RAJYA SABHA ______SYNOPSIS OF DEBATE ______(Proceedings other than Questions and Answers) ______Wednesday, March 9, 2016/Phalguna 19, 1937 (Saka) ______

MATTERS RAISED WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE CHAIR 1. Proposed World Cultural Festival to be Organized on the Flood Plains of the River Yamuna in Delhi SHRI SHARAD YADAV: Shri Shri Ravishankar is organising a Cultural Programme on the banks of river Yamuna. There is a bird sanctuary besides it. National Green Tribunal has objected to this programme. Army has been deployed there. Government must stop it immediately. Yamuna is being destroyed. THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD): I am not against any 'Art of Living' programme. Question arises about the environment, biodiversity and ecology in this Country. The National Green Tribunal has asked the Ministry of Environment as to why no environment clearance had been taken for erecting structures on the Yamuna flood plains. Delhi Police has warned the Government of stampede and security concerns. DR. M.S. GILL: How are we going to improve river Yamuna and other rivers if we put up with all these things. How can Army be sent to Yamuna for construction for this programme. All the parties are witnessing it silently. It is obvious that structures cannot be destroyed in next two days even if they want to.

______This Synopsis is not an authoritative record of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. 121

(Several Hon’ble Members associated.) THE OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS AND THE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI), responding to the matter, said:I would like to inform the House that at the time when we are discussing the matter here, Green Tribunal is hearing the case. Whatever the programmes they are conducting, are going on completely with permission. 2. Need to take Steps to promote Sports and Training to Sportsmen in the Country Dr. SATYANARAYAN JATIYA: The provisions of the sports in schools and colleges provide good health to the students and also opportunities for the selection of talents in competitive sports. Therefore, education and health are inter related. Second thing is the selection of talented sports man for competitive sports and their training. The Union Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs need sufficient financial aid for the policy and their implementation for all- round development of sports. 3. Delay in Appointment of the Chairperson and other Members of the Law Commission SHRI MD. NADIMUL HAQUE: I would like to draw the attention of the House towards the delay in appointment of the Chairperson and other Members of the Law Commission. The active and regular functioning of the Law Commission is of utmost importance. Therefore, the aforesaid delay will have its adverse impact on the working of the Commission. I would request the Government to appoint all the Members of the Law Commission expeditiously. 4. Concern over Deaths of Persons Involved in Sewer Cleaning Work SHRI TARUN VIJAY: I want to draw the attention of the House towards the fact that the job of sanitation which is not 122 undertaken by anybody else in India is assigned to Dalits. They die while performing their duty of sanitation. Two to three dalit workers die in a day while cleaning sewers. Although, the Supreme Court has directed to give a compensation of Rupees ten lakh for each such incident, but an amount of Rupees sixty thousand only is being provided. I would like the Government to respond and to tell us as to what steps are being taken to resolve the problem. I demand that the Government must take steps and ensure that their minimum salary is at least Rs. 20,000 per month. (Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya, Shri Avinash Rai Khanna, Shri Meghraj Jain, Shrimati Bimla Kashyap Sood and Shri Ajay Sancheti associated.) 5. Reported Vandalisation of a Church and Manhandling of Congregants at Kachna Village in Raipur SHRI SHANTARAM NAIK: A group of more than 15 men allegedly vandalised a prayer hall that served as a church and manhandled the congregants inside at Kachna village on the outskirts of Raipur on Sunday. The incident happened at the time a prayer meeting was in progress. It is learnt that the men came on motorcycles and shouted slogans like "Jai Shri Ram". Those who have indulged in the act, intend to create a communal atmosphere in the Country with political motives. They broke some chairs and fans, and in the melee six people got minor injuries, two of them women.There were around 40 people inside when the group came. The police arrived on the scene and the group fled. A case against unknown persons under Sections 147, 452, 295 and 323 was registered. 6. Strike by the All India Nurses Federation DR. T. SUBBARAMI REDDY: About a week back, it was reported in various newspapers that health services in several Government hospitals were affected as nurses went on strike and mass Casual Leave to protest against the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission. This has paralysed the whole hospital services in Delhi and general public and patients were put to a lot of inconvenience. Nurses across the country are on hunger strike. They 123 have threatened to go on indefinite strike from March 15 if their demands are not met. Now, the demand of the All India Nurses Federation is that their grade pay should be increased and nursing allowance, risk allowance, night duty allowance should also be enhanced. I urge upon the to personally intervene in the matter and to strive for resolution of the issue amicably so that the general public will not be put to inconvenience due to their strike. 7. Need for Releasing of Prisoners Languishing in Jails for more than Two Decades SHRI TIRUCHI SIVA: The five-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court while modifying its earlier interim order of July, 2014, has allowed the State Governments to exercise their powers of remission to release the life convicts. Accordingly, The sentence of those seven life convicts -- Santhan, Murugan, Perarivalan, Nalini, Payas, Jayakumar and Ravichandran, who have been languishing in the prison for more than 24 years -- has been remitted by the state government of Tamil Nadu and they are to be released. The State Government has written to the Central Government for its views because Section 435 of the Criminal Procedure Code requires the State Governments to consult the Central Government. In view of that, we are expecting the views of the Central Government under Section 435 of the Cr.P.C. 8. Objection to the National Eligibility Entrance Test for Admission in Medical Colleges SHRI A. NAVANEETHAKRISHNAN: Our hon. Chief Minister has written a letter to the hon. Prime Minister raising objection to the Review Petition filed before the Supreme Court by the Central Government regarding the Entrance Examination for medical admissions. We request the Central Government to withdraw the Review Petition, and not introduce any Entrance Examination for medical admissions.

