Lok Sabha Debates
Further Combined Discussion On The Disapproval Of The Central Road Fund ... on 1 December, 2000
Title: Further combined discussion on the disapproval of the Central Road Fund Ordinance, 2000 and passing of the Central Road Fund Bill, 2000. (Discussion concluded and Bill passed).
MR. CHAIRMAN: We will take up further discussion. Shri M.A. Kharabela Swain to speak.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN (BALASORE): Madam, I am ‘Swain’ and not ‘Swine’. ‘Swine’ means pig.
MR. CHAIRMAN: No, I did not say ‘swine’; I said ‘Swain’ only.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : In Oriya it is pronounced as ‘Swain’.
Madam, I was on my legs yesterday and after speaking for one minute, as it was 4 p.m., I had to sit. As I was telling yesterday while supporting the Central Road Fund Bill, 2000, I categorically mentioned that I am supporting it. The most important thing about this Bill is that it arranges for money. As I was telling yesterday, the infrastructure which ushers in development in a country involves basically three things – power generation, construction of roads and the development of telecommunications. We can include airports, seaports and railways to the list of the infrastructure.
The most important thing about this country is that the roads are in an appalling state. The repairs of the roads that are taken up mostly by the State Governments are not taken up by a single agency. So many agencies look after the road works..
Sometimes, it is the Public Works Department; sometimes, it is the Rural Development Department; and, sometimes, even the Irrigation Department also looks after the roads in a State. But now the Central Government wants to build the national highways for which it does not have the money. That is why, it has imposed a cess on petrol and diesel. Last year, the Central Government has been able to collect about Rs. 6,000 crore.
Madam, while speaking about the Bill, the hon. Minister has already spoken as to how this fund will be utilised, that is, for development and maintenance of national highways, development and maintenance of State roads including inter-State roads and others that have economic importance. Hon. Member, Shri Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi, even though he is in the Opposition, while supporting this Bill also repeated this point. Therefore, I am not going to repeat these points. I just support the point that roads should be constructed because roads are the vital lifelines of this country, and for that, we are going to arrange the money.
Madam, the Mid-Term Appraisal of the Ninth Plan says, "The Central outlay for the Ninth Plan was Rs. 8,862.02 crore, out of which, 75 per cent of the money has been utilised."
With regard to the performance of the State sector, it is the worst in the Ninth Plan. The outlay for the State roads was Rs. 30,551 crore, but Rs. 9,513 crore only have been spent in the first two years of the Ninth Five Year Plan. What are the reasons? The reasons are basically the delay and procedural bottlenecks, and the release of funds. In the case of Central sector, these are the two reasons which have caused the delay. That is why, the achievements have been below the target in all areas, excepting in the four-lane highways. If we look at the State sector, it is basically the resource crunch which is the main reason for the bad performance of the State sector.
I will come to another point which the Mid-Term Appraisal of the Ninth Five-Year Plan envisages. The main cause of the delay is this. There was a tendency to take up schemes without any project preparation. You will find, Madam, in most of the cases, without acquiring the land, the projects have been cleared. After the State Governments have got the money, they have not been able to acquire the land. Lands have mostly been encroached upon by many people, and the encroachment could not be cleared so easily cleared because most of the people who have encroached the land have approached the court and have, sometimes, brought stay orders also. This is one of the reasons for which there is a below par achievement, with regard to national highway construction.
The second point is about project monitoring. We do have a lot of lacunae in this respect. I will give you one example. Two years ago, after persuading the Ministry of Surface Transport, the highway in Orissa was cleared as the national highway No. 60, that is, from Jaleshwar to Baleshwar, and I was told that Rs. 2.38 crore was sanctioned for the same.
The National Highways Authority has been taking up that work for the last two years. I had been running from pillar to post to get the work done. As I told you, there was very bad monitoring of this activity as a result of which roads were not built at the time when they were actually required.
Let me come to village roads. There are 17,712 kilometres of roads that have been added to the National Highway network in the Ninth Five Year Plan. It is only three per cent of the existing 60 per cent of the roads that have been included during the first two years of the Ninth Five Year Plan. So, there is a total lack of coordination and integration of various programmes of construction of rural roads in the country. Nobody knows as to which road is going to be constructed when. There is hardly any prioritisation of construction of roads. If a Government constructs a road up to one kilometre, another Government comes and aban�dons that road and goes in for a totally different road. Basically, there is no coordination in construction of roads specifically in the villages. Let us take the example of National Highways. National Highways in India are basically a conglomeration of village and State roads. On a National Highway in India, you will not only find high-speed vehicles plying, you will also find bullock carts, cycles, and all sorts of vehicles. If we want that vehicles should ply at very high speeds on National Highways, the purpose for which they are actually constructed, urban and rural roads are supposed to be separate from the National Highways. Madam, I was saying, roads are a part of infrastructure. Construction of National Highways has a great influence on the national economy. As you know, economic growth of this country has slowed down. Hon. Prime Minister has never said thatper capita income should be doubled within the next ten years. If we want that per capita income should be doubled within the next years, there should be a sustainable growth of eight per cent to nine per cent every year.
MR. CHAIRMAN : Shri Swain, you have to conclude quickly. Only one hour was allotted for this entire debate by the Business Advisory Committee.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : Madam, it was two hours that was allotted for this debate, not one hour.
MR. CHAIRMAN: It is one hour. It is here before me.
Out of one hour, 22 minutes have already been consumed. There are nine or ten Members to speak on this. Even if I give ten minutes to each Member, I cannot complete it in time. You can leave the Prime Minister’s statements and come to road construction and finish quickly.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : I am not speaking anything irrelevant, Madam. I will conclude within five minutes.
MR. CHAIRMAN: My point is we do not have time for all that. Conclude within two minutes.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : Please give me five minutes, Madam.
MR. CHAIRMAN: There are other Members to speak.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : We are losing time in this argument, Madam.
Madam, the Prime Minister has already said that there will be a growth of only six per cent this year. So, to stir the economy, road construction activity should be taken up. Construction of roads and construction of houses inspires economic growth. The cement and steel industries are in doldrums now.
It has slowed down. But take the example of construction of the roads. Just think, as to how many man-days it will create. It will require cement and steel. It will also vibrate the commercial activities besides these national highways which are going to be constructed. The Golden Quadrilateral is going to be completed within 2003 and the express highway from East to West and from North to South is going to be completed within 2009.
Madam, I will conclude now just giving some suggestions. In Orissa, specifically, you will find every two-three kilometres a hump has been constructed. Now, because of the construction of the national highways, people just come and encroach upon the lands besides the national highways and start doing some commercial activities in an unauthorised manner. Sometimes, children and other people just run right upto the national highway, with the result, accidents take place so often. If some accidents take place, those people will sit on dharna and have demonstration, and then a hump will be constructed.
Ultimately, we will find that the vehicle will be running at a speed of only 20 kilometres to 30 kilometres per hour. What is the purpose of having a national highway if the vehicles are able to run only at 20 kilometres per hour? Now, a truck passing on the national highway is just moving 150 kilometres per day. But if we have four lane highways and if we have national awareness, the situation can be improved a lot. It will have to be seen that no Government land is encroached beside any national highway. So, if you can influence the people then a truck can move at a faster speed right upto 600 kilometres to 700 kilometres a day. That will enhance the commercial activities and also reduce the petroleum consumption. That will also enhance the per capita income of this country.
Finally, I would like to submit to the hon. Minister about the highway in my constituency. In my constituency, from the National Highway No. 16, there is a road leading towards West Bengal border. That is from Jalesor to Chandnesore. A lot of vehicles and four wheeler vehicles pass through from West Bengal to Orissa there. That is in a bad shape. So, I would appeal to the hon. Minister to also declare it as a national highway project.
With these words, I conclude. Thank you.
MR. CHAIRMAN : Now, Shri Varkala Radhakrishnan. Your party has been allotted five minutes to speak on this Bill. So, kindly finish it quickly.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN (CHIRAYINKIL): Madam, please do not interfere. I have not even spoken.
MR. CHAIRMAN: I am talking about your party’s time.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : Madam, Chairperson, thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to speak. I have to speak on two aspects.
In the first part, I will deal with the argument regarding disapproval. Now, an Ordinance had been issued. For what purpose? It is just to give a statutory status to a Parliamentary resolution. The Parliamentary resolution was passed in early 1988. It was 12 years before, and a road fund was installed on the basis of that Parliamentary resolution. Something was going on all along.
But the Executives that were in existence since 1988 did not find any time to bring in a normal Bill and get it passed by the House. It was not done. They have taken recourse to the emergency provisions of the Constitution. But the emergency provisions are not meant for this purpose. This is an ordinary thing. It is not an unexpected event. Madam, road development and providing fund for those developmental activities are normal things. So, why should there be an Ordinance for that purpose?
We know that we have national highways and State roads. All of us know that they need to be improved. Why should an Ordinance be issued for the purpose of bypassing the Legislature? An Ordinance has been issued on a decision that was taken twelve years ago. The Executive did not make a provision for an Act in the matter of a Parliamentary Resolution. It is a black mark in our Parliamentary history that a Resolution passed by this House is given statutory effect to, through an Ordinance. This is unheard of in Parliamentary history.
We met several times. We sang the National Anthem andVande Mataram many times but the Executive did not find a moment to bring a Bill for the improvement of our national highways. The reason was that there was no time. This is nothing new. Why should the Executive take shelter under an emergency provision of the Constitution? Parliament met several times. There was no exigency. I could understand it if it was a national calamity. To meet an exigent situation, an Ordinance might be required. Why should an extra-constitutional measure be adopted in giving effect to a Parliamentary Resolution?
