LOK SABHA ___
SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES (Proceedings other than Questions & Answers) ______
Monday, June 8, 2009 / Jyaistha 18, 1931 (Saka ) _____
OATH
The following member took oath as follows, signed the Roll of members and took his seat in the House:
Sl. No. Name of Constituency State Affirmation Language Member 1 2 3 4 5 6 1. Shri Palamau (SC) Jharkhand Oath Hindi Kameshwar Baitha
ELECTION OF DEPUTY SPEAKER
SHRI LAL KRISHNA ADVANI moved that Shri Karia Munda, a member of this House, be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this House.
SHRI RAJNATH SINGH seconded the motion.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE (SHRI PRANAB
MUKHERJEE) moved that Shri Karia Munda, a member of this House, be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this House. THE MINSTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI
PAWAN KUMAR BANSAL) seconded the motion.
SHRI SHARAD YADAV moved that Shri Karia Munda, a member of this House, be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this House.
SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH Alias LALAN SINGH seconded the motion.
THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF
FOOD, CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI SHARAD PAWAR) moved that Shri Karia Munda, a member of this House, be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this House.
THE MINISTER OF STATE OF THE MINISTRY OF CIVIL
AVIATION (SHRI PRAFUL PATEL) seconded the motion.
SHRI AJIT SINGH moved that Shri Karia Munda, a member of this
House, be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this House.
SHRI SANJAY SINGH CHAUHAN seconded the motion.
SHRI T.R. BAALU moved that Shri Karia Munda, a member of this
House, be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this House.
SHRI A.K.S. VIJAYAN seconded the motion.
SHRIMATI SUSHMA SWARAJ moved that Shri Karia Munda, a member of this House, be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this House. SHRI ANANTH KUMAR seconded the motion.
KUNWAR REWATI RAMAN SINGH moved that Shri Karia
Munda, a member of this House, be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this
House.
SHRI SHAILENDRA KUMAR seconded the motion.
SHRI E. AHAMED moved that Shri Karia Munda a Member of this
House be chosen as the Deputy Speaker of this House.
SHRI E.T. MOHAMMAD BASHEER seconded the motion.
The motion moved by Shri Lal Krishna Advani and seconded by Shri
Rajnath Singh was unanimously adopted and Shri Karia Munda was chosen as Deputy Speaker.
Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, Leader of the House, Shri
Pranab Mukherjee and the Leader of the Opposition, Shri Lal Krishna
Advani conducted Shri Karia Munda to the Chair.
FELICITATION TO THE DEPUTY SPEAKER
THE PRIME MINISTER (DR. MANMOHAN SINGH): Madam
Speaker, in electing Shri Karia Munda as the Deputy-Speaker of this august
House so soon after your own election unanimously as the Speaker, it augurs well for our country. Both of you belong to the two most disadvantaged communities of our country. By honouring both of you, this House reaffirms its commitment to the cause of social justice and to the empowerment of the disadvantaged communities.
Shri Karia Munda has a wealth of experience. This is his seventh term as a Member of this House. He has been a member of many Standing
Committees and he has also been a Minister in the Union Government. He is a multifaceted personality and an accomplished social worker. He is a writer. I believe, he has written a book on Rabindranath Tagore. I congratulate Shri Karia Munda for his unanimous election to the august
Office of the Deputy-Speaker. We assure him our wholehearted cooperation in running the affairs of this House.
THE MINISTER OF FINANCE (SHRI PRANAB
MUKHERJEE): I have the opportunity of witnessing the performance of
Shri Karia Munda in different capacities, as a parliamentarian, as an administrator and also as a social reformer. I am particularly happy that we have maintained the tradition of choosing a Member from the Opposition as the Deputy-Speaker of this House since 1977. I wish him all success and I assure him of our fullest cooperation.
SHRI L. K. ADVANI: The Leader of the House has aptly remarked that this tradition has been started in 1977 because in that year first time the recognized opposition party came into existence. This is a very good tradition. It will be better if this tradition is adopted by the rest of the legislatures of India. The results of the General Election 2009 have been sweet for some people and bitter for other people but our democracy, no doubt, has won. Today’s election has amply demonstrated the maturity of our democracy which has underlined the mutual respectful relations between the treasury benches and the opposition. I congratulate heartily Shri Karia
Munda ji and believe that in his guidance the business of the House will run smoothly.
SHRI MULAYAM SINGH YADAV: We congratulate Shri Karia
Munda ji for his unanimous election for the post of Deputy-Speaker. It is his seventh term for the Lok Sabha and he has been around us since 1977. The rich experience which he will bring to the Chair will certainly benefit the
House. We assure him full support on behalf of my party.
SHRI SHARAD YADAV: I congratulate Shri Karia Munda ji for his elevation to the post of Deputy-Speaker of the House and I appreciate this gracious act of the House.
SHRI VIJAY BAHADUR SINGH: I, on my own and on behalf of my party BSP, heartily congratulate the Deputy-Speaker of the House. I believe that his background will inspire him to lead this House to the goal of an equitable society. The Dalit, poor and the backward people of our country are rising to the higher posts and this is a good omen.
SHRI ARJUN CHARAN SETHI: I associate myself with the sentiments express by hon. Prime Minister, Leader of the House, as well as
Leader of the Opposition in electing Shri Karia Munda ji to the office of the
Deputy-Speaker of this august House. He has long experience in the service of the people, working as a Member of Parliament, working in different capacities such as Minister in the Central Cabinet as well as Member of this different Committees of this august House. On behalf of Biju Janata Dal of
Orrisa, I assure him all kind of cooperation in conducting the proceedings of the House.
SHRI BASUDEB ACHARIA: We have continued the healthy tradition of electing the Speaker and the Deputy-Speaker unanimously in this Fifteenth Lok Sabha. Shri Karia Munda ji is a multifaceted personality and I assure him full support of my party CPI (M) in running the House. I hope that he will maintain the decorum and dignity of this House.
SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY: We whole-heartedly appreciate the sentiments and the decision taken by hon. Prime Minister,
Leader of the House, Chairperson of UPA, and Leader of the Opposition, as such. I congratulate Mr. Karia Munda. I assure all sorts of assistance on behalf of our Party, Trinamool Congress.
SHRI ANANT GANGARAM GEETE: The House has elected Shri
Karia Munda ji as the Deputy-Speaker unanimously. I, on behalf of my party, Shiv Sena, congratulate him. He has rich experience which will come handy in running the House. I assure him full cooperation on behalf of my party.
DR. M. TAMBIDURAI: On behalf of my party, AIADMK, and on my own behalf, I congratulate Shri Karia Munda for being elected unanimously to the post of Deputy-Speaker of Lok Sabha. I extend full support of my party in running this House smoothly.
SHRI T.R. BAALU: The successive accessions to the exalted position of the Indian democracy by the SCs and STs, will go a long way in the Indian history. I appreciate and congratulate Shri Karia Munda. On behalf of the DMK, we will definitely give our fullest cooperation to conduct this House in a peaceful manner.
SHRI GURUDAS DASGUPTA: The representation of the backward and Dalit in the highest forum of democracy raises a new hope of social uplift. If this gesture is really translated into effective State policy to do good to the depressed, minority and Dalit, then that would mean a new turn in the Indian history. With this hope, I congratulate Shri Karia Munda.
SHRI AJIT SINGH: I would like to felicitate Shri Karia Munda ji for his election to the post of Deputy-Speaker of the House. He has the support of all parties of this House and I firmly believe that he will discharge his duties efficiently.
SHRI INDER SINGH NAMDHARI: I would like to felicitate Shri
Karia Munda ji. I am one of his old friends. With this elevation to the post of Deputy-Speaker, the dignity of this House has increased. By electing him for this post, we are trying to repay the debt of Shri Mahatma Gandhi ji.
MADAM SPEAKER: Hon. Prime Minister, hon. Leader of the
House, hon. Leader of the Opposition, hon. Leaders of Parties and Groups and hon. Members:
It is a matter of great happiness that one of our worthy colleagues,
Shri Karia Munda ji has been unanimously elected as Deputy-Speaker of the
Fifteenth Lok Sabha. I would like to extend my heartiest felicitations to Shri
Karia Munda ji on this occasion. May I also congratulate all the Members of the Lok Sabha in ensuring the smooth election of an eminent parliamentarian to this august office. Hon. Members, parliamentary democracy has taken deep roots in our country. The peaceful conduct of the General Elections to the Fifteenth Lok
Sabha and the clear mandate given by the electorate. I am sure, are a testimony to their maturity and also of our parliamentary system. Within six decades of Independence, India has firmly secured its position as the largest working democracy of the world, inspite of having to contend with many problems both internal and external.
The people of India have reposed their faith in us and also given to us a very high responsibility. We now have the bounden duty to strive to come up to their expectations. Through healthy debates and purposive discussions, we have to chart out the plan for the country’s development and pave the way for our people’s prosperity. I am sure that the Fifteenth Lok
Sabha will witness further strengthening of parliamentary institutions, and the promotion of a healthy parliamentary culture.
Shri Karia Munda ji, whom the House has unanimously elected as the
Hon. Deputy-Speaker is a man of the masses. Shri Karia Munda ji has always stood out in our public life and is respected widely for his honesty, integrity and sincerity. Representing the Khunti parliamentary constituency in Jharkhand, he has made significant contributions as a Member of the
Sixth, Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Thirteenth Lok Sabhas. During his illustrious career, he was a member of the Bihar and
Jharkhand Legislatures where too he displayed exemplary parliamentary skills. He was also a Minister in the Union Cabinet when his administrative acumen was acknowledged by the nation. Being closely associated with the under-privileged, he has tirelessly worked towards eradicating socio- economic inequalities. With such a distinguished public life, he is eminently suited to adorn the Office of the Deputy-Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
While we have every reason to be proud of the fact that elections to the offices of the Speaker and Deputy-Speaker have been unanimous, we should, at the same time, ensure that this unanimity should be hallmark of the functioning of the Fifteenth Lok Sabha. In a parliamentary democracy, there are bound to be differences of opinion on various occasions, a fact which makes the job of a Presiding Officer very challenging. However, in the interest of the welfare of the nation and the people, we shall have to arrive at consensus on major issues. I am confident, as Presiding Officers,
Shri Munda ji and I will receive full cooperation from all sections of this
House. I am equally sure, that Shri Karia Munda ji’s vast legislative experience and his unquestionable integrity will go a long way in upholding the dignity of this august House and enriching our parliamentary system. With these words, I would like to once again congratulate the newly elected hon. Deputy-Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Shri Karia Munda ji. I would also like to convey my very best wishes to Shri Munda ji in fulfilling the onerous responsibility bestowed upon him.
