LOK SABHA ___

SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES (Proceedings other than Questions & Answers) ______

Wednesday, February 7, 2018/Magha 18, 1939 (Saka) ______

*MATTERS UNDER RULE 377

1. SHRIMATI MALA RAJYALAKSHMI SHAH laid a statement

regarding need to provide civic facilities in New Tehri, Uttarakhand.

2. SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA laid a statement regarding

need to provide stoppage of Dayodaya Express (Train No. 12181/82) and

Jaipur-Indore Express (Train No. 12973/74) at Isarda Railway Station in

Tonk-Sawal Madhopur parliamentary Constituency, Rajasthan.

3. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH laid a statement regarding need to include

milk in Mid-Day-Meal Scheme.

4. DR. BHAGIRATH PRASAD laid a statement regarding cultivation of

bamboo in Chambal Region of Madhya Pradesh.

5. SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY laid a statement regarding construction

of national highway connecting NH-19, NH-28 and NH-28B in Bihar.

* Laid on the Table as directed by the Speaker. 6. SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI laid a statement regarding organ

donation in the country.

7. SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH laid a statement regarding need to send

a central team to report on pollution of rivers in Chatra parliamentary

constituency, Jharkhand and to take necessary remedial measures.

8. SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA laid a statement regarding

need to set up a Gas Filling Station of Gas Authority of Indian Limited at

Village Kheri, Tehsil Konch in Jalaun parliamentary Constituency, Uttar

Pradesh.

9. SHRI GOPAL SHETTY laid a statement regarding need to release

remaining funds to Maharashtra Government under Vidarbha Intensive

Irrigation Development Programme and also extend the fund-utilization

period upto 2019-20.

10. SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL laid a statement regarding need to

shift antique statue of Devi Rukmani from Archeological Museum at

Vidisha to Damyanti Archeological Museum, Damoh district, Madhya

Pradesh for safe custody.

11. SHRI NIHAL CHAND laid a statement regarding need to compensate

farmers whose land falls on barbed wire fencing on international border. 12. SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK laid a statement regarding need to create

Legislative Council in Madhya Pradesh.

13. SHRI AJAY NISHAD laid a statement regarding need to impress upon

Government of Bihar to conduct feasibility study of construction of

Tirhut canal phase-II and protect the interests of farmers.

14. DR. SANJAY JAISWAL laid a statement regarding honouring private

medical practioners doing free service under Pradhan Mantri Surakshit

Matritva Abhiyan.

15. COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY laid a statement regarding need to

provide alternative land to farmers of Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Barmer

districts in Rajasthan whose lands fall beyond fencing along international

border in Rajasthan.

16. SHRI R. DHRUVANARAYANA laid a statement regarding need to

establish an Integrated Bio-Centre for Horticulture Crop in

Chamarajanagar Parliamentary Constituency of Karnataka.

17. SHRI D.K. SURESH laid a statement regarding shortage of coal supply

to power plants in Karnataka.

18. SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR laid a statement regarding need to

implement recommendations of Kamlesh Chandra Committee report on

Gramin Dak Sevaks. 19. SHRI K. N. RAMACHANDRAN laid a statement regarding need to

expedite various railway works in Sriperumbudur parliamentary

Constituency of Tamil Nadu.

20. DR. KULMANI SAMAL laid a statement regarding need to name the

superfast train running between Puri and Paradip in Odisha as Adikabi

Sarala Das Superfast Express.

21. SHRI CHANDRAKANT KHAIRE laid a statement regarding need to

provide Metro rail service in Sambhajinagar in Aurangabad

parliamentary Constituency, Maharashtra.

22. SHRI BHEEMRAO B. PATIL laid a statement regarding need to

construct a flyover on National Highway 161 at Madnur in Zahirabad

parliamentary Constituency of Telangana.

23. SHRI SHAILESH KUMAR laid a statement regarding need to provide

reservation to Marariya caste of Muslim community in Bihar.

24. SHRI VIJAY KUMAR HANSDAK laid a statement regarding need to

shift headquarters of Coal India Limited from Kolkata to Jharkhand.

25. ADV. JOICE GEORGE laid a statement regarding need for early

completion of Angamaly Sabari Railway Line Project in Kerala.

MOTION OF THANKS ON THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS - CONTD.

DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN: I am grateful to my revered leader the late hon'ble Chief Minister, Puratchi Thalaivi Amma for this opportunity. It is a deep concern for our entire country about the unabated apprehensions of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu and the implication of the new Bill introduced in the

Sri Lankan Parliament with provisions to impose huge penalties on Indian

Fishermen, who engaged in legitimate fishing in their traditional fishing grounds of

Palk Bay. Foreign Fishing Vessels Bill, provides for stringent penalties against fishing in Sri Lanka. The life and livelihood of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu who fish at Palk Bay, will be left at the mercy of Sri Lankan Government.

Government of Tamil Nadu and Government of India has initiated various proactive measures to decongest the Palk Bay. This is a unilateral move of

Government of Sri Lanka. Palk Bay is the historic and traditional fishing area of

Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu. The stand of our Revered Leader Puratchi

Thalaivi Amma and the Government of Tamil Nadu to abrogate the 1974 Indo-Sri

Lankan agreement is sub-judice before the Supreme Court of India. Ministry of

External Affairs and the Indian Mission in Sri lanka must immediately and effectively register our strong protest against the new legislation of the Sri Lankan

Government and ensure that the Act is not implemented. I reiterate the decision of the Government of Tamil Nadu that there is no need to constitute a Permanent Water Disputes Tribunal to adjudicate the Inter State River Water Dispute amongst the States. The farmers of Cauvery delta lost their crop last year, 2016-17, due to deficit inflows into Mettur reservoir. After reserving the minimum needs of drinking water supply and perennial crops, Karnataka can release at least 15 TMC ft water to Tamil Nadu. I request the government to urge the State Government of

Karnataka to consider the plight of the larger number of farmers of the delta region and instruct them to release 7 TMC ft of water immediately. 850 fireworks manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu contribute 90% of the fireworks produced in the country, they provide employment to more than 8 lakh people. The Hon'ble

Supreme County of India banned manufacturing, sale and use of firework in any form, it resulted in loss of employment. The manufacturers of fireworks in Tamil

Nadu use nitrate salts for its production, which is much less polluting than chloride salts. I urge the Ministry to carryout necessary amendment and exempt the firework manufacturing industry from various provisions of the Environment

(Protection) Rules, 1986 and save livelihood of 8 lakh families dependent on firework industry. I bring it to the notice of the House about the proposed privatisation of Salem Steel which over the years has acquired global reputation for its high quality steel. The Salem Steel Plant provides employment to about 2000 persons and many ancillary and subsidiary units. The reasons for the Salem Plant's recent losses must be studied thoroughly and the Salem Steel Plant must be given a chance to improve its efficiency. I request the Central Government not to privatize the Salem Steel Plant. I request the Central Government not to close or merge (a)

Sugarcane Breeding Institute Coimbatore, (b) National Research Centre for

Banana, Tiruchirapalli and (c) Central Institute of Brackish water Aquaculture

(CIBA) Chennai, Institute with other ICAR Institutions. A dedicated naval based with helicopter landing centre and communication command centre must be set up in Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. A dedicated satellite radio channel for informing about the weather conditions to the fishermen is required. Rs. 9302 crore must be allocated to the state for relief and rehabilitation measure due to Ockhi cyclone and Rs.4047 crore for permanent flood mitigation project.

SHRI RAM TAHAL CHAUDHARY: This Government is working for upliftment of the poor and farmers, for the empowerment of the women and for providing employment to the youth. I hope that the Triple Talaq Bill will be passed soon. This Government has implemented a number of schemes for the betterment of the farmers. There is shortage of doctors and hospital beds in RIMS Hospital in my parliamentary constituency Ranchi. There is inordinate delay in the construction of Ring Road in Ranchi covering bypass road. Steps should be taken for early completion of this road. I urge upon the Government to shift the headquarters of Coal India Limited to Ranchi. The lives of women have improved with provision of free LPG connections. 1 crore 88 lakh toilets have been constructed in the country and we have got rid of the problem of open defecation.

The work of Subarnrekha Project in my parliamentary constituency is pending for decades and matters of providing compensation and employment to the displaced people are pending. The Government should pay attention towards it.

SHRI MD. BADARUDDOZA KHAN: Our economy became affected due to demonetization and the hasty implementation of GST. Lakhs of people became jobless due to imposition of these two decisions. GDP also declined due to these tax reforms. Every year lakhs of employees are retiring but those posts are not being filled for long time. In the President's Address these is no mention about the foreign policy of our country. We know the deteriorating situation in our neighbouring borders. The Address did not touch the growing incidents of attack on Muslims and dalits throughout the country. How will this Government stop the communal violence? It should be stopped.

SHRIMATI DEV VARMA: It is very heartening that the Address emphasises on large number of issues like farmers, youth and self-employment, triple talaq, women opportunities, economic growth and several other polices and programmes. Agriculture is the backbone of the country. I urge upon the government to provide succor to the farmers immediately. The promised Sabka

Sath Sabka Vikas will be hollow if farmers plight is not attended on war footing. It is also heartening that the road connectivity in the country especially in villages have increased. India's higher education is afflicted by a deep malaise. Youths have become vulnerable to various illegal activities because of unemployment. We would urge the government to solve the problem of unemployment.

SHRIMATI RANJABEN BHATT: Hon'ble Prime Minister has taken pledge to empower the poor and farmers of the country through several poor centric schemes. More than 3.30 crore women have been provided with Gas connection under 'Ujawala Yojana'. Our Prime Minister has brought in a bill is Lok

Sabha to provide dignity to Muslim women, which has also been passed in Lok

Sabha. The coverage of 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Yojana' has been increased from

161 districts to 640 districts. The Maternity Benefit Act has been amended and the provision to introduce 26 weeks of salary instead of 12 weeks have been made.

The bank accounts of around 31 crore poor people have been opened under

'Jandhan Yojana'. Loans of approximately 10 crore rupees have been sanctioned under 'Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana'. Through 'Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi

Kendras', 800 medicines are being made available to poor people at cheaper rates.

Hon'ble Prime Minister has operationalised Start up India, Stand up India, Skill

India Mission. More than 1 crore people have been made digitally literate under an ambitious rural Digital Literacy Campaign.

SHRI AJAY MISRA TENI: The works undertaken by the Government for the welfare of the poor, for doubling the income of the farmers, for taking special care in improving the quality in the fields of education and healthcare and provision of Rs. 5 lakh per annum insurance for 10 crore people are commendable.

SHRI CH. MALLA REDDY: In his Address, the hon. President has assessed the various policies being undertaken by Government in the country. He informed the commitment of the Government towards strengthening social justice and economic democracy and to usher "ease of living" for the common man but inequalities have risen in the last few years. There is a need to generate demand for toilets in the country in order to make the Swatchh Bharat Mission a success.

The proposal of holding simultaneous Assembly and general elections will ease the burden on human resources. We urge the central government to give financial assistance generously to tackle the severe drought conditions in Telangana and to take up long-term measures for drought-proofing and for our flagship programmes.

I urge the Central Government to increase the MSP to cost of production plus 50% and 1.5 times the entire cost of production including the cost of land in the entire country. Our Government in Telangana has announced cash incentive of Rs.4,000 an acre for farmers in the state. I request the central government to extend such type of support schemes to the whole nation to support our distressed farmers. I urge the central government to grant funds meant for development of national highways and road network schemes in Telangana and declare all the state highways as national Highways. For a country that has scarce and limited public resources, reservations unquentionably have important social, economic and political implications. In April, the Assembly of Telangana passed a legislation to increase quota for Muslims and STs to take overall reservation in Telangana to 62 per cent by urging the Centre to include it in the 9th Schedule as was done in case of Tamil Nadu.