It is very unfortunate in our Parliamentary history that we are giving effect to a Parliamentary Resolution passed in 1988 through an Ordinance. There is no justification for this. Even the House has been made a mockery of. It has been made a rubber stamp. Everybody knows that there are national highways and roads. We travel every day and know that their improvement requires money. Why do they not bring a normal Bill? Nobody would object to it. Instead of doing it – that is because of the laxity or negligence on the part of the Executive – they are taking the Legislature as a condition precedent. … (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: You have spoken on the Resolution. Now, you have to come to the Bill. You will have to hurry up. We have heard your point on the Resolution. Please come to the Bill.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : In very strong terms, I strongly plead for the disapproval of this particular procedure. With these words, I put an end to the first part.
Now, the discussion on this Bill is a serious matter. What is the condition of our roads? Everyday, when we open the newspaper, we find tragic cases of automobile accidents. Innocent lives are lost not only on the national highways but also on the State and district roads. Hundreds of lives are lost in automobile accidents due to our negligence everyday. The roads are not properly maintained. They are not properly planned.
We know the case of Delhi, our national capital, where accidents are taking place everyday due to the ill-advised planning of the city. This is the case with major cities in India. Everyday, we are coming across tragic accidents – scooter accidents, cycle accidents, car accidents, truck accidents, lorry accidents and train-lorry collisions. This has become the order of the day. Can we read our newspapers with some peace of mind in the morning? I am addressing this question to the hon. Madam Chairperson because I think she also reads newspapers. When we open the newspaper, we find that hundreds of lives are lost everyday.
We are discussing about finding provisions to maintain these roads. How can it be? For that purpose, some cess is being introduced. This very same Government is advising the State Government to withdraw the sales tax, to reduce the cost of petrol. That is one way that they have found. It is a very easy method to advise the State Government to withdraw the sales tax, whereas they are enhancing the customs duty and excise duty further. They are asking the States to cut down the sales tax. Even the allotment or even the apportionment of tax is very unjust.
I would also request the hon. Minister to make some provision for maintaining village roads. There is nobody to look after them. After the introduction of the panchayati raj system, the village roads are left to the custody of the village panchayats or gram panchayats. We also have zila panchayats to look after the district roads and we also have block panchayats taking care of the roads under them. Now, the three-tier system is there, but they have no money. They will have to find resources to maintain these roads or to open more roads. I would request the hon. Minister to find some provision for providing money to this three-tier system. The three-tier system is responsible to the people. They will have to make up funds for the upkeep of the village roads. Village roads are very vital in our day to day lives. Accidents may occur even in villages. So, to prevent such accidents, I would request the hon. Minister to find ways and means for providing funds to them, otherwise, decentralisation in our democracy will become meaningless and people will find it difficult to cope up with the situation.
The apportionment, which is now suggested in this statute, is not good. It has to be amended. More funds should be made available to these three panchayats, namely, block panchayat, zila panchayatand gram panchayat.
Regarding the Golden Quadrilateral Express Highway, I have to mention one discrepancy or one injustice done to the southern States. Here not only Kerala is affected, but also a portion of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka is affected. This was done by – this was a mischief of – the Minister who was in Office at that time. During the previous regime, an AIADMK Minister was in charge of this. He thought it better that it need not go to Kanyakumari. He made an about turn and sent it to Mumbai, without touching Kanyakumari, Trivandrum and Kozhikode. All these places are left out.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Also, places ‘up the coast’ are left out.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : All these places are left out. What is the meaning? When we say it is Golden Quadrilateral, does it mean that South India is not a part of this? Is Kerala not a part of it?
THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (MAJ. GEN. (RETD.)SHRI B.C. KHANDURI): Is Chennai not in South India?
MR. CHAIRMAN : He is saying that Kerala is not a part of it. That is what he is saying.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : Kanyakumari is left out; Trivandrum is left out; Cochin is left out. Mangalore is there; of course, it is a very important port. Goa is also left out. What is the meaning of Golden Quadrilateral without connecting these places? We are saying that we are one and that we are connecting all the important places in India, but you are leaving out or taking somersault and going straight to Mumbai, leaving all these places.
I think, our present Minister is a just person. He has no particular interest or any vested interest. He will see that justice is done. The Minister from Tamil Nadu had some vested interests and so, he had left it out.
MR. CHAIRMAN : No. No. SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : The Minister from Tamil Nadu had left it out without taking into consideration these aspects. I think, the present Minister will never have such vested interests. He will see that the road, in real sense, is quadrilateral, connecting all these important stations in the South.
I hope that he would give a very serious thought to this and do justice to the people of South India. With these words, I conclude.
SHRI K. YERRANNAIDU (SRIKAKULAM): The purpose of this Bill is to replace the Central Road Ordinance, 2000. A unanimous Resolution was passed in both the Houses in the month of May, 1988. The Minister is bringing this Bill after twelve years. I appreciate that the Minister has brought this Bill after the lapse of twelve years. Almost all the Members mentioned that highways are the lifelines of the nation. Everybody is saying that we should increase the growth of GDP. Is it possible to achieve that without having proper infrastructure? That is my question to the Government. Why are we not achieving that? I have been observing for the last five years that there is no increase in GDP growth. Sometimes it is one per cent more and sometimes it is one per cent less. It is fluctuating. Why are we not able to increase the GDP in comparison to other countries? Even the developing countries are providing more funds for infrastructure. On the infrastructure side, in my view, road infrastructure comes first. Airlines, sea ports and communications all are important. This House passed a unanimous Resolution. In every Session we have been demanding to implement this Resolution. But the successive Governments have not taken any action. Only now the Government has taken this step.
The Government is collecting cess from petrol and diesel. Fifty per cent of the cess from diesel is earmarked for the State roads. Sir, Rs. 2,500 crore is allotted to the State Governments. I found from the newspapers that the Ministry of Rural Development was in favour of creating a Corporation under the Central Government for construction of rural roads. This idea is completely wrong. Now, we are in the decentralisation process. The States are asking for more powers. The Central Government can frame the guidelines. There are so many programmes, like Jawahar Rozgar Yojana, Employment Assurance Scheme and Minimum Needs Programme, where the Central Government fixed the guidelines and left the implementation part to the State Governments. Sitting in Delhi, we cannot control all these things. The Central Government can frame the guidelines and on the basis of those guidelines, the State Governments should implement the scheme. The Central Government can circulate the scheme to all the Members.
The Eleventh Finance Commission is of the view that there has already been a delay in allocating funds to the States. The Report of the Eleventh Finance Commission has already been submitted. There is a need to disburse the funds speedily. The Government started getting the money from 1.9.1998 onwards. So far, the Government must have collected a considerable amount of money. But there is no scheme to disburse the funds. The Ministry of Rural Development has not given even a single paisa. The hon. Minister took charge of this Ministry very recently. He allotted Rs. 370 crore to the States under his sector. It is only the first instalment. The money is collected and kept in the Consolidated Fund of India.
We are aware of the conditions of the roads in this country. The total length of the roads in this country is National Highway 15 – 7,737 kilometres and the required investment for roads is Rs. 1,35,000 crore. In the whole of the country, the length of the national highways, the State highways, major district roads and rural roads put together is 33,00,000 kilometres. The length of the rural road alone is 26,50,000 kilometres. If we improve all the roads, and the communication, the GDP of the State and that of the country will increase, thereby, poverty will also be reduced in this country.
There has already been a lot of delay. The Government has started collecting the cess on petrol and diesel since 1998 but there is no scheme with the Government. Everybody is talking about rural roads, State roads and National Highways. The 11th Finance Commission has also observed that the Government of India is delaying to release the grant to the concerned agencies. I would request the Government to do it without any further delay.
Sir, I was a Minister of Rural Development in the United Front Government which started the Golden Triangle Express Highway project. I appreciate the hon. Prime Minister’s keenness to have this project. This is the first project of the kind which we have started in our country. The Government should take the required measures at the time of implementing this project. A number of roads are passing through major cities and towns. I would, therefore, suggest that we should have by-pass road at almost every point. Our country requires a number of by-pass roads at every point. So, while implementing this project, the Government of India should see that by-pass roads are provided at every point. This will help in the development of the cities.
१४५२ hours श्री रामजीलाल सुमन (फिरोजाबाद): सभापति महोदया, श्री वर्कला राधाकृष्णन जी की तरह केन्द्रीय सड़क नधि विधेयक, २००० का मैं भी विरोध करता हूं। जैसा कि हम सबको वदित है, दिनांक १-११-२००० को केन्द्रीय सडक नधि अध्यादेश राष्ट्रपति महोदय की ओर से जारी हुआ और दिनांक २०-११-२००० से लोक सभा का सत्र होने वाला था।…( व्यवधान )
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : Madam, with your permission, may I know that when it was known that the House was going to meet on 20th of November, what was the extraordinary emergency which compelled the Government to issue an Ordinance on the 1st November?
MR. CHAIRMAN : We will ask the Minister to reply to that at the end.
… (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: I have not given you the permission to speak. Please sit down. You cannot disturb the House like this.
… (Interruptions)
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI: You were not in the House yesterday when I had explained this.… (Interruptions)
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN: The Government has made mockery of the House.… (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: If you speak like this, mockery of the House starts here. The hon. Member is speaking and you cannot disturb him like this. How can you disturb your colleague who is speaking?
… (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: Nothing will go on record.
