Indian Kanoon - Search engine for Indian Law

Lok Sabha Debates

Discussion On The Motion For Consideration Of The Finance (No. 2) Bill, 2014 ... on 24 July, 2014

Sixteenth Loksabha an> Title: Discussion on the motion for consideration of the Finance (No. 2) Bill, 2014 (Discussion not concluded).

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE, MINISTER OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND MINISTER OF DEFENCE (SHRI ARUN JAITLEY): Madam Speaker, I beg to move*:

“That the Bill to give effect to the financial proposals of the Central Government for the financial year 2014-2015, be taken into consideration.”             Madam, since I will get an opportunity to speak at the end, while replying to the debate, therefore, I would not make any initial comments at this stage.

HON. SPEAKER: All right. Motion moved:

 “That the Bill to give effect to the financial proposals of the Central Government for the financial year 2014-2015, be taken into consideration.”     SHRI M. VEERAPPA MOILY (CHIKKABALLAPUR): Madam Speaker, thank you very much for the opportunity given to me to speak on this Finance Bill.

          Many things have been said while reflecting on the Budget. I do not want to repeat those arguments as they have been replied to by the hon. Finance Minister already. The main thing is that The Economic Survey particularly revealed that considerable work is required to bring the economy back on track because it has stagnated below five per cent.

Of course it is not a phenomenon specific only to India. Many countries have suffered this for the last two years, particularly after the economic recession of 2008-09. Even in the US economy, I am told that GDP is only two per cent. Some make assessments that it is not even two per cent and it is about 1.75 per cent.  At the same time, the Indian resilience against the economic depression is commendable. Despite recession, we could proceed on the path of stabilization.

When the present regime took over we have been on a recovery path which commenced about one and a half years back. When the Finance Bill was presented in the House we expected that that recovery regime would be taken forward. We thought many measures would be radical and big bang measures will come out not only to arrest the trend of one and a half years but also to take forward the economic recovery which has been put on the fast track. However, even though the challenges have been acknowledged by the hon. Finance Minister, I do not think he has graduated himself from incrementalism. He has not taken the economic agenda forward, and I think it is only statusquoist.

When a new regime comes in many times, rightly or wrongly, the policies of the old regime are given up. But I must appreciate the hon. Finance Minister for not doing so. There is continuity. I do acknowledge that there is continuity. However, in the international economic scenario, time for incrementalism has gone. If you are not aggressive in pursuing reforms, the Indian economy would remain vulnerable to the slightest of shocks. There is no sign at all to ensure any radical change or to ensure aggressive pursuing of the reforms. That is why it has unfortunately remained vulnerable to any slightest change in the international scenario. What was urgently required in this scenario has not been addressed at all.

When the present Finance Minister was sitting on the opposition side, he termed taxation as terrorism. Of course, if you addressed it as ‘tax terrorism’, have you made any attempt to ensure that that kind of a tension in the economy is removed? Rather, you want to pursue it more vigorously.

          One example is the GST.  How many years have passed with the Finance Ministers of the States constituting a Committee which was headed by the former Finance Minister of Bihar from your own party. … (Interruptions) Earlier, it was the Finance Minister of Bihar, Shri Sushil Kumar Modi, who was heading it. Of course, there were voices that opposed it from your own party, particularly when the quantum of jump the GDP can have is by mere introduction of GST, it can add up two per cent.  At least, you mentioned about GST in your Budget. But again yesterday or the day before, we read in the newspapers that a seventh trip has been planned by the Empowered Committee to go around the world to make a study. What kind of an approach is this? That means, you are not serious about it.  What is the impression you would be carrying to the investment community, both domestic and foreign?  This means, you would like to avoid it, you are not serious about it.

          The same thing is there with regard to direct taxes.  It was passed in one house and it lapsed in another House. If I remember rightly, it has lapsed. All right, if it was before the Standing Committee, you could have expedited that; or, if it has not lapsed, again, you could have taken it up as an urgent agenda on top most priority. But GST and DTC are very important measures. I thought you could have come out with something at least on measures where the previous regime has taken them forward and bring it to a logical conclusion. Even that has not been done.

          With regard to retrospective taxation, we were put in a bad shape. GAR was haunting the investors, particularly the foreign investors. After GAR had been introduced with retrospective effect of taxation, of course, investment came down.  Of course, it may be a coincidence. It cannot be attributed to be the same reason but from that day onwards the economy came down. Investors became shy and they never wanted to come to our country. That is why our Government thought it appropriate to appoint a Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri Shome, an eminent economist, to go into these matters. He gave a report in which he had highlighted 16 recommendations for the consideration of the Government.  Our Government in fact accepted those 16 recommendations.  It was under the process of finalisation but today again you have reiterated the power of the sovereign State to impose retrospective effect on any taxation. No doubt, the position of law is very clear on that but is it the remedy for the present impasse of economics of this country?

13.00 hrs By reiterating that we have the sovereign right to impose such retrospective effect, you have, no doubt, stated the law – it is the sovereign right of the country – but at the same time, what is the kind of the message that is sent out to the investors? That, we say, is again a challenge to the investors. Beware, you are still at it!           These are the very relevant issues which should have been highlighted and the answers found. That would have picked up. That is why, you find that some of the commendations of the many apex trade bodies, which said that it is a good Budget or excellent Budget, etc. But what is the impact of it on the capital market?

          The capital market did not pick up. But even prior to the Budget presentation, it picked up, because they had an enthusiasm that a new regime has come and it would respond to the challenges, complications and issues. But no sooner than the Budget was presented and the tax proposals announced, the capital market went down. It dampened. … (Interruptions) No. It was not because of that. I know what you are referring to. Of course, I saw it in many papers which stated that 150 projects had been cleared. I am telling you about that. You may just make an assessment.

          I myself have cleared more than 150 projects, both in the Environment Ministry and also in the Petroleum Ministry. Even if you have put in place those clearances, perhaps you would have got that credit, but you have not done it. By mere aspirations or mere perceptions, for some time, the capital market may pick up, but it cannot sustain. There is no stable taxation regime. This is what is being suspected by them. There is no big-bang measures which have been taken.

          According to the Economic Survey, India is going through a phase of low growth and high inflation, known as ‘Stagflation’. What is the technical definition of this? ‘Stagflation’ also includes unemployment. Let us put that aside for a minute and focus on the cause of inflation. Have you addressed even one single solitary issue to take care of inflation? It is going up; it is not coming down because it has not been attacked in the manner in which it should have been done, by some of these taxation measures and also by efficient tax measures.

The significant contributor to inflation is food prices. This is largely supply-driven, as hoarding, inefficient cold storage and supply chain inefficiencies ensure that even if there is a good harvest, the retail prices remain high. We have not found even a word.

Ultimately, now the monsoon has failed, maybe, to the extent of 70-75 per cent. But now maybe, to the extent of 10-15 per cent, it would have picked up.

          But we find that there is no hope, which has been held out by you to ensure that inflation could be contained. In fact, the root causes need to be weeded out and the basics will have to be attacked, which are supply side inefficiencies; and, of course, the seasonal variations would continue to be there.

          Overall tax-GDP ratio in the country is still in the range of 17 per cent. This needs to be urgently raised to a threshold level.

          One of the key reasons for low economic growth is industrial stagnation – industrial sector – particularly manufacturing sector. One needs to look into these hurdles whether they are in the mining sector or coal sector.  Even before that, you could have at least defined the role of the regulator as this is where the entire thing was held up.  This was the urgent need to have addressed first.  You have the advantage.  We had problems and scams occurred because of the regulators coming in the form of CBI, C&AG or some such bodies.  You had the advantage and you should have ensured it.  If you have not done it in the starting, there is no guarantee that you are going to re-define the role of each of the regulators.  Unless the role of the regulators is properly defined, there is no relief at all.

          The Economic Survey made a case for reforms.  It has talked about fiscal prudence and lower subsidy.  I do not say that subsidies are unproductive.  Subsidies in this country are productive.  They could be built into the development agenda.  I thought that you will do that.  I do not want to elaborate on that but I may tell the Petroleum Minister in particular that for every billion invested by an explorer, 600-700 million dollars go to the Government; be it in the form of royalty, taxation or whatever.  That could be used in more and more expansions you do in the exploration.  By clearing all hurdles, I think more and more income can come.  Maybe, that component could be apportioned to meet the problem of subsidy. 

These are all some of the examples which I am just giving you.  But I know very well that whatever be the development, industrial or otherwise, the main hurdle sometimes is the bureaucracy.  I must say that many a time the mindset of the Finance Ministry will have to be changed.  Otherwise, these problems will continue to be there.  I have no hopes.  I was surprised to see the manner in which the hon. Prime Minister has chosen to call the Secretaries directly and tell them that they are directly responsible to do that.  I do not say that the Ministers have lost the initiative.  Persons like the Finance Minister will take his own initiative.  At the same time, it is to be seen as to how the officers take the initiative in the light of the regulators haunting every officer.  He is afraid because every action of an officer or of a Minister is seen with suspicion by the regulator.  Clearance of this kind of an atmosphere or environment for investment and administration are basic according to me.  I think in the absence of this there will always be a difficulty in taking your agenda forward.

A clarification on the GST is necessary and I hope that in his reply the hon. Finance Minister will come out with a roadmap for implementation of GST and DTC.  This needs to be addressed immediately.  I thought with the fresh mandate that you have, you will be able to do it.

I do agree that there are verbal assurances to drastically reform the major subsidies and launch the major reforms.  But there is no reform in the tax administration except the routine one which you have mentioned here and there.  There is no reform in many of the investment profiles.  You have said that, many a time it has been repeated, Budget is the most comprehensive action plan.  It is a fragmented plan.           There is no comprehensive package for any of these things.  How can income of the non-corporate tax revenues grow at 27 per cent and service tax revenues increase by 31 per cent in the present form?  The target for non-tax revenue also looks very high.  It is one thing to set challenging targets and quite another to adopt unrealistic ones.  Would it not have been wiser to set more reasonable targets for revenue mobilisation?  Even if that meant a fiscal deficit target of 4.4 per cent, we do not mind.  It is not necessary that you should conform to only 4.1 per cent as set by the previous regime.  But that goes to show that you have no concern for the development.  You have no concern for the growth.  That is why, I repeat that this Finance Bill or the Budget displays a more statist policy which needs to move forward.  There is no mobility insofar as the financial policies are concerned. 

          With this, I conclude and I think the hon. Finance Minister will definitely take the economy and the country forward.

                                                                                                 

HON. SPEAKER: The House stands adjourned to meet again at 2.15 p.m.   13.11 hrs The Lok Sabha then adjourned for Lunch till Fifteen Minutes past Fourteen of the Clock.

 

श्री निशिकान्त दुबे (गोड्डा) : धन्यवाद,सभापति जी। वीरप्पा मोइली साहब इस सदन के बड़े सम्मानित सदस्य हैं और वह बड़े जानकार भी हैं। अखबारों की कतरनों को देखा जाए तो शायद संसद की वित्त सम्बन्धी स्थायी समिति के अध्यक्ष होने वाले हैं। वह होंगे या नहीं,यह तो स्पीकर महोदया बताएंगी।

          उन्होंने जब इस डिबेट को शुरू किया तो जैसे हमारी सरकार कहती है कि सेल्फ गोल कर लिया प्राइस राइज में,सारा सेल्फ गोल उन्होंने अपने आप पर ले लिया। जिन चीजों का उन्होंने उल्लेख किया कि हम यह नहीं कर रहे हैं,वह नहीं कर रहे हैं,उन सबका ब्लेम यदि किसी पर जाता है तो केवल और केवल कांग्रेस पार्टी के दस साल को जाता है। मैंने 1952 से लेकर 2013-2014 तक सब वित्तमंत्रियों के बजट भाषण को पढ़ा है,सुना है या देखने का मौका मिला है। पहली बार इस देश में किसी वित्त मंत्री ने सदन में खड़े होकर कहा कि, Yes, we are pro-industry; we are pro-business. इस तरह का जवाब देने का साहस इस देश की संसद में किसी वित्त मंत्री का नहीं हुआ और मैं इसके लिए उन्हें और प्रधान मंत्री जी को बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद देता हूं कि उन्होंने ये बातें कहीं। उन्होंने ऐसा क्यों कहा!वीरप्पा मोइली जी की बातों से ही मैं देखूं तो उन्होंने इकोनॉमिक सर्वे को कोट किया। मैं उसी इकोनॉमिक सर्वे से शुरू करूंगा,क्योंकि अपने दिल से जानिए पराए दिल का हाल और सावन में अंधे को हरा ही हरा नज़र आता है। उनकी जो दस साल की नीति थी उसी इकोनॉमिक सर्वे की रिपोर्ट कहती है –Doing Business Report 2014 ranks India at 158 out of 189 countries. ऐसा क्या हो गया,जिस इकोनॉमिक सर्वे के बारे में आप इतनी लम्बी बात कर रहे थे,वह आगे कहता है –Tax reforms in India can improve ease of doing business. इसका मतलब यह है कि जो टैक्स रिफार्म इंडिया ने नहीं किया है इसके कारण 189 देशों का जो खाका तैयार किया, ‘डुइंग बिजनेस’रिपोर्ट विश्व बैंक की रिपोर्ट है। वह 2013-2014 की रिपोर्ट कहती है कि हमारा स्थान 158 हो गया। आगे देखें,वह रिपोर्ट कहती है - Tax reforms in India can improve ease of doing business, promote efficiency and productivity growth. इसका मतलब यह है कि आप इस देश में जितने कानून लाए,जितनी चीजें बनाने का प्रयास किया,आपने क्या किया,आपने टैक्स टैरेरिज्म किया। इसके लिए उन्होंने बड़ी अच्छी बात कही,जिसके बारे में मैं अपने विश्लेषण में इस बात पर जाऊंगा कि आपने कैसे टैक्स टैरेरिज्म किया। पालिसी पेरेलिसिज़ कैसी थी,जिस जीएसटी की बात वह कह रहे थे,मैं फाइनेंस की स्टेंडिंग कमेटी का सदस्य था। यहां पर थम्बी दुरई जी बैठे हुए हैं। हम लोगों ने डेढ़ साल पहले उस जीएसटी बिल को आपके पास दे दिया था। लेकिन आपका साहस नहीं हुआ उसे पास करने का। आप डायरेक्ट टैक्सेज कोड की बात करते हैं,उसकी रिपोर्ट फाइनेंस की स्टेंडिंग कमेटी ने 2012 को आपको दे दिया था। आपने ‘गार’की बहुत बात की। ‘गार’की रिकमंडेशन के बारे में इसी सदन में जब प्रणव मुखर्जी साहब वित्त मंत्री थे,उन्होंने कहा था कि स्टेंडिंग कमेटी जो फाइनेंस की है,उसने ‘गार’  के बारे में जो काम किया है,बहुत बढ़िया काम किया है। हम उस रिकमंडेशन को मानकर ‘गार’  की पालिसी को आगे बढ़ाने का प्रयास करेंगे।

          जब दूसरे वित्त मंत्री बनते थे,तो उन दोनों के बीच में इतने मधुर सम्बन्ध थे कि एक दूसरे को काटने का प्रयास करते थे। उसका इम्प्लीमेंटेशन क्या हुआ कि ‘गार’के कारण आप डराने का प्रयास कर रहे हैं। ‘गार’ने,यदि आप फाइनेंस की स्टेंडिंग कमेटी की ही बात मान लेते,प्रणव मुखर्जी साहब की ही बात मान लेते। लेकिन आपने उसमें भी कुछ नहीं किया। आपने एक सोम कमेटी बना दी। सोम साहब के बारे में कहा गया,एक एडवांस रूलिंग की कमेटी 2013 में बनी थी,जिसे उन्होंने कोट किया। सोम साहब हमारे वित्त मंत्री जी के एडवाइजर हुआ करते थे। बाद में वह लंदन चले गए। पता नहीं क्यों हमारे यहां गोरी चमड़ी का इतना असर है कि लोगों को लगता है कि जो व्यक्ति बाहर चला गया,वह प्रकांड पंडित हो गया। जब वह लौटकर आए तो आपने उन्हें जीएसटी का,एडवांस रूलिंग का,कैसे टैक्स रिफार्म्स होंगे,इस तरह की कमेटी का हैड बना दिया।  आप उस कमेटी की रिपोर्ट को कोट कर रहे हैं। मुझे यह लगता है कि आपने जो काम नहीं किया,पॉलिसी पैरालाइसिस,यदि 10 साल से इस देश में आपने ला दी,आपके टैक्स रिफोर्म के कारण भी काम नहीं हो रहा है। यदि आईएमएफ की रिपोर्ट आपके खिलाफ जा रही है तो उसका दोष अपने माथे पर लेने के बजाए आप हमारे माथे दे रहे है जबकि हमें शासन संभाले हुए जुम्मा-जुम्मा पांच दिन हुए हैं। मैं आपको बताऊंगा कि लॉग-टर्म और शॉर्ट-टर्म के लिए हमने किस तरह की योजनाएं तैयार की हैं और मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी को धन्यवाद देना चाहूंगा कि उन्होंने इस देश के लिए कुछ करने का प्रयास किया है और अपने बजट में उन्होंने क्या-क्या बातें कही हैं,उन्हें मैं कहूंगा। उन्होंने रोटी-कपड़ा और मकान के बारे में कहा है जोकि बैसिक मुद्दा है।

          उनका सबसे बड़ा ध्यान इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर सेक्टर और रियलिटी सेक्टर पर गया है। रियलिटी सेक्टर एक ऐसा सेक्टर है जो एग्रीकल्चर सेक्टर के बाद देश में सबसे ज्यादा रोजगार दे रहा है सबसे ज्यादा एम्प्लाएमेंट जेनरेट कर रहा है। करीब 270 ऐसी इंडस्ट्रीज हैं जोकि रियलिटी सेक्टर से जुड़ी हुई हैं। यदि मकान में मजदूर को काम करना है तो स्वभाविक है उसमें लेबर लगेंगे,इंजीनियरिंग का काम है तो उसमें इंजीनियर लगेंगे,उसमें यदि किवाड़ लगना है तो कारपेंटर लगेंगे,लोहा लगना है तो लुहार लगेंगे,यदि उसमें मिट्टी का काम होना है तो कुम्हार काम करेंगे। उसी तरह से एसी लगना है,फ्रिज लगना है,पंखा लगना है,इलैक्ट्रिशियन का यूज करना है तो रोजगार जैनरेशन के लिए जो सबसे बड़ा सेक्टर था और जिस सेक्टर को आपने मार दिया था उस रियलिटी सेक्टर के लिए उन्होंने सेबी की गाइडलाइन्स के आधार पर जो कंसेशन दिया है उससे मकान बनेगा और युवाओं के लिए मौका मिलेगा। मकान ऐसी चीज होती थी कि जब आदमी बूढ़ा हो जाता था तब मकान के लिए सोचता है। माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने अपने जवाब में कहा कि हम यह चाहते हैं कि रेंट जो है वह कम हो। यदि रेंट पर हम कोई मकान लेना चाहते हैं और ईएमआई यदि दें तो ईएमआई कम हो और रेंट उसे ज्यादा देना पड़े,इसका मतलब यह है कि वे युवाओं को मकान देना चाहते हैं और शादी के पहले देना चाहते हैं जैसे युवा गाना गाते थे कि “तेरे घर के सामने मैं एक घर बनाऊंगा” उस तरह की सिचुएशन पैदा करना चाहते हैं। आपको यह नहीं समझ आया कि टैक्स रिफोर्म में हमने क्या-क्या करने का प्रयास किया है।

          दूसरा जो सवाल है वह यह है कि पूरी दुनिया में माइन्स एंड मिनरल्स से ज्यादा रोजगार नहीं होता है,रोजगार आजकल पूरी दुनिया में टूरिज्म से होता है। लंदन जैसा शहर हो,पैरिस जैसा शहर हो,वह शहर आगे बढ़ रहा है तो टूरिज्म के कारण बढ़ रहा है। टूरिज्म इंडस्ट्री के लिए उन्होंने सेल्स टैक्स में छूट देने का काम किया है। ई-वीजा के लिए वे काफी एक्टिव हैं,टूरिज्म इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर के लिए आपको पता है कि उन्होंने बजट में,क्योंकि यह फाइनेंस का पार्ट नहीं है,इसलिए सर्विस टैक्स में,एक्साइज में,कस्टम में,टूरिज्म सेक्टर में छूट दी है उसके कारण रोजगार बढ़ेगा। यह आपको दिखाई नहीं दे रहा है कि यूथ कहां से रोजगार पाएगा।

          उन्होंने जीएसटी की बड़ी अच्छी बात कही है। हम सभी यहां लम्बा-लम्बा भाषण देते हैं क्योंकि सांसद महोदय को अपना क्षेत्र स्वर्ग दिखाई देता है और उसे लगता है कि हमारे क्षेत्र में यह होना चाहिए,वह होना चाहिए।

          देबी-शेट्ठी साहब जो नारायण हृदयालय अस्पताल के अध्यक्ष हैं और बहुत बड़े कार्डियोलॉजिस्ट हैं,उनको मैं कोट करना चाहता हूं। हम जब डिस्कशन करते हैं तो कहते हैं कि पेट्रोल के दाम बढ़ गये,फाइनेंस मिनिस्टर ने टैक्स बढ़ा दिये। उन्होंने कहा कि -

“If I am given a choice, I would like to treat only poor patients, but unfortunately, economic reality does not allow me to do that.”              मैं वर्षों से देख और सुन रहा हूं कि गरीबों का उत्थान होना चाहिए, गरीबी हटाओ का नारा हो जाना चाहिए, मनरेगा आ गया, फूड सिक्योरिटी बिल आ गया और पॉलिसी पैरालाइसिस कैसे हुई, वह मैं आपको बताऊं कि पिछड़े राज्यों के लिए एक रघुराम राजन कमेटी बनी थी। जिस दिन कमेटी बनी उस दिन रघुराम राजन साहब आपकी सरकार के इकोनोमिक एडवाइजर थे, संयोग से आज आरबीआई के गवर्नर हैं। उन्होंने मुझे बुलाया, क्योंकि मैं झारखंड के लिए बड़ा चिंतित था। उन्होंने मुझे एक पत्र दिखाया और उन्होंने पत्र आपके प्रधान मंत्री जी को दिया था और पत्र कहता था कि मनरेगा, फूड सिक्योरिटी बिल, लैंड एक्वीजिशन बिल यदि आप इनके बारे में कुछ नहीं सोचेंगे तो इस देश का कबाड़ा हो जाएगा। तो इस देश का कबाड़ा हो जाएगा। इकोनोमिक एडवाइज़र होने के नाते उन्होंने उस वक्त के तत्कालीन प्रधानमंत्री और मैं बड़े फLा़ के साथ इस बात को हाउस में कोट कर रहा हूं और आपने जो स्थिति पैदा की है कि सारे सांसद मनरेगा के लिए कह रहे हैं कि पचास या साठ परसेंट करप्शन है। लैंड इक्विजिशन बिल ऐसा है जिसके कारण कोई इंडस्ट्री नहीं आ सकती है। गडकरी साहब ने कल उत्तर देते समय कहा कि यदि उसमें चेंज नहीं करेंगे तो बड़ा तमाशा हो जाएगा। फूड सिक्योरिटी बिल में जो ट्रिपिंग होगी,हमें बहुत अच्छा लगता है कि गरीबों को अनाज देना है और गरीबों का अनाज जब मार्केट में जाएगा और जो अनाज पैदा करते हैं उन्हें अनाज नहीं मिलेगा,ये सारी बातें रघुराम राजन ने आपके यहां कहीं लेकिन आपके प्रधानमंत्री के ऊपर,आपकी कैबिनेट के ऊपर कोई जूं नहीं रेंगी। गरीबों का भला होना है,गरीबों का भला होना है लेकिन गरीबों का कितना बुरा हो रहा है,यह सभी को पता है।

          अब आपको जीएसटी के बारे में बताता हूं। जीएसटी पर कहा गया कि सुशील मोदी की कमेटी थी। उसके पहले असीम दास गुप्ता जी की कमेटी थी। मैं क्लीयर कर दूं कि जीएसटी पर असीम दास गुप्ता साहब की कमेटी थी,लेकिन वे चुनाव हार गए और जब बंगाल में तृणमूल कांग्रेस ने चार्ज ले लिया तो सुशील कुमार मोदी चूंकि फाइनेंस मिनिस्टर थे,उन्हें दे दिया गया। जीएसटी में क्या समस्या है?माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने उसकी मीटिंग बुला रखी है और प्रयास कर रहे हैं। इस बजट में उन्होंने कहा है कि वे जीएसटी लाने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध हैं। जीएसटी की जो मुख्य समस्या है,एक तो राज्य का केंद्र के ऊपर विश्वास ही नहीं है। जब वित्त मंत्री जी भाषण दे रहे थे,उन्होंने कहा कि सीएसटी कम्पनसेशन,जो आपने राज्य के साथ तय किया उसका पैसा आप देने को तैयार नहीं हैं। जब उसका पैसा देने के लिए तैयार नहीं हैं तो राज्य आपकी बात मानने को कैसे तैयार होगा। केंद्र में कोई भी सरकार हो,केंद्र में प्रधानमंत्री के कहने पर,केंद्र में वित्त मंत्री के कहने पर,केंद्र में किसी मंत्री के कहने का कोई मतलब होता है और आप उस मतलब से बाहर जा रहे हैं। आपने दबाव बनाया कि यदि आप जीएसटी नहीं मानोगे,लागू नहीं करोगे तो हम सीएसटी कम्पनसेशन बंद कर देंगे। इस कारण पचास हजार से लेकर एक लाख करोड़ तक कर्ज आपकी सरकार पर आ रहा है। इसके ऊपर राज्य और केंद्र के बीच जो संबंध है वह इतना खराब हो गया है कि कोई भी अब केंद्र की बात मानने को तैयार नहीं है। इसमें किसी गलती है,किसकी सरकार थी?    