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH: His Excellency, the President in his

Address has referred to various welfare schemes being implemented by the

Government for the benefit of the weaker sections, the minorities, women, senior citizens, youth and farmers. Government has introduced a Bill to ban triple talaq.

Our Government wants to turn it into law soon. Our Government has taken another important decision in the direction of empowerment of women as a result of which more than 1300 women will be going to Haj without Meharam. Pradhan

Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Fasal

Bima Yojana, Prahdan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana and Saubhagya Yojana have been introduced. The Government is taking concrete steps to double the income of the farmers. Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund has been set up. Agriculture markets are being made online. Introduction of Neem coated Urea has stopped its black marketing. Closed fertilizer factories are restarting. Bamboo has been removed from the category of tree. This will benefit the bamboo producers. The Government is undertaking the work of connecting all villages with roads on a fast pace. Government is committed to providing housing to all shelterless poor by the year 2022. Generation of solar energy has increased seven times in the last three years. Under Bharat Net Project, 2.5 lakh panchayats are being connected with broadband. The Government is very serious towards health care of the citizens. Cost of Stent for cardiac patients has been slashed by approximately 80 per cent. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Pradhan

Mantri Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana have been introduced for social security. "Khelo

India" Programme has been introduced to attract the youth towards sports and to identify and hone talented sports persons. The Government is setting up 20 institutes of eminence. Swadesh Darshan and AMRUT Schemes have been introduced to boost tourism. The Government is opening new air, water and road routes. Incidence of naxalite and maoist violence has come down with the efforts of the Government in coordination with the State Governments. Our Government has awarded One Rank One Pension to the Ex-servicemen. GST has been brought as a major tax reform. His Excellency, the President has given a suggestion to build consensus to conduct general elections and elections to assemblies simultaneously. Our Government is working for the welfare of all including dalits, minorities, youth, farmers, poor, deprived, backward and women. The

Government is working on the principle of Antyodaya. SHRI BHANU PRATAP SINGH VERMA: The Address by His

Excellency, the President is a reflection of the ideals of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya, the proponent of Ekatma Manavvaad. The Government has introduced schemes like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Digital India,

Saubhagya Yojana. Economic democracy is taking strength from Government

Schemes. Approximately 31 crore bank accounts of poor people have been opened under Jan-Dhan Yojana. Affordable and simple insurance facility is being provided to the farmers under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Toil of the farmers supported by Government policies has yielded good results in the form of more than 275 million tonne foodgrains and 300 million tonnes fruits and vegetables which is a record production. The Government is committed to doubling the income of the farmer by the year 2022. Agriculture markets are being made online. The work on 99 irrigation projects is also going on which were pending for decades. The Government is providing production bonus for pulses and oilseeds to protect the interests of the farmers. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada

Yojana has been introduced to stop wastage of agricultural produce. On one hand production of Urea has increased at the same time black marketing of Urea has stopped after starting Neem coating. Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana provides cover to lakhs of households. Loans to 10 crore entities have been sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana. Approximately, 80 lakh senior citizens are taking benefit of Atal Pension Yojana. Setting up of Pradhan Mantri

Jan Aushadhi Kendras, reducing the cost of stent by 80 per cent, introducing

Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme, creating 13000 MBBS and 7000

Post-Graduate seats and introducing the National Medical Commission Bill in Lok

Sabha are some major steps in the field of health care. More than 28 crore LED

Bulbs have been distributed under Ujala Scheme. Generation of solar power has increased more than seven times in the last three years. Electricity distribution system has been strengthened in the country. ISRO has made a record by launching 104 satellites successfully.

SHRIMATI HEMAMALINI: His Excellency, the President in his Address has quoted Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar as saying that political democracy cannot sustain without social and economic democracy. The Government is working on this spirit . Jan-Dhan Yojana and Mudra Yojana are very important schemes. The Government has introduced a Bill to make the National Commission for Backward Classes a Constitutional body. MSP of several forest produce collected by tribals have been increased. Bamboo has been removed from the category of tree. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has been enacted. The Government is working towards economic, social and educational empowerment of the minorities by way of empowerment and not by appeasement.

More than 1300 women are going to Haj without Meharam this year. This is an example of empowerment of women. Introduction of Pradhan Mantri Awas

Yojana, setting up of Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras, introduction of

Deendayal AMRUT Yojana, reducing the cost of Stent by 80% , controlling the cost of knee implants and introduction of Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis

Programme are some important works in the field of health care. The government is implementing programmes like Start-Up India, Stand-Up India, Skill India

Mission and Mudra Yojana. The Government has introduced 2 schemes namely

SANKALP and STRIVE for skill development. Modern transport facilities are being developed. Swadesh Darshan and AMRUT Yojana are the programmes to preserve and maintain our historical heritage. The Government has fixed a target to double the income the farmers and to provide housing to all by the year 2022.

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIA: The Government has introduced

Jan-Dhan Yojana under which more than 31 crore accounts have been opened.

The Government has done a lot for the welfare of farmers. The Government is committed to developing agriculture and infrastructure in the country. On one hand, our Government is introducing health schemes for the welfare of poor and middle class, on the other hand it is taking care of the interests of the small entrepreneurs. The Government has proposed to increase the Minimum Support

Price of the crops to 1.5 times the cost and a target of doubling the farm income by

2022 has been fixed. Our Government is paying a lot of attention to health care. Prices of 800 medicines have been decreased and cost of stent has been reduced by

80 per cent. Cost of treatment of the poor households upto Rs. 5 lakh per annum will be borne by the Government. 25 new medical colleges will be set up. 13000

MBBS and more than 7000 Post-Graduate seats have been sanctioned. The

Government provides for 51 lakh new houses, more than 3 lakh km roads, approximately, 2 crore toilets and 1.75 crore electricity connections. Period of maternity leave has been increased from 12 weeks to 26 weeks. Provision of

Rs.26000 crore has been made for upliftment of tribals. Eklavya Vidyalayas for the benefit of tribal students are proposed on the lines of Navodaya Vidyalayas.

Ujjwala Yojana has rid the women of pains of smoke.

SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE: I think the scheme to make the country free from open defecation has been formulated under "Swachhata Abhiyan", by keeping in view the sentiment of Social Justice and the dignity of women. We will make the country clean on the occasion of 150th Birth anniversary of Father of the

Nation Mahatma Gandhi. The decision of the Government to expand the coverage of "Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana" is to honor the women of India. It's a historic decision and proved to be a milestone to free the Muslim women from the curse of

"Triple Talaq". By opening Bank Account of 31 crore poor people under "Jan-

Dhan Yojana", is one step ahead to make the economic democracy strong in the country. The Government has taken into account the pain of farmers. To make their income double by the year 2022, is a revolutionary step. Connecting 2.5 lakh

Gram Panchayats with Broad Band is also a such step which surely take away the country on the path of progress. One Nation one Grid scheme is a progressive step in energy sector. I congratulate for implementing One Rank One Pension in letter and spirit. I whole heartedly support the motion of thanks moved on the speech of hon. President.

SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH: First Economic Survey is the witness to pave the way of progress of the country after implementation of

GST. It’s a huge proof that no voting has taken place on even a single proposal of

GST. During last 3-4 years, it has given a prestigious life to poor mothers and sisters by constructing 6 crore toilets in the country. I congratulate the Prime

Minister and the Government for implementing Ujjwala Yojana and Swachh

Bharat Yojana. The present Government not only make promises but it has will power to fulfill those promises also. I am of firm belief that India is in safe hands today.

SHRI MANSHUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA: The Government has taken such step by which the number of honest people paying tax has increased and the revenue is also increasing slowly. The gap has been narrowed to make the poor people accessible with the banking system. 31 crore Bank Account has been opened under Jan Dhan scheme till date. The Government has proposed to open Eklavya school in those localities where more than 50% of the population is tribal.

The Government has excluded Bamboo from the category of tree to promote

Bamboo industry in the country. It has been indicated in the President's speech to provide more facilities to farmers. It has also been mentioned to double the income of farmers by the year 2022. More than 82% villages of India have been connected by all weather roads, so that the villagers can go from one village to the other. With this, National Highways and waterways are also being extended through the projects like Bharatmala and Sagarmala. Prime Minister Employment

Promotion Scheme has been initiated for youth of the country. National Health

Policy has been formulate and Rashtriya Ayush Mission has also been initiated.

3000 Pradhanmantri Jan Aushadhi centres have been opened. I would like to draw the attention regarding malfunctioning of BSNL in tribal areas, while the other private operators are functioning very well. I would like to support the motion of thanks moved on the speech of the hon. President.

SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA: The Government is taking every step to develop every sector, which was the dream of Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar and who was also the architect of constitution of Independent India. The democracy of

India is becoming more powerful. So many schemes have been formulated to complete the work of 'Ek-Bharat Shrestha Bharat', "Swachh Bharat-Swastha Bharat and "One Nation One Grid", which is the slogan of our Prime Minister to connect India. The Government has taken steps to implement Pradhanmantri Jan Aushadhi

Yojana effectively by promoting Rashtriya Ayush Mission, Deen Dayal Amrit

Yojana, deduction in the price of stents for the benefit of cardiac patients so that the poor and middle class people maintain their good health. To ensure quality medical facility, education and transparency, the government has formulated a

National Medical Commission Bill. Government has also initiated intensified

Mission-Indradhanush. The Government has launched Swadesh Darshan and

Amrit Yojana by including Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat and humanity in the list of cultural heritage. To fulfill the dream of New India, the Government has invocated all to come together. Once again, I welcome the steps taken to make the foundation of New India strong.

SHRI CHHOTELAL: Today, Prime Minister has proved that he is well a wisher of the farmers. On 1st February, the Government has presented a historic

Budget. The Government will assist each family in a year in the form of medicine worth Rs. 5 lakh directly. The Government has also passed the Budget for construction of Eklavya Model Residential school. This will help the tribals educationally and they will develop also. Five crore women have been honoured under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana. By implementation of schemes like Prime

Minister Irrigation scheme, Mudra Bank Scheme, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, safety of women from triple talaq and Sukanya Samridhi Yojana etc have given the country a new direction. Every poor people will get pucca house by the year 2022.

This is not good that the opposition parties ask for proof about the surgical strike.

The government has completed its four years and not even a single case of scam has taken place.

SHRI S. R. VIJAYA KUMAR: The extremely heavy rains during the

North East Monsoon in December 2015 have caused enormous devastation to standing crops, property and public infrastructure besides loss of livelihood, loss of life and cattle. The State Government's requirement was Rs.25,912 crores. But even a year after the central team had inspected and given its report, the

Government had not provided adequate funds to Tamil Nadu. The Government of

Tamil Nadu had sought Rs. 22,573 crores from the Union Government to undertake reconstruction works in areas affected by cyclone Vardah, but no relief fund was provided. Recently, the Ockhi Cyclone has devastated the Southern parts of Tamil Nadu including Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts, but not enough relief funds were provided from Centre to Tamil Nadu. Hence, I urge the Union

Government to release a special package and funds to address the plight of farmers in Tamil Nadu at the earliest. I would also request the Hon'ble Finance Minister to release Rs.3000 crores for the development of fisheries in Tamil Nadu. I urge the

Union Government to release Rs.17,000 crores to enhance power infrastructure, to expedite the Cheyyur Ultra mega Power Project, to allocate the entire power of 2,000 MW generated out of Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4 to

Tamil Nadu and to speed up the process of establishing the inter-state green energy corridor. Therefore, I urge the Government to take up the redevelopment and modernization of railway stations at Chennai Central and Egmore in one go and also to provide much needed fillip to all the railway stations.

SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL: A unique picture of an overall development of the country has been portrayed in this President's Address. The achievements made by the Government during the last four years such as Jan-Dhan

Yojana, increase in the bank accounts, passing of Triple Talaq Bill, Swachh Bharat

Yojana, linking villages to the roads, pension facility for the aged, insurance security cover to the poor, providing loans without bank guarantee etc. have been highlighted in this address. Today, India has become the exporter of power. The work on making electricity accessible to 18000 villages is being expedited. The implementation of GST has brought about economic integration in the country and as a result of which the prices of goods have come down. It is the priority of the

Government to double the income of the farmers by 2022 and at the same time the cost of farming is also declining. The people of India feel that the country is on the fast track towards becoming a super power in the world under the stewardship of the hon. Prime Minister. SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL: Our NDA Government is going to complete its four years. The ceaseless efforts made by the Government enabled the country to scale new heights of development almost in every field during the last four years.

Our Government does not believe in the policy of appeasement but in the policy of

"Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas". Our Government has been making efforts to provide better and affordable health care facilities to the poor and middle class. The

Jandhan Yojana implemented by the Government brought 31 crore poor people into the banking system. The demonetization has not only wiped out the black money but also addressed the problems of fake currency to a great extent. All these efforts made by the Government during the last three years helped India improve its ranking from 142 to 100 in the World Bank's Ease of doing Business ranking. This has increased the credibility of the country in the global market.

Very few passenger trains are running on Samdadi-Bhildi railway route of North-

Western Railways despite the conversion from metre-gauge to broad-gauge has already been completed. Hence, keeping the problems of the passengers in view, the Bikaner-Dadar Superfast Train No. 12489/12490 should be run for all the seven days of a week on Samdadi-Bhildi route. Moreover, Jodhpur-Ahmedabad

Intercity should be reintroduced via Samdadi-Bhildi. At the same time, the stoppage of major trains like the Ashram Express and the Ahmedabad-Agra Fort

Express should be provided at Sirohi Road (Pindwada) Railway Station. Sirohi Road (Pindwada) Railway Station should be upgraded as 'B' Grade Station by virtue of the revenue generated from this station. The passenger facilities have not been enhanced so far in the Jalore district. Sanchaur is the block of this district and this area has been declared as international border area and still remains a backward area. This is still deprived of railway line and hence steps are required to be taken to provide rail connectivity to Sanchaur. Besides, a naturopathy hospital of 100 beds should be set up in the Jalore district to meet the expectations of the common people. Works have been started to link Jalore district centre to the national highway. Our Government is committed to make the highways of the country crossing free. An over-bridge has been announced to be constructed at the

Crossing No. C-48 situated on Jalore-Ahor road (NH-325) for this purpose. I would like to urge upon the Government to complete all these works in a time bound manner so that the people may be benefited as much as possible. A para- military training centre should also be established at Jalore.

SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA: At the outset, I would like to state that the people of Karnataka voted for the Congress Party to power as they were disappointed and disillusioned with the performance of the previous Bharatiya

Janata party Government. Our Congress Party came to power in 2013 with a commitment to clean and transparent administration. Several developmental and welfare measures are initiated with the objective of building a vibrant and a model State. The Congress Government had instilled confidence amongst all sections of society including the weaker sections, minorities, women and the aged. Our

Congress Government's objective is to make Karnataka a hunger-free state and eliminate malnutrition through Anna Bhagya Yojana. The Government has set a target of constructing over 12 lakh houses in 5 years at the rate of 3 lakh houses per year to make Karnataka a hut free state. The NDA Government claims that it believes and run on the principles of 'Antyodaya' and make inclusive development for all. In fact during the last three and half years the Union Government failed to fulfil the target of 'Antyodaya'. This Government has pushed crores of people into hardship as demonetization created chaos in the country. As far as employment is concerned the NDA Government found no solution for unemployment in the country. It has failed to create as many jobs as it has promised. BJP promised to create 2 crore employment opportunities every year, but it has ended with creating

2 crore unemployment every year since it assumed power at the Centre. Moreover, the crisis in education, as pointed out by the economic survey, has not been addressed adequately by this Government, or even by governments in the past.

While enrollment in schools has shown healthy signs of growth, the learning outcomes have not been satisfactory.

DR. BHARTIBEN D. SHYAL: We alongwith the entire country have been realizing that the stewardship of the hon. Prime Minister inspired by Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya ji's ideology of "Ekatma Manavvaad aur Antyodaya" is bringing about holistic change in the life of the persons standing in the last rung of the society. Under the Ujjwala Scheme 3.30 crore LPG Connections have been provided free of cost. Under the biggest financial scheme of the world namely

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana, the bank accounts of 31 crore poor people have been opened. Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana was rolled out to provide opportunities to the poor people of the country to prosper and to increase self- employment. Rs. 4 lakh crore has been disbursed without any bank guarantee for self-employment. Insurance cover has been provided to 5 crore 71 lakh farmers for rabi and kharif crops under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. One drop, more crop drive has been started under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee

Yojana. We will certainly achieve the target of doubling the income of the farmers by 2022 by introducing a large number of farmer-centric schemes. Our

Government is providing 800 types of medicines, 5200 life saving drugs through

Pradhan Mantri Jan-Aushadhi Kendra and at the same time surgical implants, stents for cardiac patients are being provided at 60% to 90% concessional rates.

Under the world's largest health scheme "Aayushman Bharat" as introduced in the current budget, 40-50 crore people of the country will avail of Rs. 5 lakh as health care assistance so that no poor could die for want of medical care. PROF. CHINTAMANI MALVIYA: In his first speech, the Prime Minister had stated that his Government would be the Government of the poor, the deprived, the farmers and the labourers and in this Address of the Hon'ble

President, all these appear in implemented form. The Modi Government has meted out justice to the Scheduled Caste category. 50 per cent loans have been given under the MUDRA Yojana for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories. The Hon'ble Prime Minister has given the biggest health scheme in the history of India for the poor making treatment available for them through health insurance of upto Rs.5 lakhs. The Government has got roads constructed in villages and has provided optical fiber network to one lakh villages. For the first time, any Government has allocated Rs.14 lakh crore of Budget for rural development. There were 18000 such villages in the country even after 70 years of

Independence where there was no access to electricity till date. However, our

Government targeted to provided electricity to every household under which free electricity connections have been provided to four crore poor families and thus the country is being led towards light from darkness. I support the Address of the

Hon'ble President.

SHRI RAHUL KASWAN: The Hon'ble President has elaborated effectively the financial achievements of the Government which have given huge relief to the common man. The Government has given an increase of more than 40 per cent in the minimum wages of the labourers. The Government has approved a comprehensive programme of the highway sector named Bharatmala.

More than 28 crore LEDs have been distributed under the Ujjwala Yojana. The

Government has strengthened the banking system and has brought more transparency in it. Fulfilling its promise of One Rank One Pension, the

Government has made a payment of more than Rs.10,000 crore outstanding to more than 20 lakh retired servicemen. The Government has formulated new national health policy in order to provide better and affordable health facility to the poor and the medium classes. The Hon'ble President gave a clarion call to all the political parties to forge consensus among themselves for simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Frequent elections add burden to human resources. The President's Address is a document reflecting the overall development of the country and it defines the Government as committed to the poor, farmers, minorities and the youth.

SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA: I welcome the Address of the

Hon'ble President. The President's Address envisages such welfare schemes on which no attention was paid during the tenure of the previous Governments. More than 3.30 crore gas connections have already been given under the Pradhan Mantri

Ujjwala Yojana. In my parliamentary Constituency of Tonk Sawai Madhopur, 3 lakh gas connections have already been given. The Government is committed to double the income of farmers by 2022 and by having neem-coated urea, the black marketing of urea has been checked 100 per cent. A new policy has been formulated for pulses as a result of which pulse production has risen by 38 per cent. The Government has got more than 93 lakh houses constructed for the poor and the homeless and the Modi Government is committed to provide houses to every poor family by 2022. In my parliamentary Constituency of Tonk Sawai

Madhopur itself, 20075 houses have been constructed under the Pradhan Mantri

Awas Yojana with a cost of Rs.300 crore. Till 2014, only 56 per cent villages were connected with roads. Now, more than 82 per cent villages have been connected with roads and most of these villages are in remote and inaccessible areas. More than 28 crore LED bulbs have been distributed under the Ujjwala Yojana so far as a result of which there have been savings of Rs.40,000 crore per annum in electricity bills.

THE PRIME MINISTER (SHRI NARENDRA MODI) replying said:

While expressing my sincere thanks to hon. President for his Address, I would like to say few things. As many as 34 hon. Members have spoken on the motion of thanks expressing their views. A meaningful discussion has taken place in this august House. President's Address does not belong to any political party. Rather, it is a reflection of people's wishes and aspirations and a testimony to the efforts being made to realize the same. President's Address should be given respect from this point of view. Opposition for the sake of opposition is not fair in politics.

Former Prime Minister Shri A.B. Vajpayee had carved out three States. If a decision is taken with visionary sagacity and without consideration of any political gains then such decisions are always smooth to implement and creation of three states in the country is a case in point. The country is today, very much recognizing it. But when the Congress Party divided the country and infested the poison in it, 125 crore people of India are feeling the pinch of it on daily basis.

The Congress government bifurcated the State of Andhra Pradesh without respecting the feelings of the people of Andhra Pradesh when the Parliament was not in order. As a result of it, this issue is smoldering even after four years.

Yesterday, I was listening to the speech of the leader of the Congress party. It sounded to me as if it was his farewell speech. I see each time the opposition criticize and harp about how things were in their time. They play the same cassette again and again. Their party divided our motherland. Still this nation supported them. In the initial three four decades, opposition was for namesake only. Media penetration was also not as sharp as today. Radio sang only their songs. When the television arrived, it was also dedicated to them only. In those times, the top position in the judiciary were filled up by the Congress party. Also, there were no

PILs and no NGOs in those times. Such an atmosphere was available for them in those days. This party ruled from Panchayat to Parliament but they wasted all their time and energy singing paeans to only one family. In those times, people had a strong desire to take the country forward. Had they discharged their duties & responsibilities with a sense of commitment and dedication then the people of this country would have taken this country to newer heights but they sang only one tune remembering only one family. This is very unfortunate that the leaders of the

Congress party always felt that this country was born on 15th August 1947. It is as if this country did not exist prior to the year 1947. I was stunned to hear yesterday that Pandit Nehru and the Congress party gave democracy to the country. When they talk about the democracy, they should remember that India had thriving democracy during Licchavi empire days. The Congress party and Pt. Nehru did not give democracy to India. The leader of the Congress party should not atleast insult the Jagat Guru Bashveshwara as he belonged to Karnataka and had given

'Anubhav Mandapam' system. Under this system all the decisions used to be arrived at democratically in the village . Women empowerment was also a focal point of this system. It was mandatory to have women representation in the House in those times. Therefore, democracy is in our genes and blood. In recently held

State elections, a leader of the Congress party had said that Shahjahan replaced

Jagangir and Aurangjeb came in the place of Shahjahan and no elections were held for the switch-overs. In their party also, he was made the President in the same fashion. Still, they talk about democracy. A former Prime Minister of Congress party descending on the airport of Hyderabad had brazenly insulted a dalit Chief

Minister of his own party who was a duly elected Chief Minister of the State. The

TDP and Shri N. T. Rama Rao were born out of the raging movement in the aftermath of this incident. The Congress party misused the Article 356 as many as

90 times to oust the state Governments of the opposition parties. Whenever the voice of conscience is heard in the democracy of the Congress party, the democracy is stifled. The nomination of Shri Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy for the post of President is a case in point. Therefore, they must not teach us the lesson of democracy. When the elections were held to elect their leader after Independence, there were about 15 Congress Committees in the country. Out of them 12 State

Committees had chosen Sardar Ballavbhai Patel as their leader and the remaining three Committees had not voted for anyone. Yet, Sardar Ballavbhai Patel was not made the leader of the Congress party. What kind of democracy it was? Had

Sardar Ballavbhai Patel been the first Prime Minister of India, the part of Kashmir would not have been in Pakistan.

