Lok Sabha Debates
Discussion And Voting On The Demands For Supplementary Grants( General) For The ... on 5 December, 2001
Title:Discussion and voting on the Demands for supplementary grants( General) for the year 2001-2002.(Concluded and Voted) 14.50 hrs. MR. CHAIRMAN : We now move on to Supplementary Demands for Grants. The time allotted for this subject is three hours.
"That the respective sums of not exceeding the amounts on the Revenue Account and Capital Account shown in the third column of the Order Paper be granted to the President out of the Consolidated Fund of India, of certain further sums necessary to defray the charges that will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 2002, in respect of the heads of demands entered in the second column thereof, against Demand Nos. "3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 20, 21, 22, 27, 36, 50, 54, 58, 59, 62, 64, 65, 68, 72, 74, 76, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89 and 96."
SHRI BIJOY HANDIQUE (JORHAT): Madam, Chairman, we are just three months away from the Budget 2002-2003. Hon. Minister, probably to boost the sagging morale of the nation tried to strike a buoyant and upbeat mood. His optimism however, is not contagious. Not many are convinced by the brave words of the hon. Finance Minister comes out from time to time, particularly in his address at the India Economic Summit, New Delhi a couple of days ago, where he projected a growth rate of seven per cent. It failed to gloss over the inconvenient fact that India is struggling to notch up even five per cent growth. The National Council of Applied Economic Research forecast even less, that is 4.8 per cent growth in the current fiscal year, dissenter believe even this is unduly optimistic and that we will be lucky to manage 4.5 per cent growth.
Madam, we have to bear in mind that the country had actually achieved seven per cent growth for three straight years in mid nineties. The hon. Minister spoke of trebling the direct tax collection from 3.4 per cent of GDP in 2000-2001 to ten per cent in a few years. It is no doubt a laudable objective. But after all these years of reform, tax regulations remained as convoluted as ever. Assesses have to wait for years to have their appeals redressed. Nor is there any sign of improved administrative efficiency. The cost of tax collection, as a percentage of total revenue has been raising steadily. Take, for instance, the tax-GDP ratio. As against the high of 16.07 per cent in 1989-90 and 15.81 per cent in 1991-92, which is considered a bad year, in 1999-2000, the tax-GDP ratio stood at 14.18 per cent. The reasons are not far to seek. The complex and convoluted tax system does not tax close to seventy per cent of GDP. It makes compliance difficult, and evasion and avoidance easy. It allows for an inefficient and corrupt tax administration.
Madam, the well-known newspaper, The Economic Times, recently reported the findings of CBDT Study Group that identified forty-five corporates who did not pay even the Minimum Alternative Tax, that is MAT.
Clearly, the rationale behind the MAT – to bring companies that did not pay tax due to various incentives and deductions, but made substantial profit and distributed dividends, into the tax net - has not translated into the much-needed tax revenue. Thanks to the numerous exemptions available, there are many companies which do not pay at all. Rationalisation and simplification of tax system has only been talked about for years. But nothing has been done at the ground level. If the Finance Minister means business, he should do away with the numerous exemptions. A low flat rate of taxation for corporates and two or three slab rates for the individuals as at present, but with fewer exemptions, will go far. So, the Finance Minister must have the political will to do that.
Besides this, there is ominous decline in all the core sectors. In the context of infrastructure sector, there is perceptible decline in key areas like electricity, crude oil production, industry etc. Electricity generation during April-October 2001 grew by a lower rate of 2.4 per cent as compared with the 4.4 per cent increase recorded in the same period of 2000. Growth of thermal generation decelerated to 4 per cent during April-October 2001 from 6.1 per cent while hydel generation fell by 5.6 per cent. So, how can we light up the rural India? How can we give power to the rural industries? After all, this is the most elementary and basic switch to modernisation of our country.
Again, about growth of crude oil production, it declined by three per cent during April-September 2001. Growth in crude throughput fell sharply to 3.7 per cent during April-September, 2001. Again, in the industrial sector, the index of industrial production growth slowed down to 2.2 per cent during April-August 2001 compared to 5.7 per cent during the same period of the previous year. Production data of August, no doubt, I must admit, indicates improvement in growth of selected segments like basic metals, transport equipment, leather products, beverages and tobacco and plastics. But a decline in production continues to plague the sectors like cotton textiles, jute textiles, textile products, paper and metal products. It is the textile sector which is a major employment source to the people. It provides major employment to the people. The capital goods index fell by 12.3 per cent in August, a continuation of the trend prevailing for long.
The expected improvement in domestic demand on account of rise in rural incomes should see overall industrial growth rising, in the second half. But sustained industrial growth needs the fuel of investment in capital goods and as yet there is no sign of any growth in investment activity. However, there is a silver-lining, I must admit, as for instance, in coal. Coal production posted 10 per cent growth in September 2001.
15.00 hrs. This was the highest growth rate during the preceding 11 months. On the whole, the growth scenario is not at all encouraging. Unless checked and corrected, I am afraid, the fall out of this decline and slow down will envelop our next Budget that is round the corner.
I seek indulgence of the House and also, Madam, your indulgence to refer to two burning problems that have, of late, hit the North-East. This House always expresses concern for development and peace in this region. So, I take this opportunity to remind the hon. Minister of Finance about two burning problems faced by the unemployed youths in the North-East, particularly in Assam.
I have a grievance to say that the two issues were raised while discussing the Finance Bill earlier in these House during the Budget Session. But nothing has been done to address these issues. One is the closure of the small scale industrial units. According to the Central Government account, the closed units numbered 11,445 in a span of 10 years. According to the Government of Assam, the figure – a correct one – is about 17,000. I do not want to dispute the figure. Even if we go by the estimate of the Central Government, leaving about 5,500 units, the figure is still staggering. Out of these 11,445 units, according to an estimate made by the Reserve Bank of India, 1,383 units are viable. This is an explosive situation because about a lakh of people, belonging to the lower middle class, are in a distress situation. The Government has had its own expert committees, particularly the Kapoor Committee. The remedy lies in implementation of the recommendations contained in the Report of the Kapoor Committee. The institutional mechanism in the form of State level Inter-Institutional Committees need to be strengthened and special rehabilitation cells in banks and State financial institutions need to be instructed to take immediate measures. Small-scale entrepreneurs now demand ‘interest holiday’ for 10 years for reviving the viable units. Once there was a tax holiday. But these poor small-scale entrepreneurs need an interest holiday for 10 years so that they could survive and rebuild their small enterprises. We have to bear in mind that these entrepreneurs are victims of the political turmoil that hit the State for more than 10 years. This is the time when they suffered the most.
These closed sick units in the region, I bear witness to the Government’s neglect of a sector in which lies the salvation of lakhs of unemployed young men and women.
We want mega projects, no doubt about that. They bring prosperity and development to the region but at the level of young people themselves, small units lead them to a way out of their poverty.
The second issue is the distressing plight of the small tea growers. In the North-East, particularly in Assam, dry-land farming boxed through ages in tiny plots of land and is now converted to tea growing. About 30,000 young men and women use small plots of land including their home stead vacant patches. Not an inch of their land, even a tiny plot of land, parts of their household is left and brought under plantation. They have on their own initiative and effort found a way out in resolving their unemployment problem. I should call it a revolution.
Unfortunately, a serious situation arises, and there is a steep fall in the prices of green leaves and most of them are on the brink of disaster. The crash is now for the third consecutive year. The price crashed from Rs.10 to Rs.4 per kg. For some time it was Rs.5 and now it is Rs.4 and it has been coming down for the last three years. Taking advantage of their distressing plight, the big corporate garden houses corner them to sell their produce at a much cheaper rate.
At the same time, the small tea growers"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" problems will be largely resolved if some relief is given to the tea industry itself. The industry is, at present, at one of the worst periods of its history. For two consecutive years the tea industry is facing this crisis. The immediate relief that was to be provided is withdrawal of the excise duty.
Madam, you will remember and the hon. Finance Minister will also remember that Dr. Manmohan Singh, when he was the Finance Minister even then this excise duty was in force. But he gave a relief by withdrawing the excise duty and after that tea industry had a good spell for a couple of years. But again, it is reimposed. For the last three years, this excise duty has been reimposed. Unless this duty is withdrawn, tea industry will collapse.
Madam, you know that Assam""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""s economy depends on the tea industry. If tea industry fails the economy will collapse. I would like to bring these two issues to the notice of the hon. Finance Minister and these are connected with the political climate of the region, and already social tension has been growing and I foresee worse social tension soon. So, unless the hon. Finance Minister intervenes, I am afraid, we cannot help the small tea growers. At the same time, the tea industry itself is in great trouble.
I understand the WTO obligation and that is why Govt. is allowing imports. But I would request them to, at least, impose higher import duty, so that the export earnings of the Indian tea industry do not suffer. These are the observations, I have made and these are the suggestions that I have placed for the consideration of the hon. Finance Minister. I believe that he will, this time at least -- last time, he did not -- address these issues and find a solution to the problem.
श्री किरीट सोमैया (मुम्बई उत्तर पूर्व) : सभापति महोदय, विपक्ष के सदस्य ने कुछ आंकड़े देकर सप्लीमेंटरी डिमांड्स के संबंध में इकोनोमिक स्लो डाउन के प्रति सरकार का ध्यान आकर्षित किया है। मैं सबसे पहले केन्द्रीय सरकार और माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी का अभिनन्दन करना चाहूंगा कि अगर विश्व के अन्य देशों के साथ भारतवर्ष की तुलना की जाये तो न केवल इस वर्ष हमने प्रगति की है बल्कि सरकार के पाज़टिव द्ृष्टिकोण के कारण गये वर्ष में जो निगेटिव अप्रोच चल रही थी, इस साल वह पाज़टिव ग्रोथ होगी। एग्रीकल्चरल ग्रोथ ५ से ७ परसेंट तक हो सकती है। इस प्रकार की जो व्यवस्था माननीय वित्त मंत्री ने की है, उसके लिये भी मैं उनका अभिनन्दन करना चाहता हूं।
सभापति महोदय, मैं इस चर्चा में कुछ आंकड़े पेश करना चाहता हूं। माननीय सदस्य ने इकोनोमिक ग्रोथ के आंकड़े देने का प्रयास किया जबकि मै सदन को बताना चाहूंगा कि जापान २०वीं शताब्दी का सबसे प्रगतिशील देश माना जाता है, उसका ग्रोथ रेट २००१ में -०.५ परसेंट होने जा रहा है। अमरीका विश्व का सबसे समृद्ध देश माना जाता है, उसका ग्रोथ रेट १.५ परसेंट रहा जिसे रिवाइज करके १.३ किया गया है। यूरोपीयन कंट्रीज का ग्रोथ रेट २.४ परसेंट था जो ३३ प्रतिशत कम होकर अब १.८ परसेंट होने जा रहा है। आर्थिक स्थिति का विश्लेषण करते समय सरकार को उन त्रुटियों की तरफ ध्यान देना चाहिये।
सभापति महोदय, यह सदन देश का सबसे सर्वोच्च स्थान है। अगर हम यहां इस प्रकार की बातें करेंगे तो देश की इकौनमी को क्या दिशा देंगें। वास्तविक आवश्यकता क्राइसिस आफ कांफिडेंस की है, जिस पद्धति से सरकार ने काम किया और हम धीर-धीरे श्री अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी के नेतृत्व में जिस प्रकार से आगे बढ़ते-बढ़ते इस वर्ष के प्रारम्भ में आये तो विश्व बैंक ने कहा कि हमारा ५ परसेंट ग्रोथ होगा। अब वह कहने लगा है कि The net growth will be 5.7 per cent. For Japan it is –0.5 per cent and for Hindustan it is 5.7 per cent.
सभापति महोदय, मैं वित्त मंत्री का अभिनन्दन करते समय यह भी कहना चाहूंगा और यह बात सही है कि बीते वर्ष में, इस सदन में बार बार चर्चा हुई है, गये दशक में हमारे मित्रों ने कहा कि वे जो क्रान्ति लाये, उसका क्या परिणाम निकला। कृषि, ग्रामीण अर्थ नीति, ग्रामीण विकास में इनक चमत्कार था कि उन्होंने १९९१ से लेकर इस प्रकार की अर्थ नीति अवलम्बित की है कि एग्रीकल्चर ग्रोथ ७ परसेंट से नीचे जाते-जातेIn the year 1997-98 and in 1999, it was –0.7 per cent.
मैं सरकार को बधाई देना चाहता हूं कि उन्होंने ग्रामीण भारत की ओर लक्ष्य केन्द्रित किया । उन्होंने यह कहा कि हिन्दुस्तान की अर्थ नीति, हिन्दुस्तान की पॉपुलेशन, हिन्दुस्तान का इम्पलॉयमैन्ट ये सब ग्रामीण भारत की खेती पर निर्भर करता है और उसके कारण ग्रोथ रेट यहां से वहां जाता है । इनफ्लेशन के बारे में अगर हम बात करें - Let us talk about the full decade. What was the decade situation? When was it started? It started in the year 1990-91. What was the inflation? It was double digit inflation. It was more than 10 per cent. What is at present? It is 2.56 per cent. यह बात सही है कि इस प्रकार की अर्थ नीतियां जो हमने अपनाई है उनके कारण सरकार का डैब्ट आज १२ लाख करोड़ रुपये हो गया है । साल का एक करोड रुपया तो हमारा ब्याज में चला जाता है । क्या हम इसका विचार नहीं करेंगे । वह सत्य है कि हम जब ग्रोथ, टैक्स और इनके बारे में बात करते हैं तो हमें इस विषय पर भी ध्यान देने की आवश्यकता है । The interest payment constituted 28 per cent of the revenue expenditure. इसमें मैंने राज्य सरकारों के आंकड़े नहीं लिये हैं । अगर हम राज्य सरकारों के आंकड़े लेंगे तो कहां के कहां पहुंच जायेंगे । The major disbursement is related to repayment of debts and interest payments. Out of the total growth disbursement, Rs.6,01,000, that is, 51 per cent and Rs.3,05,000, that is, 16 per cent, pertains to repayment of debts and interest payments. यानी ६७ परसेन्ट जो हमने कर्जा लिया है, उसके रीपेमेन्ट और इन्टरेस्ट में देते हैं । क्या वह कर्जा वर्ष १९९८-९९ में लिया गया, क्या यह एन.डी.ए. की सरकार बनने के बाद लिया गया । यह कर्जा किसने लिया, उन्होंने इस कर्ज में किसे डुबो दिया । हमें १९६७-१९८७ और १९९१ में इस प्रकार की अर्थ नीति अपनाई कि गांवों से कर्जा लो, खुद आराम करो, लेकिन उस पैसे का बोझ हमने भविष्य की पीढ़ी पर लादा है । इस प्रकार की अर्थ नीति हम चाहते हैं । हमने हिन्दुस्तान की जनता में वर्ष १९६७ से १९८७ में क्या बदलाव किया, हमने कहा संघर्ष करो, लड़ो, आगे बढ़ो । उसके बदले में अर्थ नीति ने देश में क्या दिया, मांगा,ें हाथ आगे करो और बस कुछ मदद के लिए रोते रहो । हमने संघर्ष के बदले में रोने की नीति इस देश पर थोपने का १९६७ से १९९१-९२ में प्रयत्न किया । हमने प्रयत्न किया कि संघर्ष करके, मेहनत करे, पैसा कमाओ । कैपिटल इनवैस्टमैन्ट करो, उसके बदले में आराम करो, आगे और पैसा लेकर अपने बच्चों को जाते-जाते इस देश में १२ लाख करोड़ का कर्जा देते जाओ । यह नीति हमारी सरकार ने अपनाई थी और इसके लिए मैं इस सरकार का अभिनंदन करना चाहता हूं । Yes, it is economic slow down. It is global economic slow down.लेकिन इस स्लो डाउन से हमारी सरकार किस प्रकार बाहर निकली । बजट में उस समय चर्चा कर रहे थे कैपिटल मार्केट क्राइसेज, यू.टी.आई. में क्राइसेज और जिस प्रकार यू.एस.-६४ में एक अवस्था निर्माण हो गई थी, मैं उस पर चर्चा में जाना नहीं चाहता हूं । क्योंकि उसके बारे में सबको पता है, १९९१ से १९९५ तक जिस प्रकार से पब्लिक सैक्टर का इनवैस्टमैन्ट, पी.एस.यू. का डिसइनवैस्टमैन्ट किया, दस हजार करोड रुपये फाइनेन्शियल इन्सटीटयूट पर मारे, यू.एस.-६४ में पांच हजार करोड़ का डिसइनवैस्टमैन्टट कराया और उसके कारण तीन हजार करोड़ का घाटा हुआ । लेकिन मैं वित्त मंत्री जी का अभिनन्दन करना चाहूंगा कि किस प्रकार से उन्होंने सफलता के साथ यू.एस.-६४ के क्राइसेज को पीछे धकेल दिया और दस रुपये की गारन्टी दी । पिछले छ: महीने में सिर्फ चार सौ करोड़ रुपया वापिस लेने के लिए लोग आये । लेकिन वित्त मंत्री जी का अभिनन्दन करने के साथ-साथ मैं उनके ध्यान में कुछ बातें लाना चाहता हूं कि आपने यू.एस.-६४ के क्राइसेज को बहुत अच्छी तरह से टेकल किया और अभी आगे भी आपको इसी तरह से करना पड़ेगा । यू.टी.आई. के बारे में जब भी सदन में या सदन के बाहर चर्चा हुई है तो वर्ष १९८९, १९९१, १९९२,१९९३ या १९९९ हो, मैंने हिसाब लगाया है ।
The SEBI has written to the Finance Minister in various Governments twenty-eight times, whether it was of Shri Chandra Shekhar, Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao, Shri H.D. Deve Gowda or Shri I.K. Gujral. हर समय कहा गया कि यूटीआई में गड़बड़ हो सकती है, यूटीआई में ट्रांसपेरेन्सी नहीं है, यूटीआई की इंडीपेन्डेन्ट और आटोनॉमस अकाउंटेबलिटी निर्माण करें। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से कहना चाहूँगा कि आप जिस प्रकार का समर्थन और पैकेज यूटीआई को दे रहे हैं, उसी समय पर यूटीआई का रीस्ट्रक्चर होना चाहिए, इंडीपेन्डेन्ट अकाउंटेबलिटी होनी चाहिए, और सभी स्कीम्स सेबी के अंदर आनी चाहिए। वास्तव में आपने जो सप्लीमेंटरी ग्रांट्स दी हैं,I do not know why the Ministry of Finance has not made any provision regarding the US-64 deficit. मैं सरकार से पूछना चाहूँगा कि आपने जो कमिटमेंट किया है स्माल इनवैस्टर्स से कि आपके पास ३००० यूनिट होंगे, भले एन.ए.वी. ७ रुपये, ८.५ रुपये या ९ रुपये हो लेकिन सरकार आपको १० रुपये देगी अगर उसमें डैफसिट आता है तो A prudent auditor and a prudent financial accountant would make the provision if a deficit arises. मैं चाहूँगा कि वित्त मंत्री जी हमें क्लियर करें कि इसमें भले ही उन्होंने प्रोविजन न किया हो लेकिन १ जनवरी के बाद जब एन.ए.वी. घोषित होगा, उसमें अगर डैफसिट आता है तो उसके लिए सरकार यूटीआई का समर्थन करेगी। इसके लिए मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी से प्रार्थना करना चाहूँगा।
मैं उनका ध्यान इस ओर भी आकर्षित करना चाहूँगा कि उसी के साथ जो एमआईपी है, All the Monthly Income Plan schemes are assured income schemes और ७८ यूटीआई की स्कीम्स में से आधे से ज्यादा एनएवी माइनस में है। You have to think about that also. सप्लीमेंटरी डिमांड्ज के साथ जो डिपार्टमेंट ऑफ डिसइनवैस्टमेंट की सप्लीमेंटरी डिमांड्ज़ रखी हैं, डिसइनवैस्टमेंट की प्रक्रिया को आपने गति दी है, लेकिन छोटे निवेशकों की ओर से एक बात की ओर मैं आपका ध्यान आकर्षित करना चाहूँगा कि Once again, the private lobbies and private bidders are lobbying कि डिसइनवैस्टमैंट में जिसका भी डिसइनवैस्टमेंट होगा, उसमें २० प्रतिशत ओपन ऑफर का क्लाज़ होना चाहिए। अगर कोई प्राइवेट कंपनी दूसरी कंपनी को टेकओवर करती है तो उनको स्माल इनवैस्टर्स के २० प्रतिशत शेयर खरीदने पड़ेंगे। अभी प्राइवेट बिडर इस प्रकार की लॉबींग करते हैं कि That clause should not be there. मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से प्रार्थना करना चाहूँगा कि स्माल इनवैस्टर्स के हित में वह क्लाज़ रहनी चाहिए। यही नहीं, उसका जो मनिमम फ्लोर प्राइस है, छ: महीने की एवरेज की जो सेबी की गाइडलाइन है, वही इंप्लीमेंट होनी चाहिए।
साथ में एक और विषय की ओर मैं मंत्री जी का ध्यान आकर्षित करना चाहूँगा कि इसमें उन्होंने एक और विषय रखा है पावर सैक्टर के बारे में। मैं जानना चाहूँगा कि पावर सैक्टर के बारे में एनरॉन अभी डीफॉल्टर हो रहा है, बैंकरप्ट्सी केस फाइल कर रहा है। एनरॉन को आई.डी.बी.आई. ने बहुत बड़ा कर्ज़ा दिया है, उस कर्ज़े की रिकवरी का क्काया होगा। सरकार की एनरॉन के बारे में और पर्टिकुलरली फाइनेन्शियल इंस्टीटयूशन्स के बारे में क्या नीति रहेगी? मैं समझता हूँ कि आपने उस संबंध में सोचा है लेकिन सदन के द्वारा अगर जनता को पता चलेगा तो ज्यादा आत्मविश्वास बढ़ेगा। मैं एक छोटा विषय और आपके ध्यान में लाना चाहूँगा।
माननीय सभापति जी, On page 22, under the Supplementary Demands for the Department of Statistics and Programme Implementation, in respect of MPLADS it has been mentioned, ‘Additional requirement of Rs.150 crore, if needed.’ But the Comptroller and Auditor-General’s Report says, ‘Rs.1,700 crore are lying idle in the various bank accounts with the collectorates.’मैं जब उस रिपोर्ट के और अंदर गया तो मुझे पता चला कि १७००० करोड़ रुपये में से १३०० से ज्यादा करोड़ रुपये १९९६ के पहले के अनयुटिलाइज़्ड हैं। सरकार यहां से पैसे भेज देती है, कलैक्टर के अकाउंट में वे पैसे जमा रहते हैं, लेकिन उसमें जो वर्क रेकमंडेड है, वर्क इंप्लीमेंटेड है, वर्क सजैस्टेड है और एक्सपेन्डीचर एक्चुअली इनकर्ड है, उसमें से १७००० करोड़ रुपये डयू है। यह पैसा एम.पी. को कलैक्टर उपलब्ध करके नहीं देता है। वह पैसा वहीं का वहीं बैंक में जमा पड़ा है। १७०० करोड़ रुपये छोटा अमाउंट नहीं है। मैं कहना चाहूँगा कि सीएजी द्वारा प्रोग्राम इंप्लीमेंटेशन मंत्रालय से चर्चा करके जो वर्तमान एम.पी. हैं उनको वह पैसा वर्तमान कानून और रेगुलेशन्स के हिसाब से उपलब्ध करा देना चाहिए।
लेकिन सभापति महोदया कलैक्टर करता नहीं और प्रोग्राम इम्पलीमेंटेशन डिपार्टमेंट उनको इंसिस्ट नहीं करता। इस प्रकार १७ करोड़ रुपए, जिनका उपयोग देश के छोटे-छोटे विकास कार्यों के लिए किया जा सकता है, बैंक में जाम होकर पड़े है।
सभापति महोदय : किरीट सोमैया जी, उस धन को तो हम यूटिलाइज कर रहे हैं you are wrongly informed. It has been given to us. It has been adjusted to the main account in our States.
SHRI KIRIT SOMAIYA : Madam, I have gone in very much detail. The Collector has refused in Maharashtra and everywhere it has been refused. … (Interruptions) There are four States including Andhra Pradesh and maybe Kerala.
खाली चार राज्य ऐसे हैं, इन्क्लूडिंग आन्ध्रा प्रदेश, केरल भी हो सकता है, जहां ये १७०० करोड़ रुपए पिछले पांच साल से, वर्ष १९९६ से अटके पड़े हैं।
सभापति महोदय, मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी का ध्यान एक-दो और विषयों की ओर दिलाना चाहता हूं। एक चर्चा चली है और मेरा विषय इसी से संबंधित है जिसे बैक़डोर टेकओवर कहते है। पिछले साल गुजरात अम्बूजा ने ए.सी.सी. को सिर्फ १४.५ प्रतिशत शेयर देकर टेकओवर कर लिया और इस महीने हमने देखा कि बिरला ने सिर्फ १० प्रतिशत शेयर लेकर एल.आई.सी. को टेकओवर करने का प्रयत्न किया है। So, without public open offer, how can they get the membership on the Board of Directors? एक ओर वित्त मंत्रालय कहता है कि सेबी जो स्माल इनवेस्टर्स की रक्षा करती है, लेकिन फिर ५ प्रतिशत शेयर के साथ बिरला को बोर्ड में डायरैक्टरशिप नहीं मिल सकती। जब एल एंड टी का भाव १६४ रुपए है, तो क्यों बिरला ने रिलाएंस को ३०६ रुपए प्रति शेयर के हिसाब से दिए, जब ए.सी.सी. का भाव १०६ रुपए था, तो गुजरात अम्बूजा ने क्यों ३७१ रुपए प्रति शेयर के हिसाब से दिए? एक साल हो गया, सेबी कुछ नहीं बोल रही है और फायनेंस मनिस्ट्री भी शान्त है। हमारे जो स्माल इनवेस्टर हैं उनको २० प्रतिशत ओपर आफर मिलती है, हम देने के लिए तैयार हैं। बिरला को ३०६ रुपए में शेयर क्यों दिए, ये जो कार्पोरेट हाउसेस हैं - Shri Birla is the Chairman of Corporate Governance Committee of SEBI. इस प्रकार से बैकडोर मैनुपुलेशन करता है और वित्त मंत्रालय शान्त है, फायनेंश्यल इंस्टीटयूशन चुप बैठी है?क्यों यू.टी.आई. में ७ परसेंट के एल एंड टी शेयर बिरला को गए। आप इनके ३०६ रुपए के भाव को कम करते, तो यू.टी.आई. के ६४-के स्माल इन्वेस्टर्स का फायदा होता। मैं चाहूंगा कि The Ministry of Finance and the institutions should play an active role. वह बिरला की एंट्री रोक सकती थी।
१९८९-९० में इसी प्रकार एल एंड टी के टेकओवर का बैकडोर प्रयत्न हुआ था। वित्त मंत्री यहां हैं। आपने शायद फायनेंश्यल इंस्टीटयूशन्स को कहा था और एल.आई.सी. ने एक्स्ट्रा आर्डिनरी जनरल बाडी की मीटिंग का नोटिस देकर, उस समय बैकडोर टेकओवर को विफल किया था, निष्फल किया था।
महोदया, मैं अन्त में एक ही बात कहकर समाप्त करूंगा। वह यह है कि सिर्फ १५ दिन में ३०० प्रतिशत, यानी तीन गुना भाव बढ़ा है। मैं चाहूंगा कि उस समय जिस प्रकार से भाव बढ़ रहे थे और हम कह रहे थे कि क्या यह रिपीट तो नहीं होगा। इसीलिए मेरी प्रार्थना है कि भले ही वह तेजी वाला ब्रोकर हो, लेकिन जो प्रमोटर के साथ मैनीपुलेट कर के भाव ऊपर ले जाता है वह न सिर्फ छोटे इनवेस्टर का नुकसान करता है बल्कि पूरे देश की इकनौमी को नुकसान पहुंचाता है। इसलिए तेजी वाला ब्रोकर हो या मंदी वाला ब्रोकर, दोनों की जांच होनी चाहिए।
अन्त में सभापति महोदय, मैं इतना ही कहना चाहता हूं कि सरकार ने सप्लीमेंट्री डिमांड के द्वारा अपना जो संकल्प पुन: दोहराया है, मैं उसका समर्थन करता हूं। प्रधान मंत्री जी ने कहा है कि नई सदी में हिन्दुस्तान एक नई शक्ति बनकर उभरेगा, वह अवश्य पूरा होगा। इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ में सरकार द्वारा प्रस्तुत मांगों का समर्थन करता हूं।
15.29 hrs (Mr. Deputy-Speaker in the Chair) PROF. A.K. PREMAJAM (BADAGARA): Sir, I thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to participate in the discussion on Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) Budget.
