1981.pdf

## The Parliamentary Debates Official Report

In the  hundred  and  seventeenth session  of  the     Rajya Sabha Commencing on the 16th *February,* 1981] the 27 *Magha,* 1902  *(Saka)* 

## Rajya Sabha

Monday,  the  16th  February,  1981/the 27   
Magha,   1902      *(Saka).* 
The House met at thirty-five minutes past inflationary  policies   were   vigorously pursued.    The focus of these  policies was  the      augmentation  of domestic supplies through      higher production,, better  capacity     utilisation,  improved performance of infrastructure, imports twelve of the clock, Mr. Chairman in the Chair. 

## Presidents   Address

MR. 

CHAIRMAN: 
The Secretary-
General. 

SECRETARY-GENERAL: Sir, I beg to of essential commodities  and curbing of anti-social activities which     affect domestic  supplies.  The   public  distri bution  sytem  was  strengthened,    and adequate   supplies   of   essential   com modities   were       ensured.      Selective monetary   and   credit   policy   brought monetary  expansion   under      control. The  result  has     been  a      significant slowing down of the inflationary rate from 23 per cent to 15 per cent. 

 
lay on the Table a copy (in English and Hindi) of the President's address to both the Houses of Parliament assembled together on the 16th February,   1981. 

The unprecedented drought of 1979-80 
[Text *of the President's*    Address    in English] 
Honourable  Members, It gives me great pleasure to welcome you created a very difficult situation. To avert its disastrous consequences, the Central and State Governments mounter a massive relief operation, This included the supply of foodgrains, provision of drinking water and vigorous implementation of the food for work programme. It goes to the credit of all concerned that such a gigantic task was successfully accomplished. 

In 1979-80 production of foodgrains went to this session of Parliament, the first in the year 1981. You have a heavy and important schedule of business ahead of you. Let me extend my best wishes for the successful completion of your budgetary and legislative business. 

In the thirteen months since assuming office. 

down by as much as 23 million tonnes. Production of sugarcane and oilseeds also declined. This Government devoted greater attention to agricultural production Government have gone ahead with speed and determination to repair the damage caused to the national   economy   by   three   years   of drift    and    lack    of direction.    Antiprogrammes in 1980-81. Fertilizers, pesticides and improved seeds were made available. Irrigation facilities    were augmented. 

; the import of technology. tor such production and incentives to cent per cent exportoriented units. Government have decided to set up an. Export and Import Bank to help improve  credit  availability for exports. 

These measures helped ensure substantia] increases in production of *kharif* crops like cotton, jute and sugarcane. The production of nearly 79.5 million tonnes of foodgrains during kharif was an all-time record. Prospects of the current wheat crop are promising. 

The climate for industrial investment and Other sectors of the domestic economy are also showing clear signs of recovery. The upturn in industrial activity, which started in June-July, 1980" gathered momentum in the second half of the fiscal year. As against a 0.1 per cent drop in production in June, 1980 over June, 1979, there was an increase of 10 per cent in January, 
1981 
over January, 
1980. 

Significant gains have been registered in the production of key commodities. 

Power growth has been improved. Investment limits for small scale and ancillary industries have been raised, this facility of automatic growth extended to more industries, and licensing and approval procedures streamlined. Other steps include maximisation of production and employment generation, correction of regional imbalances, strengthening of agro-based industries, and faster development, of exportoriented and import substitution industries. A 
new strategy for backward area development has also ;     been  evolved. 

Six more banks were nationalised and the generation is expected to rise by 6 per cent. 

Coal production is already about 8 per cent higher than the level achieved during the corresponding period of the last year. Railways are now operating at a higher level of efficiency and are speeding up the movement of essential commodities. National income is anticipated to increase by about 6.5 per cent during 1980-81. 

banking system was required to actively provide financial support to the implementation of the 20-Point Programme which has been activated specifically for the uplift of the weaker i     sections. 

Our economy cannot be insulated from the Government are firmly committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers. Prices of foodgrains. sugarcane, pulses, cotton, oilseeds and other commodities have been raised. Mar-i keting support in the post-harvest ' period was ensured through procurement operations. 

