XI LOK SABHA DEBATES, Session IV (Budget)

XI LOK SABHA DEBATES, Session IV (Budget) 
XI LOK SABHA DEBATES, Session IV (Budget) Tuesday , May 06 , 1997 / Vaisakha 15 , 1919 (Saka)

Type of Debate: BUDGET (GENERAL)
Title: Further discussion and voting on the Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Coal,Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy Sources, Ministry of Power, and Department of Atomic Energy for the year 1997-98.(Concluded) TEXT : 12.42 hrs.

MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Now, discussion and voting on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Coal for the year 1997-98. Items no. 13 to 16 to be taken up together. The time allotted for this is four hours.

The House shall now take up discussion and voting on Demand Nos. 10, 63, 70, 88 and 89 relating to the Ministry/Department of Coal, Non-conventional Energy Sources, Power and Atomic Energy, which may be discussed till 6 p.m only when the guillotine will take place.

Shri Jagdambi Prasad Yadav has tabled a cut motion to the demand for grants relating to the Ministry of Coal. He may move his cut motion. He is not present. Motion moved:

"That the respective sums not exceeding the amounts on Revenue Account and Capital Account shown in the Fourth Column of the Order Paper be granted to the President, out of the Consolidated Fund of India, to complete the sums necessary to defray the charges that will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 1998, in respect of the heads of demands entered in the Second column thereof against Demands Nos. 10, 63, 70, 88 and 89."

______________________________________________________________ _*Moved with the recommendation of the President.

Demands for Grants -Budget(General) for 1997-98 submitted to the Vote of the Lok Sabha

____________________________________________________________________________ Name of Demand Amount of Demand Amount of Demand

for Grants on Account for Grants

Voted by the House on submitted to the

March 20, 1997 vote of the House

Revenue Capital Revenue Capital

` RS. RS. RS. RS.

____________________________________________________________________________ 1 2 3 4

____________________________________________________________________________ 10 Ministry of Coal

Ministry of Coal 28,46,00,000 54,14,00,000 142,32,00,000 270,71,00,000

63. Ministry of Non

Conventional

Energy Source

Ministry of Non 37,86,00,000 19,12,00,000 189,29,00,000 95,61,00,000

Conventional

Energy Source

70. Ministry of Power

Ministry of Power 88,30,00,000 452,59,00,000 441,50,00,000 2262,94,00,000

88. Department of Atomic Energy

Atomic Energy 127,86,00,000 108,40,00,000 639,31,00,000 542,03,00,000

89.Nuclear Power

Schemes 128,65,00,000 58,53,00,000 643,24,00,000 292,67,00,000

SHRI P. NAMGYAL (LADAKH):

¸ÉÒ {ÉÒ. xÉÉ¨ÉMªÉÉ±É (±ÉqÉJÉ) : ={ÉÉvªÉÃIÉ ¨É½þÉänùªÉ, +ÉVÉ Êb÷ºEò¶ÉxÉ EòÉ ±ÉÉº]õ b÷ä ½þè, <ºÉÊ±ÉªÉä ]õÉ<Ç¨É Eòä ¤ÉÉ®úä ¨ÉäÆ JªÉÉ±É Eò®úäÆ* ¤É½þÖiÉ ºÉÉ®úä ¨Éè¨¤É®úÉäÆ xÉä +{ÉxÉä xÉÉ¨É nùä ®úJÉä ½þèÆ* ¨ÉèÆ Ê®úE´Éèº]õ Eò°üÆMÉÉ ÊEò +É{É ]õÉ<Ç¨É ¶ÉÖ¯û ºÉä ½þÒ ®úèºÊ]ÅE]õ Eò®úäÆ*

={ÉÉvªÉIÉ ¨É½þÉänùªÉ : {ÉÉ]õÒÇVÉ EòÉä ]õÉ<Ç¨É +±ÉÉ]õäb÷ ½þè* =ºÉ¨ÉäÆ {ÉÉ]õÒÇ EòÉ BEò +Énù¨ÉÒ ¤ÉÉä±Éä ªÉÉ nùºÉ ¤ÉÉä±ÉäÆ* ¨ÉèÆ iÉÉä ]õÉ<Ç¨É EòÉä +ÉMÉä xÉ½þÒÆ VÉÉxÉä nùÚÆMÉÉ*

Yes, Shri I.D. Swami.