On this occasion I would bring to the notice of this august House some portions of the Address given by the hon. Minister of Finance a couple of days ago while addressing the World Economic Forum held in the heart of the capital city. I quote :
"We are steadfastly setting about making our miracle. I invite all of you to become partners in the excitement that is India."
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Prof. Premajam, your Party has got eleven minutes. I am just giving you a caution.
PROF. A.K. PREMAJAM : Yes, Sir. I will try my best to be within the time limit.
Actually this ‘miracle of India’ and inviting delegates who numbered about 400 representing 28 countries, in my opinion, appears to be a very pathetic joke on the people of India, the toiling millions who live in abject poverty. He has invited these delegates to be partners of this ‘excitement that is India’. I think the people who live in the metropolitan cities and who sit on the high podium with the world dignitaries, especially in the economic sector, do not come across the millions and millions of people who live in the rural areas, the small villages of India. I need not quote here what Gandhiji has said and that is quoted several times over and over, that India lives in villages.
Of course, it is very good to be optimistic, especially about the economic development and other developments which will follow the economic development. Our hon. Minister of Finance is very much optimistic and he expects a seven per cent growth of GDP. But, as already mentioned by the first speaker who participated in the debate, we will be lucky if we are able to achieve, at least, 4.5 per cent growth.
What are the actual ground realities? Of course, the ground realities in the agricultural sector, in the industrial sector, in the field of education, in health scenario, regarding the position or the status of women and the economic scenario at length are to be seen. Actually, what is the ground reality? I will come to the agricultural sphere.
Sir, during the current Session, a discussion has already taken place on the plight of the farmers – both small and marginal and also of the agricultural workers all over the country. The implementation of globalisation which is actually imperialism in a new garb, has actually totally shattered the Indian agricultural arena. This is our experience. I do not know what exactly is the experience of our hon. Minister and others who are dealing with this officially. But our experience is that the prices of all our cash crops as well as foodgrains have been completely crashed. Most of the small and marginal farmers are actually engaged in distress sale of their commodities because they have to tide over the loan problem. So, at whatever price that they are able to get, they are actually selling their commodities and the agricultural products at that price. This is the case with regard to Kerala at least; not only Kerala but from what we come across in the Press and also in the electronic media, the farmers are committing suicides. Even in a State like Kerala the farmers are actually committing suicides because they are not able to live.
They are not able to pull ahead of their lives. It is the ground reality. This is the case with Andhra Pradesh; this is the case with States like Haryana and Punjab. That means, there is no point in just being optimistic and expect seven per cent growth in GDP. In the case of Kerala, the value of all the cash crops, like rubber, coconut, spices etc., has come down and the farmers are not able to sell anything at all. This is actually due to the impact of globalisation. Actually, it is colonialism in a new garb. Even in the pattern of agriculture, there is a great change. Instead of growing foodgrains, the multinational companies are acquiring or buying large chunks of land and they are not actually cultivating foodgrains, which have been traditionally cultivated in those areas, but they are cultivating some profitable products. For example, fish farming has become very popular. It means that this will affect not merely the agricultural area, but even drinking water will be adversely affected. As far as the ordinary villager is concerned, he will be actually finding it very, very difficult to get even drinking water. This is one of the problems which we are going to face on a very large scale in the years to come.
Now, I come to industry. Due to paucity of time, I am not going into the details. In the case of industry, on one side, the Government is going ahead with disinvestment. In the Budget speech, our hon. Minister has promised that there will be creation of new job opportunities. But what is actually happening? The ground reality is that as the days go by, the job opportunities are going to come down. As far as the Government service is concerned, new terminologies, like downsizing and rightsizing, are being used. In effect, it simply means that there will be more unemployment on the service side. This is happening in the industrial sector, this is happening in the agricultural arena. Every sphere of life is actually affected by unemployment. Unemployment is actually on the rise. I do not know how the globalisation, the New Economic Policy, during the last ten years, have improved the growth. How can it be said to be an improvement or a growth over the earlier position?
Regarding disinvestment, I am not going into the details, but even the public sector undertakings which are actually running on large profits are being disinvested. When we mention this, they will say that we are not distinguishing between profit-making and loss-making; it is a general policy and, therefore, they are doing it. That is the position.
Regarding pharmaceutical firms, there is actually a Supplementary Grant here. A Supplementary Grant is required for providing non-Plan loans for Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited, Bengal Immunity, Smith Stanistreet Pharmaceuticals Ltd. However, we came to know that the Government had given information to the BIFR that they were not going to give any further financial support to these companies. In the case of Bengal Immunity, another pharmaceutical public sector undertaking located in West Bengal, the Government informed BIFR that it was not willing to continue as a promoter of the Company any more and any decision by the BIFR for winding up the Company would be acceptable to the Government. At the same time, here there is a request for Supplementary Grant for this Company also. That is the case with other companies that I have mentioned.
Sir, I would like to mention one more point.
Sir, this year has been declared as the `Year for the Empowerment of Women’. How can women be empowered in the background of what I have already mentioned? When people are thrown out of their jobs as a result of the economic policies pursued by this Government what happens is that the first segment that is chosen for being thrown out of their jobs, especially in the industrial and in the agricultural sector, is the women folk. Once they are thrown out of their jobs, they only have to beg. Now, as a result of this fast globalisation, women are being forced to go into prostitution. It has now been made into a legal profession. They are now being called `sex workers’. Women who are losing their jobs as a result of globalisation are constrained to enter this particular area. It is a disgrace to the nation as a whole. It is at such a time that the hon. Finance Minister has said that India is going to make a miracle and he has invited delegates to join this miracle.
Sir, anyway, due to constraint of time I would not like to mention the other points that I intended to make before this august House.
DR. B.B. RAMAIAH (ELURU): Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, the hon. Finance Minister today has come to this House with the Supplementary Demands for Grants. This is a normal practice because it is not possible to assess the actual requirement for the whole year at the time of the formulation of the Budget.
Sir, this time the hon. Finance Minister has come up with a supplementary demand for Rs. 3,396.50 crore whereas the actual outgo is Rs. 2205.23 crore. I am very happy to note that the hon. Minister has allocated funds for the Department of Heavy Industry. He also has allocated a sum of Rs. 150 crore for VRS to employees and a sum of Rs. 250 crore towards loan to the PSUs. Substantial sums of money have also been allocated for Departments of Fertilizer and of Rural Development.
The most important of all is that money has also been sought for allocation to MPLAD schemes. It has always been said that MPLAD has a lot of money and they are not utilised. But during the last one and half year, since I have taken over as the Chairman of this Committee, a sum of about Rs. 3,500 crore has already been released. This scheme has become very popular. The reason why it has become popular is that the hon. Speaker has taken a lot of interest in the matter. We have conducted regional meetings with the Collectors regarding the procedure to be followed and its implementation. The co-ordination between the various Ministries has also been properly streamlined. The hon. Members also are taking a lot of interest in this now. I am sure this would assume greater importance in the coming days. An MLA receives about Rs. 50 to Rs. 80 lakh for the development of his assembly segment but in comparison to that a Member of Parliament gets nothing. It is a pitiable situation. That is why, we met the hon. Prime Minister the other day and we requested him about this. He gave us a patient hearing and he seems to be sympathetic to our cause. The only thing is that the hon. Finance Minister has to give due consideration to this aspect. I hope that he would consider this aspect sympathetically.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Shri Ramaiah, Mr. Minister is also a Member of Parliament.
DR. B.B. RAMAIAH : Sir, everybody is asking for money. Many Members are approaching the hon. Speaker for allocating more funds in the MPLAD scheme. This is one area where there is a procedure and there are restrictions and its implementation would also have to be made effectively. This fund is used only for creation of assets and not for paying compensation and it does not involve any recurring expenditure. It is a very good scheme. I am sure, the hon. Finance Minister will support this scheme.
Sir, I am also very happy about the other proposals that he has brought in this Supplementary Demands. I would like to mention a few things about the Public Sector Undertakings. The performances of the PSUs have been under a review. There are a number of good public sector units but for valid reasons only they are not able to perform up to expectations. Recently, I visited one of the units where they were inviting tenders for hydel projects. M/s. Tungabhadra Steel and M/s BHEL had submitted their proposals for it. The proposal of M/s. Tungabhadra Steel was rejected on the ground that its financial condition was not good and the proposal of M/s BHEL was rejected on the ground that though their financial position is good, yet they do not produce these items. So, there needs to be some sort of a co-ordination between these big PSUs and others. They need to be either combined together or there would have to be some kind of a collaboration between them, otherwise it is not possible.
The same thing happens in the case of Bridge & Roofs. They have got the experience of road building and so, they are qualified, whereas the Engineers India Limited is not in the road building activity and therefore, they are not qualified. Unless we combine these things, they will not be able to do these things. Today, the expansion in road building activity is tremendous; and it is consuming something like Rs.30,000-Rs.40,000 crore; and it will go on for 10-15 years. So, we need some of these collaborations between things. We have to combine them and we can make a lot of progress.
When we come to Hindustan Photo Films, it is the question of duty structure here. The duty structure on the raw material which is not manufactured, but used for the photo film, can be reduced substantially; and the duty on the intermediate product which is coming from the multinationals can be increased at least to WTO-BOND level, so that they will be given some protection and also, the latest equipment worth thousands of crores of rupees will not be kept idle. I am sure, he can understand these things.
In the case of automobile industry, we want to develop this industry. If we allow liberally in the case of used cars, we cannot develop it. So, we need some protection on these things also, some how or the other. I hope that he would take into consideration some of these factors when he plans further for development, expansion, etc. In the case of the Pradhan Mantri Sarak Yojana, he wants Rs.2,500 crore. I do not know whether it is going to be a budgetary support or a road cess; and the hon. Finance Minister may clarify this. If it is going to be a road cess, then, it need not be a budgetary support.
I am very happy that he has come up with ‘food for work programme’. This is one of the excellent schemes. It will help encourage other schemes also and it would support other schemes. We have got surplus rice, wheat and various other things; and these things can be effectively utilised with proper storage facilities, etc. We were also not able to compete in the international market on this; and probably, this is one of the best schemes that he has come up with. I am very happy about this; and I am sure he will be able to bring some of these schemes to the rural areas so that rural development takes place. In such cases, finance is going to be a constraint; if we are able to give additional support, a lot of things can be done.
In the case of education, now they have made it a policy that children up to the age of 14 years will have compulsory education. This also needs some more support. This is a wonderful idea; some of the things which are now taken up needs some more funds.
Non-conventional energy should be encouraged. But somehow or the other, the Department of Non-Conventional Energy Sources says that they have constraint of funds and that they are not able to come up with more proposals and that large projects are not able to come up. Now, people have taken a lot of initiative in this regard. Agricultural waste and things like bio-mass, etc., can be used for non-conventional energy. I am sure the hon. Finance Minister will put some effort to see that they get funds liberally. There should be a uniform policy for the whole country so that they will be able to assist in the projects.
I do not want to go into the other details. Whatever he has done in banking sector is excellent. The interest rates are coming down. It is the only way by which they can support development. GDP growth has to go up at the same time. Some of these people have mentioned about the GDP growth in some of the other countries. But they have already become developed that their one per cent growth would make much more than what our growth is here. But we have to work hard at least to make the growth at 6-7 per cent in order to see that we fulfil the objectives of the people and that we will be able to come up with various other aspects whereby we can build our assets.
I will come to other aspects also. What I feel is that the share of the States may be increased from 29 per cent to at least 33 per cent because their economies are very bad. As and when it is possible, he could do it. By this, probably, the States would also stabilise their position.
Occurrence of frequent calamities is one of the problems that we are facing. In the case of droughts or earthquakes or cyclones, the assistance from the Central Government is not coming in time and the support is also not in the enough quantity. This has become a regular thing. Probably, he may have to plan to give some additional support for these things. Already he has started doing very well.
The small scale sector requires some additional support and sickness of industries have to be taken care of.
I am sure that the hon. Finance Minister will be able to bring in new proposals in the coming Budget. With these words, I conclude. Thank you very much.
श्री धर्म राज सिंह पटेल (फूलपुर) : उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, मै माननीय वित्त मंत्री से कहना चाहता हूं कि यदि उन्होंने गांव में रहने वाले किसानों और मजदूरों की दशा की ओर ध्यान दिया होता तो अच्छा होता क्योंकि यह बजट गांवों के विकास के लिये नहीं है। आज गांवों में जितनी बेरोजगारी और परेशानी है कि उससे किसान. मजदूर और छोटा दुकानदार सभी दुखी है। गांव का नौजवान जितना परेशान इस बार हुआ है, उतना पहले कभी नहीं हुआ था। आज किसान अपने बच्चों के लिये कपड़ा नहीं खरीद पाता, खाद खरीदने के लिए उसके पास पैसा नहीं, सिंचाई के लिये वह पैसा नहीं दे पाता और पम्िंपग सैट लगाने के लिये उसके पास धन नहीं। वह अपने बच्चों की शादी नहीं कर पा रहा है। इस देश का गेहूं, आलू. गन्ना पैदा करने वाला किसान हो या अन्य कोई अन्न पैदा करने वाला किसान हो, वह बरबादी के कगार पर हैं। मजदूर बेरोजगारी से परेशान है। आज किसान के पास काम नहीं, इसलिये मजदूर भी परेशान है। खेत में काम नहीं हो रहा है। उसका अन्न नहीं बिक रहा है। यदि गांव में जाकर देखें तो पायेंगे कि किसान के बच्चे के पास एक ही कपड़ा है। उसे या उसके बच्चे को यदि सांप काट जाये या बीमार हो जाये तो इलाज के लिये उसके पास कोई सुविधा नहीं है। इस सर्दी में उस किसान की क्या हालत होती होगी जो रात में जाकर काम करता है। उस तरफ ध्यान देने की कोशिश की जाये।
यह सब माननीय वित्त मंत्री के राज में हो रहा है। आज का मजदूर वर्ग और व्यापारी वर्ग सभी दुखी है। छोटे उद्योग-धंधों से लेकर बड़े उद्योगपति तक सभी परेशान और दुखी हैं। सरकार कहती है कि विकास दर बढ़ रही है। लेकिन देश में मंदी का बाजार है। पूरे देश में रोजगार के अवसर समाप्त हो गये हैं। कहीं कोई नौकरी नहीं है। माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी ने कहा था कि हम एक करोड़ नौकरियों का सृजन करेंगे। आपने पिछले दो-तीन सालों में कितने लोगों को रोजगार प्रदान किया है। मेरा सरकार से आग्रह है कि वे सारी बातें इस सदन के सामने रखें। जो शक्षित नौजवान बेरोजगार हैं, उनके लिये आपने कौन सी नीति बनाई है।
सभापति महोदय, .यह सही है कि शिक्षा को मूल अधिकारों की श्रेंणी में रख दिया गया है लेकिन मैं सरकार से जानना चाहता हूं कि देश के कितने लोगों को आप शक्षित कर पाए हैं। आज इस देश में ३६ प्रतिशत लोग गरीबी रेखा से नीचे रहते हैं। जब उनके बच्चों के लिये पहनने को कपड़ा नहीं, कापी-किताब खरीदने के लिये पैसा नहीं, स्कूल भेजने के लिये खाना नहीं तो वे कैसे अपने बच्चों को प्राइमरी स्कूल में भेजेंगे। प्राइमरी स्कूल में बच्चों के बैठने के लिये टाट व कुर्सी मेज नहीं, मास्टर के लिये कुर्सी मेज नहीं और गांव में रहने वाले ७० प्रतिशत लोगों के उत्थान के लिये आपने कोई काम नहीं किया।
सभापति महोदय, आप बजट को देखिये। इसमें कहा गया कि देश के ८० हजार गावों में विद्युतीकरण किया जायेगा। मैं पूरे देश की बात नहीं करता, केवल अपने उत्तर प्रदेश राज्य की बात करूंगा। मेरे संसदीय क्षेत्र में कहीं एक खम्भा लगा है तो कहीं दो खम्भे लगे हैं और कह दिया गया कि पूरे गांव का विद्युतीकरण हो गया। गांवों में किसान, गरीब मजदूर और अनुसूचित जाति और अनुसूचित जनजाति के सभी लोग रहते हैं लेकिन गांव में विद्युत नहीं और वे सब परेशान हैं। हमने एक प्रश्न पूछा था कि आप ८० हजार गांवों की बात करते हैं लेकिन देशभर में ५० प्रतिशत से ज्यादा गाँवों में विद्युतीकरण नहीं है। यहां फर्जी आंकड़े प्रस्तुत किये जा रहे हैं। सरकार ने कहा कि यदि हम विकास दर ७ प्रतिशत प्राप्त कर लेंगे तो गरीबी रेखा से नीचे रहने वाले २० प्रतिशत लोगों को ऊपर उठाने का काम करेंगे।
मैं आपसे पूछना चाहता हूं कि अभी तक आपने गरीबी रेखा के नीचे ३६ परसेन्ट किया है । आपने एक टारगेट निश्चित कर दिया है कि गरीबी की रेखा के नीचे एक करोड़ लोगों को रहना है या दो करोड़ लोगों को रहना है । आपने यह नहीं किया कि जो गांवो में रहने वाले गरीब हैं, चाहे वे किसी भी जाति या धर्म के हों, उनका सर्वेक्षण कराया जाए और उन सबकी गिनती गरीबी की रेखा के नीचे के लोगो में की जाए । आपने एक टारगेट फिक्स कर दिया है कि कितने परसेन्ट लोगों को गरीबी की रेखा से ऊपर लाना है और उसमें भी आपने ए.पी.एल. और बी.पी.एल. करके एक लक्ष्य निर्धारित कर दिया है । लेकिन आज भी लोग भूखों मर रहे हैं । मिर्जापुर और प्रतापगढ़ जिले में लोग भूखों मरे हैं । उसी तरह से देश के अन्य भागों में लोग भूख से मरे हैं । जबकि देश में अन्न के भंडार भरे पड़े हैं । लेकिन किसान जो अन्न पैदा कर रहा है, उसका अन्न बिक नहीं रहा है । मजदूर और गरीब लोग खाने के लिए तबाह हैं । यह आपका रामराज्य है ।
मैं देश की संसद के सामने बताना चाहता हूं कि आज सारा का सारा मध्यम वर्ग, चाहे वह नौकरी पेशा आदमी हो या कुछ और काम करने वाला आदमी हो, सब तबाह हैं । चाहे वह कर्मचारी या नौजवान हों, सारे लोग तबाह हैं । चाहे उसे आप दस हजार या पन्द्रह हजार रुपये महीना दे रहे हों, लेकिन अगर वह मकान किराये पर लेकर रहेगा तो वह अपने बच्चों को ठीक से खाना भी नहीं खिला पायेगा । इस तरह से मध्यम वर्ग भी आपकी नीतियों के कारण पीड़ित है । मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि जो निचले तबके के, मध्यम वर्ग के, किसान, मजदूर और गरीब लोग हैं, वे सभी दुखी हैं । आपकी नीतियों के कारण करोड़पति, अरबपति आपके साथ चलने वाले लोग सुखी हैं, आपकी पार्टी के साथ चलने वाले लोग सुखी हैं, जो इस देश को लूट रहे हैं, देश के गरीब लोगों का खून चूस रहे हैं, वे उद्योगपति आपके राज में सुखी हैं । अभी तक जो लोग आपकी तारीफ कर रहे थे, जिनमें राहुल बजाज, टाटा, बिरला, रिलायंस आदि थे, वे सब भी अब आपकी नीतियों से दुखी हैं और वे आपकी नीतियों की आलोचना कर रहे हैं ।
इसलिए मै कहना चाहूंगा कि अब आप सावधान हो जाइये । आपको समझना चाहिए कि आप जनता परिवार में रहे हैं । आप चंद्रशेखर जी के राज में वित्त मंत्री रहे हैं । उस समय आपने सोना गिरवी रखा था । मुझे खुशी है कि इस बार आप सोना गिरवी नहीं रख रहे हैं । लेकिन आज आप गांवों में चीनी कम दाम पर नहीं दे रहे है, मिट्टी के तेल और डीजल के दाम बढ़ा रहे हैं, खेती पर सब्सिडी हटा रहे हैं । मैं पूछना चाहता हूं कि आप क्या करना चाहते हैं । आपको गांव में रहने वाले किसान, मजदूर, कर्मचारी या छोटे आदमी को देखना चाहिए, क्या आप चाहते हैं कि वह घर में बैठकर भीख मांगने का काम करे । लेकिन वह भीख किससे मांगने जायेगा ।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं आपके माध्यम से वित्त मंत्री जी से कहना चाहूंगा कि चाहे गांवों में रहने वाले गरीब लोग हों, बेरोजगार लोग हों और चाहे अन्य दूसरे लोग हों, जब हम लोग गांवों मे जाते हैं तो हम देखते हैं कि वे अकस्मात किसी बीमारी या अन्य किसी कारण से मर जाते हैं । आपने जनश्रुति बीमा योजना गांवों मे चलाई है, उसके बारे में बार-बार अखबारों में प्रचार हो रहा है । लेकिन जो गरीब लोग हैं, कर्मचारी हैं, छोटे तबके के लोग हैं, वे बीमे की किस्त जमा नहीं करा पाते हैं, किसान किस्त जमा नहीं करा पाते हैं । जो लोग खाने के लिए तबाह हैं, वे सौ रुपया महीना कहां से जमा करायेंगे । इसलिए मैं आपसे कहना चाहता हूं कि जो लोग असंगठित क्षेत्र में हैं, चाहे वह किसान हो, मजदूर हो, कर्मचारी हो, प्राइवेट सैक्टर का आदमी हो या अन्य कोई व्यक्ति हो, आप उन सबको बीमा सुरक्षा प्रदान कर दीजिए । यदि कोई आदमी मरे तो उसके परिवार के लोगों को कम से कम पचास हजार या एक लाख रुपया मिलना चाहिए । लेकिन इसकी किस्त आपको जमा करनी चाहिए ।
इसके साथ ही मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि जो वृद्धावस्था पेंशन योजना है, उसका आपने बड़ा प्रचार किया है । लेकिन इस योजना में आपने निश्चित कर दिया है कि केवल गाँव में दो आदमियों को ही इसकी सुविधा मिलेगी । जब कि वृद्धावस्था पेंशन पाने वाले गांव में कम से कम पचास लोग मौजूद हैं । जिनमें आपने दो आदमियों के लिए यह सुविधा निश्चित की है । जिसके कारण गांव का प्रधान अलग से मुसीबत में फंस गया है कि वह किसका नाम भेजे, उसके लिए भी अलग से एक आफत आ गई है । इसी तरीके से आपकी और योजनाएं चल रही हैं । आप गरीबी की रेखा से नीचे रहने वाले लोगों को राशन कार्ड से वंचित कर रहे हैं । माननीय मंत्री श्री शांता कुमार जी यहां बैठे हुए हैं, मैं उनसे कहना चाहता हूं कि आप गरीबी की रेखा से नीचे रहने वाले सभी लोगों को अन्न उपलब्ध करायें । इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ मैं आपसे उम्मीद करता हूं कि छात्रों, नौजवानों के लिएह्ल( व्यवधान)
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय : सप्लीमेन्टरी डिमान्ड्स पर इतना नहीं बोलते।
श्री धर्म राज सिंह पटेल: उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, मैं नया मैम्बर हूं । मुझे थोड़ा समय और दिया जाए। आपने योजनाएं चला रखी हैं जिनमें ग्रामीण सुनिश्चित रोजगार योजना, स्वर्ण जयन्ती रोजगार योजना आदि हैं, लेकिन वे सब बेकार हैं, उनके बारे में लोगों को पता ही नहीं है कि इन योजनाओं के तहत पचास हजार रुपये या दस हजार रुपये मिलते हैं । वह सब अधिकारियों के खाने-पीने का माध्यम बन गई है, सारा पैसा उसी में चला जाता है, किसी को इनके बारे में पता नहीं है ।
16.00 hrs. मैं मंत्री जी से कहना चाहूँगा कि जो ग्रामीण योजनाएं चल रही हैं, उनको संगठित करके एक कर दीजिए जिससे ग्रामीण लोगों को मालूम हो कि कौन सी योजनाएं चलाई जा रही हैं और उनको पैसा मिले। २०हजार रुपये आवास योजना के लिए मिलता है, उसे एक लाख रुपया करें लेकिन जो आवास गांवों में अनुसूचित जातियों को दिया जा रहा है, उनको आवास के लिए रकम बढ़ाई जानी चाहिए। अगर आपको पैसे की आवश्यकता है तो उन लोगों पर टैक्स लगाइए जो बड़े-बड़े महलों में रहते हैं, बड़े बड़े फाइव स्टार होटलों में ठहरते हैं। पूरा सदन और हम लोग आपका साथ देने के लिए तैयार हैं।
इन्हीं शब्दों के साथ मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूँ।
श्री सुबोध मोहिते (रामटेक): माननीय उपाध्यक्ष जी, आज इस सदन में हम सप्लीमेंटरी बजट पर चर्चा कर रहे हैं। इस चर्चा का मतलब यह है कि आज के बाद कल का दिन कैसे निकलने वाला है, इस पर हम चर्चा कर रहे हैं। इंटरनेशनल लैवल पर हमारी इकोनॉमी किस स्तर पर है, हम उसकी चर्चा कर रहे हैं, अमीरी और गरीबी के बीच फासला बढ़ रहा है, हम उसकी चर्चा कर रहे हैं। आने वाले दिनों में हम गरीबों को फूड सिक्यूरिटी दे रहे हैं या नहीं, हैल्थ सिक्यूरिटी दे रहे हैं या नहीं इस पर चर्चा कर रहे हैं। हम यह चर्चा नहीं कर रहे हैं कि अमरीका का ग्रोथ रेट यह है, जापान का यह है और चाइना का यह है और उससे हमारा थोड़ा कम है इसलिए हम बैटर हैं। सवाल यह है कि गरीबों को हम प्रोटैक्शन दे रहे हैं या नहीं, इस पर हम यहां चर्चा कर रहे हैं। यहां पर एक माननीय सदस्य ने कहा कि इंग्लैंड में ऐसा है, वैसा है। मैं चाहता हूँ कि हम अपने आप में झांककर देखें कि हमने इंप्रूवमेंट किया है या नहीं। सबसे पहले हमें अपनी बात करनी चाहिए। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी को धन्यवाद देना चाहता हूँ कि He is a very effective Minister. इतने क्राइसेस में भी उन्होंने स्थिति को संभाला।
माननीय उपाध्यक्ष जी, मैंpresent state of economy की बात कर रहा हूँ। मैं चाहता हूँ कि आज की जो इकोनॉमी है, यह good, better, best or worst, इसमें से क्या है। इसका ऐनालिसेस करने के लिए हम लोग यहां बैठे हैं। जो वेरियस क्लिपिंग्ज़ मैंने लार्डिस से कलैक्ट की हैं, उसमें वेरियस इंस्टीटयूशन्स का अनैलिसेस दिया है। उसमेंPrint media, Electronic media में economists ने बताया कि In the last two years, the economy has gone from bad to worst. मैं आपको क्लिपिंग्ज़ दिखा सकता हूँ। उसमें साफ साफ लिखा है। जब मैं चाह रहा हूँ कि इकोनॉमी के सिम्पटम्स क्या हैं, On what does the economy depend? मेरा जो अनैलिसेस है, That is based on three ‘C’s, namely, Consequence, Causes and Control. मैं तीन सी की बात करने के लिए यहां आया हूँ। Economy depends on the three ‘C’s. पहला सी है कनसीक्वैन्स,उसके पांच इंडीकेटर्स हैं। The five indicators are revenue, expenditure, export, industrial growth and GDP growth. This is the consequence of economy. मैं यहाँ बात कर रहा हूँ सप्लीमेंटरी बजट की। इसका मतलब है अप्रैल से अगस्त और अप्रैल से दिसम्बर। मेरे पास जो फिगर्स हैं अप्रेल से अक्तूबर की, उसका पहला इंडीकेटर बता रहा हूँ, रेवेन्यू। जो पिछले साल रेवेन्यू था अप्रैल से अगस्त तक का,It has gone down by 6.2 per cent compared to last year. जबकि हमारी पापुलेशन बढ़ रही है, डिमांड बढ़ रही है, और हमारा रेवेन्यू ६.२ प्रतिशत से नीचे जा रहा है। जब रेवेन्यू नीचे जा रहा है तो एक्सपेन्डीचर भी कंपेरटिवली नीचे जाना चाहिए लेकिन हमारा एक्सपेन्डीचर १३ पाइंट से ज्यादा जा रहा है। पिछले साल का एक्सपेन्डीचर १०४०० करोड़ रुपये था लेकिन इस साल का ११८०० करोड़ रुपये है। एक्सपोर्ट ग्रोथ भी हमारा निगेटिव है।
Our export growth is negative. It is minus 2.3 per cent.सवाल यह है कि जब हम ग्रोथ रेट की बात करते हैं, तो इंटरनैशनल क्रेडबलिटी में हमारी इंडियन प्रोडक्ट्स की क्रेडबलिटी का सवाल पैदा हो रहा है। जब हम बोलते हैं कि Industry is the engine of the economy - कैपीटल इंडस्ट्री, सर्विस इंडस्ट्री, कंजूमर इंडस्ट्री, इंडस्टि्रयल इंडस्ट्री ग्रोथ की बात करते हैं, तो That has also gone down by 61 per cent. सबसे इम्पोर्टेंट फैक्टर जी.डी.पी. है। जब हम फायनेंश्यल रिलेशनशिप और जी.डी.पी. की बात करते हैं जो ४.२८ परसेंट है, वह लास्ट ईयर दो महीने मेंGDP growth has come down by 28 per cent as compared to last yearऔर इस वर्ष में अभी दो महीने बाकी हैं।
सभापति महोदय, मैं दूसरे सी पर आता हूं। मेरे तीन सी ही हैं। Second `C’ is causes. Some causes are known and some are unknown. Some causes are controllable and some are hidden. इसके काजेज क्या हैं, मैं आपको बताता हूं सबसे पहला काज मिस प्लेसमेंट प्रायर्टीज का है, जिसे दिया जा रहा है क्योंकि ८०+ २० के फार्मूले को अपनाया जा रहा है और जहां से ८० परसेंट रैवेन्यू आती है वहां २० परसेंट कंसीडरेशन दिया जाता है तथा जहां से २० परसेंट रैवेन्यू आती है वहां ८० परसेंट कंसीडरेशन दिया जाता है। 80:20 formula should be implemented very strictly.
