RAJYA SABHA (THURSDAY, THE 24TH MARCH, 2005) (The Rajya Sabha 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.321 regarding Blue print of Tsunami Warning System. Starred Question No.322 regarding Creation of special economic regions. Starred Question No.323 regarding Visit of Afghan President to India. Starred Question No.324 regarding Indians in Iraq. Starred Question No.325 regarding Accidents in Andhra Pradesh. Starred Question No.327 regarding Potential of bio-tech industry. Starred Question No.328 regarding Manufacture of tele-communications equipment. Starred Question No.329 regarding Agreements with Iran. Starred Question No.331 regarding Reduction in land line charges. Answers to remaining Starred Question Nos. 326 and 331 to 340 were laid on the Table. 2. Unstarred Questions Answers to Unstarred Question Nos. 2471 to 2625 were laid on the Table. 12-00 Noon 3. Announcement by Chair The Chairman made the following announcement:— “Hon’ble Members, today none of the Vice-Chairmen is present. The Deputy Chairman has also gone to Bangalore. If the House agrees, we may nominate Shri C. Ramachandraiah, Shri Datta Meghe, Shrimati Prema Cariappa and Shri Ram Nath Kovind.” 24TH MARCH, 2005 12-01 p.m. 4. Papers Laid on the Table Shri Mahavir Prasad (Minister of Small Scale Industries and Agro & Rural Industries) laid on the Table:— I. (1) A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under sub- section (3) of section 24 and sub-section (4) of section 23 of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act, 1956:— (a) Annual Report of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Mumbai, for the year 2003-2004. (b) Annual Accounts of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, Mumbai, for the year 2003-2004, and the Audit Report thereon. (c) Statement by Government accepting the above Report. (2) Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. II. (1) A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under sub- section (1) of section 19 of the Coir Industries Act, 1953:— (a) Fiftieth Annual Report of the Coir Board, Kochi, for the year 2003-2004. (b) Annual Accounts of the Coir Board, Kochi, for the year 2003-2004, and the Audit Report thereon. (c) Statement by Government accepting the above Report. (2) Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. Shri T.R. Baalu (Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (a) Thirty-eighth Annual Report of the Seamen’s Provident Fund Organisation, Mumbai, for the year 2003-2004. (b) Annual Accounts of the Seamen’s Provident Fund Organisation, Mumbai, for the year 2003-2004, and the Audit Report thereon. RAJYA SABHA (c) Review by Government on the working of the above Organisation. (d) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. Shri K. Chandra Shekhar Rao (Minister of Labour & Employment) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (a) Fifty-first Annual Report and Accounts of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation, New Delhi, for the year 2003-2004, together with the Auditors Report on the Accounts. (b) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. Shri Kapil Sibal (Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Science & Technology and Department of Ocean Development) 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) Thirtieth Annual Report and Accounts of the Central Electronics Limited (CEL), New Delhi, for the year 2003-2004, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts and the comments of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India thereon. (b) Statement by Government accepting the above Report. II. Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (I) above. Shri Suresh Pachouri (Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs) laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training), Notification G.S.R. 820 (E), dated the 20th December, 2004, publishing the All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits) Amendment Rules, 2004, under sub section (2) of section 3 of the All India Services Act, 1951. 24TH MARCH, 2005 Dr. Shakeel Ahmad (Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology) laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Department of Telecommunication), Notification No.3-57/2005/B & CS, dated the 3rd March, 2005, publishing the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable Services) Interconnection (First Amendment) Regulation 2005, under section 37 of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997. Shri K. H. Muniappa (Minister of State in the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways (Department of Road Transport and Highways), under section 10 of the National Highways Act, 1956:— (1) S.O. 1276 (E) dated the 17th November, 2004, publishing levied and paid fees on mechanical vehicles for the use of permanent bridge across Kari Koshi in Km. 404 of National Highways No. - 31, along with delay statement. (2) S.O. 1404 (E) dated the 23rd December, 2004, notifying the levied, collected and retained fees on mechanical vehicles for the use of the "Four laning and strengthening of Pune-Solapur road (National Highway No.9) in the District of Pune in Maharashtra. (3) S.O. 54 (E) dated the 14th January, 2005, regarding acquisition of land for construction of bypass on Sangamner town of National Highways No. 50 from km. 138/071 to km. 147/861 in the District of Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. Shri Prithviraj Chavan (Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office) laid on the Table 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 Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited, Chennai, for the year 2003-2004, 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 Nigam. RAJYA SABHA Shri Suresh Pachouri (Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions and Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs) on behalf of Shri R. Velu laid on the Table a copy a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (a) Annual Report and Accounts of the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), New Delhi, for the year 2003-2004, 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. Shri S.S. Palanimanickam (Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance) laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Statement on Quarterly Review of the trends in receipts and expenditure in relation to the budget during the third quarter of the financial year 2004-2005., under sub-section (1) of section 7 of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003. 12-02 p.m. 4. Message from Lok Sabha The Parel Investments and Trading Private Limited and Domestic Gas Private Limited (Taking Over of Management) Repeal Bill, 2005 Secretary-General reported to the House the following message received from Lok Sabha, signed by the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha. “In accordance with the provisions of rule 120 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, I am directed to inform you that Lok Sabha, at its sitting held on the 23rd March, 2005 agreed without any amendment to the Parel Investments and Trading Private Limited and Domestic Gas Private Limited (Taking Over of Management) Repeal Bill, 2005, which was passed by Rajya Sabha at its sitting held on the 17th March, 2005. 5. Bill Laid on the Table Secretary-General laid on the Table a copy of the Parel Investments and Trading Private Limited and Domestic Gas Private Limited (Taking Over of Management) Repeal Bill, 2005 24TH MARCH, 2005 12-03 p.m. 6. Report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice Shri E.M. Sudarsana Natchiappan presented the Fourth Report (in English and Hindi) of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice on the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Bill, 2004. 12-04 p.m. 7. Report of the Committee on Public Undertakings Shri Ajay Maroo laid on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the Third Report of the Committee on Public Undertakings (Fourteenth Lok Sabha) on Power Grid Corporation of India Limited - Extra Expenditure in Construction of Kishenpur- Moga Transmission System – Additional expenditure of Rs. 433.81 crore. 12-05 p.m. 8. Matters raised with permission 12-05 p.m. (1) Shri Jaswant Singh,** Leader of the Opposition raised a matter regarding reported damage caused to the Hinglaz Mata temple at Baluchistan in Pakistan. 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.