SHRI I.D. SWAMI (KARNAL): Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, today when we take up the discussion for the Demands for Grants for the Department of Energy, it is a coincidence that this debate is being taken up immediately after the conclusion of the debate on the Demands for Grants for the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

Yesterday, when we were discussing the Demands for Grants for the Ministry of Human Resource Development, I heard the speeches of many hon. Members. They were talking on a higher plane and today we have come down from that higher plane to discussing mundane matters. Yesterday, our emphasis was for development of character; for development of infrastructure and for man-making in this country. We were reminded that physical, material and economic development has no meaning without character building. In this context, I am reminded of a couplet which would sum up the entire discussion that we had in the House yesterday and also of the spirit of the speakers:

<ºÉ nùÉè®úä iÉ®úEEòÒ Eòä +ÆnùÉVÉ ÊxÉ®úÉ±Éä ½þèÆ,

WÉ½þxÉÉäÆ ¨ÉäÆ +ÆvÉä®úä ½þèÆ, ºÉc÷EòÉäÆ {Éä =VÉÉ±Éä ½þèÆ**

Sir, this was the tenor of the speeches of the speakers yesterday. It is because everybody wanted that corruption should be eliminated; character should be built up; education curriculum should be revised and patriotism should be inculcated in the youngsters.

Unfortunately, We have again come to a stage where everybody preaches sermons to others

½þ®ú ¶ÉJºÉ ¤ÉxÉÉ ±ÉäiÉÉ ½þè <JÉ±ÉÉEò Ê¨ÉªÉÉ®ú,

+{ÉxÉä Ê±ÉB +Éè®ú +Éè®úÉäÆ Eòä Ê±ÉB +Éè®ú*

That was a sort of thing which I was able to perceive.

Today, when we are discussing the energy, when we are having a debate on power, one of the most vital infrastructural sub-sectors of energy out of the four sub-sectors, we find that even there we are lagging far behind. Till today we have no National Energy Policy. We have not been able to formulate any National Energy Policy which is the basic infrastructure for the development of industry, for industrialisation of this country and which is also a vital infrastructure for a very important basic requirement of the country, that is agriculture. In material sense, even in energy

<ºÉ nùÉè®úä iÉ®úEEòÒ Eòä +ÆnùÉVÉ ÊxÉ®úÉ±Éä ½þèÆ,

WÉ½þxÉÉäÆ ¨ÉäÆ +ÆvÉä®úä ½þèÆ ºÉc÷EòÉäÆ {Éä =VÉÉ±Éä ½þèÆ*

I find there is no ujala even on the sadak. There is darkness visible all around even in the energy sector.

It is perhaps a coincidence that our country on the one hand is going through a crisis of character, the crisis of faith, on the other hand we are faced with the crisis of energy. Even Delhites have recently experienced the energy position of our country. The overall scenario of energy sector in this country presents a very dismal picture.

There is no imperceptible or impressive growth in any of the sub-sectors of energy, namely, power generation, capacity utilization, transmission and distribution as also the development of non-conventional energy resources, atomic energy and coal. A new debate has started today morning where we find that certain people are being appointed on important posts with the result the nuclear energy business would also come in doubt. I am not going into it in detail because it is a separate subject.

There has been a decline in terms of rate of growth in power generating capacity. During the eighties, the annual increase in the generating capacity was 8.4 per cent. The new Economic Policy came into operation in 1991. Between 1991 and 1994-95 the annual rate of increase came to about five per cent. During 1995-96 it has further come down to two-three per cent and I am sure all indications suggest that this rate is not at all going to increase beyond three per cent. During 1996-97 the total additional power generating capacity in India was only 2124 MW, which is one of the lowest annual increase ever. This is inclusive of central Sector, State sector and even the private sector. The talk of development of infrastructure remains a tall talk and all biased promisees are there so far. They are hollow in content.