SHRI KARIA MUNDA thanking the Hon. Speaker, Hon. Prime
Minister, Hon. Leader of the House, Hon. Leader of opposition, Leaders of other parties and Groups and Hon. Members, said: It is indeed a matter of great honour to be elected the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha. I am grateful to you all for unanimously electing me to this high office. I do not have sufficient words to express my feelings for this honour and I accept this constitutional office with all humility. I am, indeed, overwhelmed with the rich feelings expressed for me by all sections of the House. I wish to assure you that I shall make maximum possible efforts to upkeep the dignity of this august House. At the outset, I heartily congratulate Shrimati Meira Kumar
Ji for her unanimous election to the office of Speaker, Lok Sabha and also for being the first woman Speaker. I want to assure her that I would fully support and cooperate with her towards conduction of the proceedings of the
House. I, also, heartily welcome you all Hon. Members for the great fortune you are blessed with to come elected to this popular House of the biggest working democracy of the world. I have been elected the Deputy Speaker of this House for the first time. However, as most of the Hon. Members know, Parliamentary
Institutions and Parliamentary Procedure and Practice are not new to me. I was, for the first time, elected to the sixth Lok Sabha in 1977. Later, I was elected to the ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth and now, further to the fifteenth Lok Sabha. Meanwhile, I got the opportunity also to be elected to the Bihar Legislative Assembly and Jharkhand Legislative Assembly. I also had the privilege to work as Union Minister in the Cabinets of Prime
Ministers Morarji Desai and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. I hope that my
Parliamentary experience and the rich traditions set by preceding Deputy
Speakers would help me towards discharge of my Parliamentary duties and upkeep of the dignity of our Parliament. I look forward to your constant cooperation for effective discharge of the duties.
Our Parliament has evolved as a multi-functional institution in the years after independence. It is the focal point of the political pulsation of our country and is able to forge itself according to the needs of changing time. It is a well known fact that the Parliament has played a very important role towards keeping the political system vibrant in context of the socio- economic scenario of the country. Our Parliament has set up conducive precedents and traditions in its functioning in the last decades. As a public representative, the Member holds position of an esteemed person. As such, dignified conduct in and out of the House is one of the primary duties of the
Member. It is also important to reach consensus through mutual discussion and cooperation. As elected public representatives, we all should start with presenting ourselves in such a manner which may manifest dignity, courtesy, tolerance and harmony. I hope, every elected member, working with a sense of commitment, would understand the rules of the House, obey them and contribute in a valuable manner to the proceedings of the House so that we all might work towards the welfare of the people in a concerted way. I am grateful to all Hon. Members who have expressed their good wishes for me and assured me of their fullest cooperation. On my own behalf too, I assure you to try my level best to upkeep the confidence you have reposed in me.
INTIMATION REGARDING ARREST OF MEMBER
MADAM SPEAKER: I have to inform the House that following communication dated 6th June, 2009 was received from the Superintendent of Police, Special Crime Branch, Central Bureau of Investigation, Mumbai:
“I have the honour to inform that as per the directions of the
hon. High Court of Judicature at Bombay vide its order
dated 23.10.08 in Criminal Writ Petition No. 81 of 2008, the investigation of Crime No. 220 of 2006 of Kalamboli Police
Station was transferred to the CBI which accordingly registered an FIR vide RC-BSI/2009/S/0001 dated
20.03.2009 at CBI, Special Crime Branch, Mumbai.
I have the honour to inform that, I found it my duty, in the exercise of my powers under Section 41 of the
Criminal Procedure Code that Shri Padmsinh Bajirao Patil,
Member of the Lok Sabha, may be arrested for committing offences u/s 120-B/302 IPC for the double murder of Pawan
Raje Nimbalkar, R/o. Govardhanwadi, Dist. Latur,
Maharashtra, and Samad Abdul Wahid Kazi, R/o. Dhoki,
Osmanabad, on 03.06.2006 at Kalamboli, Panvel, Dist.
Raigadh, Maharashtra.
Shri Padmsinh Bajirao Patil, MP, was accordingly arrested and taken into custody at 10.20 p.m., on 06.06.2009 and is at present in the custody of Special Crime Branch,
CBI, Mumbai.”
*MATTERS UNDER RULE 377
(i) SHRI P.T. THOMAS laid a statement regarding need to take
steps to prevent attacks on Indian students in Australia.
(ii) SHRI JAI PRAKASH AGARWAL laid a statement regarding
need to amend the Dowry Prohibition Act for ensuring economic
empowerment of women.
(iii) SHRI N.S.V. CHITTHAN laid a statement regarding need to
extend the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to
Gram Panchayats and Town Panchayats.
(iv) SHRI NINONG ERING laid a statement regarding need to
declare Arunachal Pradesh as a centre of Indian Green Revolution
with a view to protect the fast-depleting forest areas in the country.
(v) SHRIMATI BOTCHA JHANSHI LAKSHMI laid a statement
regarding need to pass the Women Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha.
(vi) SHRI ADHIR CHOWDHURY laid a statement regarding need
for expansion and four-laning of N.H. 34 in West Bengal.
(vii) SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL laid a statement regarding need to
depute a fact-finding team to assess the extent of threat posed by
water-borne diseases in Alappuzha district of Kerala.
* Laid on the Table as directed by the Chair. (viii) SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY laid a statement
regarding need to appropriate funds under Social Integration
Programme of Damodar Valley Corporation Chandrapura and
Bokaro Thermal Power stations in Jharkhand for providing
irrigation and drinking water facilities in the area.
(ix) DR. RAJAN SUSHANT laid a statement regarding need to
implement ‘one rank-one Pension’ scheme in the Armed Forces of
the country.
(x) SHRI GANESH SINGH laid a statement regarding need to
provide financial assistance for boring tube-wells and constructing
tanks in the drought-hit Satna Parliamentary Constituency of
Madhya Pradesh.
(xi) SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB PATIL laid a statement regarding
need to expedite the survey and construction of railway line
between Jalgaon and Sholapur in Maharashtra.
(xii) SHRI RAMKISHUN laid a statement regarding need to stop
acquisition of agricultural land for construction of railway freight
corridor in Chandauli Parliamentary Constituency, Uttar Pradesh. (xiii) SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH laid a statement regarding need
to provide funds from NABARD for the completion of North Koel
Irrigation Project in Jharkhand.
(xiv) SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE laid a statement regarding need to
provide relief and rehabilitate people affected due to cyclone AILA
in West Bengal.
(xv) SHRI D. VENUGOPAL laid a statement regarding need to
promote floriculture in Thruvannamalai Parliamentary
Constituency, Tamil Nadu.
(xvi) ADV. A. SAMPATH laid a statement regarding need to set up a
bench of High Court in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
(xvii) SHRI B. MAHTAB laid a statement regarding need to expedite
the construction of second railway bridge over river Kathajodi in
Orissa.
(xviii) SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE laid a statement regarding need to
release funds for the construction of Homes for Women under
“Swadhar” Scheme in Maharashtra.
(xix) SHRI PRABODH PANDA laid a statement regarding need to
start the construction of second railway bridge over river Kansayee in West Bengal and double the single railway line between
Kharagpur and Midnapur in the State.
(xx) SHRI INDER SINGH NAMDHARI laid a statement regarding
need to dissolve the suspended Legislative Assembly of Jharkhand
with a view to restore proper governance in the State.
MOTION OF THANKS ON THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS - Contd.
SHRI SAJJAN VERMA continuing said: As per the sixth point in the hon. President’s Address, this Government has got a huge and powerful mandate. I want to say that the great people of the country have clearly told by giving a surprising but correct mandate that this Government would be able to take decisions towards the welfare of the country. This Government has proved in the last five years that it stands with the last weak person sitting in the last line. Our UPA Government has formed strong economic and foreign policies. I feel proud for the fact that in the coming five years, our farmers would be in position to get cheap power with the production of
65,000 MW power with the help of the nuclear deal and other resources.
Our UPA Government has put in a lot of wisdom in forming the 100 days plan. SHRI MULAYAM SINGH YADAV: My observation is, only slogan raising of “Gareebi Hatao” is there since 1952.
India would have been the most powerful country of the world had the
Presidential Address followed in words and deeds. It is well-known that the
Congress Government was at the helm of the affairs in the country most of the times but the poverty instead of decreasing has indeed gone up. I am of the opinion that unless and until honest people are included in the NREGP, the poverty will continue to rise and the benefits of such schemes will not percolate to the poorest of the poor. Simply giving slogan of garibi hatao will not be helpful. Therefore, the slogan should be to remove unemployment as unemployment is the main cause of poverty. It is because of this, we socialists have given this slogan “remove unemployment”. It is, therefore, in the fitness of things that the Government should provide employment else they should provide unemployment allowance.
Today, the farmers and peasants are suffering a lot because of lack of confidence. We know that the world’s most powerful and economically rich countries have prospered because of farmers as they have given priority to the cause of farmers. Therefore, if we want to remove poverty we have to empower our farmers and have to give remunerative prices for their produce.
We will have to provide adequate procurement prices to our farmers. Our country can only prosper if our farmers are prospered. The condition of farmers and muslims is most pitiable in our country as 80 per cent of muslims are artisans.
On an average, the production of foodgrains in our country is decreasing by 3 per cent every year because of urbanisation. This has resulted in the shortage of arable lands and concrete jungles are increasing.
Large tracts of barren and uncultivable lands are lying waste for want of any suitable scheme to make them cultivable. There is no mention in the
Presidential Address in regard to this. I request the Government to provide adequate funds for creating irrigation facilities to such type of lands so that they may be made cultivable and arable. This would certainly remove unemployment. It is a known fact that farmers are the biggest employer in the country today. Inspite of that, they are a most neglected lot. Not only that, the water table is going down day by day and it is going to create a big and serious problem. Ponds are the only way to solve this problem.
Therefore, more and more ponds should be dug in the villages and filled with water. I also request the Government to constitute a Committee to enquire as to how much water is there in such ponds as of today? We have found at most of the places that ponds are constructed but there is no water as these are at height whereas the source of water is at the lower level. This should have been otherwise. The climate change has also created a big problem in front of all of us. Not only that, we figure somewhere at the bottom so far the literacy is concerned. Barring a few years, most of the time the Congress was in power at the centre. I, therefore, would like to know as to what did they do to remove the illiteracy? Same is the case with health. There are a number of diseases which have no treatment. It is really regrettable that there has been no real planning in the country after it has gained independence. Everything is going on without any planning. I would like to know from the Government as to what measures they have taken to check such diseases from spreading? It is an established fact that the country where children are educated and healthier will prosper and progress well. These sort of diseases are increasing only because of less expenditure on health mission. Further, this Government is not taking adequate steps to check the price rise. The Socialists have always taken recourse to price regulation in order to develop agriculture. I, therefore, feel that price rise can only be contained by the Government through price regulation.
In the last 11-12 years, approximately 1.50 lakh farmers have committed suicide in the country. No doubt, the Government have waived off the bank loans of the farmers but they are still not free from the clutches of money-lenders as the loan taken from money-lenders is yet to be paid by them. I request the Government to enquire as to how much loan they have taken from such money-lenders and take steps to waive it off. We know that nothing is more disturbing and troublesome than the poverty as poverty is a curse and sorrow. As per a Report, there are approximately 75 crores people in this country who make their both ends meet on meagre Rs. 9 to Rs. 20 per day. So far as the checking of the price rise is concerned, I am of the opinion that the Government should resort to regulate prices through a policy of price mechanism. Prices are increasing at an unprecedented rate.
