Lok Sabha Debates
Raised A Matter Regarding Budgetary Hike In Petrol And Urea Prices And Reply By The ... on 2 June, 1998
Title: Raised a matter regarding budgetary hike in petrol and urea prices and reply by the Finance Minister.
12.08 hrs. SHRI SHARAD PAWAR (BARAMATI): Yesterday, the hon. Finance Minister, in his Budget speech, regarding the additional charge on petrol, has briefed the House and, through the House, the whole country and said that the additional charge will be one rupee per litre, merely one rupee per litre. I will just quote his statement. It says:
"Mr. Speaker, Sir, good roads are a necessity for social and economic development. I am sure that those of us who are privileged to afford personalised vehicles can afford to contribute to the faster development of good roads in the country. I propose to charge an additional tax at the rate of rupee one per litre on petrol with immediate effect."
What is the actual situation? I will give the actual situation. In Delhi, till yesterday the price of petrol was Rs.22.84 per litre but actually today it started with Rs.26.77 per litre and the rise is Rs.3.93. In Calcutta, yesterday it was Rs.23.55 and today it is Rs.27.59. The rise is Rs.4.04. In Mumbai, yesterday it was Rs.25.79 and today it is Rs.30.21. The rise is Rs.4.42. ...(Interruptions) In Chennai, it was Rs.26.79 and today it is Rs.31.36. The rise is Rs.4.57.
Exactly the same situation has happened in regard to the price of urea also. In regard to the price of urea, the hon. Finance Minister made a statement in the House that there would be a rise by one rupee per kilo. But actually the price of a 50 kg. urea bag has been practically raised by Rs.70. It means that actually the rise per kilo is Rs.1.50.
This is a clear-cut case of misleading the House. I think, it is high time that either the Finance Minister should clarify the entire position or he should withdraw this. ...(Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Sir, let us also add ....(Interruptions)
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE (SHRI YASHWANT SINHA): You please listen to me. ...(Interruptions)
">SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE (BOLPUR): Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Leader of the Opposition has pointed out a very serious thing and the hon. Finance Minister has not got the patience. Mr. Finance Minister, you please wait for three or five minutes. What is this? ...(Interruptions) These prices have been charged by different public sector undertakings. These prices have been approved by the Government. When the Finance Minister is announcing here, and through this House to the whole country, that their sacrifice will be one rupee more per litre, everybody knows even that will have a cascading effect on the economy and on the inflationary pressure. Actually he must have known that it will not be less than Rs.4. What was the intention? Within a few hours, this is the price which is being charged. This is a very serious matter. Budget is a serious exercise and through Budget, such impressions should not be given to the people that it is only one rupee excise being charged when, in fact, this is the position. Therefore, we strongly protest and I suggest that the Finance Minister should withdraw this and make a proper amendment and place it before this House and the people. MR. SPEAKER: Shri Jaipal Reddy, please.
... (Interruptions) अध्यक्ष महोदय : वह कलैरफिकेशन देंगे।
Please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have called Shri Jaipal Reddy only. Please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I have called Shri Jaipal Reddy only. Now he will clarify. Please take your seat. ... (Interruptions)
every party?
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Baalu, I have not called your name. I have called Shri Jaipal Reddy. parties.
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat. I will come to you.
">SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY (MAHABUBNAGAR): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I thank you for the opportunity. My friend, Shri Yashwant Sinha has been known to me for many years. I never thought that he would be so dubious as this. I thought that he would be straight forward but in the Budget he adopted many techniques which are not considered straight forward. Take for example, the price of urea. The argument trotted out by the Finance Minister was that he was doing this to restore the urea price... (Interruptions) MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat. I have already allowed him.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat.
SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY (MAHABUBNAGAR): He proposed the argument... (Interruptions) MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat. It is only for a clarification.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please complete.
SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY : That was the argument.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please understand that I have allowed him to ask for a clarification. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat.
SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY : If that was the real cause, Mr. Speaker, Sir, he can reduce the price of phosphatic fertilizer. There is no need to increase the price of urea. There was a need to decrease the price of phosphatic fertilizer. He has also misled the House in regard to the excise that will be additionally charged on the urea. MR. SPEAKER: Please ask your clarification. I have allowed you to seek a clarification but not to make a speech. SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY : Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Sir. I appeal to the Finance Minister to withdraw this increase in the price of both urea and petrol. MR. SPEAKER: Now the Minister may reply.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seats. I have already allowed three Members to ask clarifications. Please take your seat. ... (Interruptions) श्री अजीत जोगी (रायगढ़): अध्यक्ष महोदय, सरकार ने पैट्रोल और यूरिया की कीमतें बहुत बढ़ा दी हैं। ... (व्यवधान)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Jogi, please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You can discuss it during the debate on the Budget. Please take your seat. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: You cannot do like that because I have already called him. You cannot do like that. No, no. Please take your seat. Please understand. श्री कांतिलाल भूरिया (झाबुआ) : मंत्री जी ने सदन को गुमराह किया है। ... (व्यवधान) MR. SPEAKER: I have already allowed three Members to seek clarifications. Shri Baalu, take your seat. This is not a Budget discussion. The Minister is already replying. Mr. Minister, would you oblige Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav? *m04 ">SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: I will say what I have to say and then there will be no need for any further clarifications. (Interruptions) MR. SPEAKER: Take your seat. The Minister is already giving a reply.
... (Interruptions) श्री मुलायम सिंह यादव (सम्भल): हमने कल ही कहा था कि यह फर्जी आंकड़ों का बजट है। इससे देश की अर्थव्यवस्था बेकाबू हो जाएगी। (व्यवधान) .।.. MR. SPEAKER: Nothing will go on record. श्री मुलायम सिंह यादव : सरकार की किसान-विरोधी और गरीब-विरोधी नीतियो से बने इस बजट के विरोध में हमारी पार्टी सदन से वाक आउट करती है। १२.१८ बजे (At this stage Shri Mulayam Singh Yadav and some other hom. members left the House) SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Sir, I decided... ...(Interruptions) श्री रामदास आठवले(मुम्बई उत्तर-मध्य) : वित्त मंत्री ने पेट्रोल पर कल एक रुपया बढ़ाने की घोषणा की थी मगर पांच रुपये तक पॆट्रोल के दाम बढ़े हैं। ... (व्यवधान) MR. SPEAKER: First, you listen to him.
SHRI YASHWANT SIMNHA: First I will reply. Then there will be no questions on that.
MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, please take your seat. Shri Jogi, take your seat. Please sit down. Please understand. The hon. Minister is giving a reply. If you have any clarification, you can seek it later on. ... (Interruptions)* MR. SPEAKER: Nothing will go on record except what the Minister says.
... (Interruptions)
_____________________________________________________________________ * Not recorded MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat first. The Minister is giving a reply. Please cooperate with me. Please cooperate with the Chair. He is already giving a reply.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: No, please. He is already giving his reply. What is this? You can ask afterwards. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Baalu, please take your seat. Let the hon. Minister of Finance complete his reply. You can ask later. Please take your seat. Let the hon. Minister complete his reply. ... (Interruptions) श्री अजीत जोगी : आप यूरिया के बारे में भी बताइये।
... (व्यवधान)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Jogi, please take your seat. Let him complete. Prof. Kurien, please take your seat. Mr. Minister ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat. Shri Baalu, please take your seat. He is giving a clarification. ... (Interruptions)
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: I got up to respond to the points raised by the hon. Leader of the Opposition with a view to putting an end to this matter. I had thought that after I had given my clarification, there would be no questions left. I am very grateful to Shri Jaipal Reddy, the hon. Member, for having paid the kind of personal tribute that he is paying me for all these years that I have known him. I would only like to assure him that I was never dubious, I am not dubious and I will never be dubious. (Interruptions). श्री गिरधारी लाल भार्गव (जयपुर) : जब मंत्री जी बोल रहे हैं तो आपको सुनना चाहिए, वहां पर खड़े होकर बीच में बोलना शुरू कर देते हैं। ... (व्यवधान)
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: As far as the prices of motor spirit, namely, petrol is concerned, I stand by exactly what I told the House yesterday. The moment we came to know that there had been some confusion, we immediately got into discussion with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas because the adjustment in the pricing structure of excise duty was supposed to be calibrated in a manner where there was not likely to be any additional burden on the consumer other than the liability arising out of the payment of rupee one cess for National Development Fund. After the discussion with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, necessary instructions are being issued to bring petrol prices back to normal except for this rupee one increase. The necessary instructions have already been issued. Now, this is what I have been wanting to tell this House. श्री अजीत जोगी : आप यूरिया के बारे में भी बताइये। ... (व्यवधान)
MR. SPEAKER: Let him complete.