During the regime of previous government only 11 KM national highway was constructed per day but today 22 KM national highway is being constructed.

In the last three years of the previous government, only 80 thousand KM roads were constructed but my government has constructed 1,20,000 km roads in only three years time. In the last three years of the previous government, about 11,000 KM rail line was laid but this government has laid as much as 21,000 KM rail lines. Likewise, in the last three years of the previous government, only 2500 KM rail lines were electrified but my government has electrified 4,300 KM rail lines in the same time period. They would still say that it was their scheme. The leader of the Congress party made a mention of Bidar-Kalburga rail line. The nation must know the facts in this regard. In fact, Bidar-Kalburga rail line project was sanctioned during A. B. Vajpayee government. But he himself was minister of railways and it was also his Parliamentary Constituency, yet work was completed only of 37 KM rail line stretch and this much of work was completed because Shri

Yedurappa was Chief Minister of the State and he had agreed to whatever was demanded by the then Ministry of Railways. But when elections came, he felt that if this rail line stretch is inaugurated, it will be good for elections. This whole project was 110 KM long but inauguration was done after completion of work on

30 KM stretch only. Our government completed the remaining work on the 73

KM stretch in such a less time. We never thought that this project lies in the

Parliamentary Constituency of the leader of the opposition. We can never commit such a sin. This area belonged to him but this project belonged to the nation and we completed it as a project of the nation. Then I inaugurated the complete project yet it is pinching him. But people of this country have already shown them their right place. I say it with pride that my government has taken prompt decisions for the longest tunnel, largest gas pipeline, largest bridge on sea and the fastest train in the country and we are taking these projects ahead in a time bound manner.

During our regime, 104 satellites were launched at one go by the ISRO. One can take a glance at the speeches delivered by the Prime Ministers of the Congress party from the rampart of the Red Fort, not a single sentence can be found in their speeches recognizing the contribution of the all previous governments in the progress of the nation. But I said it from the Red Fort that all former governments,

State Governments and people of this great country have taken this country where it is today. We have the courage to accept it openly. I would like to ask our critics of unemployment and lack of job opportunities in the country that when they quote the figures of unemployment, they present the figures of the whole country.

Therefore, if the data of unemployment is of the whole country then the data of employment should also be of the whole country. The State Governments of West

Bengal, Karnataka, Odisha and Kerala have claimed that they have given jobs to atleast one crore people in these states. Can they deny these facts emanating from the State Governments ruled by the opposition parties. All are aware that 70 lakh new names have been registered under the EPFO who are in the age bracket of 18 to 25. Is it not employment? As many as 10 crore loans have been given under the

Prime Minister MUDRA scheme and there has been no middlemen in the process of sanctioning loans to such a large number of people. This is the outcome of the work culture we are trying to create in this country. Out of these people, three crore are new entrepreneurs. Are these not the efforts made by this government to augment job opportunities in the country? But they have shut their eyes. This mentality will keep them there where they are. In the decade of 80s, dreams of

21st century were shown. But the government talking about the advent of 21st century, could not bring the aviation policy for the country. We have formulated an aviation policy wherein the unutilized airstrips lying in small towns and cities are proposed to be developed for air transportation and 16 such new airstrips have already started operations and 80 more such strips are likely to be developed.

When we won the elections, apprehensions were raised about Aadhaar that Modi will discontinue this scheme. But Modi brought it scientifically and explored many ways and means for its scientific use which they had never imagined. We have brought about the SOUBHAGYA Yojana to give free electricity connections to as many as four crore poor and middleclass families. They would again claim that the scheme providing free electricity connections existed in their government also. But as many as 18 thousand villages did not have even electricity poles and people were living in the dark and they are claiming that this scheme belong to them. We have increased the transformer capacity during the last three years. We have established a vast network of electric transmission lines for free flow of electricity from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kutch to Kamrup. UDAY scheme was launched in the year 2015 to strengthen the power distribution system.

We have extended it further by signing MoUs with States. We have stressed upon the better operational and financial management system in the electricity distribution companies. We have launched SAUBHAGYA scheme for providing electricity connection to every house. On the other hand we have saved electricity and distributed 28 crore LED bulbs. It has benefitted the middle class. We have saved the wastage of time and wastage of money with our honest efforts.

Even after 70 years of independence, there is no supply chain available for the crops produced by the farmers due to which it is perished. We launched

Pradhan Mantri Kishan Sampada Yojana in which we have stressed upon creating infrastructure so that proper maintenance of the produce of the farmers can be ensured. The government has decided to help in creating new infrastructure for supply chain. About 40 thousand crores of rupees are lost in our country for want of necessary management in the field of animal husbandry. We have aggressively started work in this field and launched Kamdhenu Yojana to look after the livestock. We intend to double the income of farmers by the year 2022. We are working to minimize the cost of production of farmers. We have decided to allow bamboo cultivation to provide employment in the agriculture sector. Earlier, the bamboo was defined as a tree which could not be harvested. The people from the north-east were not comfortable with it. We have brought bamboo under the category of grass. We want to increase the production of milk. We want to stress upon apiculture which has witnessed a growth of about 40 per cent. World today is giving more emphasis on the holistic healthcare and eco-friendly living which requires bee-wax in place of chemical wax. If our farmers engage in the apiculture their income will increase because of this bee-wax. There are several areas which can increase the farmer's income. Imposition of GST has benefitted the logistics.

It has given 60 per cent more delivery power to the transportation sector. Middle class has a major role in taking India forward. Misinformation is being spread to discourage the middle class. Middle class of our country want good governance and better system. The government is arduously working to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the middle class and for ease of living. Entry level income tax of five per cent is only available in India and in no other country of the world. In the first budget the taxable income limit was raised by Rs. 50,000 upto Rs. 2.5 lakh. In the current budget we have allowed a standard deduction of Rs. 40,000. We have also provided tax rebate for senior citizens. We have ensured that the middle class gets the benefit worth Rs. 12,000 crore annually. We have earmarked Rs. 31,000 crore for the Prime Minister's Urban Housing Scheme. For the first time in the country the government has provided relief in interest rate for the middle class people. New AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, Metro in 11 big cities and provision of more than

32 lakhs LED street lights have been made. The middle class and the upper middle class connected with the MSMEs with a turnover of upto Rs. 2,500 crores, the tax rate has been decreased from 30 per cent to 25 per cent. For the businessmen with a turnover of upto Rs. 2 crore who transact only through banks, the government will impose tax at the rate of 6 per cent in place of 8 per cent providing a benefit of

2 per cent. Under the GST, a composition scheme has been provided for the businesses having a turnover of upto Rs. 1.5 crore and the provision of a payment of just 1 per cent tax of the total turnover is the lowest in the world. More than 31 crore bank accounts have been opened for the poor people under the Jan Dhan

Yojana. We have provided a health insurance scheme for more than 80 crore poor people of the country with a premium of just 90 paise per day or Re. 1 per month.

Due to this insurance scheme, the benefit of Rs. 2,000 crore has already reached to such families. Under the UJAWALA scheme 3 crore 3 lakh women have got gas connection. Now we have decided to increase this number upto eight crore. I invite suggestions on the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. We can decide its contours with mutual consultation. Jan Dhan Yojana has given a new self-confidence to the poor people whereas Swacha Bharat Mission has developed great self-confidence in women. Ujjwala scheme has provided pollution free environment to the women. We have transferred Rs. 27,000 crores to the workers by providing them

Universal Account Number. Those who are on bail in corruption cases are not going to be spared. It is for the first time in this country that four Chief Ministers have been pronounced guilty by the judiciary and they are compelled to spend their time behind bars. It was our commitment that those who have plundered the country have to return it back. I am not going to back out from this promise. It is my article of faith. I am a fighter that is why an atmosphere of honesty has been created in the country. It is a festival of honesty. Today more people are coming forward to pay taxes because they believe that whatever money is going in the exchequer with the government will be used properly. For some people telling lies again and again has become like a fashion. I would like to inform the country through this House about the inside out of the NPA. Let the country know that these NPAs are connected with the working of the previous government who are cent per cent responsible for this. They framed such banking policies and put undue pressure on the banks. Loans were granted on the recommendations over phone and favourites got it. They are now to pay the loans back. Banks, politicians, the government and the middlemen were engaged in restructuring of the loans but the money which was taken out of the bank never came back. It was just movement of on papers and the country was being plundered. Thousands of crores of rupees were siphoned out. This matter came to our notice immediately after we came to power. If I had political motive, then I would have put this fact before the country on the very first day. But any such step would have demolished the economy of the country. The country might have plunged into a crisis like situation and it would have been difficult to wriggle out of it. Hence, I deliberately kept mum in the interest of my country. I kept on tolerating allegation levelled on me. But now we have provided necessary strength to the banks. Now is the time to reveal the truth before the country. Standing in this temple of democracy I hereby declare that we have not granted any loan in this government which might result in the NPA. The opposition is providing wrong facts that the NPA is 36 per cent. It was a wrong data and the real NPA was 82 per cent. The total loan advanced by the banks till March 2008 was Rs. 18 lakh crore which jumped upto

Rs. 52 lakh crore by March 2014. The Money belonging to the poor people of the country was plundered. Loans were given on paper with the help of the middlemen. We worked for recapitalization for four years and provided strength to the banking sector of the country. I kept on facing the lies for four years but now I am revealing the fact before the country for the first time that Rs. 52 lakh crores were plundered. The amount of the NPA which is increasing is just the interest on that very NPA. It is not the money given by our government. The country will never forgive for this sin. At some point of time, those responsible have to provide answer to the country. I feel that a politics of hit and run is being practiced these days but remember it is ultimately going to benefit us. I don't want to put any allegation but the country will determine about it. A contract for supply of gas from Qatar was signed. We renegotiated it and saved about Rs. 8 thousand crores. It puts a question mark as to how it was done earlier. A gas contract was signed by the Government of India with Australia. We negotiated with them as well and saved Rs. 4000 crore. The people of the country would seek answer. During the regime of the previous government, the LED bulb was selling for Rs. 300 to 350.

Now it is available for Rs. 40. You have to provide answer as to how it happened.

The solar power was available for Rs. 12 to 15 per unit which has now come down to Rs. 3 per unit. But I am not alleging any corruption in this but country would think about it as the truth is coming out. A wrong image of the country is being projected outside the country. When the country was fighting a battle at Doklam, the opposition leaders were talking to Chinese people. The opposition too has some responsibilities in the Parliamentary system and democracy. It is history that when Shimla agreement was being signed, Shri Atal Bihari Vajapayee had told

Indira ji that it was against the interest of the country. But we did not come out openly to damage the country. We have responsibility towards our country. When our army conducts a surgical strike then leaders in the opposition put a question mark over it. We organized a 54 nation Indo-Africa summit, BRICS summit,

FIFA under 17 world cup after this government came to power. Recently, 26 heads of states of 10 ASEAN countries were sitting together where our tri-color was being unfurled. The day this government took oath all the heads of SAARC countries attended it and its importance was never understood. The country wants to embark on the path of progress with a dream of New India which was envisaged by Mahamata Gandhi, Swami Vivekanand and our former President Pranab

Mukherjee. Let us together fulfill their resolve by discharging our responsibilities properly. Criticism is a part of democracy which should be done but it does not provide liberty to level false allegations. With these expectations I thank the hon.

