Lok Sabha Debates Discussion On The Supplementary Demands For Grants In Respect Of Budget ... on 20 March, 2017 Sixteenth Loksabha an> Title: Discussion on the supplementary demands for grants in respect of Budget (General) for 201617. DEMANDS FOR SUPPLEMENTARY GRANTS (GENERAL), 201617 HON. SPEAKER: Motion moved: “That the respective supplementary sums not exceeding the amounts on Revenue Account and Capital Account shown in the third column of the Order Paper be granted to the President of India, out of the Consolidated Fund of India, to defray the charges that will come in course of payment during the year ending the 31st day of March, 2017, in respect of the heads of Demands entered in the second column thereof against Demand Nos. 1 to 25, 27 to 30, 32, 36 to 39, 41 to 44, 46, 48, 50 to 54, 56, 58 to 61, 67, 68, 74, 75, 77, 78 and 80 to 98 ”. DEMANDS SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL (ALAPPUZHA): Madam, hon. Minister is not here. THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL): I am here. SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL: You are here but the Supplementary Demands for Grants is somewhat important.… (Interruptions) Everything is taken for granted. HON. SPEAKER: Minister is here. What are you saying? श्री अर्जुन राम मेघवाल : अध्यक्ष महोदया, पिछले सप्ताह वित्त मंत्री जी ने अनुदानों की मांगों को पेश किया था और आज मैं सदन में हो रही चर्चा के समय उपस्थित हूं। HON. SPEAKER: Do you not recognize the Minister? SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL: Madam, definitely I recognize the Minister but we would like to hear the senior Minister. HON. SPEAKER: He is also senior. SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL: Thank you Madam for giving me an opportunity to initiate discussion on the Supplementary Demands for Grants. We have elaborately discussed the General Budget in this august House. The issues raised by the Opposition Members have not been addressed by the hon. Finance Minister. There are reports about the Government’s view on GDP growth post demonetisation. Economic experts are of the unanimous view that it will disturb our GDP growth rate. The Review of Economics and Statistics projected India’s GDP growth rate to reduce by 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent in 201617. Two weeks before, the Union Ministry released the data rejecting all the speculations and showing the GDP growth rate as 7 per cent. Is the GDP growth rate 7 per cent? We would like to know from the hon. Minister as to what magic has been done by the Government within twothree weeks for achieving 7 per cent GDP. Most of the economists are of the view that the demonetisation will hit badly the growth of the country. Now, the Government thinks that they are in a position to raise the GDP to 7 per cent. Therefore, we need a clarification from the Government on what basis they are telling all these things. I do not know if it all happened because there is an Alladin’s magic lamp with the hon. Finance Minister. Therefore, we need a clear clarification on that. The growth rate of the country is not a new thing. After 2005, once upon a time, our growth rate had become 9 per cent for three consecutive years, that is, 2005, 2006 and 2007. We know as to what was the economic situation of the country in the past also. Everything is taken for granted nowadays. The Government is saying that everything has happened within three years. How can it happen? Last week, the hon. Minister of Power talked about energy generation. Hon. Minister Shri Piyush Goyal told in the House that they have produced a lot of energy to address the energy situation in the country. How can they produce so much of energy in such a short span? It is because the UPA itself had planned for the production in the energy sector on the largest scale and it is the result of that we are seeing this energy situation nowadays. At least, you should have the wisdom to acknowledge that thing. Madam Speaker, there are a lot of issues coming in front of us during the discussion on the Supplementary Demands for Grants. I would start the discussion by pointing out some grave concern regarding MGNREGA. Last week on 16.03.2017, a question was raised regarding the Statewise details of the total amount of wages to be paid under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act during the last two years and in the current year; and the reasons for huge amount of dues; and t