Minister of state for finance Balasaheb Vikhe Patil told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply on Tuesday that the revised scheme also envisaged rationalisation of work forece through voluntary retirement scheme and grant of reliefs and concessions by the creditors. However, he said certain essential information was still awaited from the tyre company.

Rajya Sabha
Standby generators: The government is considering a proposal to create an autonomous statutory economic regulatory authority to oversee financial practices of airports, air navigation service providers and air transport operators, civil aviation minister Sharad Yadav informed the House. In a written reply to Ghulam Nabi Azad, he said the authority would be within the overall framework of the draft civil aviation policy.

Aircraft sale: Air India has recently sold three B-747-200 aircraft and a decision for further sale of aircraft would be taken after a composite study was done, the minister told another questioner.

Tax law changes: The government has no plans to undertake comprehensive amendment to the existing tax laws, minister of state for finance Dhananjaya Kumar told the House. In reply to a question, the minister, however, said that certain steps were taken to simplify tax laws and procedures. The restructuring of the income tax department is also under consideration. The minister also stated that his ministry has not received any complaint against the income tax officials, who recently conducted raids at residences and business complexes of certain players and bookies.

Lok Sabha
Acharia for rivival of NTC: A CPM member in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday asked the government to take immediate steps for implementing revival package of National Textile Corporation mills and save hundreds of workers from being rendered jobless. Raising the issue during zero hour, Basudeb Acharia contended that government had announced a revival package for NTC mills five years back but no follow-up action had been taken.

Textiles minister Kashiram Rana informed the house that 25 NTC mills were ``fully working'' while another 53 were ``partially working''. He said for the past one year, wages to the workers were being given on time.Sail core business: In view of its unsatisfactory liquidity position, and with a view to improving long term competitiveness, Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has decided to concentrate on its core business and to separate such activities/units which are either unviable or non-core and ancillary to its main business, minister for state for steel BK Tripathy said.