The policies of decontrol adopted by the impact, of external inflationary pressures. The balance of payments position continues to cause concern. The full impact of the sharp increase in oil prices since 1979 has been felt only during 1980-81. Because of this and other price increases affecting the country's essential imports, total imports registered a sharp rise from Rs. 6800 crores in 1978-79 to Rs. 8500 crores in 1979-80 and will exceed Rs. 11.000 crores in 1980-81. The trade deficit in 1980-81 is thus likely to increase considerably. 

Government are taking steps to increase previous government led to drastic reduction in the production of sugarcane and sugar. As a remedy Government enhanced the cane prices payable to farmers,, provided incentives to new factories and expansion projects, rationalised the pricing formula with due regard to f,h° needs of the weaker units and constituted a development fund.    
As a result of the exports and achieve imoort substitution to the maximum extent porsible. Measures taken to augment nn li'ction for exports include permittir ' xc:)rt production in excess of capacity, favourable     treatment    for various steps taken sugar production in the year 1980-81 increased substan- 
   tially. 

A major area of concern has been the inadequate growth of oilseeds production. Apart from intensification of oilseeds taken care of. Provision has beerr made for social services, keeping in view the needs of women and of the socially depressed and economically backward classes. It has also been ensured that the tempo of programmes relating to education, health and family planning is effectively augmented. The programme for safe drinking water in rural areas will be accelerated. 

Conscious of its commitment to equity production in about 100 selected districts of the country, two specific projects have been approved for execution during 1981-82 relating to soyabean and groundnut development. A major effort is also being made to expand summer irrigated groundnut in the command of selected irrigation projects. 

Various other measures to improve oilseeds production will also be taken. 

The economy is on the road to recovery but based growth, central assistance is being provided for the first time to the special plan for scheduled castes. The quantum of assistance for the tribal sub-plans has also been increased. 

Programmes of direct there is no room for complacency. Demands for higher .prices and incomes by various sections aggravate inflationary pressures. Such demands also lead to reduction of resources available for investment and productive benefit to the poor, which involve the transfer of assets, provision of inputs, credit, training and services, and the generation of wage employment through the National Rural Employment Programme are being undertaken. 

growth. It is thus necessary both in .the national interest as well as their own self interest, for all sections of the community to exercise restraint in demanding higher The world energy cisis highlights the need incomes and prices. 

The Sixth Plan has been formulated in for greater self-reliance on internal sources. A massive programme of oil exploration has been embarked upon which will cover both on-shore and off-shore areas. Exploi* tation of other traditional sources such as coal and nuclear energy will also be accelerated. 

To increase the availability of renewable record time, restoring a sense of dynamism to the development process. It provides for an acceleration of the various programmes and an outlay of Rs. 97.500 crores. The Plan seeks to reconcile the requirements of growth and stability, to strengthen the impulses °f modernisation, to achieve self-reliance, to reduce inequality, to generate employment and to progressively reduce poverty. 

The programme content of the new Five and other new sources of energy like solar, tidal and wind, the Government have decided to constitute a Commission for new and renewable energy sources. Government are also initiating measures for evolving a longterm energy policy to eliminate waste, to regulate energy consumption, to diversify sources of energv and expedite exploration of oil and other energy sources Government will also take steps to economise on oil consumption. 

Government are aware that optimum utilisation of our sea resources is important for our future economic development.     
Since  a  multi-discipli- 
Year Plan has been devised to adequately subserve these obiectives. Apart from the necessary provisions in the public sector plan for infrastructure sectors like coal, energy, irrigation and transport, high priority has been given to agriculture and rural development. Additional irrigation potential of about 14 
million hectares will be created during the plan period. Social forestry is being given due emphasis. Programmes for the prorjer growth of cottage, village and small industries have been adequately nary approach is required to exploit (he vast resources of the ocean,, appropriate institutional arrangements are being worked out. 

conflicts, extremists' activities, atrocities on scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, minorities and other weaker sections of society and a general tendency on the part of various interested parties to engineer In Science and Technology, the country agitations on different issues. Secessionist activities and regional movements have also aggravated the situation in some parts of the country. All these have resulted in hardship to the people and monetary loss to the nation. 

reached an important milestone in the peaceful uses of outer space with the successful launching of SLV-3 in July last from Sriharikoi-3. A 35 Kg. Rohini satellite was put into orbit. Another major step will be the launching Several administrative and legal steps 
0f the Indian National Satellite (INSAT) early in 1982. Steps to get the ground systems ready for the use of this operational satellite are well under way. The Space Profile for the decade 1980—90 ha? been approved. 

