MR. SPEAKER: I think Prof. Pal has made it very clear.SHRI RAJESH PILOT :I am told that Shri Somnath Chatterjee has deliberately stayed away from the House.
SHRI BASU DEB ACHARIA No, he is not well. He was in the hospital. Yesterday only he was discharged from the hospital.
None of our suggestions regarding disinvestment of the public sector undertakings, strengthening of the public sector undertakings, taxation on the dividend, opening of insurance sector, etc. have been accepted by the Finance Minister. What he has stated would help the insurance sector. He has assured on the floor of the House that he would give autonomy to LIC and GIC. I have been discussing with him. I had a number of meetings with him. There are two issues with regard to the insurance sector. One is, the employees of LIC/GIC do not have a right to collective bargaining. Previously they used to have that right. The wage revision is always imposed upon them. As is being done with the employees of the banking sector, the wage revision is being thrust upon the employees of the insurance sector. We pointed out several anomalies that are there. When the wages of the employees of the insurance sector was revised last time, there were some discriminations and anomalies.
Their take-home salary was being reduced. I was assured that what was given to the employees of the banking sector would be extended to the insurance sector also. I do not know why the Finance Minister has become so rigid in regard to the employees of the insurance sector. When he has assured that autonomy will be given, the management of LIC and GIC were asked to negotiate with the employees and their associations, and settle the pending issues. I request the Finance Minister that the right to collective bargaining, as he has assured on the floor of the House today, be given to the employees of LIC and GIC. The management should negotiate with the employees to settle the pending issues. We have expressed our reservations.
MR. SPEAKER: I think you have expressed them very eloquently.
DR. MURLI MANOHAR JOSHI :I am reminded of a small couplet of the great Urdu poet Akbar Ilahabadi.
EòÉè¨É Eòä MÉ¨É ¨ÉäÆ Êb÷xÉ®ú JÉÉiÉÒ ½þè ºÉÒ.{ÉÒ.B¨É. ½þÖEEòÉ¨É Eòä ºÉÉlÉ,
nùnùÇ +É{ÉEòÉä ¤É½þÖiÉ ½þè ¨ÉMÉ®ú +É®úÉ¨É Eòä ºÉÉlÉ*
SHRI P. CHIDAMBARAM: I have held discussions with Shri Acharia. An opportunity for a wide-ranging debate on the insurance sector is coming up when the IRA Bill will be introduced in this House. I have already written to him and to his party leader also. Let the debate come. At that time the views that I had expressed in my letter, I will articulate in the House. He has a right to say what he wants to say. The House can debate the insurance sector. I believe, Sir, that notwithstanding their ideological and philosophical reservations on the Finance Bill and the Budget, in the heart of hearts, they support the direction of the reforms that we have taken up. And I thank all sections of the House for the broad and generous support they have given me in piloting this Budget and this Finance Bill.
SHRIMATI GEETA MUKHERJEE (PANSKURA): I hope that the IRA Bill will have a different connotation when it comes.
MR. SPEAKER: The question is:
"That the Bill, as amended, be passed."
The motion was adopted.
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MR. SPEAKER: I must thank all the hon. Members very sincerely. For clause-by-clause discussion, we had earmarked two hours. For third reading, we had earmarked one hour. Out of the three hours allotted, we spent exactly 58 minutes to transact this business. Congratulations to all of you.
Since there is no more Government business before the Private Members Bills, I adjourn the House for twenty minutes, as a tea break, to meet again at 3.30 p.m.
15.09 hours
The Lok Sabha then adjourned till thirty minutes
past Fifteen of the Clock.
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