(Interruptions) * श्री रामजीलाल सुमन (फिरोजाबाद): सभापति महोदया, मैं श्री राधाकृष्णन जी की वेदना को समझता हूं। लिहाजा मैं उन्हीं की बात को कह रहा हूं कि २० नवम्बर से सदन समवेत होने वाला है, यह बात सबको वदित था फिर भी राष्ट्रपति महोदय की ओर से १ नवम्बर, २००० को इस अध्यादेश को जारी कराया गया। मैं स्पष्ट रूप से कहना चाहता हूं कि निश्चित रूप से यह संसद की प्रतिष्ठा और गरिमा के प्रतिकूल है। मैं नहीं समझता कि ऐसी कोई आपात्कालीन स्थिति पैदा हो गई थी जिसके लिए सरकार को बहुत जल्दी थी और उसे राष्ट्रपति महोदय की ओर से जारी करने की आवश्यकता थी। इस प्रकार की घटनाएं संसदीय जनतंत्र की सेहत के लिए बिलकुल ठीक नहीं हैं, स्वास्थ्यवर्धक नहीं हैं। इसलिए वरकला राधाकृष्णन जी की भावनाओं के साथ मैं अपने आपको जोड़ता हूं।
सभापति महोदया, ५७,७३७ किलोमीटर का राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग है और खंडूड़ी साहब का इरादा है कि १० वर्षों के लिए १,३५,००० करोड़ रुपए का इन्तजाम किया जाएगा।
जून १९९८ से १९९९ तक पेट्रोल और डीजल दोनों से अब तक शायद ६००० करोड़ रुपये की व्यवस्था हुई है। निश्चित रूप से यह एक बड़ा काम है और इसमें कोई दो राय नहीं कि हमारे देश में सङकों की हालत खराब है। यही वजह है कि ६० हजार लोग प्रतिवर्ष सड़क दुर्घटनाओं में मरते हैं। अगर हमारे देश की सङकें ठीक होंगी तो प्रतिवर्ष ५००० करोड़ रुपया ईंधन का बच सकता है। सड़कों की हालत वाकई बहुत खराब है। लेकिन आज सड़कों के रख-रखाव के लिए, उनकी मरम्मत के लिए तथा और सड़कें बनाने के लिए आप देश का ईंधन महंगा कर रहे हैं। देश के ईंधन को महंगा करने से न तो कृषि पनपेगी और न ही उद्योग पनपेगा। मेरा कहना है कि यह स्थायी कर न होकर उपकर है। मैं समझता हूं कि इऩ सब चीजों पर ध्यान दिये जाने की आवश्यकता है।
* Not Recorded आप पैसे का जो प्रावधान कर रहे हैं उसमें एक रुपये प्रति लीटर आप पेट्रोल से लेंगे और एक रुपये प्रति लीटर डीजल से लेंगे तथा डीजल का ५० प्रतिशत ग्रामीण सड़कों पर खर्च करेंगे। इसमें मुझे एतराज है। मेरा कहना है कि हमारी प्राथमिकताएं क्या होंगी? मैं यह नहीं कहता कि आप राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों को ठीक मत करिये लेकिन हिन्दुस्तान के आधे से ज्यादा गांव अभी तक इस तरह के हैं जहां बरसात के दिनों में गांव से आदमी को अकेले निकलना मुश्किल हो जाता है। एक हजार आबादी के गांव को जोङने के लिए आपने जो एकमुश्त रुपये का प्रावधान किया है, वह २५०० करोड़ रुपये है।
सबसे महत्वपूर्ण सवाल यह है कि जो पैसा पेट्रोल और डीजल से मिलेगा जिसमें हम सिर्फ डीजल का ५० प्रतिशत अंश ग्रामीण सड़कों पर खर्च कर रहे हैं, मैं समझता हूं कि यह किसी भी कीमत पर. न्यायसंगत नहीं है। अभी दिल्ली का सवाल इस संसद में उठा था। उसका मूल कारण यह है कि बाहर गांव से लोग पलायन करके दिल्ली में आ गये हैं। वे लोग यहां रहने के लिए आये थे इसलिए उन्होंने छोटा यहां मोटा धंधा कर लिया। खण्डूरी साहब, अगर गांव में साधन उपलब्ध होंगे. गांव की सड़कें ठीक होंगी , गांव में दूसरी सुविधाएं होंगी तो गांव से शहरों की ओर जो पलायन हो रहा है, वह पलायन रुक जायेगा। यह तभी होगा जब आप वहीं वे सब सुविधाएं उपलब्ध करायेंगे। वहां की सड़कें बेहतर बनायेंगे, वहां का उत्पादन बाजार में आये और वह बाजार में तभी आयेगा जब गांव की सड़कें बेहतर होंगी। इन सब चीजों पर ज्यादा ध्यान देने की आवश्यकता है।
हमारे संसदीय क्षेत्र फिरोजाबाद के वाह विधान सभा क्षेत्र में श्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी का पैत्रिक गांव है, उससे है। वह आगरा जनपद का सबसे पिछड़ा इलाका है। तमाम गांव ऐसे हैं जहां आठ-दस किलोमीटर दूर तक न कोई सम्पर्क मार्ग है न कोई और सुविधाएं हैं। वहां लोगों का पैदल निकलना मुश्किल हो जाता है।
१४५९ बजे(अध्यक्ष महोदय पीठासीन हुए) मुझे यही निवेदन करना है कि यह विधेयक कुल मिलाकर ठीक है लेकिन इस विधेयक में दौलत को खर्च करने की जो प्राथमिकताएं होनी चाहिए, उन प्राथमिकताओं को बदलना होगा। रेल मंत्रालय से जब हम सम्पर्क करते हैं कि अमुक पुल है और वहां जनता का अधिभार है इसलिए यह पुल बनवा दीजिए, तो चाहे ममता बनर्जी जी हों या दिग्विजय सिंह जी हों, वे एक ही बात कहते हैं कि ५० फीसदी रुपया भारत सरकार देती है और ५० फीसदी रुपया राज्य सरकार का पी.डब्ल्यू.डी. विभाग देता है। राज्य सरकार का हाल यह है कि राज्यों के पास अपने कर्माचारियों को तन्ख्वाह देने तक के लिए पैसा नहीं है। इसके अलावा तमाम राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों पर ऐसे फाटक हैं, उदाहरण के तौर पर आगरा से २० किलोमीटर दूर आगरा बाम्बे राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग, जो ग्वालियर तक है , में सैयांपुल पर इतनी भारी संख्या में लोगों का आवागमन होता है लेकिन बराबर सम्पर्क करने के बावजूद राज्य सरकारों का सहयोग नहीं मिलता और यह ओवरब्रिज नहीं बन सका है।
खंडूरी जी, मैं एक बात और कहना चाहूंगा कि जहां तक राज्य सरकारों का सवाल है, राज्य सरकारें तो पहले से रोड टैक्स देती हैं, सड़कों की मरम्मत के लिए लेती हैं। हर राज्य सरकार वाहनों से रोड टैक्स लेती है लेकिन मुझे लगता है कि वह पैसा किसी और मद में खर्च कर दिया जाता होगा। राज्य सरकारों को सड़कों की मरम्मत के लिए, सड़कें बनवाने के लिए जिस दायित्व का निर्वाह करना चाहिए, वह उसका निर्वाह नहीं करतीं। विधेयक कुल मिला कर अच्छा है लेकिन प्राथमिकताएं गांव होनी चाहिए। आप पैट्रोल, डीजल पर उपकर लगा कर दौलत वसूल कर रहे हैं लेकिन अगर आपने गांवों की सड़कों को ठीक कराने का काम नहीं किया तो मैं समझता हूं कि राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग को खूबसूरत बनाने से इस देश का कल्याण नहीं हो सकता। मुझे यही निवेदन करना था। धन्यवाद।
SHRI TRILOCHAN KANUNGO (JAGATSINGHPUR): Mr. Speaker Sir, I stand in support of the Central Road Fund Bill, 2000. I am supporting this Bill because it is a desirable Bill. There was a Resolution in 1988. Then came an ordinance and this Bill will replace that ordinance.
I would like to say that if the motive is good, then all the available instruments under the Constitution to translate the motive into action are equally good. Here the motive is good and therefore whether it is done through an ordinance or through legislation in this House, it is equally good and constitutionally valid. So, there is no question of opposing the Bill just because an ordinance has been promulgated before bringing the Bill.
I want to make a few minor suggestions on this Bill. I hope the hon. Minister will take them into account. The Ministry is headed by an hon. Major General. Therefore, my suggestions are minor.
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI): Since the Minister is also a General, your suggestions may be specific and not general! SHRI TRILOCHAN KANUNGO : That is right. Since the Minister is a General, my suggestions will be specific.
My first suggestion is about clause 3. By a notification it has been included in the Schedule that for the Central Road Fund, the amount has been fixed at a flat rate. My suggestion here is that it should be made ad valorem, so that the Fund will be more elastic and more funds will be available for road development, be it National Highways or rural roads.
My second suggestion pertains to clause 4. In clause 4 it is mentioned that the amount that will be collected will be first credited to the Consolidated Fund of India. It is not a good proposition. I have my own apprehensions because it may be utilised for something else. It may be utilised to meet the revenue deficit or to reduce the fiscal deficit, even if temporarily. Therefore, my suggestion is that it should be directly credited to the Central Road Fund instead of going to the Consolidated Fund of India first and then coming to the Road Fund. I think the Minister will take note of it.