If we look to what happened to the Central Plan outlay of 1996-97, as against the Budget estimates of Rs.87,000 crore only Rs.77,500 crore have been spent. Sectors after sectors have found it hard to spend the money allocated to them, not on current account alone but on capital account also. There are big shortfalls in atomic energy. There are big shortfalls even in power, besides other sectors like Petroleum and various other schemes under rural development, etc. with which I am not presently concerned. Is it not shocking that an Administration that perennially complains about the shortage of funds and resources cannot manage to meet the moderate Budget targets?

Allocation in the coming year is, in many cases, lower than that of the last year. Even in nominal terms, allocation for power is Rs.6,943 crore only, that is, Rs.150 crore less than that of the last year. In real terms, if discounted for inflation, it is actually much less than that of the last year. This is the position in power sector. I am emphasising more on power because that is the most important and vital element of infrastructure.

In power sector, distribution of budgetary support from the year 1994-95 to 1997-98 indicates that budgetary allocation for thermal generation has been coming down every year. While the projected target for thermal generation for the year 1997-98 is 2385 megawatt, the budget allocation has come down to Rs.772.58 crore in the year 1997-98 from Rs.1705 crore in the year 1994-95. In 1994-95 it was Rs. 1705 crore but now the budget allocation for thermal generation has come down to Rs.772.58 crore. The likely achievement of thermal generation during the Eighth Five Year Plan has been given at 14626 megawatt against the Eighth Plan target of 20166 megawatt.

I do not find any justification in cutting down the expenditure on generation of thermal power which is a major source of generation. I fail to understand why Ministry of Power have gradually cut down budgetary allocations for transmission and distribution as well as for system improvement. It is an important sector. I would like to emphasise that without proper transmission infrastructure, power from surplus areas cannot be taken to deficit areas. We have an example in Haryana , Himachal Pradesh which is surplus in power generation. We can have power from there. But unless our transmission and distribution systems are strengthened, we cannot have the power from Himachal to Haryana and give it to the poor farmer for his agricultural production. So, it is really surprising that Ministry of Power have gradually cut down budgetary allocation even for transmission and distribution. It will be very disastrous in the days to come.

Similarly, about renovation and maintenance programme, I regret that in the two R&M programmes that were completed during the Seventh and Eighth Plan period, PLFs in the State sector are still far below the national average. The existing assets are not being utilised fully. Further more, PLF for power projects in the Eastern and North-Eastern regions is also far below the national average due to a lack of system for transmission of power.

I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that the Eighth Plan target was 30538 megawatt, whereas the achievement was as low as 16415 megawatt. Expected participation of private sector was also a delusion, only an imagination. We have been talking that private sector would be coming but no ground work was done. Nothing was done to bring in development through the private sector. That is why, we have not been able to bring any fruit as envisaged by the Government.

Similarly, planned hydel schemes have not been completed due to various reasons like delay in awarding of contracts, R&R problems etc. I also suspect that this might lead to cost and time overruns which in turn will put a huge burden on the State exchequer. I may like to add that launching of private participation cannot be there. It appears to have been done without any preparation or proper ground work. Moreover, the Government have not attempted a suitable correction even at the time of midterm appraisal of the Eighth Plan. Precisely, I would say that the Eighth Plan was a failure of anticipatory planning. It proved to be really a paper plan, only a paper tiger, if I may say so.

The Ministry of Power has projected an additional capacity of 57,000 M.W. with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 22,800 crore during the Ninth Plan period. I am afraid this may not meet the same fate of failure as was in the Eighth Plan period. So far as this country is concerned, the power sector is in a miserable position.

Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, if power crisis is to be avoided by the end of the next Five Year Plan period, the power generation capacity has to be increased by, at least, 40,000 M.W. every year out of which 30,000 M.W. will have to be through the public sector. This calls for an investment of Rs. 1,50,000 crore in five years, say about about Rs. 30,000 crore every year.