... (Interruptions)
12.23 hrs. (At this stage Shri Raguvansh Prasad Singh left the House) SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Let me complete. Shri Somnath Chatterjee, you must have patience. You are such a senior Member. (Interruptions). Let me complete my submission. I am ready to reply your questions. (Interruptions). Let me say something about urea. I will try to reply to your questions. (Interruptions). SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : How is this Government functioning? (Interruptions). SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: I have to make an announcement in regard to urea also. (Interruptions). SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : How is this Government functioning? (Interruptions). I have got a telephone call from Calcutta. (Interruptions). How is this Government functioning? (Interruptions). MR. SPEAKER: Let him complete.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : His intention was to increase it by rupee one and another Ministry is hiking up the prices. This is the way the Government is functioning! Regarding those people who have been charged extra --these are the Government companies which have charged-- what is the explanation of the Government? ....(Interruptions) SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: As far as the increase in urea prices is concerned, the Government has already taken a decision to reduce by half the increase that I had announced in this House yesterday, that the urea prices will now go up only by 50 paise per kilogram and not by one rupee. This is the announcement which I wanted to make. ....(Interruptions) SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : This requires intervention by the Opposition. ... (Interruptions) SHRI RUPCHAND PAL (HOOGLY): They have deliberately done it. ....(Interruptions) MR. SPEAKER: I have called matters under Rule 377. There is a Zero Hour also. Please take your seats. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seats. There is a Zero Hour also. Please cooperate.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE (BOLPUR): The Minister did not come with a suo motu statement. It was his obligation to clarify the matter. The Finance Minister was saying something and the other Ministry was doing something else, and the Budget has been ridiculed. Within 24 hours, the Budget ....(Interruptions) MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seats. I have called matters under Rule 377. I will allow you after it is over. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I will come to you after it is over.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please understand. I have called matters under Rule 377. Thereafter, I will come to you. Please take your seat. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri T.R. Baalu, I will allow you.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: I will allow you. Please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY (MAHABUBNAGAR): I am on a point of order.
MR. SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY : Sir, the Finance Minister ...
MR. SPEAKER: Let him complete first. श्री गौरी शंकर चतुर्भुज बिसेन : अध्यक्ष महोदय, पहले शोर हो रहा था इसलिए मैं इसे दुबारा पढ़ना चाहता हूं। ... (व्यवधान)
MR. SPEAKER: It is not necessary. Do not worry. It will go on record. Please take your seat. SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY (: Mr. Speaker, Sir, I am on a point of order.
MR. SPEAKER: What is your point of order? श्री दग्िवजय सिंह (बांका): अध्यक्ष महोदय, जीरो ऑवर में प्वाइंट ऑफ आर्डर का कया मतलब है? ... (व्यवधान)
Sir, under which rule is he raising a point of order? What is your ruling? Under which rule is he speaking? (Interruptions) SHRI S. JAIPAL REDDY : Mr. Speaker, Sir, the hon. Finance Minister was good enough to announce a reduction in the price of urea in response to the point made by the Leader of the Opposition. If that was the decision, he should have come forward with the suo motu statement. He cannot say that in response to the point made by the Leader of the Opposition. Why did the Government not come forward with a suo motu statement? May I also tell you, Sir, that never in the history of free India did the Government revise the Budget proposals in less than 24 hours. (Interruptions) THE MINISTER OF FINANCE (SHRI YASHWANT SINHA): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I had come prepared with a suo motu statement. But before I could read that statement, the hon. Leader of the Opposition had raised the matter. So, I said that it was in response to his point. SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Mr. Speaker, Sir, the hon. Finance Minister was kind enough to come forward with a suo motu statement. Will he please explain how the price has been raised so much? (Interruptions) How is this Government functioning? (Interruptions) SHRI YASWANT SINHA: Sir, we shall have a regular discussion on the Budget and I am ready to answer each and every question during that discussion. (Interruptions) MAJOR GENERAL BHUVAN CHANDRA KHANDURI, AVSM (GARHWAL): Mr. Speaker, Sir, other than Matters under Rule 377 nothing should go on record. MR. SPEAKER: Shri Bheru Lal Meena.