बैंकिंग के रैवेन्यू रिसीट सैक्टर में कई प्रकार की कमियां और खामियां हैं। उसके ऊपर हमारा इफैक्टिव कंट्रोल नहीं है। उसकी मानिटरिंग पर हम ध्यान नहीं दे रहे हैं। ई.आर.सी. ने कहा है कि इकनौमिक रिफाम्र्स करिए, वी.आर.एस. करिए। इन बातों पर ध्यान देकर हम पैटी एक्सपेंसेस पर ध्यान दे रहे हैं।
मुझे माफ करिए - There is an increased corrupt practice in the Revenue Department. It is a fact.मैं बताना चाहूंगा कि जैसे हमारे किरीट सोमैया जी ने बताया, यू.टी.ई. के चेयरमैन का क्या हुआ और सी.बी.डी.टी.के सम्माननीय चेयरमैन का क्या हुआ। सम्माननीय शब्द का इस्तेमाल मैं जानबूझकर कर रहा हूं क्योंकि उनकी कुछ इज्जत तो है। जो यू.टी.आई. के सुब्रहमण्यम जी हैं सी.बी.डी.टी. के चेयरमैन हैं और वर्मा जी हैं, इन तीनों ने, जो देश के टॉप ब्यूरोक्रेट हैं, उन्होंने देश के करोड़ों लोगों को नुकसान पहुंचाया है। वर्मा जी का केस आप सबको मालूम ही होगा। उन्होंने सरकारी मशीनरी और तंत्र को अपना निजी तंत्र बना लिया। उसमें कुछ महिलाएं, हमारी बहनें भी काम करती थीं। जो सेंट्रल एक्साइज के कमिश्नर थे, उन्होंने सरकार को करोड़ों रुपयों का चूना लगा दिया। उसमें हमारे कुछ नामी-गिरामी व्यक्ति भी शामिल थे। मेरा निवेदन यह है कि जब स्ट्रैटेजी मेकर लैवल पर इतना इन्वाल्वमेंट है, तो आपरेशन लैवल पर रोजाना कितना करप्शन होगा, यह सोचने की बात है।
अध्यक्ष महोदय, मेरा सवाल यह है कि इनका सिलैक्शन किस तरह होता है, किस बेस पर होता है, आफ्टर सिलैक्शन उनकी क्या कमिटमेंट होती हैं, क्या अंदर की लाबी काम करती है या बाहर की लाबी काम करती है। एक रुपए के फायदे के लिए, देश के १०० करोड़ का घाटा कर रहे हैं, यह सवाल यहां पर आना चाहिए।
तीसरी बात मैं कहना चाहता हूं किIncrease in non-plan expenditure is a common thing. एग्रीकल्चर सैक्टर को इम्पोर्टेंस देने की बात कही गई थी। देखिए यह बड़ी मजेदार बात है और हिन्दू की क्लीपिंग मेरे पास है जो ६ सितम्बर, २००१ है। इसमें लिखा है कि जो ओरिजनल बजट बनाया गया उसमें एग्रीकल्चर को बूस्ट-अप करने की बात कही गई, लेकिन कुछ समय के बाद उसे चेंज कर दिया गया कि नहीं, एग्रीकल्चर के साथ-साथ पब्लिक इनवैस्टमेंट को बूस्ट-अप करने की बात कही गई। सवाल यह है कि जो फायनेंस मनिस्ट्री छ: महीने बैठकर लगातार बजट बनाने का काम करती है और पूरी मशीनरी उसकी इसी काम में लगी रहती है, उसे एक बात पर एम्फैसिस देने की बजाय, थोड़े-थोड़े दिनों के बाद अपनी स्ट्रेटेजी को बदलना नहीं चाहिए। The Government should not be in a confused state. A proper analysis should be made. क्या इस प्रकार से हमारा तीन महीने में ड्रीम पूरा हो जाएगा - कहने का मतलब यह है कि ऐसा न किया जाए, यह मेरी रिक्वेस्ट है।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, लास्ट पाइंट यह है कि फायनेंश्यल मैनेजमेंट विद टाइम, यह सबसे पहली बात होनी चाहिए। हमें क्या करना है, हमारे पास कितना फायनेंस है, हमारे पास कितना समय है, इस सब पर विचार कर ठीक प्रकार से मैनेज करना चाहिए। हिन्दी में एक बहुत अच्छी कहावत है कि"दुर्घटना से देर भली" , लेकिन महोदय, यहां तो देर भी हो रही है और दुर्घटना भी हो रही है। स्कैम पर स्कैम होते जा रहे हैं।We are just sleeping. There should be improvement in the time management.
श्री किरीट सोमैया ने बहुत अच्छा प्वाइंट बताया था कि मैं श्री यशवंत सिन्हा को बधाई देता हूं कि उन्होंने यू.टी.आई. को पूरे देश में बहुत अच्छे तरीके से हैंडल किया। लेकिन मेरा वित्त मंत्री जी से सवाल है कि क्या पोस्ट स्कैम को संभालने के लिए पोस्ट बनाई गई है?Is this a post meant for controlling the post-scam operations? अगर इस टाइप का काम किया जाए तो मेरी रिक्वैस्ट है कि the Finance Minister, along with his team, should re-prioritise the objectives in time. मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से चार सवाल पूछना चाहता हूं :- इकोनौमी के जो मेजर इंडीकेटर्स नीचे जा रहे हैं, वे और कितने नीचे जाएंगे और यह सिलसिला कब तक चलता रहेगा? क्या इस फाइनैंशियल ईयर में ऐसा कोई बड़ा स्कैम हुआ जो रोक दिया गया, प्रिवैंशन किया गया? क्या स्कैम को ध्यान में रखते हुए ए.बी.सी. ऐनालेसिस के बेसिस पर किन्हीं एरियाज़ को आइडैंटीफाई किया गया है? स्कैम रिपीट न होने के लिए क्या मंत्रालय के पास कोई चैक्स एंड बैलैंसेज़ हैं?
SHRIMATI MARGARET ALVA (CANARA): Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, the Supplementary Demands for Grants are only a ritual in spite of the Budget every year. All that happens is that it comes before us and we automatically pass it. We are glad that this year, the Finance Minister has put in the sop of extra allotments in respect of the MPLADS also because, I think, the Members of Parliament have now an added incentive to pass everything without finding fault with what you are doing.
I think the mid-year appraisals are important for all the Ministries and particularly for the Finance Ministry. I must say that all of us follow what is happening. We read newspapers every day. We see the figures released by the Government from time to time. One day, the inflation dips and another time the inflation rises. Some time, share prices crash and another time, they are on the rise. We see or rather we read about the helpless mothers selling their children in exchange for food. We read about farmers committing suicide. We are looking at Government Departments which are said to be pruned. But new Ministers are being sworn in and new Departments created. On the one hand, we see the UTI scam and, on the other, the share market scam. I do not wish to speak about them today because I am a Member of the JPC and I am bound by the code not to go into the details of the information that comes to us. So, I will not touch upon these two scams.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: That will not be allowed here.
SHRIMATI MARGARET ALVA : Yes, that will not be allowed here. But Members have spoken before me on this subject. But, anyway, I shall follow the code.
Coming to the point, I submit that the PSUs are up for sale. VRS is announced. The economy is not in good shape. The hon. Prime Minister himself says this. To top it all, Enron suddenly goes bankrupt. Now, with this scenario around us, Mr. Finance Minister, even today the die-hard optimists are worried. I think the nation does require some clarifications to be given. I quote from the speech of the hon. Prime Minister delivered from the ramparts of the Red Fort on the Independence Day.
"The Prime Minister Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee today termed the slow down in the economy as temporary and promised that the Government would soon take steps to reverse it. He announced a new orientation to the economic policies to make them pro-poor, pro-village and pro-employment and outlined a series of measures to achieve these objectives."
Well, I repeat that they were supposed to become pro-poor, pro-village and pro-employment-oriented. Of course, he talked about a number of things. He spoke about corruption, scams and a number of things but promised that things would be corrected.
None of us really can say that we have seen any corrective measures from August to November.
He spoke about fighting corruption on every front. But I must say with great concern that, today, I have read about this famous Shri Mishra and Shri Chaturvedi of Flex. The man who was investigating, the man who was in charge, has been unceremoniously removed and shifted to Audit in the Ministry of Finance. The Joint Secretary was supposed to be investigating some other important connections and links in the investigation. This is just one case. What I am saying is that you are not sincere. I have been saying it repeatedly that आपका स्लोगन सब स्वदेशी है, काम पूरा विदेशी है।
Every day, we read ‘throw open the economy’, ‘invite the outsiders’, and so on. I am giving just a few examples of where we see the contradictions. Take for instance, rural folk. What investments are taking place in the rural side? On the one hand, subsidies are being withdrawn. We have got the scheme of credit cards for farmers which are ceremoniously distributed and yet there are imports flooding the local markets. The Minister of Food is here. We have been fighting with him on several occasions. There are indiscriminate imports of anything you can think of from fruits to milk to milk products to all grains that you can think of. In the South – someone spoke before me also – whether it is coconuts, arecanut, whether it is rubber, whether it is tea or coffee, or whatever you name, the prices have collapsed. The people are literally going bankrupt. The farmers are unable to re-pay their loans because they are not re-scheduled by the banks. They are committing suicide.
What is the focus that Government is giving to the rural poor and the weaker sections? These are your slogans of being rural-oriented. I will tell you about the main problem today. You rehash, re-name and re-produce all your schemes. It was Swarna Jayanti one day. It has become something else today. Now, there is a new programme for housing. You are going to re-name and re-cast the programmes. You are re-orienting the programmes and announcing them. But the basic issue is about the rural poor. You say that the BPL families will be the beneficiaries in all the schemes. I have gone around. I come from a rural constituency. I have discussed it with so many other people. Your BPL surveys are still not complete. There is no BPL list if you go to the villages. They cannot be beneficiaries because they do not have the BPL card.
Recently, in my own State, we had a big fight with the Administration. The criteria are changed. Let me tell you about the forms which are being distributed. You would probably say that this is decentralised and each State has its own parameter. I do not know whether there is a national parameter for BPL families. Do you know some of the questions in the questionnaire? Do you have a house? Do you have a tiled roof? What is your eating pattern? It is all right. What is worse? Do you have a cycle? Do you have electricity?
We have so many Government schemes. We have ‘aasharaya’ scheme in my State where free houses are given to the houseless people. These are little one-room places for the absolutely weakest of the weak. But once you get the house, you cannot be on the BPL list because they tick ‘yes’.
We have a programme called ‘niralu bhagya,’ where they have thatched roofs, they give one thousand tiles once a year for those areas. If you have a tiled roof, you go off the BPL list. What is the criterion by which you judge poverty today?
I come to Income Tax. It is all right. You want to get more people into the Income Tax net. This country has gone by default. I am glad that you have taken steps. But you have included a person having a telephone. He has to file Form 2-C. A telephone is a basic necessity in the rural areas. I come from an area where 70 per cent of the constituency is a reserve forest. There are small little hamlets out in the wilderness. The only communication is a telephone or an STD booth. We were trying to sell telephone lines saying this is rural development. Shri Rajiv Gandhi dreamt of giving telephones to every village. Today, if you have a telephone in your house, you must file Form 2-C for Income Tax. The people are asking, "What is Form 2-C?" They do not even understand where they have to go. They have to spend so much money to fill it up and go somewhere else to file it.
Is not telephone a basic necessity in the 21st Century? I appeal to the hon. Minister to remove telephone from that list. You can have foreign travel, club membership, car, etc. in that list, but I would request him not to get this problem on the heads of poor people to whom a telephone is literally a survival kit today in the wilderness.
Then, I would ask you about subsidies. I know the way you have withdrawn everything from the farmers and the poor. In most developed countries -- already figures have been given -- subsidising food production is still a big game, but food is coming cheaper here, because it is subsidied there. It is not remunerative enough here because you have withdrawn subsidies. You have destroyed the PDS. I read it day before yesterday, the Government figures themselves, that you are now trying to sell foodgrain stocks which are piling up and which are not moving, at the price below the PDS prices within the country. So, somebody abroad benefits from our malfunctioning and our incapacity to respond to the needs of the hungry, the BPL families and the weaker sections.
I think, history will never forgive us for having denied our own poor what they deserve and for trying today to dispose of stocks because they are rotting or because they cannot be held any longer with new stocks coming in. It is nothing but mismanagement and maladministration. Today you are going to export those stocks below the rates at which you are giving them to the PDS.
I am also talking about inflation and this was also mentioned by Shri Kirit Somaiya. He blames us and for whatever happens today. The Congress is blamed. Anyway, it is good that nobody can speak without mentioning the Congress. कांग्रेस के बिना कोई सोच भी नहीं सकता, प्लान भी नहीं कर सकता, शायद सो भी नहीं सकता, क्योंकि हरेक ने कांग्रेस का नाम लेना है। जो लोग यहां से वहां गए हैं, उनमें से ज्यादातर में कांग्रेस का कल्चर अभी भी है।
But, I am telling you one thing. He mentioned about ten per cent inflation in 1991. We came in in 1991 with Shri P.V. Narasimha Rao as the Prime Minister. I too came in in that Government. We know what the condition of the economy was. It was a disaster. It took us three years to stabilise and bring back the derailed economy on the rails.
You know it, You are the Finance Minister and you were in the Parliament. It took tremendous effort by Dr. Manmohan Singh and the then Prime Minister to put things, at least, back on the rails. In the last three years of our rule we showed seven per cent growth rate every year. In the last three years today they have and I read two lines from the current economic scenario. This is from The Hindu Business Line where it says:
"Even as the Government is chalking plans to achieve eight per cent growth during the Tenth Five Year Plan, the Central Statistical Organisation revised downwards the GDP growth for 2000-2001 to 5.2 per cent against the earlier estimates of 6 per cent."
You are not even able to achieve 6 per cent. You have downgraded it. The economy recorded 6.4 per cent growth in 1999-2000, but now it is showing a downward trend. There is no time, so I will not read more than this.
I will only say something about the sectors which have been given in detail. Every single sector, agriculture, manufacturing, electricity, construction, transport, hotels, financing, social services, etc. have shown a downward trend. The figures show falling trends. I do not want to go into the details, they are listed here in The Economic Times. I have got a whole chart here. This is the scenario in which we are.
I would ask the hon. Minister honestly, why is Indian industry going into recession today. आज दुनिया में जो भी होता है, उसका कारण ११ सितम्बर बताया जाता है। उसके बाद यहां टयूरिस्ट नहीं आ रहे हैं इसलिए इंडस्ट्री गई, यह हो गया, वह हो गया। When many other countries, because of the international situation, are facing economic problems, if India had the vision and the courage, we should have been able to fill in the vacuum in many parts of the world because we have the manpower, we have the resources. You are talking about foreign investment, instead of getting it into the infrastructure, into the industry and into main sectors, What are we talking about?
Sir, I am giving you one example. You will pardon me. I have got here the appeal which has been submitted to you by various federations on Foreign Direct Investment in the retail trade. Assurances have been given that we would not allow Foreign Direct Investment. But there is a Cabinet note already circulated to the Group of Ministers to approve Foreign Direct Investment in retail trade. You are going to allow the retail trade, which is handled by small retailers in the country for hundreds of years, to go into the hands huge multi-nationals. Some of their budgets and some of their turnovers are more than the gross national income of some countries. You want to bring them in. They will resource internationally. Your domestic producers and small producers will be destroyed. Your domestic trade will go. What will be left with you? Huge companies coming from abroad and selling what they want and creating a demand for items, which is going to help economies in other parts of the world. What are you doing to protect the Indian small-scale industry? You cannot protect Indian agriculture. You cannot protect even the service sector. In the last year, it has shown a downward trend, from 11.7 per cent to, I think, 9.3 per cent. It is the case with every sector because we are opening up in every way and we have forgotten the lessons of history that our friends from the West came to trade and became our rulers! I am appealing to the Foreign Minister, I am sorry to the Finance Minister – Foreign Minister is beyond appeal now – to look at things in a correct perspective and see that this country is not made into bonded labour for the next so many generations because the loans for every development activity have come from the World Bank, the IMF, and the ADB now. Nobody is giving us money out of love. It is because they can take it back and take back much more. Who is going to repay it? We have crossed 50 per cent of our budget as far as repayment, interest, and other things are concerned. Even for education, we are borrowing. For health, we are borrowing. For everything, we are getting money from somewhere. We are tying up future generations of this country to the whole burden of tax repayment and its servicing.
I want to touch just one point, which I would be failing in duty if I do not touch upon, and that is, Khadi and Village Industries. This was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi. I congratulate my young colleague on the other side, the Minister who was in charge, Shrimati Vasundhara Raje, for the fantastic job she did in trying to revive the Khadi and Village Industries and make them popular. I am told now that she has been moved out of that and somebody else is handling it. As far as I know, that will be a disaster. She had an idea how to popularise Khadi. But let me point out that there is a problem in regard to a notification. Any Khadi Village Industry, as long as it is the village area, has got tax exemption. You do not pay tax. But after a unit is set up, women who had formed their group and are just crossing the border, line have to close down. What happens is that population grows and the local revenue department declares it to be ‘urban area’, and immediately you impose tax on them. Now, these people have struggled to stabilise and once a cottage industry has been started in the rural area, and just because the area as per the revenue records is turned into ‘urban’, all the benefits that these poor women or the rural people are getting from that have been lost. I would like you to review this. Once it is started in a rural area, even if it is declared to be ‘urban’ after 10 years or 12 years, the benefit that you have given to them, if these Village Khadi Industries are to survive, is to be retained. You have to make an exception because most of them in this industry are women, who are struggling with their hands to produce something which can make India proud and which no WTO and no international organisation or enterprise can compete with because these are the hands of your traditional craftsmen and producers, whom no machine can copy. I ask you to protect these traditional industries and these struggling women and the poor, who are in these industries.
I know, I am short of time. … (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: You have already taken 19 minutes.
SHRIMATI MARGARET ALVA : You gave me 20 minutes. So, I have one more minute to conclude.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: You are entitled for 18 minutes.
SHRIMATI MARGARET ALVA : The Finance Minister has promised one crore jobs.
But all the companies are closing down their enterprises through VRS. So unemployment is growing. Multinationals and others are coming in. Everyone is talking about downsizing the Government. But I know downsizing is not going to take place because you have to have so many Departments to accommodate all the Ministers who are part of the coalition. Everybody must have something to do to keep them occupied. So, I understand your burden. I was Minister of Personnel. I tried it. The more jobs I tried to downsize, the more were created behind my back in the name of consultants, in the name of extensions and so on. So, I know the problem. But I hope that God and your colleagues in the Government will give you support you need to implement this most crucial reform of downsizing the Government. The job which one man can do is done by four people today. If you have more women in Government, probably, you will be more efficient in your Department. But I request you to please give priority to reforms which will not destroy the soul of India.
SHRI ANADI SAHU (BERHAMPUR, ORISSA): Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, I thank you for the opportunity. When I stand here in support of the Second Batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants tabled by the hon. Finance Minister, I am reminded of a prophetic and famous statement made by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on the 15th of August, 1947 from the high pedestal of the Red Fort. He had indicated to the nation that we have tryst with destiny. Definitely it was a tryst with destiny, a tryst where our self-determination was to take us into an unknown and unchartered future world with inexperienced people. In spite of that, we were happy, and the happiness and euphoria were short-lived. Despondency, dejection and disillusionment followed with abject poverty. For many years we were not able to get over the difficulties that millions of Indians have been facing because of abject poverty.
Thanks to Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister of India, for the past three years attempts are being made and steps are being taken with success to ensure that people do not suffer. On the 15th of August, 2001, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Minister of India, proclaimed from the ramparts of the Red Fort that India would be a front ranking nation in the world. It would be one of the ten fastest growing economies, nations in the world. He proclaimed a pro-poor, pro-village economic policy and with that end in view, new initiatives were proclaimed. The new initiatives are Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana, National Nutrition Mission, Valmiki Malini Basti Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana, National Highway Development Project and many other schemes. Apart from all other things, a Rapid Action Force was to be constituted to implement the projects that had been proclaimed from the ramparts of the Red Fort. It indicates that from tryst with destiny, India is going to the tryst with cornucopia. Cornucopia is the symbol of plenty. That is what the Prime Minister had indicated on the 15th of August, 2001. How do we get the cornucopia, that is, the symbol of plenty? It is by implementing whatever had been proclaimed in the field. The hon. Finance Minister has taken pains to ensure that. With this Second Supplementary Demands for Grants, additional grants are given to ensure that we surge ahead in eradicating poverty and in eradicating all sorts of mal-administrations which have been the bane of this country for the last so many years.
I will not go into debt servicing, equity, the world recession and financial management. Those are matters, which could be discussed when the hon. Minister of Finance Shri Yashwant Sinha presents the next Budget in 2002. Those matters could be discussed at that time. We are interested in discussing the type of facilities the poor, the downtrodden and the marginalised would get. We have achieved success in food grains. About 209 million metric tonnes have been the production. It might even go up. We have 65 lakh tonnes of buffer stock, which would take us through in case of any necessity at any given point of time.
Now, I would only go into the facts relating to the Additional Grants that have been indicated by the hon. Minister of Finance. He has indicated in the first page itself all the 31 items for which Rs.3,396 crore are to be given, of which the extra requirement is only Rs.1371 crores and it is not much. It is a fact that till September, 2001, we had a fiscal deficit of Rs.57,000 crore but in spite of the fiscal deficit you would kindly appreciate that the non-debt revenue has been more than 32 per cent within that period. This means, the revenue has been going up. Keeping this in view and making minor adjustments here and there, the hon. Minister of Finance has been able to give an additional grant of Rs.1371 crores to ensure that we go ahead with different poverty alleviation programmes.
The first and foremost programme is the ‘Food for Work’ programme. As it has been very clearly indicated by our forefathers a long time ago, rather some 5,000 years back in Mandukya Upanishad, "अन्नात भूतानी जायन्ते,जातानी अन्नेन वर्धन्ते । " This means, ‘In the embryo itself, you require food; when the baby is born, it requires food; and, when we grow up, we require food.’ For the people below the poverty line, you have to give food in an adequate manner. That is why the additional requirement of funds under the Employment Assurance Scheme of Rs.275 crore has been brought up. There are also theJawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana, which was indicated in the new initiative from the ramparts of the Red Fort, and the ‘Food for Work’ programmes.
