PARLIAMENT OF INDIA RAJYA SABHA RESUME OF THE BUSINESS TRANSACTED BY THE RAJYA SABHA TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVENTH (227th) SESSION (22nd November to 20th December, 2012) RAJYA SABHA SECRETARIAT NEW DELHI R E S U M E OF THE BUSINESS TRANSACTED BY THE RAJYA SABHA IN ITS TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVENTH SESSION (22nd November to 20th December, 2012) Rajya Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi (Website –http://rajyasabha.nic.in) P R E F A C E This publication contains a brief resume of the business transacted by the Rajya Sabha during its Two Hundred and Twenty Seventh Session. NEW DELHI; SHUMSHER K. SHERIFF —————— Secretary-General. January 18, 2013 C O N T E N T S PAGES 1. Summons 1 2. Duration of the Session 1 3. National Anthem 1 4. Obituary References 2-3 5. References by the Chair 4-6 6. Introduction of Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha 7 7. Introduction of Minister by the Prime Minister 7 8. Dispensing with Question Hour 7 9. Questions 8 10. Short Notice Questions 8 11. Statements by Ministers Correcting Answers to Questions 9-10 12. Papers Laid on the Table 11-13 13. Reports/Statements of the Committees Presented/Laid on the 14-17 Table 14. Petition praying for Amendment in the Employees Pension 18 Scheme, 1995 15. Announcements by the Chair 18 16. Observation by the Chair 19 17. Information to the House 19 18. Panel of Vice-Chairmen 19 19. Leave of Absence 20 20. Motions for Elections/Appointments of Members to various 20 Committees/Bodies 21. Matters raised with permission 21-25 22. Special Mentions 26-42 23. Calling Attention to Matters of Urgent Public Importance 43 24. Statements by Ministers 44-52 25. Messages from the Lok Sabha-Reported/Government Bills 53 Laid on the Table 26. Recommendations of the Business Advisory Committee 52 27. Supplementary Demands for Grants — Laid on the Table 54 28. Motion 55 29. Government Legislative Business 56-59 30. Divisions 60-65 31. Private Members' Business I. Private Members’ Bills 66-72 II. Private Members' Resolutions 73-84 32. Valedictory Remarks 85 33. National Song 85 34. Statement showing the break-up of the time taken by the 86-87 Rajya Sabha on various items of business during the Session 35. Statement showing the time taken and time lost due to 88-92 interruptions/adjournment of the House during the Session 36. Highlights of work transacted during the Session – At A 93-94 Glance BRIEF RESUME' OF THE BUSINESS TRANSACTED BY THE RAJYA SABHA DURING ITS TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY SEVENTH SESSION (22-11-2012 to 20-12-2012) SUMMONS Summons for the Two Hundred and Twenty Seventh Session of the Rajya Sabha was issued to the Members on the 1st of November, 2012. DURATION OF THE SESSION The Two Hundred and Twenty Seventh Session of the Rajya Sabha commenced on the 22nd of November, 2012. The House was adjourned sine die on the 20th of December, 2012. The House sat for 20 days and the actual hours of sittings were 57 hours and 34 minutes (excluding recess intervals). The House was prorogued by the President on the 24th of December, 2012. NATIONAL ANTHEM On the 22nd of November, 2012, National Anthem was played. (Time taken: 1 Minute) 1 OBITUARY REFERENCES Obituary References were made in the House during the Session as detailed below:— Sl. Date of Person in respect of whom Date of Time taken Remarks No. obituary reference was made passing Hrs. Mts. reference away 1. 22-11-2012 Shri B.V.Kakkilaya, 04-06-2012 ex-Member 2. -do- Shri Ranganath Misra, 13-09-2012 ex-Member 3. -do- Shri Jagesh Desai, 04-10-2012 2 The Chairman made reference and ex-Member 0-17 the House observed silence, all 4. -do- Shri B.P. Singhal, 05-10-2012 Members standing, as a mark of ex-Member respect to the memory of the 5. -do- Shri B. Satyanarayan Reddy, 06-10-2012 departed. ex-Member 6. -do- Shri Anantray Devshanker 07-10-2012 Dave, ex-Member 7. -do- Shri Kailash Pati Mishra, 03-11-2012 ex-Member 8. -do- Shri K. C. Pant, 15-11-2012 ex-Member 9. -do- Shri Bal Thackeray 17-11-2012 @10. 03-12-2012 Shri Inder Kumar Gujral, 30-11-2012 0-06 The Chairman made reference and former Prime Minister of the House observed silence, all India and ex-Member Members standing, as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed. As a mark of respect to the memory of Shri Inder Kumar Gujral, former Prime Minister of India, the House adjourned for the day. 11. 11-12-2012 Shri G. Swaminathan, 09-12-2012 0-04 The Chairman made reference and ex-Member the House observed silence, all 3 Members standing, as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed. 12. 