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9. Reported Hate Crimes being Committed against Gurudwaras both within and Outside the Country SHRI VIVEK GUPTA: Recently, there was an incident which occurred last week when a 44 year old man broke into the Gurudwara in United States of America. The person who committed this crime also desecrated sacred items in the Gurudwara and tried to damage the Gurudwara. Such incidents are happening within our country also. I urge the Government to take urgent steps in this direction. (Shri Md. Nadimul Haque and Shri D. Bandyopadhyay associated.) ______MOTION OF THANKS ON THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS - Contd. THE PRIME MINISTER (SHRI NARENDRA MODI), replying to the discussion, said: Many Hon'ble Members have participated in the discussion held on the President's Address. This Address has left a positive effect and this House has run very smoothly. I would specially like to thank all my colleagues from opposition for that. I would request all the Hon'ble Members to pass the motion of thanks on the President's Address unanimously, so that this good tradition continue. This House has sat late in the evening to transact the business. I believe that through the 'Question Hour' Members can ask questions to the Government on the important issues of the nation and can make the Executive accountable and this is the strength of democracy. The Supreme Court has recognised some rules made by Haryana and Rajasthan with respect to election. But, an effort is being made to politicise our effort of bringing qualitative change in the democracy. There are many giant leaders in this House, so we should do such a thing which will create such an atmosphere in all the legislatives, which can fortify democracy. Hence, I will appeal to all the Hon'ble Members to play their role in taking this country ahead by passing the bills pending here and the bills passed by the other House. We need to work at a 125 fast pace for that. We are making efforts in that direction. We have emphasised on "Good Governance", transparency is the first condition for that. The atmosphere in the country was such that people had lost faith and corruption and nepotism was prevalent. The image of India had suffered a lot globally on account of this. Transparency is necessary for restoring faith in the country. The Government should work according to the policies, our emphasis remains on this. We have earned a lot by auctioning process in coal, spectrum, FM radio etc sectors. The second aspect of good governance is accountability. All the Hon'ble Members of this House would be surprised that the big projects stalled for many years have been started and their pace is increasing. The third aspect of good governance is decentralisation that is why Government has taken important big policy steps in the direction of decentralisation. We have increased the States' right of giving environmental clearance. People can view online processes. We have put all the tender process of railways under Zonal General Manager. The other important aspect of good governance is effective delivery. Jan-Dhan-accounts have been discussed here. We must give stress on effective delivery. In order to bring transparency in the system and to remove the middlemen the targeted subsidy has been started. It is not a game of money saving .We just want to remove the shortcomings of the system. Earlier governments use to believe in creation of committees. But mere meetings are not enough for anything. One has to work hard for the things to get done. Our government has created a new ministry for skill development. Norms have been set up in this regard. Emphasis is being given on the achievement of skill initiative and consistent quality. Government has achieved tremendous success in this. International mobility is an important factor. So we must try to prepare workforce of global standard. We are giving stress on apprenticeship. Skill development is very necessary. We also have to give emphasis on manufacturing. Increase has been recorded in the sector of Electronic manufacturing. In order to give boost to employment the micro and small industries have been given tax relief. Financial help has been given to many people through '