          अब मैं वैट की बात कहने जा रहा हूं। "हुजूर बहुत देर कर दी,आपने आते आते। "वैट इस सरकार ने लागू किया। राज्य को वैट में अगर नुकसान होगा तो कहीं न कहीं उसे कम्पनशेट करेंगे। दूसरा मुद्दा यही है। इन दो मुद्दों के अलावा कोई तीसरा मुद्दा नहीं है। एल.के. झा कमेटी की रिपोर्ट थी। वर्ष 1976-77 में वैट लागू होने वाला था। उन्होंने 1977 में कहा कि इस देश में वैट लगना चाहिए लेकिन वर्ष 2001 में वैट लागू किया गया। यही हालत आप जीएसटी की करने जा रहे हैं। जीएसटी में जो सवाल है,मैं माननीय मंत्री जी के माध्यम से कहना चाहता हूं कि जीएसटी में सभी लोगों को लगता है कि एक-दो परसेंट जीडीपी ग्रोथ हो जाएगा। लेकिन आप बताएं कि पेट्रोलियम प्रोडक्ट इससे बाहर है,आप बताएं कि तम्बाकू इससे बाहर है,आप बताएं कि एल्कोहल इससे बाहर है। इसके बाद जो राज्य के टैक्स हैं,एनटरटेंमेंट इससे बाहर है,स्टाम्प डय़ूटी इससे बाहर है,प्रोपर्टी टैक्स इससे बाहर है। यदि ये 65 परसेंट टैक्स इससे बाहर हैं तो 35 परसेंट टैक्स लगाकर या उस तरह से करके आपको लगता है कि दो परसेंट जीडीपी बढ़ जाएगा। मैं पेट्रोलियम प्रोडक्ट की बात कह रहा हूं कि यदि मान लीजिए कि नोएडा में पेट्रोल सस्ता है तो लोग नोएडा से क्यों नहीं खरीदेंगे। जिस तरह से यहां शराब का हाल है। यदि दिल्ली में शराब महंगी है और हरियाणा में सस्ती है,तो शराब पीने वाले लोग वे हरियाणा से शराब खरीद कर लाते हैं। जब एल्कोहल बाहर कर दिया,तम्बाकू उससे बाहर कर दिया,सिगरेट इससे बाहर कर दी,प्रोपर्टी टैक्स,स्टाम्प डय़ूटी,एनटरटेंमेंट इससे बाहर हैं तो किस तरह की जीएसटी हम लागू करेंगे और किस तरह से दो परसेंट जीडीपी ग्रोथ होगा,इस बारे में अभी भी सरकार को विश्लेषण करने का सवाल है। इसके अलावा वित्त मंत्री जी ने रेट्रोस्पेक्टिव टैक्स के बारे में कहा है और जिसके बारे में मोइली साहब ने कहा। मैं मानता हूं कि यह जो शब्द है,जिस किसी ने भी लिखा,मुझे लगता है कि वित्त मंत्री जी की नज़र से वह बाहर चला गया कि हमारा सॉवराइन राइट टैक्स और रैट्रोस्पैक्टिव के ऊपर है,यह लिखने की आवश्यकता नहीं थी। सभी को पता है कि यह भारत सरकार है क्योंकि टैक्स एक ऐसी चीज है जो पार्लियामेंट की सम्पत्ति है। हम मैम्बर्स ऑफ पार्लियामेंट जो यहां टैक्स पास करते हैं,वही टैक्स लागू होता है। जनता से पूछकर यह टैक्स लागू होता है और कोई एग्जीक्यूटिव पॉवर नहीं है। मंत्री जी को भी एग्जीक्यूटिव पॉवर नहीं है कि वह एग्जीक्यूटिव पॉवर से इस टैक्स को लागू करें। यही कारण है कि हम सारे इलैक्टेड रिप्रेजेंटेटिव्स जब यहां आते हैं और आपने क्या किया,सुप्रीम कोर्ट के आदेश के बावजूद भी वोडाफोन का एक बड़ा फैमस केस है,उसके ऊपर आपने केस लाद दिया। आपने लदवाने का काम किया।

          वित्त मंत्री जी,आपकी जानकारी के लिए मैं आपको बताना चाहता हूं कि आपके यहां जो टैक्स रिसर्च यूनिट औऱ टैक्स पॉलिसी एंड लाइसेंसिंग यूनिट है,टीपीएल और टीआरयू है,उसमें 10-10-15-15 साल से वहीं अफसर काम करते हैं और जब वे वहीं पर काम करते हैं तो उनकी मानसिकता यह होती है कि वे किस तरह से लोगों को परेशान करें। आपने खुद कहा कि चार लाख केसेज इस तरह के हैं,चार लाख केसेज उस तरह के हैं। उसका कारण यह है कि उनकी मानसिकता इस तरह की है। अधिकारियों को जब तक नहीं बदलिएगा,टैक्स रिसर्च यूनिट और टीपीएल में यदि आप मेजर चेंजेज नहीं करेंगे तो हमारी सरकार का जो कमिटमेंट है,प्रधान मंत्री का कमिटमेंट है कि हम किसी कीमत पर रैट्रोस्पैक्टिव टैक्स नहीं होने देंगे,क्योंकि मैं आपको बताऊं कि म्यूचुअल फंड के लिए बड़ी खबरें आ रही हैं और आपने जिस तरह से म्यूचुअल फंड के लिए लाँग टर्म इंवेस्टमेंट को 12 महीने से 36 महीने कर दिया है,कैपिटल गेन्स को दस प्रतिशत से बीस प्रतिशत कर दिया है,इसको भी मैं रैट्रोस्पैक्टिव टैक्स के दायरे में ही लाता हूं। मुझे लगता है कि इस तरह के रैट्रोस्पैक्टिव टैक्स से क्योंकि इससे एक तो म्यूचुअल फंड इंडस्ट्री चली जाएगी,दूसरे जिन लोगों ने पैसा लगाया,उनको यह नहीं पता था कि आप अचानक कानून चेंज कर देंगे जिसके लिए उस दिन माननीय ज्योतिरादित्य सिंधिया साहब भी बोल रहे थे और मैं उनकी बात का समर्थन करता हूं कि यह जो म्यूचुअल फंड में दस प्रतिशत से बीस प्रतिशत लगाया हुआ है,जो कैपिटल गेन्स टैक्स आपने किया है और लाँग टर्म इंवेस्टमेंट के नाम पर 12 महीने से 36 महीने आपने किया है,यह भी रैट्रोस्पैक्टिव टैक्स का दायरा है। इसके बारे में आपको अपने मंत्रालय से पूछकर कुछ अमेंडमेंट करना चाहिए।

          इसके अलावा आपने जो बहुत अच्छा काम किया है,वह आपने एडवांस रूलिंग में काम किया है। एडवांस रूलिंग क्या है?एडवांस रूलिंग में यह होता है कि इससे एडवांस प्लानिंग हो जाती है। इससे डिटरमिनेशन ऑफ टैक्स लॉयबिलिटी हो जाती है,प्लानिंग हो जाती है,टैक्स लॉयबिलिटी हो जाती है कि किसको कितना पैसा खर्चा करना है और इससे जो लिटिगेशन है,यह जो चार लाख लिटिगेशन की बात आपने कही,यह लिटिगेशन खत्म हो जाता है और इसमें कोई कॉस्ट खर्च नहीं होती है। अभी तक ये सारी चीजें आप पब्लिक सैक्टर अंडरटेकिंग को और एनआरआई को दिये हुए थे। अब आपने कहा कि नहीं हिन्दुस्तान में भी रहने वाले को देंगे। आपने जो समानता का अधिकारी दिलाया है कि जो एनआरआई और पीएसयू को सुविधा मिल रही है,वही हिन्दुस्तान में रहने वाले को भी मिले। यह एक बहुत बड़ा कदम है और इससे जो इंवेस्टमेंट आएगा, इससे जो चीजें आएंगी,इसके लिए आपको पता है कि अभी विश्व बैंक के चेयरमैन से कल ही आपकी मुलाकात हुई और आज जो अखबारों में आया है कि हमारी ग्रोथ 6 प्रतिशत हो जाएगी और गुजरात मॉडल,आप सभी हंसते हैं कि गुजरात मॉडल की बात होती है,लेकिन मैं बताना चाहूगा कि गुजरात मॉडल की बात विश्व बैंक के चेयरमैन ने कही है। आज के अखबार में छपी है। आप उनको जाकर पूछिए। वह कह रहे हैं कि गुजरात मॉडल यदि लागू हो गया और सरकार के यदि इसी तरह के कदम विकसित हो गये तो निश्चित तौर पर यह देश 6 प्रतिशत आगे बढ़ जाएगा।

          इसके बाद आपने एडमिनिस्ट्रेटिव मेजर के लिए एक हाइ लैवल कमेटी बनाई है-इंटरेक्ट विद इंडस्ट्री और ट्रेड ऑन रेगुलर बेसिस। क्या होता है कि वित्त मंत्री जी टार्गेट फिक्स कर देते हैं,जैसे आपने फिक्स कर दिया कि डायरेक्ट टैक्स हमको इतना लेना है और इंडाइरेक्ट टैक्स इतना लेना है तथा सीबीडीटी के जो चेयरमैन और मैम्बर्स होते हैं,वे सभी कमिश्नर को कहीं न कहीं बताते हैं कि तुमको इतना टैक्स देना है,आपको इतना टैक्स देना है। मैं उसका उदाहरण दूं कि अभी एक सीबीएसई के रिटायर्ड चेयरमैन हैं,वो एक जमाने में मुम्बई में पोस्टेड थे। उन्होंने कहा कि मेरे ज़ोन में टैक्स अचानक कम आना शुरु हो गया और हमारे अफसरों ने मुझसे कहा कि या तो तुमको पनिश कर देंगे या तो ससपेंड कर देंगे या जेल भेज देंगे या तुम्हारा प्रमोशन रोक देंगे। सीबीएसई के चेयरमैन थे और उन्होंने कहानी बताई कि इसके पीछे रीजन यह था कि जो फिएट इंडस्ट्री में स्ट्राइक हो गई और फिएट इंडस्ट्री में जब स्ट्राइक हो गई तो दस करोड़ रुपया जो फिएट इंडस्ट्री टैक्स दिया करती थी,वह पैसा कलैक्ट नहीं हो पा रहा था। आप उन कारणों तक नहीं जाते हैं,आप केवल टार्गेट फिक्स कर देते हैं और इसके कारण अधिकारी ऐसे होतें हैं कि वे आम आदमी को परेशान करते हैं। जनवरी,फरवरी और मार्च में जब लौटाने की बात आती है,चाहे हमने एडवांस टैक्स दे दिया है,उसे रिटर्न करने की बात होती है,चाहे डय़ूटी ड्रा बैक में लौटाने की बात होती है,चाहे सीबीईसी की बात हो,चाहे सीबीडीटी की बात हो,एक तो हरासमैन्ट करके,लैग पुलिंग करके लोगों से टैक्स वसूलते हैं और जब उन्हें वापस देने की बात आती है तो वह वापस नहीं होता है। इसके कारण इंडस्ट्री के साथ या ट्रेड के साथ इस तरह का माहौल होता है,वह माहौल नहीं बन पाता है। इसलिए आपने एक बड़ा साहसिक कदम उठाया है कि आपने एक हाई लैवल कमेटी इसके लिए बनाई है और आप इसके लिए धन्यवाद के पात्र हैं।      

          इसके अलावा कैपिटल मार्केट के लिए तीन-चार चीजें आपने बहुत बढ़िया की हैं। सनसैट क्लाज आपने विदहोल्डिंग टैक्स का 2017 तक बढ़ाया है। लेकिन माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी,इसमें जो इंकम टैक्स और एडवांस रूलिंग की बात है,इसका क्लाज 2015 में खत्म होने वाला है। यदि यह सनसैट क्लाज 5 परसैंट विदहोल्डिंग टैक्स कंटीन्यू किया,यदि उसमें भी आप अमैंडमैन्ट कर देते तो मुझे नहीं लगता कि अगले बजट में आपको यह करने की आवश्यकता थी तथा जो एडीआर और जीडीआर को आपने लिबरेलाइज किया है,यह एक बहुत अच्छा कदम है,क्योंकि पिछली सरकार ने सारी चीजें एक्सटर्नल कमर्शियल बोरोइंग के आधार पर दे दी थीं कि ईसीबी आयेगा,ईसीबी जायेगा,लेकिन ईसीबी के माध्यम से बाँड मार्केट में अपने पास पैसा नहीं आ पा रहा था। हम अपने आपको कांफिडेंस के लैवल पर कांफिडेंट नहीं पा रहे थे और आपने एडीआर और डीजीआर को लिबरेलाइज किया है,इसमें इनफ्यूज होगा,यहां के इंडस्ट्री और ट्रेड को पैसा मिलेगा,बाँड मार्केट में पैसा मिलेगा और एक बहुत बड़ा कदम है और इसमें ईसीबी,एडीआर,जीडीआर मिलकर इस देश के इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर के लिए जितना पैसा चाहिए या इंडस्ट्रीज को जितना पैसा चाहिए,वह आ जायेगा।

          इसके अलावा आपने एक बहुत अच्छा कदम उठाया कि clarify tracking treatment of income of foreign fund whose fund managers are located in India. पिछली सरकार ने क्या किया था कि जो बाहर टैक्स फंड हैं,उसमें मैंनेजर्स हैं,उसमें डीटीईए की संधि है,चीजें हैं,ये है,वे हैं,उनके आधार पर आप उसे मदद कर रहे थे और इस कारण इंडिया के जो फंड मैनेजर्स थे,वे कोई भी कैपिटल मार्केट में जाने को तैयार नहीं थे और उन सभी में कोई अपना ऑफिस सिंगापुर में खोले हुआ था,कोई अमरीका में खोले हुआ था,कोई मलेशिया में खोले हुआ था। अब आपने क्या किया है कि जो इंडिया के फंड मैनेजर्स हैं और जो बाहर फंड मैनेजर्स बैठे हुए हैं,दोनों को टैक्सेशन बराबर माना जायेगा,यह एक बड़ा कदम है और अब सारे पोर्टफोलियो और सारी चीजें ट्रांसपेरेन्सी के साथ यहां आ जायेंगी और आज ही न्यूज है कि बीस बिलियन डालर स्टाक एक्सचेंज में इनवैस्ट होने वाला है। यह आज का असैसमैन्ट है,आज की अखबार यह बोल रही है। इसके लिए इस सरकार को लाख-लाख बधाई और वास्तव में सरकार लाख-लाख बधाई की पात्र है। इसके बाद मुझे यह लगता है कि कैसे उन्होंने नहीं देखा।

          एक सबसे बड़ा सवाल यह है कि एमएसएमई सैक्टर को पढ़ना है। तीन-चार सैक्टर ऐसे हैं जो कि इस देश में इम्पलायमैन्ट जनरेट करते हैं और करंट अकाउंट डेफिसिट को कम करने के लिए एक टूरिज्म इंडस्ट्री है,जिससे आपको पैसा आता है,दूसरा इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर है,जिसमें मैंने कहा कि बहुत ज्यादा संसाधन लगते हैं,बहुत ज्यादा लोग लगते हैं और एक एमएसएमई सैक्टर है,जहां कि 40 परसैन्ट हम एक्सपोर्ट करते हैं और उसमें लाखों-लाख लोग लगे हुए हैं। अभी तक जो उसके आयात का थ्रैशहोल्ड था,वह 100 करोड़ था,आपने 25 करोड़ रुपया किया। यह बहुत बड़ी राहत है और एमएसएमई सैक्टर को इतनी बड़ी राहत मिसे औक इस देश में एमएसएमई सैक्टर कैसे बढ़े,इसके लिए इस सरकार ने एक बहुत बोल्ड डिसीजन लिया है,बड़ा काम किया है और गरीबों का और जो गरीब हमारे जैसे लोग जो गांवों से आते हैं,उन्हें लगता है कि हमें इंडस्ट्री बैठानी चाहिए,उनके लिए एक बहुत बड़ा थ्रैशहोल्ड आपने कम किया है,इसके लिए भी निश्चित तौर पर आप बधाई के पात्र हैं।

          इसके अलावा पावर सैक्टर में एक बहुत बड़ा कंसैशन है,सनसैट क्लाज पावर सैक्टर में बना गया है। यहां माननीय ज्योतिरादित्य सिंधिया जी बैठे हुए हैं। 2008 से लेकर 2014 तक छः साल में इस देश में एक भी यूएमपीपी नहीं आ पाया और उसके नहीं आने के पीछे कारण क्या था,क्योंकि इनवैस्टर आपके साथ जुड़ने को तैयार ही नहीं थे। बैंक में एनपीए हो रहा है। 24 हजार करोड़ का जो गैस बेस्ड पावर प्रोजैक्ट बनकर तैयार है,उसे चलाने के लिए गैस नहीं है। आज हमारे मित्र,श्री अनुराग ठाकुर एक प्रश्न में इन बातों का जिक्र कर रहे थे कि जो 25 हजार मेगावाट थर्मल पावर प्लान्ट हैं,वे बने हुए हैं और वे बनकर तैयार हैं। उनको हम कोयला नहीं दे पा रहे हैं। इस सिचुएशन में बिडर को फैसिलिटेशन करने के लिए,उनको आगे बढ़ाने के लिए इस सनसैट क्लॉज़ की आवश्यकता थी,क्योंकि यदि दीन दयाल ग्राम ज्योति योजना में हमको 24*7 लोगों को देना है ...(व्यवधान)

HON. CHAIRPERSON : Mr. Nishikant Dubey, you have already taken 25 minutes. Even though 2 hours and 4 minutes have been allotted to the BJP, your party has got the largest number of speakers. You have to adjust in such a manner that your colleagues are also able to speak. That is my request. So, how much more time will you take?

श्री निशिकान्त दुबे :  सभापति जी, बस 5-7 मिनट में खत्म कर दूंगा।

HON. CHAIRPERSON : I leave it to you. But you should think about your colleagues who also have to speak.

श्री निशिकान्त दुबे  : सभापति महोदय, आप लोगों की दिक्कत यह है कि आप बोलते हुए रोक देते हैं, फिर फ्लो खत्म हो जाता है।

          इसके बाद जो सबसे बड़ा डिसिज़न है, वह एडवांस प्राइसिंग एग्रीमेंट है। यह ट्रांस्फर प्राइसिंग है। वर्ल्ड वार-1 और वर्ल्ड वार-2 के बाद पूरी दुनिया ने यह माना कि जब हम दुनिया में लड़ने के लिए जाते हैं तो हम दुनिया में व्यापार करने के लिए भी जाएंगे। केवल बेचने के लिए ही नहीं जाएंगे, वहां उद्योग भी स्थापित करेंगे। इसके बाद उसमें से किसको कितना पैसा मिलेगा, जो बाहर की कंपनी अपने को पैसा देने आएगी, वह जो इनवेस्ट करेगी, वह कितना प्रॉफिट ले जा सकती है। यह ट्रास्फर प्राइसिंग है। क्या है कि बजट की एक बात ऐसी होती है कि ज्यादातर सदस्य, मान लीजिए कि हमारे जैसे इलाके से जो आते हैं और उनको बजट की मोटी-मोटी किताबें देख कर लगता है कि यह समझने वाली बात नहीं है क्योंकि शब्द भी ऐसे दिए होते हैं कि एडवांस प्राइसिंग एग्रीमेंट, ट्रांस्फर प्राइसिंग, एआरए रूल, गार, इस तरह की मोटी-मोटी बातें, लोगों को समझ में नहीं आती हैं। ट्रांस्फर प्राइसिंग एक सीधा-सीधा सवाल है। इसके लिए यूएन रिपोर्ट सन् 1988 और सन् 1999 में आई और पहली बार इस ट्रांस्फर प्राइसिंग को माननीय अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी की सरकार ने  किया। आपने जो एक बहुत बड़ा चेंज किया है, इस लिटिगेशन को खत्म करने के लिए, और उस तरह के मौके देने के लिए, जिस तरह से आप एफडीआई लाते हैं। आप किसी सैक्टर में एफडीआई लाते हैं। एफडीआई जो अपने देश में आ नहीं पाता है या उसके कारण जो समस्या होती है, उसका कारण यह है कि हमारे रूल में क्लैरिटी नहीं है। जैसे आप वोडाफोन वाला केस ही देख लीजिए। जब वोडाफोन हच खरीद रहा था, तो उसको यह थोड़ी पता था कि आप रैट्रोस्पेक्टिव अमेंडमेंट कर देंगे। उसको यह थोड़ी पता था कि लैजिस्लेशन जो है, हिंदुस्तान एक ऐसी चीज़ है, जो कुछ भी हो जाएगा। उसी तरह से टू-जी में देखिए कि आपने लोगों को गलत ढंग से टू-जी का स्पैक्ट्रम दे दिया। यह बाहर के इतिस्लात वाले जो थे, उनको यह थोड़ी पता था कि आप गलत काम कर रहे हैं या इसी तरह से एविएशन सैक्टर में आ रहे हैं। यह जो ट्रांस्फर प्राइसिंग का जो एडवांस प्राइसिंग एग्रीमेंट में आपने चेंज करने का सवाल किया है और जो बातें मानी हैं, मुझे लगता है कि सुप्रीम कोर्ट भी इसके बारे में समय-समय पर जजमेंट दे चुका है और एक ऐसा कदम है, जिसके कारण इस देश में एफडीआई की बाढ़ आ जाएगी। एफडीआई की ऐसी बाढ़ आ जाएगी कि जो वित्तमंत्री जी ने कहा है कि 10 पर्सेंट, जब सन् 2019 में चुनाव लड़ने के लिए जाएंगे, तब 10 नहीं हमारा जीडीपी ग्रोथ 12 पर्सेंट होगा। इस एक डिसिज़न से ऐसा हो जाएगा, वित्त मंत्री जी मैं आपको यह विश्वास दिलाना चाहता हूँ और इसके लिए आप और आपकी सरकार और प्रधानमंत्री सभी धन्यवाद के पात्र हैं। इसके बाद आपने सैटलमेंट कमीशन की बात कही है, सभी में डायरेक्ट टैक्स में, इंडायरेक्ट टैक्स में और दोनों में आपने सैटलमेंट कमीशन को मज़बूत करने की बात कही है। मैंने मन में सोचा कि सैटलमेंट कमीशन तो इस देश में है ही। ऐसा क्या कारण हो गया कि सैटलमेंट कमीशन को मज़बूत बनाना है। यह बड़ी अच्छी कहानी मुझे वहां के अफसरों ने बतायी कि तंबिदुरै साहब जहां से आते हैं, उनकी जो मुख्यमंत्री हैं, उनके पक्ष में एक जजमेंट हो गया। उस वक्त के जो तत्कालीन वित्त मंत्री थे, उनको बहुत बुरा लगा कि यह जजमेंट सैटलमेंट कमीशन कैसे कर सकता है। मतलब एग्जिक्युटिव पॉवर से फाइनैंस मिनिस्टर को अधिकार है। इस अधिकार का यूज़ सैटलमेंट कमीशन कैसे कर सकता है। जय ललिता जी को कैसे इसके लिए फायदा पहुंचा सकता है। तब उन्होंने सैटलमेंट कमीशन की पॉवर को कर्टेल कर दिया। जिसके कारण लिटिगेशन बहुत बढ़ गया। इसके बाद महामहिम राष्ट्रपति महोदय, जब वित्त मंत्री बने, उन्होंने सैटलमेंट कमीशन को मज़बूत करने के लिए कुछ किया। लेकिन सबसे ज्यादा बधाई के पात्र ये हैं कि उस चीज़ को हमारे वित्त मंत्री जी ने पकड़ा और अब जो यह सैटलमेंट कमीशन मजबूत बनाने का फैसला आपने किया है, यह सोच कर कि इससे कोई राजनीतिक लाभ नहीं है। हमको यह देश चलाना है। इस देश को चलाने का एक ही रास्ता है कि कानून जो कहता है, पार्लियामेंट जो कहता है, यह देश जो कहता है, उसी से यह देश आगे बढ़ेगा। इसके लिए निश्चित तौर पर हमारी सरकार और आप बधाई के पात्र हैं। ब्लैक मनी की बहुत बात चल रही थी। एक तो ब्लैक मनी के लिए एसआईटी बन गयी है। आप सभी को पता है कि तीन साल से ब्लैक मनी पर एसआईटी रूकी हुयी थी। लेकिन जो समस्या है,मैं अपने व्यक्तिगत आधार पर कह रहा हूं कि हमारी पार्टी ब्लैक मनी वापस लाना चाहती है,हमारे सारे मेंबर्स ऑफ पार्लियामेंट ने यह लिखकर दिया है कि हम लोगों में से किसी की संपत्ति विदेश में नहीं है। ब्लैक मनी वापस आनी चाहिए। माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी,आपके स्विटरजरलैंड सरकार से रेट्रोस्पेक्टिव नहीं प्रोस्पेक्टिव एग्रीमेंट हैं,स्विटजरलैंड के बैंक में आप किसी भी बिजनेसमैन से पूछेंगे क्योंकि आप एक बड़े वकील हैं और आपके सभी लोगों से संबंध हैं। हम जिंदगी में कभी भी स्विटजरलैंड से ब्लैक मनी नहीं ला सकते हैं। वह इसलिए नहीं ला सकते हैं कि सभी लोगों ने ट्रस्ट बना रखा है। जो स्विटजरलैंड के लोकल नागरिक हैं,वे उसके इंप्लाई के तौर पर उस ट्रस्ट को होल्ड करते हैं। आप वहां से जो पैसा और नाम मांगेंगे,आप इंडियन का नाम मांगेंगे,उस ट्रस्ट के ट्रस्टी कौन-कौन हैं,इसका नाम मांगने का तो कोई सवाल ही नहीं होता है और जब नहीं मांगेंगे तो स्विटजरलैंड से वह ब्लैक मनी इंडिया कैसे वापस आएगा?इसके लिए वित्त मंत्री जी ने एक बहुत अच्छा प्रोवीजन 56 (2) डायरेक्ट टैक्स में किया है,पहले होता यह था कि यदि हमें पैसा चाहिए होता था तो हम किसी के साथ एग्रीमेंट कर लेते थे और उसके बाद कहते थे कि एग्रीमेंट कैंसिल हो गया है और वह पैसा वापस नहीं देना है। उसके ऊपर आपने 56(2) में जो अमेंडमेंट करने का फैसला किया है कि यदि आपने किसी को एडवांस में पैसा दिया और आपका एग्रीमेंट पूरा नहीं हुआ तो सारे पैसे पर टैक्स लगेगा। इंडियन ब्लैक मनी को रोकने के लिए यह आपका बहुत बड़ा कदम है।

          आपके सामने बहुत चुनौतियां हैं। डीटीसी आप कैसे इंप्लीमेंट करेंगे,क्योंकि डीटीसी के सारे प्रोवीजंस तो मोर ऑर लेस इंप्लीमेंट हो ही गये हैं। डीटीसी जल्दी इंप्लीमेंट हो जाए। जीएसटी के लिए आपकी कमिटमेंट है,वह जल्दी पूरी हो जाए। हानि-लाभ,जीवन-मरण,यश-अपयश विधि हाथ,हमारा काम है करना। मदर टेरेसा की एक बड़ी अच्छी लाइन है-“We know only too well that what we are doing is nothing more than a drop in the ocean. But if the drop were not there, the ocean would be missing something.”           मैं पल दो पल का शायर हूं। हमारे पहले बहुत सांसद आए,वे बोलकर चले गए। कुछ करने का वक्त मिला है,कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मां फलेषु कदाचन,चरैवति-चरैवति आप आगे बढ़ें,यह सरकार आगे बढ़े,प्रधानमंत्री जी आगे बढ़ें,आप यशस्वी हों।

 

DR. M. THAMBIDURAI (KARUR): Mr. Chairman, Sir, we have already dealt with the major issues during the course of discussion on General Budget last week.  The Finance Bill is giving effect to all the major proposals contained in the Budget document.  While I support this Bill, I will just gloss over some of the issues that we face now in our country.

          Our Finance Minister, Shri Arun Jaitley gave a statement which is laid on the Table of the House.  We have to consider all these things very seriously.  There is moderation in economic growth from the level of 9 per cent in 2010-11 to 4.5 per cent in 2012-13. There is a reduction in economic growth in our country.  Also, consecutively, it is maintained only at 5 per cent.  Our economic condition is like that.  There is reduction in growth.  But, due to the efforts made by our Finance Minister, we are seeing some light for revival of the economy of our country.  At the same time, we have to be very cautious about our economic situation now. 

The economy is showing signs of revival but the prospects of recovery are threatened by this year’s monsoon which is now almost certain to be deficient.  In addition, the Iraq crisis has caused crude oil prices to shoot up.  Therefore, there are two issues, that is, monsoon failure and also crude oil price increase which is affecting our economy.  In spite of that, our Minister has allocated a lot of funds for infrastructure facilities. That is an appreciable thing. I appreciate that he has allocated a lot of money for construction of roads and other sectors. The Government is fully dependent on PPP model and also FDI.  To encourage PPP, he has allocated Rs. 500 crores to set up an institution.  He has allocated this money for the implantation of PPP programmes.  Already we are facing certain problems in PPP programmes.  This Government has to find out ways to overcome these problems. 

          My next point is regarding FDI.  The FDI is also increased from 26 per cent to 49 per cent in Defence and other sectors.  I have already cautioned the Finance Minister in my speech during Budget discussion about the investment in manufacturing industries.  People who come for investment in our industries must not be allowed to sell their products in our retail market.  I do not know whether the UPA accepts it or not because they had introduced FDI in retail market.  Most of the parties are against FDI in retail sector. If we allow the investors, who want to invest in our industries, to sell their products in the retail sector, it will badly affect our economy.

          The next point is regarding the Indian economy.  We all know that India lives in her villages. India will develop only when our States will develop.  Therefore, we have to encourage States by giving them incentives and facilities to start industries and also to see that growth will take place. That is what we are expecting.  It is a federal set-up.  Our Finance Minister has also said in his Budget Speech that he is going to retain and protect the interest of States and our federal system.

          I want to express certain things about my State of Tamil Nadu.  I would like to tell you as to what the State Government of Tamil Nadu is doing and what problems they are facing.  At the same time, we are expecting assistance from the Central Government to overcome these difficulties.  Just now, an hon. Member from BJP said that Gujarat State is number one State as far as development is concerned.  I want to place certain facts in this regard.  Gujarat State may be a model for certain things but not for everything.  For example, if you take industrial development, Tamil Nadu is a model State.  I would like to quote here:

“According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, incremental investments attracted by Tamil nadu between June 2011 and January 2014 (amount to) Rs 1,46,800 crore. Tamil Nadu has achieved 18.2 per cent growth in investments, more than other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka.”             This is the fact.  Tamil Nadu is a developing State because our hon. Chief Minister Tamil Nadu, Amma has taken so many measures in regard.  The Hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Amma, has recently released the ‘Vision Tamil Nadu 2023’ document.  The Chief Minister said she is fully committed to converting the Vision into a reality. Besides 14 per cent growth in the manufacturing sector every year, the Vision Document seeks to achieve an overall investment of Rs.15 lakh crore in all the sectors of the State economy by 2023.    The hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Amma has taken a challenge to attract more investment for the development of industries. 