SHRI P. SHIV SHANKER (TENALI): Mr. Speaker, Sir, I want to say something about the Budget. MR. SPEAKER: Now the Matter under Rule 377 is going on. I will allow you later.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri Bheru Lal Meena.
... (Interruptions)
Minister going? Why is he going away? (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: This is not good.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Nothing will go on record.
(Interruptions) ... (Not recorded) ... (Interruptions)
SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Sir, in protest, we are walking out.
1235 hours (At this stage, Shri Somnath Chatterjee and some other hon. Members left the House.) (At this stage, Shri Murasoli Maran and some other Hon. Members left the House.) SHRI P. SHIV SHANKER : Mr. Speaker, Sir, we are walking out in protest against your not allowing us to speak and also because the Finance Minister has gone away without even giving clarifications to what we want to seek. This is an anti-farmers and anti-poor Budget. 1235-1/4 hours (At this stage, Shri P. Shiv Shanker and some other hon. Members left the House.) ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: The Finance Minister will be coming within five minutes.
SHRI BUTA SINGH (JALORE): Sir, I am on a point of order.
MR. SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
SHRI BUTA SINGH : Sir, it arises out of today's proceedings of the House.
MR. SPEAKER: Under what rule?
SHRI BUTA SINGH : Under Rule 204 which deals with the presentation of the Budget.
Sir, it is a very important occasion when the Members witness the presentation of the Budget in the Budget Session of Parliament. The Budget was presented in the House in the manner given in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Lok Sabha. Today, the hon. Leader of the Opposition has brought to the notice of the Hon. Finance Minister and the House about the serious misuse of the pronouncements regarding the budgetary policies announced by the Finance Minister yesterday. It resulted in loss of crores and crores of rupees in one day to the consumer. Also, the reply given by the hon. Finance Minister is not strictly according to the rules and procedures of this House. The hon. Finance Minister's right to reply is accepted, but he has no business to first introduce the proposals and then to withdraw it on a small point of order raised by the Leader of the Opposition. The Finance Minister announced in the House today that the price of urea has been reduced by 50 per cent. Is this the manner in which the Budget is to be handled? There is a procedure for proposing and withdrawing levies. I have a very serious objection to the hon. Finance Minister's proposal of reducing the price of urea. I would have liked him to say that the price of urea which has been raised yesterday is completely abolished. But even for that, there is a procedure to be followed. He should have come through that procedure at an appropriate time and given that concession to the farmers of the country at an appropriate time. May I take it that this Government knows only one method of functioning, that is, pressure? Because the Opposition stood up today, they have suddenly withdrawn the price from Re.1 to Rs.0.50 . What lesson are they going to give to this country? What direction are they going to give? Why should he withdraw? ... (व्यवधान) श्री विजय गोयल (चांदनी चौक): उनके कहने के बाद थोड़े ही एनाउंस किया है। श्री बूटा सिंह : आप बैठिये, आपने सुना नहीं। यह तरीका नहीं है।... (Interruptions) This is not the way. The Finance Minister is at liberty. He has a right to introduce a levy and to withdraw a levy. But this is Parliament and there are rules of procedure and business. Nothing should be done which is not in accordance with the rules and procedure of this House. May I submit to the hon. Finance Minister, what will happen to the money that has gone out of the pocket of the consumer? It runs into crores and crores. Who will pay back or who will use that money? SHRI VIJAY GOEL : Is it a point of order?