My third suggestion is that in so far as disbursement of resources collected into this Fund is concerned, care should be taken. During the last 53 years it has been found that like carrying coal to new castle resources from the Centre has been flowing more towards the developed States than towards backward and needy States. Therefore, in so far as the devolution of the Central Road Fund is concerned; here is my minor suggestion.
MR. SPEAKER: Please conclude.
SHRI TRILOCHAN KANUNGO : I am only making specific points and suggestions. I am not elaborating them at all. Kindly allow me to speak for two-three minutes more.
So, kindly bear with me. The funds should flow to those States where railway facilities are less and more funds should flow to such states More funds should be allocated to such States where there is least railway facility taking into account the rail route length per thousand square kilometre. Roads may be developed instead of railways.
My fourth suggestion is, the road conditions are bad today not because of paucity of funds alone but it is because of the rampant corruption in the Engineering Department and the nexus between engineers, contractors, political masters and bureaucrats. This nexus is the cause of bad road conditions. The Central Government, while monitoring the expenditure, should look into this aspect also. You may know the World Heritage Centre at the Konark Temple which is one of the seven wonders of the world. But it has not been connected by a good road. I have given a written request to the Ministry in this regard. The road connecting The National Highway No.5 at Fulnakhari passes through Konark to reach Puri to get connected with National Highway No.203. Now, it should be declared as a National Highway. Such a proposal has also come from the State Government. It is running to about 100 kilometres. This is not only my request but of the State Government also. That road will pass through one of the most rich ancient monument areas of the country. Tourists visiting such areas will be more. I think the Ministry will definitely take note of it and declare that road as a National Highway Road.
With these words, I conclude and I support the Bill.
SHRI SONTOSH MOHAN DEV (SILCHAR): Mr. Speaker Sir, I rise to support this Bill. A major step has been taken by the Major General after taking over his portfolio.
Now, I come from an area where there is neither rail nor proper road nor airfields. I am talking about States like Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. They are mostly connected by national highways and all these national highways are routed through Assam. Assam is the gateway for all these States and it has to take the burden of almost all the road transport of these areas. The road connecting Silchar-Badarpur-Agartala (NH-53) is running to 390 kilometres – the rail facility has started here now - and Badarpur-Shillong (NH-44) is for 200 kilometres. There is NH-54 from Silchar to Aizwal extending to 180 kilometres and NH-53 from Silchar to Imphal is running up to 335 kilometres. The distance between Silchar to Guwahati via Halflong is about 475 kilometres which the hon. Prime Minister has decided as M ahasarak, namely, from Sourashtra to Silchar. This is one of the roads which will be developed. The route Guwahati to Margarita is extending to 370 kilometres.
The National Highway No.39 from Dimapur to Moreh via Kohima needs to be converted into four lane traffic, since this road leads into Myanmar from India.
The National Highway No.61 from Kohima to Amguri via Wokha and Mokokchung needs more funds and requires to be made into four lane traffic.
The border roads from Kiphire in Tuensang District which passes through Tuensang, Tobu, Mon, Wakching and Naginimora needs to be converted into four land traffic as it is the only road near the international border between India and Myanmar. It is a heavy traffic road. It would also serve the defence purposes and economic development of the region which has huge natural resource along the international border. This road should be declared a National Highway which would form a part of the super National Highway to join up with the National Super Highway which is proposed to join up with road starting from Silchar and other highways of the North-Eastern States.
There is the necessity of all these roads. It is not only that. For the last five to six years, in spite of our repeated request to the Central Government from to the North-Eastern Congress Forum as also the Non-Congress Forum, very less amount has been given. Nagaland has been demanding a four-way traffic within. Shri Khanduri, only five kms. of railway line has been developed. Dimapur has recently been connected by air. You know about that area. You were in the Army. The Maha Sadak scheme has been announced by the hon. Prime Minister. It was also announced in the President’s Address. We do not know what you stand for. Some of the roads, like the Guwahati-Silchar-Haflang road, have been taken away from the Border Roads Organisations by the National Highways Authority. They took over these roads nine months ago but there is no improvement. A beautiful road has been converted into a very bad road. We wrote to the hon. Prime Minister. Recently, I saw about it in the newspapers also. The hon. Prime Minister is very much unhappy. He wants that this project should be taken up. If it is to be taken up, it will take time. Meanwhile, these roads should be developed.
Mr. Minister, you will be surprised to know that in the Silchar-Shillong road sector, there was a landslide near Sonapur. It was closed for one month. For three or four days, it was continuously closed. The Border Roads Organisation has the good name of maintaining roads in a good condition. They could not do anything. I was also a Minister of State for Defence. It happened then also. We took the experts from Roorkee. They suggested certain measures because there is a certain hill which gets seepage of water from underneath. But nothing has been done so far. It is a sensitive issue. You are asking for peace from the people of Nagaland. But the youngsters of Nagaland have raised all these questions. They ask that what is the Government of India doing for them. A demand for a four-lane road from Dimapur to Manipur is not an unusual demand. You are spending crores of rupees for developing an airfield, for laying railway communication network. So, it should be done. This is my humble appeal. I do not want to repeat the points which have been made by the other hon. Members.
I would like to draw the attention of the House to another important point. It is about Rural Road Fund which will be spent. The hon. Prime Minister has announced the Pradhan Mantri’s Gram Sarak Yojana.That was announced. I think the basic idea of giving money for developing rural roads is to implement this aspect of the Prime Minister’s idea. It is very good. We welcome it. But what have you done? In your speech as well as in the Statement of Objects and Reasons, you have mentioned that the State Government has been given funds both for the development of State roads as well as rural roads. Someone here has rightly asked these questions: What is the role of the village panchayats? What is the role of the local bodies? What is the role of the Municipal Corporation? What is the role of a Member of Parliament?
Shrimati Margaret Alva told me that in Karnataka rupees one crore has been given for a taluk and the identification has been done. The MPs, the MLAs, the Block Panchayats and others were involved in it. But unless the State Government wants it, they will not do it. You must have a clear guideline. Shri Khaduri, a few days ago, when you were sitting in the fourth bench there, you used to cry loudly like us. You should understand that. Nowadays, a Member of Parliament is not judged by just giving a speech in the House. We are asked to give medicines. We are asked to get the roads repaired. We are asked to go to the schools etc. Under the MPLADS, fund has been given to us for developmental purpose. I do not know whether money can be raised or not. It is very difficult. But this is one scope available to us. This is being discussed in the MPLADS Committee which the hon. Speaker has formed. We are discussing whether a part of that money can be given to us for the development purpose or not. We do not want anything.
Sir, we only want to identify as to which are the roads in our respective area which can be taken up, because the bureaucrats sitting in Dispur cannot find out as to what are the needs of our area. So, the Government should allow us to do this. Then, the Bill, at present, makes no reference to the elected local bodies and other representatives of the people regarding the execution of the project. Therefore, I urge upon the hon. Minister to kindly bring a Government amendment to this Bill to involve the elected local bodies, MLAs and MPs. It will be a very useful thing to do.
The hon. Prime Minister was kind enough to give us the Silchar Bypass. I met him and told him that almost every month there used to be two or three accidents. The town road is the road for going to Mizoram, Manipur and other areas. A lot of Army vehicles pass through that road and every month there is a trouble between the Army people and the civilians. Accidents never occur intentionally; they happen due to congestion on the road by pass. Many times, I had to go and arbitrate between them. Sometimes, the Army people also get very agitated and very rightly so, because they do not have any other road to travel to Mizoram, Manipur etc. They had been demanding for a good road. Then, I wrote to the Defence Minister, the Defence Minister wrote to the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister then wrote to the then Surface Transport Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh and this road has been given. This is a very good thing that the Government has done. But recently, in reply to a question in Parliament, it was stated that it would take four years to complete the construction of this road. This is too long a period. The land acquisition process has started and it is almost complete now. So, this road should be completed as quickly as possible.
Finally, I would request the hon. Minister to take care of the roads in the North Eastern Region, because our communication is mainly dependent on roads. If Guwahati-Margareta road and Silchar-Shillong road are closed, we will be put to a lot of difficulties. Then, Silchar-Agartala road should be completed quickly, because every day the cost of the project is going up. We need communication not for pleasure, but for our survival. So, I fully support this Bill. It is a good piece of legislation. I would request the hon. Minister to do this in his initial days, when he is a novice as a Minister. Otherwise, all sorts of pressures will come up. I hope that the hon. Minister would take a positive decision on all the suggestions made by the hon. Members.
MR. SPEAKER: I would request the hon. Members to give only some suggestions to the Minister, instead of making speeches, because this Bill is mainly for the purpose of giving statutory status to the Central Road Fund.