It is also an established fact that the development cannot take place anywhere in the world in the absence of power. The power scenario in our country is in a very dismal state.
The main moto of any foreign policy to any country is that it should be in the interest of the country. But it is really unfortunate that today we have no neighbouring country as our friend. What sort of foreign policy is this? In fact there is no foreign policy as such. I am also of the opinion that the Government will maintain communal harmony and provide adequate internal security in the country. I also feel that Naxalism and Maoism are more dangerous than terrorism. We have successfully uprooted Naxalism in
Uttar Pradesh but we firmly believe that it cannot be eliminated by using coercive methods. It is, therefore, need of the hour that the Government should understand this problem first.
So far as the matter pertains to providing reservation to women in
Legislative Assemblies and Lok Sabha is concerned, I am of the opinion that if the Women Reservation Bill is passed in the present form, this
Government will not come back in Lok Sabha again. The present form of this Bill is against democracy. I am always in favour of women reservation and our party have always did its best to promote women in every respect.
We are in favour of the Women’s Reservation Bill. All the Constitution amendments till date have been passed unanimously. The Women’s
Reservation Bill, in its present form, should be withdrawn. Call a meeting of all the leaders and, after reaching a consensus the Bill should be introduced. We will pass it unanimously. My submission is that reservation should be made at party level itself. The party should provide a particular percentage of reservation to the women and in case it does not do so, its registration should be cancelled. Therefore, I urge that this women reservation should be made at the party level by calling a meeting of all the political parties.
SHRI DARA SINGH CHAUHAN: The Hon. President’s Address is a manifesto of the Government in which the achievements and the policies and programmes of the Government for the next five years is mentioned. It is sad that there is no mention of the suicides by the farmers in the
President’s Address. Today, the farmers are cultivating the land but they themselves are landless. Therefore, there is a need of land reforms in the country. This issue has also got no place in the President’s Address. The agricultural equipments, pesticides, power and water should be made available to farmers at cheaper rates. Population wise Uttar Pradesh is the largest State in the country. Even after 61-62 years of independence, the condition of this State is quite miserable. The farmers are not getting electricity. The UPA Government should pay more attention towards them.
So many years have elapsed after independence even then the condition of poor people in the country is quite miserable. The basic things for the development and upliftment of the poor have not yet been done. The issue of loan waiver scheme of farmers has been raised with fanfare. But what will happen to the poor, the artisans and the small farmers who were honest and have taken the loan of 10-50 thousand of rupees? The rural poor people is provided 100 days of employment through NREGA, the Hon. President has said nothing in her Address as to what he will do during the remaining
265 days and how he will survive. Nothing has been mentioned in this
Address with regard to the cottage industries and health. The issue of Women Reservation Bill has been raised. But, it will be injustice with the country to bring this disputed Bill in the House until and unless the economic and social gap is bridged. If we want the development of this country then the first and foremost thing will be to remove these social and economic disparity.
SHRI SUDIP BANDYOPADHYAY: We are grateful to the Hon.
President that at the initial stage of her speech, she was very much concerned about the cyclone that took place in our State of West Bengal, damaging lives and properties of a few millions of people. We propose that relief centres should be operated. Well-managed relief centres can only give new life. The Government of West Bengal has asked for a relief from the
Central Government saying that at least a sum of Rs. 1000 crore is immediately required. I do not know how much money will be allotted from the central quota. A relief team from the Government of India has already arrived. But there should be proper monitoring of the expenditure.
As far as Land Acquisition Act is concerned this Act was passed in the British regime and by application of the various provisions of this Act, the Government of West Bengal has started squeezing land of the poor farmers forcefully. Therefore, the Land Acquisition Bill, which is sought to be re-introduced in the Parliament should be tabled afresh. The land of the farmers and the agriculturists should not be allowed to be taken away forcibly. We do not support the procedure of disinvestments in profit making Public Sector Undertakings, banks and the insurance sector. The recommendations of Sachar Committee gave a new direction to the improvement of the minorities. Their problems have been well reflected in the Report. The number of beneficiaries of minority scholarships should be increased to 35 lakhs. Financial assistance as is provided in case of students belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be extended to students belonging to Minority communities for research, management and professional education. In addition to this the allocation for the National
Minority Development Financial Corporation should be enhanced. The
Muslim OBCs should be given proper share in OBC quota as per
Government reservation policy. A very good proposal of development and beautification of the river Ganges has been mooted in the Address. This will help in making the Ganges pollution free. Today, India’s young population is restless. There are neither jobs nor employment facilities nor have they got ways of livelihood. The Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission is a very laudable effort. For the city of Kolkata, Rs.3000 crore have been allotted under the scheme but only Rs.1500 crore have been spent so far. So the Government of India should direct all the State Governments to properly implement the projects under JNNURM. In addition to this we appreciate few decisions announced in the speech which include areas like internal security and communal harmony, Governance reforms, infrastructure development, female literacy, Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojana, rural housing and rural infrastructure. Cheap rice for 260 million people is a very laudable decision and this will certainly help the poor people who are living below poverty line. The Election Commission is functioning properly. Therefore, this time people of West Bengal have succeeded in casting their votes without fear. And for this we should extend our thanks to the Election
Commission. We propose that one Public Grievance Cell should be activated where people of this country can send their grievances. We do urge upon the Government to keep a vigilant eye over the latest situation in
West Bengal and send relief materials directly to the District Magistrate.
Barrages and roads of more than 800 kms have been destroyed in West
Bengal in Aila cyclone. We wholeheartedly support the Motion of Thanks.
SHRI T.K.S. ELANGOVAN: The President’s Address ensures her
Government’s commitments towards economic, social and cultural inclusiveness and the rejection of the forces of divisiveness and intolerance.
The Address has a definite goal of all-round growth. The Address can be considered as a broad outline for the future Plan to come. Inclusive growth, equitable development and a secular and plural India should be the platform on which the Government should act in the forthcoming years. During the just concluded general elections the people have elected those parties which had performed. In spite of the many good things mentioned in the Address, the State of Tamil Nadu and the Tamils feel neglected, particularly they are unhappy because the Address do not promise the steps for early completion of the Sethusamudram Project. The Sethusamudram Project, will definitely shower prosperity on the Tamils. So, the Government of India should ensure the people of Tamil Nadu that the Scheme is definitely coming up and completed. The Address deals with the issue of terrorism in detail and commits to take firm action against it. But what will we do against the
State-sponsored terrorism? Thousands of Tamils were killed by the Sri
Lankan Army in the No-War Zone. The world was watching it. The world has not condemned it. We, the nearest neighbour, who boast of unity in diversity of giving equality to different cultures, different languages and different religions, were watching it. We have not strongly condemned the
Government of Sri Lanka and we have not taken strong steps to stop the killings of innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka. Now the Government should render all possible assistance for the rehabilitation and resettlement of lakhs of Tamils who had lost their houses and other properties and who are crippled by the attack of the Sri Lankan Army. There is no mention of linking of national rivers in the Address. Water management in our country is dismal. So the Government should immediately take steps to link all the national rivers. The Address mentions about reform of governance for effective delivery of public services. Decentralisation is one among the many measure identified to achieve this goal. Hence the Government should take necessary steps to amend the Constitution and give more powers to
State Governments in the interest of effective administration. On behalf of my party I support the Motion of Thanks.
SHRI BASUDEB ACHARIA: There is mention of the devastating cyclone, Aila, in the State of West Bengal in the Address. As on 4th June, the total number of affected persons has reached 67.5 lakhs; the total deal toll rises to 137; the number of fully and partly damaged houses crossed nine lakhs; the affected crop area exceeded 2.8 lakh hectares; and the length of embankment breaches increased to more than 500 kms. It is a national level natural calamity. The State Government has so far spent Rs.134 crore for relief and rehabilitation. 3,900 MT relief material was distributed up to 4th
June. About 398 medical teams of the State Government and 10 Army medical teams are working day and night. Now, the Central team is visiting two districts because the State Government has asked for financial assistance to the extent of Rs.1,000 crore. This tragedy should be declared as a national calamity as the cyclone is quite unprecedented. There is reference of Communal Violence Bill, in the Address. This Bill should be brought and the legislation should be enacted.
There is a demand for change in the Centre-State relations. But the reference to Centre-State relations in the President’s Address is missing. A
Commision – Sarkaria Commission – was constituted long back. Its recommendations are yet to be implemented. There is a need for giving more power to the State Governments. In regard to various programmes, what has been stated in the Address, are all the repetitions of what was stated five years back. But what is the fate of all these programmes? It was said that 2.3 crore Below Poverty Line households would be connected. But what is the achievement by December, 2008 it is only 17.95 per cent.
About the targeted rural households electrification, of the targeted villages, only 52 per cent has been electrified. The Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sarak
Yojana (PMGSY) is a cent per cent Centrally sponsored scheme. But what is the performance. The NCMP emphasized that the irrigation would receive the highest investment priority and all ongoing projects would be completed according to the strict time schedule. But the Bharat Nirman committed only an additional irrigation capacity of 10 million hectares to be created by
2009. Only 5.8 million hectare or half of the target has been achieved so far.
This flagship programme of the Rural Health Mission was adopted.
About 68.6 per cent of Primary Health Centres are functioning with one or no doctor; 807 Primary Health Centres have no doctor at all. Much has been stated about inclusive growth. What is the situation that is prevalent today in our country? The hiatus between the poor and the rich has been widened.
There is a need to amend the Essential Commodities Act. There is a need to contain and control the rising prices of essential commodities. There has not been any mention of how many workers have been retrenched following the economic recession. Retrenchment is going on and there has been deceleration in exports. The Government wanted to raise FDI in insurance sector, we prevented it from doing to. It also wanted to allow foreign equity in our nationalized banks. It is because of our efforts that the impact of economic recession has not been so much in our financial institutions. There is a need to reverse the policy.
SHRIMATI SUSHMA SWARAJ: One should not be in the race for taking credit of welfare and developmental works. I am happy to note that you have promised to do what we wanted to do. I am proud that the chief ministers of four BJP ruled States namely Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand as also the NDA Governed State of Bihar have increased the quota of reservation for women from 33 to 50 per cent in their respective States.
The Government says that it would provide rice at the rate of Rs.3/- per kg. to the poor. But the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, a BJP ruled
State has already been providing 35 kg. of rice at Rs.3/- per kg. since 2007.
The quota of rice for Chhattisgarh was 61 thousand metric tonnes that time but the Central Government has reduced it to a mere 953 metric tones i.e. a whopping reduction of 97 per cent. What I want to say is that there should be no discrimination against any state irrespective of whichever party’s rule is there. But the Central Government has been discriminating against the state of Madhya Pradesh. A list of 31 crore BPL families has been sent by
Madhya Pradesh but the Central Government is not providing foodgrains for them. Similarly, the supply of coal to Madhya Pradesh has also been curtailed. The State has been grappling with power crisis. There is draught like situation. The hydro power projects have almost come to standstill in the State.