Government are fully committed to the were, therefore, taken by Government during the last year to control lawless ness and to maintain peace all over the country. The National Integration Council has been reactivated. In the recent past, improvement in the law and order situation has been noticed. It is hoped 

            that with the co-operation of citizens 
from all walks of life and of all political parties    the    situation    will 
preservation of the environment. A Department of Environment has already been created. The protection of forests against indiscriminate exploitation is sought to be achieved by making full use of the   recently   enacted legislation. 

      steadily improve. 
            The Government have exercised the 
In order to link the outlying areas to the trunk routes of Indian Airlines, Government has set up Vayudoot*' to operate feeder air services. This Company will initially operate in West Bengal and the North Eastern states and territories. It began operations on 26th January,  1981. 

The year 1981 is the International Year of utmost forbearance and made earnest efforts at  various levels to  find      an ]     early solution  to     the    problem    of , 'foreigners' in Assam.  Several rounds f     of discussions have been held with the reperesentatives  of  the  agitating  Organisations,   minorities,    tribals     and i leaders of political  parties, both      at the national and state leves. It is      a matter  of great  regret  that     despite its   conciliatory and   constructive   ap-i     proach the agitation has not been called off. The Government will, however continue their efforts  to find a solution   acceptable to  all concerned. 

        Hon'ble 
Members,, 
I 
now 
come 
to 
Disabled Persons. Government have drawn up a plan of action for its observance. This will lead to better awarness of the problems of the handictpped and also help them to make useful contribution to society. It is proposed to expand services for the physically handicapped and to take measures for their treatment, education, training, rehabilitation and  
placement. 

Economic growth and social development our relations with other countries. As we enter the eighties, we apprehened increased threats to the process of detente between the big powers. 

can flourish only in an orderly environment. 

The situation had deteriorated considerably because of communal disharmony, caste Events in Afghanistan, West Asia and growing military activities in the In dian Ocean involving the big powers have seriously affected our security environment Government are deteirj mined to continue their endeavour to strengthen the forces of tolerance and understanding.       India's commitent to peace, apart from being deep-rooted in its ethos and traditions, arises from a perception that reason rather than military force, fair play rather than economic has further strengthened our time-tested friendship. Our relations with other East European countries have also grown in volume and variety. The evolving pattern of these relations confirms our conviction in the principles of peaceful co-existence. This reinforces our belief that international peace and stability can be natured by countries with differing socio-political systems and manipulation should be the fundamentals on which the international system should be built. Consistent with this ethos Government will continue to work for the defusing of tensions and the creation of conditions in which mankind can prosper and live in peace. 

ideologies co-operating with one another. 

We were happy to host the recent meeting With the USA, we share common value and ideals. It will be our endeavour to strengthen the existing multi-faceted relationship between the two countries. We are heartened at the emergence of a new mutuality of interests with countries of Western Europe, with whom we expect to expand  
our relations in all spheres. 

of the Non-aligned Foreign Ministers in New Delhi. The relevance of the policy of nonalignment was reaffirmed and the unity and solidarity of the Movement to which we are deeply committed was consolidated at the meeting. The conclusions reached as well as the New Delhi Appeal issued by the Special .Session commemorating the 
20th 
-
annniversary of the first Summit, de-
The Government and people of India were happly to welcome in their midst, last September, the Commonwealth heads of State and government belonging to the Asian and Pacific Region. 

We had meaningful discussions with them on is> sues  of importance to us all. 