          Our hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Amma has signed some MoUs with some industries.  The total investment envisaged in the 33 MoUs signed so far by Tamil Nadu Government in its present tenure is Rs. 31,706 crore with an empolyment potential for over 1,62,667 persons.  These are the MoUs recently being signed.  Sir, this has been appreciated by the foreigners.  Recently the World Bank officials came and met our Hon. Chief Minister and appreciated her efforts.  Also the Russian State Duma Committee of Economic Policy, Deputy Chairman visited our State recently.  He said that he was impressed with the way the Tamil Nadu Government is attracting foreign investors, and moreover, with the Chief Minister’s vision of making the State number one in the country, she is drawing businessmen from Russia.   This is the way our Tamil Nadu Govt. is making all efforts to see that more investment is attracted towards our State.  As I said, only when the States develop, can India develop because of our federal structure. 

At the same time, I would like to emphasize certain facts.  When we are implementing certain Schemes, we are facing certain problems also.  To overcome these problems, we are expecting the Central Government to come forward and help the State in the execution of its projects. 

The hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu already met the hon. Prime Minister and submitted a Memorandum of 3rd June this year.  In that Memorandum, she has raised many issues, and requested the Central Government to come forward and help the State in overcoming the difficulties faced by the State. 

With regard to the 13th Finance Commission, it has recommended a General Performance Grant of Rs. 1888 crore to local bodies in Tamil Nadu for the period from 2011-12 to 2014-15.  You see what we have received.  We received only Rs.125 crore up to 2013-14.  You have allotted Rs.1,00,888 crore but we could not get our fall share.  We are requesting the Central Government to release the arrears of that grant, and only then developments can take place in our State.

In the case of Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, Tamil Nadu has completed all the five flood protection works but the Government of India released only Rs.59.82 crore, and the balance amount is Rs.388.08 crore, which yet to be covered As regards the Command Area Development and Water Management Programme, the Government of India has released only a sum of Rs.5.9 crore and the balance amount is Rs.71.56 crore to be released.

Now, I come to grants for school education.  We are implementing Sarva Siksha Abhiyan Scheme.  When the Tamil Nadu govt. is spending for the implementation of this Scheme the Tamil Nadu Govt. is expecting the Central Government to release its share but we are not getting it.  We have to get Rs.228 crore but we got only Rs.57 crore. I am requesting the hon. Finance Minister to consider all these things is release the arrears to the Namil Nadu Govt.

In the same way, as per the 13th Finance Commission, Grant for Roads, Bridges, slum improvement, coastal protection, renewable energy are pending to be released to the State Government of Tamil Nadu.  The Central Government has to release Rs.1,600 crore but it has not yet released it.  How will the Government of Tamil Nadu be able to implement the programme?  Already we are making efforts but we would like to get support from the Central Government also.

Now, I come to GST.  Many Members raised the issue of GST.  Actually, when you are implementing GST, you see what the share of our State is.  A number of concerns have already been raised by the Tamil Nadu Govt. in this regard.  The extent of revenue loss under GST, estimated to be around Rs.9,270 crore, due to the lower than revenue neutral rates proposed. We are losing nearly Rs.10,000 crore.  That is why, we are raising this issue.  The Union  Gvot. is bringing GST.  Sir, in the Finance Minister's Budget speech, he has assured that he would take the concerns of the State Governments into account.  Not only Tamil Nadu, but also other State Governments are also facing the same problem.  Therefore, when you are implementing GST, please take care of the revenue loss of the State govt.  Some Members from the Opposition side said that it has to be implemented immediately.  At the same time, you have to look into the problems faced by the State Governments.  … (Interruptions)

SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE (GULBARGA): We are with you. … (Interruptions)

DR. M. THAMBIDURAI: Thank you for that.

          The Finance Bill, 2013 contains an extremely retrograde anti-federal provision.

15.00 hrs Clause 7 of Bill, with amended Section 40 of the Income Tax Act has made any levy by the State Government by way of privilege fee, licence fee, royalty etc, on State Public  Sector Undertakings not deductible for the purpose of coumputation of Income.  All such levies are legitimate and statutory levies, and as such are deductible from the Income of the State Public Sector Undertakings under Section 37 of the Income Tax Act.   This is a very retrograde step.

When, Tamil Nadu, as a State, is promoting the State Public Sector Undertakings and getting them into profit mode, we have to pay the tax for the Central Government!   We have to encourage the Public Sector.  On the profit, which is earned by the State Government, if you want to put a tax, definitely it will be a disincentive for the State Governments to develop the Public Sector Undertakings.

          We know that the Central Government is closing down many Public Sector Undertakings and disinvestment is taking place in public sector undertakings.   When development is taking place , we have to generate income. Like in the olden days, our forefathers earned a lot of property and afterwards, the future generation started selling the property and became poorer and poorer. They are spending. We should not do that.

          Therefore, we cannot encourage disinvestment on the Public Sector Undertakings.   That is why when Neyveli Lignite Corporation wanted to sell their shares, our hon. Chief Minster   came forward and purchased five per cent of those shares on  behalf of Tamil Nadu Government. It is because she protects and promotes the Public Sector Undertakings in Tamil Nadu.  Therefore, when the Public Sector Undertakings of the State Government are profit-making,   please see that this type of tax policy  is changed in Finance Bill of 2013.

          Sir, regarding black money,  we are all very much worried. We have always been raising this issue many times in the Parliament. We have discussed this issue in this House also many times. The NDA, which was on the Opposition Benches earlier, also raised this issue that whatever black money is stashed in Switzerland banks and other countries, has to come back.   It is really a very important issue. Therefore, I am requesting the hon.  Finance Minister to do this, as he has himself mentioned it in the Budget Speech. He has constituted a Committee also, and I appreciate it. But at the same time, he has to see that it is taken up very seriously.  He should try to bring the black money back into the country as early as possible.

          Lakhs of crores of black money is there. If that money is brought back and utilised for implementing schemes, definitely our economy will grow and we need not depend fully on FDI.  

          Sir, regarding petrol and diesel prices, Mr. Moily was once the Petroleum Minister and he knows well that during his term, the price of petrol went on increasing. He could not control it.  We had been raising this issue.  At the same time, our Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu also wrote so many letters to the then Prime Minister and the then Petroleum Minister requesting them not to increase petrol and diesel prices often;  and not to give this power to the private companies.’ As we are giving this power to the private companies, they are increasing the petrol and diesel price as they like; and this way, automatically, the cost of inputs will increase.  Just because the cost of inputs is increasing, our economy is suffering and common man is affected.

          I would, therefore, request you to control the fuel prices.  Do not decontrol it.  It is very important.  By withdrawing it, there will be a loss of   nearly Rs. 20,000 crore. I mentioned it. But   at the same time, you have to look into the problems of the common man also. We are poor people and we have to develop.  For development of the economy, the Government has to come forward and invest more.  That is what we are expecting.

          I have some more requests, which I am making to the hon. Finance Minister.  He has indicated that there would be a provision of Rs. 3,600 crore for water purification in areas with impure water including high fluoride and arsenic levels or salinity.  In this regard, our hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has writern a letter to the hon. Prime Minister.  In her statement also, while appreciating and supporting the Budget, she has requested the hon. Finance Minister and the Government of India to support Tamil Nadu’s initiative in setting up Desalination Plants in coastal areas suffering from acute water stress. 

          The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has already started implementing certain programmes to get good drinking water. There are so many schemes like Amma Salt, Amma Mineral Water, Amma Pharmacy, Amma Canteen, etc. You would have seen many such schemes, which have been initiated by our hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. These are all welfare programmes implemented by the hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Amma. It is because one cannot tax the people more and more.

          The hon. Finance Minister has to help the common man. As I told you yesterday, ‘Amma’ means ‘Mata’.  ‘Mata’ means ‘mother’. She is a protector of all human beings. She is the protector of common man. That is why, if at all we have won 37 seats out of 39 seats, it is because of her welfare programmes for the common man. You take something from Gujarat, we have no objection. But you take Tamil Nadu model also while implementing many of your programmes, whether welfare programmes, industrial programmes or other programmes. We are also requesting you to consider whatever letters our Madam has sent to the hon. Prime Minister and the memorandum she has given to you, and come forward to help us financially for the development of Tamil Nadu. With these words, I support the Finance Bill.

                                                                                                             

PROF. SAUGATA ROY (DUM DUM): Sir, I rise to speak on Finance (No. 2) Bill, 2014. It deals with taxation proposals of the Government, but as per the rules of the House, on a Motion that the Finance Bill be taken into consideration,  a Member may discuss matters relating to general administration, local grievances within the sphere of the responsibility of Government of India, or monetary or financial policy of the Government.

          So, I am first dealing with one or two points outside the ambit of the Finance Bill.  Firstly, I would mention in this House the demand of the West Bengal for a moratorium on the interest payment on the outstanding debt of the State Government.  Like the previous Government, the present Finance Minister has said that only the Finance Commission will be able to decide on that. May     I again make a plea to him to consider the demand of the Government of West Bengal for a moratorium on interest payment?

This morning Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay, our party leader, mentioned the plight of sick tea gardens. Five tea gardens are closed. The Chief Minister has written to the Commerce Minister and it is necessary for the Government of India to intervene and take pro-active steps to open the tea gardens. May I reiterate that demand of the State Government?

May I also point out that jute industry, which is the biggest industry in West Bengal employing two lakh workers and involving four million jute farmers, is in a very bad shape due to the dilution of the mandatory order for jute packaging which was done by the previous Government and which is being continued by the present Government?

15.19 hrs                           (Dr. Ratna De (Nag) in the Chair) I would request the Finance Minister to consider withdrawal of this dilution of mandatory packaging, especially in case of food, fertilizers and sugar, so that the jute industry, which involves us closely, can survive.

          Madam, the other point I want to make is that the Finance Minister has presented the Finance Bill and since he presented the Budget, we have been listening to many of his speeches.  He has said in one speech that he is a worshiper at the deity of growth. We are not against growth, but we believe in growth with social justice. Pursuing growth alone will lead to millions of poor people unfed. I would request the Minister to please change his approach and not go after growth only.

          I want to mention that, as a Party, we are opposed to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in certain critical sectors, which includes defence and insurance. We had opposed in this House, after we left the Government, FDI in the retail sector to save the livelihood of millions of small traders. I would request the Finance Minister to reconsider the Government’s approach on allowing FDI in this very vital sector.

          Having said this, let me come to the taxation proposals of the present Government. Any Government has to levy taxes, so has the present Finance Minister. The expenditure of the Central Government has gone up to nearly Rs. 18 lakh crore. Now, the Minister is trying to raise resources to meet this expenditure. How is he doing it? He is doing it by levying taxes. What are the percentages for it? He will get 13 per cent from Income Taxes; 10 per cent from Excise; 9 per cent from Customs; 21 per cent from Corporation Tax; and 24 per cent of his total expenditure he will be borrowing. I will come later into this. He has not tinkered much with the overall percentage, and he has the same percentage that of Mr. Chidambaram’s Budget.

          What does the Finance Minister do with the Budget? Why are people interested in it? It is because the Finance Minister, apart from the expenditure proposals, can give relief to certain sections of people through budgetary proposals, which he has done. He has given income tax relief to the middle class people from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 2.5 lakh. I always felt that a little more relief would be welcome if he had raised this limit to Rs. 3 lakh. He has also extended the limit for senior citizens like us from the present figure to Rs. 3 lakh. I would request him to increase it to Rs. 3.5 lakh. He has also given some relief for encouraging certain activities. Now, there are two reasons for giving this relief. One is that he is putting about Rs. 5,000 more in the hands of the ordinary tax-payer, and his hope is that some of it will come into savings and raise the savings rate. The other two steps that he had taken and is good relief is that for self-owned houses he has increased the relief on investment from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 1.5 lakh. The ceiling on Public Provident Fund has also been raised. Both these are welcome steps because these are relief and will increase the savings.

          The Finance Minister has also given excise relief to a certain extent to certain industries so that they can do a little better. He has also reduced Customs Tax so that import of certain raw-materials for essential industries becomes cheaper so that those industries get some relief.

This is exactly what the Finance Minister has done with his Budget. Soaps, deodorants, cosmetics will be cheaper. He has obviously given much importance to personal hygiene. Further, packaged juices, tinned fruits and tinned meats have become cheaper. Footwear below Rs. 1,000 -- which is worn by poor people like us -- has also become cheaper, which is also a welcome step. The cathode-ray using TVs have also become cheaper. This is used by poorer people in the rural areas, which is a good thing.   Personal computers, LED and LCD TVs below 19” will become cheaper. This is again a welcome step. It will strengthen the hardware manufacturing capacity in this country.

          While giving these reliefs, the Finance Minister has enhanced his tax net. Naturally, he has to look for sources to earn more revenue. He has to pay for this huge expense; he has to pay for the statue of Sardar Patel, he has to pay for certain spiritual augmentation programmes like Prasad, so all that pressure is on him and therefore he has to enhance his tax rate. He has brought more items into the Service Tax net. One of them is travel by AC buses, and the other is advertisements on mobiles or on the Internet. They will become costlier. That also cannot be taken exception to. He has increased his tax net in the Service Tax matters and these are good steps.

          He has also done one clever thing in respect of foreigners who are investing in share markets in India. They were avoiding paying tax here. Around one-tenth of the foreign investors were claiming that their securities transactions were part of their business that was taxable as business income. They were further claiming exemption from paying this tax under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement entered into between their country and India. These investors will now have to pay Capital Gains Tax on their profits on securities transaction. This is also a welcome step. You have brought them into the tax net.

          The Finance Minister has also said that there would be no reprieve for foreign investors routing their investments through offshore tax havens such as Mauritius or Singapore. They were earlier claiming exemption from Capital Gains Tax under the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement. Now, these people also will have to pay tax on Capital Gains, which again is a welcome step.

          In addition to talking about the small tinkering with taxes that the Finance Minster has done, I also want to mention one important thing for our State. In reply to my question in this House, he replied in detail on Goods and Services Tax. He wants to introduce it by the end of the year. But the concerns of State Governments about revenue loss have to be looked into properly. The reduction in Central Sales tax at the Centre’s direction resulted in a loss of Rs. 4,300 crore to West Bengal’s exchequer, as the promised compensation was not given. So far as GST is concerned, safeguards against any revenue losses that States may suffer should be part of the Constitutional Amendment so that compensation cannot be denied through any Executive fiat. The dialogue about GST should continue until the States’ legitimate concerns are met. This is the other point.

          Now, let me tackle the broad view of the taxation policies of the Government. Having said all that I wanted to about my State, let me comment on the broad world view of the taxation policies of the Government.

          First, what we find is that the Union Government’s total expenditure to GDP ratio has seen a noticeable drop from 15.7 per cent to 13.9 per cent, further shrinking the fiscal policy space available to the Government.

          Second, the Government has no comprehensive roadmap to step up the country’s tax to GDP ratio which is at a low level of 17 per cent. If I may mention that tax to GDP ratio in OECD countries is 33.8 per cent; in Brazil, it is 33.2 per cent; and in India, it is 16.3 per cent.  So, there are no efforts made to raise the tax and GDP.  There are no measures to address the country’s tax structure.   Our country depends on indirect taxes to the extent of almost two-third of the total tax revenue.  Earlier also, I had mentioned that the progressive tax structure will tax the rich more and reduce the taxes on the poor.  Now, the indirect tax is applicable equally to rich and poor.  Direct tax is directly taxing the rich people.  If you look into the figures, there is no country in the world where the tax system is retrograde as it is in our country.  If you see India’s direct tax revenue as proportion to the total tax revenue, it is 37.7 per cent which is far below the G-20 countries.  In the developing countries like South Africa, it is 57.5 per cent, in Indonesia, it is 55.8 per cent.  It is because you are not ready to increase direct taxes on the rich.  Last year, Mr. Chidambaram introduced a surcharge on the income tax of the super rich.  Our hon. Minister has retained that.  We are against the surcharges because the State does not get the share.  You have continued to neglect progressive property tax reforms.  You should have introduced inheritance tax and reforming wealth tax in our State. 

          Madam, the main shocking thing is that this Government has come out with a book called “Estimate of Revenue Forgone”.  The Estimate of Revenue Forgone says that the total revenue forgone due to all kinds of exemptions in the central taxes is projected to be Rs. 5.73 lakh crore.  The big and corporate companies are getting this amount as exemptions.   This is equivalent to 5 per cent of the GDP.   The budget proposals do not have any strong measure towards reducing the amount of tax revenue forgone due to the plethora of exemptions in the Central Tax System.  We are afraid to tax the super-rich, we are afraid to tax the big corporates. That is why, I always say that the philosophy of the present Government seems to be inclined towards the so-called growth and inclined towards the corporates which I do not appreciate.

          Madam, we are talking of reducing black money.  Now, this Budget does not mention any steps to strengthen administrative machinery of various agencies to address black money related issues.  In such agencies, there is a shortage of staff by 30,000.  How will you recover the black-money?  The Central Board of Direct Taxes has estimated that the staff shortage is 30,000.

          Madam, there was a lot of controversy on retrospective tax amendment which was introduced by Shri Pranab Mukherjee.  The corporates were very much against it.  The White Paper on black money was published by the Ministry of Finance in 2012.  It noted that the Vodafone Tax case was an instance of misuse of corporate structure for avoiding the payment of taxes.  Against this background, the retention of the retrospective amendments is a welcome step.  Hon. Finance Minister announced that all cases arising out of retrospective amendments would be further reviewed by a High Level Committee.  Many corporates will not support you on this but I will support you.  Vodafone should not get away by a company abroad.  The money must come to India.  Mr. Nishikant Dube almost sounded like the spokesman of the corporates when he said that hon. Minister has put this by mistake.  No, Mr. Dube, it is the sovereign right of the Government of India to have retrospective taxation and catch the people.     All that I want to say that the focus of the Government should shift from growth to social justice. The focus of the Government should shift from placating the corporates to catching the tax dodgers. We should have more effective means of recovering taxes in the interests of the poor.

                                                                                                         

SHRI BAIJAYANT JAY PANDA (KENDRAPARA): Madam Chairperson, I rise to speak on the Finance Bill. The backdrop to this Bill is that the economy which the present hon. Finance Minister inherited has been in the doldrums. But within the first few weeks, even before these policy issues have been implemented, there has been a turn-around in sentiment, if you see on the stock exchanges, if you see in the attitude of investors, if you see in the mood of the general public. But that turn-around and sentiment is now to be backed up with policy changes. One of the key aspects is taxation proposals about which we are to talk. 

          I compliment the hon. Finance Minister for starting his Budget with a very bold initiative in committing to the inherited fiscal deficit number and, in fact, projecting over three years, a rather sharp decrease. I am going to spend a moment on this because it is crucial for this House, for my colleagues to understand that the fiscal deficit is the lynchpin of the economic health of this country. There are people who criticize and say that perhaps more money should have been spent and the fiscal deficit could have been higher. These people perhaps do not understand that a higher fiscal deficit leads to many other ills such as devaluation of our currency, such as ultimately leading to higher inflation and it certainly leads to a lower sovereign rating for India in the world’s financial community. The same people who want a higher fiscal deficit and greater expenditure would complain about the outcomes that would happen if a higher fiscal deficit were to be there. On the other hand, those people who complain that there is too much expenditure, there is too much profligacy, must understand that we have a situation where millions of young Indians are jobless. The demographic dividend that we talk about, can become a demographic nightmare until we transition to a high growth rate, low inflation, and job creating economy. Until then, if you start tampering with expenditure, particularly social sector expenditure, then you are toying with trouble.

How much is the expenditure? If you look at the newspapers this morning, fifty per cent of our subsidies are spent on the top 40 per cent of earners. It is correct on behalf of the hon. Finance Minister not to tamper with it immediately and push for growth before this can be set right.

When I come to taxes, I would like to explain that the issue of compliance, the level of grumbling that we hear about taxation has to do with how well the Government performs the task of implementing its projects, implementing its initiatives and spending that money. I think, everybody in this House remembers that about 30 years ago, a late former Prime Minister made a very important statement that out of every rupee that the Government spends, only 15 paise reaches the citizen of India, the Aam Aadmi. That has changed. But a lot of people do not realize how much it has changed and how much it has not changed. If you look at the Planning Commission data, just a couple of years ago, there was a study that in Public Distribution System (PDS), the same food security that we have been debating so much, out of every rupee that the Government spends, only 27 paise reaches the common citizen of India. So, there has been some improvement from the mid-eighties, but not very much. About seventy-three paise out of every rupee spent by the Government is wasted and until the Government can improve that track record, people will continue to grumble about taxes and compliance will be low. That has to change.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind the hon. Finance Minister that when he was last in Government, the initiative of Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) had been taken up which had led to good development for many States. My own State of Odisha was one of the firsts which cut its revenue deficit and brought it down to below three per cent. Such steps need to be taken. 

          Madam, one of the important aspects of The Economic Survey, following which the Budget was presented and these tax proposals have been made, is that subsidies have to start shifting from price management to income support. It is impossible to manage prices considering the large number of supply-demand imbalances which will always happen, and pricing is a way of signalling those supply-demand imbalances. Shifting subsidies to income support is what is important. I am glad to read from the newspapers this morning that this government is having a rethink on its initial scepticism about the UIDAI because that is one way that you can transfer the government’s expenditure directly into the hands of the citizens without that 73 per cent wastage out of every Rupee spent.

          Madam, on tax issues, there are so many issues that I will not be speaking on everything; I would like to talk about three or four issues. One of the important things that the hon. Minister has done is to start the process of rationalising taxes on the same kind of items. For example on coal, for the same kind of coal we used to have multiple different customs duties depending on what it was used for. That leads to corruption, that leads to discretionary practices, that leads to red-tapism. That is because then it depends on human interpretation of what this material is going to be used for, a lot of paper work is done to fudge. It is not just coal, Madam. From coal to aircraft, depending on the end use the customs duties have been different.

You have taken, Mr. Minister, a very important first step. I urge you to take this to the fullest extent possible and remove all end-use disparities for customs duties on the same items. Irrespective of what they are used for, if the item is identifiable as unique, that is what it should be taxed on.

          Madam, a couple of days ago I had the opportunity to raise a question on the issue of GST, which is one of the most important proposals pending before this country. I pointed out to the hon. Minister that similar situation had arisen a decade or so ago on the issue of Value Added Tax (VAT) when the States had similar concerns about loss of revenue. Then, a very bold step was taken by the Centre offering to underwrite revenue losses of the various States, based on which a deal was clinched and VAT could happen. I was glad to note that the hon. Minister replied in response to my question that he was going to be pragmatic about this. I am hoping that he will start acting on this and make concrete proposals which are generous, Madam. In the case of VAT the States never did actually lose revenue and that compensation was not necessary. I think that magnanimity and that boldness are called for on behalf of the Central Government. I believe that this particular Finance Minister can get that clinched.

          Madam, it would be remiss on my part if I did not raise an issue which is relevant to my State, but it is a very important matter of principle. In his budget presentation the hon. Minister said that the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act would be changed and that mineral royalties would be revised. Madam, it is a matter of shame that States like Odisha, States like Jharkhand and many other States which have mineral resources of our country have been cheated - I am sorry to use such a harsh word – for many decades by various lobbies. Unlike what the rest of the world did in having ad valorem, mineral royalties is linked to the market rates, they were administratively decided and susceptible to lobbying.

For example, they are supposed to be revised every three years, but now it has been nearly five years since they were last revised. It should not be left to the discretion of either civil servants or politicians; it should be market linked because over the course of the last 65 or so years, States like mine have individually lost lakhs of crores of rupees of revenue. This needs to be done very quickly. It may not be a part of your direct budget proposals but it is extremely important to change the taxation structure in the country and support the cooperative federalism that the Prime Minister has in fact stood up for.

          Madam, the people of these areas which have minerals have not seen the benefits of mining. They have not seen roads being built, schools being built, colleges being built, permanent jobs being created. They have seen large holes where strip mining and other kinds of mining is done; and these companies after two or three decades leave, leaving nothing behind. That is why this MMDR Act change and particularly the mineral royalty revision and linking it to ad valorem market rates are crucial for States like mine.

          I want to remind this House of something that the late Biju Patnaik once said which created a big furore. About 25 years ago when India was embarking on economic reforms Biju Patnaik said, States should be given fiscal independence.  It created a furore but I think the time is right to revisit that issue. I reiterate that demand of my late leader that the States must be given fiscal independence. We should have  the resources to spend on our own people, on our own areas; and one of the key ways to do that is to change the MMDR Act. This is something which is not alien to what we have discussed with the Prime Minister himself when we met him in a delegation of MPs from Odisha.  Having been a Chief Minister for a long time, he understands both sides of the issue and I hope that we can get these changes implemented quickly.

          On tobacco taxes, it may sound like just a silly tax on the rich but it is not so. I have been campaigning on this issue for three years and the reality is India spends more than Rs. 1,00,000 crore every year on tobacco-related health costs.  The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has itself estimated that Rs. 1,04,500 crore per annum is the cost of dealing with tobacco-related diseases.  It is a good thing that you have dramatically increased the rates of taxation on tobacco but I would like to point out that beedis have been exempted. If some people think that poor people should be given a little bit of relief to smoke, I would like to point out that the poor people who smoke are equally susceptible to cancer as middle-class and upper-class people and these are the people who do not have medical insurance.  These are the ones that particularly need to be protected. So, beedis should also come under the higher tobacco taxes.

          The hon. Minister has stated on raising the floor of tax slabs for salaried people that he would have liked to have done more. I have already explained that if the Government does a better job of spending compliance will get better. But we cannot just keep on raising the floor because we also need to widen the tax net. This may sound a little unpopular, but I have a personal suggestion to the hon. Minister to have a simple token tax for people who earn between say Rs. 2.5 lakh and Rs. 5 lakh a year.  It may be nothing significant but may be Rs. 500 a year, just to ensure that people feel a part of the process of contribution to the taxes of India.  It has been pointed out that the cost of collection may be more than the collection.  There is technology and very randomised sampling could be done.  I know a lot of people who would be very proud to pay Rs. 500 a year as tax, if it was harassment-free, if it was hassle-free, if they could take pride in saying they have contributed to India’s revenue collection, and if that is backed up by the Government’s improvement in transparency and speed of implementation of the various projects that it undertakes.

          There are many areas that desperately require higher allocation of funding for which a cess could have been thought of.  In the past, we have had a cess for education, for instance.  Nobody has begrudged that. Although we need to improve the standard of education, the first requirement was to have revenues. I would suggest to the hon. Finance Minister that if not this year, for future years to keep in mind that we need a dramatic increase of resources for the judicial system of the country.  India has roughly about 13 or so judges per million population.  In developing countries, this ratio varies between 50 and 100 judges per million population. It is no surprise that we have such a dramatic backlog of cases. Not only is justice delayed justice denied but the fact is that speedy justice has been estimated to add two per cent to the GDP growth rate per annum. I would like to remind the hon. Minister that he had himself in his earlier capacity as Law Minister a decade ago initiated the process of fast track courts. Sadly, over the last decade, the Central Government’s funding support dried up. A few States like mine, Odisha, kept up State funding for fast track courts, for which we are beginning to see speedy disposal of cases involving murder, rape and many other criminal practices.  I urge the hon. Finance Minister to revisit his own proposals of the past and to provide a dramatic increase of funding for more numbers of judges, for more numbers of courtrooms, for more resources, and most importantly to have fast track procedures for them so that we do not have innumerable adjournments and cases going on for decades.

          I realise that the time allotted to me has run out.  There are many other things I would like to have spoken about but I would talk about them in a separate forum.

             

SHRI JAYADEV GALLA (GUNTUR): Madam, at the outset, I would like to congratulate the hon. Finance Minister for presenting his maiden Budget on behalf of the NDA.

          The Opposition has been saying that the Budget is ‘old wine in a new bottle’. However, the dichotomy is that they have also been saying that they expected more from Modi Ji and the NDA. That means, that they expected much more from the Modi Ji and the NDA than they had expected from themselves! It means that they expect the NDA and Modi Ji to be far better; and dear friends, so do we! I am sure that in the next five years, we will prove that Modi Ji and NDA will deliver on all these promises.

          The Finance Minister has shown the trinity of skill, scale and speed in presenting his Budget. His Budget is positive, directional and growth-oriented. The House should appreciate that despite the time constraint, the very little elbow room for fiscal space left by the Vote on Account Budget and huge fiscal deficit, the Finance Minister has done a remarkable job and has shown the country, the path for high growth trajectory.

          He has balanced the need for social welfare with a need for creating a high growth economy. We believe, this Budget is pro-women, pro-farmer, pro-youth and pro-growth. In our State and in my constituency in particular, I ran under the slogan ‘Intintiki Udyogam’, which means, ‘a job for every home’.

We believe that the only way to eradicate poverty is to provide people jobs; and the only way to provide jobs is for us to have high industrial growth. As per the NSSO, the NDA, between 1999 and 2004, created more than 60 million jobs in just five years, whereas the UPA-I and II could generate less than 20 million jobs over a ten year period.