I would like to state let the Government launch and run the schemes it likes, but they should be implemented in a fair and impartial manner. I am pained at the fact that neither in the Address nor in the action plan for 100 days, there is a mention of going ahead with the establishment of six
AIIMSs. The AIIMS was set up in the country 58 years back. Thereafter, population increased multifold, but no subsequent AIIMS came up. In my tenure of 10 months, we had acquired land for them, we laid foundation stones for six AIIMSs and even earmarked Rs.6 crore under Budget head in the vote on account for the same to construct their boundary walls.
However, even after five years of this Government’s tenure no further work was done thereon. We even initiated action to upgrade the six existing
AIIMSs.
Then, in the paragraph 25, there is a mention of creating equal opportunities for women. The Government propose to accord priorities to the literacy, employment and political empowerment of womenfolk.
However, it fails to address the root cause relating to the very birth of female child. If a female child is not allowed to be born, how she is going to be educated. The female foeticide is committed on a large scale in the country.
It is the biggest crime. ‘Laadli Laxmi Yojana’ launched in Madhya Pradesh is a very good scheme to check female foeticide. Unless female foeticide is stopped, the other three objectives cannot be fulfilled. So far as the women reservation is concerned, there is no commitment as such in the President’s
Address to get the Bill passed. However, it says that the Government intends to take measures in this regard. The measures would be taken and the promise would just be fulfilled. The time frame has to be spelt by the
Government as to when the Women Reservation Bill would be passed.
Para 42 touches and ends with the mention of cross border terrorism on Indo-Pak border. The most pertinent topic remains untouched. Today,
Pak is building up and enhancing its nuclear capability. I am pained to say what we achieved during Atalji’s rule, has been lost under Indo-American nuclear pact. We have imposed self-restraint on any future nuclear explosion and in case if it is carried out, the pact become null and void. The
Prime Minister has to reply what steps the Government are taking to deal with the nuclear capability being augmented by the Pak. In this very paragraph, there is a mention of Tamil Lankans. Could we afford to sit silent at the inhuman atrocities being committed against our Tamil brethren?
We should send our delegates there to assess the situation and suggest what measures could be taken to mitigate their sufferings to the extent possible.
Then, in the paragraph 45 there is a mention of Indian diaspora. On one hand, we term them as our undeclared ambassadors, on the other hand we come across the reports of their sufferings abroad. What pain me most is when a responsible minister of the Cabinet says on the TV Channel ‘what could be done since our mission are under staffed’. The people are not bothered about the mission being under or overstaffed. We want our people and children to be safe there. Lot of will power and determination is required to fulfill the commitments made in the Address. What message is going to be conveyed to the people of the country if the ministers make such statement showing helplessness? Hence, a delegation consisting of young
Parliamentarians be sent to Australia so that our people there could feel that someone is there to take care of them and the Government is sensitive to their cause. It should not take long time and nor there is any difficulty in it.
Our President has talked of the aspirations and the hope of our youth.
Whenever, there has been a crisis, our youth have played their role very responsibly. I am happy to see a large number of young Parliamentarians having been elected to Lok Sabha. I congratulate them. I look forward to the aspirations of the people being fulfilled by them. However, the
Government need to take steps to help them fulfill those expectations. I have word of caution for the Government that the youth cannot wait for long. The youth gets impatient if there is inordinate delay and that impatience has in it the message of resentment brewing in them. It is accepted that we cannot change the picture in 100 days, but we can chalk out a blue print for the same. The Government has to formulate such a blue print. The people have elected them to govern the country and we have been assigned the role of the watchdog as Opposition. We would support the
Government if it undertakes good measures. We would caution the
Government if it committed lapses and delays. Likewise, we would also caution it if it does not deliver. We would oppose if they make mistakes and lapses. We would put to the test the promises and points made in the
Address and see if they have been accomplished or not.
SHRI SATPAL MAHARAJ: I support the Vote of Thanks on the
President’s Address moved by Dr. Girija Vyas and thank her on behalf of the people of Uttarakhand. I thank the government for expressing its commitment towards upliftment of the dalits and the oppressed. I also appreciate that the issue of one rank-one pension for ex-servicemen has been accorded priority. The railway network in Uttarakhand has seen no expansion ever after 61 years of independence. A survey for laying of railway line from Rishikesh to Karanprayag had been conducted during my tenure as Minister of State for Railways. This work should be included in the new railway budget and adequate provision may be made for the purpose. A survey for laying of railway line from Tanakpur to Bageshwar should be conducted. Defence personnel should be allowed to cast their votes at their places of posting and the postal ballot system should be scrapped. There is scarcity of drinking water in Uttarakhand. There is severe water shortage at the mountain peaks due to global warming. The implementation of proposed drinking water projects should be expedited to provide relief to the people of Uttarakhand. Forest fires have become a big problem in the hills. The herbs and shrubs found in hilly areas are destroyed in such fires. A gene-bank should be created to preserve such herbs and shrubs. Villages have also burnt down in the forest fires. Many people have been killed in such fires. This is a serious problem. We need to use scientific techniques. Roads should be constructed, such areas should be made accessible and the villages should be provided firefighting equipment.
The state has very few fire brigades. The women in the state are getting work under NREGA but complain that they are not being paid their wages.
Hence, the government should ensure that people provided employment under NREGA should be paid full wages in time.
The state has many places of religious importance. Many pilgrims visit the Kedarnath temple. The horses there have been struck by equine influenza and many have died. The people should be given compensation so that they are able to buy new horses. Also, expeditious action should be taken to deal with the disease.
Work on the Delhi-Dehradun national highway is progressing very slowly. It should be completed soon. The Jolly Grant airport in Dehradun should be upgraded to an international airport so that air service to Nepal and other countries could be started from there. There is no international airport in the state due to which foreign tourists who visit places such as
Haridwar, Rishikesh face great inconvenience.
I would like to make a few observations regarding part-time teachers.
There are 140 part-time teachers in Kendriya Vidyalayas in the State whose services have not been regularized. They have been demanding regularization since long. If they are regularized they would be able to put in a better performance. The Grameen Dak Sevaks have also not been included in the category of Central Government employees. I request the government to regularize them in a time bound manner and absorb them as
Central Government employees. Their terms of service, pay and allowances should also be brought at par with the government employees.
SSB had imparted training in guerrilla warfare to the people of
Uttarakhand. Such people should be provided financial assistance by the
Government.
Yoga should be included as a subject in the curriculum in the state.
Religious tourism should be promoted in Uttarakhand. Promotion of adventure tourism in the state will benefit tourism as well as the state. SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH: The Government proposes a new deal to the agriculture sector. Given the increased cost of production, the farmers must be given “ Minimum Support Price” of their produce. The farmers who have paid their debt have not got any benefit of the loan waiver scheme.
Jhalawar-Barar area of Rajasthan is called Cherrapunji of Rajasthan. Steps should be taken to store the rainwater for future use in Kharif and Rabi crops in sync with the water requirement to the crop pattern in this region. These projects should be completed in a time bound manner. We should focus on the food processing industry for the benefit of farmers. Banking system should be revamped to ensure that the Aam Admi can get his loan without much harassment. The post offices and banks should ensure that the labourers working in NREGS Projects are paid in a timely manner. Even after nearly 60 years of independence, there is scarcity of drinking water in rural India. We need to focus on drinking water schemes. Village panchayats should be trained and equipped to handle the drinking water schemes. Apart from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Mid Day Meal scheme, massive budget must be provided for the higher education. I request the
Union Government to set up an IIM or an IIT in Kota. We need to focus on safeguarding our flora & fauna. So, steps should be taken to save tigers in
Ranthambore. It is good that the Government wants to initiate food security law and a social security scheme for the needy, like landless labourers, weavers etc. The government is restricting the backward region grant fund.
But the respective panchayats must be made accountable for the quality of the work. The government wants to develop an ambitious project to develop new ways to attract the manpower and human resources. The infrastructure revolution ushered in the period of Shri Vajpayeeji’s Government would be able sustain the growth and will act like a catalyst to Indian growth. We need to ensure the Government PSUs are earning profits and sustaining the labour force. The Government must ensure that the prices of daily use commodities are reduced. I hope that the power situation will improve in the country.
SHRI ANANT GEETE: I would like to support the vote of thanks motion on the hon’ble President’s Speech. But I do not agree to the opinion expressed by hon’ble President regarding the success of the Government.
There have been coalition Governments in our country during the last many years and it was not the Government of any one party neither any particular ideology. It is not so that the country’s people have accepted the policies of the Congress. It is also not so that the Congress or UPA Government regime was successful for the last five years and this has changed the life of common man and made it better. Distribution of votes took place and the Congress got benefit of that and on the basis of that UPA could form the
Government. NREGA scheme has almost failed in many states. There is a need to make improvement in this scheme. Money has not been properly utilized under this. The workers did not get full wages under this scheme.
The Government should ponder over it seriously. We are providing employment to agricultural labourers under NREGA. There are not just agricultural labourers in our country who are unemployed. The number of unemployed industrial workers is double than the unemployed agricultural labourers and the number of educated unemployed is threefold than that of agricultural labourers. What is the scheme of the government for the unemployed educated persons and unemployed industrial workers?
There is a need to review the BPL criteria. Even today the deserving beneficiaries are not chosen under BPL. A farmer raising his family on income generated from half an acre of land and a single crop does not come under BPL criteria therefore, there is a need to seriously reconsider the definition of BPL. There is a need to provide employed to the educated unemployed persons. In the President’s Address there is no mention of suicide by farmers.
Suicides by farmers have not stopped. Even today farmers are committing suicide in Vidarbha and all over the country. No direct benefit of loan waiver has reached to the farmers. Only the banks providing loans have benefited the most by the loan waiver scheme.
The farmer should get remunerative price for his crop. Fertilizer, electricity, water and market should be made available to him. There is a need to understand the requirements of the farmers. The issue of internal security is the biggest issue. A threat is looming large on the country. There can be a terrorist attack on our country anytime. Our internal security is under threat due to the attacks from Pakistan. Pakistan wants to disturb our communal harmony. Today there is no communal tension anywhere in the country. What is the intention of the Government behind linking internal security with communal unrest. There should not be any effort to link communal harmony with internal security. We are not aware of what is there in the mind of the Government. The Government is protecting the terrorists who have been awarded death sentences.
Unemployment is increasing in the country, poor people are reeling due to souring prices. The Government does not have any scheme. I support the vote of thanks on Hon’ble President’s Address but do not support the Government.