It is a fact that the money that is being given to the States is not being properly spent. The implementing agencies are not properly spending the money but the Central Government has been giving funds. Whenever people go in for seeking migratory employment, 20 per cent extra money is given under ‘Food for Work’ to panchayats so that people do not go away from their places. It was introduced two years ago by the hon. Minister to ensure that people do not go away from their habitats to work in different places. From my State, people go to Mumbai and even to Arunachal Pradesh to find work but we are now having extra funds to ensure that we do not get into any difficulty. A sum of Rs.1,300 crores have been given in these four works.
The most important programme is the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. This is an innovation. I am not going now into the Golden Quadrilateral because that does not come in this Second Supplementary Grant. India is now being united again through this programme. The one person who united India was Sankaracharya by creating the four dhams. Now, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has thought of a brilliant idea of connectivity. As I said, I would not go into the details of the Golden Quadrilateral. I am more interested in the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. It started as a rural connectivity project and it has now become the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, where habitations with one thousand people would be connected. Funds are being given to this programme; Rs.2,500 crore are now being given. It will go up later on but there is one flaw in this programme. So far as my State is concerned, the difficulty with my State is that the Scheduled Areas, which are mostly in the southern part of Orissa, are having habitation of tribal people. This might also be true of Assam, Meghalaya or any other State.
Sir, in the tribal areas because of the undulated terrain and lack of water holes – I call it water holes – there are small hamlets. People not more 200 to 300 live in a particular hamlet. If we have this thing of 1000 habitation, it will take a longer time to provide connectivity.
Sir, beyond 2003, you have indicated that the people living in habitation of 500 persons will come under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna. May I request the hon. Minister of Finance and through you, Sir, the hon. Minister of Rural Development to kindly bring down the number of people who live in the villages, in the hamlets so that the connectivity can progress in a faster manner and once you have connectivity, I am sure, foodstuff will come and difficulties will not arise.
Sir, I am giving the instance of a village where five persons have died due to malnutrition in my Constituency of Berhampur, Safalguda. I had to walk 14 kms. to visit that place. The nearest Gram Panchayat headquarters is 14 kms from that village. So, I do not know how you can have connectivity in another ten years because that village has only 150 persons, nearby village has 100 persons and another nearby village has 50 persons. So, the norms have to be reduced to ensure that the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna is successful and more funds are given. But they should be given in a manner so that this thing benefits all people.
Sir, I am grateful to the hon. Minister of Finance and the Government for that matter that they have taken steps for speedy implementation of the Geeta Krishnan Committee Report. It is a fact that the Government has been spending more and there is a necessity of bringing down the expenditure. It is a fact that the public sector undertakings are a burden on the neck of the government. That is why, disinvestment has started and with disinvestment, voluntary retirement schemes have been taken up.
Sir, as I make a cursory glance of the Second Supplementary Demands for Grants, I find that Rs. 221.58 crore have been provided for voluntary retirement schemes in addition to what have been provided in the main Budget itself. More funds should be provided and more people should be retired immediately so that the exchequer does not suffer for unnecessary expenditure.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Shri Sahu, please conclude. There are many speakers from your Party.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI ANADI SAHU : Sir, I will take another two or three minutes, not more than that.
Sir, most importantly, we had not thought of urban poor, the slum dwellers. A due initiative has been taken by introducing the Valmiki Awas Yojna. It is a new initiative, and, as I said, tryst with Cornucopia. The poor people who are living in the urban areas have not been thought of earlier. Now, it has been thought of and Rs. 100 crore have been provided by the hon. Minister of Finance in this Supplementary Grant. But there is a chink in the armour.
May I request the hon. Minister of Finance to please refer to page 11 of the Supplementary Demands for Grants wherein there is a mention about certain amounts being sanctioned for foreign travels because that particular Ministry or that particular Department had a saving. I do not know and I fail to understand as to why a Supplementary Grant should be taken for foreign travel when certain savings have been indicated by the Department itself. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) and the Forward Markets Commission (FMC) have been provided funds for going on foreign travel. This is in my opinion a chink in the armour and, of course, the matter can be thought of by the hon. Minister himself.
Sir, I have no time and since you have rung the bell, I stop here by supporting the Supplementary Demands for Grants.
डॉ. रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह (वैशाली): उपाध्यक्ष महोदय,… (Interruptions)
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय : रघुवंश प्रसाद जी, आपकी पार्टी के लिए कुल मिलाकर ६ मिनट हैं।
डॉ. रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह : सर, हम देश के करोड़ों गरीबों का सवाल उठाएंगे।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय : गरीबों का सवाल जरूर उठाइए, लेकिन समय का ध्यान रखिए और ६ मिनट से ज्यादा समय मत लीजिए।
डॉ. रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह : उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, इस वर्ष जो सप्लीमेंट्री डिमांड ३,३९६,८८.५ करोड़ रुपए की प्रस्तुत की गई हैं, मैं उन पर बोलने के लिए खड़ा हुआ हूं। हमने देखा है १२७ नंबर डिमांड में बिहार का जिक्र नहीं है। बिहार का जब बंटवारा पिछले साल १५ नबंवर को हुआ और बंटवारे के समय इसी सदन में कहा गया था कि प्लानिंग कमीशन में एक विशेष सैल बनेगा जो इस बात को देखेगा कि बंटवारे के कारण बिहार को कितना आर्थिक नुकसान हुआ और उसकी भरपाई की जाएगी, लेकिन महोदय देखा जा रहा है कि एक पैसा भी बिहार को नहीं मिला है।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, पहले बिहार को रैवेन्यू से दो-तिहाई आमदनी झारखंड से थी जो अब एक तिहाई रह गई है जब कि खर्च दो-तिहाई बिहार की तरफ आ गया है और झारखंड की तरफ एक-तिहाई चला गया है। इसके लिए हम सब लोगों ने, सभी पार्टियों के सांसदों ने प्रधान मंत्री जी को रिप्रजेंट किया और प्रधान मंत्री जी ने यह कहा कि इस पर हम विचार करेंगे, लेकिन साथ ही उन्होंने यह भी कहा कि क्या आपकी वित्त मंत्री जी से बातचीत नहीं हुई ? उन्हें वित्त मंत्री जी से बात करने की बहुत जिज्ञासा थी। आज वित्त मंत्री जी यहां विद्यमान हैं, साल भर से ज्यादा समय बीत गया, पिछली १५ नवबर से इस वर्ष की १५ नवंबर तक एक वर्ष और अब दिसंबर प्रारंभ हो चुका है। इस प्रकार से एक वर्ष से भी ज्यादा समय बीत गया, लेकिन एक पैसा भी बिहार को नहीं मिला है।
महोदय, बिहार को आर्थिक पैकेज देने की मांग की गई। बिहार विधान मंडल ने सर्वदलीय और सर्वसम्मत प्रस्ताव पारित किया था कि बिहार को बंटवारे के कारण जो घाटा हुआ है, उसके कारण उसे १,७९,८०० करोड़ रुपए मिलने चाहिए थे, लेकिन एक पैसा भी नहीं दिया गया है। मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से जानना चाहता हूं कि ऐसा क्यों है। हिन्दुस्तान की आबादी का दसवां हिस्सा झारखंड और बिहार है और जब देश की तरक्की के लिए धन का बंटवारा हो रहा है, तो बिहार का हिस्सा क्यों नहीं दिया जा रहा है। जो ज्ञापन दिया गया था, उसमें कहा गया था कि बिहार के २२.५ हजार करोड़ रुपए के कर्जे को माफ किया जाना चाहिए। वह इसलिए कि अन्य राज्य़ों के कर्जे माफ किए गए हैं। पंजाब का कर्जा माफ किया गया है। पंजाब को आर्थिक पैकेज दिया गया है, लेकिन बिहार का न कर्जा माफ हो रहा है और न आर्थिक पैकेज दिया जा रहा है। इस प्रकार से बिहार के साथ सरासर गैर-इंसाफी हो रही है।
महोदय, सातवीं, आठवीं और नौवी पंचवर्षीय योजना के अनुसार राज्यों की जो छोटे आकार की योजना बनी, उसमें एग्रीकल्चर के हिस्से को देखा जाए, जिसके फार्मूले के आधार पर योजना का आकार छोटा बनाया गया, उसके अनुसार ८ हजार करोड़ रुपए की योजनाएं देश की बनीं उसके चलते देश में १३ हजार करोड़ रुपए व्यय किया जाना निर्धारित हुआ, लेकिन उतना खर्च नहीं हुआ, कम खर्च हुआ। इसी प्रकार यदि हमारे देश की केन्द्रीय प्रायोजित योजनाओं का हिसाब लगाया जाए और सिर्फ नौवीं पंचवर्षीय योजना को ही देखें, तो बिहार के लिए दिए गए धन में किसी योजना में धन नगण्य है और ज्यादातर योजनाओं में तो धन आबंटन शून्य ही है। हमें नौवीं पंचवर्षीय योजना में नगण्य धनराशि मिली है। यदि हम पूरे देश की नौवीं पंचवर्षीय योजना में सेंट्रली स्पोंसर्ड स्कीमों का हिसाब लगाएं और देश की कुल आबादी का बिहार और झारखंड १० वां हिस्सा है, उस हिसाब से देखें, तो कुल धनराशि ५ हजार करोड़ खर्च हुई। उसके अनुसार बिहार का हिस्सा ५०० करोड़ का हिस्सा बनता है, लेकिन ५०० करोड़ तो छोड़ दीजिए, बिहार को ३००, २०० या १०० करोड़ भी आबंटित नहीं हुए। केवल ५५ करोड़ आबंटित किए गए और उसमें से भी सिर्फ २५ करोड़ मिले। यह दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण स्थिति है कि कहां तो ५०० करोड़ रुपेए मिलने चाहिए थे और कहां केवल २५ करोड़ रुपए मिले। वहां भी वित्तीय संकट है, लेकिन बिहार को आर्थिक सहायता देने पर केन्द्र सरकार विचार नहीं कर रही है। हम मांग करते हैं कि बिहार के ऊपर जो केन्द्र सरकार का धन बकाया है, उसको माफ किया जाए और जो योजना का आकार छोटा हुआ है उसके हिसाब से देखना चाहिए। हम सेंटर से कोई भिक्षाटन नहीं कर रहे हैं। हमारा जो हिस्सा बनता है, केन्द्र सरकार जो अन्य राज्यों को देती है, उसी प्रकार जो बिहार का हिस्सा है वह हमें दिया जाए, उससे हमें वंचित न किया जाए और बिहार सरकार के ऊपर केन्द्र के जो २२,५०० करोड़ रुपए बकाया हैं वे माफ किए जाएं।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, उत्तरांचल राज्य को विशेष दर्जा दिया गया, हमें कोई आपत्ति नहीं है, लेकिन यदि विशेष राज्य का दर्जा देने की छानबीन कराई जाए, तो बिहार भी विशेष राज्य का दर्जा पाने का अधिकारी है। मैं चाहता हूं कि इसकी जांच कराई जाए।
वहां की पर कैपिटा इनकम, ग्रोथ, जी.डी.पी. आदि सारी चीजों को देखने से साबित होता है कि उसे भी विशेष राज्य का दर्जा दिया जाना चाहिए। हमारे ज्ञापन में यह भी था लेकिन उस पर अभी कोई विचार नहीं हुआ। एक ओर आर्थिक पैकेज और एक्सट्रा मदद की बात है लेकिन दशम वित्त आयोग ने पंचायती राज मद में कहा सवा सौ करोड़ रुपये सालाना, पांच वर्ष में सवा छ: सौ करोड़ रुपये, शुरू में एक वर्ष मिला, चार वर्ष दशम वित्त आयोग का पंचायती मद का रुपया नहीं मिला। ग्यारहवें वित्त आयोग का भी प्रथम वर्ष का रुपया नहीं मिला, करीब सवा सौ करोड़ रुपये, सवा छ: सौ करोड़ रुपया बिहार को नहीं मिल पाया। पंचायती राज मद का हिस्सा नहीं मिल रहा है तो अतरिक्त कैसे मिलेगा। मैंने वित्त मंत्री जी से सवाल किया था। इन्होंने इसी सदन में वचन दिया था कि मैं विचार करूंगा और कोशिश करूंगा कि बिहार का पैसा लैप्स नहीं हो, किसी हालत में मिल जाए। लेकिन नहीं मिला। उसमें टैक्नीकल औब्जैक्शन लगा कर, अब पंचायती राज के चुनाव हो गए। वहां १ लाख ३५ हजार व्यक्ति चुने गए हैं, मुखिया से लेकर ऊपर तक पंचायती राज के चुनाव कम्प्लीट हो गए, नगर का चुनाव भी होने जा रहा है। टैक्नीकल आधार पर गरीब राज्य का पैसा मारा गया, यह उचित नहीं है। हम हर साल बाढ़, सुखाड़ से तबाह होते हैं। उड़ीसा को चार सौ करोड़ रुपया मिला लेकिन बिहार को बाढ़, सुखाड़ में एक पैसा नहीं मिला। यहां भी सवाल उठा। बिहार के साथ अन्याय और भेदभाव क्यों हो रहा है? प्रधान मंत्री सड़क योजना के अन्तर्गत अभी तक एक किलोमीटर सड़क नहीं बनी। कार्य लंबित है, अभी तक मंजूर नहीं हुआ। देश के सभी राज्यों का हो गया लेकिन बिहार का रुका हुआ है। हम नहीं जानते कि वह कब होगा। सड़कों की स्थिति खराब है। रूरल कनैक्टिविटी वाला भी है। वित्त मंत्री जी, आप नीति बनाएं। …( व्यवधान)जैसे आंध्रा में गांव का कनैक्शन नहीं हुआ है। उसमें कुल १५०० गांव बिना कनैक्शन के बचे हुए हैं। बिहार में ३०-३५ हजार गांव बिना कनैक्शन के बचे हुए हैं। आप प्रधान मंत्री ग्राम सड़क योजना में किस आधार पर पैसा बांटते हैं। मेरा सुझाव और मांग है कि जो राज्य ज्यादा पीछे छूट गए हैं, उन्हें कुछ अधिक राशि मिलनी चाहिए जिससे वह भी राज्य की मुख्य धारा में आ सकें।
ग्रामीण विद्युतीकरण में हम सबसे पीछे हैं। प्रधान मंत्री ग्रामोदय योजना में देखा जाए कि जिस राज्य के गांव ज्यादा छूट गए हैं, उनको रूरल इलैक्टि्रफिकेशन के लिए अधिक पैसा मिलना चाहिए। इस पर विचार होना चाहिए।
भगवान महावीर की २६००वीं जयन्ती मनाई जा रही है। उस समय सप्लीमैंट्री बजट में ५० करोड़ रुपये लाए थे। हमने ढूंढ कर देखा, इस बार उसका जिक्र नहीं है। भगवान महावीर का जन्म वैशाली में हुआ था। प्रधान मंत्री जी ने कहा था कि हम विकास की योजना को पूरा करेंगे। राष्ट्रीय समति की बैठक में यह निर्णय हुआ था। उस पर भी कोई कार्यवाही नहीं हुई। इसलिए उस मद में हमारा जो ५० करोड़ रुपया बचा हुआ है, वह हमें मिलना चाहिए।…( व्यवधान)
आई.डी.पी.एल. मुज़फ्फरपुर में बंद है। डिमांड में आई.डी.पी.एल. की भी चर्चा है लेकिन मुजफ्फरपुर में वह बंद है, बरौनी में हिन्दुस्तान फर्टीलाईजर कार्पोरेशन की यूनिट बंद है, सिन्दरी की एफ.सी.आई. बंद है। ये सब कब चालू होंगे, यह हम जानना चाहते हैं। वहां का फास्फेट का कारखाना बंद होने जा रहा है। रीजनल डिसपैरिटी न हो और जो राज्य या क्षेत्र पीछे छूट गए हैं, सौ सबसे पिछड़े जिले चुने गए थे, उसमें बिहार का ज्यादा था। सरकार का फैसला हुआ था कि सौ जिलों में विकास का काम होगा, कुछ अधिक दिया जाएगा लेकिन चूंकि बिहार का ज्यादा था इसलिए रोक कर रखा गया है।…( व्यवधान)
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय : अब समाप्त कीजिए।
डॉ. रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह : समाप्त कर रहा हूं।
माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी बिहार की स्थिति हमसे कम नहीं जानते, इनको मालूम है। प्रधान मंत्री जी के यहां राज्य सरकार की ओर से स्मारक पत्र दिया गया है लेकिन उस पर कोई विचार नहीं हुआ है। हम स्पैसीफिक माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी ध्यान आकर्षित करना चाहते हैं।
प्रधानमंत्री जी ने कहा था कि वित्त मंत्री जी से बात करिये। इस माध्यम से बिहार के करोड़ों गरीब लोग कहते हैं कि सदियों का जो हिन्दुस्तान का इतिहास है, उसमें दो तिहाई इतिहास बिहार का इतिहास है, वह हिन्दुस्तान का इतिहास है। वहां पर गरीब किसान, मजदूर अपने भाग्य के भरोसे लड़ रहा है। केन्द्र से हमारा हिस्सा नहीं मिल रहा है, इसीलिए हम सारे सवाल उठाकर माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी का ध्यान आकृष्ट करना चाहते हैं कि कैसे यह हल होंगे। नहीं तो लगता है कि संघर्ष और लड़ाई करनी पड़ेगी। जनता का जब लोक सभा में न्याय नहीं होगा तो जनसभा में हमको जाना पड़ेगा और जनसभा से जनता का न्याय करना होगा। रामजीवन बाबू, श्री रघुनाथ झा, प्रभुनाथ सिंह जी सब सुन रहे हैं, सब जो उधर एन.डी.ए. में हैं। एक दिन जैसे किसान के सवाल पर और प्रक्युरमेंट पर सारे लोग एकजुट हुए हैं, इस सवाल पर भी एकजुट हो जाएंगे तो उसी दिन सरकार हरदी-गरदी बोल देगी। हमारे लोग अभी एकजुट नहीं हो पा रहे हैं, यह सरकार दस लोगों की खुशामद कर रही है, हमारे तो ५६ लोग हैं, जिस दिन चाहूंगा, ठंडा कर दूंगा, इसलिए बिहार और झारखण्ड, जो पीछे छूटे हुए हैं, उनका सारा हिसाब-किताब मिलना चाहिए। माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी को सब मालूम है। इनको आगे से सप्लीमेंटरी डिमांड्स नहीं लानी चाहिए, ऐसी मांग होनी चाहिए।
इन शब्दों के साथ मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं।
उपाध्यक्ष महोदय : हरिशंकर महाले जी, आपकी १७ पार्टियों का छ: मिनट टाइम है, आप दो मिनट में समाप्त करिये।
श्री हरीभाऊ शंकर महाले (मालेगांव): उपाध्यक्ष महोदय, आपने मुझे बोलने का अवसर दिया, इसके लिए मैं आपका आभारी हूं।
सड़क के बारे में सोचना बहुत जरूरी है। इसमें हमारा जिला और पूरा महाराष्ट्र पिछड़ा हुआ है, लेकिन इसमें मंत्री महोदय ने केवल एक लाख रुपये की टोकन ग्राण्ट दी है, इससे क्या होगा? मेरी विनती है कि सड़क के बारे में ज्यादा से ज्यादा ध्यान देना चाहिए, क्योंकि ह्ृदय में जैसे रक्तवाहनियां होती हैं, वैसे ही सड़कें बहुत महत्वपूर्ण होती हैं। धूले और नासिक जिले में सड़कों की बहुत मांग है, लेकिन उसको पूरा करने के लिए इस राशि से काम कैसे पूरा हो पायेगा।
दूसरी बात, आदिम जाति और अनुसूचित जाति के बारे में ज्यादा से ज्यादा सोचना चाहिए। जो सरकार आती है, वह आदिम जाति और पिछड़ी जाति का नाम लिए बगैर खाना भी नहीं खाती, लेकिन उसके लिए भी टोकन ग्राण्ट एक लाख रुपये रखी है। हमें मालूम है कि यह टोकन ग्राण्ट है, लेकिन यह बहुत कम राशि है। ऊर्जा बहुत महत्वपूर्ण चीज है, मैं आपका आदर करता हूं लेकिन आपके मन में और शरीर में ऊर्जा पैदा क्यों नहीं होती, पता नहीं, यह बात ठीक नहीं है। ऊर्जा जैसी महत्वपूर्ण चीज के लिए इसमें एक लाख रुपये टोकन ग्राण्ट रखी है, यह उचित नहीं है।
दो महीने के बाद यहां बजट आने वाला है, इसलिए दो महीने के लिए इसमें इतनी रकम डाल दी है, यह ठीक नहीं है। मुझे आश्चर्य होता है कि कम्पनी के बारे में, इस बारे में, उस बारे में सब हो जाता है, लेकिन किसान के बारे में कुछ नहीं सोचा जाता। इस सरकार ने कृषि नीति बनाई, इसके लिए मैं धन्यवाद देता हूं, लेकिन यह केवल सदन में ही घूमती है और किसान के यहां इसका इस्तेमाल ही नहीं होता। मेरी प्रार्थना है कि किसान के बारे में सोचना जरूरी है। किसानों ने देश के लिए बहुत ज्यादा योगदान दिया है, फिर भी किसान के बारे में आप नहीं सोचते तो इस सरकार का राज कैसे चलेगा।
17.00 hrs. आज किसानों को बहुत कठिनाइयों का सामना करना पड़ रहा है, वे बहुत परेशान हैं। इसलिए सरकार को किसानों के बारे में ज्यादा से ज्यादा सोचना चाहिए। सप्लीमेंट्री बजट में किसानों के लिए बहुत कम रकम का प्रावधान होने से मुझे काफी दुख है। इतना ही कहकर मैं अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं।
SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY (CALCUTTA NORTH WEST): Sir, I rise to support the Supplementary Demands for Grants 2001-2002. On a total of 31 grants, the total amount that is demanded is Rs.3396.50 crore and the cash outgo is Rs.2025.23 crore.
17.01 hrs (Shri P.H. Pandiyan in the Chair) Sir, I take this opportunity to congratulate the Finance Minister for his recent visit to Ottawa where he addressed the G-20 countries and led the campaign for imposing restrictions on the assets of terrorist organisations at international level. We appreciate his efforts to arrest the movement of funds to terrorist organisations and groups at international level.
Looking at the time available to me, I will mention very few points. I will first mention Demand No.8 which relates to Ministry of Coal. Even though Rs.62.08 crore have been allotted in aid to PSUs for implementation of VRS, a few lakhs of coal workers are going on strike from today, for an indefinite period. It is a very unfortunate development. I would request the Finance Minister to provide some financial support in the Supplementary Demands for safety and security of coal workers. When we met the Coal India workers and their trade union leaders in the Committee on Labour Welfare, they were very much concerned over their safety and security.
Secondly, I would mention about the rural development programmes. Hon. Minister, Shri Shanta Kumar was present here a few minutes back. Shrimati Margaret Alva also mentioned this point. The Supreme Court has recently issued an order that the lists of people below the poverty line are to be finalised by 1st January on which we are badly lagging throughout the country. These instructions may kindly be implemented and the lists of people living below the poverty line in every State be maintained properly. Many beneficiaries are not receiving assistance due to their not being issued with BPL cards. This morning, in reply to Starred Question No.231, it was said that a serious observation has been made by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India that funds of Centrally-sponsored projects and schemes implemented by the States are being diverted to other schemes resulting in their non-implementation. The Government of India provides huge funds for implementation of Centrally-sponsored programmes by the States. The C&AG has given a very strong note alleging that these funds are being diverted. The reply came from the Prime Minister’s office. So, naturally we are concerned with this development. The Government should take very firm steps in this regard and see that Centrally-sponsored State Government schemes are properly implemented. We are all aware of the non-performing assets in the whole country.
We normally accuse that the industrial houses who take loans from the public sector banks do not repay them. Such amount has gone up to such a high level that it is causing tremendous damage to our Indian economy.
On the one side they are making disinvestment and are searching for strategic partners. They are even selling the profit-making public sector undertakings.
They are trying their best to give the VRS also. That is all right. But so far as the non-performing assets are concerned, they exist at such a juncture, the amount is so high that it is causing our economy tremendously .
So, the Government should take an all-out effort to see that these loans are paid back. Otherwise, stern measures are to be initiated from the Ministry.
Mr. Chairman, Sir, I would also request the Government and the hon. Minister in charge to kindly take up the issue of storage system development for keeping the foodgrains properly. At the last meeting of the Standing Committee of Parliament, a proposal was made that the extra foodgrains could be thrown to the ocean. But my point is that these extra foodgrains can be used in the system of Food for Work programme. It is a very positive programme and at this juncture it can be implemented. The main thing is that we require the infrastructural set-up.
Sir, many a time farmers and peasants have to make distress sale due to lack of sufficient number of cold storages. Once in our State, potatoes were produced in a huge quantity. For want of keeping them, since the cold storages were not there, they had to make the distress sale, and potatoes were sold at Rs. 1 a kilo. These are our experiences. The peasants become enthused when they produce more but if they find that there is shortage of cold storages and arrangement for storing their produces, they feel very disappointed. So,infrastructure set-up may kindly be looked into with top priority.
Last but not least, I would say that there is a growing unemployment problem in our country. Some message should go from the Government that they are doing something concrete in this direction. After Shri Atal Bihar Vajpayee has taken over, a projection is going that the disinvestment is taking place, retrenchment is taking place and the public sector undertakings are going to be closed. Everywhere, disappointments are precipitated and frustrations are being reflected.
So, this unemployment problem is to be taken up with top priority. The message should go to the unemployed youth of the country that in the next Budget of the hon. Finance Minister, this problem will definitely be taken care of with top priority.
Sir, in many cases, the amount which has been asked for is not a meagre amount. We fully support the Supplementary Demands for Grants(General) and also wish the hon. Minister success for the next General Budget which he will be placing next year.
With these few words, I conclude.
*SHRI C. SREENIVASAN (DINDIGUL): Hon. Chairman Sir, this august House is now discussing Supplementary Demands for Grants for Budget (General) 2001-2002. I am happy to participate in this discussion on behalf of my party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. I thank the Chair for giving me this opportunity.
Stating before the House the additional expenditure incurred by the Government under various heads, granting of funds for certain works and schemes and providing certain Ministries and Departments with the necessary permission to draw funds from the exchequer are the main objectives of this Supplementary Demands for Grants. I have no doubt in my mind about the passing of this motion in this House. But at the same time we have our right to express our doubts about some aspects or the other of this Demands. I would like to take upon this opportunity to express my views on this Bill for Supplementary Grants.
The economy scene world over is in a crisis now. Even the developed economies of the rich nations like USA and Japan with strong currencies pass through a phase of recession and stagflation.
Even in our own Indian economy the great hopes and enthusiasm that was there an year back had waned. For the past one decade we have been aiming high to reach 6.2% of growth rate in our GDP. Recently Hon. Finance Minister has stated that our growth rate would be 7% and go beyond in the next decade. I appreciate his optimism. But I cannot but point out certain performance that are far from enthusing.