SHRI BUTA SINGH : Because the procedure has been broken here in this House, it has come out of that. We are here to uphold the rules and procedure of this House. My humble submission is, the hon. Finance Minister has not gone according to the rules and procedure of this House. Let him think about it and let him come in an appropriate manner and meet the objections raised by the Opposition parties and Opposition leaders here and also some of the hon. Members sitting on their side. This is a very serious matter. This should not be taken so lightly. This Government is functioning under pressure. I want that this Government should not function under pressure. He should come with a suo motu statement. MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Finance Minister has already given a reply.
SHRI BUTA SINGH : Therefore, you have to give the decision. According to me, a very serious breach of rules and procedure has taken place. The hon. Finance Minister has committed some mistake and it should be rectified. MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Finance Minister has already given a reply. He is coming within five minutes. ... (Interuptions) MR. SPEAKER: There is no point of order.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI A.C. JOS (MUKUNDAPURAM): The situation in Kerala is much more difficult.
In Kerala, the sales tax is imposed. ... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat, Shri A. C. Jos.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Shri A. C. Jos, you can discuss all these things during the Budget discussion. Please take your seat. SHRI A.C. JOS : I am not disobeying your orders. But the hon. Finance Minister should clarify the position. MR. SPEAKER: You can discuss all these things during the Budget discussion.
Please take your seat. Shri Janardan Prasad Misra will speak now.
... (Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: Nothing will go on record except what Shri Janardan Prasad Misra speaks. (Interruptions) ... (Not recorded) SHRI BUTA SINGH : I want the hon. Finance Minister to clarify.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Finance Minister has already given his clarification.
SHRI BUTA SINGH : The hon. Finance Minister has not gone according to the rules and procedure of this House. MR. SPEAKER: He has already given his clarification.
SHRI BUTA SINGH : I want to help him. Let him come up and say. Let him go according to the rules and procedure of the House. Either you should give a direction or he should take direction from you. I need a direction from you. MR. SPEAKER: Shri Janardan Prasad Misra will now speak.
SHRI BUTA SINGH : You can take your time. It is a serious matter.
MR. SPEAKER: The hon. Finance Minister is going to clarify. Please take your seat. SHRI A.C. JOS : The Finance Minister is ready for explanation.
MR. SPEAKER: Please take your seat. श्री बूटा सिंह : आप नहीं समझते तो मैं कया करूं।
... (व्यवधान)
PROF. P.J. KURIEN (MAVELIKARA): Mr. Speaker, Sir, please do not think that you can run the House without the cooperation of the Opposition. You need the cooperation of the Opposition also...(Interruptions) MR. SPEAKER: Prof. Kurien, please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
PROF. P.J. KURIEN : Please listen to me also...(Interruptions)
MR. SPEAKER: He has already come. Please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
PROF. P.J. KURIEN : Please listen to me also.
MR. SPEAKER: Now, the item Matters under Rule 377 is going on. Please take your seat. ... (Interruptions)
PROF. P.J. KURIEN : As I said earlier, please do not think that you can run the House without the cooperation of the Opposition. MR. SPEAKER: Prof. Kurien, I will hear you. Please take your seat.
... (Interruptions)
SHRI A.C. JOS : Sir, I do not want to question your ruling. But this is how they are functioning...(Interruptions) MR. SPEAKER: Prof. Kurien, please understand the point.
PROF. P.J. KURIEN : I beg to seek your indulgence.
MR. SPEAKER: Please understand it. Let him complete the Matter under Rule 377. I am coming to you. Please take your seat. PROF. P.J. KURIEN : The point is that after the Matter under Rule 377, you will come back to me. MR. SPEAKER: Yes.
PROF. P.J. KURIEN : All right, agreed.
THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS (SHRI NITISH KUMAR): You have also walked out. After walking-out, why are you raising the same issue again?...(Interruptions) SHRI E. AHAMED (MANJERI): Sir, Does the hon. Minister want us to go away from the House?...(Interruptions) SHRI A.C. JOS : Mr. Minister, do you want us to go away form the House? (Interruptions)