DR. PRASANNA KUMAR PATASANI: We have failed to maintain cordial relations with our neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, & Myanmar, whereas Pakistan is maintaining good relations with his neighbours except India and also has earned support from U.S. and China. The
Government has not performed well in the past in education and health sectors, particularly in my State of Orissa. It is surprising that out of 55 medical colleges recognized recently the share of Orissa is only 2-3. Things are no better in Health Sector. The Govt. has not provided funds for the referral
Institute on the lines of AIIMS sanctioned three years ago. The Government intends to complete the rural water supply programme by 2011 but I would like to apprise the Government that safe drinking water is not available even in the capital of the State i.e. Bhubaneshwar. Despite spending thousands of crores of rupees on infrastructure, the condition of National Highways is very bad. I got funds sanctioned for road from Bhubaneshwar to Puri, but no work has been started yet. The Government wants to enact a new National Food Security Act and supply 25 kg of Rice at Rs. 3 per kg of wheat or rice to every family living below poverty line, but I would request the Government that under the present
State Government scheme the people of Orissa get rice/wheat at Rs. 2 per Kg and the scheme should be allowed to continue. The Government should come up with the resettlement scheme for the Slum-dwellers, which constitute a population of 5 lakhs in Bhubaneshwar only. Orissa is the most backward state in the country and special efforts should be made to uplift the living standard of this state.
SHRI NAMA NAGESWARA RAO: Eighty thousand farmers have committed suicide in the country in the last five years. Everybody should think about it. Swaminathan Commission had recommended minimum support price to the farmers by giving them 50% more than their input cost but this Government has not implemented it till date. Food grains production has gone down in the last 10 years. Our buffer stock has come down from 65 million tonnes to 25 million tonnes. On one hand, our population is rising at the rate of 1.9% to 2% while on the other there is shortage of foodgrains and thirdly, the tendency to commit suicide is increasing among the farmers. The Government should think about it. There is an issue regarding weavers also. We are saying that Bharat Nirman is going on but we are unable to stop starvation deaths. It has been said to provide 25 kg of rice or wheat at the rate of Rs. 3/kg to the poor. Such programme was introduced by our founder late Shri N.T. Ramarao in 1983 by distributing rice at the rate of Rs. 2/kg. Infrastructure is a very important sector for the progress of India. NDA Government constructed Golden
Quadilateral alongiwth North-East and South and North-East and East and
West and South and North corridor too. The networking of roads has improved a lot in the last 10 years due to this programme but still a lot more is needed there. In addition to it, there should be a national river linking programme also. The country also needs the National Power Grid. E-
Governance and citizen card have also been mentioned. The Government should work towards e-governance as it will end corruption. Rahul
Gandhi has said that 10 paise out of a hundred rupee is reaching the common man. It is a failure of the system. The Government should think about it.
Indian students are being attacked in America and Australia. It is a problem of the entire country and there is need to pay attention to it. I support this
Address. I hope that taking cooperation of all, you will work for development of the country in the next five years. We will all extend our cooperation to you for the development of the country.
SHRI GURUDAS DASGUPTA: I rise to appreciate the speech of
Rashtrapati Ji. There are a few important pronouncements which we definitely appreciate. But I am constraint to say that there is no mention of the suicide of the peasants that have taken place in the country. There is no mention of the huge off-loading of manpower that is taking place in the country as a result of the economic-tsunami that has overtaken the world.
The talk of a regular for the pension fund is nothing but an attempt to divert the social savings to the private sector. The re-capitalization of the nationalized banks will surely dilute the Government equity in the nationalised banks and may ultimately impair upon the character of social banking of our country. The disinvestment of Government equity in the profit making public sector is nothing short of selling the family silver to meet the grocer’s bill.
There is also a talk of labour reform which I am afraid has been done to cut or curb the trade union rights of the workers. The green economic scenario has really been sidelined. According to the CMIE, the real GDP growth in the country has fallen to 6.5 per cent. There is another study and they are saying that the GDP growth is likely to decline to 5.6 per cent. In
2008-09, the production of non-food crop has declined by one per cent. The food production is increasing or may increase by 2.2 per cent. Overall, if we take agriculture into account, the agricultural productivity has declined. The industrial growth has dipped to all time low, to 2.7 per cent. CMIE has even scaled down the growth estimate of the service sector. The economy is in so distress, if I am allowed to say that it is likely that the non-performing assets of the banks will be tripled in two years reaching the astronomical figure of
Rs.1,80,000 crore. This is the sickness of the economy. The Government is very happy that general inflation has dipped below one per cent to 0.7 per cent. But the Consumer Price Inflation is nearly in double digits – 9.6 per cent.
The World Bank says that India is ahead of only Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of poverty. So deep is the problem of poverty. Is it fair that this has been sidelined really in the speech that has been prepared by the Cabinet for the Rashtrapatiji? There is another National Commission appointed by the Government to look into the problems of small enterprises. According to that Commission, the growth rate of employment has dropped to 1.88 per cent. Poverty depends on the purchasing power and purchasing power depends on the remuneration, wage and salary. Government appointed
Commission says that there has been a general decline in the level of wages throughout the country. There has been a significant job loss in the
Government departments in the Central Public Sector Undertakings including the Railways. I wish the newly appointed Minister of Labour will take care of this problem. The UPA has won the elections. My best wishes to them. But please remember the distress that India is facing. Please consider the question of whether there is a need for any fundamental change in the economic policies that this Government has pursued which has led to a grim situation. I do not buy the argument of Shri Advani that this is a verdict for bi- polarity. Multi-polarity is firmly enshrined in the immense diversity of
Indian political spectrum. Historically, the Left has a space in the political system. I am aware that the Left has suffered a serious setback and we shall look into the reasons and we are confident that we shall overcome that. My greetings to the Government and I only expect that there is no gap between the promise and the performance that you have so brilliantly spoken in the speech.
SHRI GANESH SINGH: The word ‘dalit’ has been mentioned for hon’ble Speaker in the Address. It would be proper to correct it by writing dalit class instead of dalit. The issues of this election like security of the citizens and the country, rising prices, suicide by farmers, wider effect of the economic slowdown, to retrieve the black money stashed abroad still exist.
But, there has been no mention of the concrete steps proposed to be taken by the Government regarding these issues. The common man used to think that this Government would deal with corruption strictly but no mention of it has been made in the Address. There should be a provision in the Women’s
Reservation Bill to provide special opportunity to the women who have lagged behind. Many states, like Madhya Pradesh, in the country are becoming victim of natural calamities every year but no mention has been made for providing special economic package to the states to deal with such calamities. No foodgrains have been provided to the 62 lakh families included in the BPL list by the Central Government. Many states are facing power crisis today. The Central Government should have helped the states in such a situation, but, even the quota of electricity of Madhya Pradesh had been cut. Coal supply has also been cut due to which a large-scale reduction in electricity generation is being faced. Poverty is rising and it would have been better if some time bound programmes had been announced. The condition of the farmers in the country is much worrisome today. The reputation of the country has come down in the world during the last five years. Crores of youth are looking for livelihood. Equality in education is not visible. The poor people are unable to receive technical education. The
Central Government should take some urgent concrete steps in this regard.
It is imperative to link the rivers if the country is to be saved from the draught and floods. The Government should work in this direction. Disease and malnutrition is also a very big problem in the country. People are dying due to lack of medicines. A large number of children is becoming victim of malnutrition and no mention has been made of the effective measures to check it. It is necessary to remove the practical problems being faced in the
Employment Guarantee scheme. It is necessary to review the programems of rural education, health, drinking water and employment in the entire country. I support the President’s Address and expect that the Central
Government will implement my suggestions.
SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY: I support the motion of thanks on the President’s Address. The five annual reports on environment, education, health, employment and basic infrastructure to be brought before the people, as mentioned by the Hon’ble President, will prove to be very important.
Problem can also be solved if judicial reforms are introduced to a large extent. I also welcome the mention about setting up a National Mission for sustainable agriculture in her address. I also welcome the mention about the introduction of a Bill for regulation of the land acquired by the Government.
Particular attention should be paid to the problems facing the farmers and agriculture. Swaminathan Commission proposes 50% remunerative prices for the farmers. The Government should take it seriously. Farmers should get input at the right time and at right prices. There is need to reform the whole of the system for taking loans and to simplify it. Besides, the farmers and the weavers should get loans at the cheaper rate of 4%. Expenditure on research in the agriculture sector will have to be increased. Water and irrigation problems have also been mentioned here. A comprehensive policy will have to be made for it at the national level. The aim of subsidy or grant should be better farming. The rural poverty should be abolished. The benefit of the schemes made by the Government for the farmers is not reaching the women. They should get right to land. About 25-30% families in rural areas have widow woman as their head. Such women should be conferred the status of farmer. There should be youth budgeting and child budgeting. The figures of the actual amount we are prepared to spend under the Government schemes and Government funds for the future of the country should be presented in the Parliament.
SHRIMATI HARSIMRAT KUAR BADAL: Madam Chairman, I thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to make my maiden speech. Madam, I support the Motion of Thanks to the President Address and especially appreciate the first three points in her 100-day Agenda which is to bring in the Women Reservation Bill, to provide 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and urban local bodies and to increase representation of women in Central Government jobs. While I wholeheartedly endorse these initiatives, I would like to say that when I go to my villages, to the Panchayats and ask for the sarpanch, all the villagers point to man. When I mention that the sarpanch is a woman, I am told that the village panchayat is reserved for the woman and so the husband uses his wife to become the sarpanch and actually he handles all the village affairs and she knows nothing. The 50 per cent reservation in panchayats does not mean this kind of reservation. Providing the right environment for women is equally important. We need to give the women equal right to take birth and to live. More than 90 per cent of all abortions take place in our country are to eliminate the girl child. Female foeticide is so rampant in our country but I regret that the hon. President’s Address did not have any reference to deal with female foeticide. We need to provide women access to the right environment of good education, good health facilities and basic necessities like drinking water and toilets. The hon. President also mentioned that 50 per cent of our country’s population is below 25 years of age and the
Government carries the burden of their dreams. These dreams can only be realized if we face the stock reality that the youth of our country today is facing the menace of drug abuse. Today, our overseas youth is also in need of our country’s help. The students who have gone abroad to study and work are being targeted due to their race, religion, colour and dress. The Sikh community has not been able to get over the laws of the US regarding the turban screening or in French schools, now they are not allowed to wear their turbans, leave alone the latest racial attacks which have taken place in
Australia. I would urge that we must act and be leaders in forming a consortium to wage a war against these prejudices and ugly mindsets to stop racial abuse against our youth. I would also like to say a few words about the farmer debt relief package of Rs. 65,000 crore. The proud Punjab farmer provides for over 50 per cent of the wheat and rice into the country’s Central
Food Pool. As 65 per cent of Punjab’s population is into farming, outstanding loans advanced to Punjab farmers by banks which was Rs. 6200 crore in the year 2001, have now become Rs. 14500 crore in 208 and todays’s total burden on the Punjab farmer is close to Rs. 26000 crore. Out of a total of Rs. 65000 crore debt waiver package to the farmers of our country. The farmers of Punjab receive measly Rs. 750 crore. This is discrimination against the farmers of Punjab. There is abject poverty in
Punjab. There are millions of people in Punjab which are unable to make their both ends meets. Out of forty five lakh poor families not even five lakhs are able to get the benefits of the BPL schemes of the Union government.