For the year 2001-02, additional expenditure to be accrued by Ministries other than Defence, Agriculture, Food, Human Resource Development, Food & Public Distribution have been enlisted in this Supplementary Demands for Grants that totals about Rs 3396.50 crores. When we are to talk about increased __________________________________________________________________ * English translation of the speech originally delivered in Tamil.
expenditure, we need to talk about schemes and programmes for which funds have not been released though allocated.
Rs 800 crore for Food for Work Programme, Rs 225 crore for Jawahar Gram Samridi Yojana, Rs 275 crore for Employment Assurance Schemes would be approved by the House as additional Grants. But I would like to point out that the share for Tamil Nadu is very meagre.
In Tamil Nadu, Public Distribution System has been streamlined to extend targeted benefit to the poor who live below poverty line. The Government of Tamil Nadu has taken upon itself to offset the Centre’s price increase on essential commodities supplied through the Public Distribution System. Tamil Nadu Government has extended a specific Grant to the tune of about Rs 1600 crore to supply essential commodities like rice to the poor. We are also implementing successfully the Chief Minister’s Nutritious Noon-meal Scheme which is a virtual model even to UN the world body. The beneficiaries of this scheme are the rural people especially students and children from the rural areas. Considering the burden shouldered by the Government of Tamil Nadu, the Union Government’s Rural Development Ministry must allocate more funds to Tamil Nadu. But what is happening is to the contrary. It must change.
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the Prime Minister’s Rural Roads projects, for Grants would get Rs 2500 crore as additional Grant through this Supplementary Demands to meet certain expenditure. But at the same time no funds have been released to Tamil Nadu on this count. Rural road construction work has almost come to a standstill in Tamil Nadu. Our repeated Demands have also been ignored. Last year when the ongoing rural road projects were stopped due to Assembly elections for about 2 or 3 months, the fund flow from the Centre stopped. Even after an year neither allocation nor release of funds under this scheme are forthcoming. The rural Development in Tamil Nadu has been greatly affected. The Union Government is accountable to this House of Parliament. They must also ensure that State Governments are not discriminated against.
Gadgil-Mukherjee formula, as approved by National Development Council, provides assistance to States to carry out welfare schemes. Central assistance for foreign aided schemes, additional financial assistance for other schemes, special assistance to certain other specific schemes are the three categories under which Centre extends funds to the States for welfare schemes. Tamil Nadu got about Rs 1575 crore in 1999-2000. It was about Rs 1645 crore in 2001-02. During the current year even after about 9 months not even half of the funds have been released to Tamil Nadu. We believe in Welfare State and come out with welfare schemes. ‘Can anyone do anything to hamper welfare schemes from being implemented?’ is my question.
When there is budget deficit Union Government resorts to customs duty and central excise. But the Governments of various States are left high and dry.
The report of the Eleventh Finance Commission and its recommendations are not favourable to us. Tamil Nadu’s share from the Central revenue has been brought down from 6.637% to 5.385%. The financial loss or the deprived amount calculated from 2000 to 2005, full five years, would be about Rs 2946 crore. To overcome this problem, Tamil Nadu must have additional market borrowing limit upto Rs 500 crore. A request to the Centre in this regard was made by our leader and the General Secretary of our AIADMK Dr Puratchi Thalaivi J. Jayalalithaaji on her assuming the responsibility of Chief Ministership still remains. I urge upon the Union Government to concede to our demand. I request Hon. Finance Minister to look into this and attend to our need.
A motion for the Supplementary Demands for Grants must not come before the House as a mere conventional plea and merely passed. It must explain in detail while listing out the pending projects, the hampering aspects for the delay in its execution and the hitches that come in the way and stagnation if any. This Bill must be accompanied with a detailed mid-term appraisal of the fiscal and financial performance of the Government. It must be enlightening and awakening and must serve as an eye opener to both the planners and implementers. Centre and States must have proper coordination. Every Ministry must have Plan Implementation Monitoring Cells in the style of Parliament Cells. I urge upon the Union Government to take effective steps to ensure people’s representatives all over the country implement welfare schemes and projects. I hope Hon. Finance Minister would respond favourably.
Expressing my support to this Supplementary Demands for Grants, let me conclude my speech. Let me thank the Chair again.
श्री राम नगीना मिश्र (पडरौना) : माननीय सभापति जी. मैं अनुपूरक बजट की मांगों का समर्थन करता हूं। यह बात सही है कि पिछले तीन सालों में देश में विकास की गति तेज गति से हुई है जबकि वह आज से पहले नहीं हुई थी। परमाणु परीक्षण के बाद जब अमेरिका ने हमारे ऊपर प्रतिबंध लगाए तो मंत्री जी की कुशलता के कारण उसका भारत पर कोई असर नहीं पड़ा और निरन्तर गति से देश की तरक्की होती रही।
मैं यहां कुछ सुझाव देना चाहता हूं। मैं जिस प्रदेश से आता हूं वह गन्ना इलाका है। वहां शूगर फैक्टि्रयां और कपड़ा मिलें हैं। उत्तर प्रदेश में सबसे अधिक चीनी होती है लेकिन वहां की शूगर फैक्टि्रयां बंद हो गई हैं। खास तौर पर कारपोरेशन की शूगर फैक्टि्रयां बंद हो गई है और कुछ अगले साल बंद हो जाएंगी। केवल मेरे क्षेत्र में कठमुइंया और पडरौना में किसानों का १८ करोड़ रुपए बकाया है। गौरी बंद है, छितौनी बंद है और दूसरी फैक्टि्रयां भी बंद होने जा रही हैं। यदि आप इस तरफ ध्यान नहीं देंगे दो दूसरी शूगर मिलें बंद हो जाएंगी। इससे किसानों की हालत दयनीय हो जाएगी, दिनोंदिन दयनीय हो जाएगी। आपको याद होगा कि वी.पी. सिंह जी ने एक नारा दिया था कि १० हजार रुपए से ऊपर के कर्जे माफ कर दिए जाएंगे। अरबों रुपया माफ भी किया गया लेकिन हमें आश्चर्य है कि हमारी अपनी सरकार के होते ऐसी कोई घोषणा क्यों नहीं हो रही है। गन्ना किसानों का करोड़ों रुपया कई सालों से बकाया है जिस का भुगतान नहीं हो रहा है। यदि आप उसे दिलवाने की व्यवस्था करेंगे तो उन्हें राहत मिलेगी। जो शूगर फैक्टि्रयां बंद हैं, उनकी कैपेसिटी बढ़ा कर चलाने की बात कीजिए।
इन्दिरा आवास योजना अति उत्तम है। इससे गरीबों को घर मिल रहे हैं। इसकी जितनी सराहना की जाए कम है लेकिन इसमें दोष हैं। मंत्री जी इसकी जांच करा लें तो अच्छा होगा। मैं पडरौना और कुशी नगर से आता है। उसके बगल में देवरिया है। मंत्री जी को सुन कर आश्चर्य होगा कि आए दिन पडरौना में बाढ़ आती है और देवरिया में हमारे जनपद से कम बाढ़ आती है लेकिन वहां तीन साल में ४५००० रुपया इन्दिरा आवास योजना के लिए आवंटित किया गया। वहां मकान बनाने के लिए जगह नहीं है। हमारे जनपद जहां अत्यधिक बाढ़ आती है उसका दसवां हिस्सा भी हमें नहीं मिला। यह विषमता क्यों है? कहा जाता है कि कम्प्यूटर की गलती हो गई। आप इसे देख लीजिए। मैं सीधे-सीधे कह रहा हूं कि एक ही जगह ४५ हजार और दूसरी जगह उसका दसवां हिस्सा भी नहीं। स्कीम अच्छी है लेकिन इसका दुरुपयोग नहीं होना चाहिए।
गांवों में पीने के पानी की जो २-३ स्कीम्स हैं, वे अत्यंत सराहनीय हैं। हर गांव में इंडिया मार्क के पंप लग रहे हैं। इसमें कोई दो राय नहीं कि यह भारत सरकार की स्कीम है। एमपीज अपने क्षेत्रों में जाते हैं तो वहां पानी की व्यवस्था न होने के कारण लोग इसकी मांग करते हैं। मुझे हर जगह की बात मालूम नहीं लेकिन हमारे यहां के एमपीज को एक भी इंडिया मार्क का पंप लगाने का अधिकार नहीं है। कम से कम एमपी लोगों को इसका अधिकार होना चाहिए। हम दौरे पर जाते हैं तो देखते हैं कि पानी की कमी रहती है। लोगों की मांग के अनुसार, एमपी की सिफारिश पर इंडिया मार्क के पंप लगाने की इजाजत मिलनी चाहिए। प्रधान मंत्री ग्राम सड़क योजना की जितनी सराहना की जाए कम है। दो साल में शायद ही कोई गांव ढूंढना पड़ेगा जहां सड़क नहीं होगी लेकिन इसमें भी दोष है। दोष क्या है? मैं जो बात कह रहा हूं वह किताब में लिखी बात नहीं है। मैं जो देख रहा हूं वह कह रहा हूं। देश में भ्रष्टाचार की बीमारी बहुत अधिक फैल गई है। विकास में हमारी सरकार आगे है, मंत्री जी भी आगे हैं लेकिन भ्रष्टाचार रोकने में असफल हैं।
हम लोगों को एमपीलैड में प्रतिवर्ष दो करोड़ रुपया मिलता है हमें मालूम नहीं और जगह पर क्या होता है। हम यहां लड़कर थक गये लेकिन ३० प्रतिशत पैसा अधिकारियों की पाकेट में चला जाता है, उसके बाद कुछ ठेकेदार की पाकेट में चला जाता है। मैं इस संबंध में मंत्री जी को ८-१० पत्र लिख चुका हूं कि इसकी गुणवत्ता की जांच की जाये लेकिन आज तक जांच नहीं की गई। अपार धन दिया जा रहा है। वह धन सचमुच में सही ढंग से खर्च हो रहा है या केवल अधिकारियों की जेब में जा रहा है, इस सब की जांच के लिये सैंट्रल की एक कमेटी होनी चाहिये जो इसकी गुणवत्ता की जांच करे।
श्री धर्म राज सिंह पटेल: सभापति महोदय, प्रधानमंत्री ग्रामीण सड़क योजना में दिये गये धन की भी जांच होनी चाहिये।
श्री राम नगीना मिश्र: हमारे क्षेत्र में एक सड़क बन रही थी। उस पर थोड़ी बहुत मिट्टी पड़ गई तो जांच हो गई लेकिन मैं चाहूंगा कि सिर से ऊपर पानी नहीं बहे, इसका सही उपयोग हो। इसकी जांच सैंट्रल की एक कमेटी करे कि विकास के कितने काम हो रहे हैं। इसकी गुणवत्ता की जांच हो।
सभापति महोदय, हमारे देश में स्नातक बेरोज़गार हैं जिन्हें बैंक से ऋण देकर काम धंधा दिये जाने की योजना है। बैंक बिना रिश्वत लिये ऋण नहीं देते हैं। इस प्रकरण की भी जांच कराइये। मंत्री जी के पास बुद्धि है और मैं तो केवल शिकायत कर रहा हूं और सही बात को सामने रखने की कोशिश कर रहा हूं। इस शिकायत का कैसे निराकरण करना है, यह इनके ऊपर है। ऐसी नीति बने कि स्नातकों को बैंक से ऋण सुविधापूर्वक मिल सके।
सभापति महोदय, बिहार और उत्तर प्रदेश में सबसे ज्यादा गरीब लोग हैं। वृद्धावस्था पेंशन के अंतर्गत बमुश्किल १०० लोगों में से १०-१५ को पेंशन मिलता होगा और वह भी ३-३ साल के बाद मिलता है। इतना ही नहीं, घर का कमाने वाले आदमी मर जाये तो सरकार १० हजार रुपया देती लेकिन वह भी ३-३ साल बाद मिलता है। मैं सरकार से आग्रह करूंगा कि यदि उनके पास फंड्स हों तो दें. और इस मामले की जांच कराइये। मज़दूरों की सुरक्षित सेवानिवृत्ति के लिये अनुदान मिलता है जो एक अच्छी .योजना है। जो सरकारी फैक्टरियां बंद हो जाती हैं तो सरकार उन्हें अनुदान देती हैं लेकिन अगर प्राइवेट सैक्टर की फैक्टरी बंद हो गई तो मजदूरों को एक रुपया भी नहीं मिलता। मेरा निवेदन है कि प्राइवेट सैक्टर की फैक्टरी बंद होने पर मजदूरों को नियमानुसार अनुदान दिया जाये।
सभापति महोदय, मैंने जितनी बातें कहीं, वे धरातल की बात है। माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी ने जो सप्लीमेंटरी डिमांड्स प्रस्तुत की है, मैं उनका समर्थन करता हूं।
MR. CHAIRMAN : The time allotted to Congress Party is 38 minutes and it has already been consumed. Now I will give each Congress Member only five minutes.
SHRI MADHUSUDAN MISTRY (SABARKANTHA): Thank you Mr. Chairman. I will confine my speech to five minutes only.
I rise to speak on the second set of Supplementary Demands for Grants to the tune of Rs.3396 crore presented by the Finance Minister in this House. I have three concerns to express. These are my personal feelings and concerns and I hope he would take note of them.
My first concern is that the availability of funds for the welfare of the people or for all those schemes which in fact benefit the large masses of this country are either shrinking or have become stagnant or are not increasing at a pace like the expenditure on general services. Let me take the last Budget. It was of the order of Rs.375,000 crore, of which we are going to pay Rs.112,000 crore as interest payment. The interest payment has been increasing substantially from 1998 onwards. Earlier it was Rs.77,000 crore. It rose to Rs.88,000 crore, then to Rs.99,000 crore, then to 101,000 crore and now it has touched Rs.112,000 crore.
And so is the Defence expenditure. At one stage, it was Rs.45,000 crore and then we allocated Rs.57,000 crore which they, in fact, could not spend. And now, it is almost 16 per cent of the Budget this year. The interest payment is 29.9 per cent, that is, almost 30 per cent of the total Budget. If you look at the general non-Plan expenditure, you may find that it comes to around 12.2 per cent. The capital expenditure is, in fact, either going up or down. It has not been steady or not growing at a speed at which it should have been growing. At one stage, it was 25, 26 and then 23, 24 and 25. Again, it is 26 per cent a year. The point which I am driving at in the debate is, at one stage, we are trying to meet all the expenditure through borrowing. Now, because we borrowed, we end up paying more and more interest. Again, we are trying to meet a large chunk of that borrowing by revenue expenditure.
I was reading the Report of the C&AG for the year ending 2000. It is quite disheartening to see that in 1999-2000, more than 64 per cent of the money simply goes as charged expenditure. We have no control over it. This Parliament has no control over 2/3 of the expenditure. It is committed and we will have to meet those commitments as such. I am also surprised that Committee after Committee, like the Public Accounts Committee, make recommendations. Under article 292 of the Constitution, we will have to fix a limit on borrowing. It is compulsory for the House to do it. This ceiling has not been fixed. Year after year, the C&AG writes this in its report. If we are not able to comply with it, then it is better we remove that article 292 to fix a limit on borrowing. The reason why I am saying this is, a part of whatever we borrow just goes in paying the previous debt that we have already incurred. As a result, we fiddle and just play in that just one-third amount which is available every year in the Budget. So, availability of funds itself is very low.
MR. CHAIRMAN : Please conclude.
SHRI MADHUSUDAN MISTRY : Sir, I would not take much time of the House.
MR. CHAIRMAN: Is it your maiden speech?
SHRI MADHUSUDAN MISTRY : I do not know whether it is called maiden speech or not. But I am speaking for the first time.
Let me draw your attention to the demand that you have just made. Out of a total of Rs. 3396 crore, you have asked a total amount of Rs.1350 crore,in demand no. 65 out of which Rs. 1300 crore is for Demand Head No. 2505 (Rural Employment), Rs. 40 crore is for Demand Head No. 2216 (Housing) which includes Indira Awas Yojana or rural housing, and there is Demand Head No. 2552 (North-Eastern Areas).
Now, I find that year after year, you make allocations in the Budget in March and these are highlighted in the Budget. The next day, we see all the big schemes and as to how the Government is going to come about like the Indira Awas Yojana or the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana or the Annapurna Scheme or the National Social Assistance Scheme and so on. What happens is in the Revised Estimates, year after year, the funds gets cuts and the estimates become less. At one stage, you are asking to increase the allocation for JRY. Last year, you have decreased Rs. 144 crore for JRY. For Indira Awas Yojana, you have decreased Rs. 49 crore. I have listed 21 schemes. The total amount which was allocated in March was Rs.9423 crore.
Then, it got reduced by Rs. 1296 crore in 2000-2001. In 1999-2000, the amount reduced was Rs. 1,782 crore. For 1998-99, I worked it out, it comes to Rs. 1,248 crore. In 1997-98, it was reduced to Rs. 1,580 crore. Whatever amount was allocated against all these programmes, whether it is Jawaharlal Rozgar Yojna, or Indira Awas Yojana or Million Wells Scheme or Integrated Rural Development Programme or Ganga Kalyan Yojana or District Primary Education Programme or Malaria Eradication Programme or Kasturba Gandhi Swatantra Vidyalaya, or Prime Minister’s Rozgar Yojna or Rural Employment Generation Programme or Bio-gas Plants Programme, which benefit the people directly, the amount was slashed. I do not know under whose directions it was done. If it was done by the Department in order to meet other expenditure or if it was done under directions from the Finance Ministry itself, then it should be stopped. This is one part.
In the Revised Estimates, I urge you that money should be reduced only if there are some genuine reasons to do that, otherwise please do not do it. My third point is that certain sums remain unspent. In the 1999-2000 CAG’s Report it is reported that Rs. 100 crore allocated for Indira Awas Yojna were unspent and another Rs. 24 crore was reduced in the Revised Estimates from the instructions of the Department. That is what the comments for 1999-2000 say. I am only making a general point and I am not going to the specifics. The Government should see to it that the allocation for the schemes, which directly benefit the people, should not be slashed.
My fourth point is that the Minister will have to put his foot down and take steps on the kind of corruption which is prevalent in certain programmes. Whether it is DRDA or Jawahar Rozgar Yojna, people receive cuts. फर्जी हाजिरी उसके अंदर है तो कितनी बार डाली जाती है? We should have some control over it either through the State Government or through the Central Committee, as per the suggestion made by certain hon. Members. That particular Committee should go and see for itself the quality of work that is done. In the Prime Minister’s Sadak Yojna, Members of Parliament are not consulted. I am not consulted at all by the district administration just because some other party is in Government in the State. I have no grievance. I know how to deal with those people. None-the-less, if we really want to see the quality of work that is going on we will have to have a strong implementing as well as monitoring committee, which would be constituted either by this House or by some other mechanism. This is all that I have to submit.
डॉ. लक्ष्मीनारायण पाण्डेय (मंदसौर): सभापति जी, अनुदानों की अनुपूरक माँगों के समर्थन में बोलने के लिए मैं खड़ा हुआ हूँ।
जैसा कि हम जानते हैं, वर्तमान सरकार आर्थिक संकटों से गुजरते हुए जिन नयी योजनाओं को लागू कर रही है जिसके कारण न केवल ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में, अपितु शहरी क्षेत्रों में भी एक विश्वास की भावना जगी है, लोगों में आत्मविश्वास जगा है कि वास्तव में हम प्रगति की ओर अग्रसर हैं। हमारी विकास दर अपेक्षा के अलुरूप तो नही पर ठीक है । मैं कुछ मांगों की ओर आपका ध्यान आकृष्ट करना चाहूँगा।
अभी हाल में सरकार ने ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में विकास के लिए न केवल पिछड़ा वर्ग और अनुसूचित जाति तथा जनजाति के लिए बल्कि ग्रामीण क्षेत्र विकास योजना के नाम से एक नयी योजना शुरू की है, उन बस्तियों में रहने वाले जो अत्यंत गरीब से गरीब माने जाते हैं और वाल्मीकि के नाम से पुकारे जाते हैं, उनके लिए नयी योजना बाल्मिकी आवास योजना शुरू की है, उन लोगों में विश्वास जगा है कि वास्तव में सरकार हमारे लिए भी कुछ करने जा रही है और कर रही है। इस योजना के सात साथ जो कुछ नई योजनाएं सरकार ने और भी शुरू की हैं, विशेषकर कई क्षेत्रों में आयोजित की हैं और उस कारण भी लोगों में एक विश्वास की भावना जगी है, फिर चाहे वह राष्ट्रीय पशु विकास आयोग हो, संघ राज्य क्षेत्रों में विशेष अनुदान देना हो, जिस प्रकार का हाल ही में मिजोरम क्षेत्र में शांति बनाए रखने की द्ृष्टि से शान्ति बोनस के नाम पर उन्हें दिया गया जिससे मिजोरम में भी एक भावना जगी है कि वास्तव में सरकार हमारे लिए भी कुछ करने जा रही है और सरकार हमारे लिए चिन्तित है।
सुदूरवर्ती क्षेत्रों में अभ्यारण्य के लिए भी सरकार ने नई योजनाएँ प्रारंभ की हैं। मैं मंत्री महोदय का ध्यान आकृष्ट करना चाहूंगा क्योंकि मेरा निर्वाचन क्षेत्र इससे संबंधित है।
महोदय, गांधी सागर में अभ्यारण्य क्षेत्र है, वहां पुरानी बस्ती है। जब गांधी सागर का निर्माण हुआ था, आज से लगभग ३६ वर्ष पहले, तो वहां के हजारों लोग विस्थापित हुए थे और सैकड़ों गांव विस्थापित हुए थे, लेकिन अब फिर से उस अभ्यारण्य क्षेत्र के विस्तार के लिए जो वहां की सबसे पुरानी बस्ती है, उसे वहां से हटाने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है। मैं चाहता हूं कि अभ्यारण्य क्षेत्र का विकास तो हो, लेकिन वहां जो पुरानी बस्तियां हैं, उन्हें वहां से विस्थापित नहीं किया जाए अन्यथा फिर से वहां पर एक नया संकट उत्पन्न हो जाएगा और लोग इधर से उधर पलायन करेंगे, इस द्ृष्टि से ध्यान रखने की आवश्यकता है।
मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री महोदय का आपके माध्यम से ध्यान आकर्षित करना चाहूंगा कि उन्होंने ग्रामीण क्षेत्र के विकास की द्ृष्टि से सुनिश्चित रोजगार योजना, इंदिरा आवास योजना, प्रधान मंत्री ग्रामीण सड़क योजना लागू की हैं, लेकिन प्रधान मंत्री ग्रामीण सड़क योजना के बारे में यहां कई माननीय सदस्यों ने अवगत कराया है कि यह योजना तो बहुत अच्छी है जिसमें प्रधान मंत्री जी ने अच्छी भावना से चाहा है कि सड़कों का विकास हो, एक गांव दूसरे गांव से सड़क के माध्यम से जुड़े, लेकिन राज्य सरकारें अपने-अपने सड़क प्राधिकरण बनाकर, जैसा कि मध्यप्रेदश में भी बना है, इस पैसे को उस प्राधिकरण में लेकर अपने मनमाने ढंग से खर्च कर रही हैं। मैंने देखा है और अनेक राज्यों से पता किया है कि इस योजना में उस क्षेत्र के सांसदों की सीधे-सीधे कोई भागीदारी नहीं होती और न उन्हें विश्वास में लिया जाता है न उनसे पूछा जाता है। मुझे मालूम है कि की प्रदेशों में वहां के मंत्री और विधायक जाकर सांसद से बिना पूछे सड़क का उद्घाटन कर आते हैं और उसका निर्माण इस योजना के अन्तर्गत हो जाता है, लोकिन सांसद को पूछना तो दूर रहा, उन्हें सूचित भी नहीं किया जाता है। यह स्थिति ठीक नहीं है। इतना बड़ा फोरम और इतनी बड़ी योजना, इतना पैसा हम लगा रहे हैं, जिसमें सांसदों की कोई भागीदारी न हो, यह ठीक नहीं है। मेरा आग्रह है कि कम से कम इस फोरम को पता तो होना चाहिए कि उनके क्षेत्र में क्या हो रहा है। इस फोरम को आखिर पता तो होना चाहिए कि हमारे क्षेत्र में क्या काम हो रहा है क्या नहीं हो रहा है।
माननीय सभापति महोदय, पिछड़े वर्गों के उत्थान हेतु छात्रावास की एक योजना भी प्रारंभ की है, लेकिन छात्रावास की वहां क्या स्थिति है। वहां पर जो मिड डे मील देते हैं, उसकी स्थिति क्या है। आप यहां से पैसा दे रहे हैं, केन्द्र सरकार पैसा बराबर भेज रही है और केन्द्र सरकार उनको हर प्रकार से आर्थिक सहायता देने के लिए तत्पर है, लेकिन उसके बावजूद भी वहां पर जो उसको सुविधा मिलनी चाहिए, जो छात्रावासों की स्थिति होनी चाहिए, वह नहीं हो रही है।