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MUDRA Banks '.The maximum numbers of beneficiaries of this scheme belong to SC's/ ST's/OBC's categories and women. Now like big mall the small shopkeepers can also open their shops for seven days. It will create employment also. I want that that our farmers must become progressive. The soil health card scheme is very useful for farmers. This scheme can increase our production. Along with agriculture attention is being given on the sectors of fisheries, poultry, animal husbandry and milk production also. We must work according to scientific methods .Only then the production can be increased. Emphasis is being given on more production of honey. I agree that the issue of sanitation is not a new one. In the past everybody contributed for this purpose and now we also took an initiative in this regard. Now our Swachhata Abhiyan has become a public movement. After getting independence this is the first time that everybody is thinking about this. People are very positive about this Abhiyan. People of different cities are competing for this purpose. They are putting pressure on government officials also which is a good thing. They know that sanitation is base of healthy life. This programme must be considered as flagship programme of this country. Even the media is also promoting it. Sugar industry has been given an exemption of Rs. 5,800 crores. Exemption of Rs.19,120/- crores is for industries of Jammu & Kashmir, Himanchal, Uttarakhand and North-East. We should not oppose such a move. What we have inherited from you, we are trying hard to clean up this mess. Amendment No. 305 was adopted and all other amendments were withdrawn by leave of the House. The Motion of Thanks, as amended, was adopted. ______

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SHORT DURATION DISCUSSION

Prevailing Agrarian Crisis in the Country

SHRI PRAMOD TIWARI, initiating the discussion, said: This Government has been unsuccessful in almost every sector. Agriculturists have been the most affected since this Government has came into power. Most of the workers in the country come under the agriculture sector. The growth rate in agriculture sector has been decreased in comparison to the previous Government. During the tenure of this government agriculture has seen a massive deterioration. Farmers are committing suicides. The Minimum Support Price is at its lowest ebb and this is the major reason for these suicides. The Minimum Support Price should be increased. The growth in the Budget, which is being shown by this government is the growth of subsidy. Earlier, this subsidy was provided by the Finance Ministry but now it has been added to the Agriculture. This government is cheating our farmers by showing data. Farmers are not getting appropriate prices of their sugarcane. Whether there is a situation of flood or drought, the central government do not help at all. This government has inflated inflation. If diesel is made cheaper, farmers would be benefited.

SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV: The Government must provide facilities and opportunity of employment to farmers as well as opportunity to use science and technology, 'Soil Health Card' based development, development of animal husbandry and horticulture, linkage of farms to market and it also make effort to capture market through agriculture. The biggest crisis of agriculture is natural calamity. The Crop Insurance Scheme has been launched for this very purpose. Agriculture should not remain dependent only on cash crops. Farmers' crops should be value added. The Government have decided to announce 111 waterways as the National Waterways. These must be linked to the development of agriculture. Canal projects should be completed in time bound manner. The problem of drought can be sorted out by this step. Today, sugarcane farmers are also in crisis. Its

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Minimum Support Price must be taken into consideration. First time, the Government have made an effort to increase the price of pulses. The Government have made basic infrastructure to curb migration from villages. Only land owner farmers should not be taken care of rather we must take care of landless farmers also.

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SHUMSHER K. SHERIFF, Secretary-General. [email protected] ______****Supplement covering rest of the proceedings is being issued Separately.

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