The Land Acquisition Act which was passed last year, proved to be a death-knell for industrial growth and job creation. We are happy that the Finance Minister has said that this will be looked into and I am sure that it will get the industrial growth back on track.

If GDP is to grow at 7-9 per cent – I am happy that the Power Minister is also here – the power sector will have to grow at 9-11 per cent. That means that two per cent more than the projected GDP growth would be there. So, I would request – since the Power Minister is also here – him to please target 9-11 per cent growth in power generation.

The World Bank’s ‘Ease of Doing Business’ has ranked India at 131 in the world in 2013 and 134 in 2014 out of 189 economies. If India has to grow, we need to target to be in the top 50, if not in the top 10, on this list; and for this, the single window clearance is critical.

We have been waiting for the GST for the last 15 years. But it is yet to see the light of the day. Unless GST is implemented, the tax base will not go up; unless the tax base is improved, we cannot have more collections; unless we have more tax collections, we cannot have buoyancy in the system; and without buoyancy, there cannot be welfare measures. So, GST is the tharaka mantra for social welfare and for high growth.

Today, the Corporate Social Responsibility expenses are not exempted from tax. They are not considered as business expense. Now the two per cent of the profit of companies is mandatory for use in CSR. We would request the Finance Minister to kindly look into, considering this also as business expenses.

The MSME sector is demanding for doubling the limits on plant and machinery.   The present limits are Rs.25 lakh for micro, Rs.25 lakh to Rs.5 crore for small and Rs.5 crore to Rs.10 crore for medium enterprises and the industry is demanding to double those limits.

          In the last ten years many public private partnership projects have been taken up.  In this year, both in the Railways and General Budgets many PPP projects have been envisaged to attract private participation in equity.  PPP projects have come up in roads, airports, power etc. but due to various problems it has dampened the interest of private sector investment.

          In spite of having a Dispute Resolution Mechanism the previous Government has failed to resolve most of these issues and has resorted to taking these issues into endless litigation in the courts.  Madam, the Government should resolve most of the long pending disputes to re-build the confidence among the investing community so that they become interested in continuing to participate in these projects.

          It is very good that Shri Nitin Gadkari has cleared Rs.40,000 crore worth projects in just one month.  It is a good sign and will send a positive signal.

          Madam, my State of Andhra Pradesh is in a very precarious situation due to bifurcation of the State.  While the movement for the separate State of Telangana may be decades old, it was only in the last few years that it became more intense.  The path of development in the united State, much like the rest of the country, was focused mainly in and around one city, which is Hyderabad.  The investments made both by the Government and the private sector, were concentrated in and around Hyderabad and the result being, massive investments in infrastructure, setting up of premier institutions, continuing investments in Defence establishments and R&D labs.  Due to more concentration in Hyderabad, the bulk of jobs created both in service and manufacturing sectors in public and private have been focused in and around Hyderabad and the rest of undivided Andhra Pradesh was ignored.

          Madam, my State is suffering greatly due to the policies that have been made.  Please let me just continue to talk a little about the needs.

          The people and leaders of AP, in their anxiety to keep the State united, were not in a position to negotiate a fair settlement in a post bifurcation scenario.  The result being, due to unplanned, irresponsible and if I may say so undemocratic manner, the major issues were left unresolved.   These are issues such as sharing of power, water, Government jobs, school admission, etc.  Despite assurances, there is still no clarity on the support and incentives required by the new State to recover from the loss of its growth engine, Hyderabad.  AP is a State left with no capital, no High Court, no premier institutions, a very weak industrial base and educational institutions and insufficient water, power and especially financial resources.

          While it would have been prudent to have addressed these issues prior to bifurcation, we are left in a situation where clarity is still not forthcoming.       The Finance Minister in his speech has made a statement:

“My Government is committed to addressing the issues relating to the development of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.  Provision has been made by various departments and Ministries to fulfill the obligation of the Union Government to both the States.”   While we are happy with the intent of the statement, the devil will be in the details.

          Madam, I will skip to the conclusion.  I have a lot more things to ask for the State and I wish I had that time.  I will table that along with my speech.  I will skip to the conclusion.

          Madam, we are in a very dire state.  Our Chief Minister has a vision that the State of Andhra Pradesh will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that have been left behind.  We believe the people of Andhra Pradesh to be among the most productive and enterprising people in the entire world.  And, just as a war ravaged Japan lifted itself up out of a complete state of devastation into becoming one of the most technologically and economically strong nations in the world, so will Andhra Pradesh once again become one of the leading growth engines of India.

          Madam, the Chief Minister’s vision also sees the State developing in decentralized manner bringing economic growth and opportunities to all parts of the State and to be a model to the rest of India and to the rest of the world.

          We have the unique opportunity to work under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modiji and Shri Nara Chandra Babu Naidu Garu to make this happen, if only given the necessary and promised support, which is also the moral thing to be done.           Madam, we will rebuild Andhra Pradesh in the same way the Pandavas built Indraprastha after being driven out of Hastinapur.  Henceforth, Andhra Pradesh will be known as the Miracle State.

         

SHRIMATI KAVITHA KALVAKUNTLA (NIZAMABAD): Madam, I thank you for the opportunity given to me.

To begin with, I would like to quote and I am sure the entire House knows these numbers.  When we talk about the national income of our country, we rank 11th in the world but when we talk about the per capita income of our country that is how much each person earns or how much each person can spend, we rank about 123 in the world which precisely indicates that the wealth in our country is only consolidated to a few rich people.

16.01 hrs                           (Shri Hukmdeo Narayan Yadav in the Chair) All these things, like wealth consolidated into the hands of a few rich people, much more poverty, no jobs, corruption, etc. angered people and they gave a huge mandate to the BJP or the NDA Government.  When NDA came to power with this huge mandate, in fact, हाउस में बात करने में डर लगता है क्योंकि आप लोग यहां तक आ गये हैं। इतनी ब्रूटल मैजोरिटी आपके पास है। हमने सोचा था कि बजट में या फाइनेंशियल स्टेटमेंट में टैक्सेज में बहुत अच्छे रिफॉर्म्स आप लेकर आएंगे। इतने रिफॉर्म्स लेकर आने के लिए आपके पास सत्ता है, स्ट्रैन्थ है। There is absolutely zero Opposition.  But then the Budget has disappointed us to a great extent in a way because जैसा यूपीए का बजट था,वैसा ही एनडीए का भी बजट है। ज्यादा कुछ चेंज नहीं है। जहां पर भी देखिए, everything is same and nothing is different. टीएमसी के नेता उस दिन बोल रहे थे,कवर बदलकर,नाम बदलकर नया बजट दे दिया। लगभग सिमिलर ही आपका बजट भी लग रहा है।

           With such a huge mandate, we really expected and hoped that you would bring sea changes.  But then you have tried to play it safe. आपने भी 4.1 जो आपका फिसकल डैफिसिट का टार्गेट है,उसको you promised that you will stick on to that and deliver on that.  But when we look at the numbers, 4.1 होने का कहीं पर भी दिखता नहीं है। There is no matching in the numbers.  When we add up bits and pieces, it is going to come up to 6 per cent.  In the coming months, I am sure it would slowly unveil in front of the people and you will be answering a lot many more questions. 

          Another thing is that in the BJP election speeches, we just heard one slogan everywhere कि कांग्रेस ने गलती की है,यूपीए ने गलती की है,मैन्युफैक्चरिंग सैगमेंट को उन्होंने कुछ नहीं दिया है। जॉब्स क्रिएट नहीं किये हैं,टैक्नीकल एजुकेशन पर जोर नहीं दिया है। अगर हम सत्ता में आएंगे तो ये सब करेंगे। लेकिन हम जब इस बजट को देखते हैं,तकरीबन 17.5 लाख करोड़ रुपये का यह बजट है,उसमें सिर्फ 20 प्रतिशत ही आपने कैपिटल एक्सपेंडिचर किया है। बाकी सारा रेवेन्यू एक्सपेंडिचर है। Iknow it is not magic and you cannot turn it around in one year. लेकिन यह आपको इलेक्शन से पहले भी याद रखना चाहिए था क्योंकि people had high expectations from you.  That is why, they voted you to power.  But there is no sea change in it.  I remember in one of your follow up speeches, you said that the Budget is merely a directional statement and the rest all will happen out of the framework of the Budget.

          मुझे लग रहा है कि जो आप बोल रहे हैं,disinvestment in the PSUs हो या एफडीआई हो या ब्लैक मनी वापस लाने की बातें हों,ये सारी चीजें टाइमबाउंड होनी चाहिए थी। वह बजट में रिफलैक्ट करनी चाहिए थी। लेकिन ये सब चीजें कहीं भी दिखी नहीं हैं। मुझे लगता था कि वो सब आप बजट के फ्रेमवर्क के बाहर धीरे-धीरे करते जाएंगे लेकिन पीएसयूज का डिसइंवेस्टमेंट नहीं करेंगे तो हमारे देश के लिए ज्यादा पैसे कैसे मिलेंगे?आपको वह कहीं न कहीं बताना चाहिए था। वह उम्मीद हमें आपसे थी।

           I am a very new Member but जिस दिन रेलवे बजट इस हाउस में प्रेजेन्ट किया गया था,The Railway Budget gives about Rs.1.5 lakh crore income to our country. लेकिन अगर हम उसमें स्ट्रक्चरल रिफॉर्म्स लेकर आएंगे तो इमीडिएटली उसमें एक और लाख करोड़ रुपये का फायदा हमें हो सकता है लेकिन nobody spoke about it.  There are no structural reforms either in the Railways or any public sector units to perform better. या तो हमें रेवेन्यू में ज्यादा आना चाहिए या फिर टैक्सेज में ज्यादा आना चाहिए। आपने यहां पर भी रिफॉर्म्स नहीं किये हैं,टैक्सेज में भी रिफॉर्म्स नहीं किये हैं। तो पैसा कहां ज्यादा बढ़ेगा?नौकरियां ज्यादा कहां आएंगी?कहां हमारे मैन्युफैक्चरिंग सैगमेंट्स आगे बढ़ेंगे?वह मेरी समझ में नहीं आ रहा है क्योंकि मोदी जी से और आपकी सरकार से बहुत उम्मीद थी,वह तो कहीं भी दिख नहीं रहा है। ऐसा मैं कहना चाहूंगी और अगर रेलवेज में रिफॉर्म्स,रेलवे बोर्ड में स्ट्रक्चरल रिफॉर्म्स जब तक लेकर नहीं आएंगे,वह लॉस में जाता रहेगा। I might sound a little naive but क्या रेलवे बजट को भी अलग से प्रेजेन्ट करना जरुरी है,वह मुझे समझ में नहीं आ रहा है।  It is an age old British precedent. We are just following it. When the Railway Budget is presented, वह एक मैटर ऑफ प्रेस्टिज हो गया। प्रधान मंत्री जी की कांस्टीटुएंसी को कितनी रेल मिलीं या इनकी मिनिस्ट्री को कितने रेल मिलीं,लेकिन हमारी जैसी स्टेट को आपने बिल्कुल पीछे छोड़ दिया। रेल किसी को नहीं मिली। सिर्फ मैं ही नहीं सारे सांसद रेलवे बजट के बाद नाराज हैं। They are all upset with that. The entire House, I believe, should rethink on whether the Railway Budget should be presented separately or not.

     एग्रीकल्चर के बारे में बजट में कोई क्लेरिटी नहीं दी है। It looks they want to do whatever UPA wanted to do. ईस्टर्न ग्रीन रिवोल्यूशन जो उनका प्रपोजल था,उसके ऊपर भी कुछ बात नहीं की है। Another interesting aspect is that नरेगा पर सब लोग सुबह से बात कर रहे हैं।  I know there is a lot of pilferage गांवों में आजकल सिचुएशन ऐसी है कि नरेगा के ऊपर बहुत लोग डिपैन्डेन्ट हैं,नरेगा को आप कंटीन्यू कर रहे हो या नहीं कर रहे हो,बजट में आप नहीं बता रहे हो। एलोकेशन क्या कर रहे हो,वह नहीं बता रहे हो। आप लैंड एक्युजिशन बिल के बारे में नहीं बता रहे हो,जिसकी वजह से हमारे बहुत सारे प्रोजैक्ट्स रुक गये हैं। आप फूड सिक्युरिटी बिल के बारे में नहीं बता रहे हो। इस तरह से आप ये सारी चीजें नहीं कर रहे हो। सबसे ज्यादा जिसके बारे में आपसे उम्मीद थी,जो जीएसटी आपको लाना था,इतनी मैज्योरिटी में होकर भी आप जीएसटी लाने में क्यों डर रहे हो,हमारी समझ में नहीं आ रहा है। आपको राज्यों को आश्वासन देना चाहिए और आश्वासन देकर जीएसटी को लेकर आगे बढ़ना चाहिए।

          अंत में मैं अपनी स्टेट के बारे में एक पाइंट कहकर अपनी बात समाप्त करूंगी। हमारी नई स्टेट बनी है। लेकिन आपने हमें कोई डायरेक्शन नहीं दी,पैसा नहीं दिया,रेल नहीं दी,प्रोजैक्ट भी नहीं दी। लेकिन आपको एक नये राज्य को डाय़रेक्शन देनी थी कि हमें कैसे डैवलप होना है। हमारा हाथ पकड़कर उसे डैवलप कराना आपका काम है। इसमें फैन्सी वर्ड्स हैं -कोऑपरेटिव फैडलरिज्म,लेकिन किसी भी स्टेट का आपने हाथ नहीं पकड़ा,किसी भी स्टेट को आपने आश्वासन नहीं दिया। लास्ट में इतनी ही कहना चाह रही हूं you tax more the rich people and tax less the poor people. We are with the Finance Minister in whatever he does in the interest of the people. The hon. Finance Minister may kindly look into these issues and focus more on the agricultural sector.

         

DR. A. SAMPATH (ATTINGAL): Mr. Chairman, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity. I rise to oppose the Finance Bill, 2014-15.

     The new Budget presented by the new Finance Minister is actually an old wine in a new bottle with a saffron label. There are two main trends in our Budget making process in our country – the practice of announcements before the Budget and the projection of tax revenues in the Budget far more than what is really expected to be collected. I am afraid to say that this Budget presented by the hon. Finance Minister does not deviate from these two issues. That is why I am opposing it.

     This Government came to power when the people were annoyed and disgruntled with the inflation taking a toll on their real income. It was expected that this new Government would provide relief. But through the new policies on oil pricing based on periodic revision of petroleum prices announced before the Budget as well as hike in rail tariffs before the Rail Budget seems that the Parliament has been taken for granted and the sanctity associated with the Budget has been totally violated.

     Mr. Chairman, Sir, I would like to say that in the course of the presentation of the Budget the hon. Finance Minister tries to give an impression that with better performance of the economy, the tax revenues are likely to be buoyant. Then, the tax projections give an impression that we would be able to meet our targets. But for the last many years we have been finding that the tax revenue targets are never met and in the name of meeting a deficit target the cudgel usually falls on the expenditure on employment or on capital expenditure which has deleterious effect on the economy      With the plethora of tax concessions offered to the corporates, how is it that the Government is assuming it would be able to meet the revenue targets? In the Finance Bill and in the Budget, the projection is that loss arising from direct tax concessions come to around Rs. 22,000 crore and is further maintained that there is an increase in indirect tax yield of about Rs. 7525 crore, but then there is a also a shortfall of Rs. 14,776 crore. But despite this, the hon. Finance Minister gives out an impression that he would be able to meet the gross tax revenue target. He expects that to happen. If that is so, it will be okay.  I will also be very happy.  But Sir, the figures released as part of the revised estimates of 2013-14 show clearly that tax revenue collections on all fronts, namely corporation, income, union excise and service, have not met the target.  Your tax revenue targets are most likely not to be achieved.  I am afraid to say this.  It is going to meet the same fate as the previous Budget.  The deficit reduction technique which the UPA-II has resorted to was slashing of expenditure on all fronts, particularly on wage payments under MGNREGA.  More than Rs. 1100 crore is the amount of unpaid wages which has to be paid to the people, the labour, who have already worked under the MGNREGA. 

          The allocation under capital expenditure, though in nominal terms, is higher compared to the previous budget but, in real terms, it is lower compared to the previous financial year. 

          Sir, the total revenue forgone from 2005-06 to 2013-14 is to the tune of Rs. 3,65,496 crore.  This 36.5 trillion Indian rupees will be sufficient for funding the MNREGA for 105 future years at the present level and the PDS for 31 years.  If these revenues were realised, 30 per cent of the value would have been devolved to the States. 

          My learned brother has cited an example here. I am talking of the hon. Member who comes from Odisha.  Sir, the tendency is that the Union Government is eating the share of the State Governments which has to be given to the States.  That is not all given.   Those revenues which have to be devolved upon the States share are not at all given to them.

          Sir, with your permission, there is a TDS for land transactions worth Rs. 50 lakhs and above.   The TDS is one per cent.  The land belongs to the State. But the TDS is imposed by the Union Government.  It is just like shattering the very roots of the federal structure.

          Sir, the Government of India intends for more privatisation.  At the same time, Sir, our public sector banks have Non Performing Assets of Rs. 63,000 crores. Who has to pay this amount?  Kingfisher Airlines has to pay; Paramount Ltd. has to pay, BPL Telecom Private Ltd. has to pay; Ankur Drugs and Pharma Ltd. has to pay; Bluebird India Ltd. has to pay; Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd. has to pay;  Deva Projects has to pay; Electrotherm India Ltd. has to pay; Hindustan Photo Films has to pay. They are not paying. So, these large companies are making the NPAs. … (Interruptions)

SHRI NISHIKANT DUBEY (GODDA): Sir, I have a point of order to raise under Rule 219 (v) which says that on a Motion that the Finance Bill be taken into consideration, a Member may discuss matters relating to general administration, local grievances within the sphere of the responsibility of the Government of India or monetary or financial policy of the Government.

          Sir, what he speaks is not on financial policy.… (Interruptions) He is speaking on the General Budget.  He is mentioning MNREGA.   What he speaks is not on Finance Bill.  He is not discussing Finance Bill.  He is speaking about  MNREGA… (Interruptions) MNREGA is not part of the Finance Bill.  That is general allocation made to the Department.  Sir, he is discussing the Ministry of Rural Development. … (Interruptions)

माननीय सभापति : अब इनको बोलने दीजिए। आप कंपलीट कर लीजिए।

…( व्यवधान)

माननीय सभापति : आपने अपनी बात रख दी, अब इनको अपनी बात समाप्त करने दीजिए।

…( व्यवधान)

DR. A. SAMPATH :  Mr. Chairman Sir, I am very happy that my learned friend has got agitated when I spoke some of the facts.  Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.   Many have eyes but they do not see.  Many have ears but they do not hear.  But this august House has to see and hear and we have to do something for the people.  People voted not for continuity.  People have voted for a change.  But my learned friend does not understand that the people have voted for a change.  It is not the UPA-III; it is NDA-II now. We also hope some change from you.

          With your permission, I would like to say that in the agriculture sector, import duty has to be increased when we import rubber. Otherwise, rubber plantations will perish. The economy of many States will be shattered. My humble request to the hon. Finance Minister is that the import duty on rubber should be increased.

          I would like to invite your attention to another point. May I quote the then Leader of Opposition of the Upper House, who is now our hon. Finance Minister, from his speech on 2nd May, 2013. He said: “Today, the whole country is in anguish. We are waiting for a reaction from the Government. The Government may have some security and diplomatic options. But the Government has done nothing in this regard.”           In Gaza, the Israeli forces are conducting large-scale genocide on the innocent Palestinian people. More than one lakh people are in refugee camps. About 700 people, mostly women and children – I repeat women and children – have been killed in the Israeli attacks; and 2,500 houses have already been reduced to debris. Even the UN Commission for Human Rights have deplored these attacks.

          India is importing weapons from Israel. We are paying money to Israel. With that money they are attacking Palestine. We have to condemn this.

   

SHRI Y.V. SUBBA REDDY (ONGOLE): Hon. Chairman, Sir, thank you for giving me an opportunity to express my views on the Finance Bill 2014-15.

          The Union Finance Minister has presented Rs. 17.98 lakh crore annual Budget for the financial year 2014-15, with a fiscal deficit target of 4.1 per cent of GDP and a revenue deficit target of 2.9 per cent for the current year. I am happy with the Finance Minister’s commitment for fiscal consolidation. The question is: Can we do so without substantially cutting the budgeted plan expenditure for 2014-15, given the fact that for the months of April and May, 2014, the Union Government has already incurred 45.60 per cent of the fiscal deficit and 53.60 per cent of revenue deficit budgeted for the whole of 2014-15? I am aware that the present Government is in no way responsible for this extraordinary situation.

          The need of the hour is to step up public investment in infrastructure at any cost. Even if it means that we have to borrow more for stepping up capital and plan expenditure, we should not hesitate to do so. Otherwise, we will continue to live in the vicious cycle of low investment-low growth-low revenues.

          The tax revenues, especially the excise duty are not picking up because of low growth in the manufacturing sector. Direct and indirect taxes together have a great role in pushing the growth of the country, besides, of course, raising revenues. 

          I compliment the Finance Minister for proposing to give boost to MSME sector, which is the largest employer, next only to agriculture. I welcome the initiatives like establishing a Rs. 10,000 crore fund to act as a catalyst to attract private capital by way of providing equity, quasi equity, soft loans and other risk capital for start-up MSME companies.

          I also welcome the proposal to review the definition of MSME to provide for a higher capital ceiling besides providing entrepreneur friendly legal bankruptcy framework for SMEs to enable easy exit. 

          Similarly, I welcome the proposal to expand the existing advance ruling for income tax mechanism even for domestic assesses. This is a right step as it will avoid needless litigation.

          I also welcome the proposal for legislative and administrative changes to sort out pending tax demands of more than four lakh crore rupees under dispute and litigation.

          The provision of investment allowance for capital investments upwards of Rs. 25 crore by manufacturing units is a right step under the present circumstances. The investment allowance at the rate of 15 per cent should be enhanced to 25 per cent. The allowance should be given even for the MSME sector, which means even for investments below Rs. 25 crore.

          More than extending the income tax exemption for a further period of ten years for new power projects, the need of the hour is to ensure flow of supplies of coal and natural gas at affordable prices.

          Similarly, the proposal to enhance admissible amount of interest deduction in respect of self-occupied houses should cover entire interest paid rather than just restricting it up to Rs. 2 lakh per annum. 

          Despite successive Governments talking about implementation of  Direct Tax Code and GST, not much headway has been made so far. So, immediate action should be taken on these issues.

          The proposal to reduce the customs duty on intermediary products for stepping up of domestic investments in the manufacture of solar panels and electronic goods is a right step.

          This Government is just 58 days old. They are yet to settle down. We sincerely hope that the country will be on the path of recovery.

          We have wasted enough time in allotting coal blocks. I request you to immediately see that all the coal blocks become operational in the next six months. Otherwise, we will continue  to import coal paying twice the rates. The Government should immediately finalize natural gas pricing also. I do not understand as to why there should be uniform price. It can be different for on-shore, off-shore and deep-wells gas. If we are importing goods that can be produced domestically, we are not only losing foreign exchange but also we will be importing unemployment into the country. Needless to say, our Party’s support will be there for every development work.

          The hon. Finance Minister has laid utmost importance to infrastructure. In his Budget Speech, the hon. Finance Minister has said that Foreign Direct Investment is allowed up to 49 per cent with full Indian management and control through the Foreign Investment Proposal Board route.

          It will certainly attract   the foreign companies  and players to bring more investments into the country which promotes more opportunities to generate employment and helps the development of the economy.

          The division has left both Andhra Pradesh as well as Telangana States in a bad financial state of affairs. Both the States have kept many hopes on the Budget. Both the States are thinking that granting of Special Status will be announced. But there is no mention about granting Special Status to Andhra Pradesh in the Budget. It is very disappointing. Government should have mentioned about granting of Special Status to Andhra Pradesh in the Budget itself.

          Again, I draw the attention of the Government to gas allocation to the State of Andhra Pradesh. Though the gas is being produced in KG-Basin area, no proper gas allocations have been made to the power plants in the State. It is evident that the entire State is reeling under power crisis. All the power plants are facing much scarcity of gas which is leading to produce less power than their estimated capacity. In view of the gas crisis, I would request the Government of India to allocate sufficient gas to feed the power plants in the State.

          Sir, I will conclude in two minutes. Regarding the Capital of residual Andhra Pradesh, hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has promised to the people of Andhra Pradesh during his election campaign on 30th April, 2014 at Tirupathi that his Government would take all steps to build a Delhi-like Capital in Andhra Pradesh and provide necessary funds to build the Capital. To fulfil this promise, the Central Government should take initiative in identifying suitable land for building a new Capital for Andhra Pradesh.

          I, on behalf of the YSR Congress Party President Shri YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, personally thank the hon. Finance Minister for declaring  the Chennai-Visakhapatnam industrial corridor and also for granting National Excise & Customs Academy at Hindupur.

          At the same time, sanctioning of IIT to Andhra Pradesh and selecting Krishnapatnam to develop as a Smart City will also support the development of Andhra Pradesh educationally and industrially respectively.

          Lastly, I urge upon the Government to declare a tax holiday at least for 10 years to the industries established in the State of Andhra Pradesh which will be helpful to the financially weakened State.

          Thank you very much. With these words, I conclude my speech.