महोदय, मैं एक-दो बातें कहकर अपनी बात समाप्त करूंगा। मैं वैसे भी बहुत संक्षेप में बोलता हूं। मैं माननीय मंत्री महोदय का ध्यान आकर्षित करना चाहता हूं कि पहले भी मध्यप्रदेश में सूखा संकट था और इस बार भी कई जिलों के अंदर सूखा संकट है। मैं यह जानता हूं कि केन्द्र सरकार ने इस बारे में पूरा प्रयत्न किया है कि राज्य सरकार हमारे यहां से अनाज लें और काम के बदले अनाज देने की योजना के अन्तर्गत विकास कार्य शुरू करे। केन्द्र सरकार राज्य सरकार को अनाज देने के लिए तैयार है। हजारों क्िंवटल अनाज देने के लिए तैयार है, लेकिन राज्य सरकारें उठा ही नहीं पा रही हैं।
महोदय, वहां पेयजल संकट से निपटने के लिए जिस प्रकार से स्थिति ठीक बनाई जानी चाहिए, जो कार्रवाई की जानी चाहिए, वह राज्य सरकार की ओर से नहीं हो रही है। मैं चाहता हूं कि इसके बारे में भी कोई ऐसी स्थिति या ऐसा कोई वातावरण बनाया जाए या कोई ऐसे नियम लागू किए जाएं कि जो आप यहां से सहायता देते हैं, वह सहायता वहां तत्काल मिले ताकि आने वाले समय में ग्रामीणजन पेयजल संकट से ऊबर सकें। अभी दिसंबर का महीना चल रहा है और अभी से वहां पेयजल संकट शुरू हो गया है। मैं अभी अपने चुनाव क्षेत्र का तीन दिन पहले दौरा कर के आया हूं। एक स्थान पर १००० फीट गहरे पर भी पानी नहीं मिला और जब हमने पता किया, तो हमें बताया गया कि हो सकता है कि पानी का स्तर और नीचे जाए। मैं अपने चुनाव क्षेत्र मंदसौर के सीतामऊ क्षेत्र की बात कर रहा हूं। अभी से, दिसम्बर महीने से ही यदि जल स्तर इतना नीचे है, तो मई व जून के अंदर क्या स्थिति होगी, इसका अनुमान आप लगा सकते हैं। इसलिए भयंकर सूखे के संकट का आकलन करते हुए, पेयजल के संकट की स्थिति को ध्यान में रखते हुए और चूंकि पेयजल के लिए भी आपने इन मांगों के अंदर पैसा रखा है इसलिए मैं चाहता हूं कि पेयजल संकट से निपटने के लिए ठीक से, समुचित प्रबन्ध किए जाने आवश्यक हैं और इस द्ृष्टि से अभी से प्रयास होना चाहिए। इससे पेय जल संकट से मुक्ति मिलेगी, रोजगार के अवसर भी होगें ।
अन्त में, मैं स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति योजना के बारे में निवेदन करूंगा कि मेरे क्षेत्र में कुछ बड़े उद्योग हैं। सी.सी.आई. द्वारा संचालित कुछ उद्योग हैं। नीमच के निकट नया गांव में सीमेंट कार्पोरेशन आफ इंडिया का एक संयंत्र है, सीमेंट की एक इकाई है, वहां के लोगों को स्वैच्छिक सेवानिवृत्ति दी जा रही है, लेकिन फैक्ट्री न बन्द और न चालू है। कभी चलती है, कभी बन्द होती है। वहां के लोगों को वी.आर.एस. देने की बात कही गई है। लोग वी.आर.एस. लेने के लिए तैयार हैं। वे चाहते हैं कि वह फैक्ट्री चले। वह फैक्ट्री चलने के योग्य है। माननीय वित्त मंत्री महोदय ने भी उस क्षेत्र का दौरा किया है और वे जानते हैं कि वह फैक्ट्री चल सकती है। उस फैक्ट्री को चलाया जाना चाहिए।
इसी प्रकार से वित्त मंत्रालय की हमारे क्षेत्र के अफीम उत्पादकों से सीधे संबंधित जो योजनाएं हैं और अफीम उत्पादक किसानों के जो दुखदर्द हैं, जिस प्रकार से उन्होंने भाव में वृद्धि करने की मांग की थी उस भाव वृद्धि के बारे में भी हमें मंत्री जी आश्वस्त करें। इसके साथ ही, मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि आज ही वित्त मंत्री महोदय ने मुझे एक पत्र द्वारा आश्वस्त किया है कि अलकलाईन फैक्ट्री का विस्तार कर के, जो हमें कोडिन फास्फेट आयात करनी पड़ती है, वह आयात कम होगा और हम फॉरेन एक्सचेंज, यानी विदेशी मुद्रा की बचत कर सकेंगे, इस द्ृष्टि से वे विचार कर रहे हैं। मैं चाहता हूं कि उस फैक्ट्री का समुचित विस्तार हो ताकि हमारी आवश्यकताओं की पूर्ति हो सके और हम विदेशी मुद्रा का संरक्षण कर सकें। वैसे हमारे विदेशी मुद्रा भण्डार में काफी वृद्धि हुई है ।
केन्द्र सरकार की जो वभिन्न योजनाएं हैं इनके बारे में कोई एक नीति निर्धारित करें या कोई ऐसी प्रक्रिया अपनाएं या कोई ऐसी एजेंसी बनाएं ताकि ये जो धनराशि उपलब्ध कराते हैं, उसका समुचित उपयोग हो सके और ग्रामीण तथा शहरी क्षेत्र की जनता को, शहरी क्षेत्र और ग्रामीण क्षेत्र की गरीबी उन्मूलन की द्ृष्टि से, दोनों ही द्ृष्टि से जहां काम कर रहे हैं, इन दोनों का विकास हो सके और हम उसका लाभ प्राप्त कर सकें।
श्री जोवाकिम बखला (अलीपुरद्वारस): सभापति महोदय, आपने मुझे सप्लीमैंट्री डिमांड्स फॉर ग्रांट्स पर बोलने का मौका दिया, इसके लिए मैं आपको धन्यवाद देता हूं। जो डिमांड्स रखी गई हैं, उनका हम समर्थन करेंगे लेकिन उसके साथ हमारे कुछ औब्जर्वेशन्स हैं जिनको मैं वित्त मंत्री जी तक पहुंचाना चाहता हूं।
आप जो अर्थ नीति अपनाना चाहते हैं, केन्द्र सरकार की आर्थिक नीति में विषमता है जिससे गरीब और अमीर के बीच की गहराई को कम करने की जो कोशिश होनी चाहिए, वह नहीं हो रही है। गरीब तबके के लोगों को धनी लोगों की बराबरी तक लाने का प्रयास नहीं हो रहा है। आपकी आर्थिक नीति से ऐसा लगता है कि आप धनी, पूंजीपति लोगों की सहायता करना चाहते हैं। आप गरीब किसानों की समस्याओं के समाधान के लिए वभिन्न योजनाओं के माध्यम से घोषणा जरूर करते हैं लेकिन उन योजनाओं को इम्प्लीमैंट करने का प्रयास बहुत कम है। इसलिए आज किसान जो अनाज पैदा करते हैं, जो हमारे देश में ग्रीन रैवोल्य़ूशन लाए, उनके पास खाने का सामान नहीं है। उन्हें अपने अनाज को बाजार में ले जाने की व्यवस्था नहीं है। इसलिए गरीब किसान गरीब होते जा रहे हैं। मध्यम श्रेणी के किसानों की हालत भी वही है लेकिन बड़े किसानों की हालत में जरूर उन्नति हुई है।
हर किसान के मन में यह सवाल उठता है कि डीजल, किरोसीन, फर्टीलाइजर आदि, जो किसान की आवश्यकता की चीजें हैं, उनके दाम में वृद्धि क्यों की गई है, सबसिडी को क्यों उठाया गया है। उन लोगों की चिन्ता को दूर करने के लिए आपका क्या प्रयास है, क्या सोच है। आप किसान को क्रैडिट कार्ड देने के बारे में सोच रहे हैं, आपने सोचा है कि बैंकों के माध्यम से उनको ऋण देने का प्रावधान करेंगे लेकिन क्या ऋण देने से उनकी समस्याओं का समाधान हो जाएगा। उन्हें अपना सामान बेचने की जगह नहीं है, उन्हें लागत से ज्यादा दाम मिलना चाहिए और यदि वह नहीं मिलता तो उनकी स्थिति में कैसे परिवर्तन होगा, कैसे उनकी उन्नति होगी, वे अपने परिवार को कैसे पालेंगे, क्रैडिट कार्ड का भुगतान कैसे करेंगे, क्या आपने इस बारे में सोचा है? मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से निवेदन करूंगा कि वे इस ओर गंभीरता से विचार करें। यदि वे वाकई में गरीबी रेखा से नीचे रहने वाले लोगों को ऊपर उठाना चाहते हैं तो उनकी समस्याओं पर गम्भीरता से विचार करने की आवश्यकता है।
साथ ही गांवों में यातायात के साधन, पीने के पानी की व्यवस्था आदि जो बुनियादी आवश्यकताएं हैं, उनकी पूर्ति किए बिना कैसे सोच सकते हैं कि आप बजट में जो प्रावधान करते हैं, वभिन्न योजनाओं की घोषणा करते हैं, उनको सुविधा उपलब्ध कराना चाहते हैं, वह संभव है। क्या सिर्फ घोषणा करने से ही समस्याओं का समाधान हो सकेगा? मैं कहना चाहता हूं कि जब औद्योगिक क्षेत्र में भी उन्नति करनी है, विशेषकर चाय के उद्योग पर आपकी नजर क्यों नहीं जाती।
चाय उद्योग से हम लोगों को फॉरेन एक्सचेंज मिलती है, लेकिन चाय उद्योग की प्राकृतिक आपदा की वजह से हालत खराब है। इंडो भूटान जोइंट रीवर कमीशन की बात हमने बार-बार कही है, हम लोगों ने केन्द्र सरकार से मांग की है, हमने यह बात कही है कि भूटान के साथ आप बात कीजिए और इंडो भूटान जोइंट रीवर कमीशन का गठन होना चाहिए ताकि चाय उद्योग बचे, विशेषकर जलपाईगुड़ी और वेस्ट बंगाल में। साथ ही साथ किसानों की हालत पर विचार हो, लेकिन इस पर आप लोगों ने क्या किया? मैं वित्त मंत्री जी से निवेदन करता हूं कि इस पर गम्भीरता से विचार करें और इसके समाधान के लिए कुछ रास्ता ढूंढ निकालें।
मैं इतना ही कहते हुए अपनी बात समाप्त करता हूं।
MR. CHAIRMAN: Shri Prabhunath Singh. You make your speech very briefly. Time is very limited.
श्री प्रभुनाथ सिंह (महाराजगंज, बिहार) : हम १२ मैम्बर हैं और अपनी पार्टी से मैं अकेला मैम्बर बोलने वाला हूं। हम १५ मिनट बोल रहे हैं। आप एक मैम्बर और दो मैम्बर वाली पार्टी की बात बताते हैं, हम १२ मैम्बर हैं।
MR. CHAIRMAN: Your Party time is very limited.
श्री प्रभुनाथ सिंह : सभापति जी, माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी द्वारा जो अनुपूरक मांग पेश की गई है, हम उसका समर्थन कर रहे हैं। हम समर्थन मुफ्त में नहीं कर रहे हैं। हमें यह कहने में कोई दिक्कत नहीं है कि अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी के नेतृत्व में जो इस देश में सरकार चल रही है, इस सरकार ने समय समय पर देश का सम्मान और प्रतिष्ठा बढ़ाने का काम किया है। जहां हमारी विदेश नीति सफल रही है, वहीं कूटनीति भी सफल रही है। देश की आर्थिक प्रगति भी तेजी से हो रही है।…( व्यवधान) हम आपको समझा देते हैं कि कब-कब हुई। कांग्रेस वालों को हमारी बात समझ में नहीं आती है, लेकिन हम बता देते हैं कि जिन दिनों अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी के नेतृत्व में परमाणु बम का परीक्षण हुआ था तो देश के लोग अपने को गौरवान्वित महसूस कर रहे थे। देश और दुनिया को हमने बता दिया था कि हम इतने शक्तिशाली हैं कि हम किसी पर हमला नहीं कर सकते, लेकिन जब हम पर खतरा पैदा होने की स्थिति होगी तो हम किसी को भी मुंहतोड़ जवाब देने में सक्षम हैं। यह अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी के नेतृत्व में सरकार ने कराया। इतना ही नहीं, कारगिल का युद्ध हुआ…( व्यवधान)
MR. CHAIRMAN: You speak on the Supplementary Demands for Grants.
श्री प्रभुनाथ सिंह : मैं उसी की भूमिका बना रहा हूं।
AN HON. MEMBER: I am reminding him that in 1974, India performed the first nuclear explosion.
श्री प्रभुनाथ सिंह : सभापति महोदय, अनुपूरक मांग में तो हर विषय पर चर्चा की जा सकती है। हम आपको बताना चाहते हैं कि कारगिल का भी जो युद्ध हुआ, वहां पर भारत का तिरंगा फहराया गया और दुश्मन को उसकी सीमा के भीतर धकेला गया। आप लोग भूल जाते हैं कि हमने क्या-क्या किया। अभी तालिबान का युद्ध हो रहा है, आप यह नहीं मानते कि इसमें हमारी कूटनीति कितनी सफल हुई है, आपको मानना चाहिए। …( व्यवधान) हम आपको यह बताना चाहते हैं कि इस देश का सम्मान और प्रतिष्ठा बढ़ाना जहां बहुत महत्वपूर्ण है, वहीं देश के आन्तरिक मामलों पर भी बहुत मजबूती से ध्यान देने की जरूरत है। हम यह महसूस करते हैं कि जहां आन्तरिक सुरक्षा का सवाल है, मामला संतोषप्रद नहीं चल रहा है, इसलिए कि देश का कोई भी ऐसा प्रान्त नहीं है, जहां नक्सलवाद, आतंकवाद या एम.सी.सी. से राज्य प्रभावित न हो। जब भी लोक सभा में जवाब आते हैं तो यह आता है कि यह मामला राज्य सरकार से जुड़ा हुआ है। हम मानते हैं कि इस उत्तर से काम चलने वाला नहीं है, क्योंकि देश की जनता में अगर अमन चैन नहीं होगा तो चाहे वह केन्द्र की सरकार हो या राज्य की सरकार हो, उसे आपस में समन्वय स्थापित करके उचित व्यवस्था करनी चाहिए। उसे अपने पुलिस प्रशासन को मजबूत करना चाहिए ताकि देश के लोग अमन-चैन महसूस कर सकें।
इस सदन में आए-दिन किसानों पर चर्चा होती है। लेकिन उसके साथ ही हमारे देश में बेकार नौजवानों की भी समस्या है, जो बहुत मजबूती से जड़ें जमा रही है। एक तरफ जहां जनसंख्या की वृद्धि, एक समस्या बन रही है, वहीं दूसरी तरफ नौकरी और रोजगार में कटौती भी एक समस्या बन रही है। यह देश में अहम् सवाल बनता जा रहा है। अगर देश के किसान और बेकार नौजवान सरकार के प्रति विश्वास खो देंगे तो यह कहीं से भी उचित नहीं होगा। इसलिए देश के किसानों और बेरोजगारों के मन में विश्वास जमाने के लिए मैं वित्त मंत्री जी निवेदन करूंगा कि सरकार को इस बारे में अपनी तरफ से कोई पहल करनी चाहिए।
रघुवंश बाबू पता नहीं कहा चले गए। वे बिहार की चर्चा कर रहे थे। मैं उनकी कुछ बातों से सहमत हूं और कुछ से असहमत हूं। यह ठीक है कि आज की तारीख में बिहार पिछड़े राज्य की सूची में शामिल हो गया है। अगर वहां आंतरिक संसाधनों का इंतजाम कर दिया जाए, बिहार की मिट्टी में इतनी उर्वरा शक्ति है कि केवल उत्तर बिहार ही पूरे हिन्दुस्तान को छ: महीने तक भोजन खिला सकता है। हमें समझ में नहीं आता कि यहां से कभी-कभी केन्द्रीय मंत्रियों के बयान आते हैं कि बिहार सरकार को जो पैसा दिया जाता है, वह खर्च नहीं कर पाती। कभी-कभी यह भी बयान आता है कि उस पैसे को कहीं और डाइवर्ट कर दिया जाता है। दूसरी ओर राज्य सरकार कहती है कि हमें पैसा नहीं मिलता। सच्चाई क्या है, यह वित्त मंत्री जी अपने जवाब में बताएंगे, ऐसी मैं उम्मीद करता हूं। इस मसले पर अपनी नीति और नीयत वे स्पष्ट करें कि हकीकत क्या है। बिहार दिन-ब-दिन पीछे होता जा रहा है।
MR. CHAIRMAN: The Finance Minister’s responsibility is throughout India. He does not belong to Bihar alone or Jharkhand alone. You come from Bihar and he also comes from Bihar. The Finance Minister’s fiscal responsibility is to Tamil Nadu and the whole of India.
SHRI A.C. JOS (TRICHUR): He is like that. That is why, he is smiling. He does not say that he belongs to Jharkhand or anything. … (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: He did not say that.
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI (RAIGANJ): He belongs to India. … (Interruptions)
MR. CHAIRMAN: I remind him that the fiscal responsibility of the Finance Minister is throughout India including Tamil Nadu.
श्री प्रभुनाथ सिंह : सभापति महोदय, बिहार में भयंकर बाढ़ आई थी। इससे वहां के लोग पीड़ित थे। उस समय बिहार सरकार कह रही थी कि केन्द्र से कोई सहायता नहीं मिल रही है, जबकि केन्द्रीय सरकार के मंत्रियों के बयान आ रहे थे कि हम जो दे रहे हैं, राज्य सरकार वह नहीं उठा रही है। आखिर स्थिति क्या है, यह वित्त मंत्री जी बताना के कष्ट करें, क्योंकि दोनों सरकारों की गलतबयानी से और टकराहट से बिहार की जनता काफी परेशान हो रही है।
रघुवंश बाबू पैकेज की बात कर रहे थे। यह बात सत्य है कि जिस समय बिहार का बंटवारा हुआ था, उसके पहले जार्ज फनार्ंडीज जी और नीतीश कुमार जी के नेतृत्व में एक प्रतनधिमंडल प्रधान मंत्री जी से मिला था और उसने पैकेज की मांग की थी। जहां तक हमें याद है झारखंड के बिल के पेज नम्बर ४७ में पैराग्राफ नम्बर तीन में यह बताया था कि योजना आयोग के उपाध्यक्ष की अध्यक्षता में एक समति का गठन किया जाएगा। जो बिहार के मामलों की समीक्षा करके बिहार के बारे में उचित कार्यवाही करेगी। गृह मंत्री जी ने भी यह कहा था। लेकिन एक साल से ज्यादा समय बीत गया है, बिहार में कोई योजना नहीं दी जा रही है, कोई पैकेज का जिक्र नहीं किया जा रहा है। हम दासमुंशी जी को बताना चाहते हैं कि कुछ ऐसी योजनाएं वहां दी गई हैं, जो आजादी के बाद आपकी सरकार के समय में नहीं दी गइ, जैसे नेशनल हाईवे की योजना में सड़क बनाने का मामला है। उसके लिए हमारी सरकार ने योजना दी है ताकि जो वहां नकारा सड़कें थीं, उन्हें दुरूस्त किया जा सके।
अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी के नेतृत्व में जो सरकार बनी है, निश्चित तौर पर बिहार में जो-जो पथ आवश्यक था, उसकी समीक्षा करके उसे एनएचएआई में लेने का काम किया है। नोटफिकेशन भी हो चुका है। वहां पहले से ही रोड की स्थिति काफी बदतर थी लेकिन राज्य सरकार कहती है कि भारत सरकार ने इसे ले लिया है तो इसकी मरम्मत की जिम्मेदारी हमारी नहीं है और केन्द्र सरकार से नधि उपलब्ध नहीं कराई गई है, इसीलिए केन्द्र सरकार उन योजनाओं पर अधिसूचना निर्गत…( व्यवधान)
MR. CHAIRMAN : You have taken 10 minutes. Please conclude. Please take two minutes more and conclude. Please speak for the whole of India.
That hon. Member has got three minutes time. That three minutes time was added to you.
श्री प्रभुनाथ सिंह : केन्द्र से योजनाएं चलाई जा रही हैं लेकिन निश्चित तौर पर जो एक पैकेज के नाम पर चर्चा चली थी, मुझे पता नहीं कि रघुवंश बाबू पैकेज के नाम पर कहीं यह न समझते हों कि नगद रुपया मिलेगा। अगर नगद रुपया मिलेगा तो फिर बिहार में घपला हो जाएगा। इसीलिए योजना यहां से स्वीकृत होगी लेकिन हम चाहते हैं कि केन्द्र सरकार बिहार के नाम पर हिसाब करके कुछ इस तरह की योजना दे कि यहां से योजना स्वीकृत करे जो बिहार के विकास में अपनी भूमिका निभा सके। केन्द्र की प्रायोजित योजनाएं चल रही हैं। रघुवंश बाबू कह रहे हैं कि सारे राज्यों का पैसा प्रधान मंत्री सड़क योजना से रिलीज हो रहा है लेकिन बिहार का नहीं हो रहा है। हम आपको बता दें कि ग्रामीण विकास मंत्री पटना गये हुए थे और यहां उन्होंने एक बैठक बुलाई थी जिसमें हम भी शामिल थे और रघुवंश बाबू भी शामिल थे। उसमें उन दिनों मुख्य मंत्री से भी ग्रामीण विकास मंत्री की वार्ता हुई थी जिसमें तय हुआ था कि उन्होंने गाइडलाइन्स दी हैं कि सांसदों से अनुशंसा ली जाएंगी। लेकिन बिहार सरकार ने उन अनुशंसाओं को काटकर योजना भेजी है। आखिर किस आधार पर रघुवंश बाबू चाहते हैं कि योजनाओं का पैसा दिल्ली से रिलीज हो जाये? इसलिए रघुवंश बाबू जी, जो मीटिंग में तय हुआ था, राज्य सरकार से बात करनी चाहिए, मुख्य मंत्री से बात करनी चाहिए। सांसद तो उनके ही दल के नहीं हैं, हर दल के हैं। उनकी अनुशंसा लेकर उन योजनाओं को यहां भेजना चाहिए ताकि बिहार का भी पैसा रिलीज हो जाये और बिहार में सड़क के विकास का काम हो जाये।…( व्यवधान)
शांता कुमार जी यहां बैठे हुए हैं। अनुदान में सुपर बाजार के लिए पैसा मांगा गया है और कई बार यहां सवाल उठ चुका है और स्वयं आपने स्वीकार किया है कि उसमें घोटाला हुआ है। आपने लोक सभा में भी स्वीकार किया है और जो सवाल उठाए गए थे, आपने कहा था कि उस पर कार्रवाई कर रहे हैं। सारी बातें सत्य होने के बाद भी पैसा क्यों दे रहे हैं?क्या लुटवाने के लिए पैसा दे रहे हैं? ऐसा मत करिए। इस अनुदान पर पैसा नहीं जाना चाहिए नहीं तो वित्त मंत्री जी, मैं बता दूं कि घपला हो जाएगा। वित्त मंत्री जी से मिलकर कई बार सांसदों ने कहा और संसद में भी बातें चली हैं। सांसद मद के बारे में हम कह रहे हैं।…( व्यवधान)आपके लाभ की बात करके हम बैठ जाएंगे। सांसद मद में क्षेत्र के विकास के लिए दो करोड़ रुपया मिलता है और कई राज्यों में जैसे बिहार में एक एमएलए को एक करोड़ रुपया मिलता है और वहीं मध्य प्रदेश में एक एमएलए को अपने क्षेत्र के विकास के लिए चालीस लाख रुपया मिलता है और सांसदों का हिसाब जोड़ा जाता है तो कहीं ६ निर्वाचन क्षेत्र हैं तो कहीं ८ हैं तो कहीं ९ निर्वाचन क्षेत्र हैं तो एक-एक में २५ लाख रुपये से लेकर २४ लाख या २० लाख रुपया पड़ता है तथा सांसदों को तो कम्पीटिशन करके जीतना पड़ता है, एक-एक वर्कर से कहना पड़ता है।
मैं माननीय वित्त मंत्री जी से पूछना चाहता हूं कि क्या आपको सांसदों की नीयत पर शंका है और अगर नीयत पर शंका नहीं है तो पैसा क्यों नहीं बढ़ाते हैं? जितने निर्वाचन क्षेत्र हैं, उसके अनुसार एक करोड़ के हिसाब से…( व्यवधान)यह ७२ नं. में है। हम आपको जिन्दाबाद कह रहे हैं और हम आपका समर्थन करते हैं। हम लोगों का भी इसी के साथ पास कर दीजिए। सब लोग ताली बजा रहे हैं।…( व्यवधान)
हम आपकी मांग का समर्थन करते हुए अपनी बात समाप्त कर रहे हैं।
18.00 hrs. श्री तिलकधारी प्रसाद सिंह (कोडरमा): सभापति महोदय, माननीय मंत्री जी द्वारा करीब-करीब ३० डिमान्ड्स रखी गई हैं। समयाभाव के कारण मैं दो-तीन डिमान्ड्स पर ही अपनी बात आपके समक्ष रखूंगा।
महोदय, माननीय वित्त मंत्री तजुर्बेकार आदमी हैं। ग्रामीण क्षेत्र की समस्याओं के बारे में चर्चा की गई है। संसद द्वारा पैसा पास किया जाता है, लोक सभा द्वारा स्वीकृति मिल जाती है, लेकिन क्या वह ग्रामीण जनता तक पहुंच रहा है, इसकी व्यवस्था को देखना पड़ेगा।
MR. CHAIRMAN : With the leave of the House, can we extend the time?
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI : I would just like to submit that in the BAC we took a decision that tentatively three hours would be fixed for the debate. Yesterday, on the Supplementary Demands for Railways, the time allotted was two hours but we took a decision at six o’clock to give a chance to other hon. Members who wanted to speak. Today also, I would request you that the few hon. Members who are left in the list be given a chance to speak for two, three or five minutes, at the discretion of the Chair; and, when the debate is over the hon. Minister may reply.
MR. CHAIRMAN: But we have now many hon. Members from different parties included in the list.
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI : I strongly object to a curtailed debate. We should not take this House lightly. Yesterday, the Supplementary Demands of Railways were discussed up to eight o’clock. Today, we are discussing the major issue of Supplementary Demands (General). So, if the time of the House extended for one hour or one-and-a-half hours, Heavens would not fall.
MR. CHAIRMAN: All right, we will extend the time of the House till the hon. Minister’s reply but you will have to have some control on your Members.
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI : Thank you.
श्री तिलकधारी प्रसाद सिंह :महोदय, मैं व्यवस्था के बारे में कह रहा था। जितना पैसा यहां से पारित किया जाता है, वह सहीं ढंग से प्रखण्ड तक पहुचता है, उसका कितना उपयोग हो पाता है, इसकी जांच की व्यवस्था होनी चाहिए। प्रधान मंत्री ग्रामीण सड़क योजना एक बड़ी अच्छी योजना है। दो वर्ष हो गए हैं। सन् २००३ तक देश के सभी एक हजार आबादी वाले गांवों को पक्की सड़क से जोड़ दिया जाएगा। मैं आपको झारखण्ड की बात बता रहा हूं। वहां आरईओ एजेंसी काम करती है। झारखण्ड की सरकार ने भी अपने साधनों से बहुस सी स्कीमें शुरू की हैं। प्रधान मंत्री सड़क योजना को भी शुरु करने वाले हैं। इन एजेंसी से काम कराने में गुणवत्ता की समस्या आएगी और निश्चित रूप से काम सही रूप में नहीं हो पाएगा। इसलिए आवश्यकता एजेंसी के बारे में सोचने की है।
महोदय, डिमांड में इंदिरा आवास योजना के बारे में चर्चा है। हर बार इस विषय में चर्चा की जाती है, लेकिन वास्तविकता यह है कि इंदिरा आवास योजना के अन्तर्गत जो आवास बने हैं, वे अधूरे हैं, किसी में छत बनी हुई है, किसी में खिड़की नहीं है, किसी में दरवाजे नहीं हैं और इसकी वजह से लोग परेशान हो रहे हैं। मेरा सुझाव यह है कि सरकार इसकी एक लिस्ट बनाए, जो पैंडिग योजना हैं, उनको समयबद्ध पूरा कराने की व्यवस्था करे।
१८.०४ hrs. ( Dr. Laxmi Narayan Pandeya in the Chair) इसी प्रकार सुनिश्चित रोजगार योजना है। इस योजना के आधार पर गावों में चयन किया जाता है। इस योजना में ग्रामीण स्तर पर सारे काम सरकारी अधिकारी कर रहे हैं, लेकिन इस योजना में गुणवत्ता के आधार पर काम नहीं हो रहा है। साथ ही मैं माननीय मंत्री जी से कहना चाहता हूं कि किसानों की समस्याओं के बारे गम्भीरता से सोचें। बजट में कुएं बनाने करने के लिए पहले से ही प्रावधान है।
मैं अभी झारखंड की चर्चा करना चाहता हूं। वहां बड़ी-बड़ी स्कीम्स जैसे कोयलकारो, पेचखैरो और केसो स्वीकृत हैं लेकिन वे बरसों से पैडिंग हैं। इस पर सरकार के करोड़ों रुपए लग चुके हैं लेकिन किसानों को उनका कोई लाभ नहीं मिला। यदि कुंओं का निर्माण किया जाता तो किसानों को लाभ होता। आप इसे रिव्यू करें और कोई ऐसी व्यवस्था करें जिससे किसानों के लिए कुंओं का निर्माण हो सकें।
एक व्यवस्था है कि जो लोग बिलो पावर्टी लाइन रहते हैं उन्हें दो रुपए किलो की दर से गेहूं और तीन रुपए किलो की दर से चावल मिलेगा लेकिन इसका चयन ठीक से नहीं किया गया और उचित लोगों को इसका लाभ नहीं मिल रहा है। इसका दुरुपयोग हो रहा है। आपकी सारी उम्मीदें फेल हो रही हैं। आप इस योजना को रिव्यू करें तो पाएंगे कि आपने जो उम्मीद की थी, उसके मुताबिक उसका कुछ भी लाभ गरीब लोगों को नहीं हुआ। माननीय खाद्य मंत्री जी बैठे हैं। वह इस तरफ ध्यान दें और व्यवस्था में सुधार करने की कोशिश करें।
ग्रामीण जल आपूर्ति योजना लागू की जानी चाहिए ताकि ग्रामीण क्षेत्र में पेय जल की समस्या का निदान हो सके। घंटी बज गई है। मुझे इतना ही कहना था।
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN (BALASORE): Sir, I rise to support the Supplementary Demands for Grants. I congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance because he has made the best of a trying situation. I congratulate him because under his leadership, India has been made insular from the onslaught of the global recession. He has seen to it that the wholesale inflation is contained only at 2.3 per cent. The software export has gone up by 33 per cent and the foreign reserves have gone up to 45.1 billion dollars. The hon. Minister of Finance has seen to it that in the stock market a catalystic effect has taken place, introduced by the RBI, SEBI, UTI, etc. So, a number of measures have already been taken so that any scam does not take place in future.
