LOK SABHA ___ SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES (Proceedings other than Questions & Answers) ______ Wednesday, October 22, 2008 / Asvina 30, 1930 (Saka) ______ FELICITATION BY THE SPEAKER Re: Congratulating the Team of Scientists and Technicians of ISRO regarding Launch of Chandrayaan –I and Congratulating the Indian Cricket Team for their Victory MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, the Indian Scientists today have achieved another great landmark which has made the country proud when India’s first unmanned moon spacecraft – Chandrayaan-1 – embarked on a two-year mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota Andhra Pradesh, at about 6.22 a.m., on board the indigenously-built rocket, PSLV-C11. I made it a point to get up and saw it. It is very exhilarating to see that wonderful launch. This historic event marks India’s entry into select band of lunar explorer countries and its growing stature as an emerging space power. Let us on this occasion join together to congratulate Dr. G. Madhavan Nair, Chairman ISRO and his dedicated team of Scientists and Technicians whose untiring efforts have made this possible. We wish them further and further glorious successes. Hon. Members, Indian cricket team’s emphatic 320 run victory, their biggest ever against the visiting Australian team at Mohali, Punjab yesterday, is a matter of great pride and joy for all of us. Let us compliment the splendid performance by the Indian Team and wish them all success in their ongoing test series and forthcoming One Day International Matches. WITHDRAWAL OF THE MEMBER FROM HOUSE As Shri Abdullakutty, M.P. continued to interrupt the proceedings of the House and disregarded the Chair’s direction not to display placard in the House, the Speaker directed him under Rule 373 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha to withdraw from the House for the day. Thereafter Shri Abdullakutty withdrew from the House. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTERS (i) Re: Recent developments in Srilanka THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI PRANAB MUKHERJEE): I rise to apprise this august House of the recent developments in Sri Lanka. The situation in Sri Lanka is of serious concern to the Government, in particular the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the North of Sri Lanka. We are concerned about the plight of the civilians caught in the hostilities and the growing number of internally displaced persons. We have emphasised to the Sri Lankan Government that the safety and the security of the civilians must be safeguarded at ail costs and that food and essential supplies be allowed to reach them unhindered. We have been assured that the safety and wellbeing of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka will be taken care of. In this connection, Member of Parliament and Senior Adviser to the President of Sri Lanka, Hon'ble Basil Rajapaksa is due to visit India shortly. Let me reiterate our conviction that there in no military solution to the ethnic conflict. What is required in Sri Lanka is a peacefully negotiated political settlement within the framework of a united Sri Lanka respecting the legitimate rights of the minorities including the Tamil community. The rights and the welfare of the Tamil community of Sri Lanka should not get enmeshed in the ongoing hostilities against the LTTE. We encourage the government of Sri Lanka to continue to nurture the democratic process in the Eastern Province as well. The government has also taken up with the Sri Lankan Government the need to ensure the safety of our fishermen. While it is important for our fishermen to respect the International Maritime Boundary Line, we have impressed on the Sri Lankan Navy to desist from firing on Indian fishermen. Our two governments have agreed to work towards concluding practical arrangements to prevent such incidents. (ii) Re: The Successful Launch of Chandrayaan-1 Spacecraft, India’s First Unmanned Scientific Mission to the Moon THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (SHRI PRITHVIRAJ CHAVAN): I am happy to inform this august House that India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C11 successfully launched Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, India's first unmanned scientific mission to the moon, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota. The launch of PSLV- C11 was the fourteenth flight in the PSLV series. The launch vehicle systems have performed satisfactorily. The main scientific objective of Chandrayaan-1 mission is to orbit around the moon and carry out the high resolution remote sensing for preparing the 3- dimensional atlas of the moon and in carrying out chemical and mineralogical mapping of the lunar surface. The spacecraft has eleven scientific instruments from India and from universities and laboratories of European Space Agency, USA and Bulgaria. Today, Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft has been placed into an elliptical intermediate orbit of 255 x 