                                                                                     

श्री हुकुम सिंह (कैराना) :  माननीय सभापति जी,आपने मुझे फाइनैन्स बिल पर बोलने का अवसर दिया,आपका धन्यवाद। माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी जब अपना बजट भाषण दे रहे थे तो बहुत ही सूक्ष्म में इन्होंने कुछ वायदे पार्लियामैंट और लोक सभा के सामने किये। जो वायदे वे जनता से करके आए थे,उनको पूरा करने की बात उन्होंने यहाँ दोहराई। उन्होंने वायदा किया कि देश की अर्थव्यवस्था को दोबारा पटरी पर लाने की ज़िम्मेदारी उनकी है। उन्होंने वायदा किया कि जो अर्थव्यवस्था है,उसका इतना सरलीकरण करेंगे,इतनी पारदर्शिता उसमें लाएँगे कि आम नागरिक को सहूलियत मिलेगी।

           महोदय,मैं देखता हूँ कि जब कोई अर्थशास्त्री बजट के ऊपर विचार रखता है या बोलता है तो उसमें कुछ हाई साउंडिंग वर्ड्ज़ आते हैं -इनफ्लेशन 1 परसेंट घट गया, 1 परसेंट बढ़ गया,जीडीपी 1 परसेंट बढ़ गई।  आम नागरिक तलाश करता रहता है कि इससे मेरा क्या भला होगा या क्या बुरा हुआ। लेकिन वित्त मंत्री जी ने जिस प्रकार से आश्वस्त किया कि हम उनकी भावनाओं,आवश्यकताओं को दृष्टि में रखते हुए आगे का कार्यक्रम बनाएंगे,तो उनमें एक आत्मविश्वास झलका है। मुझे विश्वास है कि अपनी योग्यता के अनुसार,अपनी कर्मठता के अनुसार जो-जो वायदे उन्होंने किए हैं,वे उन्हें पूरा करके दिखाएंगे।

          मान्यवर,हम लोग प्रचंड बहुमत से चुनकर आए हैं और मोदी जी के नेतृत्व में चुनकर आए हैं,जिनके ऊपर तमाम भारत ने विश्वास जताया है। यह कोई मामूली बात नहीं है। इसी अनुरूप में जो हमारे वित्त मंत्री जी हैं,उनकी योग्यता है उसका परिणाम पूरे देश को मिलना चाहिए,ऐसा मेरा विश्वास है। मैं कुछ बातों की तरफ ध्यान आकर्षित करना चाहता हूं। राजस्व में मुख्य विभाग आयकर विभाग या एक्साइज विभाग हैं। देखने की आवश्यकता है कि जो पारदर्शिता या सरलीकरण हम लाने वाले हैं और जनता का उत्पीड़न हम बचाने वाले हैं,जब तक इन विभागों में सुधार नहीं होगा वह उत्पीड़न नहीं बचेगा। मैं चाहता हूं कि निश्चित रूप से कोई आयोग गठित करके माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी इस बात का परीक्षण करा लें कि क्या आय कर विभाग पीपल फ्रेंडली है या उनके ऊपर हमेशा तलवार लटका कर रखता है कभी स्क्रूटनी के नाम पर,उनकी मर्जी होगी तो छह साल के बाद उसकी स्क्रूटनी शुरू कर देंगे और उसके बाद तारीख पर तारीख लगाएंगे उसे मैं दोहरा नहीं चाहता हूं लेकिन जितना उत्पीड़न उसका होगा,उसके मन में पीड़ा होगी,अब कहीं न कहीं हताश हो कर लोग सोचते हैं कि पैसा लगा कर क्या करेंगे,यहां तो इससे ही छुट्टी नहीं मिलती है। मैं चाहता हूं कि कम से कम इस विभाग के ऊपर नियंत्रण कायम करें और बातों का सरलीकरण करें ताकि किसी का उत्पीड़न न हो सके। एक्साइज विभाग में भी यही हालत है। हम राजस्व तो वसूलेंगे। अगर एक बार इन विभागों में सुधार हो जाए तो कल्याण हो जाएगा और पूरे देश में क्रांति आ जाएगी और वित्त मंत्री जी की जय-जयकार हो जाएगी। क्योंकि आज यहां जो बहुमत बैठा है यही वायदा करके आम आदमी से इस सदन में चुनकर आया है। इस वायदे को निश्चित रूप से पूरा करके दिखाएंगे,ऐसा मेरा विश्वास है।

          मान्यवर,अभी हमारे सामने बिल आया है और यह अधिनियम बनेगा। अधिनियम बनने के बाद सरकार का अधिकार हो जाएगा कि इन मदों पर पैसा लगाए। मैं अपेक्षा करता हूं कि वित्त मंत्री जी समय के अनुसार सैंक्शन जारी हो जाएंगी और जारी होने के बाद बराबर इस बात की मोनिटरिंग होगी कि जिन मदों में सैंक्शन जारी हुई है,वह पैसा उन्हीं मदों पर खर्च हुआ है या नहीं हुआ है। निरंतर उस पर निगाह रहेगी,क्योंकि यह देश दूसरा 2-जी स्पैक्ट्रम नहीं देखना चाहता है। यह देश दूसरा कॉमन वैल्थ स्कैंडल नहीं देखना चाहता है। मान्यवर,यह देश दोबारा कोयला स्कैंडल नहीं देखना चाहता है। बहुत कुछ देख लिया है अब यह देखना चाहता है कि जिस मद पर लैजिस्लेटिव सैंक्शन मिली है,उसी मद के ऊपर पैसा खर्च हो रहा है। अगर इतना हो जाता है तो दस साल का जो कुशासन था,जनता उसे भूल जाएगी। जनता उस उत्पीड़न को भूल जाएगी और मोदी जी की तरफ जो निगाह करके बैठे हैं,फिर उनकी इच्छा पूरी हो जाएगी,ऐसी मेरी उम्मीद वित्त मंत्री जी से है।

          मान्यवर,छोटी-सी बात है। मैं बैंक में जाता हूं। किसान के रूप में यदि अपना क्रेडिट कार्ड बनवाना चाहता हूं। एक समय वह था जब अटल जी ने क्रेडिट कार्ड की स्कीम शुरू की थी। आज उत्तर प्रदेश में जब गन्ना किसानों को दो-दो साल का पैसा नहीं मिला,मैंने पूछा कि इनका गुजारा कैसे हो रहा है। कई परिवारों से मैंने पूछा कि पैसा नहीं मिला,तो आपका घर कैसे चल रहा है। उन्होंने कहा कि हम तो उस महान व्यक्ति की पूजा करते हैं,अटल जी की जिन्होंने क्रेडिट कार्ड हमें दे दिया था और उस क्रेडिट कार्ड के माध्यम से हमने अपना गुजारा कर लिया और दो रोटी हमने खा ली। हमने बैंकों के कैम्प लगा-लगा कर क्रेडिट कार्ड का वितरण कराया था। दस साल का इतिहास देख लीजिए क्या एक भी शिविर किसी बैंक ने क्रेडिट कार्ड देने के लिए लगाया है। अगर आज कोई किसान क्रेडिट कार्ड लेने के लिए जाएगा,उसका इतना शोषण हो जाएगा,उस पर इतना दबाव पड़ जाएगा कि वह भूल जाएगा। वह हमारे पास आएगा,हम जनप्रतिनिधि हैं। वे सबके पास आते हैं और कहते हैं कि हमसे तो घूस मांगी जा रही है।

          मान्यवर,इस बात पर विचार करना चाहिए कि वह पारदर्शिता जो कभी एनडीए की सरकार में थी,अटल जी के नेतृत्व वाले सरकार में थी,वह पारदर्शिता दुबारा बहाल हो जाए और किसान सीना तान कर बैंक में जा सके। अगर बैंक में जाते ही उसे क्रेडिट कार्ड मिल जाए तो वह धन्य हो जाएगा क्योंकि लोग बहुत ज्यादा परेशान हैं। वे उम्मीद छोड़ बैठे हैं कि उनका कोई ज़ायज़ काम भी हो पाएगा।

          मान्यवर,तरह-तरह की योजनाएं बनती हैं। छात्रों को ऋण देने की घोषणाएं होती हैं। यह मेरे अनुभव में है और आपके भी अनुभव में होगा कि कितने छात्रों को अपनी शिक्षा के लिए सीधे हाथ ऋण मिल पाता है। वे एडमिशन के लिए रोते फिरते हैं कि उन्हें ऋण मिल जाएगा तो उनका प्रवेश हो जाएगा,लेकिन उन्हें ऋण मिल नहीं पाता। एक ऐसी व्यवस्था बने,जैसे हम यहां पर क्वैश्चन करते हैं और इश्यूज उठाते हैं तो प्रत्येक के लिए एक प्रोफॉर्मा दिया हुआ है। क्या वह प्रोफॉर्मा बना कर हम बैंकों के काउंटरों पर नहीं रख सकते कि किसान क्रेडिट बनाने के लिए वे यह प्रोफॉर्मा भर दें?अगर छात्रों को ऋण लेना है तो वे उसका प्रोफॉर्मा भर दें और उसकी मॉनिटरिंग हो कि ये फॉर्म फलां तारीख को भरे गए थे,क्या उनका डिस्पोजल हुआ है या नहीं?अगर उनके निस्तारण की जानकारी ऊपर तक हो जाए तो मामले कसे जाएंगे। अभी वहां पर किसी एप्लीकेशन के बारे में पता ही नहीं चलता। सारी फॉरमैलिटी पूरी कराने के बाद भी,फील्ड अफसर का सर्वे हो गया,फलां अधिकारी का भी सर्वे हो गया,लेकिन जब मैनेजर साहब के पास जाएंगे तो उनके नक्शे अलग होंगे। उस व्यवस्था को बदलने की बात है। यह सरकार बदल सकती है। हमारे वित्त मंत्री जी,जो व्यावहारिक भी हैं,जानकार भी हैं,योग्य भी हैं,उनमें सारी बातें हैं। उनके रहते अगर यह हो जाए तो हो जाएगा क्योंकि यह काम इतना आसान नहीं है। मैं चाहता हूं कि इस बारे में भी सरकार ध्यान दें। उनको सहूलियत देने की कोशिश करें।

          मान्यवर,अब उद्योग लगने की बात आती है। उद्योगपति तो बहुत बड़ा आदमी होता है। परसेंटेज की बात का भी ज़िक्र आया। वह सारा काम कर लेगा। आज आप इस बात की समीक्षा करा लें कि किसी बड़े उद्योगपति ने अगर बैंक से ऋण लेना चाहा हो तो जो अवधि निर्धारित थी,उस अवधि के अंदर उस को ऋण उपलब्ध करा दिया गया है। मगर,गरीब आदमी को ऋण लेना हो तो वह सिर पटक कर बैठ जाएगा,उसे ऋण नहीं मिलेगा। आखिर यह भेदभाव क्यों?क्या उनसे कोई पूछने वाला नहीं है कि उस में क्या खास बात थी और इस महाशय में क्या बदबू आ रही थी,दुर्गंध आ रही थी कि इसे ऋण नहीं मिला?यही तो सहूलियत देने वाली बात है।

          मान्यवर,आज निश्चित रूप से हम बड़े संकट के दौर से गुज़र रहे हैं। आवश्यकता बहुत ज्यादा है और आमदनी उतनी नहीं है। अभी मेरे कई मित्रों ने कहा कि साधन कहां से आएंगे,पैसा कहां से आएगा। उन्होंने एफडीआई के ऊपर एतराज़ किया कि पैसा कहां से आ जाएगा। मैं आप को यह विश्वास दिलाता हूं कि जिन हाथों में आज सरकार है,जिन के ऊपर आज विश्वास है,वे इस काम में चूकने वाले नहीं हैं। पैसे की व्यवस्था भी हो जाएगी और देश आगे भी बढ़ेगा,औद्योगीकरण भी होगा।

          मान्यवर,हर एक की जानने की इच्छा होती है कि जब बजट आया है तो उस बजट के माध्यम से व्यवसाय के या इम्प्लॉयमेंट के क्या-क्या एवेन्यूज खुले हुए हैं?अभी कोई माननीय सदस्य इसका ज़िक्र कर रहे थे कि फलां कार्यकाल में इतने मिलियंस लोगों को नौकरी मिल गयी,उस कार्यकाल में केवल इतने मिलियंस लोगों को नौकरी मिली। वह मिलियंस वाला मामला देख कर मैं तो करोड़ों में गिन रहा हूं कि शायद किसी कार्यकाल में करोड़ों लोगों को नौकरी मिली होगी। लेकिन जब हम अपने क्षेत्र में एक जन प्रतिनिधि के रूप में बैठते हैं और वे लड़के लाइन लगाकर आते हैं जो बी.टेक और एम.टेक कर के आए हैं और वे कहते हैं कि मैंने दस जगह एप्लाई कर लिया,कोई मुझे पूछने वाला नहीं है तो उन मिलियंस के फिगर का मैं क्या करूं?मैं कहां से गिनती करूंगा उन मिलियंस की जिन्हें नौकरी नहीं मिली। आज हम लोगों के लिए यह शर्म की बात है कि आज आप प्राइमरी स्कूल के टीचर की नौकरी की वैकेंसी निकलवा दीजिए,उसमें बी.टेक और एम.टेक किए हुए छात्रों की सैंकड़ों एप्लीकेशंस वहां पहुंच जाएंगी। जिन लोगों ने लाखों रुपये खर्च कर के एक क्वालिफिकेशन प्राप्त की है,योग्यता प्राप्त की है,वे आज प्राइमरी स्कूल के अध्यापक भी बनने को तैयार हैं। उन्हें कहीं भी नौकरी नहीं मिलती। हमें इस बात को भी देखना है।

          मान्यवर,इंजीनियरिंग कॉलेज तो बहुत खुल गए। उस दिशा में बहुत ज्यादा इंवेस्टमेंट हो गया लेकिन इसके साथ-साथ क्या यह हमारे लिए चुनौती नहीं है?हम रोज आई.आई.टी. की मांग करते हैं,इंजीनियरिंग कॉलेज की मांग करते हैं लेकिन आज शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में विश्व की जो 100 संस्थाएं हैं,उनमें भारतवर्ष की संस्था का स्थान नहीं है। क्या यह हमारे लिए सोचने की बात नहीं है?क्या यह हमारे लिए एक चुनौती नहीं है?मैं चाहता हूं कि इस बात पर चिंतन किया जाए। हम इनकी संख्या तो बढाएं ही,पर संख्या के साथ-साथ इन की गुणवत्ता भी बढ़ाएं। अगर इनकी गुणवत्ता बढ़ेगी तो विदेशों में भी हमारे बच्चे जा सकेंगे।

          मान्यवर,आज होड़ लगी है। जो अमीरों के बच्चे हैं। इसमें दो श्रेणी है। अमीरों के जो बच्चे बहुत योग्य हैं,वे अमेरिका में जाकर पढ़ने की बात करते हैं। जो उस से भी बड़े अमीरों के बच्चे हैं,जो आवारा हैं,इसमें कोई अन्यथा न लें,वे ऑस्ट्रेलिया जाने की बात करते हैं। आप सर्वे करा लें कि कितने नेताओं के बच्चे ऑस्ट्रेलिया गए और वहां से बेकार हो कर आए। ये आखिर वहां जाते क्यों हैं? ये यहां पर क्यों नहीं पढ़ पाते?पैसा तो यहीं से जाता है,वहां पर हमारा तो पैसा गया। इसमें ध्यान देने की बात यह है कि हम शिक्षा संस्थाओं में कितना पैसा इन्वेस्ट करके अपनी गुणवत्ता बढ़ाएं ताकि हमारे बच्चे यहां भी रोजगार पा सकें और विदेशों में भी जाकर रोजगार पा सकें। ये भिन्न-भिन्न क्षेत्र हैं।

          सभापति महोदय,मैं कुछ बातों की तरफ आपका ध्यान आकर्षित करके अपनी बात समाप्त करूंगा,क्योंकि मैं नहीं चाहता कि आपको घंटी बजानी पड़े। मैं उत्तर प्रदेश से आता हूं,मैंने जो भ्रष्टाचार की बात कही,मैं अपने अनुभव की बात बता रहा हूं,बात बता कर मैं समाप्त कर दूंगा। हमारे वित्त मंत्री जी कह रहे थे कि मैं सारी व्यवस्था में पारदर्शिता लाऊंगा। हमारे यहां उत्तर प्रदेश में ऐसी भी सरकारें आईं,जो इससे भी कई कदम आगे बढ़ीं और भ्रष्टाचार में भी पूर्ण पारदर्शिता ले आई। कुछ भी बात नहीं थी,जहां किसी काम के लिए पैसा रिलीज़ होना था,सोर्स भी ले लिए कि दस परसैंट लेकर रिलीज होगा। दस परसैंट लेकर जब वहां रिलीज़ होगा,वह जाते-जाते कितना लगा होगा और क्या उसकी स्थिति रही होगी,क्या इसकी कल्पना कर सकते हैं?

          सभापति महोदय,मैंने खुद देखा है कि पारदर्शिता इतनी आ गई थी,बचपन में हम सुनते थे कि फलां अधिकारी भ्रष्ट है,तो कहते हैं एक शब्द आता था अंडर द टेबल,मेज के नीच से,तो बड़ा अजीब-सा लगता थे। लेकिन जब पारदर्शिता आई तो उन्होंने कहा -नथिंग अंडर द टेबल। ऊपर से दो,साफ-साफ और गिन कर दो। ये गिरावट की बात है। हम लोग कहां से कहां पहुंच गए,कैसे स्थिति को संभालेंगे। यही चुनौती आज देश की जनता के सामने थी,कि हम इन विचारों एवं आचरण से कैसे मुक्त हों। उसी से मुक्त होने के लिए यह प्रचंड बहुमत मिला है,हमारी जिम्मेदारी है और हम भारत की जनता को विश्वास दिलाते हैं कि माननीय मोदी जी के नेतृत्व में निश्चित रूप से उस भ्रष्टाचार से मुक्ति दिलाएंगे,पारदर्शिता लाएंगे। अर्थव्यवस्था को दोबारा पटरी पर लाएंगे और देश के विकास में हिस्सा लेंगे।

                                                                                                 

SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN (KOLLAM): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Sir, for giving me an opportunity.  I have already made my observations in respect of the General Budget during my speech on the General Budget.  So, I would like to make certain observations regarding the Finance Bill which has been presented before this august House. 

          As per the hon. Finance Minister, the net effect of direct tax proposals is a revenue loss of Rs. 22,200 crore.  At the same time, the indirect taxes are estimated to yield Rs. 7,525 crore.  Also, the hon. Finance Minister is expecting a tax revenue growth at the rate of 19.8 per cent.  This is the tax structure in consolidation.  Definitely, I do agree that for having or for achieving the fiscal prudence, fiscal consolidation is highly essential, highly required.  But my only apprehension is that there are no measures or innovative proposals either in the Finance Bill or in the Budget proposals so as to achieve the tax revenue growth at the rate of 19.8 per cent.  For this, I would like to seek a clarification from the hon. Minister. 

          Now, I come to the other proposals, especially relating to the thrust of the Finance Bill.  If we examine it in toto, I can very well say that the fiscal deficit has to be contained at 4.1 per cent of the total GDP.  The remedy that is sought for that in the General Budget as well as in the Finance Bill is cutting down the expenditure.  Minimising the expenditure is the means or the method which has been stated in the Budget as well as in the Finance Bill.  As per the present Budget, the total expenditure to the GDP ratio has seen a noticeable drop.  In 2013-14, the expenditure of the Government was 15.7 per cent of the total GDP.  But this year, it has declined to 13.9 per cent of the total GDP.  That means, a considerable cut is there.  I know it is absolutely necessary as far as fiscal consolidation is concerned.  It is necessary to contain fiscal deficit up to 4.1 per cent.  But my question is this.  From where will this expenditure come?  For this purpose, the hon. Finance Minister, very intelligently and deliberately, has made a proposal of having a new Commission, that is, the Expenditure Management Commission. We do agree with this Expenditure Management Commission.  In the Budget speech, it is stated:

 “The Government will constitute an Expenditure Management Commission, which will look into various aspects of expenditure reforms to be undertaken by the Government.”   Expenditure reforms to be undertaken will be seen by this Expenditure Management Commission.  But what are the expenditure reforms? Expenditure reforms – as per my knowledge and information – are nothing but cutting down of subsidy regime, which is available for the poor and downtrodden people of our country. 

Another proposal mentioned in the Budget is – the aim of the Budget is to streamline the subsidy and get it targeted.  At the time when this Budget document was presented, it was stated very blatantly that it would provide incentives to the corporates.  I do not want to go into the details of the corporates, which are getting incentives.  It was not being stated as a subsidy but as an incentive. 

The Revenue Foregone from the Central Taxes in the year 2012-13 was Rs. 5,66,234.7 crore.  The Tax Foregone from the Central Exchequer in the year 2013-14 was Rs. 5,72,923.3 crore.  I would like to know whether the Government has ever thought of streamlining these incentives or exemptions, which are available to these corporates and rich people of our country.  I would also like to know whether any review has been done to know that these benefits of exemption from the Central Taxes are reaching those people, who are the real beneficiaries.  If you are streamlining or targeting the subsidies available to poor farmers to purchase petroleum and fertilizers then, why do you not review the incentives availed by the big corporate houses?  Why is it not being targeted? 

In his Budget Speech the Finance Minister has said that overhauling of subsidies through Expenditure Management Commission is to achieve the principle of minimum Government and maximum Governance.  According to the Budget, ‘minimum Government’ means, the Government is withdrawing from all sectors; withdrawing from all social responsibilities; and leaving everything to market forces.  They want market forces to determine and design.  After the globalization, a new era of regulatory mechanism has come into the country.  Everything would be determined and decided by the regulators.  In that case, the Government will also be a market player in the field and regulators will regulate us.

 ‘We the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic,’ this is the preamble of our Constitution.  But this Government wants the Government to be a market player, a party to the market forces.  It will play in the market with private competitors.  Everything will be determined by the regulators and Government has no role in deciding all these things.  It means, it is the impact which we had seen in the 2-G spectrum scam, 3-G spectrum scam, in coal scam, etc.  These are being regulated by these regulators.  They are being set and formed in the sense of independent regulatory authorities.

          But what is happening to the telecom sector, coal sector and insurance sector?  In all these sectors, the Government should have a prime role in determining and controlling the market.  If the Government does not have any role in controlling the market, then the same thing will happen, and the same scam will repeat even with whatever methods or measures you take to prevent corruption.  I am not going into the details.  My submission is that when we discuss the regulatory mechanism, definitely the Government’s role shall never be minimized.  That shall not be the meaning of ‘minimum government and maximum governance’. 

          I will just make two, three points regarding the cooperative sector.  The cooperative sector is also playing a very good role in the economic development of our country.  The Finance Act, 2006 had brought in an amendment to Section 80P of the Income Tax Act, disallowing the benefit of deduction under Section 80P to the cooperative banks which are not Primary Agricultural Credit Societies or Primary Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Banks.  This amendment was made in the year 2006 in the Finance Act. I am requesting the Government to have appropriate amendments so that the cooperative banks will be getting an opportunity or availability to get the benefit of deduction under Section 80P of the Income Tax Act. 

          My second point is also regarding the cooperative sector, which is concerning farmers in our country.  I would request the hon. Finance Minister to direct the Income Tax Authorities to restrain from calling details of all depositors under Section 133 (6) of the Income Tax Act, and if they require any details of certain particular depositors they can have the same by disclosing the name of such depositors, and also exempt the Agricultural Co-operative Credit Societies from the purview of deduction of TDS.

          In respect of the import duty of Titanium Dioxide, let it be enhanced from 10 per cent to 20 per cent so as to help and protect the indigenous industries like IRI, KMML, which are very enthusiastic and profit-making industries.  They are being affected now.  In order to protect these industries, the Customs Duty has to be increased. 

          With these words, I conclude .

                                                                                                   

SHRI E.T. MOHAMMAD BASHEER (PONNANI): Mr. Chairman, Sir, I would like to thank you for giving me this opportunity.

          The financial business pertaining to the General Budget is almost concluding now.  This year, due to non-formation of the Departmentally-related Standing Committees, we could not have threadbare or meticulous discussion even on major items also.  That is because we have to save time.  I agree to that.  I wish to make a suggestion at least for the future.  The Budget discussion is some kind of a postmortem type of discussion. The Minister prepares the Budget, which is presented and we are discussing that Budget.  I am suggesting that – if possible we have to think loudly – to have a pre-Budget discussion.  If the pre-Budget discussion is held, Members can make their suggestions, and their valuable suggestions will be very useful to make an effective Budget.  If such a pre-Budget discussion is held, the Budget can be treated as a collective wisdom of this House, and the Budget will be a collective wisdom of Parliament.  This suggestion may kindly be considered for the making of the Budget in future.

          I was closely listening to the speeches made by the Members from the Treasury Benches on the Budget.  All of them were trying to put the burden on the head of the UPA Government.  The UPA Government may have its own minus points.  I agree.  We have to admit that the financial stability ensured by the UPA Government during the recession period was really commendable.  When the whole world was shivering because of recession, India was maintaining stability in the financial sector, and we were able to tide over the crisis up to the maximum possible level. 

          The UPA Government’s historical legislation such as the Food Security Act, the Right to Information Act, the Right to Education Act and the law pertaining to safety and dignity of women and children have to be treated as milestones in the legislation of India.

          Sir, we made India polio-free.  Growth  in  agricultural sector, export sector and per capita income were all laudable and remarkable things done in our regime. If there were inadequacies and inconsistencies, of course, you may take correction actions.

          Sir, during the election period, your slogan was: “achhe din aayenge.”  But after assuming office, you are now talking about ‘bitter pills’. Of course, you are distributing bitter pills in a very  lavish way. Price rise, railway fare hike and hike in fuel charges are all being lavishly distributed. Now, people have started asking: “Achhe din kab aayege? How many more bitter pills’ stock are  you having in your pocket?”  This is the situation arising, now.

          Sir, I would like to say one more thing. There is a double standard in their stand.  Yesterday, hon. Minister of External Affairs was making a statement on the Prime Minister’s visit of BRICS Summit.  She stated: “Prime Minister reaffirmed our commitment to contribute to a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Arab-Israel conflict on the basis of universally recognised international legal framework including UN relevant resolutions.”           But Sir, even if he said that we are honouring UN resolution, we all demanded that we must condemn the aggression of Israel. But unfortunately, they are keeping a criminal silence on it. UN is repeatedly asking for ceasefire. But unfortunately, the government have not taken a positive stand on it irrespective of our request from both Houses of Parliament to condemn Israeli aggression.

          About black money, we have all been discussing about it.  During a discussion, almost all the Members were emphasizing on this black money issue.  But it is a fact and even according to the Budget documents, there is acute shortage of staff in the CBDT, CBEC, ED and FIU.  More than 30,000 vacancies are remaining to be filled.  I would suggest that we must take war-footing level efforts to fill up the vacancies in these Departments.  Then only, we will be able to control these kinds of things.

          While coming to MNREGA, we have to make it very effective. Budget provision on MNREGA is not up to the expectation. It is much low.  Even Rs. 5,000 crore will have to be paid for the work already done.

          About Food Security, this Government is not taking any initiative. It is being done in a dead slow manner. I would like to say that it was a historic legislation passed by the UPA Government. The entire country can be  part of it.  So, I would humbly request the Government to take expeditious   action on it.

          Lastly, on the issue of e-governance, we have all been talking about it. It is a digital era.  If we want corruption-free India, if we want time-bound action on issues, we have to convert into e-governance in all sections and Departments. I would request the Government to give top priority to e-governance.

          With these few words, I conclude.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

श्री रवीन्द्र कुमार राय (कोडरमा) : सभापति महोदय,आपने मुझे वित्त विधेयक पर बोलने की अनुमति दी,इसके लिए मैं आपका आभारी हूं। मुझे लोक सभा में किसी विषय पर बोलने का पहला अवसर मिला है। मैं झारखंड से आता हूं जहां आजादी की लड़ाई लड़ने वाले बिरसा मुंडा,सिद्धू-कान्हू,चांद-भैरव,ठाकुर विश्वनाथ गणपत राय और शेख भिखारी जैसे महापुरुष पैदा हुए। मैं उन्हें नमन करते हुए अपनी बात प्रारंभ करना चाहता हूं।

          वर्ष 1947 में हिन्दुस्तान आजाद हुआ। लम्बा समय बीत गया। हम गांव के रहने वाले हैं,शहर को भी थोड़ा-बहुत देखा है। आजादी से पहले हिन्दुस्तान के लोगों ने क्या-क्या सपना देखा होगा,इतिहास का विद्यार्थी होने के नाते मुझे उसका अंदाज पढ़ते और पढ़ाते हुए नजर आया।

          जब मैं लोक सभा चुनाव से पहले क्षेत्र में जा रहा था और झारखंड का दौरा कर रहा था तो सर्वत्र निराशा और हताशा का वातावरण देखने को मिला था। लोग हिन्दुस्तान में अपने भविष्य के प्रति उदासीन,निराश हो गए थे। उन्हें लग रहा था कि यह देश अब शायद सुधरने वाला नहीं है। इस देश में नौजवानों का भविष्य बनने वाला नहीं है। इस देश में किसानों की भुखमरी समाप्त होने वाली नहीं है। इस देश में मजदूरों को मजदूरी करने के लिए भी स्थान नहीं मिलेगा। झारखंड जैसे पिछड़े राज्य के जंगल के क्षेत्र से भी हजारों की तादाद में मजदूर अरब कंट्री में जाकर काम करते हैं और पैसा कमाकर घर लाते हैं। देश की अर्थव्यवस्था की ऐसी दुर्दशा की कल्पना हम सबने नहीं की थी। मैं इस बात का जिक्र इसलिए करना चाहता हूं कि देश को इस निराशा और हताशा से निकालने का एक प्रयास प्रारंभ हुआ है।

          आज माननीय सदस्यों द्वारा कई प्रकार के डाटा और जानकारियां अर्थशास्त्र की भाषा में दी जा रही थीं। मैं आपसे इतना ही निवेदन करना चाहता हूं कि इस देश की अर्थव्यवस्था को दिशा देने के लिए जो रास्ता मिलना चाहिए,यदि वह आजादी के बाद मिला होता तो शायद देश की यह दुर्दशा देखने को नहीं मिलती कि यहां शिक्षा नहीं मिलती। शहरों में हर गली में अस्पताल है,लेकिन किसी अस्पताल में मरीजों को सोने के लिए जगह नहीं मिलती। सैंकड़ों,हजारों स्कूल खुल रहे हैं लेकिन वहां नामांकन नहीं होता। हजारों की तादाद में मजदूर गांवों से निकल रहे हैं,लेकिन उन्हें शहरों में काम नहीं मिलता। इस दशा से इस देश को सुधारने का प्रयास कौन करेगा,यह हिन्दुस्तान की जनता के सामने एक निरुत्तर प्रश्न था। उसका उत्तर देने का प्रयास एक बार आदरणीय अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी ने किया।

          सभापति महोदय,मुझे याद है,तब मैं छात्रों के आंदोलन में रहता था और गांव के क्षेत्र में काम करता था। जीटी रोड सबसे महत्वपूर्ण सड़क में इसी बरसात के महीने में हम हर साल धन रोपने का काम करते थे क्योंकि सड़क में गड्ढा होता था। हम उसमें धान रोपकर अपना विरोध दर्ज करते थे। जब अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी के शासन काल में उसका जीर्णोधार हुआ तो लोगों को लगा कि अच्छा,इस देश का प्रधान मंत्री कुछ कर सकता है। 50-55 वर्ष के शासन काल में गांव के किसी व्यक्ति ने काली सड़कें नहीं देखी थीं। हमें काली सड़क देखने के लिए जिला मुख्यालय तक जाना पड़ता था। हम काली सड़क और सफेद सड़क की कल्पना भी नहीं कर सकते थे। पीसीसी सड़क भी बनती है। सीमेंट का घर बनता है,यह तो हमने सुना था। लेकिन सीमेंट की रोड बनेगी,यह कल्पना साकार करके एनडीए की पहली सरकार में दिखाया गया जब अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी जी हिन्दुस्तान के प्रधान मंत्री बने थे।