Members who expressed their views on the President's Address. I request all of you to please adopt this Address unanimously.

All the amendments moved were negatived.

The Motion was adopted.

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STATUTORY RESOLUTION

Re: Approval of Notification No.25/2018- Customs

THE MINISTER OF FINANCE AND MINISTER OF CORPORATE

AFFAIRS (SHRI ARUN JAITLEY) moved that in pursuance of Section 8A(1) of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, read with Sub-section (3) of Section 7 of the said

Act, this House hereby improves of notification No.25/2018-Customs, dated 6th

February, 2018 which seeks to increase the basic customs duty (BCD) on chana (Chickpeas), falling under tariff item 07132000, of the Customs Tariff Act from 30 to 40 per cent.

The Resolution was adopted.

______

THE UNION BUDGET - 2018-2019

SHRI M. VEERAPPA MOILY initiating said: This is a federal budget but it does not reflect the federal character of the Budget. In this regard, I would request that the divisible pool should be given to the States. As far as direct taxes are concerned, this Government has put the Long-Term Capital Gains Tax. That is why there is a total collapse of the stock market. With regard to the disinvestment, the very purpose is lost. What are they doing in disinvestment? They sold the Air

India totally. But selling Air India wholly is the most detrimental thing in the country. As I already said, UPA had planned to cut down imports to 50 per cent by

2020, 70 per cent by 2025 and to empower India to become self-sufficient, totally eliminating import of crude oil by 2030. But the NDA Government has failed to take advantage of this window of opportunity. As far as Aadhaar is concerned, the

BJP opposed it totally. As far as GST is concerned, I have said that Government should send it to the Standing Committee on Finance. They did not agree. We would like to know how much is the revenue collection you expect from GST. It is full of fault. I can show how much each State is losing because of the structure of the collection. Do you think that they would be compensated? We have large spending on the MSP and National Health Support Scheme. The question is whether the Government has the money. As far as the Prime Minister Bima

Yojana is concerned, 20 per cent of the premium collected from the poor and common farmers has been misappropriated by all the private insurance companies.

As far as the MSP is concerned, we have no idea how big i tis and how it is going to be implemented. Similarly, we had a steady erosion in Defence Budget. It is now less than 1.8 per cent of GDP. Apart, there is a complete non-transparency in the Rafale deal. I urge upon the Government to come out with the White Paper with regard to the purchase of this aircraft. Now I understand as to why they are not interested in implementing Lokpal. Rafale deal will be the first complaint against the Prime Minister and this Government. The Government of India had a flagship programme known as the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and also Rastriya

Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan. But in the last four years not even a single paise has been released by the present Government for these two schemes. The other scheme is the PMGSY- Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. This Government has not released a single paise to any State, to any constituency under this programme. With regard to the rate of interest, the investment towards the private sector is down. There is no attempt in the Budget to definitely augment private investment. If there is no private investment, there is no job available. Apart there is a fiscal deficit and current account deficit. The export has also come down.

This Government create a sustainable economy? I have already said about the agriculture. I call upon the Government to establish a Statutory Farmers Income

Commission to ensure basic living income for agricultural households. According to CMIE, the value of stattled projects is equal to one trillion rupees. This shows that along with the private sector, the Government has also joined now this slow- down. All surveys and all rating agencies say that the fundamentals of the economy of our country have weakened as on today and it is a disaster for the economy of the country.

DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK: I have firmed belief that this budget is definitely going to play an important role in writing a new chapter in the field of job creation by promoting development-oriented good governance, poverty alleviation, social good governance and by bringing in positive changes in the economy. In this budget dream of prosper and better India has been envisaged by the successful implementation of various ambitious schemes. For the first time in the history of India, a system of governance has been evolved which has succeeded in creating a time bound, transparent and responsible implementation mechanism for the schemes and policies. As far as demonetization is concerned, I am of the opinion that its implementation is a revolutionary step. In the field of FDI, we have achieved number one slot in the whole world leaving behind the USA and China.

India has become a global investment hub. India was the only country in Southern

Asia and among the BRICS countries, which has been included UNDP report of best performing economy. There has been 50 per cent increase in the number of

Direct and Indirect Tax payers. Similarly, 4.2 per cent increase has been recorded in Direct Tax collection whereas Indirect Tax collection has increased by 22 per cent. After GST and demonetization, one crore one lakh new tax payers have been registered. As far as GDP is concerned or GDP growth rate has been 7.5 per cent during the last 3 years. In FDI sector, with the investment of US $60 billion, we have emerged as a largest hub in the whole world. I am of the opinion that our

Government has succeeded in keeping the inflation rate below 5 per cent. With regard to women empowerment, our Government has opened 1.26 crore accounts under Sukanya Samridhi Yojana. I feel that the bill related to triple talaq shows our respect towards. Our Government has allowed muslim women above 45 years to go for haj without male companion. More than 15 crore women have been provided with Jandhan account. In the field of aviation, road and railways, our

Government has achieved more than what was expected. Air fare for an hour journey would be capped at Rs.2500. Provision of Rs.148528 crore for Railways for the year 2018-19 is an achievement in itself. Similarly, during the year 2017-

18 target of 9000 kilometer national highway has been achieved. Under the Bharat Net Project, one lakh gram panchayats have been provided connectivity. Our

Government has a dream for healthy India and prospers India. Under the new health scheme for the first time, 50 crore people are likely to be benefited. Under this scheme annual provision of Rs.5 lakh per family has been made. Our

Government never followed the policy of appeasement with regard to minority, instead it has endeavoured for their empowerment. Similarly, Rs.2000 crore have been provided for agricultural marketing. Operation Green would be launched in our country and Rs.500 crore have been provided for this purpose. Apart from that

Rs.500 crore have been provided for the protection of environment. With regard to education, provisions have been made for setting up of IITs and NITs. In all,

Rs.85010 crore have been allotted for the education sector. Similarly, provision of

Rs.21000 crore have been made for housing sector. Moreover, defence budget has been allotted 12.10 per cent of the total budgetary amount. Under the Jandhan

Yojana, 30 crore new accounts have been opened. Under the Pradhan Mantri Bima

Suraksha Yojana, more than 10-12 crore people are being benefitted directly.

Under the Ujjwala Yojana, 3-2 crore women have been provided free gas connection. I would like to thank the Government for sanctioning Rs.16713 crore for Nawami Ganga Programme under Swach Bharat Mission. I would also like to urge upon that an International Yoga and Ayurveda Institute should be set up in Rishikesh in Uttarakhand. Apart, I would also like to request that an international research institute for farmers should be set up in Haridwar.

SHRI S.R. VIJAYA KUMAR: The decision of the Government to bring out industry-friendly Defence Production Policy 2018 and the proposal of development of two defence industrial production corridors is a welcome initiative.

Tamil Nadu should be given priority in defence production projects. Similarly,

PM MUDRA Yojana is welcome, but it should be disbursed among the real beneficiaries. The allocation for Railways in 2018-19 is not sufficient for the completion of many long-pending projects and could escalate their total cost further. The decision to divest 24 public sector units with a target of Rs.80,000 crore needs introspection. Prestigious units like Salem Steel Plant and NLC India should not be disinvested at any point of time. As far as the health sector is concerned. The decision to start 24 new Government medical college and hospitals is welcome. The emphasis on agriculture and enhancing farmers' income are welcome features of the Budget. However, the FM did not highlight the acute drought situation which has affected agriculture in the Southern part of the country, in particular Tamil Nadu. I urge the Union Finance Minister to ensure that the

Commercial Banks in particular lend more. We expect that the Government would be able to ensure timely and adequate release of pending funds to Tamil

Nadu in the area of Education. The Union Government should ensure that national level testing is not imposed or forced on States like Tamil Nadu. If medical seats are taken away by students of other States through NEET, it will create non- availability of doctors and medical services particularly in rural areas of Tamil

Nadu. Hence, I urge the Union Government to take up any such reforms only after adequate consultation with the State Governments and all stake holders. Union

Government to provide all necessary clearances to the expansion. The Union

Government should take up the redevelopment and modernization of railway stations at Chennai Central and Egmore in one go. I urge the Union Government to consider in this Budget the genuine demands of the Government of Tamil Nadu to immediately release an adequate relief grant to Tamil Nadu, devastated by two back-to-back calamities in the year 2015 and 2016.

SHRI IDRIS ALI: In the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana, Central

Government is not providing interest free loan to set up a business or securing higher education. Question is whether Government proposes for TAX free income for the senior citizens of age over 70 years and raise the limit of 15 lakhs?

Whether Government proposes to amend Post Office Monthly Income Account

Rules, 1987 to raise the maximum deposits upto 20 lakhs for single and 50 lakhs for joint account? Senior citizens are not able to get Aadhaar Card due to hazy and indistinct finger prints and smoky eyes. People aged above 70 years may be kept out of the Aadhaar compulsion. There is a need of interest free loan to dalits, BPL and minority people and they should also be free from any legal fees in any court of the country. Need to take all employees and pensioners of Central Government,

Autonomous bodies, subordinate offices under one umbrella of Health Service and cashless medical coverage should be provided through Smart Card.

SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA: This Budget will bring laurel to the country and put it on the path of development. Introduction of insurance scheme for 10 crore families with a coverage upto Rs.5 lakh is the biggest and most important health scheme in the whole world. Introduction of bamboo mission for the poor tribal people of the country will provide India an opportunity to showcase its bamboo products in the world market. Setting up of an institute in Vadodara for imparting training to the required manpower for the high speed railway project,

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train project will provide the youth of the country income alongwith the training itself. A number of concrete steps have been taken in this budget for strengthening the Indian economy for which I heartily thank the

Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Finance Minister.

SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIA: The General Budget 2018-19 will also carry forward the growth story of India like the previous budgets. Special attention has been paid to the welfare of the farmers. The Government has taken a historic decision to make the MSP of the crops 1.5 times of the production cost which is the most significant step towards achieving the goal of doubling the income of the farmers by 2022. Tax relief to the companies associated with agricultural processing alongwith agricultural production will lead to generation of employment in the agriculture sector on a large scale. Provision has been made for

Kisan credit cards even for animal husbandry and fisheries. The Government has made a provision for health insurance upto Rs.5 lakh for 10 crore poor families in the country under the Ayushman Bharat which will provide better health to approximately 50 crore people in the country. Provision has been made to set up

Eklavya model residential schools in each of the tribal areas by 2022. Setting up of a Railway University in Vadodara will generate employment in the railway sector alongwith the railway safety. Special attention has been given for rural development in this budget. An allocation of Rs.14.34 lakh crore has been made for strengthening of infrastructure in villages. About 115 districts, which have lagged behind in development, will be developed as model districts. Electrification of all houses has been targeted by 2022 under the Pradhan Mantri Saubhagya

Yojana. Allocation for Railways has been increased by Rs.20,000 crore in comparison to the previous year. Allocation of Rs.6 lakh crore has been made for the infrastructural development. Mudra Yojana will facilitate employment generation and women, OBC, SC and ST communities will be benefited in particular. This budget will prove to be a milestone in the development of India in the coming days. SHRI RAMESHWAR TELI: The Budget aims at welfare of the farmers, the workers, the poor, the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes, women and other vulnerable sections of our society. The Government's desire to make the country prosperous has been clearly reflected in this year's budget as it has proposed to develop all the sectors including railways, industry, health, trade and commerce, defence, science and technology, markets, finance and insurance and aviation. Under the National Health Protection Scheme, a provision has been made for a health insurance cover of Rs.5 lakhs a family per annum. The scheme will cover 10 crore vulnerable families with approximately 50 crore beneficiaries.