श्री प्रभुनाथ सिंह (महाराजगंज, बिहार) : मैं अपनी बात थोड़े समय में समाप्त कर दूंगा। अध्यक्ष जी, केन्द्रीय सड़क नधि विधेयक, २००० के समर्थन में हम बोल रहे हैं। इस बिल में राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग को बनाने, उनकी देखभाल करने, ग्रामीण सड़कों के निर्माण तथा रेल और राजमार्ग से जुड़े पुल वगैरह के बनाने के लिए जो पैसा होगा, पैट्रोल और डीजल से जो पैसा आएगा, हम उसके प्रतिशत पर बात करेंगे तथा जो उसमें हमें देना है और जो उपयोग करना है। मैं दो-चार बिन्दुओं पर सलाह देकर अपनी बात समाप्त करूंगा, जैसा पैरा ७ के भाग २ में ग्रामीण सड़कों का विकास लिखा है, लेकिन यह बहुत वेग लगता है। ग्रामीण सड़कों का विकास कैसे होगा?हम जानना चाहते हैं ककेन्द्रीय सरकार अगर राज्य सरकार को पैसा देगी तो उसमें पंचायत, स्थानीय जनप्रतनधि, विधायक, सांसद इत्यादि की भागीदारी क्या होगी या उन सड़कों के चयन की प्रक्रिया क्या होगी? वैसे केन्द्र सरकार से बहुत से पैसे राज्य सरकार को दिये जाते हैं जो प्रखंड स्तर पर और जिला स्तर पर दिये जाते हैं। सुनिश्चित रोजगार योजना, जवाहर रोजगार योजना और इंदिरा आवास योजना वगैरह के पैसे भी केन्द्र सरकार देती है।
महोदय, संसद में कई बार चर्चा चल चुकी है कि उन पैसों का किस ढंग से खर्च, उपयोग या दुरुपयोग राज्य सरकारों के माध्यम से होता है। ऐसी स्थिति में जो पैसा ग्रामीण सड़कों के निर्माण के लिए जाएगा, मंत्री जी को अपने भाषण में यह बात स्पष्ट करनी चाहिए। अगर यह पैसा राज्य सरकारों को देंगे तो राज्य सरकार में सांसदों की भूमिका क्या होगा?वैसे हम यह सलाह देंगे कि अगर उस पैसे को खर्च करना है तो आप ठीक से उसके लिए प्रबंध करिए, क्योंकि सब जगह गड़बड़ी होती है। जो सांसद लैड का पैसा होता है, उसी में जोड़ दीजिए, सांसद अनुशंसा करके रोड बनवाते रहेंगे। इधर-उधर किसलिए पैसा देते हैं।
दूसरा मेरा सुझाव यह है कि जैसे इन्होंने पैरा नम्बर दस में लिखा है- "राष्ट्रीय राजमार्गों के विकास और अनुरक्षण के लिए आबंटित नधि के अंश का प्रशासन और प्रबंध।" ये इसके जिम्मेदार अपने को कहते हैं, आप ये कैसी जिम्मेदारी लेना चाहते हैं। क्या आपकी एजेंसी राज्यों में है? आप जो राज्यों में पैसा देते हैं, वे उसे खर्च कराते हैं? आपकी कहीं भी एजेंसी नहीं है। जिस समय नीतीश कुमार जी इस विभाग के मंत्री थे, वे बिहार में समीक्षा के लिए गए थे। उस समय उन्हें लगा कि रोड में कुछ गड़बड़ी हो रही है तो उन्होंने अखबार में एक बयान दिया था कि अगर राज्य सरकार ने सही ढंग से काम नहीं कराया तो हम दूसरी एजेंसी से काम करवाएंगे। उस समय कोई व्यक्ति पटना उच्च न्यायालय में चला गया था तो उच्च न्यायालय ने मंत्री के बयान को सही पाया। उच्च न्यायालय ने कहा था कि अगर केन्द्र सरकार चाहे तो दूसरी एजेंसी से काम करवा सकती है। आपके यहां तो राज्य सरकार की एजेंसी है। इंजीनियर राज्य सरकार का होता है, आप पैसा राज्य सरकार को दे देते हैं। आप जरा राज्यों में जाकर वहां की सड़कों की स्थिति को देखें कि आपके पैसे की वहां क्या स्थिति है। वहां इस पैसे का कितना सही उपयोग और कितना दुरुपयोग होता है। हम खास कर एनएच रोड्स के संबंध में कहेंगे। केन्द्र सरकार को अपनी एजेंसी राज्य के पैमाने पर रखनी चाहिए, जिस एजेंसी के माध्यम से इस पैसे को खर्च कराया जा सके, क्योंकि आप उसकी कुछ निगरानी नहीं रख पाते हैं। आप मोनिटरिंग करने जाते हैं, वहां जो आफिसर गड़बड़ी करता है उसी को बुला कर आप बात कर लेते हैं। कागज पर जो लिखा होता है उसे पढ़ लेते हैं और उसी में देख कर अच्छे-बुरे का पता लगा लेते हैं। आप जब तक ऊपर से नीचे तक वेरीफिकेशन करने के लिए, निगरानी के लिए अपनी एजेंसी नहीं रखेंगे, आपकी एजेंसी देख-भाल नहीं करेगी तो आप मोनिटरिंग करते रह जाएंगे और सारे पैसे का दुरुपयोग होता जाएगा।
महोदय, हम इन्हें एक और सलाह देना चाहेंगे कि ये जो चयन करते हैं, जैसे इनके यहां लिंक रोड का भी चयन होता है, मैं जानना चाहता हूं कि लिंक रोड के चयन की प्रक्रिया क्या है? हम समझते हैं कि जो एक राजमार्ग से दूसरे राजमार्ग को बीच का रास्ता जोड़ता है, उसे लिंक रोड बोलते होंगे। लिंक रोड के चयन में बड़ी गड़बड़ी होती है। राज्य सरकार से अनुशंसा लेकर उसका चयन करते हैं, सांसद की अनुशंसा लेकर चयन करते हैं या इनके मंत्री मंत्र से जान लेते हैं और सारी रोडों का चयन करते हैं- इसकी क्या प्रक्रिया है? इन्हें एक प्रक्रिया का निर्धारण करना चाहिए- चाहे राज्य सरकारों की अनुशंसा पर करें या सांसदों की अनुशंसा लेकर करें। जब तक ठीक से कोई प्रक्रिया नहीं बनाएंगे तब तक सही ढंग से काम नहीं होगा और बेईमानी की आशंका बनी रहेगी। आप इंजीनियर्स भी ठीक रखिए। हमें लगता है कि आपके विभाग में नक्शे देखने वाले भी ठीक व्यक्ति नहीं हैं। जिस समय राजनाथ सिंह जी मंत्री थे उस समय हमने तीन सड़कों की अनुशंसा की थी और तीनों सड़कों के लिए हमने लिखा था- मांझी से बड़ोली, वाया महाराजगंज, छपरा से महमदपुर, वाया जलालपुर-बनियापुर और छपरा से महमदपुर, भाया मसरक। आपके यहां से एक सड़क का नोटफिकेशन हुआ है और नोटफिकेशन में यह हुआ है कि एक सड़क का आधा और दूसरे सड़क का आधा हिस्सा जोड़ कर एक सड़क बनाने की बात की गई है- ऐसा भी कहीं होता है। आप या तो हमारे कागज को मान लेते, अन्यथा नक्शा देखने वाला कोई अच्छा आदमी रखते। आप जो नक्शे के बारे में जानकारी नहीं रखता, उस आदमी को नक्शा देखने के लिए एयरकंडीशन्ड कमरे में बैठा रहे हैं, इसलिए गड़बड़ी होती है। मैंने आपको और राजनाथ सिंह जी को भी पत्र लिखा था। आपके यहां अभी तक फाइल नहीं भेजी गई, आप विभाग से फाइल मंगाइए और जो गड़बड़ी हुई है- दो रोड को एक रोड में जोड़ने का प्रयास हुआ है, उसे ठीक करवाइए। छपरा से महमदपुर, वाया जलालपुर- बनियापुर को जल्दी संशोधित करके हमें पत्र भिजवाइए, अन्यथा हम समझेंगे कि आपके विभाग में कोई सुनता नहीं है।…( व्यवधान )आप उसे ठीक करवा दीजिए।
महोदय, अंत में एक सुझाव और दूंगा। जैसे बहुत सी सड़कों को काफी पहले से एनएच में लिया गया है और उन सड़कों की रिपेयरिंग वगैरह के लिए पैसा दिया जाता रहा है, श्री नीतीश कुमार जी के समय में भी इन सड़कों को लिया गया था, लेकिन उस समय रिपेयरिंग के लिए आपके यहां से एक पैसा भी नहीं गया। हम यह जानना चाहते हैं कि उन सड़कों को राज्य सरकार पर छोड़ दिया गया या एनएच में ले लिया गया?