          मैं बजट के समर्थन में बोलने के लिए इसलिए खड़ा हूं कि एक बार उस छूटे हुए अध्याय को पूरा करने का जो प्रयास प्रारंभ हुआ है,सबको पता है। इस वित्तीय वर्ष का एक-तिहाई भाग पार हो चुका है। जो समय बचा है,उससे इस देश की जनता में जो आशा की किरण जगी है,उसे जगाए रखना है। उस आशा पर लोगों को भरोसा करके आगे बढ़ने की हिम्मत दिलाना है। यह कैसे होगा?मैं किसान का बेटा हूं। बाप ने धान,चावल बेचकर पढ़ाई-लिखाई की थी। लेकिन जब मैं गांव जाता हूं तो पिताजी यही कहते हैं कि कभी खेती करने मत आना। खेती करने आओगे तो भूखे मर जाओगे। खेती की दुर्दशा ऐसी है। हम आठवीं क्लास से पढ़ रहे हैं कि इस देश की 80 प्रतिशत जनसंख्या कृषि पर निर्भर करती है।

17.00 hrs                    लेकिन इस देश में आठ या ग्यारह प्रतिशत ही मात्र खेतों में पानी पहुंचा है,वह भी अर्थशास्त्र की भाषा में है। हम यही सच्चाई देख रहे हैं। जिस क्षेत्र से हम आते हैं,वहां पर बारहों महीने पानी मिले,ऐसा एक परसेंट भी खेत नहीं है,एक परसेंट भी खेती करने योग्य जमीन नहीं है। आखिर इस देश की गरीबी कहां से समाप्त होगी?इसलिए मैं वित्त मंत्री और प्रधान मंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र भाई मोदी जी को बधाई देना चाहता हूं,क्योंकि उन्होंने कृषि को प्राथमिकता दी। हिन्दुस्तान शायद तब तक राहत की सांस नहीं लेगा जब तक यहां के खेतों में पानी नहीं पहुंचेगा। हम उस जनसंघ खानदान से आते हैं जहां यह कहते थे कि हर हाथ को काम तब मिलेगा जब हर खेत को पानी मिलेगा। ...(व्यवधान)

17.01 hrs                           (Shri Pralhad Joshi in the Chair)           सभापति महोदय,मैं दो मिनट में अपनी बात समाप्त कर रहा हूं। अर्थव्यवस्था को एक नयी दिशा देने का जो प्रयास किया गया है,उसके कारण हम आज इस बजट के पक्ष में खड़े हैं। मै झारखंड राज्य से आता हूं और आज वह राज्य अपराधियों और उग्रवादियों की पीड़ा से पीड़ित है। उस राज्य के विकास के लिए विशेष चिन्ता करने की जरूरत है। हम वित्त मंत्री जी को धन्यवाद देना चाहते हैं कि हिन्दुस्तान में 65 वर्षों में सिर्फ एक कृषि अनुसंधान पूसा में खुला था,लेकिन इस बार बजट में झारखंड को उसी प्रकार का केन्द्र दिया गया है और एक साथ बजट में दो केन्द्र दिये गये--एक असम को और दूसरा झारखंड को। वैसे ही और भी संस्थान झारखंड को मिले,यह मैं आपसे प्रार्थना करना चाहता हूं। इसके साथ ही झारखंड भारतीय जनता पार्टी द्वारा बनाया हुआ राज्य है।

          मेरा वित्त मंत्री महोदय से आग्रह है कि आप झारखंड को आगे भी विकास की दृष्टि से एक प्राथमिकता दें। जंगल का वह राज्य आज अपराधियों और उग्रवादियों के चुंगल में फंस गया है,इसलिए उससे मुक्ति दिलाने के लिए आप रास्ता दिखाने का काम करेंगे,इसी भरोसे के साथ मैं इस प्रस्ताव का समर्थन करते हुए अपनी वाणी को विराम देता हूं।

                                                                                                     

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL (AMRAVATI): Thank you, Chairperson, Sir. I will not take much time of the House. I will only speak about the cooperative movement. At the birth of the Income-Tax Act, the cooperative banking industry was deleted from the Income-Tax Act under Section 80 (P). But, unfortunately, in the year 2006, the then Finance Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram ji, again included it within the purview of the Income Tax Act. At that moment, I brought it to the notice of the then hon. Finance Minister and today I will bring it to the kind notice of the present Finance Minister through the Minister of State for Finance. I think he will note down my point that it was deleted earlier and now it is inserted in the Income-Tax Act.

          Cooperative banks are registered in the State of Maharashtra under the Societies Registration Act 1960. The formation and functioning of cooperative banks is very much different from that of other public sector banks. Public sector banks are working under the Government of India while cooperative banks are formed by the members for self-help purpose. The one line definition of cooperative society is, ‘Self-help made effective by the organisation.’ A society, which is working under the Banking Regulation Act, is called a cooperative bank.

          Sir, in public sector banks, shares are marketable. The value of these shares goes up. But, in case of cooperative bank, the value of its shares is fixed forever.   Whenever there is a good profit, the shareholders are getting some benefit out of dividend. Now-a-days, all the financial institutions are in a competition crisis. Today, everybody wants ATM facility, SMS banking facility, mobile banking facility. That is why, connectivity, which is called core banking, is very much essential.  For the sake of all those technologies to be adopted, there is a need of surplus money. In the co-operative movement, it is never called profit; it is called surplus. If income is in excess of expenditure, then it is called surplus. Out of surplus, they have to meet all their administrative expenses and also spend on adopting new technologies which I have mentioned about.

          Fortunately, the Finance Minister is here and I am talking about the co-operative movement, co-operative banking industry. Again, I will bring it to the notice of hon. Finance Minister that from the beginning of the Income Tax Act, the co-operative movement and co-operative banking industry was deleted from the Income Tax Act under Section 80(P). From the year 2006, the then Finance Minister, Shri P. Chidambaram had taken it into the Income Tax Act by inserting section 80(P) again. That is why, co-operative banks are suffering a lot. In this age of competition, they have to adopt new technologies in the form of ATM, core banking, SMS banking and also provide so many other new facilities which are there in the market. Otherwise, they will not be able to sustain themselves in the competition. That is why, my request is there for the last eight years – co-operative banks have now become habitual of paying income tax – that they should be charged 10 per cent instead of 30 per cent. This will provide a good relief to the co-operative banking industry.

          I know that the hon. Finance Minister is very practical in his Finance Bill and Budget and he has done something for each and every person and all sections of society.  That is good. That is why, my sincere request to him is to please look into the banking industry sympathetically. Anyhow, it will sustain. The co-operative movement is for the common man of society.

                                                         

**SHRI CHARANJEET SINGH RORI (SIRSA): Respected Chairman Sir, I rise to speak on the Finance Bill, 2014 on behalf of my party Indian National Lok Dal.  In this ultimate temple of democracy, this is my maiden speech.   In the four-tier democratic structure of India, village-headmen of village panchayats are present at the grass-root level.  Then come the District Councillors.  Then come the MLAs in the state assemblies.  And members of this temple of democracy are at the highest level.  I have been through the earlier three phases and am now addressing all of you in the highest temple of democracy.  I thank all the Hon. Members at this occasion.

          Sir, the Scheduled Castes comprise nearly 16.23% of the total population of India.  This marginalized section of the population has been at the receiving end.  We must  ensure that they are not discriminated against. The interest of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs and minorities must be protected.  I thank the Hon. Finance Minister for earmarking an amount of Rs.50,548 crores for the welfare of Scheduled Castes.

          Chairman Sir, Hon. Finance Minister has also allotted a sum of Rs.200 crores for granting loans to the youths of Scheduled Castes.  I thank the Hon. Minister for this gesture.  Sir, 80% of the SCs in the country reside in villages.  So, welfare schemes for these sections must reach the rural areas.

          Sir, the Government has taken various steps to empower these disadvantaged sections of society.  But, providing employment to the unemployed people of these sections is the need of the hour.  Many posts reserved for these sections in various departments and ministries are lying vacant.  The backlog of recruitment for these sections must be filled up at the earliest.  50% remission should be given in the marks obtained by applicants of these sections so that the norms are eased and it is not difficult for people of these sections to get employment.

   

          Sir,  I am sorry to say that handicapped people belonging to these sections are not granted any concessions in employment in Haryana and are treated at par with the general candidates.  The Central Government must take special steps to provide justice to the people of these marginalized sections.  The State Governments should also be directed to do the needful in this matter.

          Sir, reservation in promotions should be given and various other facilities should also be provided to these disadvantaged sections of society. 

HON’BLE CHAIRMAN : Please conclude.

SHRI CHARANJEET SINGH RORI : Sir, the reservation policy should be strictly implemented in Delhi University.  A special SC & ST cell should be constituted for this purpose.   इसका गठन यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए किया जाए कि समाज के किसी वर्ग के साथ भेदभाव न हो। कुछ विशेष वर्ग जैसे एससी,एसटी,ओबीसी तथा अल्पसंख्यकों को इस मंत्रालय के कार्यक्रमों का लाभ मिला।

HON’BLE CHAIRMAN : Please conclude.  Shri Charanjeet Singh ji, please conclude.

SHRI CHARANJEET SINGH RORI : Sir, late Choudhary Devi Lal ji had first implemented the scheme of giving pension to the senior citizens.  Nowadays, a paltry sum of Rs.200-/ is being given as pension to the people who are 60 to 80 years old.  Those above 80 years are being given Rs.500.  This is a cruel joke.

HON’BLE CHAIRMAN : Please conclude. 

SHRI CHARANJEET SINGH RORI : Sir, this amount must be doubled at the earliest.

          सरकार ने विभिन्न लोगों को अधिकारपूर्ण बनाने के लिए कुछ कदम उठाए हैं,लेकिन यदि हम इन लोगों की रोजगार स्थिति का विश्ले­ाण करते हैं तो एक सराहनीय स्थिति सामने आती है। विभिन्न लोगों के लिए बनाए गए मंत्रालयों में नौकरियां खाली पड़ी हैं। सरकार की इन रिक्त पड़ी नौकरियों को भरने पर विशे­ष रूप से ध्यान दिया जाए। अनुसूचित जाति,जनजाति एवं पिछड़ा वर्ग के प्रतिभागियों को अंकों आदि में आधी छूट दी जाए,जिससे वे नौकरी का लाभ पा सकें और पढ़ाई कर सकें। लेकिन कुछ राज्यों में,जिनमें हरियाणा राज्य भी है,विकलांग एवं भिन्न-सक्षमता वाले लोगों को कोई भी रियायत नहीं दी जा रही है तथा इन्हें सामान्य प्रतिभागियों के समान ही समझा जाता है। केन्द्र सरकार द्वारा भिन्न-सक्षमता वाले लोगों को एक समान व्यवहार सुनिश्चित करने के लिए कदम उठाए जाने चाहिए। केन्द्र सरकार राज्य सरकारों को भी ऐसा ही करने के लिए कहे कि इन भिन्न-सक्षमता वाले लोगों के पक्ष में कार्य करें। जहां प्रमोशन में अनुसूचित जाति और अनुसूचित जनजाति के लिए आरक्षण की व्यवस्था है,वहीं इसी तर्ज पर सरकार द्वारा भिन्न-सक्षमता वाले लोगों के लिए व्यवस्था की जाए,ताकि इनके साथ अन्याय न हो सके। दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय के संस्थानों में एससी-एसटी लोगों के फार्म,सरकार से यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए निवेदन करता हूं,कि उनको बिन में थ्रो न किया जाए। जहां तक वरि­ष्ठ नागरिकों एवं बुजुर्गों का सवाल है,मैं विनती करूंगा कि चौधरी देवीलाल द्वारा बुजुर्गों सामाजिक सुरक्षा देने की,बुढ़ापा पेंशन देने की बात थी,हरियाणा में पहली बार चौधरी देवीलाल ने बुढ़ापा पेंशन दी थी। आज हिन्दुस्तान में 60 साल से 80 साल तक के बुजुर्गों को 200 रुपये और 80 साल से ऊपर के लोगों को 500 रुपये दिए जा रहे हैं,लेकिन यह बुजुर्गों के साथ एक भद्दा मजाक है। मैं विनती करूंगा कि इसको दुगुना कर दिया जाए।                                       

DR. THOKCHOM MEINYA (INNER MANIPUR): Thank you, Mr. Chairperson, Sir. I rise to participate in the discussion on the consideration of the Finance (No. 2) Bill, 2014 as introduced by the hon. Finance Minister.

          I do congratulate the Finance Minister for having passed his maiden Union Budget yesterday, and also for his down-to-earth and very frank approach. Why do I say so? It is because he has tried to formulate the Budget by maintaining a very clear concept of continuity from the past.

         Hence, I would very respectfully like to state that the Union Budget on the whole an ordinary Budget. Facing various difficulties, the Finance Minister tried really hard to present a non-inflationary, growth-oriented Budget this year vis-à-vis NDA Government’s principal commitment to “minimum Government, maximum governance”, but without much success. 

          The Finance (No. 2) Bill, 2014 makes amendments to various taxation laws. We are aware that the primary objective of any tax law and its administration is to raise revenue for the purpose of funding Government expenditure. The amount of revenue raised is primarily dependent upon the collective tax base and effective tax rates. The determinants of these two factors are a range of measures, collectively known as “tax preferences”. The tax policy gives rise to “tax preferences” and such “preferences” are nothing but an indirect subsidy to preferred tax-payers. Such implicit subsidy payment is the tax expenditure. These are also termed as revenue foregone.

          Here, I would like to mention very humbly that on the tax expenditure or revenue foregone, a Statement was laid before Parliament for the first time during the Budget for 2006-07 during the tenure of UPA-I Government. It was well received by all quarters and gave rise to a constructive debate on the entire gamut of issues concerning fiscal policy. It actually lent credence to the Government’s intention of bringing about transparency in the matter of tax policy and tax expenditure. This is what I actually meant by the ‘continuity’ of the system.

          Sir, in the Union Budget of 2014-15, the GDP for Budget Estimates 2014-15 has been projected at over Rs. 1.3-lakh crore assuming 13.4 per cent growth over the advanced estimates of 2013-14, that is, about Rs. 1.1 -lakh crore. The tax revenue is expected to rise at the rate of 18 per cent, much higher than the GDP growth. This increase appears to assume better compliance on the part of tax-payers and improved collections on the part of tax authorities. This will definitely widen the tax net.

          I am now coming to the Direct Taxes. The Direct Taxes which are collected by the Central Government include all taxes like Corporate Tax and everything else. The Finance Minister has estimated a revenue loss of about Rs. 22,000 crore in 2014-15 on account of the changes in the Direct Taxes. Here, we have to mention about the retrospective taxation. All fresh cases arising out of the retrospective tax amendments made in the Finance Bill, 2012 will be scrutinised by a high-level committee to be constituted by the Central Board of Direct Taxes before any action is initiated. I would very humbly say that this exercise may not bear better fruits.

          In respect of personal Income-Tax, being elder citizens of above 60 years, we are very happy with the proposals. The exemption limit has been raised by Rs. 50,000 for individuals below the age of 80 years. Therefore, ‘zero’ tax rates apply to those who are below 60 years of age and whose income is up to Rs. 2.5 lakh; for those who are in the age group of 60 to 80 years, it is up to Rs. 3.0 lakh; and for those above 80 years of age, it remains constant at Rs. 5.0 lakh. There is no other change in the rate of slabs. The 10 per cent Surcharge Tax introduced in the Interim Budget of 2014-15 for persons earning above Rs. 1.0 crore has been retained.

The limit for deductions under Section 80C has been increased to some limit. I will come directly to the indirect tax.  A number of retrospective exemptions have been provided for in the Finance Bill with regard to the Indirect Taxes such as retrospective exemption in excise duty on unbranded articles of precious metals, polyester staple fibre and polyester filament yarns manufactured from plastic waste within the time limit.

          With these few words, I would like to draw the attention what I have mentioned in the General Budget Speech.  I have only three points.

          I requested for National Highway Special Protection Force for all national highways in the north east India for smooth passage of passengers and goods.

          There should be adequate transport subsidy for transporters on those national highways to arrest price escalation of essential commodities including life saving drugs.

          Lastly, there should be dedicated security for all national projects in the north east for timely completion of these projects.

 

SHRI SURESH C. ANGADI (BELGAUM): I support the Budget which was presented by the hon. Finance Minister. 

          Our Finance Minister is holding two portfolios. One is Defence and the other is Finance.  He is given two portfolios in order to protect the country from outside and to make the country strong financially from inside.  So, I congratulate our Minister.

          Our former Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Moily has stated that there are 150 projects which are to be started.  If those projects are started, the problem of unemployment will decrease to some extent. 

          There is a huge gap between the revenue and the expenditure.  A lot of exercise has to be done to bridge the gap.  A man cannot become rich by earning money.  Every man should have some aims and dreams.  Our hon. Finance Minister has many dreams and I hope that he will fulfill those dreams.  Our youth is also having many expectations. 

          In our country, there are two types of people.  Some people are staying in India.   Some other people are staying in Bharat.  The people of Bharat have blessed us by voting.  That is why, today, we are here.

          Hon. Finance Minister, our country is facing enormous challenges.  Basic amenities, roads, electricity etc. are the challenges facing rural India. 

          Now, people are ready to invest.  You have said that there is 100 per cent FDI for Defence.  It can create huge employment.  All these 65 years, we have imported the defence articles from the foreign countries.  If you start the production units of defence arms and ammunition, our country will have good infrastructure and the defence of our country will become much stronger than other countries.  So, I once again congratulate him on this occasion.

          Our former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee dreamt to have wider roads.    Today, the employment would not have been created. A sum of Rs. 37,800 crore has been earmarked for 8,500 kilometres of the National Highway. This is more important. This infrastructure also is more important.

          There is a mention of the retrospective tax structure on the heavy industries. Any businessman who is going to invest his money wants to earn profit on that at the end of the year. If he is told to pay the tax retrospectively, in that event, no businessman in the country will invest. People now think of more investment in the country. This way, we can create a lot of employment in the country.

          I come from Belgaum. We have one of the famous universities by name Vishveshwarya Technological University. A tax has been levied on this University. This University has not taken a rupee assistance from any Government be it the State Government or the Central Government. It was started on its own in Karnataka. They have created surplus funds from their own savings. Now, on that, an income-tax of more than Rs.300 crore has been levied. If this amount is left for the University, the University can grow still more. It can give more education for the students of this region. I would request you to waive off the tax levied on the University which is imparting education for the youth of the country.

          In this country, the cooperative movement is of great importance. Shri Siddhen Gowda , who hailed from Dharwad, started the cooperative movement in Karnataka about hundred years back. A small farmer or any layman can avail the benefit from the cooperatives. Now the Income-Tax Department have brought the cooperative banks also within the ambit of the tax. The cooperative banks are not banks but they are termed as banks. I would request the hon. Minister to waive off the tax under Section 80 C levied on the cooperatives.

          Hon. Prime Minister has told the other day that India should become the skill hub for the entire world instead of the ‘scam India’. There is lot of youths in the country. They are educated in different fields. People can go to each part of the world and work. So, the support should be provided for creating the skills in the country and special grants should be given to the youths to have employment opportunities for the students.

          During the election campaign, people were enquiring us about the black money, which is stacked outside the country. Many Members have shown their anguish to get back the black money from foreign countries. Whatever rules and regulations can be made by this hon. House, those rules should be made. It should be ensured that Black money is brought to India. Hon. Chairman also knows about this problem in this country. Hon. Prime Minister and the Hon. Finance Minister have made this promise to the country to get back the black money which is lying in Switzerland and other foreign countries. Accordingly, a lot of exemption has been given on the personal tax.  The exemption limit has been increased from    Rs, 2 lakh to Rs.2.5 lakh for individual taxpayers, and for senior citizens it has been increased from Rs. 2.5 lakh to Rs.3 lakh. By this, he has made this Budget a successful one. I wish every success to the Hon. Finance Minister in the coming days. I support the Finance Bill.

                                                                                                             

श्री जय प्रकाश नारायण यादव (बाँका) :  माननीय सभापति जी,आपने बोलने का अवसर दिया,उसके लिए मैं आपको धन्यवाद देता हूं। माननीय विद्वान वित्त मंत्री जी यहां मौजूद हैं और उनसे बहुत अपेक्षा भी है। लेकिन जो बजट की तस्वीर आई है,जिसे कबूल भी किया गया है कि हम महंगाई को घटाने में सक्षम नहीं हैं। आपने कहा था कि हर हाथ को काम मिलेगा,हर व्यक्ति को रोजगार मिलेगा,आपने कहा था कि रोटी,कपड़ा और मकान मांग रहा है हिन्दुस्तान। हर इंसान को जरूर रोटी मिलनी चाहिए,कपड़ा मिलना चाहिए,जिंदगी मिलनी चाहिए और पेट की भूख मिटनी चाहिए। आज हर व्यक्ति आज़ाद भारत में सुखी होकर जीना चाहता है,समृद्धि के साथ जीना चाहता है औऱ अपने हक के साथ जीना चाहता है।

           समाज का अन्तिम जन जो हजारों साल से वैसाखी के भरोसे चलता रहा,जिनकी आंखों में हजारों साल से आंसू बह रहे हैं,वह इंसान चाहता है कि हम मुख्य धारा में जुड़े।   वह तो छोटे छोटे कामों से अपनी जिंदगी को अच्छा बनाना चाहता है। आज हम मानते हैं कि हमारा लक्ष्य आधारित बजट नहीं है। अर्थशास्त्रियों की भी रिपोर्ट आ रही है कि लक्ष्य आधारित बजट नहीं है। शब्दों का गुलदस्ता देने का काम किया गया है। घोषणाओं की बरसात की गई है और समस्याओं का जो निदान होना चाहिए,उस निदान की तस्वीर नहीं झलकती है और आंकड़ों का लगता है कि एक बड़ा रोड मैप बनाया गया है। कहीं न कहीं निजी क्षेत्रों की बड़ी भागीदारी को टुकड़े टुकड़े में करके उसको बहुत प्रोत्साहित किया गया है चाहे वह एफडीआई का मामला हो,चाहे पीपी मोड का मामला हो। इसलिए आज कई ऐसे सवाल हैं कि आज कर प्रबंधन को कैसे हम बेहतर करें,कैसे हम महंगाई को कम करें?आज डेढ़ महीने में महंगाई क्यों नहीं एक कदम पीछे आई?बल्कि पांच कदम महंगाई आगे बढ़ गई है। हम महंगाई पर रोक लगा नहीं पाए। सरकार ने चुनाव के पहले घोषणा की थी कि हम अच्छे दिन लाएंगे। ब्राइट डेज लाएंगे। महंगाई को घटाएंगे,हम बेरोजगारों को रोजगार देने का काम करेंगे। हम जमाखोरों के खिलाफ कार्रवाई करेंगे। हम कालाबाजारियों पर कार्रवाई करेंगे,हम बिचौलियों पर कार्रवाई करेंगे। आज कई ऐसी चीजें हैं जिससे दिखाई पड़ता है कि नौजवानों में निराशा का वातावरण फैला हुआ है। हम जानना चाहते हैं कि आज नौजवानों के लिए रोजगार के अवसर क्या क्या हैं?कौन सी उनके लिए कालबद्ध योजना है?कौन सी कालबद्ध योजना के तहत हम उनको रोजगार दे रहे हैं?घोषणा की गई थी कि पांच करोड़ नौजवानों को हम पांच साल में नौकरी देंगे। प्रत्येक साल एक करोड़ होता है। प्रत्येक महीना पांच लाख रोजगार होता है। दो महीने निकल गये। तीन महीने के बाद ही बताइए,चार महीने के बाद ही बताइए कि पांच करोड़ नौजवानों को हम कैसे नौकरी देने का प्रबंधन करेंगे?आज नौजवानों में निराशा का वातावरण बनता जा रहा है चाहे एससी हो या एसटी हो या ओबीसी के लोग हों चाहे गरीब नौजवान हों,जो एससी के लोग हैं,जो गरीब हैं,आज जो बैकबैंचर हैं,आज उनको न्याय नहीं मिलता है। हजारों तरह के उनके सहयोगी संबंधी ब्लॉक तक मारे जाते हैं,लेकिन उनको न्याय नहीं मिल पाता है। आज चाहे इंदिरा आवास हो,वृद्धा पेंशन हो या खाद्य सुरक्षा का सवाल हो,लाल कार्ड और पीला कार्ड उनको नहीं मिल रहा है। तरह तरह से उन्हें तकलीफ हो रही है। ब्लॉक के स्तर पर जो काम होना चाहिए,वह काम नहीं हो रहा है।

           जहां एसटी का सवाल है,जो आदिवासी भाई हैं,जो जंगल में,पहाड़ों में रहते हैं,उनका वही आदिम सभ्यता का इतिहास है। लेकिन आज वहां पर कुंआ नहीं है। पीने का पानी नहीं है। पीने के पानी का उचित इंतजाम नहीं हैं। हमारा जो बांका का इलाका है,हमारा मुंगेर,भागलपुर का इलाका है,आज भी नदी और कछार का पानी हमारे गरीब आदिवासी भाई पीते हैं। इस बारे में हम सभी को,सदन को और माननीय मंत्री जी को संवेदनशील होना चाहिए। मैं बांका क्षेत्र से आता हूं,यहां कटोरिया,चानन और बेलहर,फुलीडुमर का बैंसी इलाका है तथा जो बाराहाट का इलाका है,वहां पर आज भी लोग नदी का पानी पीने को मजबूर हैं। हमें मनरेगा पर ध्यान देना चाहिए। जिस एरिया में भारी कटाव हो रहा है,उस पर भी ध्यान देना चाहिए। पहले कहा गया था कि शिक्षा और स्वास्थ्य की दिशा में अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम विश्वविद्यालय जो है,हम उसकी तर्ज पर एक शाखा खोलेंगे। अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम विश्वविद्यालय की तर्ज पर हम एक शाखा खोलेंगे। यह कब खोली जायेगी,इसकी स्पेशल चर्चा सदन में होनी चाहिए और कब से अलीगढ़ मुस्लिम विश्वविद्यालय चालू होगा,इस पर चर्चा करें।

          हमारे यहां पक्के मकानों का सवाल है,सिल्क उद्योग का सवाल है। बांका में सिल्क उद्योग हैं। भागलपुर को सिल्क की नगरी कहा जाता है। हम यही चाहेंगे कि इन सब चीजों पर ध्यान दिया जाए।

          अंत में मैं यही कहूंगा कि शहरीकरण नहीं होना चाहिए बल्कि गांवों को आगे बढ़ाना चाहिए। यदि गांव बढ़ेंगे तो देश भी बढ़ेगा। इसलिए माननीय मंत्री जी से हमारा आग्रह है कि जब गांव समृद्ध होगा,तभी हमारा देश समृद्ध होगा और बजट में अभी जो कुछ सामने लाया गया है,उससे देश की तस्वीर नहीं बनती है।

          इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं।

 

श्री रत्न लाल कटारिया (अम्बाला) : सभापति महोदय,मैं इस फाइनेंस बिल के समर्थन में बोलने के लिए खड़ा हुआ हूं। जिस प्रकार का बजट आया है,जिस प्रकार से आज फाइनेन्स बिल पर हम चर्चा कर रहे हैं,जिस चीज के लिए देश का नौजवान तड़प रहा था और जिस तरह से जॉब ओरियंटेड बजट दिया गया है,उससे युवाओं को लगा है कि आने वाले समय में उनके सपने साकार होंगे। चुनाव के दौरान जब मैं वोट मांगने के लिए जाता था तो मुझे लाखों की संख्या में नौजवान चुनाव कैम्पेन में मिले। मैंने उनकी आंखों में आक्रोश देखा,मैंनें उनकी आंखों में देखा कि यूपीए की ...( व्यवधान) * सरकार जो हर रोज उनके हितों के ऊपर ...( व्यवधान) * कर रही है ...(व्यवधान)