Sir, I would like to congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance for one of the measures he has taken. He has given the money through the Supplementary Demands for Grants. One is expenditure on Valmiki Ambedkar Awas Yojna. Naturally, it is for the poor and it is going to have the infrastructure in our country. But, equally, I am disappointed with the fact that he has made an arrangement of Rs. 102.22 crore for the waiver of interest dues from the Hindustan Zinc Limited. How much money shall we provide into the public sector undertakings, which are not revivable? I am totally against it. So, I urge upon the hon. Minister of Finance that he should go in for the reforms; for the privatisation of these types of public sector undertakings which are not revivable and they should be privatised sooner.
Now, hon. Member, Shrimati Margaret Alva and other hon. Members have raised the point about subsidy. They said that the subsidy being given in the foreign countries is much more than what India can afford. I agree with that.
But you see that in the U.S.A. only 3.8 per cent of the people are agriculturists and in India it is 70 per cent. So, giving subsidy to 3.8 per cent and giving subsidy to 70 per cent cannot simply be compared. Giving subsidy to 70 per cent means giving subsidy to everybody. But it is not giving subsidy. It is the perpetuation of poverty and it is just like throwing roti to the dogs so that all the time the poor will remain poor. You take the case of the countries which have got independence even after as – China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Korea – and see how they have made rapid increase in the ladder of financial discipline. It was because they have invested money in infrastructure and not in subsidy. Therefore, my point in this regard is this. Now, a very popular phrase is being used by the hon. Minister of Finance and that is ‘pump-priming. He started doing it with regard to the National Highway projects. Of course, I agree that the amounts for National Highway projects are only 0.4 per cent of the GDP. But I agree that it is going to boost the production of steel and cement and it is going to create employment for 40 persons per kilometre. It will create an employment generation of 5.2 lakh within the next five years. Therefore, I would request the hon. Minister to see that the housing sector is also given due preference so that this is also going to boost the cement and steel industry. That is also going to build infrastructure.
Thirdly, I am now coming to the point of education. Education is one of the most important things which will change the face of this country. You see every country which has risen in this field and see how they have achieved it. They first educated their people. I congratulate this Government that after 54 years of Independence, they have brought in a Constitution amendment which has made it obligatory on the part of the Government to educate each and every child from the age of 6 to 14 years in this country. I congratulate them for this. But I would like to ask a question to the hon. Minister of Finance. From where would you get the money? Do you have that amount of money to educate the children from the age of 6 to 14 years?
We are spending about 3.8 per cent of the GDP every year for education. We have to increase it to 6 per cent. But how is it to be done? My suggestion is that you go in for an education tax. Do not be afraid. The people of this country will have to pay for the education of their children. If the people of this country can spend thousands of rupees per month for educating their children in Class-I in any convent school, why should they not pay to the Government? They must pay it. You go in for an education tax. I am very strongly in favour of it that in order to educate the people you will have to go in for this.
Sir, I will mention just two points more and then conclude my speech. It is with regard to agriculture. There has been an unprecedented four per cent growth in agriculture this year. There is going to be, because of the good monsoon, 11 million tonnes more of foodgrains this year. The hon. Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is here. Last year he could not even purchase whatever was offered by the farmers. Now he is going to shoulder the responsibility of another 11 million tonnes more. Is he going to buy it by paying around Rs. 500 per tonne? Is it possible? You will have to think of it.
My suggestion is that India will have to search for an international market outside India so that if we cannot consume, if we cannot just sell it in our country, at least there should be an international market where we can sell and wherefrom our farmers should be able to get some money.
Another point is with regard to the lowering of interest rate. The Reserve Bank of India has brought down the interest rate. So, we say that if we lower the interest rate, then, maybe, our corporate sector will increase. But my question to the hon. Minister is this. Is there any corporate off-take in spite of the fall in the interest rate? The hon. Minister can reply to this point during his reply to the debate.
That, I think, he will be able to answer it. I would like to give a suggestion to him. There are at least two major industries -- one is cement, and another is paper. There is a paper industry in my constituency, which closed down about three years back. It was closed down not because of inefficiency, but because of dumping of the papers by other countries in India. Therefore, the cost of paper went down. Now, there is a rise in the paper price and there is a possibility that the industry will be viable.
In the Government sector, there are no jobs, but whatever little jobs we can provide through the private sector, if that is also closed, how are we going to provide employment to our people? The banks are not coming forward. They are sitting over huge piles of money, but they are not willing to lend to anybody because of the fear that the NPAs will increase. I appeal to the hon. Finance Minister, I have already spoken to him, to kindly ensure that at least in these days of global slow down, let the banks come forward, let the financial institutions come forward and let them take some risks. They are having a lot of money. Let them finance at least the small-scale and the medium-scale industries so that the jobs of millions and millions of people could be saved.
In most of the States, why has a single kilometre of road not been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojana? Why has it not been done? You are giving money and the money is reaching the State Governments, but they have not built a single kilometre of road. What is the reason? Due to the distressed condition of the States, there is every possibility that they will take your money for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojana and they will pay the salaries to their staff. There is a possibility. Kindly ensure that at least this money is not misused.
My last point is about the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Shri Mistry, when he was talking, he was asking you as to why you have not fixed any limit. I am a Member of the Finance Committee and I do not want to say as to what has happened in this Committee. You wanted to tie down your own hands, you wanted to tie down the hands of the Government, you wanted to fix a limit and you wanted the Government not to borrow from the Reserve Bank. All these things are going to be eliminated through that Bill. I will appeal to you, whether that Bill is passed or not, whatever target you set for yourself, kindly try to achieve that goal. By that way, the fiscal discipline could be maintained. Thank you very much.
SHRI E.M. SUDARSANA NATCHIAPPAN (SIVAGANGA): Sir, taking advantage of speaking on these Supplementary Demands for Grants 2001-2002, I would like the hon. Finance Minister to know that in this financial year he has created confidence in the industry and also he has put forth our case before the international forums with all confidence. At the same time, the poor people, the poor agriculturists, people living in the rural areas, who constitute about 80 per cent of the total population, are not being properly cared for.
The hon. Minister has already promised in his Budget Speech that there would be structural changes and also downsizing of the departments. Even after the Amendment to the Constitution creating the third tier of administration, there are many departments. The third tier of administration is taking care of the rural development. Before that, the Ministries of Agriculture, Rural Development and many others were drawing up the Plans for the entire country. However, the State Governments never implemented those Plans. Though you have laid down the norms to be followed, when you are giving the funds, they are not following the norms; they are following their own norms. Therefore, I would request the MPLADS should be made into a statutory body. There is already a District Rural Development Agency, which is a registered statutory body.
All these funds are being provided by the Central Government to the district level but the State Governments have created their own machinery and they make their own planning and they divert the funds. Therefore, the funds are not reaching the people at the district level. If the MPLAD Scheme is clubbed with it, then there would be a better fund flow to the district level. For example, Rs. 5000 crore has been asked for in this Supplementary Demand for the Departments of Animal Husbandry, Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, Rural Development, Urban and Poverty Alleviation and Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The funds allocated to all these Ministries and Departments could be properly utilised if they are channelised through the constitutionally mandated institutions. It should be channelised through the District Planning Commission which ought to have been statutorily created in every district. But that has not been done properly. If that is done, then the entire money would directly reach the people. These huge sums of money could very well reach the people at the grass-root level. Therefore, I would like to suggest that the hon. Finance Minister should initiate proper action in order that the Members of Parliament chair the meetings of the District level Committees to decide about the funds that are provided by the Central Government to the States. Otherwise, what answer do we have to the people when we go to them seeking for their support in elections? They would ask us to what we have done for them in all these years. We have only rupees two crore. In the State of Tamil Nadu, an MLA gets Rs. 82 lakhs for the development of his Assembly segment where as we are getting only Rs. 33.33 lakhs for the development of one Assembly segment. Therefore, it is a very meagre amount. But we are seen as rich in the eyes of the people and the Administration. The District Collectors often ask as to why the Members of Parliament do not allot the funds. But we cannot satisfactorily serve 13 lakhs people with this rupees two crore. Every district in the State, on an average, gets about Rs. 400 to Rs. 500 crore a year from different Departments of the Central Government. Why should the Members of Parliament not chair the meetings of the Committees that allocate such huge sums of money received from the Central Government? We could say that the Central Government has allocated the funds for such and such projects and the Pradhan Mantri has allocated funds for such and such programmes. We can do that very easily. But today, the situation as it is, we do not have any say. We are just mere spectators and the State Governments are diverting the funds. I, therefore, humbly submit that the hon. Minister should look into this aspect.
Sir, in the same way I would like to submit a point about the people living below the poverty line. It is purely a text book concept. There are people who own 20 acres of land but still they are reeling in poverty. Even those people do not have any income. There is no irrigation facility. There is no electricity and there is no infrastructure available to them. But even the whole people are suffering a lot has not been included in this category and is shown as having houses and land. The cases of such people should be considered. A lot of programmes meant for development of agriculture has been left out and therefore, the banks are not interested in giving loans for irrigation and for other agricultural purposes. The Government, in this Supplementary Demand, is not asking for any money for the agriculturists for development of irrigation and other things. This aspect needs to be considered.
Sir, the small scale and the medium scale industries have become totally insolvent. There is nothing for them. Such industries are closing down. But there are a lot of skilled enterpreneurs in the small scale and medium scale industries. People with engineering degrees and MBA qualifications are coming into these sectors but there is nobody to protect their interests.
Kindly create a consortium so that with the help of that fund they can develop. Otherwise, at least, settle the amounts which are due to the financial institutions so that they can go for other jobs. I would also suggest that banks are not at all giving loans for professional studies. They are not giving loans to petty shop owners. They are giving certain figures for statistical purposes but none of the banks is giving these loans. I find that in the Textile Ministry, for VRS in Cotton Corporation of India alone they asked for Rs.3 crore. What about the employees of National Textile Corporation? About 100 mills are now closed. People are asking for VRS. They are not aided by any funds but they are promised that they can take VRS. There is no allocation made for NTC on this count. That should be made.
Regarding oceanographic research, we find very small allocation. Very meagre amount was allotted for Setusamudram project. Setusamudram Project is a very good project. It is highly useful especially for people in the South. The entire economy of the area can develop because of that project. There should be some allotment made for Gulf of Mannar. That Gulf is very important from commerce and trade point of view. Therefore, that should be focussed upon in the coming budget. There should be much more allotment made for oceanography because that wealth is not properly utilised by us. The oceans are not at all tapped by us. Some people are grabbing its benefits but there is no proper planning and there is no allotment for utilising that area.
Tourism is not at all focussed on. About 63 per cent of world income on international trade is coming through tourism. But we are having only 0.02 allotment on tourism. We have not focussed on tourism. Tourism is a neglected area in our country. At the same time, it is the sector with richest potential. Even after September 11, a lot of people have visited India because there are a lot of things in India which they cannot see in any other country of the world. Therefore, we have to realise the potential of tourism. There should be some rational thinking about imparting training to customs officials so that they make the tourists feel welcome rather than terrorised. Airports should be maintained well. Monuments should be protected. Infrastructure should also be created.
Regarding telecommunications I would suggest that even now many Village Panchayats are not connected by telephone. People in villages are anxious to have communication facilities. After the disinvestment, the VSNL and BSNL have stopped worrying about our villages. Therefore, grants should be given to VSNL and BSNL in order to compensate them so that all Panchayats can be connected with telephone network.
Regarding fertiliser subsidy, agriculturists are not getting its benefit. There was a notification dated November 5, 2001 in which the subsidy has been revised and excess pay outs are made recoverable from April, 2000. I would like to know as to how this money is going to be utilised for the benefit of the agriculturists.
Due to the recent policies, many of the banks are having lots of funds at hand but corporate sector is not ready to take them because they know that there is no market take off. At the same time, we the agriculturists are suffering. We are ready to take that money and utilise it properly and produce more commercial crops also. For that purpose, the banks should also be asked to put aside certain funds for agricultural sector.
18.25 hrs (Mr. Deputy-Speaker in the Chair) SHRI PRABODH PANDA (MIDNAPORE): Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, I am very much aware of the time constraint and so, would not take much time of the House.
First of all, when our Government adopted the policy of reforms and liberalisation, an impression was created that everything would be all right.
But the present economic scenario is different. Due to paucity of time, I am not going into the greater details.
Many things have been said about the agriculure. Some hon. Members of this august House even proclaimed that the agricultural scenario is rising and we are progressing in the field of agriculture.
But here I would like refer to a recent statement made by the hon. Finance Minister, Shri Yashwant Sinha. He talked that the ‘poor growth in the agricultural sector in the last year and lack of purchasing power of the rural consumers are the major reasons of falling demands.’ Our Finance Minister has been expressing optimism that with the favourable monsoon this year, the agricultural production will increase. It seems that he is not optimistic of his own Economic Policy. He is depending on the good monsoon.
Sir, I do not know whether the sufferings of the millions and crores of toiling people are touching his heart and mind. I do not know whether he is thinking in that line or not. Anyhow, the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2001-2002 have to be passed. There is no doubt that it would be passed. There is no hurdle before it. But I would like to humbly request the hon. Finance Minister that if possible he may kindly consider some areas for the benefit of the poor people.
As regards Title Demand No. 8, I would submit that from 3rd December, 2001, several lakhs of coal mine workers are on strike. They are demanding the payment of their arrears. So, if possible, the hon. Minister may kindly meet their demands in order that they are paid their arrears immediately.
Now, I would like to say a few words about the procurement. The farmers all over the country, who are mostly the poor and marginal farmers, are not getting the minimum support price. It is known to all of us. So, sufficient money for their procurement is very much required.
So far as West Bengal is concerned, they have already announced a programme to procure foodgrains directly from the farmers. But the main problem is that they do not have enough money. So, I think, if possible, the hon. Minister should allot more money and assistance for the direct procurement from the poor farmers so that they are not forced to make distress sale.
Sir, now I would submit a few lines about the Jute Corporation of India (JCI). JCI is not having sufficient money to purchase the raw jute. So, I would request the hon. Minister that if possible he may kindly allot more money to JCI so that they can purchase sufficient jute from the farmers.
Similarly, what about the irrigation and barrages? They are emphasising on the development of the infrastructure. That is all right. But what are they doing regarding augmentation of the irrigation? So, I would request the hon. Minister that he should think in this direction also.
Sir, similarly, many things have been said about Pradhan Mantri Sarak Yojana. I would like to draw the attention of the hon. Finance Minister that it is being said that no money would be given for acquisition of land. If we do not go in for acquisition of more land, how would the roads be extended?
It is said that no bridge would be constructed. So, please allot more money for Pradhan Mantri Sarak Yojana. What happens in the case of small-scale industries and cottage industries? What happened to unemployment problem? It was said earlier that one million unemployed youths would get jobs. What happened to that? What happened to their pro-poor, pro-village and pro-employment programmes? I do not know how far he is considering these things. I would request that if possible try and do the best to accommodate all these things so that most of the toiling people of our country can be benefited.
These are my points.
SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHARY (BERHAMPORE, WEST BENGAL): I rise to put up my views on the Supplementary Demands for Grants that has been placed by our hon. Finance Minister. He is also the protagonist of second generation reforms in India. However, we are witnessing that this Government is following neither macro-economy, nor micro-economy; rather, we are sliding down to macabre economy because we are now suffering on all fronts.
However, I do not nurture any squeamistyness in my deliberation. Therefore, I must admit and appreciate the hon. Finance Minister that under his stewardship, we have touched a robust foreign exchange reserve of more than 42 billion dollars. Inflation is within the ambit of our tolerance. FDI has increased. But the list of seamy side of our Indian economy is so long that we cannot satisfy. However, the hon. Finance Minister may gloss over anything by resorting to polemics and by resorting to fabricated figures as he has recently developed a panache, to be swayed away by subjective sentiment, rather objective parameter. However, economy is the eye of a nation. It is the parameter so that we can ascertain the progress of our economy.
May I ask the hon. Finance Minister how much tax he has collected? May I know whether it is nearer to the target? May I know whether he is satisfied with the external debt? As on 31st March, our external debt has gone up to a mind-boggling figure of 100.25 billion dollars. I do not know what is the position of the external debt now.
I would like to give a few figures which clearly indicate that our economy is decelerating, industrial growth is slowing down and is in a state of inertia. The revenue deficit is at 3.5 per cent of GDP. Gross Fiscal Deficit is placed at 5.1 per cent of GDP. Gross tax collection fell by six per cent. The income tax collection is witnessing a fall of four per cent. Corporate tax collection has recorded a fall of 15 per cent. Revenue from customs duty fell by 16 per cent. Non-Plan expenditure has increased by 13.5 per cent. The Central Government expenditure during the first half of the current financial year recorded an increase of 11. 5 per cent; Plan expenditure has increased by six per cent as against 10.6 per cent. The RBI has recorded a decline in the growth rate of the economy; they had estimated 6.5 per cent growth rate, but they had revised it to 5.2 per cent. Export performance has also showed a reversing trend. Our export is in a declining trend.
Our imports show an ascending trend. Therefore, we are suffering a trade deficit around 5 billion dollar. Industrial production has been slowed down to 2.2 per cent during April-August compared to 5.7 per cent during the same period in the corresponding year. There is no sign of industrial recovery. Key sectors like, cotton, textile, vegetable oil, coal, all are suffering a negative growth. Therefore, we are in such a plight that we are now struggling to survive; however, there is no light at the end of the tunnel. What is most regretting is that in the din and bustle of globalisation and liberalisation, our agriculture sector has been totally neglected. Our Finance Minister has already set up a new team to formulate the coming Budget. I hope that it will usher a new hope for the poor farmers of our country. In the fiscal Budget, eight per cent R&D Cess was introduced against the imports of knowhow in order to create a pool of funds for venture capital funding with IDBI. May I know, how much fund has so far been mobilised so that venture capital funding can be implemented in our country?
May I invite the attention of the Finance Minister to the Sharma Committee which was constituted in the year 1997 to identify the backward districts in India. My district, Murshidabad, was identified as one among the 100 most backward districts in India. May I know, whether any special economic package is being envisaged so that the backward districts can be catapulted with the mainstream districts in India?
I beg to differ with some hon. Members in the House who are arguing to abolish the subsidy, who are sermonising the concept of Cornucopia. A patient needs Adrenalin to survive. Those who are arguing for Coruncopia, I may remind them that India has become the destiny of Cornucopia for those rapacious predatory multinationals who are virtually fleecing in our country because this Government has pusillanimously capitullated to the dictates of those multinationals, unmindful of the trials and tribulations confronting our countrymen. Therefore, Sir, our economy should not be dealt in an amateurish way and hence rather deep penetration and sagacity is sought for.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE (SHRI YASHWANT SINHA): Sir, I am grateful to all the 22 hon. Members of this House who have participated in this discussion, made some very important points and made some very valuable suggestions. In my reply, in whatever time I have at my disposal, I will try and address some of the concerns which have been addressed here in this House.
The first concern, naturally, is with the growth rates. We were, as a nation, disappointed when it was announced by those who maintain the statistics of this country, the Central Statistical Organisation, that growth rate in 2000- 2001 had decelerated to 5.2 per cent.
Even today when we get figures of growth, whether it is that of the first quarter of the current fiscal year or it is the growth rate of industry, growth rate of infrastructure, growth rate of services sector, there is disappointment at the slowing down of the growth rate in the economy. This is legitimate. Sometimes, in a very different way I derive some sense of satisfaction at this unhappiness because it shows that we have matured as a nation and that India will not be able to live with a growth rate which is as low as five per cent. As a nation, now we are committed to a higher growth rate. All of us, therefore, feel disappointed when we get what we do not consider to be a higher growth rate.
I would like to clarify right in the beginning that when the other day I talked about a seven per cent growth rate at a function in Delhi, I was not talking of the current year. I was talking of the decadal growth – growth rate of the ten years ahead of us – and the point which I was making was that if as a country we were to achieve an average growth rate of seven per cent, it will not only double our national income, our GDP, to something like a trillion dollars, it will also enable us to get rid of the problem of poverty in this country in a very substantial way. If a quarter of our population is still living below the poverty-line, then we will be able to reduce it by something like another 20 per cent and maybe at the end of these ten years, five per cent or even less of India’s population will be living below the poverty-line - again a target which we must set for ourselves in the long term, so that we eliminate even that level of poverty.
Seven per cent growth rate for a decade on an average is not something which is unachievable because after all, as has been pointed out by some hon. Members, we did achieve over seven per cent growth rate for three consecutive years in the mid-1990s. Two of those years belonged to the rule of the Congress Party and the third year belonged to the United Front regime. I would also like to remind the House that after recording a very high growth rate of 7.8 per cent in 1996-97, we also saw the spectacle of the growth rate declining to only 4.8 per cent in 1997-98. I remember that when I became the Finance Minister in the previous Government of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the first question which was being asked of me in March 1998 was, what I was going to do as the Finance Minister to pump-priming the economy. Once again, the question being asked of me now is the same question which was being asked in 1998.
Sir, 1998 was a year of gloom and doom like the current year appears to be. Additionally, in 1998-99 or at the beginning of 1998 we had the East Asian crisis right in our backyard which had destabilised country after country in that region and which had led to internal disturbance there. We have also had economic sanctions imposed upon us in the wake of the Pokhran nuclear tests. I had asked my staff to collect some of the press cuttings of 1998 to see what was the situation. There was a foreign visitor who did not visit India which was also commented upon recently.
The headline that he received in the Indian media was "India heading for 1991 type fiscal crisis" This whole bundle is replete with comments of gloom and doom scenario. Industrial production was down. Nobody was hoping for any increase in agricultural production. When I said that we will be able to face the economic sanctions and when I said that we will be able to turn the economy around, that was rubbished. We were thinking in terms of a growth rate of 3.5 per cent. We were being very illiberal. It was raised to 4 per cent. How did the year end? It ended with a growth rate of 6.6 per cent. It was not 7 per cent growth rate but it was 6.6 per cent which was nothing one could be ashamed of. I am not in the business of making projections on growth rates. Therefore, even today, in this august House, I will refrain from doing so. But the point I am making is, we, as the custodians of the future of this nation in this House, have to think as to what kind of a message we want to send from this House. Do we want to become partners in this gloom and doom scenario? As I said, I am not here to hazard a guess on the growth rate in the current year. But certainly, it is not going to be 7 per cent. Therefore, the beginning of the new millennium and new century is going to be somewhat dismal. We will have to catch up by having a higher growth rate in the coming years. But I would like to say that while I am not trying to hide behind the international situation, we cannot completely divorce our country today from external contacts.
Hon. Members would recall that petroleum prices increased in 1999 and 2000 by something like 300 per cent. I would like the hon. Members to recall the situation which we experienced in this country in 1973-74 when the first oil crisis had taken place, in 1980 when the second oil crisis took place and in 1990-91 when the third oil crisis took place. The international oil prices have somehow an uncanny system of a decadal crisis. So, we had crisis in the beginning of 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The hon. Member was quite right in saying that when I was the Finance Minister in 1991, the country came to such a pass that we had to pledge our gold in order to secure some foreign exchange and keep our country going because the situation was such that we were coming to almost a grinding halt. Did we experience anything of that kind this year when international prices went up by 300 per cent? It is true that we had to raise the domestic price of petroleum products. That had an impact on demand because when you raise prices, you raise prices not only to get revenue and curtail the oil pool deficit. You do it in order to curtail demand also so that imports decline. We spent something like Rs.72,000 crore on oil imports in the year 2000-2001 Through that price rise, we wanted to curtail the demand in this country and we did succeed. Perhaps, for the first time in our history, the consumption of petroleum products went down. Diesel consumption went down by 5 per cent to 6 per cent in this country. It has just started picking up from a month or so. Now, that had an impact on our economy. It was expected. It was nothing unexpected.
SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHARY : How much external debt stands today?
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Let him complete.
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: I would like to remind one point to Mr. Chowdhary because he raised that issue when he intervened in the debate.
On behalf of the Ministry of Finance and on behalf of the Government of India, I have presented a complete Report to Parliament on the external debt situation of India. It has been presented. If the Member looks for that in the library, he would get all the figures on India’s external debt. It is very satisfactory. We have nothing to worry. If there is a cause for worry, it is our internal debt, as I have repeatedly said in this House. I would not like to take the time of the House on other external factors.
