Lok Sabha Debates Discussion Regarding Disapproval Of Proposed Disinvestment Of Bharat ... on 1 March, 2001 Title: Discussion regarding disapproval of proposed disinvestment of Bharat Aluminium Company Limited.(Motion Negatived) 13.53 hrs. MR. SPEAKER: Now, Item No.l6. Before Shri Rupchand Pal initiates the discussion, I would like to bring to the notice of the hon. Members that the time allotted for this discussion is five hours. Partywise also the time available is like this: Ruling party – 2 hours and 24 minutes; Indian National Congress – 1 hour and 03 minutes, CPI(M) 18 minutes, TDP l6 minutes, Samajwadi Party l4 minutes, BSP – 8 minutes, AIADMK 6 minutes, NCP – 4 minutes, RJD 4 minutes, INLD – 3 minutes, PMK 3 minutes, CPI, RSP, ABLC, AIFB, ML, RLD – 8 minutes and independents and single member parties 9 minutes. SHRI RUPCHAND PAL (HOOGLY): I think the time of the Mover is not included there. डॉ. रघुवंश प्रसाद सिंह (वैशाली): कितना खाया है जो बेचने के लिए तैयार हैं।…( व्यवधान ) MR. SPEAKER: Your disturbances are also not included. Before the discussion, the disturbances have started! श्री सोमनाथ चटर्जी (बोलपुर): खाया तो है लेकिन कितना खाया है, यह बात है।…( व्यवधान ) SHRI RUPCHAND PAL (HOOGLY): I beg to move : " That this House disapproves the proposed disinvestment of Bharat Aluminium Company Limited". While moving this motion, I would first thank you very much for your kind consideration to allow a discussion on this vital issue in the present form. Parliament has every right to look into the vital developments that are taking place involving the economic and other sovereign rights of the people of this country. The public sector undertakings have been set up by public money and it was the contribution through blood and sweat of our countrymen. This Government, with a coalition of partners having divergent principles and divergent views, have no right to sell out the valuable, promising, profitmaking public undertakings like the BALCO. There is no consensus in the Government about this sell out as has already been made public by different partners like the Telugu Desam Party and Shiv Sena. I do not know the position of Trinamool Congress, but at it appears in the Press that they have approached the concerned Ministry and maybe the hon. Prime Minister to desist from such undersell of this valued property. They may make their position clear because our earlier experience has been that they are saying one thing and ultimately to stick to power, they have been just throwing out every show of principle, which they have been publicly posing. Sir, this Parliament has been allowed today to discuss this important issue. Before I go into the details of the sell out, I am just making a mention to the policies of this Government. In the latest Economic Survey, this Government says: "The main elements of Government’s policy towards the public sector undertakings are : (1) to bring down Government equity in all nonstrategic PSUs to 26 per cent all over." We do not agree with it. The position and the viewpoints of the Left Parties and the parties like CPI(M) are well known. So, I am not going back to that issue. Then second point : "restructure and revive potentially viable PSUs. (3) close down PSUs which cannot be revived and fully protect the interests of workers. " The Government is speaking in two voices. They are saying that they will restructure and revive potentially viable PSUs. But those units which are already viable, which are profitmaking, which are giants, and which are miniratnas, are being presented on a platter to their friends. I shall come to that. Sir, the Department of Disinvestment is, at present, taking action in about 30 PSUs, subsidiaries of PSUs where Government decision for disinvestment and locating jointventure partner has been taken. We know their view points about Maruti Udyog Limited, Indian Airlines; Air India, VSNL and such other ratnas and miniratnas. About BALCO, I am coming to a Government Report. What does the Annual Report of 19992000 say? This is not manfuactured by CPI(M) or by Left Parties, or they are not media rumours. It is your own report. … (Interruptions) This was the bestachieved production in the last 13 years. The Company contributed a sum of Rs. 291.57 crore to the exchqeuor during the year which comprises as excise duty Rs. 125.13 crore. 14.00 hrs. Your private enterprises are evading tax. I can give you any number of cases. There has been a shortfall. Even yesterday the Government has admitted that they could not reach the target with regard to the indirect taxes like excise and all those things. This company has paid excise duty of Rs. 51.40 crore, turnover tax of Rs. 0.48 crore, electricity duty of Rs. 25.99 crore and royalty cess of Rs. 0.91 crore. This is the public sector undertaking. What is the track record of the company to which you a