Consistent with the imperatives of history monstrated the continuiing determination of the non-aligned Countries "to make a positive contribution to world peace and progress. The Conference reitrated not only certain basic < principles 'whicjh should govern relations between States but its opposition to any form of outside interference in the internal affairs of any country. We were happy that in the final declaration of the Conference the demand for the establishment of a Zone of Peace in the Indian Ocean was reiterated. Thereby the demand of the littoral states made almost ten years ago was endorsed. 

The continuing conflict between Iran and and geography our relations with our neighbours have continued to develop in a spirit of mutual trust, advantage and good neighbourliness Government are determined to further develop and consolidate these relations on the basis of equality, reciprocity and mutual benefit so that the peoples of this sub-continent can live in peace and harmony. 

From our side, we have made it amply clear Iraq, two countries with which we have the friendliest of relations has been causing concern. We have participated in, and supported all processes which can culminate in a solution honourable to hoth countries. 

Gevernment intend to pursue these efforts in the larger causes of peace and    nonalignment. 

The exchange of visits at the highest level with the Soviet Union that we are determined to expand and strengthen the process of normalisation of relations with Pakistan set in motion by the Simla Agreement. It is our earnest hope that our neigbour will also exert the political will to pursue thig path and continue the healthy trend towards settling 
 
 
differences     
bilaterally   and i country is over the hump economically and in a spirit of mutual accommodation and reciprocity. 

Our willingness to further normalise our relations with China and to discuss all outstanding problems has been made clear repeatedly. We hope that the Chinese will demonstrate their willingness to reciprocate. 

The visit of Mr. Yasser Arafat and India's granting of full diplomatic status to the PLO mission in New Delhi was in continuance of our support to the just struggle of the people of Palestine for the attainment of their inalienable rights. 

socially. The damage caused to the national economy has been repaired to a large extent, agriculture is expected to reach record levels of production, and the law and order position is better. With unity of effort there are immense possibilities of sustained progress to build a just social and economic order. In a country as large and diverse as ours, there will always be differences of approach. To optipiise national endeavour it is necessay to strive for identity of purpose, to harmonise differing points of view in a spirit of accommodation and not to fritter away our energies in fruitless controversies and conflicts. 

The conferment of the 1979 Jawa-harlal In the present session besides dealing with the pending business, a large number of fresh legislative measures will come up for your consideration. Among these are the Export-Imports Bank Bill, 1981 and the Constitution Amendment Bill, 1981 ( for redefining the expression "tax on sale and purchase of goods" in the Constitution. 

Nehru Award for International Understanding to the hero of the freedom struggle of South Africa. Nelson Mandela, was symbolic of Indias commitment to the cause of the people of South Africa. We rejoiced in the independence of the people of Zimbabwe; we remain steadfast in our support to the cause of the freedom of Namibia. Our relations with other African countries remain close and friendlly. - 
The recent visit of the President of Mexico May I urge all sections of the House to has added a new dimension to our relations with Latin America. It is our endeavour to build further bridges of understanding and cooperation with the people of Latin and South America. 

approach the urgent and onerous tasks facing the nation in a spirit of co-operation while keeping in mind the need to serve the interests of our people. I wish you all success in your efforts. 

## Jai    Hind

The international economic situation has 
[Text of the President's Address in-
Hindi]. 

further deteriorated. The discussions relating to the Second United Nations Development Decade came to naught and the prospects for bringing about a new international economic order do not appear bright. The developing countries are in a serious predicament in regard to the availability of resources and technologies. It is only by co-operation and mutual give and take that a better future for all can be ensured. 

Hon'ble  Members,    from    what    I have outlined, it is clear that     the 

## Obituary References

MR. CHAIRMAN: I refer with profound sorrow to the passing away of Shri Arjun Arora, an ex-Member, Shri Chadalavada Venkatarao, a sitting Member and Shri M. C. Chagla, an ex-Member of this House. 

Shri Arjun Arora was born at Kanpur in 
1912 and got his education there. He took part in the freedom struggle at a very young age and suffered imprisonment ten times. He was just 14 years old when he was imprisoned for the first time for participation in the National Movement. A prominent trade unionist and a veteran labour leader, Shri Arora was closely associated with several organisations connected with the welfare 
1981