Though there is only eleven per cent BPL population in Punjab but 30 per cent population comprises of Scheduled Castes. They do not have houses, they do not get potable water, they do not have jobs and they are unable to make both ends meets. Central Government does not consider them to be the BPL population and does not extend any assistance to them while other States are getting 26% share from the Central Taxes, Punjab get only 1.30% share. Why this discrimination is being made to the State
Government of the Punjab. Punjab is not getting benefit from the Central
Schemes like Sarva Sisksha Abhiyan in the area of education. National agriculture Development Scheme in the area agriculture, Pradhanmantri
Gramin Sadak Yojna in the area of infrastructure and Rajiv Gandhi Rural electrification scheme. Hence some changes required to be made in these schemes so that Punjab may get benefited from them.
DR. THOKCHOM MEINYA: Madam Chairperson, I wholeheartedly support the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address as moved by you and seconded by Shri P.C. Chacko. Madam, Her Excellency has clearly drawn a roadmap of ideas and activities of the present
Government for the next five years. The vision of inclusive society and inclusive economy remains the guiding principle for formulating future policies and programmes. The ten broad areas of priorities in her speech speak of all what are to be said and done. The Government’s commitment for the policy of zero-tolerance towards terrorism deserves kudos from all of us. I am from North-East and belong to the State of Manipur. My State is one of the worst affected States by insurgent movements. We have been looking for a solution to this problem of insurgency. Her Excellency has given a right note on the success story of Bharat Nirman launched five years ago. We welcome the enhanced targets of Bharat Nirman in the second phase in respect of the Indira Awas Yojana, Rural Water Supply
Programme, rural telecommunication, rural electrification, irrigation, and road connectivity. For an equitable and sustainable development of the country, we have to develop rural India. I do belong to a border State and we are quite a disadvantaged lot. It remains a stark reality that in spite of the advancement of modern science, particularly of Information Technology, whatever good things happening in the mainland of this country take a long time to reach the border areas. We wish that some worthwhile mechanism for implementation and delivery system can be evolved so that those disadvantaged lot in the border areas can feel that they are placed at par with those in the rest of the country.
Madam, we are fully aware that in some of these border States our revenue collections are not much. We strongly and sincerely feel that this should not be allowed to continue. This can happen only when required infrastructure for development are properly put in place so that the revenue earning is multiplied.
Madam, the next hundred days during which this Government will initiate steps on as many as 25 measures are really challenging. For its success, infrastructure development is very crucial. The Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) projects are to be encouraged.
Madam, the country is now in the mission mode. The capability of implementing these missions in a more significant manner depends on the ability of the leadership. Please remember how the leadership managed to sail through the famous Indo-US nuclear deal in the last Lok Sabha. Our
Foreign Policy is in the right mode. Our relationships with our immediate neighbourhood are good and cordial. The global climate change, which is threatening the entire universe, is being proactively addressed through our eight national missions. Once again I thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate in this discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the
President’s Address.
YOGI ADITYANATH: I rise to speak on the President’s Address.
As the whole House unanimously extends thanks on the President’s Address,
I also support the Address. Her Excellency has said that this Government has got huge mandate but it is not the truth. Since 1952 most of the time congress led Government were in power, very short tenure has been enjoyed by other parties. During these 62 years, if the country has not joined the mainstream of the development, if it has not emerged as a superpower then its full responsibility lies on the congress itself. I would like to thank Her Excellency for including mainly two points.
Firstly, one rank one pension has been mentioned and a time bound programme for the same has been fixed and that it will be completed by the end of June, 2009. it is a welcome step. Secondly, it has been mentioned that a unique identity card will be made for each and every citizen of the country.
Large number of Bangladeshi infiltrators are present in the country who are creating problems in regard to employment and are affecting our economy.
Even they are creating problems regarding national security and law and order at many places.
In this country, we discuss about economic backwardness but we never discuss about the factors responsible for the same. In this House, why do we not discuss the point that a uniform policy to check the population should be formulated in the whole country. Increase in population will need proportionate increase in resources. But if our economic resources are failing as miserably, its one of the key reasons is the lack of National Population
Policy. In the President’s Address there is no mention regarding population control and there is no mention that whether government will take any step to further the nation towards self-reliance. Today people are dying of hunger in the country, farmers are committing suicides. Who is guilty for the same? Our relations with the neighboring countries have been discussed here. We have discussed our relations with Sri Lanka and Pakistan but we have not sincerely discussed our relations with our closest and friendly nation, Nepal with which we had strong cultural relations. The incidents of terrorism taking place in India are some way or the other related with Nepal.
Our 1751 Km. Long border with Nepal is completely open. In one way it was secure for us but we allowed Maoists to dominate in Nepal. Government of India did not extend required help to the government of Nepal, which resulted in Maoists dominance over there. In Nepal Indian vehicles are being burnt, Indian cinema has been banned, Indian are being attacked. Our internal security is at stake due to Maoists activities in Nepal. Measures should be taken to check the natural calamity, flood. After initiating dialogue with Nepal Government water projects- Pancheswar, Saptkashi and Bahlugi should be initiated.
SHRI MADHUSUDAN YADAV: There is mention regarding internal security in the Presidential Address, but there is no mention of any specific action plan to deal with the problem of Naxalism killing forest dwellers, tribals, government employees, security officers every day in
Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh, etc. SHRI MOHAMMAD E.T. BASHEER: I stand to support the
Thanks Motion moved by Dr. Girija Vyas. My organization Muslim League is working for the upliftment of minorities through secular democratic process. We are proud enough to have association with UPA led by Smt.
Sonia ji and this Government headed by Shri Manmohan Singh.
The CPM is facing acute credibility crisis which they have never faced in the political history before. Now, coming to the Address of the
President para 28 of the page 9 of President’s Speech deals with the minorities. We had enough Commissions, Assurances, Guarantees, Promises for the upliftment of the minorities. The minorities in the country has fed up with the recommendations. Let us go to various reports- 1978 it is Mandal
Commission, 1983 High Power Panel led by Dr. Gopalsingh which was appointed during the tenure of Smt. Indira Gandhi. Again in 1986 National
Education Policy with a special emphasize for minority education 1999
National Commission for Minorities 2006 Prime Minister’srevised 15-Point
Programme and lastly 2006 justice Sacher Report. Sachar Committee Report which is known as Magna Carta of Minorities. This committee has recommended the following points.
Targeted intervention in 90 identified minority districts
ensuring civic amenities and economic opportunities. Skill and entrepreneurship development.
Artisan activities
Opening of new schools.
Girls only schools, teachers training schools, etc.
Inclusion of minority representation in various interview
boards.
Opening up of branches of Nationalized Banks with flexible
condition for providing loans to minority community members.
Hostel for girls.
Scholarship schemes
Adequate representation in public sector
Strengthening of Moulana Azad Foundation.
Effective and modified implementation of Wakf Act.
Formation of equal opportunity commission.
National Data Bank on statistical information on minorities.
Autonomous monitoring authorities.
The UPA Government has taken some substantial steps in some of the issues, such as introduction of 27% of reservation in Higher Education Institutions, the Scholarship Schemes earmarking SSA Funds. Passing Minority Education Act. Hon’ble Rashtrapathi ji in Her Speech had announced Equal
Opportunities Act, will be expedited, necessary modification will be done in the WAKF Act. But there is no clear cut operational strategy, no programme of action, no monitoring system and above all the sorrows of minorities can not be solved with stastical facts and figures of that status. What is required is concrete steps. I urge upon the Government to assert on these recommendations and kindly covert words into deeds. I also suggest a
Parliamentary Committee also be constituted to monitor the progress of the implementation of this significant report. I would like to say an important thing on National Minority Commission. But it is powerless. They can not summon any officer or anybody concerned. They are having only recommendatory and suggestive nature. I urge upon the Government to provide statutory power to the commission and by giving statutory power to
Minority Commission may be included in the 100 days programme of UPA
Government. The Rangnath Mishra Commission has submitted its repot before 2 years. Commission has made specific suggestions in respect of affirmative action to be taken to redress the grievances of the minorities.
This report has not yet been placed before this August Body. A discussion on this report is very much required. I appeal this Government to table this
Report in the Parliament. In Rashtrpathi’s Address it has been announced that National Higher Educational Council in the light of knowledge
Commission and Planning Commission will be constituted.
We have started talking on brain gain instead of brain drain. I invite the kind attention of this August body to an issue pertaining higher education that is on admission into professional colleges in self financing sectors. I do admit that various judgments are there. Cases likes Unikrishan,
TMFI Foundation, Inamdari, Islamic Academy, etc are there. I would like to say that commercialization is increasing. Social justice has not been adhered into. Poor and meritorious students are kept away from the so called elite private institutions. Managements are at liberty to run this institutions according to there whims and fancies. Hon’ble Law Minister Shri Virappa
Moily may be aware more than me. There is the necessity of enactment of professional colleges in self-financing sectors.
Para 19 of the Rashtrapathi Speech is on empowerment of women, social security initiative, relief measures aiming the welfare of the poor and downtrodden. Sir, I would like to bring one important matter to the notice of this august Body that is in respect of pathetic condition of the chronic patients suffering from cancer, kidney disorders, various therapies and transplantations, financial assistance provided to poor patients suffering from these diseases are grossly insufficient and poor patient can not afford treatment provided by the private hospitals and Government facilities are not adequate.
SHRI NARAHARI MAHATO: Regarding agriculture, the momentum of public investment of agriculture and irrigation, built up in the last five years, will be further expanded through three major instruments- the
Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, the National Food Security Mission and the
National Horticulture Mission. The aid released by the government is not reaching the people at the grassroots level. So, a central legislation for agricultural workers should be enacted in this regard. After 62 years of our
Independence, a proper irrigation system has not been built in my area. So, irrigation facilities should be enhanced to help the poor farmers. Subsidy on agriculture should be given directly to the farmers. The government should provide the necessary help to people engaged in agriculture, cottage industries and SSI units. A comprehensive, scientific crop insurance scheme covering all crops should be initiated to provide adequate minimum support for agricultural products. Proper marketing facilities should be made available for agricultural and SSI products, it would be helpful for the poor farmers. All other progressive work should be done with sincerity.
SHRIMATI BOTCHA JHANSI LAKSHMI: Action plan of the
UPA government is a unique one in the post-independent era. There is not doubt that the plan covers all sections of the people and all the regions in our country.
In the President’s Address, the proposed elements of women’s empowerment are many, like one-third representation in Parliament and
State Legislatures, a Constitutional amendment to ensure 50 per cent reservation in Panchayats, and the promise to wipe out female illiteracy in five years. New schools and colleges, exclusively for girls should be started in educationally backward districts or by taking a parliamentary constituency as a unit. Degree colleges for the disabled people, especially for the blind with latest learning techniques should be started.