22,860 km around the earth. In the coming days, the spacecraft will be maneuvered using its own onboard propulsion system to attain an orbit around the moon which is nearly 4,00,000 km away from the earth. I am sure that this august House will join me in congratulating the Chairman and the entire team at ISRO who were involved in the realization and management of the complex India's unmanned scientific mission to the moon. *MATTERS UNDER RULE 377 (i) SHRI N.S.V. CHITTHAN laid a statement regarding need to issue a commemorative stamp in honour of Late Shri Viswanatha Doss, a great patriot and stage actor of pre-Independence era. * Laid on the Table as directed by the Deputy Speaker. (ii) SHRI SANTOSH GANGWAR laid a statement regarding need to consider Izzatnagar in Bareilly as an alternative site for setting up Rail Coach Factory proposed to be set up in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh. (iii) YOGI ADITYA NATH laid a statement regarding need to accord the status of a Central University to Gorakhpur University. (iv) SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA laid a statement regarding need to provide pilgrimage facilities to the people desirous of visiting the Mausoleum of Prithvi Raj Chauhan in Afghanistan. (v) DR. SATYANARAYAN JATIYA laid a statement regarding need to release power from Central Quota and Central assistance for tiding over situation arisen due to shortage of water in Madhya Pradesh. (vi) SHRI AVINASH RAI KHANNA laid a statement regarding need to extend social security benefits to the taxpayers in the country. (vii) SHRI P. MOHAN laid a statement regarding need to lift the ban imposed on catching of Sea Cucumbers. (viii) SHRI SHAILENDRA KUMAR laid a statement regarding need to make available adequate quantity of D.A.P. and A.P. fertilizers in the Co-operative Societies and markets. (ix) SHRI ALOK KUMAR MEHTA laid a statement regarding need to start Rajiv Gandhi Vidyutikaran Yojana in Samastipur, Bihar. (x) SHRI S. D. MANDLIK laid a statement regarding need to issue stringent guidelines for the effective implementation of Agricultural loan waiver scheme. (xi) SHRI KINJARAPU YERRANNAIDU laid a statement regarding need to take steps to ameliorate the plight of power loom weavers of Karimnagar district, Andhra Pradesh facing unemployment due to crisis in power loom industry. SUPPLEMENTARY DEMANDS FOR GRANTS (RAILWAYS) – 2008-2009 SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI: The conversion work of Gadag – Bagalkot Gauge is said to be over long back. Therefore, I urge the Government to start the operations of passenger trains on this line. The work on Hubli-Ankola new line should be expedited. At least one night train should be introduced between Hubli-Pune. It should be ensured that local people should get better opportunities in Recruitment for Group ‘D’ posts in S.W.R. Demand of extension of Bangalore-Hubli Intercity till Dharwad to be honoured. SHRI SANTOSH GANGWAR: I have come to know that it is not possible to set up a proposed Rail coach factory at Rai Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. Thus I propose Izzatnagar under my constituency Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh for the purpose. This place has adequate infrastructure and land and there is no need to acquire land from farmers. The work could be started immediately. SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHURY: I request to increase number of compartments in all the passenger-trains running in the Lalgola-Sealdah Section, Sealdah Division, Eastern Railway, add one additional chair-car to the both the UP & Down Bhagirathi Express train running daily in this section. One additional coach should be added to 112 Down Lalgola- Sealdah Passenger train. The period of service of two counters of the Computerized Reservation Centre of Berhampore Court Station is inadequate. Therefore, at least one counter of the said Computerized Reservation Centre is brought into operation with immediate effect. A train named “Hazarduari Express” should be introduced in the Sealdah-Lalgola Section, Sealdah Division, Eastern Railway immediately. SHRI J.M. AARON RASHID: Tamil Nadu people have a long pending demand that a Train service from Chennai to Lord Aiyappa Temple (Sabarimala) for pilgrims from Chennai, Hyderabad, Karnataka and Mumbai should go via Tamil Nadu. The Train has to be routed via Dindugal, Vathalagundu, Periyakulam, Theni, Bodi, Kumbam, Koodalur and to the base station as S abarimala pilgrims are increasing in large numbers. I request for opening of Railway Parcel Booking Counters in all the centers as lot of tea plants/spice/coffee plants/paddy and coconut farmers will be benefitted along with Sabarimala pilgrims. SHRI S.K. KHARVENTHAN: I support the Supplementary Demands for Grants for Railways for the Financial Year 2008-09. After assumption of UPA at the Centre the rail fares has not increased even once. In recent times, the passenger traffic also increases and earnings also increased. Indian Railways has created revenue surplus of Rs.