now, he is the Minister of Railways and about the problems of various areas. There is no need the leader of the House. So far as speech is concerned, for comprehensive speeches. he will prove himself the best Minister of Railways. But if he wants to clear the test, he will have to fulfil all the SHRI AMAR ROY PRADHAN (Coochbehar) : All promises made by him. members should be called one by one. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as he said and everyone MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER : I shall call all. was optimistic that new rail lines will be laid down, SHRI AMAR ROY PRADHAN : If time is available gauge conversion will be taken up and the rail lines will then you can call other people. be doubled and they would be repaired too. He aroused MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER : That means all have the aspirations of the people and it seemed to them that agreed on seven minutes time limit. it will really take place. Passenger will be provided better facilities than before. Annual Plan prepared SHRI SATYAPAL JAIN (Chandigarh) : Mr. Deputy through this Budget is to the tune of Rs. 8300 crore for Speaker, Sir, I have also to make a humble suggestion. the current year. The quantum of goods transporation In the past, if the Railway Minister was unable to cover as well as the number of rail passengers is increasing all the points raised by the Members during the day by day but the condition of Railways is constantly discussion on the Railway budget then, the Railway deteriorating. The percentage of its goods transportation Ministry to finish the information in writing to the and passenger transportation in the country is declining concerned Member seating as to what action has been and today, it is likely to decline more.