The flagship National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is the largest programme in the world for rural reconstruction. I welcome the creation of district level ombudsmen for social audit of the NREGS and for ensuring grievance redressal. The scope of NREGP should be extended so that agricultural land productivity could be increased.
The proposed Rajiv Awas Yojana to evolve a slum-free India in the next five years is a welcome step. Our Government will build 120 lakhs more rural houses over the next five years which is double the number built between 2004and 2009. I do hope the Rural Water Supply Scheme will be completed by 2011. Of course, every panchayat will have broadband network over the next five years. Then, public sector banks will be recapitalised and the pension sector will have a new regulator. This will strengthen the economy. As we all know, rural health institutions suffer from chronic shortage of professionals, a new National Council for Human
Resources in health will definitely deliver supply of skilled health personnel.
I welcome the government’s initiative to spend more on infrastructure through public private partnership projects to tackle the global crisis. The welfare, upgradation and reform measures enumerated for Armed Forces and the police forces will definitely strengthen the internal security and preparedness of our forces to counter terrorism.
India always aspires for good relations with all countries but recent attacks on Indian students in Australia need to be condemned. In the next five years with the consolidation of programmes, with maintenance of at least 8.5 per cent GDP growth rate coupled with low prices and the subsidies reaching the needy and the poorer sections of the society, the proposed decade of innovation with increased employability skills of the youth, our great country, India will lead the world. SHRI PRAHLAD JOSHI: Sir, Her Excellency, the hon’ble
President while addressing both the Houses of Parliament has said that
General Elections is the greatest festival of democracy. But one worrying factor is the fact that a sizeable section of our electorate is not casting their votes. We are spending Rs. 1300 crore for conducting a General Election.
But now out of 71 crore registered voters, more than 35 crores voters are not casting their votes. It is a matter of great concern. The political parties, the
Election commission would have to sit together and think about this situation and devise means as to how to motivate people to participate in this voting process.
I am happy to note that the hon. President has mentioned about ‘Zero
Tolerance’ about terrorism. This is really good. But I would like to ask one question, the person who attacked Parliament, why has he not been hanged even after the Supreme Court has awarded a capital punishment to that particular person? Why the capital punishment awarded to him is not being implemented?
Sir, my next point is about Bangladesh Border Fencing. Out of 62 years of our Independence, the Congress Party has ruled this country for almost 52 to 53 years and yet the Bangladesh border has not been fenced properly. It is not guarded properly. There is a report that more than three crores of illegal Bangladeshi migrants are in India and they are associated with terrorist groups.
Another important point is pertaining to my state, Karnataka. I would like to urge upon the Government to combat the terrorist activities which have come to the doorsteps of Karnataka also including naxal activities.
Bangalore is the IT capital of India and the fastest growing city in
Asia. We demand for a NSG unit in Bangalore.
Hon. President has also talked about revival of agriculture and its glory. For the last five years, I have demanded many times that crop insurance scheme should be more farmer-friendly and gram panchayat should be made as a unit. I also urge the Government for proper water management.
The Planning Commission, in its Report, indicated about the seriousness of the water crisis that the country will face unless the
Government takes substantial measures. According to this Report, the demand for water for irrigation, drinking and energy will increase to 1000 billion cubic meters by 2025. This large requirement of water will not be met unless the water resource is augmented within the country.
Lastly, my constituency, Hubli-Dharward, which is the second largest city in Karnataka after Bengaluru, is facing serious water problem. The present Government there is trying to implement the third stage of Malpura project. For that the State Government has already invested Rs. 202 crore.
The State Government has asked for Central assistance for the balance amount on the PPP model.
78% of our population still remains on less than Rs. 20 per day and there is no mention about any concrete steps or resolve of this Government to change this scenario.
No mention about establishing new IITs in other States. Crores of youth are losing jobs. Some measures should be taken immediately. Though
NREG is a good programme to address this problem in some of the States.
Railway has the ability and potential to bring rapid socio economic changes. Railways revenues were increasing but revenue earning alone does not reflect the quality and infrastructure and quality of service railway provides. Most of our States still remain unevenly developed in terms of railways. Still the Indian Railways has not paid attention to uneven growth of railways across the country.
SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI: Sir, I rise to support the Motion of
Thanks on the President’s Address. Regarding the President’s Address and the verdict of the general election 2009, one thing which needs utmost attention is the representation of the Muslims in this august House. It is coming down very drastically. This is high time that all the secular parties do some introspection as to why the number of Muslim Members is coming down. About the Sachar Committee Report, I would say that in 90 MCDs
Muslims voted en bloc for the Congress Party and for the UPA partners in those 90 MCDs. It is high time that you push around and force the State
Governments to implement the civic amenity scheme which has been formulated for the 90 MCDs and the highest number is in your State of West
Bengal. Another issue is about the Liberhan Commission. Muslims still feel that when it comes to Babri Masjid, justice has not been done. Why has the Government got to extend its term? I have got a right to know what justice can be done to me. Who are the people responsible for the 9th of
December, 1992 incident? In respect of 172 wakf properties, the ASI is in illegal position. In respect of 112 properties, the DDA is in illegal possession. Why does the Government not pressurize the ASI and the DDA to give these properties to us? I demand that the CWC be given a grant of
Rs. 1000 crore for development of these properties. About the Maulana
Azad Education Foundation, I would say that the MAEF corpus has to be increased to Rs. 1000 crore. About the National Minority Development and
Finance Corporation, the share capital must be increased to Rs. 1500 crore. Lastly, I come to the Equal Opportunities Commission Bill. It is ready. Please bring it. There should be scrutiny of textbooks, removing the communal content. About foreign policy, India should support the poor
Palestinians and condemn the atrocities perpetrated by the Israelis there.
Our relationship should be strengthened more with the Arab countries. I want the Congress Party to implement its manifesto when it talks about the reservation.
SHRI THOL THIRUMMAVALAVAN: I would like to congratulate and appreciate the Chairperson of the UPA for having chosen our Speaker and Deputy-Speaker from Dalit and Tribal communities.
There are many programmes and schemes in the President's Address which are to be appreciated like the National Mission for Female Literacy,
Unique Identity Card Scheme, Slum-free India, National Food Security Act,
Prime Minister's 15-Point Programme for the Minorities, Women's
Reservation Bill and so on. But I would like to indicate some important issues which have been neglected. We expected them but there is no mention about those issues in the President's Address. There is no mention about the genocide of Sri Lankan Tamils; there is no mention of Sethusamudram
Project; there is no mention about reservation of jobs in private sector for
Muslims, Christians, particularly Dalit Christians. I am sorry to say that it is a national shame that there are two villages in every area. One is the caste village and another is the Dalit village.
Without eradicating untouchability we cannot evolve democracy. Here I want to submit some requisitions. We need a White Paper on genocide of Sri
Lankan Tamils. What is the role of our Union Government on Sri Lankan issue? My other request is for a separate Ministry for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. I would also like to request the Government to implement the recommendations of the Committee of Ministers on Dalit
Affairs, which was headed by our Finance Minister, Shri Pranab Mukherjee.
There should be free education, including higher education and professional courses, to all. Our Party and our Ally Part, the DMK are very much concerned about the Sri Lankan issue. But I am sorry to say that the
Government of India has betrayed the Tamil Community in Sri Lanka. So, the Government of India should change the attitude against Tamils and save our kith and kin in Sri Lanka.
SHRI KALYAN BANERJEE: When I read the lines in the speech of hon. President regarding great anxiety in respect of the agriculturists, I just recollect the days of the Singur Movement. When I read Para 14, time and again a question comes up in my mind. Whether it is the right of the agriculturists, right of the peasants would be given priority or the right of individual industrialist has to be given priority? In our State, we have seen that the agriculturists or the farmers and the people of Bengal fought for the last two years under the leadership of our leader Kumari Mamata Banerjee against State’s anti-agricultural, anti-peasant policies. That is the reason behind Singur; that is the reason, we have seen, behind Nandigram. So, when I read clause 14, I will only make an appeal to our hon. Prime Minister to kindly, at least, implement it in our State of West Bengal.
When I read para 10, I am surprised to see the policing system when I see the IPS officers of our State. I would suggest that the Police Act, which was enacted in 1861, should be scrapped. The police administration should not sub-serve the Ruling parties in different States. Compulsory provision should be made for making the police more citizen-friendly. When I read para 18 regarding the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, I must say that the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, to a certain extent, has recognised the Right to Work of the people of the country. Unfortunately, we have not seen that in our State. Even 50 per cent of this 100-days’ work programme has not been implemented in the remote villages, in the rural
West Bengal. I have a suggestion that this House should enact a complete statute giving responsibility to the persons who would be implementing this Act. So, strict vigilance should be there and stringent provisions should be made in the Act.
I wish that the Sachar Committee recommendations should be implemented. I would make a request that the percentage of Muslim community in the category of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes should be increased.
SHRI VIRENDRA KUMAR: In the President’s Address, no mention has been made regarding the steps to be taken to check the constantly rising prices in the country. The prices have again started rising and as far as internal security is concerned, people have lost faith due to terrorism. It has been mentioned in the President’s Address that communal harmony should be maintained at all cost, however, it is unfortunate that the
Government are unable to provide even very small piece of land to
Amarnath pilgrims for their stay in Srinagar.
In our country illegal infiltration is taking place from Bangladesh and in many States these infiltrators have been given citizenship and ration cards. No mention has been made in the Address regarding the action plan to send them back to their country after their identification.
In the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, there are around 950 ponds belonging to Chandel era which cater to demand for irrigation and drinking water. The Government have not mentioned any scheme for cleaning and desilting of these ponds. The Government also need to think over as to why the farmers are committing suicide and also how the schemes could be implemented effectively.
Several irregularities are being committed by the contractors under the
Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme due to which the benefits of the scheme are not reaching to the poor. This has not found any mention in the
Address. Lack of employment opportunities is leading to migration to the cities which needs to be considered seriously at the policy formulation level.
Address also fails to mention about the unwillingness of the MBBS doctors to work in rural areas. The target of providing houses to the homeless people in rural areas through Indira Awas Yojana has become dependent on the discretion of the village Sarpanch and the homeless persons are still bereft of the benefits of this scheme. Government should give serious thought to it. Until the most marginalized and under-privileged person of the country gets house to live, cloth to wear, food to eat and medicine to take care of health, work of Bharat Nirman will remain incomplete.
SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK: Hon’ble President has mentioned about several problems in her Address. The problems like terrorism and internal security are still prevailing in the country. We have to make a lot of efforts to check this and terrorism will have to be dismantled by enacting stringent and effective laws.
Today the common man is suffering a lot due to price rise. The
Government has failed to respond with effective measures to check price rise. The cancer of corruption has eaten into the vitals of the country. If the spread of corruption is not checked it will soon lead to anarchy, and common man will be a victim of it.
The Address also makes a mention of lakhs of crores of rupees kept in
Swiss banks. There is a need to bring this money back and spend on the development of the country. There is also a mention in the Address about
Women Reservation Bill. This Bill should be passed at the earliest so that the women could get their share of rights.