आपके यहां से पैसा नहीं जा रहा है तो उन सड़कों का क्या होगा? नेशनल हाइवे बनाकर आपने उनकी स्थिति को और खराब कर दिया है। इसलिए जिन सड़कों को आपने नेशनल हाइवे में ले लिया है तो यह अब आपकी जिम्मेदारी है कि आप उनका रखरखाव, सुरक्षा और व्यवस्था करें। आप इस पैसे को खर्च करने के लिए अपनी खुद की एजेंसी बनाइये ताकि इस पैसे का सही ढंग से उपयोग हो सके। इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं। धन्यवाद।
श्री राजो सिंह (बेगुसराय): अध्यक्ष महोदय, केन्द्रीय सड़क नधि विधेयक २००० जो सदन में आया है, मैं उसका समर्थन करता हूं। मैं उन बातों का भी समर्थन करता हूं जो आर्डिनेंस के द्वारा एक नवम्बर को अध्यादेश पारित किया गया है। सम्भवत: जिस सरकार का सदन में या विधान मंडल में बहुमत होता है वही अध्यादेश पास करती है और उसका भरोसा होता है कि उस अध्यादेश को जब वे बिल के रूप में लेकर जाएंगे तो सदन स्वीकृति प्रदान करेगा। आज सदन इस अध्यादेश को जो विधेयक के रूप में प्रस्तुत हुआ है मंजूरी देने की स्थिति में है।
अध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं आपको धन्यवाद देता हूं कि हमारा नम्बर अपनी पार्टी में तीसरा या चौथा दे दिया जाता है। लगता है कि हम लोग जनता से चुनकर नहीं आये हैं बल्कि आपकी जो जगह है वह इसका निर्णय करने की जगह है। आपको इस बात का ख्याल रखना चाहिए कि हमारे जैसे सदस्य जो आगे-पीछे नहीं करते हैं, वैसे लोगों को भी स्थान मिलना चाहिए। आज आपने कई दिनों के बाद मुझे मौका दिया है।
अध्यक्ष महोदय, यह बिल बहुत छोटा है और जो इसके प्रभारी मंत्री हैं वह आर्मी के बड़े अफसर रहे हैं और आर्मी में अगर एक मिनट का विलम्ब हो जाता है तो बड़ी से बड़ी घटना हो सकती है। उन बातों को सामने रखते हुए तथा जैसा माननीय प्रभुनाथ सिंह जी ने कहा है, उसके अनुसार निर्णय करेंगे तो राष्ट्र का बड़ा कल्याण होगा।
अध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं बहुत जल्दी अपनी बात को समाप्त करना चाहता हूं। आपने मुझे समय दिया है, इसके लिए धन्यवाद है। केन्द्रीय सड़क नधि का प्रबंधन जिसकी धारा ९ में आपने राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग, ग्रामीण सड़क और राज्य सड़कों को शामिल किया है। इन सड़कों पर भी आपकी निगाह होनी चाहिए।
आप गांव से आते हैं और पहाड़ी क्षेत्र के रहने वाले हैं। आपको जानकारी है कि कितनी कठिनाई में लोग वहां रहते हैं। बिहार के मामले में मैं निवेदन करना चाहता हूं कि राष्ट्रीय अनुपात के हिसाब से जो बिहार का हिस्सा बनता है वह हिस्सा बिहार को मिलना चाहिए और जिन हाईवेज की आपने बिहार में स्वीकृति प्रदान की है आप उनकी व्यवस्था भी करें।
प्रभुनाथ सिंह जी ने ठीक बात कही कि सरकार उसकी देखभाल स्वयं करें। प्राय: देखा जाता है कि स्वीकृति मिल जाती है, एस्टिमेट बन जाता है लेकिन काम में काफी समय लग जाने के बाद उसका एस्टिमेट बढ़ जाता है।
सुबह हमारे मित्र ने एक प्रश्न उठाया था कि एम.पी.लैड. का रुपया बढ़ाना चाहिए। आप पैसा देते हैं, पैसा राज्यों में जाता है लेकिन संसद सदस्यों उन पैसों पर कोई देखरेख नहीं रख सकता। हम से सलाह नहीं ली जाती है।
MR. SPEAKER: I think, if the House agrees, as there are only one or two hon. Members, immediately after the completion of this Bill, we can take up the Private Members’ Business.
SHRI RAMESH CHENNITHALA (MAVELIKARA): This is an important Bill. It has not gone to the Standing Committee also. The House should devote some more time. It may be taken up on Monday.
MR. SPEAKER: Actually, the time allotted was only one hour. We have taken more time.
श्री राजो सिंह: अध्यक्ष महोदय, यह एक महत्वपूर्ण विषय है। इसे सोमवार को लिया जाए।
MR. SPEAKER: If the House agrees, we can complete this Bill by four o’clock and at four o’clock we can take up the Private Members’ Business.
Shri Rajo Singh, you may now conclude.
श्री राजो सिंह: मैं कह रहा था कि एक नेशनल हाईवे आपने स्वीकृत की थी। वह जार्ज साहब का क्षेत्र है और नीतीश जी का डिस्टि्रक्ट है। वहां से या तो आप सुरक्षित नहीं लौटेंगे या आपकी गाड़ी सुरक्षित लौट नहीं सकती। बिहार शरीफ से मोकामा जाना है तो नेशनल हाईवे मुकामा से फरक्का वाली लेनी पड़ती है। यह मेरे निर्वाचन क्षेत्र को टच करती है लेकिन यह पूरा क्षेत्र रक्षा मंत्री का और जिला नीतीश जी का है। उसकी स्वीकृति मिल चुकी है लेकिन वहां आज तक काम नहीं हुआ। राज्य सरकार ने कहा कि यह नेशनल हाईवे है इसलिए हम इसे नहीं करेंगे।
बरबीघा नेशनल हाईवे स्वीकृत हुई थी। बरबीघा से दुमका नेशनल हाईवे जो कलकत्ता जाती है, उसे मिलाने की कृपा करें। बिहार के संसद सदस्यों ने इस बारे में प्रधान मंत्री को मैमोरंडम भी दिया था। बरबीघा से सिकन्दरा, जमुई, देवघर, बाबा बैद्यनाथ, दुमका होते हुए झारखंड को बंगाल के नेशनल हाईवे से मिला दें। इससे बिहार, झारखंड और बंगाल तीनों का समन्वय हो जाएगा और यह एक महत्वपूर्ण सड़क हो जाएगी। खंडूरी साहब ऐसा करेंगे तो बड़ी कृपा होगी। वह हमारे पुराने मित्र हैं। हम उनके प्रशंसक रहे हैं और उनको धन्यवाद देते हैं। उन्हें अच्छा विभाग मिला है। हम अभी भी उनसे मित्रता कर रहे हैं।
अध्यक्ष महोदय, हम आपको भी धन्यवाद देते हैं। मेरा निवेदन है कि कभी इसी तरह से पिछली सीट वालों को भी अवसर दिया करें।
डा. रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह (वैशाली): अध्यक्ष महोदय, यह सड़कों से संबंधित विधेयक आया है। देश में २६ लाख किलोमीटर ग्रामीण सड़कें हैं, ४ लाख ७८ हजार किलोमीटर जिला सड़कें हैं, १ लाख २८ हजार किलोमीटर स्टेट सड़के हैं और ५८ हजार किलोमीटर नेशनल हाईवे हैं। इसमें इन्होंने तीन सड़कों का जिक्र किया - राष्ट्रीय राजमार्ग, ग्रामीण सड़क और राज्य सड़क।
लेकिन जो नोटिफाइड ऐरिया है, म्युनसिपल ऐरिया है या शहरी ऐरिया है, वह क्यों छोड़ दिया गया? इसमें तीन सड़क आई हैं, यदि एक भी छूट गई तो कौन बनायेगा? हमें लगता है कि इसमें संशोधन करना पड़ेगा। जो सड़क बनाई जाती हैं, उसकी मेनटिनेंस भी करनी पड़ती है। नेशनल हाइवे या स्टेट हाईवे गांव से निकलती है, वह घनी आबादी में से निकलती है। लोग अपना घर, दरवाजा या दुकान खोलकर जगह ऊंची कर लेते हैं। सड़क नीचे रहने के कारण पानी आता है और वह जल्दी खराब हो जाती है। हमने देखा है कि हर जगह सड़क चौपट है।
१५३६ बजे (उपाध्यक्ष महोदय पीठासीन हुए) कलकत्ता में रोड कांफ्रेंस हुई। उसमें प्रावधान होना चाहिये था कि जहां नेशनल हाईवे या स्टेट हाइवे घनी आबादी में से निकले वहां पर नाला होना चाहिये या पानी की निकासी हो। अगर सड़क के बीच में पानी भरा होता है तो सड़क बरबाद हो जाती है। हम सुन रहे है कि ग्रामीण सड़क के लिये ढाई हजार करोड़ रुपया देंगे जो डीजल और पेट्रोल पर सैस लगाने से आ रहा है। हमने फिर यह सुना कि प्रधानमंत्री ग्रामोदय योजना में से ढाई हजार करोड़ रुपया मिलेगा। इस प्रकार यह पांच हजार करोड़ रुपया हो जायेगा जो ग्रामीण सड़क पर खर्च किया जायेगा। मैं सरकार से पूछना चाहता हूं कि सरकार द्वारा किसमें से ढाई हजार करोड़ रुपया खर्च किया जाना है। यह देश के साथ धोखा किया जा रहा है। क्या प्रधानमंत्री ग्रामोदय योजना से ढाई हजार करोड़ रुपया अलग से रहेगा और ये कह रहे हैं कि सैंट्रल रोड फंड में से डीजल और पेट्रोल पर लगाये गये सैस से जमा किया हुआ पैसा लगाया जायेगा। अगर ऐसा किया जाता है तो मैं विशेषाधिकार हनन का मामला लगाऊंगा।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, वित्त मंत्री जी ने एलान किया कि प्रधानमंत्री ग्रामोदय योजना में से ग्रामीण सड़क पर ढाई हजार करोड़ रुपया खर्च करेंगे और अभी कह रहे हैं कि डीजल और पेट्रोल पर लगे सैस से जो रूपया आयेगा, उसमें से ढाई हजार करोड़ रुपया खर्च किया जायेगा। एक मुर्गी किस तरह से दो जगह से खायेगी? यह सरकार छल कर रही है और धोखाधड़ी का काम कर रही है। इस प्रकार कैसे गांव का विकास होगा? एक तरफ सरकार बिल ला रही है, आर्डिनेंस लाने में आतुरता दिखा रही है। सदन के साथ इतना भारी धोखा किया जा रहा है। ढाई हजार करोड़ रुपया अलग से नहीं आयेगा वरन मैं फजीहत सरकार पर कर दूंगा। आप क्यों नाम बदलते रहते हैं?