Now, let us go to the Budget allocations where the provision is made. The provision made in the Budget is less than Rs. 7,000 crore. Where will the balance amount come from? Even if a public sector undertaking like the NTPC has its own resources, the Budget leaves a gap to be made up, perhaps, by foreign investors and to my mind such an act of excessive reliance on foreign investment is also very unhealthy for the country.

Now, if we come down to rural electrifiction of which we have been boasting about, the programme relating to the rural electrification or electrification of all villages, and energisation of pumpsets have also shown a very sluggish progress in achieving the targets for the year. Even under the Kutir Jyoti Programme, the progress has been no better. I do not know about other States but I know about my State, Haryana, where about 7,000 villages were energised or electrified many years back. In spite of this, still we cannot have even domestic power during peak hours when our ladies, our sisters, and mothers have to cook food. About eighty per cent of our students live in the villages. They do not have power. They do not have energy. And they do not even have electric bulbs. Even during examinations, we find it difficult to get electricity with the result the students suffer. In spite of asking the Government again and again, and in spite of putting pressures, we have not been able to give them electric supply for even two hours. That is the story of rural electrification. I am afraid this may be the story in every State. At least I know about Haryana personally.

Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, many PSUs, like the NTPC, the PGCL, and the NHPC had been selected for disinvestment. The Ministry of Power were not even aware that the PSUs were going in for disinvestment. Their views were not at all taken. I am sorry to say that there is no coordination between the Ministry of Power and its PSUs. I fail to understand as to why the NTPC, the Powergrid, and the NHPC which are profit-making undertakings have been asked to go in for disinvestment. This is a mystery. This is about power.

So far as energy is concerned, in the power sector scenario, only darkness is visible all around. Ever since the commencement of Economic Reforms, the Government had been announcing concessions after concessions to attract foreign capital. From time to time tall claims about foreign direct investments have been made. But what is the actual position? A study that was made recently by three eminent Professors of Economics of the Florida University has shown that the Ganga has also been flowing in the reverse direction. During 1993, capital flight from India to USA alone, by way of over-invoicing, and under-invoicing by ports could have been as much as 4423 million dollars.

13.00 hrs.

This is the position about our reform period.

In the area of power, at the commencement of the Eighth Five Year Plan, the gap between the demand and supply was estimated to be about 85,000 M.W. Since resources to produce this quantum of power were not available, an Expert Committee of the Planning Commission puts the feasibility at about 45,000 M.W. Eventually, the plan provision for production of only 31,000 M.W. was made. I have already mentioned about the achievement, it is only 14,000 to 15,000 M.W.

Turning to coal, which is another important sector, the environment and subsistence control measures required in the coal sector have not been given due importance till today. The funds allocated have not been utilised in this regard. Out of Rs.75 crore for the Eighth Plan, the actual utilisation has been only Rs.22 crore. The Budget Estimate for the current financial year has been brought down to a meagre amount of Rs.5 crore only. This is the position in the coal sector. We are emphasising about giving this sector to private companies.

={ÉÉvªÉIÉ ¨É½þÉänùªÉ : +MÉ®ú +É{ÉEòÉä EòÖUô VªÉÉnùÉ ¤ÉÉä±ÉxÉÉ ½þè iÉÉä +É{É ±ÉÆSÉ +Éì´É®ú Eòä ¤ÉÉnù ¤ÉÉäÊ±ÉªÉä* +MÉ®ú +É{É SÉÉ®ú-{ÉÉÆSÉ Ê¨ÉxÉ]õ ¨ÉäÆ JÉi¨É Eò®ú nùäÆMÉä iÉÉä `öÒEò ½þè*

... (´ªÉ´ÉvÉÉxÉ)

SHRI I.D. SWAMI (KARNAL):

¸ÉÒ +É<Ç.b÷Ò.º´ÉÉ¨ÉÒ : ={ÉÉvªÉIÉ ¨É½þÉänùªÉ, ¨Éä®úä nùÉä-iÉÒxÉ {´ÉÉ<Æ]ºÉ +Éè®ú ½þèÆ*

={ÉÉvªÉIÉ ¨É½þÉänùªÉ : `öÒEò ½þè* +É{É ±ÉÆSÉ +Éì´É®ú Eòä ¤ÉÉnù ¤ÉÉäÊ±ÉªÉä*

13.01 hrs.

