Govt mulls BSNL, MTNL merger

PARLIAMENT QUESTIONS

Government is "carefully" considering all possibilities before deciding on the issue of merging MTNL and BSNL, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

"Considering the complexity of the issues involved in the restructing exercise, the government is carefully weighing all options before taking a decision so that interest of all the stakeholders are protected and the ultimate objectives of restructuring exercise are met," Minister of state for comunications and IT Shakeel Ahmad said in a written reply.

He said the government was considering different options for restructuring MTNL and BSNL with the objective of bringing higher synergy in their operations.

On the issue of review of various provisions of broadband policy and reconsidering Trai's earlier recommendations pertaining to local loop unbundling and fiscal incentives for broadband, he said, the suggestions were being examined.

Power generation
Government today assured the rajya sabha that least 35,000 Mw of power generation capacity would be added by the end of 10th plan in March 31, 2007. "We will be adding at least 35,000 Mw during 10th plan", Power minister P M Sayeed said during question hour.

He said at present 71 central power projects with a total cost of Rs 1,31,670 crore are under execution and of these 31 are to be completed within the Tenth plan period and remaining in the next plan.

Among the major hydel projects, Dulhasti project in J&K is expected to be completed by may, 2006 and Tehri project in Uttaranchal by March, 2006, he said. Sayeed said out of the 71 projects under execution, six projects have reported time overrun.

Jute tech mission
Government is proposing to set up a jute technology mission with an investment of Rs 355 crore, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

In a written reply, Minister of Textiles Shankersinh Vaghela said the proposal was yet to be approved by the competent authority.

NTC restructuring: The minister said government has decided to restructure ntc into a single company by merging all the nine subsidiaries with the holding company.

Bharat Nirman
World Bank funds may be used for some rural roads and water sector projects to be taken up under the UPA government's ambitious Rs 1,74,000 crore rural infrastructure programme -- Bharat Nirman.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, Minister of State for Planning M V Rajasekharan named a few rural roads, water restructuring and rural water supply works that would come under the government's flagship scheme and also fall under the World Bank's country assistance strategy, under which the foreign agency would lend funds.

The minister said the fund requirement for the mega programme would be met through a mix of budgetary support by the centre and the states, external aid, market borrowing and beneficiary contribution in some cases.

WTO paper
India has presented an "issues paper" for discussion among WTO members on service negotiations, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Replying on behalf of the commerce minister to supplementaries during question hour, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the document accorded primacy to flexibilities available under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) architecture and the negotiating guidelines and procedures adopted in the council of trade in services.

He said the paper outlined some parameters and guidelines to move forward the service negotiations.

Export rejections
India has topped the list of rejection of food and drug export consignment to the US, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry EVKS Elangovan said, the Uunited States Food and Drug Administration reported refusal of 256 cosignments in Aaugust.

On the issue of Canada banning Indian ayurvedic drugs due to reportedly high levels of heavy metals in them, he said, the government had taken up the matter with the Canadian Government.

In order to address quality issues in food products, the government has laid down standards and residue moniroting plans for various processed food items.

To another query, he said india's exports to us during the calender year 2004 were 15.5 billion dollar and us exports to india were 6.1 billion dollar.