12-12-2012 Pandit Ravi Shankar, 12-12-2012 0-05 The Chairman made reference and ex-Member the House observed silence, all Members standing, as a mark of respect to the memory of the departed. ——— Total: 0-32 ——— @ The House also adjourned for the day on the 30th of November, 2012 after the Minister of Home Affairs informed the House at 3-45 p.m. about the passing away of Shri Inder Kumar Gujral. REFERENCES BY THE CHAIR Sl. Date of Incident Date of Time taken Remarks No. reference incident Hrs. Mts. 1. 22-11-2012 Reference to the Victims of Superstorm 29-10-2012 Sandy in USA. 30-10-2012 The House observed silence, all Members 2. -do- Reference to the Victims of Cyclone Nilam 31-10-2012 0-04 standing, as a mark of in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. respect to the memory 4 of those, who lost their lives in these tragic 3. -do- Reference to the Victims of Stampede 19-11-2012 incidents. during Chhat Puja in Patna, Bihar. 4. 26-11-2012 Reference to the Fourth Anniversary of the 26-11-2008 0-03 The House observed Terrorist Attacks in Mumbai on the 26th of silence, all Members November, 2008. standing, as a mark of respect to the memory of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. 5. 03-12-2012 Reference on the Anniversary of Bhopal 02-12-1984 0-03 The House observed Gas Tragedy. & silence, all Members standing, as a mark of 03-12-1984 respect to the memory of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. 6. 04-12-2012 Reference to the victims of fire in a 24-11-2012 0-02 The House observed garment factory in Bangladesh. silence, all Members standing, as a mark of respect to the memory of those who lost their 5 lives in the tragedy. 7. 10-12-2012 Reference on the Anniversary of the —— 0-02 —— adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in the year 1948. 8. 13-12-2012 Reference to the Eleventh Anniversary of 13-12-2001 0-03 The House observed the terrorist attack on the Parliament silence, all Members Building on the 13th December, 2001. standing, as a mark of respect to the memory of those, who lost their lives in that tragedy. 9. 18-12-2012 Reference to the victims of Typhoon 04-12-2012 0-02 The House observed Bopha/Pablo in Philippines. silence, all Members standing, as a mark of respect to the memory of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. Total: 0-19 6 7 INTRODUCTION OF SECRETARY-GENERAL, RAJYA SABHA On the 22nd of November, 2012, The Chairman introduced the new Secretary-General, Shri Shumsher K. Sheriff to the House. (Time taken: 1 Minute) INTRODUCTION OF MINISTERS BY THE PRIME MINISTER On the 22nd of November, 2012, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister introduced 6 Cabinet Ministers, 2 Ministers of State (Independent Charge) and 13 Ministers of State to the House. (Time taken: 2 Mts.) DISPENSING WITH QUESTION HOUR On the 7th of December, 2012, the Chairman made the following announcement:— “Hon’ble Members, yesterday 23 Members took part in the discussion on the Motion regarding FDI in Multi-brand Retail Sector. 11 Members are yet to take part in the discussion. The Leaders of Political Parties along with the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs had requested me that the Question Hour be dispensed with today in order to complete the debate on FDI and voting thereon. I have acceded to their request, as the rarest of rare. Accordingly, we will now take up further discussion on the Motion. The reply of the mover will take place at 2.30 p.m. followed by voting. The Private Members’ Legislative Business slated for today will be taken up immediately thereafter.” Accordingly, the Question Hour was dispensed with and further discussion on the Motion regarding FDI in Multi-brand Retail Sector, was continued. (Time taken: 2 Mts.) 8 QUESTIONS 400 Starred Questions were put down in the List of Questions for oral answers, 43 Questions were orally answered and answers to remaining ones were laid on the Table of the House. (Time taken: 7 Hrs. & 41 Mts.) 3100 Unstarred Questions were put down in the List of Questions and written answers in respect thereof were laid on the Table of the House. SHORT NOTICE QUESTIONS Date Short Subject Ministry/ Remarks Time Taken Notice Department Hrs. Mts. Question No. 29-11-12 1 Fiscal deficit Finance Laid –– target 06-12-12 2 Shortage of coins Finance Orally 0-01 answered 10-12-12 3 Windmill plants New and Orally 0-01 in Andhra Renewable answered Pradesh Energy 13-12-12 4 Direct cash Finance Orally 0-17 transfer in answered Centrally sponsored scheme 14-12-12 5 Speed Post Communications Orally 0-13 services and Information answered Technology Total Time 0-32 STATEMENTS BY MINISTERS CORRECTING ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS Statements correcting answers to questions as detailed below were laid during the Session:— Sl.