श्री जय प्रकाश नारायण यादव  : यह ...( व्यवधान) *सरकार कैसे कह रहे हैं।

माननीय सभापति : मैं देखूंगा।

श्री रत्न लाल कटारिया : किस तरह से उनसे रोजगार छीने जा रहे हैं। आज इस बजट में हर क्षेत्र को छुआ गया है। जिससे देश के अंदर एक नया इंफ्रास्ट्रक्चर खड़ा होगा। मैं देख रहा था कि मेरे कुछ कांग्रेसी मित्रों को आज दलितों के ऊपर बहुत प्यार आया। बड़ी बातें कर रहे थे,मैं पूछना चाहता हूं कि देश की 67 सालों की आजादी के पश्चात भी 1/3 जो लोग गरीबी के मारे हैं,भुखमरी के शिकार हैं,वे भारतवर्ष के अंदर ही क्यों हैं। आप चाहे यूएनओ की रिपोर्ट देख लीजिए,चाहे यूनेस्को की रिपोर्ट देख लीजिए,चाहे डब्ल्यू.एच.ओ. की रिपोर्ट देख लीजिए। 67 साल की आजादी के बाद भी हिंदुस्तान के 1/3 लोग अफ्रीका सब-सहारा देशों से भी गये-गुजरे हैं,वे हिंदुस्तान के अंदर भुखमरी का शिकार हैं। यह किसने किया,यह इस देश को कांग्रेस पार्टी की ही देन रही है। आज देश को एक ऐसा जननायक नरेन्द्र मोदी जी मिले हैं,जिनकी आंखों में युवाओं ने अपने सपनों को साकार होते हुए देखा। जिनकी आंखों में इस देश की करोड़ों महिलाओं ने अपनी एम्पावरमैन्ट को देखा,जिनकी आंखों में हिंदुस्तान के करोड़ो दलितों ने अपने सपनों को साकार होते देखा और उन सपनों को जो रूप दिया है,वह हमारे आदरणीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने अपने बजट में दिया है। यहां बड़ी-बड़ी बातें की जा रही हैं कि बजट में बहुत कुछ नहीं हुआ। 45 दिनों के अंदर एक इतना बड़ा क्रांतिकारी स्टैप इस बजट में लिया गया है कि हर क्षेत्र को कुछ न कुछ दिया गया है। जो सिस्टम 67 सालों से बिगड़ा हुआ था,क्या इसे 45 दिनों के अंदर ही ठीक किया जा सकता था। अभी तो हमारा यह पहला फाइनेन्स बिल आया है और जब इसके फ्रूट्स देश की जनता में बंटने शुरू होंगे,तब इसके रंग आने भी शुरू होंगे। आठ लाख करोड़ रुपये देश के किसानों के लिए,देश के एग्रीकल्चर सैक्टर के लिए जिस प्रकार से दिये गये हैं,जब यह पैसा किसानों तक पहुंचेगा तो क्या देश के अंदर किसानों की आत्महत्याएं कम नहीं होंगी। इसी तरह से 51000 करोड़ रूपये से भी ज्यादा रूपया जो देश के दलित समाज के लिए दिया गया है,ये पैसा जब उनकी शिक्षा के ऊपर खर्च होगा,जब उनके स्वास्थ्य के ऊपर खर्च होगा,जो विभिन्न स्कीमें चल रही हैं,जब उनका लाभ उनको मिलेगा तो क्या उनके घर के अंदर,एनडीए सरकार के द्वारा जो कार्य शुरू हुए हैं,उनकी रोशनी नहीं आएगी। इसी प्रकार से सौ मेगासिटी बनाने का जो फैसला किया गया है,उससे भी देश के अंदर एक रोशनी आने वाली है।

          मैं आदरणीय वित्त मंत्री महोदय से यह प्रार्थना करना चाहूँगा कि मैं अंबाला लोक सभा क्षेत्र से आता हूँ और मेरी लोक सभा का सारा क्षेत्र पहाड़ों से जुड़ा हुआ है। अटल जी ने अपने शासनकाल में हिमाचल प्रदेश के बद्दी को एक स्पेशल पैकेज दे कर,उत्तराखण्ड में स्पेशल पैकेज दे कर पहड़ों के अंदर रहने वाले लोगों की दस वर्षों के अंदर कायापलट दी। मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री महोदय से यह प्रार्थना करना चाहूँगा कि मेरे संसदीय क्षेत्र अंबाला की जितनी भी हिमालय की बैल्ट है,उस बैल्ट को भी आर्थिक दृष्टि से स्पेशल पैकेज दिया जाए।

          मैं माननीय मंत्री महोदय को यह विश्वास दिलाना चाहूंगा कि ऐसा होने से गुड़गांव की तरह या दूसरा जो बैंग्लोर सिटी डिवेल्प हो रहा है,एक ऐसी ही सिटी आपको उस पहाड़ी क्षेत्र के अंदर देखने को मिलेगी। आपसे मेरा निवेदन है कि इस विषय पर ध्यान दिया जाए।

 

SHRI PREM DAS RAI (SIKKIM): Thank you for giving me this opportunity to participate in the debate on the Finance Bill, 2014.

As per the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the object of the Bill is to give effect to the financial proposals of the Central Government for the financial year 2014-15. No sooner should we actually give this because then only, what the Finance Minister has proposed to collect the revenues and keep the fiscal deficit at about 4.1 per cent, gets effect.

          I would also like to state in this august House that more than just the Finance Bill, it is important that we widen the tax net and deepen the implementation so that the collections are on target and we can achieve the fiscal deficit targets that the Budget proposes.

          I would like to bring to the notice of the hon. Finance Minister that Sikkim became a part of the Indian Union as the 22nd State in May 1975, through the 36th amendment to the Constitution of India. Article 371 (f) was inserted in the Constitution. Within the framework of the Constitution and as per the spirit of that Constitutional amendment, the people of Sikkim are known as the ‘Sikkim Subject’. Those who are put in the Sikkim Subject Register, have an income tax relief through the Section 10 (26) (aaa) of Income Tax Act.

          In the process of doing this, there are certain sections of our population who have been left out. This is iniquitous in its formation and therefore, I bring to the notice of this House and to the notice of the hon. Finance Minister that we have old settlers, those who are there in Sikkim for a very long time, ahead of 1961, when the King of Sikkim at that time, promulgated the whole issue of Sikkim Subject and most of the population actually took to Sikkim Subject. This is an issue which we have been bringing to the notice of the Finance Ministry, the Prime Minister and the Government of India.  In this august House I would like to reiterate this particular issue.

          I would like to thank the hon. Prime Minister for bringing in the issue of organic farming in the North-east, in particular in Sikkim, on the floor of this House whilst replying to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.  I think this is something which has catapulted us into another league in terms of organic farming.  I do know that in this particular Budget there are a series of things which will go a long way in helping our State to quickly fulfil the vision of being able to make not only our State but also the North-east into an organic hub. 

I would like to once again thank the hon. Finance Minister for providing a sum of Rs.100 crore for Himalayan Institute of Research in Uttarakhand.  I would also like to place before him that there is a need for bringing up a biodiversity institution in the State of Sikkim which can be connected to the Sikkim University.  I think the eastern Himalayas, of which Sikkim is a part, is also known as one of the biodiversity hot spots of our country.  This august House needs to know that through eco tourism and organic farming the youth of Sikkim will be able to give them the livelihood that is so needed in this day and age.

With these words, I again support the Bill.  I think that the Sensex which has touched an all time high really reflects the kind of sentiment that this Government has been able to engender and I thank the hon. Finance Minister for whatever he has done.

                                                                            

डॉ. रामशंकर कठेरिया (आगरा) : महोदय,मैं आपको बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद देता हूं। वर्ष 2014-15 का बजट देश की जनता और देश के हित में है। मैं समझता हूं कि यह देश के लिए दूरदृष्टि और भारत को आर्थिक रूप से शक्तिशाली राष्ट्र बनाने की दिशा में एक ठोस कदम है। हमारे माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी द्वारा जो बजट पेश किया गया,मैं उसका पूरी तरह से समर्थन करता हूं।

          महोदय,मैं यह भी निवेदन करना चाहता हूं कि पूर्व में जो दस वर्ष से सरकार थी,उस सरकार के दौरान हर क्षेत्र में चाहे किसान का क्षेत्र हो,चाहे व्यापार का क्षेत्र हो,चाहे शिक्षा का क्षेत्र हो,सब क्षेत्रों में भारत की जो स्थिति हुयी और उस स्थिति के कारण पूरे देश के अंदर जो माहौल बना,उस माहौल में विशेष रूप से नौजवानों ने जो एक परिवर्तन की मन में ठानी थी,उस संकल्प को लेकर भारतीय जनता पार्टी को समर्थन दिया। मैं आज यह कह सकता हूं कि हमारा नेतृत्व आदरणीय नरेन्द्र भाई मोदी और हमारे माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने जो बजट पेश किया है,निश्चित रूप से देश के किसानों ने,व्यापारियों ने और विशेष रूप से नौजवानों ने जो आशा हमसे संजोयी है,पार्टी से संजोयी है,वह निश्चित रूप से पूरी होगी।

          मैं इसी के माध्यम से माननीय मंत्री जी से यह भी कहना चाहूंगा कि अभी बात आयी थी कि देश में कोई भूखा न रहे। हम चाहेंगे कि देश में कोई भूखा न रहे और इसके साथ-साथ मैं यह भी चाहूंगा कि कोई पशु भी चारे से दूर न रहे। उसका चारा कोई न ले जाए,इसलिए पशुओं की भी रक्षा हो और आज जो वनवासी क्षेत्र है,जो गरीबी रेखा से बहुत नीचे है,मैं विशेष रूप से चाहूंगा कि उनके लिए योजना बने।

          महोदय,मैं कहना चाहूंगा कि जो 4.5 प्रतिशत विकास दर पिछले सालों में थी,मैं मानता हूं कि आज निश्चित रूप से उससे ज्यादा जीडीपी बढ़ेगी। हमारा और आपका उद्देश्य है कि जीडीपी बढ़े और यह आठ परसेंट तक जाए,तो निश्चित रूप से मुझे लगता है कि देश में उत्पादन क्षमता बढ़ेगी और उत्पादन क्षमता बढ़ेगी तो निश्चित रूप से महंगाई पर हम कंट्रोल पा सकेंगे,जिसके कारण आज बहुत सारी समस्यायें हैं। पिछली सरकार ने आमदनी की दिशा में नहीं सोचा,उत्पादन क्षमता बढ़े,इस दिशा में नहीं सोचा। लेकिन खर्चा करने में कोई कंजूसी नहीं की और उधार लेकर खर्चा करते रहे। उधार लेकर इतना खर्चा किया कि कुछ नहीं सोचा और इतने बड़े-बड़े घोटाले हो गए और देश की हालत यह हो गई। अब प्रश्न उठाते हैं कि बजट कैसा आ गया है। दस साल में आपने देश की आर्थिक स्थिति इस दशा में पहुँचाई है तो दो महीने में बजट कहाँ पर आएगा?यह तो हमारे माननीय मंत्री जी की कुशलता है कि आज पूरा देश इस बजट की तारीफ कर रहा है। जैसे चिप्स का बड़ा सा पैकेट होता है,जब उस चिप्स को खरीदते हैं और उसमें हाथ डालते हैं तो उसमें पूरा का पूरा हाथ खाली मिलता है,चिप्स ढूँढे भी नहीं मिलती है,ऐसी हालत आपने देश की बना दी है। मैं मानता हूँ कि आज माननीय मंत्री जी के इस बजट में निश्चित रूप से सबको राहत मिलेगी। आज जो बढ़ती हुई महंगाई है,निश्चित रूप से उस पर भी हम धीरे-धीरे कंट्रोल पाएँगे। रुपये की कीमत इतनी गिरी कि उसके कारण हमारी स्थिति पूरी दुनिया के अंदर खराब हुई। 32 हज़ार करोड़ रुपये का आज राज्यों का कर्ज़ा है। यह दिया नहीं। इनको अहसास था कि आने वाला समय हमारा नहीं रहेगा,बीजेपी की सरकार बनेगी,इसलिए 32 हज़ार करोड़ रुपये आने वाली सरकार चुकाए,और इस दिशा में उन्होंने कोई ठोस कदम नहीं उठाए जिससे यह कर्ज़ा मुक्त हो जाता।

          आज टैक्स की जो स्थिति है,इस संबंध में कोर्ट में जो 4 लाख करोड़ रुपये के मामले पड़े हैं,उस दिशा में भी कोई ठोस कदम नहीं उठाया गया। आज वह 4 लाख करोड़ रुपये देश में आते जो मामले अदालतों में पड़े हुए हैं,लेकिन उस दिशा में कोई ठोस कदम न उठाने के कारण हमारी स्थिति कमज़ोर हुई है। मैं समझता हूँ कि इस दिशा में माननीय मंत्री जी ने विशेष प्रयास किया है और इस ओर जो ठोस कदम उठाया है,उससे हमें सफलता मिलेगी।

          डिफैन्स के क्षेत्र में भी हम जानते हैं कि सारा सामान बाहर से आता है। आज देश की सुरक्षा का सवाल है और देश की सुरक्षा के लिए सरकार प्रतिबद्ध है। हमारा देश सुरक्षित रहेगा तो निश्चित रूप से इस दिशा में जो ठोस कदम उठाए हैं,एफ.डी.आई. में 49 परसेंट की दृष्टि से नई-नई टैक्नोलॉजी भारत के अंदर आएगी। जो पैसा हम बाहर खर्च करते हैं,उसमें निश्चित रूप से हमारे देश को बचत होगी। मैं इसी के साथ यह भी कहना चाहता हूँ कि भारत में नई टैक्नोलॉजी के आधार पर जो सामान बनेगा,उससे निश्चित रूप से हमारा देश मज़बूत होगा।

          महोदय,आज़ादी के इतने वर्षों के बाद भी आज ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में बैंकों की यह स्थिति है कि आज केवल 50 प्रतिशत लोग बैंक से जुड़े हुए हैं। मैं माननीय मंत्री जी को बहुत बधाई देता हूँ कि उन्होंने कहा है कि आने वाले समय में सौ प्रतिशत लोग बैंक से सीधा जुड़ेंगे। जब लोग बैंक से सीधा जुड़ेंगे,जब हिन्दुस्तान की जनता,गाँव की जनता बचाएगी,बचत होगी तो निश्चित रूप से हमारा देश आर्थिक दृष्टि से संपन्न होगा। मैं मानता हूँ कि माननीय मंत्री जी का यह कुशल प्रयास इस दिशा में होगा। उत्पादन के क्षेत्र में भी जिस तरह सरकार की योजनाएँ हैं,वह बढ़ेंगी।

          अंत में मैं बहुत समय न लेते हुए यह कहूँगा कि मैं आगरा से आता हूँ। माननीय मंत्री जानते हैं कि आगरा में बहुत बड़ी शू इंडस्ट्री है,लेकिन वहाँ पर 1000 रुपये से कम कीमत का जो जूता है,उस पर आपने जो 50 परसेंट कर आपने कम किया है,इसके लिए मैं आगरा की जनता की ओर से आपको बधाई देता हूँ। मैं सदन को यह बताना चाहता हूँ कि पूरे देश के अंदर 40 करोड़ लोग ऐसे हैं जो आज भी जूता नहीं पहनते हैं। मैं मानता हूँ कि इस ठोस कदम से निश्चित रूप से इस दिशा में सफलता मिलेगी।

          मैं अंत में कहूँगा कि आगरा में पानी की बहुत समस्या है। वहाँ पर एक बैराज की मांग है। इससे ताजमहल को जो खतरा है,वह भी बच सकेगा और आगरा की जनता भी बच सकेगी।

                                                                                               

SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN (KASARGOD): Mr. Chairman, Sir, thank you for giving me this opportunity to participate in the discussion on the Finance Bill, 2014-15. I stand here to apprise the Government and the hon. Finance Minister of certain issues relating to the cooperative movement in the State of Kerala.

          The cooperative movement is a massive movement consisting of one cooperative bank, 14 district cooperative banks and more than a thousand primary cooperative banks. Some of the decisions taken by the Reserve Bank of India and the Central Government have adversely affected the cooperative sector in the State. The hon. Finance Minister is well aware of the fact that the Kerala Cooperative Sector takes not only the responsibility of lending loans but also directly enters the market and also takes responsibility of controlling price rise and many other responsibilities. The Finance Bill passed in 2006 had introduced a new clause, namely, 80P which imposed certain restrictions on the functioning of the banks. There was an exemption to this clause that the primary cooperative societies which deal with the needs and demands of the farmers will be exempted. But this has not been implemented in the State of Kerala for the simple reason that the major share of the business is not in agricultural field. But these agricultural cooperative societies are functioning in rural areas where these cooperative societies become the strength of the farmers. We, the MPs from Kerala, had met the hon. Finance Minister. I would like to request the hon. Finance Minister to make an amendment exempting the agricultural cooperative societies from the purview of the 80P. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for the cooperative societies and also affect the farmers because the farmers in the rural areas fully depend on the cooperative societies.

          The second issue that I wish to raise is about a decision of the Reserve Bank and the Government to scrutinize the accounts of the individuals in the banks whose deposits exceeds Rs. 5 lakh and above. I am not against this in respect of the State Cooperative Banks, the District Cooperative Banks or the urban cooperative banks, but as far as the cooperative societies are concerned it is really difficult. It is because with regard to the national banks the limit is Rs. 10 lakhs; with regard to the private banks there is no limit at all. I could not understand the justification as to why there is a restriction on the cooperative banks. I am not against such a scrutiny but I would like to submit that the limit should be raised from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh. Nowadays, the income officials are rushing to the cooperative banks to get the accounts from the computers itself. Such a situation really makes the functioning of the cooperative societies difficult.

          The other issue that I would like to raise is with regard to the collection of TDS. I think, that is not applicable to them and that aspect also has to be taken into account.

          The last point is with regard to online trading that is going on. Though it seems to be attractive, yet, I think, it causes a big loss to the State exchequer because there is no restriction and also there are no rules and regulations. It is loss for the Government itself. There has to be some restrictions and it has to be reviewed.  There are customers who are working in accordance with rules and regulations but this online trading is not guided by any rules and regulations.

          I would like to place these issues of serious concern before the hon. Finance Minister.

         

HON. CHAIRPERSON : Hon. Members, now, it is 6 o’clock. There are still a few more speakers to speak on this Bill and there are also matters to be taken up under Zero Hour. If the House agrees, then we will continue up to 7 o’clock.

SEVERAL HON. MEMBERS: Sir, yes.

SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL (SAHARANPUR): Mr. Chairman, Sir, I am extremely grateful to you for having granted me this opportunity to make my maiden speech on the Finance Bill, 2014-15. I rise to whole-heartedly support this Bill.

          I would like to start by quoting George W Bush when he once said, `financial crisis should not become an excuse to raise taxes which would only undermine the economic growth required to regain our strength’. Indeed, this has been the essence of this Finance Bill. It has been pragmatic, realistic with a clear focus on fiscal consolidation, accepting a target of 4.1 as fiscal deficit, I think was indeed a very brave task and yet to be able to carry the tax reform agenda forward is a commendable step and I take this opportunity to thank the hon. Finance Minister and also to congratulate him for the same.

18.00 hrs           Sir, fiscal prudence is what drives an economy and unless we are fiscally prudent, we cannot move on the path of development and progress that we so want to be on.  By saying that, I mean that we need a low fiscal deficit.  A low fiscal deficit in turn leads to lower interest rates in the economy which lowers inflation rates and it drives the economy towards economic growth.  And, I think, that is essentially what this Finance Bill has endeavoured to do.  We will indeed reach that figure of 8 per cent economic growth rate in times to come. 

          An emphasis has been laid on manufacturing and infrastructure building which invariably leads to the creation of employment and also entrepreneurship.  Steps such as lowering the duties on components are indeed steps on the right direction towards promoting manufacturing locally.  When we have more manufacturing happening locally, it would lead to the creation of more jobs. 

In setting up an early stage Capitalisation Fund of Rs.10,000 crore for micro, small and medium enterprises, I think, we are second only to the United States of America in this regard and we are even ahead of China. This is such a  wonderful step in the direction of entrepreneurship and employment.  It will go a long way in the years to come to take India on the path to progress.

There is a move to bring about foreign direct investment in defence and the insurance sector.  In defence, it would benefit by giving us clear procurement, clean and transparent procurement. Also, it would reduce our reliance on imports. As far as insurance sector is concerned, I would like to believe that this would entail an inflow of roughly six to seven billion US dollars of investment into India.   All the Members of this House can well imagine how such a huge amount of money can turn our economy around.

Sir, our hon. Finance Minister has ensured that he has kept the people of our country smiling while he was devising the tax structure of this Budget.  The theme of the Finance Bill was to give more money into the hands of the people, be it by virtue of raising income tax exemption limits, be it by virtue of raising deductions on interest on home loans or raising limits under Section 80C by Rs. 50,000 providing further exemptions to senior citizens and very senior citizens.  I think anyone in this country, a person living in Mumbai or a person living in Sikkim or a person living in my home constituency of Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh, is bound to benefit from such a move. 

In the words of the hon. Finance Minister, civility has been brought to the taxation system and civility will come about with very lower income groups  falling out of the tax structure so that they do not have to be burdened any more. An increased compliance to bring in and generate greater revenues is, I think, the essence of the restructuring of the tax framework.

There have been several directionally positive measures that were taken in the Finance Bill and in this Budget in order to spur economic growth as also to induce investment.  I will just name a few as there is a shortage of time.  By not resorting to retrospective amendments, as an hon. Member too has mentioned, we are indeed inducing investment and we are building the confidence of investors.  Also by taking bold steps such as roll back provisions of advanced pricing agreements, or extension of advanced ruling mechanisms, or even the setting up of settlement commissions and strengthening of those commissions, we are invariably reducing the litigations and the arbitration processes. … (Interruptions)     Sir, I need a little more time. This is my maiden speech. So, if you can, please grant me that liberty. I will take just three or four minutes more.

          In the sector of real estate investment trusts as also infrastructure investment trusts, we all know that extending the pass through status for tax purposes, will in the long-term bring both domestic as well as foreign investment. It will also benefit investments in the infrastructure sector. This is what the economy needs. We need to build our core sector. A move in this direction, which the hon. Finance Minister has proposed is indeed going to deliver that. We all know that our country is facing a severe and an acute power crisis. The whole country is reeling under it. So is my State of Uttar Pradesh. Moves in the direction of an assured coal supply to units that are commissioned by March, 2015, the extension of tax holiday, extending the sun-set date, for that tax holiday to 31st March, 2017, promoting the use or the generation of new and renewable energy, be it in the form of wind energy or solar energy by reducing customs duty on components for both, is indeed again a very positive step. … (Interruptions) I will take another two minutes. That is it.

          It has been a very socially responsible Budget. It has been inclusive and the Finance Bill has been inclusive. At the same time the theme has been development. At this point I do have to stress that I come from an area called Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, which has faced  the apathy of the successive State Governments.  In the time to come, I know that my Government, the hon. Prime Minister, the hon. Finance Minister, will indeed do a lot for the development of Saharanpur, be it the construction of a double railway line between Saharanpur and Muzaffarnagar, the setting up of a university or a Special Economic Zone, as also in order to improve the infrastructure in the rural and urban areas.

          I am now going to sum up by simply saying that the hon. Finance Minister has re-started the stalled engine of economic growth of this economy. He has aimed to and strived to improve the living standards of the people of this country. The aim of this Finance Bill is to attract additional revenue without hurting economic growth. We can already see the early signs of recovery in the market with greater exports, with more capital inflows and the industry showing a marginal improvement. I know it is marginal. I know “अच्छे दिन आए हैं,लेकिन बहुत अच्छे दिन अभी आने वाले हैं,वे भी आएंगे,निश्चित रूप से आएंगे।”           I just want to end my speech by quoting a financial guru, Suze Orman, who once said that you have got to be masters of your own financial future. I know that with a Budget and with a Fiancial Bill like this, we will, India indeed will, one day be a master of its own financial future.

          I once again support the Finance Bill (No. 2), 2014. I thank you for giving me this opportunity.

     

HON. CHAIRPERSON : Shri K.H. Muniyappa.

SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA (KOLAR): Hon. Chairman, Sir, Shri K.C. Venugopal may please be allowed to speak in my place.

   

SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL (ALAPPUZHA): Hon. Chairman, Sir, thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak on the Finance Bill, 2014. The Finance Bill contains the financial proposals of the Central Government which we have to give effect for the financial year 2014-15. 

          I do appreciate the elaborate response of the hon. Finance Minister at the time of his reply. He covered all the subjects. He covered all the apprehensions raised by the hon. Members. But I am sorry to say that some of the major issues are still in public domain. What is the exact of this Government on those things?

I am quoting a sentence from the hon. Finance Minister’s Budget speech: “The verdict represents the exasperation of the people with the status quo. Slow decision-making has resulted in a  loss of opportunities.” What has the hon. Finance Minister, through his Budget Speech, delivered for keeping his own words? I have not seen anything. On the other side, the double-standard  of the BJP is reflecting in this Budget.

          There was a stand before the election by the BJP on some issues. What was the stand on Aadhar? What was the stand on Aadhar linking to the key schemes like MGNREGS, Pension Scheme? We introduced them. A lot of criticism has come. You have also taken advantage of that. Now, I have read in the newspaper that our Prime Minister’s Office is very keen on speeding up action on linking of Aadhar to the key subjects.

          Take the case of de-regulation of petrol and diesel prices. We, the Parliamentarians of the then Government itself,  were worried about the petrol and diesel price hike. The Opposition already criticised the Government’s attitude. The BJP was in the forefront then. Now also, the same thing is repeating. What is the attitude of the BJP Government about de-regulation of petrol and diesel price hike? We would like to know about it from the hon. Minister.

          I think there is a deviation in allotment towards people-oriented programmes. In the UPA Government’s Budget, we had seen that the poor people’s  interests were safeguarded in a great manner. While presenting this Budget, Mr. Finance Minister, you have focussed on the neo-middle class, the middle-class, the upper middle class and  on the corporate interests. You have announced about  Smart City, mega projects like the Bullet Train in the Railway Budget causing an expenditure of Rs.60,000 crore.  What exactly have you done on poverty alleviation programmes? What exactly have you allotted to the poverty-alleviation programme and the rural employment programme?

          I have statistics in respect of two:  one is about yours and another is that of your predecessor. In 2013-14, the allotment for MGNREGS was Rs.33,000 crore. This year, you have allotted Rs.34,000 crore. For the Aajeevika programme, which is the programme to reduce poverty by enabling the poor households to access gainful self-employment and skilled wage employment, we had allotted last year Rs.4000 crore. You have allotted the same amount of Rs.4000 crore. There is no increase in respect of the poverty alleviation programme.

          Coming to the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana,  we allotted Rs.21,700 crore last year.  You have allotted only Rs.13,000 and odd crore this year for this. We lay emphasis on this. There is a shortage of about Rs.7000 crore for the PMGSY. How can you justify it? Then, the same thing is there in respect of social justice programmes.

Coming to the Post-Matric Scholarship for the Other Backward Classes, we had allotted Rs.900 crore. You have cut it short to Rs.785 crore. So, there is a shortage of Rs.115 crore. For drinking water supply and sanitation, last year, the allotment was Rs.11,000 crore. This year, it is the same amount of Rs.11,000 crore. There is no increase. For the Integrated Watershed Management Programme which is a rural programme, last year, the allotment was Rs.5387 crore. This year, it is only Rs.2142 crore. Last year, for the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, a sum of Rs.9954 crore was allotted. The same amount is allotted this year also.  Therefore, I would like to say that this Budget is actually focussing on the neo-middle class, middle-class and the urban population in some way, not in every way. It is totally neglecting the rural masses of  India. Should this be the attitude of the Government?  Therefore, I would like to know from the learned, experienced politician, well known lawyer and administrator the policy of this Government towards the poor, middleclass, and upper middleclass?

I am coming to Kerala. This Budget has totally neglected out State. We pointed this out during the General Budget debate also. Mr. Chairman, you know about Kerala better than me. Kerala is God’s own country. FM also knows.

The Minister has announced a lot of pilgrim circuits – Udaya programme, which is a good programme.  I appreciate that programme, which includes Mathura, Amritsar, Gaya, Kancheepuram, Velanganni, Ajmer. Why don’t you include Sabarimala, Guruvayoor and other pilgrim centres in Kerala?

Likewise, you have announced Buddhist  circuit – Sarnath, Gaya, Varanasi. We agree. He has announced five AIIMS – about which we have had discussion. Kerala is neglected. But the Health Minister has assured the House that it will be set up in Kerala within 5 years. He has announced many agricultural universities but there is no mention of Kerala. Of course, one IIT find a place in Kerala, about which I am really thankful.

Lastly, we, the people of India expect that when you are presenting a Budget, there should be a hike of income-tax limit. People were expecting at least Rs.5 lakh should be the income-tax limit. Acchhe din aayega – that was the slogan. But general people have a feeling that Acchhe din would reflect this income-tax limit But unfortunately it has not reflected in the announcement regarding income–tax exemption. Therefore, I am appealing to the hon. Finance Minister that while replying to the Finance Bill that at least he should announce some hike in this income-tax limit. That is all.

     

SHRI VINOD KHANNA (GURDASPUR): Thank you, Mr. Chairman, Sir, I have finally given up because I had given my name in the General Budget and the Railway Budget and I didn’t get a chance to speak.