The collapse of Information Technology sector in the U.S., has led to the collapse of Information Technology sector the world over. It had a depressing effect on our economy. As the hon. Members pointed out, there was a slow down in the agriculture over the last two years. In 1999-2000, the contribution of agriculture to GDP was only 0.7 per cent; and in 2000-2001, it declined further to 0.2 per cent. That was the contribution which agriculture made to GDP. I do not claim to be an economist. But I have looked at the figures of the last couple of decades. I found that whenever agriculture production declined, it has not only influenced the growth of GDP in that particular year, but it has also impacted upon demand and it has led to deceleration of economic growth in the subsequent years also. It is because seventy per cent of our people live in rural areas and depend largely on agriculture. The agriculture deceleration is not only in terms of production. Repeatedly, Members have pointed out today, in the past and in the previous Sessions the decreased prices of agriculture produce in this country and in the whole world. If the farmer is not getting the right prices for his produce, if he is not able to sell his rubber, copra, coconut, wheat, rice and jute in the market, then his income goes down. When his income comes down, his propensity to consume and to spend comes down. That is what I meant when I said that it impacts on the purchasing power of our people. … (Interruptions)
Between 1999-2000 and 2000-2001, the agriculture production declined by a crore and thirty lakh tonnes. That was the kind of decline we witnessed. From about 209 million tonnes, it came down to around 195 million tonnes. That decline in agriculture production plus the reduction in prices, despite the decline in production, has caused all these problems. In that context, I said that this year things are looking up. All of us must realise that it is the agriculture sector and the rural sector, and not the industrial sector or the export sector, which drives the Indian economy. The agriculture sector is performing better this year. From whatever figures I get, I find that prices are a little better this year than they were last year. With all the efforts that we will make, the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies is also here, we will be able to reach money to the farmers.
At this point of time, I would like to inform the House that Rs. 50,000 crore are locked up in the food stocks today. That Rs. 50,000 crore have gone to the farmers of India. The extra money that we spend on procurement this year, will also go to the farmers of India. It would ensure that purchasing power picks up, which will in turn lead to multiplier effect in the economy. This was the hope that I had in 1998. This is the hope that I have in 2001. As I said, we proved prophets of doom wrong in 1998. I am confident that we will prove the prophets of doom wrong once again.
19.00 hrs India, as a country, has some very great reserves of hidden energy, of hidden strength which we sometimes do not realise. And that is that hidden strength which comes to our rescue unlike in the case of many other countries.
As far as growth rates are concerned, it is a matter of great concern. We have taken a number of steps in the recent months in order to ensure – I am not only talking of the Budget but subsequent to the Budget also – that growth rate picks up. They include some general steps, they include some sectoral steps. Government is keeping the closest watch. We will continue to respond to developments on the economic front.
Hon. Members are quite right in expressing their concern on the decline in the tax GDP ratio. The Tax GDP ratio has come down compared to 1988-89. We have taken a number of steps. The only charge that I am unable to plead guilty to is that we have not tried to simplify tax rates. In fact, that is one area where I can say with some legitimate satisfaction that tax procedures and tax rates have all been simplified considerably. I had inherited a multiplicity of rates on the excise front. I have inherited a multiplicity of rates on the customs duty front. We have been able to rationalise them to a very large extent. We have also made changes in procedures in order to simplify them and make the tax system more tax-payer friendly. That will continue to be the direction of our effort even in future.
Having said that, I will say that we have problems in the economy. There are strengths. There are weaknesses. What is the strength? The strength is that despite all these problems that we have faced – internal and international – today, as somebody has pointed out, we have foreign exchange reserves close to $47 billion, something which was a dream in 1999. If somebody had told me in 1991 that India would have a foreign exchange reserves of $ 47 billion one day, I would have thought that he was dreaming. But the dream has turned into reality today. Despite the problems that we have faced, we have gone on adding to our reserves. Week after week, month after month, reserves have gone up. I would like to say this. In fact, this was a comment that I was making in another forum in the morning that India consists of people within the boundaries of the country. India also consists of our diaspora which is outside and it is that diaspora, the Non-Resident Indians, who have responded admirably, who have responded very creditably. Whenever we have approached them, whether it was the case of Resurgent India Bonds or it was the case of India Millennium Deposits, they have all responded and ensured that the gloom and doom is turned away.
A number of issues have been raised by my friends in this House. But before I come to that, I would like to take up a couple of general points which have been raised. A very important point has been raised. I have pleaded for this in the past also. I think, as the hon. Members of this House, we have a responsibility to sit and consider this issue. And, that issue is : How do we deliver the system of administration to the people in a manner which is effective? This is the most important thing. I was amazed and I was shocked when I heard from hon. Members that they were not being consulted on the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sarak Yojana. The hon. Members will recall that when I was placing the Supplementary Demands last time, the first batch of Supplementaries, I had said that the reason why we were transferring this money on PMGSY from the State Plan to the Central Plan was to ensure the involvement of Members of Parliament.
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI : It is not at all done.… (Interruptions)
SHRI RAVI PRAKASH VERMA : The fact is that money has been diverted to pay the salaries of the staff. That is the problem.… (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: He has understood the problem. He is attending it to find out a solution.
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: The Prime Minister’s Gram Sarak Yojana is a scheme which we conceived.
All of us in the House were contesting elections about two years ago during the rainy season, a point that I have made in this House before. The vehicles got stuck up in the mud on katcha roads. The people were laughing at us. They were telling us: "Now, do you realise what problems we face day after day?" When we came back and the Government was formed, we said: "We must have a rural road project as ambitious a rural road project as possible." Then, we went ahead. We converted the petrol and the diesel hikes in excise duty into a cess. That fund has been committed to the development of rural roads, National Highways, State roads and over-bridges of Railways. This is the projected expenditure of those funds this year. It took us a little time. We had exactly the same worries that you have expressed in this House that if we were to make the money freely available to the States, then, it might be misused as indeed as Shri Verma would say, it is being misused on salaries and establishment. Therefore, we decided after a lot of debate here that we will keep the money here. We will deal with it from the Government of India. We will make sure that Members of Parliament are fully consulted with respect to the areas that they represent and that the PMGSY will be implemented under that arrangement by the Government of India.
I know it personally that my colleague, the Minister of Rural Development, has issued instructions to the State Governments that the Member of Parliament of the area must be consulted. There must be a sentence in the recommendation of the State Government that Member of Parliament of that area has been consulted. I am also personally aware of the fact that wherever this stipulation is not mentioned, the Ministry of Rural Development make sure that they make this consultation at this level.
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI: I thank you for the good intentions. The Minister of Rural Development genuinely feels about the good work to accommodate the MPs’ views. But I tell you honestly that none of the State Governments and the District authorities bother to consult the MPs. … (Interruptions) That is a fact. … (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: If all of you ask questions, how can the hon. Minister reply?
… (Interruptions)
SHRI V. VETRISELVAN (KRISHNAGIRI): It is a very important issue. … (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: What is this? You know the convention. When you stand up to seek some clarification, the hon. Minister is to yield. Before that, you go on speaking.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Obviously, from the discussion that has taken place in this House, it appears that in some States, the Members of Parliament are being consulted. In many other States, they are not being consulted. It must be our effort to ensure that Members of Parliament are fully consulted in respect of the rural road project that is taken up in their area. If there is any weakness in this system, then, it must be corrected. That is something that I would like to say.
SHRI PRABODH PANDA (MIDNAPORE) : What about the fund for acquisition of land for the roads?
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Most of the roads are in terms of the record of rights in the villages. I know it because after all I am also a Member of this House. I am very interested in the road projects in my constituency. What is happening is that if some portion of land has to be acquired, what we are doing in our constituencies is that we persuade the villagers to give the fields. After all, a road will pass and the villagers are responding. I agree with the remark which has just been made that if we were to make a separate provision in the rural road project for land acquisition, then, it will become so expensive that the main purpose might be lost. So, let us use our good offices to make sure that if small bits and portions of land have to be acquired for rural roads, it will be given to us free. But the other question is very important.
This is not the first time that the hon. Members in this House have raised this question of monitoring of the developmental projects being financed by the Government of India. How do we do it? This is an issue, which I had raised earlier. This is an issue which I would like to raise even today that in a federal set up, with the autonomy given to the States, with the State’s own Legislature, with the State’s own Public Accounts Committee and all the paraphernalia that goes with it, what is the role that we want for the Government of India? This is a very important issue, and this is something, which, I think, as a nation we must be able to come to some understanding, some solution of this problem because like you, I am also impatient. When I go to my constituency and I find that we have thought of, devised and crafted so many good schemes, the District Collector has not even got the instructions on that, I feel impatient. That is the kind of impatience which each one of us must be feeling. And that is what is raising this demand that our Rs. 2 crore should become Rs. 5 crore or Rs. 6 crore or Rs. 10 crore, and that the hon. Member of Parliament should become the Chairman of DRDA or we must have a very direct voice and effective participation in the developmental programmes of the constituency. … (Interruptions) As far as the district administration is concerned, and this is something which we have to think of rising above our political considerations and political alliances, as Members of Parliament. What is the role and responsibility that we want for ourselves; what is the role and responsibility that we want for the State Governments, as far as development work is concerned; and in what manner the two could be converged and the two could be synthesised? This is a challenge. We have not been able to find a solution to it. This is something that, I think, on one of these days, this House, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, should take up as an issue and let a consensus be evolved because it is not merely the role that we have but it is also which is the cutting edge of administration which will do this. Now, we have 73rd and 74th Amendments. We have the elected representatives at the local level. We have the elected representatives in the State Legislatures. We have the elected representatives in the Parliament. There must be some division of responsibility at all the levels. We must clearly realise what our responsibilities are. We must be able to go to the people and educate them. When I go to my constituency and indeed this must be the experience of all of us, they raise every issue with us. If the Municipal electric bulb is not burning, they will ask, ‘Why is it not burning? What are you doing as our representative?’ If thenali is not clean and if the gutter is not clean, then we are being blamed because the Municipality is not doing it. So, I think, a time has come in our democracy that we must be able to clearly delineate the responsibilities of the elected representatives at various levels, and we, as Members of Parliament, should be held accountable for the responsibility which must justly belong to us and not to the Panchayat Raj institutions or to the Municipal Commissioner. If, we, as a nation, come to the conclusion that we, as Members of Parliament, must have an overall supervisory role, then let us build institutions in such a way that we are enabled to play that role, and not go back to our people when elections come or even during the interregnum and be held accountable because it is in a way humiliating when we are held accountable for things over which we have no control. So, this is an issue which I would like this House to seriously consider.
Now, the other general issue, which I wanted to take up is that of employment. Employment or unemployment is a major problem. It is also true that according to the latest NSSO Survey, which has been carried out, the rate of growth of employment has declined. The NSSO carried out a survey between 1993 and 1999 and they noticed that compared to the previous six years, the rate of growth in employment generation has actually come down.
Why is this happened? It is not in the unorganised sector that the rate of growth has come down. In fact, the unorganised sector has registered a growth rate which is quite comparable to the previous one. It is not even in the private organised sector. It is only in the public sector that from a positive growth rate, we have gone into a negative growth rate. The reasons are not hard to see because the public sector was overstaffed during the 90s through the liberalisation period. There has been restructuring. In fact, the Indian industry like every other sector of our economy is getting into restructuring. Public sector has also got into restructuring. Therefore, a stage has been reached in our history where instead of recruiting people, they are actually retrenching people. Even in this Supplementary Demands for Grants, I am asking for your approval for money for VRS which means that less people will be employed by the public sector. But if we want to be competitive, Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, then we cannot carry that burden. We will have to make our industry, our units, our factories lean, mean and efficient. If we do not do that, then year after year, we will find more and more of them closing down.
I agree with this point which has been made by Shri Kharabela Swain that units in the private sector are closing down. I have no hesitation in admitting it on the floor of this House that there was a private sector unit which was closed when I was campaigning in the 1998 elections in my constituency. They asked me, "Can you have it reopened?" I said; "I will try my best". Then unfortunately, I became the Finance Minister. So, their hope soared. Let me admit for four years I have been trying my best to get that unit revived. It has not reopened. The private sector employer has not even paid a little compensation to the employees. He has not paid.
We are debating here whether labour laws should be amended or should not be amended. Who is implementing these labour laws? Sir, 2,200 people were employed in that unit. Has all the labour laws that we have in this country ensured that the people who got separated, who lost their jobs, have been paid adequate compensation? Nothing has happened. We are all helpless. I am admitting I am helpless. As a Member of Parliament from that area, I have not been able to get it done; and we have not even been able to get the wages and the compensation paid to the workers. So, this is a major issue.
The labour market reform that I talked about in the Budget is much misunderstood. It is supposed to help exactly in those situations. Why did I suggest that 15 days should become 45 days? It is because there, the people in the private sector must also get adequate compensation so that they can start life elsewhere. In the public sector, we are doing it.
Sir, apart from that, we have undertaken road projects. There are only two ways in which employment can be generated. One is to achieve a higher growth rate. As the Montek Singh Ahluwalia Committee has said, if we have a growth rate of seven per cent, then over a period of time, we will be able to solve the problem of unemployment. And the other is to directly attack the problem of unemployment as indeed we have done through the Sampoorna Rozgar Yojana that the Prime Minister announced from the ramparts of the Red Fort. He announced it on the 15th of August. It was taken up for implementation from the 25th of September. In one month and 10 days, we made sure that we are ready. We consulted the Chief Ministers. We called a meeting of the Chief Ministers and consulted with them because after all they are the ones who are going to implement this project. It is an excellent project for food-for-work. It will lead to creation of assets in the rural areas.
I would plead with all the hon. Members here that let us take that Sampoorna Rozgar Yojana as seriously as possible and put as much pressure as possible on the State Government and the District administration to take advantage of this. Whether we are looking for check dams and other irrigation projects or we are looking for rural roads outside the PMGSY or we are looking at other community assets, all this can be achieved through the Pradhan Mantri Sampoorna Rozgar Yojana because we are making 50 lakh tonnes of foodgrains available free of cost to the State Governments for this.
We have said: "The godowns are open. If you want more, we will give you more." We have also decided again in consultation with the Chief Ministers that we would set up, to begin with, grain banks in all areas of this country so that we are able to transfer the grains from wherever they are to the villages. They would be run by the local people and they would operate it as a bank. This scheme has also been communicated to the States, apart from all the other schemes that my colleague Shri Shanta Kumar has initiated for the people below the poverty line like theAntyodaya and Annapurna schemes.
Another important point is that the level and quality of governance in the States becomes a major issue. It is a very major issue. We are now talking in terms of a digital divide. First, we used to talk of backward and forward areas. Here, in fact, a question was raised about the backward districts. It is not a question now of backward and forward districts industrially. Now, since the world is moving very fast, if we are not able to keep pace with it, we would be left so behind that we would not be able to identify ourselves; we will lose our identity. So, the quality of governance has become extremely important at the national level and at the sub-national level. This is the new kind of divide that we are noticing today.
Shri Raghuvansh Prasad Singh is not here. He talked about the Bihar package. I was informed by my colleague here, Shri Shanta Kumar, that last year when drought affected many States, Bihar was given an allocation of one lakh tonnes of food grains to use for the ‘Food for Work’ programme; not a single kilogram has been lifted by Bihar so far. It was given free. In fact, 2.5 million tonnes of food grains were made available free of cost to the State so that they could launch their ‘Food for Work’ programme. I am saying this now because though Shri Raghuvansh Prasad Singh has gone away other hon. Members from Bihar are here.
Shri Raghuvansh Prasad Singh talked about the Bihar package. It is a commitment of the Government of India. In fact, when the hon. Minister of Home Affairs was piloting three Reorganisation Bills, the Bihar Reorganisation Bill was the only Bill that contained the provision of a package for the original State, Bihar. There is a cell in the Planning Commission working on it. If Shri Raghuvansh Prasad Singh had been here, I would have suggested that the Government of Bihar should seriously prepare a package. It should not be a package like the fairy tale package that was prepared two years ago for Rs.2,00,000 crore, which will not pass muster. Let us sit down and prepare a realistic package for the growth and development of Bihar. I am quite sure, the Government of India would be prepared to look at it most sympathetically.
I have taken a lot of time but there are a few issues to deal with. I think, Shri Bijoy Handique raised the issue of small tea growers. I would like to remind him that this provision is already there, that this Rs.2 per kilogram excise duty on tea is not applicable to small growers who have a garden or holding of less than ten hectares. So, if there is any confusion in this regard, it is unnecessary. Apart from this fact, tea is included in the exemption given to the North-East. … (Interruptions)
SHRI BIJOY HANDIQUE : Is it available for all?
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: It is available for the whole tea industry. This excise duty is only on large gardens and large producers.
SHRI BIJOY HANDIQUE : There is another problem relating to the big producers. … (Interruptions)
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: We are talking of the small growers. I am saying that as far as small growers are concerned, there is no question of imposing duty. I have already given this exemption. It is also available as an exemption for the North-East.
Since you raised this issue of North-East, I would also like to say something else. We now have a separate dedicated Cabinet Minister for the Development of the North-East. This is something that has happened in this country for the first time. Along with that colleague of mine, Shri Arun Shourie, I have personally gone – as I promised in this House – to Shillong and met with the Chief Ministers of all the States a few weeks ago.
SHRI BIJOY HANDIQUE : We appreciate that.
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: We discussed the problems.
SHRI E.M. SUDARSANA NATCHIAPPAN : Is it applicable for the Nilgiris tea of Tamil Nadu also?
SHRI M. MASTER MATHAN (NILGIRIS): For South India, earlier, it was exempted even for the corporate sector; but unfortunately in the recent Budget, it was re-introduced. As a result of this, the condition has become very difficult for the tea growers in Tamil Nadu. … (Interruptions)
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI : Sir, the Darjeeling tea also should get exemption. Darjeeling in North Bengal is close to the North-East.
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: The issue of tea growers was brought to my notice by the hon. Member, Shri Mathan. I was only referring to the issue of the small growers, which has been raised earlier. You would recall that you had discussed with me and we decided to give this exemption.
Now, once again, you have raised the issue of the large corporates, the large tea growers. … (Interruptions)
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI : The North-Eastern concept of development can be extended up to North Bengal also. It is similar to the corridor from Darjeeling. Sir, if you feel, you can consider. … (Interruptions)
SHRI BIJOY HANDIQUE : What about SSI units?
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: As far as small-scale industry, within a specified location, is concerned, to be specified by the State Government, the excise duty exemption is already available in the North-East. … (Interruptions)
SHRI BIJOY HANDIQUE : What about Kapoor Committee’s recommendations?
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Kapoor Committee is the thing of the past. We have gone well beyond Kapoor Committee.
The small industry package, which the hon. Prime Minister of India announced on the 30th of August last year, is far beyond the Kapoor Committee recommendation. So, Kapoor Committee is a thing of the past. Let us not concentrate only on the Kapoor Committee. We have gone beyond that.
Sir, Shri Kirit Somaiah has raised the issue of UTI and US-64. Let me assure him that when the UTI brought out the new scheme, UTI also announced that they would go (NAV)based from 1st January. I am aware of the fact that UTI is busy discussing this issue in detail and they will come out with the revised scheme from 1st January. Without anticipating what the UTI is planning to do, I would only like to make two points and, that is, we are committed to protecting the interest of the investors in US-64. So, we will continue to do that.
Second, we have already said that the Government is fully behind the UTI in order to ensure that small investors do not lose. That is a commitment that we shall continue to maintain.
Sir, Enron is a very unfortunate incident. Enron is represented in this country through Dabhol Power Corporation (DPC). The solution to that problem is something, which is being discussed by the Indian financial institutions who have exposure to Enron and DPC. I am confident that we will be able to find a solution.
As far as the take over of L&T share of one group by another group is concerned, I have looked into the matter and I have been assured that it is within the framework of the rules and regulations on the subject. So, it is not a question of the Ministry or the regulator being deliberately silent. I would also like to say that as far as the financial institutions are concerned, from what I know, they have no wish at this point of time to alienate their shares and, therefore, the question of take over of L&T by one group or the other should not arise. And, if there was any such move, then the take over code will come into picture and we will be able to tackle that situation. L&T is a very good company and it is a professionally managed company. This is the kind of model that we would like to promote in this country. Therefore, there should be no such apprehensions.
Sir, our PSU policy is very clear. I do not have to repeat it.
Sir, non-conventional energy issue was raised by some hon. Member. We are aware of it and a lot of it is being done. We will continue to work on that.
Sir, a number of hon. Members have raised the issue of corruption. I would only like to say that it is the responsibility of the Government to fight corruption and that is exactly what we are doing. Therefore, even in the Department of Excise and Customs, you must, at least, give credit to the Government that we have not been overawed by the position and authority of any functionary. We have gone after them, howsoever high and mighty they might be.
There is the cancer of corruption in our system. Nobody can deny it. But, as a Government, it is our responsibility to ensure that everyone, however high and mighty they may be, are – if they are corrupt – brought to book and that is exactly what we are trying to do. We will continue to fight corruption.
As far as the ‘BPL’ list is concerned, there is a Supreme Court order that the ‘BPL’ lists have to be prepared by the State Governments. They have been given a direction and I am quite sure that such a list, based on genuine facts, will be prepared soon by the State Governments. In fact, my colleague Shri Shanta Kumar informs me that they have not yet adopted the NSSO survey figures of poverty of 26 per cent and they are still working at 36 per cent. But, even that figure of 36 per cent is bloated now because every State now, in order to get more foodgrains from the Centre, jacks up the figure of people below the poverty line.
Sir, the issue of strike in coal sector has been raised. It is very unfortunate. The hon. Prime Minister has constituted a Group of Ministers. I am also a member of that Group of Ministers. We have called the trade unions. We had a discussion with them and we pleaded with them not to go on strike because it will lead to national loss. We assured them. Our colleague Shri Ram Vilas Paswan assured them that we will not bring that Bill, the Coal Mines Nationalisation (Amendment) Bill within this Session provided that they did not go on strike. But, unfortunately, the trade unions have not listened and they have gone on strike and caused this loss.
We will continue to deal with coal. I myself come from an area which is a coal belt. I know the problems of the workers and, therefore, I have a great deal of sympathy not only for the coal industry but also for all those who are engaged in the coal industry. We are, in that Group of Ministers, looking at various aspects and I am quite sure that we would be able to find a proper solution to all those things.
Hon. Member Dr. Laxminarayan Pandeya referred to the drought in Madhya Pradesh apart from the PMGSY. We are liberally making foodgrains available to fight the drought and I hope that the Government of Madhya Pradesh will come forward to take advantage of this arrangement.
As far as subsidy is concerned, I would like to say that while the impression is there that Government is reducing subsidy, actually with all the efforts that we are making, we are only limiting the increase in subsidy. I have the figures here. If the food subsidy was, let us say, Rs. 2,800 crore in the year 1992-93, what is the Budget for this year? It is Rs. 13,675 crore. So, from a figure of Rs. 2,800 crore to the figure of Rs. 13,675 crore the subsidy is only going up and because of all the fight that we are putting up, it is only that we are limiting it. But in this year, because of all these schemes that we have deliberately taken in hand, the food subsidy is likely to go up considerably and when I come with the Revised Estimates I would like to mention this to you.
Another impression which I would like to correct is the impression about unrestricted imports as a result of Quantitative Restrictions having gone. I have the figures here of agricultural produce. In 1998-99 it was 6.9 per cent of total imports. It came down to 5.7 per cent in 1999-2000 and it came down drastically to only 3.7 per cent in 2000-2001. For the period April to June of previous year, the figure was 3.6 per cent and the current year’s figure is 3.3 per cent. So, while you might see New Zealand apples in the Khan Market of Delhi, let us not be overwhelmed by them. The food imports and the agricultural imports are well under control and the hon. Minister of Commerce has already assured you that we will not be found wanting on that. We will take advantage of all the instruments which are available to us within the WTO to ensure that our farmers are not inconvenienced.
Sir, I have taken a lot of time of this House. I would like to say at the end that I am very grateful to the hon. Members for the very positive suggestions.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Mr. Minister, before you conclude, there was a point mentioned by the Chairman of the MPLADS Committee. This also concerns you and me.
… (Interruptions)
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Sir, I am only trying to duck that question. … (Interruptions) Sir, I believe that the delegation of the House Committee has met the hon. Prime Minister on this issue.
We had had some discussions, as you are aware, Sir, in the last Session with the hon. Speaker. After all, I am also a Member of this House and I will also be greatly benefited. However, this is an issue on which, I think, all of us should sit down and discuss. It is not something on which I will be able to make an announcement straightaway. There are some important issues which will have to be discussed. When we meet in that Committee, I assure you that we will consider all those issues. Also, the number of Assembly constituencies varies from State to State. So, should the Assembly constituency be the criterion?
SOME HON. MEMBERS: No. SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Otherwise, U.P will be the biggest loser.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: I can tell you that some good developments are taking place, particularly in the far-flung areas, on account of the MPLADS.
SHRI V. VETRISELVAN : I seek a clarification on one very important point. As far as the issue of giving professional loans to students is concerned, the bank managers are deliberately refusing to give these loans in the rural areas.
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Shri Tilakdhari babu and some other hon. Member raised this issue about the functioning of the banks. As far as the functioning of the banks is concerned -- not only in respect of those but also in respect of PMRY, Kisan Credit Card -- I believe that we will have an opportunity of discussing it during the Question Hour on Friday. But this is something which worries me also. I have met the banks’ Chairmen at least five times. Every six months, I am meeting the banks’ Chairmen. One issue which I take up in every meeting is the attitude of the bank officials at the cutting edge level, at the level of the branch. Now, I am encouraging, I am insisting that the senior officers of the bank should go out to the branches, in the rural areas especially, and they should go incognito, to find out what the complaint of the people is. They should invite public representatives, members of the public, to meet with them and to find out whether the bank is functioning properly. I have shared with you in the past my own agony. I am the Finance Minister of India. In my constituency, I was told that the people who had gone to withdraw their money, which they had deposited in the bank, were not being served. They were being asked to come the next day or the day after and all that. So, where is the question of giving loans? We have advised the banks’ that at the local level, at the District-level Credit Committee level, Members of Parliament, Members of the State Legislature, the elected representatives at the district-level should also be fully associated. We have written to the District Magistrates to ensure that this is done. This is an effort which will certainly go on.
The total amount, as has been mentioned, is around Rs. 2,000 crore in cash outgo; Rs. 1,414 crore was the cash outgo in the first batch of Supplementary. Much of it is going to rural development and for employment generation schemes.
While I would like to heartily thank the Members for the excellent contribution they have made, I would suggest that let the Supplementary Demands be passed.
SHRI PRIYA RANJAN DASMUNSI : Sir, I have only one submission to the hon. Finance Minister. The hon. Finance Minister has very candidly admitted and explained the present economic situation, including the agricultural scenario. We will enter the New Year very shortly.
Before the rise of the House on 21st December, is it possible on the part of the hon. Minister and the Government to inform the House about the short-term and the long-term fiscal measures that the Government is considering to stabilise the situation and to prove that the prophets of doom are wrong? We share with you all the concern. Especially in relation to agriculture, the Minister has equally shared the concern of the Members of the House. Will it be possible for the Minister to inform the House as to what are the short-term and long-term policies that the Government is considering to protect the investors, to eliminate fears and frustrations, and also to improve the climate?
SHRI YASHWANT SINHA: Sir, we have adopted a large number of measures. I would not like to take the time of the House. But if the House so decides and if I get an opportunity on some subsequent days, I would certainly share the information with this House.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: The question is:
"That the respective sums of not exceeding the amounts on the Revenue Account and Capital Account shown in the third column of the Order Paper be granted to the President out of the Consolidated Fund of India, of certain further sums necessary to defray the charges that will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 2002, in respect of the heads of demands entered in the second column thereof, against Demand Nos. 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 20, 21, 22, 27, 36, 50, 54, 58, 59, 62, 64, 65, 68, 72, 74, 76, 81, 83, 85, 87, 89 and 96. "
The motion was adopted.
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