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, यह भेद खुले कि यह दो तरफा बात कैसे की जा रही है। मैं देख रहा था कि नेशनल हाइवेज़ की सूची बनी है। उसमें हाजीपुर-वैशाली-साहिबगंज-डुमरियागंज का नाम नहीं है जहां भगवान बुद्ध का जन्म हुआ था, भगवान महावीर का जन्म हुआ, १९९५ में राज्य सरकार ने इस सड़क के लिये लिखा लेकिन न तो उसकी सूची अखबार में निकली और न सूची नोटिफेकेशन में देखने को मिली। यह कैसे हुआ और किस हिसाब से बदलता है? इस सब की क्या प्रक्रिया है, क्यों उपेक्षा भाव है, हम जनता से क्या बताएं कि हमारा स्तर ऐसा हो रहा है?
इस तरह की ऐतिहासिक और महत्वपूर्ण सड़क है, जहां तीन हजार वर्ष पहले जनतंत्र का जन्म हुआ था, वहां भगवान बुद्ध आये थे। उसके बाद फाहयान और हुएन सांग आये। उन्होंने अपनी डायरी में लिखा कि दुनिया में जनतंत्र का जन्म यहीं हुआ। भगवान बुद्ध आये थे, उन्होंने कहा है - रूल ऑफ लॉ, कानून का राज यहीं चलता है। यहां नियम बनते हैं। वहां की महत्वपूर्ण सड़क को छोड़ दिया। स्टेट गवर्नमैंट ने लिखा, हमने भी लिखा कि यह भेदभाव न किया जाए। संयोग से यह बड़ा विभाग है। कई बार मंत्री इधर से उधर बदल गये। नीतिश कुमार आये, राजनाथ सिंह जी इधर से उधर लीयन पर चले गये, अब खंडूरी साहब आ गये हैं, वह हमारे घनिष्ठ आदमी हैं। श्री हुकुमदेव नारायण यादव जी चले गये, वह ऊंघा रहे थे, उन्हें हटाकर जहाज वाले विभाग में भेज दिया। इसलिए मेन्टीनेन्स वाला मामला और जो नोटीफाइड एरिया, शहरी निकाय, म्युनसिपल नगर निगम के अधीन वाली सड़क का जिक्र नहीं हैं। यह कैसे छूट गई। दिमाग वाले और काबिल लोग विधेयक बनाते हैं। इस तरह से देश में मेन इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर वाली यह सड़क है। यह ३३ लाख किलोमीटर है। जिसमें २६ लाख किलोमीटर ग्रामीण सड़क है। लेकिन गांव वाली सड़क का मामला अभी कैबिनेट में नहीं लाया गया है। स्टेट गवर्नमैंट से प्रस्ताव आ गया है, सारे लोग टकटकी लगाये हुए हैं कि कैसे क्या होगा। चार लाख ७८ हजार किलोमीटर जिले की सड़कें है और स्टेट की एक लाख २८ हजार किलोमीटर सड़क हैं। ५८ हजार किलोमीटर गोल्डन चतुर्भुज की सड़क है। शेरशाह ने ग्रांड ट्रंक रोड कितने दिन में बनाई थी। आप स्वर्ण चतुर्भुज वाली सड़क कितने दिन में बनायेंगे। हम भी आपका हिसाब देखेंगे। आपके पास वैज्ञानिक प्रणाली औऱ टैक्नोलोजी है, सारी शक्तियां वहां लगी हुई हैं। आप कितने दिन में बनायेंगे, हम देखेंगे।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय : अब आप समाप्त कीजिए।
डा.रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह : मैं समाप्त कर रहा हूं। आपको सड़क को प्राथमिकता देनी पड़ेगी। राज्य सरकार की हालत खराब है और एन.एच. की भी हालत खराब है। मुजफ्फरपुर से डुमरियागंज की तरफ जो सड़के जाती है वह चौपट है। अभी हाल में हाजीपुर, मुजफ्फरपुर, सीतामढ़ी, सोनबरसा जो एन.एच. हैं, वे चौपट हैं। आपको उन पर चलने से लगेगा कि इनसे ज्यादा चौपट और कोई सड़कें नहीं हैं और ये एन.एच. में हैं। हमें देखना होगा इन सड़कों में सुधार हो जाए। यदि सड़कों का विकास होगा तभी देश का विकास होगा। यही कहकर मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं।
SHRI P.S. GADHAVI (KUTCH): Thank you, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. I shall be very brief.
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय : श्री गढ़वी, आप बिल्कुल संक्षिप्त रूप में बोलिये। हमने चार बजे तक ही हाउस को एक्सटैंड किया हैं।
SHRI P.S. GADHAVI: I am not going to take much time, Sir, I shall make only suggestions.
Sir, I rise to support the Central Road Fund Bill. I heartily congratulate the hon. Minister for bringing this Bill. In my constituency, the National Highways Authority is constructing four-lane roads. From Samkhiyali to Bhachau, the work has been completed and from Bhachau to Gandhidham, the work is in progress.
A new bridge over Little Rann has been completed but only one section on N.H.8 from Gandhidham, that is, from Kandla Port to Lakhpat-Narayan Sarovar, the work requires to be commenced. Coastal Highways require to be developed on the pattern of National Highways.
For protection of our border and for defence purposes, the road from Samkhiyali to Gaduli requires to be started.
My suggestion to the hon. Minister is that at the time of formulating schemes, local representatives from the concerned areas should be consulted and their say should carry more weight.
Further, a scheme for coastal highways and border roads be formulated so that it will be much helpful for our defence purposes.
I request the hon. Minister to say that the work of Expressway between Vadodra and Ahmedabad would be completed as early as possible. Initially it was to cost Rs.44 crore and after that, due to litigation, the cost has gone up to Rs.400 crore Further, I would like to suggest that if a scheme to provide telephone line services along with the roads is formulated in consultation with the Telecommunications Department, then that will also help.
People’s participation in road-building particularly in the rural roads requires to be encouraged. Monitoring of construction of roads should be entrusted to specialists and their consultants should supervise at the time of construction of the roads.
In villages, all-weather roads should be encouraged instead of katcha roads because katcha roads are being washed away every year. Whenever you go in for village roads, they should be all-weather roads.
For de-congestions from metro cities, it is very much necessary to go in for hub-and-spoke road arrangements which should be given top priority. I have one more request to make. Planning process should come from the district. When the district-level persons are sending the plans, they should not be altered without consulting them. What is the need of the roads in the district is better known to the district-level persons and, therefore, they and the local representatives should be consulted. (Interruptions)
… (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: We have already extended the time upto 4 o’ clock. The hon. Minister has to complete before that. He will take another 10 minutes. We are encroaching upon the Private Members’ Business time. Let the hon. Minister speak now.
मेजर जनरल (सेवानिवृत्त) भुवन चन्द्र खण्डूरी:माननीय उपाध्यक्ष जी, सेन्ट्रल रोड फंड बिल पर जिन माननीय सदस्यों ने भाग लिया, मैं उनका आभारी हूं। बहुत सारे सदस्य यहां मौन धारण किये उपस्थित रहे, मैं उनका ज्यादा आभारी हूं।
लगभग ११ सदस्यों ने इस बिल में भाग लिया और कुछ मोटी-मोटी बातें उभर कर सामने आई हैं।
समय-सीमा के अनुसार मैं उन्हीं बातों पर चर्चा करूंगा और बाकी सदस्यों ने जो बातें उठाई हैं, मैं कोशिश करूंगा कि जो व्यक्तिगत सुझाव दिये हैं, उनके सुझावों पर अलग से उनके साथ बैठकर मैं उनसे विचार-विमर्श करूंगा।
पहली बात आई है कि हमने ऑर्डिनेन्स क्यों इश्यू किया है। मैंने कल भी यह निवेदन किया था और दोबारा आपसे निवेदन कर रहा हूं कि सैद्धांतिक रूप से ऑर्डिनेन्स इश्यू नहीं होने चाहिए।
For the benefit of hon. Member Shri Varkala Radhakrishnan, who may not understand Hindi, I am now explaining and submitting to you that we did this so that we could release certain amount of funds to the States. If this statutory Bill was not there, if this Ordinance was not there, we will have to wait till the Bill is passed by both the Houses of Parliament. This is the working season. The Chief Ministers are coming here saying that they need money for repair of the roads which have been damaged by floods etc. Therefore, by this method we could release money to the States which, so far, we are using only for the National Highways.
Therefore, as an example of our sincerity, we have already released Rs. 325 crore in early November so that this money could be utilised by them. That is the aim. This Bill would get passed here and then it has to go to the Rajya Sabha. Therefore, all this would take time. It is with that intention alone, to utilise the working season, for the engineers to repair the damages as early as possible and to give them whatever money which we have, we brought in this Ordinance.
This is one-third of the amount that has been released to the States. The balance two-third will be released as per the procedure. This is our justification. और इसी वजह से हमने यह ऑर्डिनेन्स इश्यू किया था। मेरा आपसे निवेदन है कि कम से कम इस मामले में आप हमारी नीयत पर शंका न करें।
उपाध्यक्ष जी, दूसरी बात यह है किwhat is the concept. यह जो सैस लिया जा रहा है और हम लोग इतना पैसा इकट्ठा कर रहे हैं, Here, I would like to submit that the Government and the hon. Prime Minister have initiated implementing a grand vision of road network in the country. At the moment we have National Highways, State roads, district roads and rural roads.
SHRI VARKALA RADHAKRISHNAN : What about the Golden Quadrilateral connecting Kanyakumari?
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI: I am coming to that.