The Lok Sabha then adjourned for Lunch till Fourteen of the Clock.

___________

14.06 hrs.

The Lok Sabha reassembled after lunch at Six minutes

past Fourteen of the Clock.

(Mr. Deputy Speaker in the Chair)

SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN (HAJIPUR):

®úä±É ¨ÉÆjÉÒ (¸ÉÒ ®úÉ¨É Ê´É±ÉÉºÉ {ÉÉºÉ´ÉÉxÉ) : ={ÉÉvªÉIÉ VÉÒ, +vªÉIÉ VÉÒ xÉä ÊxÉnùÇä¶É ÊnùªÉÉ lÉÉ, |ÉÉ<¨É Ê¨ÉÊxÉº]õ®ú EòÒ EòÊx´ÉÊxÉBÆºÉ Eòä ¨ÉÖiÉÉÊ¤ÉEò nùÉä ¤ÉVÉä Eòä Ê±ÉB, ±ÉäÊEòxÉ ºÉnùxÉ Eòä ºÉÚSÉxÉÉlÉÇ |ÉÉ<¨É Ê¨ÉÊxÉº]õ®ú Eò±É 12 ¤ÉVÉä ºÉnùxÉ ¨ÉäÆ +ÉEò®ú º{É¹]õÒEò®úhÉ nùäÆMÉä* º{ÉÒEò®ú ºÉÉ½þ¤É EòÉä ¦ÉÒ ¨ÉèÆxÉä ¤ÉiÉÉ ÊnùªÉÉ ½þè*

SHRI SRIBALLAV PANIGRAHI (DEOGARH): Suppose at three 'o clock, the appointment could not be given.. (Interruptions)

SHRI P.R. DASMUNSI (HOWRAH): Till the Prime Minister gives any clarification, the appointment should not be allowed to be given. That was the sentiment of the House.

SHRI SRIBALLAV PANIGRAHI : Yes, otherwise what will be the net result of this? It will only be postponed.

SHRI P.R. DASMUNSI : Sir, I think that was the general feeling in the morning that the Prime Minister should come and make a statement at two o' clock.... (Interruptions) If he has not been appointed and if Prime minister will come and... (Interruptions)

SHRI SRIBALLAV PANIGRAHI :What is the point?

SHRI BANWARI LAL PUROHIT (NAGPUR):

¸ÉÒ ¤ÉxÉ´ÉÉ®úÒ ±ÉÉ±É {ÉÖ®úÉäÊ½þiÉ (xÉÉMÉ{ÉÖ®ú) : ={ÉÉvªÉIÉ VÉÒ, Eò½þÉ MÉªÉÉ lÉÉ, ºÉnùxÉ ¨ÉäÆ ½þÒ VÉÉxÉEòÉ®úÒ nùÒ MÉ<Ç lÉÒ ÊEò iÉÒxÉ ¤ÉVÉä ´Éä ºÉVVÉxÉ bªÉÚ]õÒ VÉÉä<xÉ Eò®úxÉä ´ÉÉ±Éä ½þèÆ
... (´ªÉ´ÉvÉÉxÉ)

SHRI P.R. DASMUNSI :Sir, therefore, I humbly submit to you that let the Leader of the House, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan once again convey to the Prime Minister, Shri I.K. Gujral that so far as we have understood, at three o' clock, Shri Bhabani Sengupta will take charge today. Please see that nothing is happening in this order to honour the mood of the House and the respectful submissions of the hon. Members of the House. Thereafter, after making the statement tomorrow at 12 o' clock, let this thing be decided.

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