RAJYA SABHA MONDAY, THE 21ST APRIL, 2008 (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. 381 regarding Cost for generation of solar energy. Starred Question No. 383 regarding Permanent benches of High Court in Orissa. Starred Question No. 386 regarding Rating of management institutions. Starred Question No. 387 regarding Declining trend of academic research. Starred Question No. 388 regarding Representation of non-teaching staff in universities. Starred Question No. 390 regarding Post-Matric scholarship for OBCs. Starred Question No. 391 regarding Committee to examine grid collapse. Answers to remaining Starred Question Nos. 382, 384, 385, 389 and 392 to 400 were laid on the Table. 2. Unstarred Questions Answers to Unstarred Question Nos. 2792 to 2946 were laid on the Table. 21ST APRIL, 2008 12-00 Noon. 3. Papers Laid on the Table Shri SushilKumar Sambhajirao Shinde (Minister of Power) 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 Narmada Hydroelectric Development Corporation Limited (NHDC), Bhopal, for the year 2006-2007, 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. II. Statement (in English and Hindi) giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (1) above. Shri Sis Ram Ola (Minister of Mines) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) Annual Report and Accounts of the Jawaharlal (a) Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre (JNARDDC), Nagpur, for the year 2006-2007, 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) Annual Report and Accounts of the National (a) Institute of Rock Mechanics (NIRM), Kolar, Karnataka, for the year 2006-2007, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Institute. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. RAJYA SABHA Shrimati Renuka Chowdhury (Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Women & Child Development) laid on the Table:- I. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development Notification G.S.R. 75 (E), dated the 8th February, 2008, publishing Corrigendum to Notification G.S.R. 679 (E), dated the 26th October, 2007, together with delay statement. II. A copy (in English and Hindi) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development Notification G.S.R. 679 (E), dated the 26th October, 2007, regarding the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Model Rules, 2007, under sub- section (3) of section 68 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2006, together with delay statement. Shrimati Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan (Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers, under sub-section (2) of section 64 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995:— (a) Annual Report of the Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, New Delhi, for the year 2005-2006. (b) Action Taken by Government on the recommendations of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities contained in the Annual Report. Shrimati D.Purandeswari (Minister of State in the Ministry of Human Resource Development) laid on the Table:- I. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Notifications of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Higher Education), under sub- section (2) of section 40 of the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985:— (1) No. IG/Admn. (G)/Registrar/2003/753, dated the 7th - 13th April, 2007, regarding amendments to sub-clauses (b) & (d) of statute 5(7) of the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985. (2) No. IG/Admn. (G)/st. 10A/2003/950, dated the 22nd – 28th September, 2007, regarding amendments/ additions to clause (1) (12) of statute 10 A of the Indira Gandhi National Open University Act, 1985. 21ST APRIL, 2008 II. A copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers:— (i) Annual Report and Accounts of the Board of (a) Apprenticeship Training (BOAT), Southern Region, Chennai, for the year 2006-2007, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Board. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (ii) Annual Report and Accounts of the North Eastern (a) Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh, for the year 2005-2006, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Institute. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (iii) Annual Report and Accounts of the Board of (a) Practical Training (BOPT), Eastern Region, Kolkata, for the year 2006-2007, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Board. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (iv) Annual Report and Accounts of the Sant (a) Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET), Longowal (Sangrur), Punjab, for the year 2005-2006, together with the Auditor's Report on the Accounts. (b) Review by Government on the working of the above Institute. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. (v) Annual Report and Accounts of the National (a) University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), 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 Institute. (c) Statement giving reasons for the delay in laying the papers mentioned at (a) above. RAJYA SABHA 12-01 p.m. 4. Message from Lok Sabha The Appropriation (Railways) No. 3 Bill, 2008 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 96 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha, I am directed to enclose the Appropriation (Railways) No. 3 Bill, 2008, as passed by Lok Sabha at its sitting held on the 17th April, 2008. The Speaker has certified that this Bill is a Money Bill within the meaning of article 110 of the Constitution of India." 5. Bill laid on the Table Secretary-General laid on the Table a copy of the Appropriation (Railways) No.3 Bill, 2008, as passed by Lok Sabha 12-02 p.m. 6. Reports of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Radhakant Nayak laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Reports of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (2007-2008):- (i) Thirty-third Report on Demands for Grants (2008-09) of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; (ii) Thirty-fourth Report on Demands for Grants (2008-09) of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs; and (iii) Thirty-fifth Report on Demands for Grants (2008-09) of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. 21ST APRIL, 2008 12-03 p.m. 7. Reports of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development Dr. Chandan Mitra laid on the Table a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following Reports of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development:- (i) Thirty-fifth Report on Demands for Grants (2008-09) of the Department of Rural Development (Ministry of Rural Development); (ii) Thirty-sixth Report on Demands for Grants (2008-09) of the Department of Land Resources (Ministry of Rural Development); (iii) Thirty-seventh Report on Demands for Grants (2008-09) of the Department of Drinking Water Supply (Ministry of Rural Development); and (iv) Thirty-eighth Report on Demands for Grants (2008-09) of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. 12-04 p.m. 8. Leave of Absence Dr. Dasari Narayana Rao (Andhra Pradesh) was granted leave of absence from 15th April, 2008 till the end of the current session of the Rajya Sabha. 12-05 p.m. 9. Matters raised with permission (1) Shri Sanjay Raut raised a matter regarding loss to standing crops due to untimely heavy rains particularly in the State of Maharashtra. 12-06 p.m. (2) Shri A. Vijayaraghavan raised a matter regarding damage caused to the Indian traders in UAE due to fire at Naif Market, Dubai and need to extend help to them. RAJYA SABHA 12-08 p.m. 10. Special Mentions (1) Dr. Gyan Prakash Pilania raised a matter regarding atrocities against women in the country. 12-11 p.m. *(2) Shri Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi raised a matter regarding need to change the set standards of per capita distribution of water in Rajasthan. 12-14 p.m. ^(3) Shri Abu Asim Azmi raised a matter regarding need to include the dalit Muslims in Scheduled Caste category. 12-17 p.m. *(4) Shri Harish Rawat raised a matter regarding need to recruit youths trained in self defence and disaster management in regular services of armed forces.