          In accordance with the Article 110(a) of the Constitution, and with the motto of our hon. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, which is welfare for all,  this Finance Bill provides a sigh of relief for the general public on the taxation side, which is really under the vicious cycle of inflation, unemployment and corruption. Our hon. Finance Minister has shown the path of fiscal prudence with pragmatic vision for the country’s economy through the proposed tax legislations in the Finance Bill (No.2), 2014.  Increasing the basic exemption limit by Rs.50,000 in direct taxation, along with the increasing the eligible investment limit for reduction under Section 80(c) to Rs.1.50 lakh from the present Rs.1 lakh, would help save additional Rs.10,000. To add to this, increase in reduction limit on interest for housing loan for self-occupied property from Rs.1.50 lakh to Rs.2 lakh will help an additional  tax benefit to the extent of Rs.50,000. All this adds up to a saving of taxation to the tune of Rs.15,000. This would give much required relief on the direct tax plan to the common man.

          Unlike the last full-fledged Budget of the UPA Government this year, the major booster for all of us – taxpayers -  as far as direct tax and service tax proposals in the Finance Bill are concerned is that the focus is towards broadening the tax basis.  This would rationalise tax provisions, would reduce litigation and bring certainty and clarity to tax payers as regards the tax regime with minimal unpleasant amendments in the fine print.

          The Indian infrastructure industry and the PPP model are currently in a challenging phase with the development of existing projects delayed and diminishing attractiveness of new projects to private sector funds and strategic operators. To meet these challenges, the proposal to introduce new categories of investment vehicles namely, Real Estate Investment Trust and Infrastructure Investment Trust is a welcome step.

          To bail out the sick industrial sector, the Government has proposed a slew of measures. The initiative of allowing 15 per cent concession to manufacturing companies for the next three years who invest more than Rs. 24 crore in plant and machineries is a big boost to the manufacturing and MSME sectors.

          The extension of tax holidays to new companies in power generation will provide impetus to the power sector.

          The increase in FDI limit in defence manufacturing to 49 per cent from the existing limit 26 per cent with full Indian control will bring a paradigm shift in our defence preparedness as it will open new avenues for technology upgradation and competition.

          The increase in the composite cap of FDI in insurance from 26 per cent to 49 per cent will bring the required capital to enthuse the capital market.

          The careful steps taken by the Finance Minister on the retrospective taxation front is a sign that will encourage the foreign investors to renew their initiatives.

          The proposal of the hon. Minister regarding the GST will help to break the deadlock on this front between the States and the Centre. It is hoped that the much vaunted GST gets rolling to ensure better tax compliance and effective rationalisation of the taxation regime.

          Sir, before I talk about my constituency, for many years my income came from the film industry and I do not find any mention of the entertainment industry in the Budget Speech of the hon. Finance Minister. I would like to submit that the Indian film and television industry is going through a lot of problems. They need a lot of support from the Government of India.

          To give you an example, the revenues generated by China five years ago from their film industry was just half of what Indian film industry used to generate. But in the last five years, they have gone three times ahead of India. What did they do? They supported their film industry tremendously through Public Private Partnership model. They opened up FDI to build film theatres. They built more than 40,000 theatres in the whole of China. That increased the revenue which built up the entire film industry. Today, the Chinese film industry competes with the entire world. They have bagged so many international awards, including Oscars. Many times they have won awards in the Best Film category at the Oscars.

          So, our film industry does need a boost. The National Film Development Corporation needs a fund, like the hon. Minister has given institutional funding to many other sectors,     to really promote the low budget films that demand funding, which they do not get through institutions at present.

          Sir, we were lucky that the last NDA Government headed by Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee had given industry status to the film sector. For many years this was denied by all the Governments. Vajpayeeji’s Government was the first Government to recognise the role that the film industry plays, which includes music, television and all that. This industry has kept the entire PIOs all over the world, all the NRIs all over the world bonded with the matrubhoomi. These people live day-to-day to watch Hindi films and listen to Hindi music. There are many demands which the film industry has. One of them is to even make entertainment tax a part of the GST.

HON. CHAIRPERSON : Vinod Khannaji, please conclude.

SHRI VINOD KHANNA : Sir, nobody has talked about the film industry. This sector has been left out. There are so many Members present here.  We have Members on this side, that side and we have Members in the Rajya Sabha also.  May be, I can write the rest of the things and send it to the hon. Minister.  May be, Sir, also if they can give you a representation, they can come and meet you and talk to you about all their difficulties.

          Lastly, Sir, you know the plight of the people of Gurdaspur very well.  They were having high expectations from the Government.  Being a border district, it has faced the wrath of wars.  It borders Pakistan.  The village people there have been uprooted over and over again.  Nobody has even bothered to put industry there. Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir have got special packages.  It is because of that, even the existing industry that was there in the Gurdaspur district, was shifted to those neighbouring States.

          So, kindly consider this request.  We are very much part of Himachal Pradesh.  My constituency touches mountains; we go up to Dalhousie.  It all touches Himachal Pradesh on one side and Jammu & Kashmir on the other side.  Both the States have special tax packages.  All the existing small scale industries, medium scale industries have been shifted out from here and there is a lot of unemployment.  So, I would request for a special package.

 

श्री प्रेम सिंह चन्दूमाजरा (आनंदपुर साहिब) : सभापति जी, माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने जो बजट पेश किया है, उससे देश भर के निवेशकारों में विश्वास बढ़ा है। उसके लिए वित्त मंत्री जी ने फिस्कल डैफीसिट कम करने की बात की है, वह ठीक है। लेकिन पहली सरकार का जो उदाहरण दिया है, मैं निवेदन करूंगा कि वे पहली सरकार का रास्ता न चुनें क्योंकि उसने प्लैंड एक्सपैंडीचर को कम करके डैफीसिट कम किया। अगर प्लैंड एक्सपैंडीचर को कम करके डैफीसिट कम किया जाएगा तो देश आगे नहीं बढ़ पाएगा, ग्रोथ आगे नहीं जाएगी, न इम्प्लॉयमैंट बढ़ेगी और न आम लोगों को कोई फायदा होगा। अगर डैफीसिट कम करना है तो नान-प्लैंड एक्सपैंडीचर को कम करना होगा। उसके लिए कॉस्ट ऑफ प्रोडक्शन कम करने के लिए वित्त मंत्री जी ने जो नीति तय की है, उसके संकेत अच्छे हैं। जैसे प्रधान मंत्री सिंचाई योजना है। उससे कॉस्ट ऑफ प्रोडक्शन कम होने की आशा है। मैं समझता हूं कि इस पर ज्यादा जोर देने की जरूरत है।

          एग्रीकल्चर सैक्टर में पैस्टीसाइड्स, फर्टिलाइजर और बीज का औद्योगीकरण हो गया। इनके नाम पर लोग पैसा कमा रहे हैं। देश में 10-12 हजार करोड़ रुपये का बीज का व्यापार होता है। किसानों को कोई फायदा नहीं होता। इसलिए कॉस्ट ऑफ प्रोडक्शन कम करने के लिए पैस्टीसाइड्स, फर्टिलाइजर और बीज जैसी चीजों की कीमतें कम करनी पड़ेंगी।

          दूसरा, देश को रॉयल्टी के नाम पर पैसा लिया जा रहा है और ब्रांड बेचे जा रहे हैं। इतना प्रॉफिट नहीं होता जितना रॉयल्टी के नाम पर पैसा निकाल लिया जाता है। जब तक रॉयल्टी कम नहीं की जाएगी तब तक देश को फायदा नहीं होने वाला है। उस पर भी विशेष ध्यान देने की जरूरत है।

          माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने पिलग्रिमेज सर्किट बनाने की बात कही है। मैं इनसे निवेदन करूंगा, आप जानते हैं, देश जानता है कि मेरी कौन्सटीटूएंसी का नाम श्री आनंदपुर साहिब है। श्री आनंदपुर साहिब एक ऐसा क्षेत्र है जिसके चारों तरफ सब धर्मों के स्थान बने हुए हैं। वहां से गुरु तेग बहादुर साहिब को शहादत देने के लिए देश के सब धर्म और संस्कृति के लोग आए। उसके साथ ही नैना देवी, चिन्तपुर्णी जी, बाबा बालकनाथ जी और गुरु रविदास जी का खुरालगढ़ है। मैं चाहूंगा कि उसे पिलग्रिमेज सर्किट के तौर पर माना जाए। उसके लिए चहुमार्गी सड़कें जे एंड के, हिमाचल और पंजाब से जोड़ने के लिए विशेष फंड दिया जाए। वहां दुनिया भर से लोग आते हैं। आखिर महीने में पिलग्रिमेज सर्किट श्री आनंदपुर साहिब होना चाहिए।

          मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से कहना  चाहता हूं कि नैना देवी जाने के लिए रोप वे बनाया गया था।   जो ओल्ड ऐज लोग हैं,वे पहाड़ी पर चढ़ नहीं सकते। इस रोपवे को पहले पंजाब सरकार और धूमल सरकार ने ज्वाइंटली बनाया था। अब हिमाचल सरकार ने उसे रद्द कर दिया। अगर गवर्नमैंट ऑफ इंडिया पैसा देकर सीधे तौर पर बनाये,तो श्रद्धालुओं की बहुत बड़ी मांग पूरी हो सकेगी।

          दूसरा,वाघा बार्डर से जो वस्तुएं बाहर जाती हैं,विदेशों से व्यापार होता है,उनमें से कई वस्तुओं पर रिस्ट्रक्शन लगी हुई है। समुद्र के रास्ते जो वस्तुएं जाती हैं,उन पर कोई रिस्ट्रक्शन नहीं है। लेकिन जो सड़क के रास्ते से जाती हैं,उन पर रिस्ट्रक्शन लगी हुई है। मैं चाहूंगा कि उन पर जो रिस्ट्रक्शन लगी हुई है,वह खोल देनी चाहिए। इसी के साथ पंजाब का लोन वेव ऑफ करने की बात बहुत समय से हो रही है। मिलिटैंसी के समय से ही हमारे ऊपर कर्जा चढ़ा हुआ है। खास तौर से पिछली सरकारों ने ...(व्यवधान)मैं एक मिनट में अपनी बात समाप्त करूंगा। पड़ोसी प्रदेशों को हिल स्टेट डिक्लेयर करके इंसेंटिव दे दिये। पंजाब की इंडस्ट्री वहां तबाह हो गयी है। पंजाब बार्डर एरिया है। हमारे मित्र खन्ना साहब ने गुरुदासपुर की बात की है,तो सारा पंजाब ही बार्डर है। मैं चाहूंगा कि होलीडे टैक्स में पंजाब को स्पेशल पैकेज देना चाहिए।

           सभापति महोदय,मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी से निवेदन करना चाहता हूं कि वह आनंदपुर साहिब को स्पेशल पिग्रमिज सर्किट और पंजाब के कर्ज को माफ करने के लिए जरूर कुछ न कुछ करें।

                                                                                     

श्री सुभाष चन्द्र बहेड़िया (भीलवाड़ा) : सभापति महोदय,आपने मुझे फाइनेंस बिल पर बोलने का मौका दिया,उसके लिए आपका बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद। लोगों की जो अपेक्षा थी कि इनकम टैक्स में छूट की लिमिट बढ़े,तो वह उन्होंने की। इसके साथ-साथ इनकम टैक्स में भी कुछ सरलीकरण करने की जरूरत थी,वह भी उन्होंने की,इसके लिए मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी को धन्यवाद देना चाहता हूं।

          सभापति महोदय,आज सबसे बड़ी समस्या कमोडिटीज एक्सचेंज की है। पूरे देश में कमोडिटीज एक्सचेंज के कारण महंगाई पर प्रभाव पड़ रहा है और उससे सरकार को भी नुकसान हो रहा है। मेरा मंत्री जी से एक ही निवेदन है कि जो कमोडिटीज वायदे-सौदे हैं,उसमें डिलीवरी को एसेंशियल किया जाये,ताकि उद्योगों को फायदा मिले सके। वे अपने जो प्रोडक्ट्स प्रोडय़ूस करना चाहते हैं,उनके लिए रॉ-मैटीरियल के वायदे में सौदे करके डिलीवरी ले सकें। परन्तु आज कमोडिटीज एक्सचेंज की स्थिति यह है कि उपलब्ध माल 5 लाख टन है,जबकि बिक्री 500 लाख टन है। इस पर रोक लगाना सबसे ज्यादा जरूरी है,इसलिए आप इसे करें।

          दूसरा,मिडियम,स्मॉल इंडस्ट्रीज के लिए पहले 100 करोड़ रुपये की लिमिट थी,लेकिन अब वित्त मंत्री जी ने उसे 25 करोड़ करके 15 परसेंट इन्वेस्टमैंट एलाउंस दिया है। मेरा निवेदन है कि टैक्स में ऐसा कोई इंसेंटिव दिया जाये,जिससे लोगों को ज्यादा से ज्यादा रोजगार मिल सके और इन्वेस्टमैंट कम हो। मेरा कहना है कि लोगों को कम इन्वेस्टमैंट में ज्यादा रोजगार मिले,ऐसी कोई योजना सरकार द्वारा बनानी चाहिए। लोगों को टैक्स इंसेंटिव दिया जाना चाहिए।

          सभापति महोदय,मैं जिस क्षेत्र से आता हूं,उसके साथ मंदसोर,चित्तौड़गढ़ लगता है। वहां पर अफीम की पैदावार बहुत होती है। पिछले दस सालों में अफीम के जो पट्टे दिये जाते हैं,वे काफी कम कर दिये गये हैं। अफीम में जो पोस्त दाना निकलता है,वह आज की तारीख में इंडिया में बहुत कम है,इसलिए उसे इम्पोर्ट करना पड़ता है। अफीम नुकसान करती है,इसलिए आपको उस पर जो कुछ कंट्रोल करना है,वह कीजिए,लेकिन बाय प्रोडक्ट अफीम है,मेन तो पोस्त दाना है। उस पोस्त दाने का प्रोडक्शन बढ़ाने के लिए अफीम के पट्टे किन्ही कारणों से निरस्त कर दिये गये हैं,वे वहां वापिस दिये जायें,क्योंकि अफीम दवाई के काम में भी आती है।

          माननीय सभापति महोदय,आज जो स्थिति है,क्योंकि वित्त मंत्री जी ने फाइनेंस बिल में जो प्रावधान किये,उसमें उन्होंने एस्टिमेट किया है,क्योंकि रिवाइज्ड बजट एस्टिमेट तेरह लाख चौसठ हजार पाँच सौ चालीस करोड़ रुपये का टैक्स रिवेन्यू रिसिट बताया गया है,जो वर्ष 2013-2014 का रिवाइज्ड है। उसकी जगह अभी जो वर्ष 2014-2015 का बजट है,पहले रिवाइज्ड एस्टिमेट था,ग्यारह लाख अट्ठावन हजार नौ सौ पाँच करोड़ रुपये का यानी 20 प्रतिशत की बढ़ोतरी उन्होंने इस टैक्स रिवेन्यू में मानी है। यह अत्यंत प्रशंसनीय है। आज जो फाइनेंस बिल पर चर्चा हो रही है,उसका परिणाम होगा कि इतनी रिवेन्यू सरकार को मिलेगी।

          माननीय सभापति महोदय,ट्रांसफर प्राइसिंग में जो विदेशी व्यापार में बाहर की कंपनियों को बेचते हैं,उसके लिए तो ठीक है,लेकिन उसमें स्वदेशी कंपनियों पर भी कुछ कंडीशन लागू कर दी गयी है। मेरा निवेदन है कि दो कंपनियाँ,जो आपस में ट्रांजेक्शन कर रही हैं और दोनों टैक्स पेयर्स हैं,तो उनको कम से कम इस ट्रांसफर प्राइसिंग से छूट दी जाए। आपका बहुत-बहुत धन्यवाद,आपने बोलने का अवसर दिया।

 

श्री कौशलेन्द्र कुमार (नालन्दा)  : माननीय सभापति महोदय,मैं वित्त विधेयक, 2014 पर बोलने के लिए खड़ा हुआ हूँ। मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी के प्रत्यक्ष कर पर लिये गये निर्णय से सहमत हूं,किन्तु यह मेरी धारणा कहें या सुझाव,जब मंत्री जी राज्य सभा में विपक्ष के नेता थे,तो उनकी जो मांग थी,वह यह थी कि कम से कम पाँच लाख रुपये की आमदनी वाले व्यक्ति कर-सीमा से बाहर हों। यह मेरी आकांक्षा थी कि वे इसे वित्त मंत्री के रूप में स्वीकार करते। यह कहना कि सीमित राजकोषीय गुंजाइश की चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ रहा है,यह समझ से परे है। अब अप्रत्यक्ष कर में मंत्री जी का जो भी निर्णय है,वह अच्छा है। मुझे भी लगता है,इससे अर्थव्यवस्था में बदलाव और सुधार आएगा। इस संबंध में मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी से आग्रह करूँगा कि वे किसानों के उपयोग में ली जाने वाली वस्तुओं,सामानों,ट्रैक्टरों,खाद,बीज,कीटनाशक दवाइयों आदि पर पूर्ण रूप से कोई कर न लगाएं,जिससे किसानों को भी आवश्यक वस्तुएं सस्ती मूल्य पर मिल सकें। आज किसान ऋण लेने जाते हैं,तो उन्हें लोन नहीं मिलता है। वे बैंक के चक्कर लगाते हैं। कभी फिल्ड ऑफिसर के पास जाते हैं,कभी बैंक मैनेजर के पास जाते हैं। स्थिति यह होती है कि वे आते-जाते निराश हो जाते हैं। इस पर हमारा एक सुझाव होगा कि इसकी एक नीति बननी चाहिए।

          मैं समझता हूं कि माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी जिस तरीके से गांवों में रहने वाले लोगों को परेशानी हो रही है,उसे समझने की जरूरत है। उसके मैकेनिज्म के रूप में जिला में एक कमेटी का गठन हो। उसमें यह नियम बन जाए कि पंद्रह दिन के अंदर जो फार्म जमा हों,उसमें किनको लोन मिलेगा,किनको लोन नहीं मिलेगा,उसमें निर्णय हो जाए और उन्हें इस बात को बता दिया जाए कि किनको लोन मिलेगा या किनको नहीं मिलेगा। उन्हें किस कारण से लोन नहीं मिलेगा,उनको इसकी जानकारी होनी चाहिए जिससे किसानों को राहत मिल सके। इसी तरह छात्रों को भी लोन में परेशानी हो रही है। इस पर भी ध्यान देने की जरूरत है। साथ ही,बड़े-बड़े डिग्री लेकर नौजवान सड़क पर भटक रहे हैं। बड़े घरों के बच्चे विदेशों से डिग्री लेकर आते हैं,उन्हें भी नौकरी नहीं मिल रही है। मैं समझता हूं कि शिक्षा की गुणवत्ता में कमी के कारण ही यह समस्या उत्पन्न हुई है। अतः शिक्षा में गुणवत्ता और सुधार की जरूरत है। इस पर ध्यान दिया जाए तो उन बच्चों को शिक्षा के लिए विदेश जाने की जरूरत नहीं पड़ेगी। मैं अपने बिहार राज्य के बारे में आग्रह करूँगा कि शायद माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी वर्ष 2014-2015 के आम बजट में बिहार को विशेष राज्य का दर्जा देने के प्रस्ताव को भूल गये। यह प्रस्ताव बिहार के बंटवारे से ही लम्बित है। आज तक केन्द्र की सरकार ने इस पर ध्यान नहीं दिया। बंटवारे के कारण खनिज सम्पदा झारखण्ड में चले जाने से शेष बिहार पिछड़ता चला गया। जब देश कोई पिछड़ता है,तो उसका सीधा असर देश के विकास पर पड़ता है। इस सम्बंध में उल्लेख करना चाहता हूं कि लगभग एक करोड़ 25 लाख बिहारवासियों के हस्ताक्षर एवं टेलीफोन नम्बर के साथ एक ज्ञापन महामहिम राष्ट्रपति महोदय को सौंपा गया था। तत्कालीन मुख्यमंत्री श्री नीतीश कुमार जी के नेतृत्व में पटना एवं दिल्ली रैलियां हुईं,कई रैलियां हुईं। बिहार को विशेष राज्य का दर्जा देने के लिए बिहारवासियों का सुझाव था। उस समय अमृत्य सेन जी की अध्यक्षता में एक कमेटी भी बनाई गयी। कमेटी की रिपोर्ट भी आई। साथ ही कई अन्य पिछड़े राज्य हैं। पिछड़े राज्यों के आकलन और उनकी स्थिति के अध्ययन के लिए केन्द्र सरकार ने रघुराम राजन कमेटी बनाई,इस कमेटी की रिपोर्ट भी सरकार को मिल चुकी है जिससे यह साफ हो चुका है कि दस पिछड़े राज्यों में बिहार दूसरे नम्बर पर है। इसलिए मैं माननीय मंत्री जी का ध्यान आकृष्ट करना चाहता हूं कि बिहार के पिछड़ेपन को देखते हुए बिहार को विशेष राज्य का दर्जा दिया जाए। इसी के साथ मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं।

 

श्रीमती मीनाक्षी लेखी (नई दिल्ली) : धन्यवाद सभापति महोदय,आपने मुझे फाइनेंस बिल पर बोलने का मौका दिया।

विषय को इंगित करने से पहले मैं दो विषय बोलना चाहती हूं। पिछले कुछ वर्ष भारत के लिए मुश्किल रहे हैं आर्थिक कारणों से। The same has been due to non-performing incumbent Government.

On behalf of the people of India, who have fed the lotus and given us a decisive mandate, I wish to thank the hon. Finance Minister for bringing achhe din through the Finance Bill of 2014.

          People of India have armed us with the motto of ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’ and our Finance Minister has delivered on the same in the Budget. 

          I want to bring to the notice of the House that in the memory of martyrs, all of us visit India Gate and Amar Jawan Jyoti.  Our Finance Minister has given us ‘One Rank One Pension’. We are very grateful that in the memory of martyrs, a lot of work, which was pending, has been complied with, and Princess Park also has been told to be converted into a Martyrs Memorial.

At the same time, the hon. Finance Minister, who is also the hon. Defence Minister of the country, I wish to bring on record that memory of martyrs is very holy to every Indian; and specially, on days like 26th July, which is celebrated as Kargil Vijay Divas, all Indians wish to pay floral tributes. To pay those floral tributes, we are required to seek certain permissions.  Do we need permissions to pay floral tributes on the Birth Anniversary or Death Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi on his Samadhi?  It is both an insult to the memory of the martyrs as well as the sentiments of this House and the country at large.

While in the Budget, we have made adequate arrangements and proposals to deal with issues pertaining to the martyrs, I wish to draw attention to this aspect as well. I wish to highlight a few issues in food subsidy of the Finance Bill.  The result shows that food subsidy has grown very sharply in the post reforms period, in fact, by more than 300 per cent, just in the last six years, between 2006-07 and 2011-12.  The result has shown this, and despite having massive supply chain across States and rising food subsidy, food benefits are still not reaching the last mile. Going by the Tendulkar Committee estimates of poor, the number of poor stands at approximately 250 million people as per the survey of 2011-12. Out of which, 130 million people have received the subsidy benefit while 120 million have received no benefit from the States.

          Due to paucity of time, I am cutting short my address and I will place on record the detailed one before the hon. Finance Minister.

          It is generally believed that high food subsidy is mainly because of the inefficient functioning of the Food Corporation of India. Hence, it is imperative to analyze the factors which are responsible for rise in food subsidy in the backdrop of this perception regarding the FCI.

          The economic cost has three factors, MSP which is approximately 70 per cent; procurement cost which is about 13 per cent; and distribution cost which is about 16-17 per cent. These are the figures relating to the year 2011-12. This is the cost incurred as by the FCI. Almost 80-90 per cent of procurement cost is not in the control of the FCI. It involves statutory and non-statutory charges. Statutory charges such as mandi charges, purchase, sales tax and VAT has increased from 40 per cent in 2004-05 to roughly 55 per cent in 2010-11. MSP is also not fixed by the FCI. Storage losses have been reduced by the FCI from 1.6 per cent in 2004-05 to 0.6 per cent in 2010-11.

HON. CHAIRPERSON : Please conclude.

SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:       Mr. Chairman, Sir, I need to make this statement because it is rather important and I only have a couple of points to read out.

          However, transit losses have increased. The FCI has failed to do in terms of handling and administrative expenses. Under-distribution cost which is roughly 16-17 per cent of the economic cost of the FCI. Freight charges alone constitute one-third of the cost followed by interest charges both of which are fixed by other agencies and not by the FCI. We need to contain fiscal deficit but it requires fiscal prudence. A lot of it has been exhibited through the Railway Budget, the General Budget and also the Delhi Budget. Food subsidy though has risen and thus, streamlining of food subsidy is required. It has risen to 300 per cent about which I stated earlier. A balance is needed in this regard as to how much food grains FCI needs to procure as there is a strong co-relation of 0.96 and (co-relation coefficient) between food stock and cost of carrying food stocks as these are the excessive food stocks which again contribute to high subsidy. So, a proper estimation is required.

HON. CHAIRPERSON: Madam, please conclude. If you have got some remaining points, you may kindly hand over them to the hon. Minister.

SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI: I would just conclude by reading two more lines. Basically, all I am stating is that the food subsidy needs to be rationalized by dealing with from procurement cost to everything else. Rationalization of food subsidy has to start through the subsidy itself, smart card and distribution cost; and the food subsidy should reach the people to whom it is intended to reach. In this regard, I would like to point one fact from NSSO 2011-12 consumption expenditure data that there are poor among people who are receiving average food subsidy of Rs.45 per person per month and they incur average liquor consumption of Rs.18 per month per household.

While on the other hand, for the poor households without food subsidy, the liquor consumption has declined by Rs.3 per person per month, which is statistically significant. So, this is to say that liquor consumption has almost remained unchanged in the presence or absence of food subsidy. 

SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA (KOLAR): Thank you Chairman, Sir, for giving me an opportunity to participate in the discussion on the Finance Bill. I do not take much time of the House.

          I will explain some events, which have happened since 1991 till today, on how the Finance Ministers worked and contributed with their rich experience to the country. I have only two or three points to express.

HON. CHAIRPERSON : Hon. Member, you conclude within two-three minutes because your party time is over but still on your request the time is given to you.

SHRI K.H. MUNIYAPPA : Thank you very much for giving me some time.

          I begin with an event in 1992 when the then Finance Minister and the former Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh brought economic reforms to the country. He was the first Finance Minister, who made a repayment of the loan dues to the IMF three months before the due date. For this, he had got an award for the country as well.

          I just request the hon. Minister, Arun Jaitley sahib to pay a little attention to the points I am mentioning.

          The former Commerce and Industry Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, waived off the loan of Rs.72,000 crore on four crore small and marginal farmers. This is another important event for which the hon. Minister got credit. I want something to come out for farmers from the hon. Finance Minister’s budget also.

          The third issue is about the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, which is around 25 to 30 per cent of population of our country. There is no mention of any important programme for these people in the Budget.

          My last point is about Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector, which is a very important segment of our economy. Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme has not appeared in the Budget speech. In paras from 102 to 105 on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, you have provided Rs.8000 crore through the Khadi and village Industries Commission (KVIC) for selecting entrepreneurs in each district. In the last year 2013-14, we had selected one lakh entrepreneurs, which would provide employment to around eight lakh people.  They were provided a subsidy of Rs.1500 crore as also loans amounting to Rs.3000 crore from the banks. This programme does not appear in the MSME sector in this year’s Budget.

          The young people between the age group of 15-35 years voted for the BJP and the NDA. There is no scheme as such for these young people. I want a clarification from the hon. Minister on this issue at the time he replies in the House.

          I say that Chandragupta’s age was a golden age. When I mention the year 1992 when Dr. Manmohan Singh brought economic reforms and paid the dues to IMF three months before the due date – I congratulated him for it – I compare him with Chanakya, the world renowned Arthashastri (Economist).  I said this to Pranab Mukherjee ji and I would like to say this to our hon. Finance Minister also.  You are a good lawyer, a good administrator and also a good manager of a political party like the BJP.  You are also one of the topmost leaders of the BJP.

If these three issues relating to the farmers, the SC/ST and the young people highlighted by me are addressed by you – you know everything is related to the Indian population today – and you come out with comprehensive programmes on these issues, I think, the people, who have voted for you, can remain with you. Otherwise, they will come back to us.

         

________ HON. CHAIRPERSON : Hon. Members, the discussion on Finance Bill, 2014 is over. The reply of the hon. Finance Minister will be tomorrow.

          Now, let us take up ‘Zero Hour’.