Railway is the lifeline of our country. Proposal to develop railway infrastructure in the country will usher in a new era in the history of Indian Railways. Setting up a

Railway University in Vadodara, Gujarat is a laudable step. I belong to Assam and

I am really very happy that in this year's budget Hon. Finance Minister has given considerable attention to the development of the North East which is the world's biggest bamboo producer. A thrust on bamboo cultivation will have significant socio-economic ramifications for the North East that has 45 per cent of the global bamboo reserves. This budget is a very pragmatic and people friendly budget that will benefit every section of the society.

PROF. SAUGATA ROY: This Budget should have covered the issues of

Andhra Pradesh. Trinamool Congress had opposed the division of Andhra Pradesh. Budget speech is silent about inflation which may cross 5.2 per cent.

Actually investments have declined in the country and that is the root of all problems. The budget has seen a disappointing cut in the outlays of major schemes and MNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, National Drinking Water Mission,

Swachh Bharat Mission, National Health Mission, Mid-Day-Meal scheme etc. will get constant or reduced outlays. Under Mudra scheme which is talked about the average Mudra loan is Rs.43,000. This is tokenism and this will not create a single job. The budget did not provide for any tax relief to average tax payer. The big disappointments in the budget are the fiscal deficit and exports which are very bad.

The Budget proposals should have been radical and bold and backed by adequate provisions of funds. This is a very small Budget. Only 12.9 per cent of GDP as compared to 13 per cent last year. With smaller Budget we cannot have higher growth. Devolution to State Governments has not really occurred. The total outlay on agriculture is to go up only 12 per cent. There is no change in share of the total expenditure. Spending on rural development is to increase only by three per cent.

The allocation to Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana will decrease by Rs.2000 crore. In this situation, how will you build houses? There is no increase in the allocation for

Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana either. By this way, how will rural areas progress? The National Health Protection Scheme will cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable families with coverage of upto Rs.5 lakh. But there is no budgetary allocation for this scheme. Proper implementation of the scheme would cost at least Rs.60,000 crore. From where will the money come? Spending on education is falling. Government is talking of digitization. First, let the mobile phones work properly all over the country. One good thing about the Budget is they have given increased allocation for food processing. With these words, I say that this is a very disappointing Budget.

SHRI JOSE K. MANI: The Government's main announcement of providing minimum support prices (MSP) at least 50% over the input cost seems a sleight of hand. Lack of details on the mechanism to be used to compensate farmers when prices fall below MSP further makes the plan hazy. The budgetary provisions and allocations seem grossly inadequate to meet the targets set under the national health Policy, 2017. The allocation of the National Health Mission has been reduced by 2.1 per cent. I do welcome the government's plan of providing health insurance of Rs. 5 lakh per year annual cover to 10 crore households. The

Government have not made a single pie as allocation. I hope the government would devise policies focusing on improving the learning outcomes of the students in both rural and urban areas. The only major announcement for women is the deduction in the EPF contribution of women employees during their period of initial employment. Under the Ujjwala Scheme for LPG connection, after the first free cylinder, the poor households find it difficult to buy refill. The Government has consistently sidelined the interests of rubber farmers who are reeling under distress due to fallen prices of natural rubber. The Government has not given any major thrust to the railway development in the State of Kerala with the allocation to the Thiruvananthapuram and Pallakad railway division being meager Rs.923 crore compared to Rs.1206 crore last year. The doubling work via Kottayam has been given only Rs.82 crore.

SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY: This Budget is for the progress of farmers, rural areas, senior citizens, adivasis as well as for social and economic progress of the common man, business man and the traders. The budget has the provision to provide 50 per cent additional benefit to the farmers for their cost of production. The Government will convert 22 thousand Haats into agricultural market and 2000 crores have been provided for the establishment of agricultural

Haats. My request to the Government is to make arrangements for adequate godowns for the farmers. The Government has increased the credit to the farmers from 10 lakh crore to Rs. 11 lakh crores. Additionally, Rs.10,000 crores have been earmarked pisciculture and animal husbandry. There is a provision of Rs. 1 lakh crore for education. Also 13 lakh teachers will be trained. Areas with 50 per cent adivasi population will have Eklavya Schools with hostel facilities. Under the

Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme 10 crore families i.e. 50 crore persons would be insured Rs. 5 lakh for free treatment. The Government has provided Rs.600 crore so that each poor TB patient will get Rs.500 per month for nutritious food. Under the new Saubhagya Yojana Rs.16000 crores have been provided to give electricity connections to 4 crore families as well as to provide LPG connections to 8 crore poor people. Under MUDRA Scheme Rs.3 lakh crore have been allocated for self-employment and employment generation to remove unemployment. Apart from this 70 lakh persons would get employment.

SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA: Farmers have been neglected for the past 6 decades. I appreciate the government for taking cognizance of this situation and providing them with relief. The agricultural credit that is extended is proposed at Rs.11 lakh crore. National Health Protection Scheme which is supposed to cover 10 crore poor families, with a coverage upto Rs. Five lakh per family is a historical move. 14.3 lakh crore is to be spent on livelihood and infrastructure in the rural areas. I request the union government to select the backward districts in Andhra Pradesh. The decision to provide full waiver for startups for a period of 3 years is certainly a welcome step. I would also request the government to provide more funds in encouraging women entrepreneurship.

Coming to the State of Andhra Pradesh, allocations made to the education institutions like the IITs and the tribal university is meager. I am seriously concerned why there is an undue delay in the formation of railway zone which is an assurance by the AP Reorganisation Act. The establishment of Kadapa steel plant, Duggarajupatnam Port, industrial corridor from Visakhapatnam to Chennai and legal sanctity to special package that has been announced has no mention in the union budget. The Polavaram project which is a national project has also no mention. Tribals who are displaced due to Polavaram Project are endlessly waiting for the R & R package. I also request you to kindly appoint a central task force to look into the needs of AP. With these few words, I support the Union Budget

2018-2019.

SHRI TATHAGATA SATPATHY: The way Andhra Pradesh has been neglected by this Government, our empathies are with the people of Andhra

Pradesh. This year's budget focuses on agriculture, rural economy, health, especially for senior citizens. They speak about rural India; they speak about agriculture, but their whole action goes contrary to what they speak. I wonder how do people in the rural areas of Bengal, of Odisha, of Andhra Pradesh, of Tamil

Nadu, of Chhattisgarh, of Jharkhand benefit from any bullet train. In all these four and half years, have they accepted a single idea, a single amendment, a single suggestion from the non-ruling parties? They have deprived by State in many ways. My State alone gives around Rs. 17,000 crore to Rs.18,000 crore annually just with Railways - carriage, carrying of iron ore, chrome, coal and so many minerals. Unfortunately, nothing has been earmarked for Odisha. We had asked for a meager sum of Rs.6000 crore. The people of Odisha are blessed by Lord Jagannath. Our Chief Minister had made some demands long before the Budget but nothing was granted. Can the lessee farmer get insurance, credit facilities? We give a meager sum of Rs.2,800 crore or Rs.3,000 crore to develop robotics. When

900 aircrafts come in, how many of our farmers will be flying in those aircrafts?

This country needs good bus stands. Metros do not have sidewalks. People need safe roads. Most of the MSMEs operating on their own steam and without virtually any Governmental help are dead or terminally ill already. Today it was said that only 10 per cent of jobs are formal; 90 per cent are informal. What have you done with your demonetization and you GST? You have killed that 90 per cent. It is good to focus on the aged and the unhealthy. What facilities are we giving to schools, to colleges? The allocation for the National Rural Health

Mission for 2018-19 has been brought down to Rs.24,279 crore compared to

Rs.25,450 crore during 2017-18. Long term credit gains tax (LTCG) has been imposed - markets tank. They are using the Government position to benefit a few friends. My state, my people of Odisha, my party BJD, we vehemently oppose this

Budget. It is not pro-poor, it is not pro-people, this is a confused Budget, aimed at only encouraging the rich to become richer. The country belongs to the people, the country does not belong to any political party.

DR. P. K. BIJU: The Union Budget 2018-19 is neither a pro-farmer nor a pro-poor budget. The expenditure on agriculture and rural development, as percentage of GDP, is reduced from 1.15 per cent to 1.08 per cent. The sector's growth has fallen from 4.9 per cent in Financial Year 2016-17 to 2.1 per cent in

2017-18. The budget is silent on the plunging price of agricultural products.

Regarding the proposed 1.5 times of the cost of cultivation as Minimum Support

Price (MSP), the very calculation of the cost of cultivation was wrong. So, it doesn't help in the increase of actual MSP. Morover, there is no increase in one of the major rural employment generation schemes, the MNREGA. The Finance

Minister also reduced the allocation for the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.

Thousands of farmers commit suicide due to the falling prices and shrinking subsidies. Finance Minister has also proposed treating education holistically without segmentation from pre-nursery to Class 12. This could only be possible by extending the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 up to the higher secondary level. The mega health insurance scheme announced in Budget 2018 is largely geared towards the corporate healthcare industry's interests. On some key components, especially the National Health Mission (NHM), there is a decline in allocations. India is home to over 18 million unemployed people. In the election campaign four years ago BJP had promised 10 million jobs during its tenure. But only about 823,000 jobs had been created in the country till October last year.

Despite the much trumpeted Make-in-India political slogan, still for medical and electronics we depend on import for 90 per cent of the country's needs. This Budget is anti-SC/ST and Women. The allocation for ICDS this year is grossly inadequate to even cover the increased cost norms for the supplementary nutrition declared by the Ministry in September, 2017. The decision of Government to allow 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment in such strategic sectors of our economy like defense, railways, telecom, civil aviation, satellites, power, petroleum, mining, coal etc. is nothing but anti-national in character. Inflation is another challenge that the Government could not handle with. All the banks are under debt crisis due to the Non Performing Assets. Some of the country's biggest banks are reporting losses. Kerala has been a historically neglected region for railway. The long-standing demand of the state for more trains from important cities, a separate railway zone, track doubling and electrification, development of adarsh stations at Mulamkunnathukavu, Vallatholnagar and Vadakkancherry has not been met. The demand for Railway Over Bridges, at Kollengode - Oottara,

Muthalamada under Palakkadu division, Enkekkadu, Pottore, Akarnala,

Mulloorkkara under Thiruvananthapuram division, Subway at Peruvambu are also neglected. The newly gauge converted Palakkadu - Pollachi route is not beneficial to the people due to lack of stops. Currently the fall in price of rubber from rupees

260 per KG to rupees 100 has created an unprecedented economic situation in

Kerala. Declaration of Minimum Support Price for cash crops is the only way out to save the farmers from committing suicides. In the health care sector, there is a long pending demand to upgrade the Thrissur medical college into a Cancer

Centre. Establishing a medical college at Vadakkancherry would be beneficial to the people of three districts such as Thrissur, Palakkadu and Malapuram.