Therefore, there is a grand vision which has been pursued by the Hon. Prime Minister and this Government and in this vision we want to have Highways and Express Highways and to have fast-moving transportation system in the country so that the immense potential that this country has can be utilised. God has given so much of resources to us. We are given talented manpower. We are given rainbow of climate and weather. We want to utilise this for the betterment of this country. One of the infrastructural requirements is roads and, therefore, this Government has visualised a massive plan and for that massive plan, without funds nothing would have happened.
Therefore, this cess has been imposed. The plan, roughly, is for 5,952 kilometres of this Golden Quadrilateral.
यह जो स्वर्ण चतुर्भुज बन रहा है, it is 5,952 kilometre long and I have been asked to complete it by 2003, that is, within three years. This is costing Rs. 27,000 crore. It would be measuring about 6,000 kilometres of roads connecting major cities. Roads are already there. They have to be developed. … (Interruptions)
SHRI TRILOCHAN KANUNGO : Why is it that cess is charged at a flat rate of one per cent and not ad valorem?
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI: Let us not go into that.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Shri Kanungo, let us hear the Minister. … (Interruptions)
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.)SHRI B.C. KHANDURI : This is one element of this grand vision. The second element is North-South and East-West corridors. North-South corridor is about 4,000 kilometre long starting from Srinagar and going to Kanyakumari, Shri Radhakrishnan, it is going vertically downwards right up to Kanyakumari. The other one, that is, East-West corridor is starting from Silchar … (Interruptions)
SHRI K. FRANCIS GEORGE (IDUKKI): Not through Kerala. … (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Shri Francis, if you want to seek any clarification, the Minister has to yield. You are a new Member. You should know that. You should learn that.
… (Interruptions)
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI : If they have any doubt, I will clear all their doubts in my office. … (Interruptions)
SHRI K. FRANCIS GEORGE (IDUKKI): There is no doubt for us. Your project is … (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Nothing will go on record except the Minister.
(Interruptions)* MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Shri Suresh Kurup, if he yields, only then I can allow you. Otherwise, both the persons cannot go on speaking simultaneously.
SHRI SURESH KURUP (KOTTAYAM): We have been told time and again that this Golden Quadrangular plan . … (Interruptions)
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI : They are not listening to me. Let me complete. … (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Let him complete.
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI : There is East-West corridor and North-South corridor. East-West Corridor is coming from Silchar and going to Porbandar. Then, as far as East Coast is concerned, we have got subsidiary things to do. All these things are being taken care of.
My submission is that at the moment, we are planning to construct 6,000 kilometres of this, plus 7,300 kilometres of other corridor. Of 13,000 kilometres, about 6000 kilometres are being made. This is the first stage. This is not the end. We want to do this and actually, we will be connecting various corridors and other things. Ultimately, the aim is to connect major places, major roads and major centres, where heavy transportation is there, with four to six lanes and the national highways. This is the concept which the Prime Minister started and we have started implementing it. Sir, the cess is coming for the village roads and we will be able to achieve this aim and the nation will see. … (Interruptions)
SHRI SURESH KURUP : Sir, the Minister may kindly yield.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Are you yielding to him?
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI : No. SHRI SURESH KURUP : Sir, originally, the Golden Quadrangular plan included Kerala.
* Not Recorded MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: He is not yielding to you. Nothing will go on record since he is not yielding.
(Interruptions)* SHRI SURESH KURUP : Sir, you know.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: I may be knowing, but unless he yields to you, you cannot say anything. I cannot ask them to take record.
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI : The second major issue that has been raised is about the concept of utilisation of this money. I would briefly explain it. That concept is, this money is used either for National Highways, which come under the Central Government’s control or State Roads. It was also stated that we have left district roads and all that. I would submit that all these roads have been divided into three categories for the purpose of allocation. One is the National Highways. The second one is State Roads. The third one is Rural Roads. In this, we have distributed this amount of money and based on this, the States will be given funds. As far as States Roads are concerned, which are monitored by the Centre, the State money will go to the States. The procedure is that they will select the roads, come back to us with the requirement of funds, we will clear it and then, they will work only on those roads which have been cleared. Therefore, the question of these funds being misused or taken anywhere else would be considerably reduced. As far as rural roads are concerned, this money is to be given to the Rural Development Ministry. They are formulating a methodology to ensure that roads actually come up on the ground.
A point has been raised that MPs and elected Members should have a say in it. We will look into it and do whatever is possible. We will see how this can be done and to what extent, this can be done.
Regarding availability of funds, I would say that this fund is not the only fund which the States have got for maintaining their roads. They have to have their own resources also. There are various types of yojanas and the Centre is also giving various types of resources. There are other heads also than the CRF. There are various types of schemes under rural development. That money will go and a part of that will also be utilised. Therefore, the total money will be used for this purpose. As regards National Highways, it was asked by Shri Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi and some other Members that we should have an organisation which should be totally supervised by us. This is not so at the moment because we are only for monitoring.
I will give you some figures. The total organisation that we have is one Director-General, (Road Dev.) 16 Chief Engineers, 60 Superintending Engineers, 87 Executive Engineers and 42 Assistant Executive Engineers AE. This is the total organisation in the whole country. Therefore, our function here is, whether it is national highways or utilisation of funds, to monitor and supervise, and wherever anything is going wrong and comes to our notice, we go into it. That is how it is accountable. … (Interruptions)
SHRI E. AHAMED (MANJERI): I have only one question, and you only have to explain the position.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Mr. Minister, are you yielding?
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI: No, Sir, I am not yielding.
SHRI E. AHAMED : You were the Chief Whip of a big political Party. Why have you excluded Kerala in the ‘Golden Quadrangle’? We want to know because we are Members from Kerala.
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI: I will send you a written reply on that. What is happening about Kerala coast, I will convey it to you.
Sir, eleven Members have spoken on this Bill, and I have noted down their points. I will convey the information to the individual Members because of paucity of time.
* Not Recorded.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: How much more time will you take because we have extended the time for discussing this Bill up to 4 o’clock? It seems that it will take some more time, and the Mover also has to reply.
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI: I need just one minute more. I now request the House to pass the Bill unanimously.
… (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Nothing will go on record, except the speech of Shri Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy.
(Interruptions) * SHRI Y.S. VIVEKANANDA REDDY (CUDDAPAH): Sir, for the creation of the Central Road Fund, a duty has been levied on petrol and diesel at one rupee per litre throughout the country. The accrual was to the tune of Rs. 6,000 crore per annum. Out of this, Rs. 3,000 crore are to be made available for the construction of rural roads.
In this connection, I would like to submit that out of this amount of Rs. 3,000 crore, a sum of Rs. 3 crore or Rs. 3.5 crore may be allocated to each Member, just like the money which is allocated under the MPLADS. As you know, rural roads are not getting any attention from the State Governments. There are many villages which have not been connected at all. The villages are to be connected to the market yards, and to themandal headquarters. There are some inter-mandal roads which are to be taken care of. If it is not possible to implement the suggestion made by me, at least, that part of the money may be directly allocated to the DRDAs so that the local MLAs, MPs, and the elected representatives of the panchayats and the municipalities can get the works sanctioned through the Collector concerned. The Minister may kindly reveal as to how much money has been collected under this Fund from April 1999 to March 2000.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: He has already given the reply to these points. Is there anything else that you want to say?
SHRI Y.S. VIVEKANANDA REDDY : Out of 50 per cent, thirty per cent was to be allocated for State roads, which comes to 15 per cent of the entire accrual. The State Government has its own sources, ways and means, for maintaining the roads. Funds may kindly be allocated from the CRF for the State roads, which fall in the respective constituencies of the Members of Parliament. The village or the rural roads have to be made as ‘pucca’ roads and not as ‘kutchcha’ roads.
16.00 hrs. MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI: Sir, I will explain about rural roads. The norms are being worked out by the Ministry of Rural Development. All the issues raised by the hon. Member would certainly be taken into consideration by them.
SHRI Y.S. VIVEKANANDA REDDY: Quality standards should be stipulated for rural road construction also so that they can also be made into national assets. Latest road construction technologies, using which cost-effective and maintenance-free roads can be made, should also be considered. Fly ash is a by-product of thermal power stations. Wherever viable and feasible, fly ash utilisation has to be made compulsory through a legislation.
With these suggestions and with the permission of all the hon. Members, I withdraw my Statutory Resolution and support the Bill.
SHRI VARKALA RADHKRISHNAN : I have given a notice opposing its withdrawal. A Statutory Resolution cannot be withdrawn like that.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: It is Shri Y.S. Vivekananda Reddy who moved it and not you.
* Not Recorded.
Is it the pleasure of the House that the Statutory Resolution moved by the hon. Member be withdrawn?
The Resolution was, by leave, withdrawn.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: The question is:
"That the Bill to give statutory status to the existing Central Road Fund governed by the Resolution of Parliament passed in 1988, for development and maintenance of national highways and improvement of safety at railway crossings, and for these purposes to levy and collect by way of cess, a duty of excise and duty of customs on motor spirit commonly known as petrol, high speed diesel oil and for other matters connected therewith, be taken into consideration."
The motion was adopted.
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Clause-by-Clause Consideration MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: The question is:
"That clauses 2 to 15 stand part of the Bill."
The motion was adopted.
Clauses 2 to 15 were added to the Bill.
The Schedule was added to the Bill.
Clause 1, Enacting Formula and the Long Title were added to the Bill.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: The Minister may now move that the Bill be passed.
MAJ. GEN. (RETD.) SHRI B.C. KHANDURI: Sir, I beg to move:
"That the Bill be passed."
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: The question is:
"That the Bill be passed."
The motion was adopted.
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