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO: The Budget has failed to fulfill the expectations of the middle class. Cess has been hiked and the exemption limit for income tax has not been revised. Reduction in the Corporate Tax for companies is a welcome step. However, LLP, partnership firms, proprietors,

Association of persons and Body of Individuals should not have been discriminated. The Government will have some concerns for the fiscal deficit target for the next year. The Budget has fallen short in allocation of resources towards Indian Defence. India will be number one in seven years in the world in terms of population. By 2040 or so, India's demographic dividend will be conclusively over. So, if India wants to use its global competitive advantage, it has around 20 years to do this. Tax on Long Term Capital Gain on shares is not a step in the right direction. A small increase in Securities Transaction Tax (STT) would have garnered more revenue. Some stimulus measures should have been provided in the Budget to reactivate the real estate industry. Import duty on gold should be reduced. GST on service sector is extremely high. GST rates for LCD displays,

LCD panels and LED TVs should be reduced to 5 per cent or 12 per cent at the most. I would request the hon. Finance Minister to make some provision for Pune- Nasik and kalian to Nagar railway projects. Providing Minimum Support Price to the tune of 1.5 times the cost of produce to farmers and the formation of national health Protection Scheme are welcome policy decisions but I would urge upon the

Government and the relevant Ministry to look into delivery of the services as promised.

SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM: The Budget aims to strengthen Agriculture development, health, education, employment, MSME and infrastructure sectors.

The structural reforms will push India among the fastest economies of the world.

Two new funds of Rs. 10,000 crore has been announced for Fisheries and Animal

Husbandry sectors and Rs. 5.97 lakh crore have been allocated for infrastructure.

Disinvestment has been increased. Loan for Self Help Group Women has increased to Rs. 75,000 crore.Textile Sector has been allotted Rs. 7148 crore.

No major changes have introduced in income tax. Customs duty on various products like mobile phones has been increased to 20 per cent and prices of television have been increased by 15 per cent.

SHRI JAYADEV GALLA: In the Budget, there is no mention of

Amaravati, Polavaram, Railway Zone, Deficit Budget, Special Package and other commitments made in the AP Reorganization Act to compensate the State after bifurcation. The promises were made regarding establishment of Greenfield Crude

Refinery, Petrochemical Complex, Steel Plant in Kadapa District, Dugarajapatnam Port at Nellore and setting up Institutes of National Importance and establishment of Vizag -Chennai Industrial Corridor. There was also a proposal to increase the number of seats in A.P. State Assembly. Assurances were made to provide Rapid

Road and Rail Connectivity to Amravati. Besides, assurance was given to provide assistance to Backward Districts and appointment of Schedule-IX and X institutions. Not allocating any Special Financial Package to Andhra Pradesh in this Budget is injustice to the people of Andhra Pradesh.

I demand that immediately release the Special Financial Package to legitimize the announcements made by the hon. Finance Minister. Special

Development Package should be given for seven backward districts of

Rayalaseema and North Coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh on the lines of KBK and Bundelkhand. Provisional estimates indicate requirement of Rs. 1.2 lakh crore for construction of the new capital Amaravati including the Raj Bhawan,

Secretariat, High Court, Legislative Assembly and Council. Its estimated cost is around Rs. 42,935 crore over the next five year, but in the last three years, the State has been provided Rs. 500 crore in 2014-15, Rs. 550 crore in 2015-16 and Rs. 450 crore in 2016-17. I request the Finance minister to release Rs. 10,000 crore annually for this purpose. AIIMS at Amaravati was announced which is in my

Parliamentary Constituency but so far not even a single penny has been allocated. I request that the minimum requirements contained in this Act should be fulfilled. SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY: I demand that promise made to

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governments at the time of bifurcation should be honoured. The biggest announcement made in the budget for agriculture sector is the extension of MSP for the kharif crop to one-and-a-half times of the production cost but no particular allocation has been made for it. In Telangana, the State

Government has initiated to provide input grant and free round-the-clock electricity to farmers. I request the Government to work out a proper mechanism for calculating MSP. In Telangana there has been bumper crop of red gram and farmers are on the roads for providing MSP for it. I demand that appropriate allocation should be given for agriculture sector.

The allocation for Health Sector at one per cent of the GDP is amongst the lowest in the world. There is a huge gap between the allocation to urban and rural healthcare. The budgetary allocation for primary healthcare has been reduced by two per cent. No allocation has been made against the promise to establish an

AIIMs in Telangana.

There is proposal to strengthen the quality of education through digitalisation and improving digital technology. But allocation for e-learning has gone down from Rs. 518 crores of last year to Rs. 456 crores. The shortage of teachers is a serious issue. Allocation for the Madan Mohan Malviya National

Mission for Teachers Training has remained stagnant. The allocation to IITs and IIMs has reduced. The Government should allocate appropriate funds for higher institutions of learning.

Improvement in infrastructure of courts and their upgradation should be taken up urgently and the budgetary allocation for it should be made accordingly.

The Revised Budgetary allocation for MNREGA should be released. The increase in the exemption of interest income on bank deposits for senior citizens is a welcome step. I would suggest the Government not to impose income tax on pensions.

SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN: The Government claims that there is better growth rate, and inflation and deficit are under control. The Economic Survey also made it clear that this growth rate is based on the market conditions of foreign countries with regard to exports. There is a better demand, the exports from the nation may increase. This is also a prediction which we cannot rely . Again the

Economic Survey says that the non-tax revenue is not at a satisfactory level.

Keeping all these issues in mind, we cannot say we will reach 6.5 per cent. There is no proper extended crop loan facility in this Budget allocation. What the farmers really need is immediate relief. They need writing off of loans. The Government is not doing that. The very amobitious scheme in this Budget is the health insurance to 10 crore families, But there is no proper allocation here. Unemployment is the burning issue now. The Government promised that it will give two crore jobs to the youth every year. The Government has failed to provide employment to the youth.

People are retrenched from the existing jobs as a result of disinvestment, there is no new employment opportunities also. The population of Scheduled Castes and

Scheduled Tribes in terms of percentage is 25. But the allocation is only 1.6 per cent for their welfare. Can the Government say that it has given better allocation for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes? It was said that the Nirbhaya centres would be opened in various States, but we have not seen it anywhere. You are really misleading the women of this country. The main source of revenue is indirect tax. In many of the countries, the percentage of indirect tax is less, compared to the direct tax. But in our country, every year the percentage of indirect tax is increasing. It means that more and more burden is on the common people. Finance Minister has completely failed to address the burning question of price rise. The basic reason for the uncontrolled price rise is the price of petroleum products. In the international market, the price of crude oil has come down but why is the Government not in a position to transfer this benefit to the common people?

The Government has declared that they are going to disinvest 24 major Public

Sector Undertakings. The Public Sector Undertakings are the wealth of the nation, wealth of the people. The Government is giving it to private companies and as a result of this, a large number of people are out jobs. The Government is bringing in a number of new legislations and reforms. One among them is the FRDI Bill in which there is a very strong criticism from most of the stakeholders. The

Government is going even to reduce the power of the Reserve Bank of India. The

Government is following the same methods and norms implemented in the western countries, who had faced a very serious financial crisis in the year 2008. But in those days, our economy was strong in India. Our then Prime Minister had said that 'our economy is very strong.' This Government is weakening our Public Sector

Undertakings and Public Sector Banks. This House also discussed the issue of huge NPAs in the banks especially the Public Sector Banks. The Parliament itself has sanctioned Rs. 1 lakh crore to the Public Sector Banks, which would really not be giving any relief to the common people. It is just to compensate the big corporates, who had taken huge amounts of money from these banks. Therefore, the line or the policy of the Government is very clear, which is to give more and more assistance to the corporate sector. The demonetization and GST implementation have weakened our economy. Kerala is fully disappointed with

Budget proposals. As stated by my friends from Andhra, we have also been raising the issue of the rubber farmers, the economic condition of kerala mainly depends on rubber. There is no support price for rubber. We have witnessed the Ockhi cyclone. It has damaged a very large area. Our Prime Minister and other ministers have visited there but, I am sorry to say, nothing is given. I request the Government to consider this issue very seriously. No new project is announced for our state. We have been asking for AIIMS but no decision has been taken.

SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: The Government has made several significant achievements within a short span of four years and also successfully implemented many basic infrastructure reforms. Indian economy is the seventh largest economy in the world. The Government has focussed on the concept of 'Minimum

Government and Maximum Governance'. The government is providing free gas connections to the poor people through Ujjawala Yojana. India is a agro based country. Government is trying to identify the agro products of our districts and develop them on cluster model in a scientific way. Organic farming will be promoted through agricultural producers organisations in rural areas. Women's

Self Help Groups will be promoted to undertake organic farming under National

Rural Livelihood Programme. The Government is putting consistent efforts to uplift living standards of the rural poor.

To fulfill the dream of 'New India-2022' the markets are required to be connected with the roads and it is also essential to bring the markets nearer to the farmers to benefit them. In order to diversify the Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana-

National Rural Livelihood Mission more than 4.5 crore women have been covered through SHG's MNREGA is also playing an important role in providing social security as required. During the last three years the resources for employment have been effectively exploited to enable improvement in livelihood of the poor households. The Government is committed for an effective health care system and people oriented primary health care system within reach.

Under the National Health Protection Scheme more than 11 crore poor and weaker families are likely to be covered with a medical insurance of Rs. 5 lakh per annum. The government is consistently progressing towards the health care of each and every one. Mishrikh Parliamentary Constituency is a most backward area.

There is a need to expedite the development works in this area. There is also a demand to construct an embankment on the river Ganga and a over bridge at

Sandila and Balamau Railway Crossings.

SHRIMATI BUTTA RENUKA : Budget offers lot of optimism and is ray of hope for the middle class and unemployed. Its focus on women and Rural development is laudable. Very good thrust is given to agriculture and farming community. It has also initiated steps to reform tax structure. The Government has undertaken to do a lot for women. Construction of toilets will be a big morale booster apart from being a health initiative especially to rural woman. The best scheme that has been formulated for the benefit of Agriculturists since independence is Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana with very attractive premium rates. I request the Government to provide minimum support price for tomato. In handloom sector, it is time to provide substantial relief to the weaving community by designing appropriate schemes. I am extremely disappointed at the treatment given to Andhra Pradesh in the Budget. The non-implementation of the assurances given on the floor of the house and in the AP reorganization Act has given rise to lot of discontentment among the people of Andhra Pradesh. I urge upon the

Government to sanction RIMS (Rayalseema Institute of Medical Sciences) Status to Kurnool Medical College and design a special package for Rayalseema and implement the same in a time bound program.

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: I come from a society and a State which is highly agrarian. It is a very modern State but still agriculture is the backbone of

Maharashtra. Regarding Minimum Support Price, the hon. Finance Minister in his

Budget Speech has said that they are already giving one-and-a-half times of the crop price that the farmer is looking for. The question is what is the formula they are using for it. I would request the hon. Finance Minister to tell this nation that how this one-and-a-half times is going to be achieved. The Government keeps talking about what the wonderful initiative they have done in dal. Tur dal farmer is not getting the minimum support price in Maharashtra. The tur dal crisis is going on. The same thing is with soyabean. This year because of rain, soyabean has been hurt and in cotton, this year we have had a new infection called pink-worm. The entire crop has been wiped out. When there is a crisis like this, why not use this

Price Stabilisation Fund for all the farmers who are in crisis because they work very hard? Nothing has been talked about malnutrition in this entire Budget speech. You are not addressing malnutrition issues. You are not looking at preventive measures at all. Prevention is the best cure. The malnutrition numbers have gone up countrywide. That is really what I would ask the hon. Minister to guide us on. Disinvestment is not something which is our first priority. India is going through some crisis, we do understand that you need to disinvest. I would ask the Hon. Minister to clarify as to what is the need to sell all this.

The Government did demonization but their own Economic Survey says that it was a bad idea and that is what really has created the slow down. We appreciate the Government for providing wi-fi at every railway station. Why can we not have woman toilets and put more of this Nirbhaya Fund into woman’s safety in the railways? Data tells that 56 per cent wages are delayed under MGNREGS. The alternate support system in the rural economy is MGNREGS. If those payments are delayed by 56 per cent, it takes a three turn-arounds by the time the man or the woman gets his or her money.

PROF. RICHARD HAY : I, while supporting the Union Budget, 2018-19, propose to sanction necessary amount to build at least three Community Centres in

North India and four Community Centre in South India in places where there is a large number of Anglo-Indian.it is also proposed to allocate funds to construct and maintain three Anglo-Indian museums in the North and four in the South. I would like to suggest mainly to improve the health of citizens and to create an eco- friendly environment, cycling be promoted. To promote cycling as a health habit, the government is urged upon to take steps to lay cycle tracks by the side of all roads including highways.

This budget in totality ensures an equitable society in which the common man's woes are attended. This is the first ever budget which would bring in qualitative and quantitative improvement in the quality of life of the common man.

I hope that one of the great sites of tourist destination be in the Kerala State. I would suggest to give eco-friendly status to the Munnar in Kerala. The potential of tourism has to be fully exploited in the different parts of the beautiful country.

SHRI VARAPRASAD RAO VELAGAPALLY: I congratulate the hon.

Finance Minister for some of his very revolutionary and visionary thoughts, like the very ambitious health insurance, Minimum Support Price to the tune of 1.5 times the cost of produce to farmers, long term capital gains tax, increase in the imported goods surcharge, relief to senior citizens etc. But our State could not get the special status. A strange phenomenon doing great harm to the people of Andhra

Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh is preventing a steel plant to come up at Kadapa.

Polavaram was supposed to be completed by 2018. Similarly, Petrochemical

Complex at Vizag was contemplated would have completed long back. The State Government had promised unconditional waiver for all farm loans.

The farm loans are of Rs. 80,000 crore. The State Government could give only a pittance of Rs. 8,000 crore as against Rs. 80,000 crore. It is great fraud on the farmers of Andhra Pradesh. So, help the farmers of Andhra Pradesh. State

Government had promised that every village would be connected with BT Road. It could be seen on any manifesto of TDP.

It is extremely unfortunate that to protect a private port, a Central

Government major port is not being allowed to come up at Durgapatnam. I request the hon. Finance Minister that before making any of the schemes, the poor people should not be hit below the belt. I also request the hon. Minister that the Minimum

Support Price should be fixed critically taking all aspects into consideration. Then only one and a half times Minimum Support Price of the Swaminathan Committee would be fulfilled. I would like to suggest one more point to the hon. Finance

Minister. There is a lot of income disparity in India. The rich are becoming richer.

The hon. Finance Minister may consider universal basic income principle. The

Government should help each and every small and marginal farmer by waiving the entire farm loans of the country. I request the Government for special status category for Andhra Pradesh and to do justice to the people Andhra-Pradesh.

DR. A. SAMPATH: I may be permitted to raise some serious objections and reservations on the General Budget. The powers and prerogatives of the legislature are being usurped by the executive, which is against the spirit of the

Constitution. The Budget did not address the issues of traditional sector like handloom, coir, cashew, bamboo-mat weaving potteries, fisheries etc. We need a separate Ministry of Fisheries. Many of the Budget proposals are detrimental to the economic growth of states like Kerala. There is no mention about the extension of the National Inland Waterways in between Kollam and Kovalam in the state of

Kerala. This Budget is silent about the construction of a new National Highway in

Kerala and a bypass in NH-47 at Attingal and also about Kottoor-Ambasamudram

Highway to connect in between the capital cities of Kerala and Tamil Nadu States respectively. The declaration of Varkala Cliffs as Global Geological Heritage site need sufficient financial provision for their protection. The Minister has neglected the sad plight of rice, sugarcane, coconut, cotton, cardamom and rubber cultivators.

SHRI JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN YADAV: Four years have gone by what provisions have been made for jobs. Special State Status was to be accorded to Bihar where is that special status? There is no mention of special package.

Today agriculture sector is in bad shape. In Bihar under my Banka Parliamentary

Constituency area 22 bridges were sanctioned through NABARD but out of these work has stopped on 11 bridges. There were discussion with the Government to set up a mega project in Bihar, it was sanctioned, land acquired, survey was done but 4 thousand mega watt power project is not being initiated in Banka. There is a big scam happening in O.D.F. Rights given in constitution to Backwards, Dalits,

Tribals and Minorities are being taken away. Majors needed for prosperity of

Bihar and the country are missing in this Budget.

DR. KIRIT SOMAIYA : We have given gas stoves to the poor. You have not provided that to any poor woman. In all the Budget speech Congress party has asked about capital gains. Finance Minister has categorically said that I am going to invest that in Healthy India. The senior citizens are going to be provided with a medical insurance up to the sum of Rs. five lakhs. Today Ayushman Bharat

Scheme has been formulated for 50 crore citizens of India. Welfare of the poor is the Government's objective. We will bring about total change. This Budget is for the poor, farmers, labourers, senior citizens and rural areas.

SHRI A.T. NANA PATIL: This is a National building budget. There is a provision of health insurance worth Rs. Five lakh for ten crore poor families. 1.5 times of farmer's crop as Minimum Support Price, selection of 99 cities for smart cities, promotion of digital education, allocation of Rs. 3 lakh crores under

MUDRA Yojana etc., has been made in this budget.

I expect the expeditious resolution of the following problems of my

Parliamentary Constituency Jalgaon. The NH-211 falling between Dhula and

Chalisgaon and a part of NH-6 should be repaired and widened at the earliest, a

100 bed Naturopathy hospital at Jalgaon district should be set up. Desilting of 50 years old Girna dam and water reservoir areas of Jamda and dahgaon irrigation system; for enhancing water conservation capacity and the construction of river banks along with expeditions release of funds needed after according approval from Central Water Commission for river linking project to connect Bori, Anjni,

Titur and Mahshwa tributaries through channels to River Girna. Setting up a plastic

Park for the development of Plastic industry, Textile Park for the development of spinning mills, remunerative price to the fruit farmers and fruit processing industries and food processing industries should be set up; a para-military training centre, passport Sewa Kendra in Jalgaon should be set up, and the operations of

B.P.O promotion scheme under Digital India Programme should be started.

SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN : There is nothing in this Budget for households; students; salaried class; industrial development; and for States.

Unavailability of Cauvery water is a perennial issue which needs to be settled at once therefore the Cauvery Management Board should be constituted.

The allocation of Rs. 1200 crore in the Budget for proposed 1.5 Lakh centres under National Health Policy, 2017 is insufficient. No action has been taken so far to set up AIIMS-like institution in our state as promised in previous budgets.

Education is the backbone of any economy. Government has not allocated adequate funds for education sector. The educational institutions are in a very pathetic condition, the Government has no policy for placement and no employment opportunities available. Rs. 2,500 crore allocated to Tamil Nadu for the development of Railways is not sufficient. The demands of expanding the capacity of suburban Railways in Chennai and Sriperumbudur-Bengaluru

Industrial Corridor have been left out in this Budget. There is nothing for women in general and women entrepreneurs in particular, in this Budget. Unavailability of

IGST incentive is a huge loss for the industries. So, I request the Centre to consider compensating the IGST component. An allocation of Rs.1,650 crore needed for

‘Comprehensive Special Package for Diversification of Fisheries in Tamil Nadu'.

Thirteenth Finance Commission grants for Tamil Nadu are pending to be released by the Centre. Finance Minister may consider demands of Tamil Nadu and allocate appropriate sums.

DR. SUNIL BALIRAM GAIKWAD: The Government has presented this budget by keeping in view the well being of common man, dalit, poor and people belonging to backward society. The Government has made provision of reasonable generic medicine for the poor people and yearly five lakh rupees per family on medical expenses. The provision of Rs. Nine thousand crores have been made in the budget for laying new Railway line at Latur-Nanded and doubling of Latur-

Kuduwadi line and for National Highway in my Parliamentary Constituency Latur.

SHRIMATI APARUPA PODDAR: The budget promises to provide insurance coverage to 10 crore poor families. But there is no clear policy for health and senior citizen. The government should improve facilities of state run hospitals. There is no explanation on how the Swachh Bharat funds, Swachh

Bharat cess etc were utilized. We want to make our educational institutions world class but we don't have even half of the budget what world class institutions spend on their colleges. The government has talked about doubling farmers income but for that the agricultural growth should increase up to 12 per cent but that is not there. GST is supposed to reduce the final indirect taxes we pay. But Budget

2018-19 does not show any such impact. The government in its budget for 2018-

19 has not announced any scheme for minorities, nor has it given any serious thought about gender budgeting. Even SC/ST castes have lost their priority in government scheme. There is no certain attempts for employment generation. It is not a growth oriented Budget.

SHRI P. SRINIVASA REDDY: In Telangana, farmers are in distress.

Paddy, chilli, cotton and other commercial crops are not fetching Minimum

Support Price. The Government is not going to give MSP as per the Swaminathan

Commission's recommendations. I, request to implement the Swaminathan's

Commission. I also request the Government to ensure that Sababul farmers should get remunerated price. Telangana region is rich in several mineral resources.

Bayyaram Iron Ore is one such valuable resource, which, if utilized, can appropriately provide a great development of the newly carved Telangana state. A Public Sector Steel Plant may be constructed at Bayyaram so that the valuable ore can be used properly. I have also requested the Government to establish Mining

University under Dhanbad Mining University. I request to the Government that on

Ekalavya Model Residential School on par with Navodaya Vidyalayas to establish in my Constituency, as the tribal population will get benefit of it. Some funds should have been allocated to the Kaleshwaram irrigation project. The

Bhadrachalam Division of Telangana State has got highest population of tribes and other nomadic tribes. For their welfare, the previous government had announced a

Bharatchalam-Kovvur Railway line. I have been asking for new Railway lines.

Every year Rs. 5 crores and 6 crores are nominally allocating, which is not spending and again repeating the same. There are three major Railway Stations in my Constituency, Khammam, Kothagudem and Madhira and I have been requesting the Government to improve these stations and provide halts to some

Express trains in these stations and provide halts to some Express trains in these stations. But the Government has not considered the request of these people. Since my constituency is predominantly covered by tribals, if the Government considers one such Medical college in my constituency, it will be helpful for the tribal population. I, therefore, request the Government to consider my requests and provide some allocations for the people of my constituency and for the welfare of

Telangana State. SHRI GANESH SINGH : The 2017-18 Budget is a historical one and gives new impetus to the development of the country. The Budget will provide every assistance to the poor and the nation will have an all round development. The

Narendra Modi Government has one important mission - to have an inclusive growth. One and all should be covered in the development agenda. Today the most essential requirement in the country is to extend help to the poor. I would like to thank the hon. Prime Minister who has kept all his words not only in this Budget but in his previous budget also. Today it is a changing the scenario of the country in a positive direction. (Speech unfinished)

The discussion was not concluded.

SNEHLATA SHRIVASTAVA Secretary General

© 2018 BY LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT NOTE: It is the verbatim Debates of the Lok Sabha and not the Synopsis that should be considered authoritative.

English and Hindi versions of Synopsis of Debates are also available at http://loksabha.nic.in.