The future of lakhs of youth in the country is facing uncertainty. They should be provided employment at the earliest. Almost two and a half crore
Indian youths are either studying or working abroad. The Government should take concrete measures to ensure their safety. The farmers should get support price for their produce so that they may not resort to committing suicide. There is also a need to expedite the pace of the two important projects namely inter-linking of rivers and Golden Quadrilateral scheme launched during NDA regime.
SHRI MANISH TIWARI: The preamble of our Constitution enunciates the ideals on which this nation has been constituted. In many ways, the mandate of the 15th General Elections reflects the endorsement and the re-affirmation of those ideals. Verdict of the 15th General Elections really boils down to a rejuvenated continuity for the UPA Government. I think, the fundamental task, which is there not only before the UPA
Government but before the nation as a whole, is as to how to consolidate this emerging multi-polarity, of which India is also one of the poles, and see that we occupy a rightful place in the comity of nations. The greatest economic crisis that the world has faced since the great depression of the 1930s definitely warrants not only the attention of this House but warrants the attention of every policy-maker around the world. Amongst this economic mayhem the manner in which the previous UPA Government has steered the ship of the Indian State is indeed very complimentary. The responsibility to make the 21st Century the Indian Century begins in this House. If over the next couple of months we are able to excuse politics of confrontation for the sake of confrontation; if we are able to leave the politics of opposition for the sake of opposition; and actually build-up multi-partisanship in this
House predicated solely and only on India’s National interest, then we would be able to achieve the dream of making this Century the Indian
Century.
SHRI S. SEMMALAI: The President’s Address has outlined some measures to reduce the level of poverty, but they are not adequate. As you all know, nearly 2/3rd of Indians live on less than Rs. 20 per day. A recent
UN Report on Human Development Index ranked India at 132.
The Government is replying heavily on the implementation of the
National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme. In my State, the monitoring mechanism to oversee the work is either absent or ineffective.
There is every possibility of misuse of funds and the works being lopsided.
So, the Government should strengthen the monitoring system.
Further, the number of working days has to be increased from 100 days to 150 days in a year for a sustainable living. I also make an appeal to the Finance Minister to extend interest-free educational loan to all. The
Government can bear the interest component. If this suggestion is carried out, it will increase the enrolment ratio in higher education.
SHRI JUOSE K. MANI: I support the Motion of Thanks on
President’s Address. The people have great expectations from the current Government. I hope it will rise to the occasion and do all possible things to fulfil the aspirations of the people. The bold statement that every step will be taken to enact the Women’s Reservation Bill is revolutionary and praiseworthy. In my view, growth and social progress are complementary to each other. Therefore, the development priority of this Government should be more of agricultural growth, more of income and employment for the rural population.
SHRI SHAILENDRA KUMAR: At the outset, I extend my thanks for allowing me to express my views on the Motion of Thanks on the
President’s Address. First of all, I would like to refer to the mention made in the President’s Address about the Right to Information. In this regard, it is unfortunate that a bill has been passed in Uttar Pradesh making amendment to deny information about the Secretariat functioning. The Right to
Information Act has been made applicable throughout the country and the
State Government of Uttar Pradesh or any other local government has no power to make any amendment to it.
In the President’s Address a target has been fixed to complete the five years agenda in hundred days. But the Government has to face some major challenges on this account. As some hon. Members has just now referred to the issue of internal security. The second challenge is about employment and security. Thirdly, the Government has to face an important challenge of
Food Security and Health. Fourthly, the education is also a major challenge before the Government. Fifth challenge is that of environment. Coal reserves in the country would last only for the next forty years. Similarly, oil reserves will last only for the next twenty years. Availability of water will also be a major challenge. All these are major challenges before the Government.
The Members of Parliament get 2 crores every year as MPLAD Fund.
This amount is quite insufficient for the five –six assembly seats. Members of Parliament should be provided funds sufficient to carry out the development works. Every member of Parliament has a quota of two admissions for the Central School. This is not sufficient.
There is no mention in the President’s Address about the steps to root out corruption and population control. Incidents of female foeticide has been very frequent. There is no mention of farmer’s suicide as well in the
President’s Address.
SHRI VISHNU PAD RAI: The National Institute of Technology
Act that was passed by Lok Sabha in the year 2007 adversely affected the students of the Islands. No student from the Andaman or the Nicobar islands could appear in the AIEEE exam owing to this Act. The stipulated requirement of 300 acres of land for the setting up of N.I.T. should be reduced to 125 acres. The Andaman Engineering College should get affiliation from the Delhi University. It is requested that instead of allotting
105 seats for Engineering, on merit under AIEEE these should be allotted to
CBSE this year.
It is requested that prior to evacuating land from the tribals, they should be allotted land equal to that which is in their possession even in our islands by making amendment in the Forest Encroachment Act.
A Passenger travelling in Indian Airlines in stretcher should be charged fare equal to one ticket and not six. Indian Airlines should charge fare from Chennai or Kolkata to Port Blair on the lines of the fare from
Delhi to Chennai or Kolkata.
It is requested that the BPL list should be prepared at 33 cut off score in Andaman on the lines of Nicobar. The Government is requested to provide alternative land immediately in lieu of the land submerged during the Tsunami. A minimum of 12 kg rice per person should be distributed. It is requested that minimum wages should be increased to Rs. 200. It is requested that old age pension, widow pension, handicapped pension which has been stagnated at Rs. 500 should be increased immediately. The
Government should take immediate measures to conserve the mangroves.
The security of the Andaman Nicobar Islands’ border areas should be beefed up. The Government should pay attention to tourism in the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands.
SHRI K.S. RAO: In almost all the schemes connected with the
Government of India, the State Governments must be made a party to it.
The minimum needs of the poor people is the responsibility of the
Government, whether it is old-age pension or assistance to the handicapped or assistance for housing. I am of the opinion that housing must be given to every family. It is the responsibility of the Government. The Government has fixed 100 days even for Women’s Reservation Bill. We can pass the
Bill and those opposing it can bring the amendments later. The basic requirement today is empowering women. All the people in the BPL category should be covered under health care and they must be provided health care by the Government’s expenditure. At least to the limit of Rs.
50,000 each family must be entitled to get the health care, even from the corporate hospital, where rich people get the treatment. Insurance cover should be provided for the poor farmers. I want the Government to concentrate on the self-help groups of women and provide loans liberally.
This will go a long way in empowering women and providing employment to millions of people. Farmers are also ought to be given health insurance facility. SHRI A. GANESHAMURTHI: The daily wages for NREGA
Scheme should be increased from Rs. 80 to Rs. 100 per day. The programme of Ganga River Development should be extended to the rivers
Cauvery and Bhavani in Tamil Nadu State and funds should be allotted immediately. I would request the Government to make special plans and proposals to divert such colouring and dying wastes which are to polluting these rivers to secure places to save Cauvery and Bhavani water from pollution and also save colouring and dyeing industry.
About the Sri Lankan Tamils, the Government’s proposal should aim at a permanent political solution to avoid conflict between the Sinhalese
Government and the Tamilians. A separate State, well delimited in the area of Tamil people living, should become an autonomous State within Sri
Lanka, solely controlled, maintained and ruled by the Tamilians there, which will only solve the age-old ethnic Tamilians’ problem. Siding with Sri Lanka in the United Nations’ Human Rights Council is not humane and it is against ethics.
Electronic device of voting requires change as people feel that the votes polled in this electronic device can be manipulated before the elections or after the voting. We demand that our Tamil people, wherever they live in the world, should be protected and safeguarded by the Indian Government. SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO: The hon. President has said nothing new in her Address. Nothing has been said to give importance to the important areas like railway, education and unemployment. Nothing has been said in this Address with regard to corruption. I urge that effective steps should be taken at the earliest to eradicate corruption. Around 3.5 lakh temporary postmen in the country should be regularized. The President in her Address has said that every citizen of the country will be provided special identity cards. I think that instead of these special identity cards if each and every citizen is provided multi-useful identity cards it would be better. The survey of Pune-Nasik Railway line in Maharashtra was conducted 6-7 years back but the work on it has not yet been started.
Likewise, the proposal of Kalyan-Malshej Nagar new railway line has been lying pending for long. I hope that the Government would get both of these railway lines functional at the earliest. The land of the farmers in and around Pune is being acquired without their consent for SEZs and defence projects. I urge that before acquiring the land of the farmers, arrangements should be made to rehabilitate him and to provide him employment. The
Government should formulate a standardized criteria to prepare a list of the families living below poverty line and a survey to this effect should be got conducted afresh. So far as the implementation of the Bharat Nirman Scheme is concerned, I think that the people’s representatives should be given importance in its implementation. I urge that the MPLAD fund should be increased from Rs.2 crore to 5 crore.
SHRI DANVE RAOSAHEB PATIL: It has been mentioned in the
President’s Address that Women Reservation Bill would be introduced within 100 days, a law would be made to ensure communal harmony and schemes like Bharat Nirman would be further strengthened.
I would like to state how the Government would be able to accomplish these tasks in coming 100 days which it could not fulfill during the last five years. I represent Jalna Parliamentary Constituency. It has been five years since we sent a proposal regarding drinking water for Jalna.
There are some difficulties in the implementation of this scheme. I would like to state that more funds are required to implement this scheme, hence, the Government should provide for more funds.
Due to power-cuts lasting for 18 hours the farmers of my constituency have to face lots of problems in irrigating their fields. It is very necessary to provide electricity to the farmers. Roads of my area, Sambhaji Nagar arte in a very bad condition. I have been urging upon the Government to make provision in the budget in this regard but to no avail. So funds may also be allocated for this purpose. Rajiv Gandhi Ghar Nirman Yojana has been implemented in my area, but as of new not a single house has been constructed in Marathwada region under this scheme. There is a need to pay attention to this matter also.
CHAUDHARY LAL SINGH: Our Government have accomplished a lot, because of which we have come to power again. I would like to state that we have to be committed and we have to take everybody into confidence and work for the public with all sincerity.
We have so many requirements. Now there is no industry in my area because the Government have discontinued incentives being given to the existing industries. As a result of this industries have been closed down.
There is no need to talk of the new industry when existing industries have been closed down. Tourism industry has been badly affected there because of such disturbances. We are being victimized. I would like to submit that people have responded correctly to the anti national forces but at the same time there is a need to take stringent action by the Government as well. I would like to say something about Election Commission. There are lot of discrepancies in the voter list. If I am not allowed to speak then what is the use of my being here. Election Commission has issued photo card there.
Election Commission has the ultimate authority to include the name in the voter list. Election Cards have been issued just before the election. I urge upon the Government to rectify such problems. Not a single house has been constructed under Indira Awas Yojana. Ration is not being provided there as a result of which people are dying due to hunger. Government has failed to provide ration, employment, roads, electricity and drinking water. I would like to say that construction of a few roads in the cities will not serve the purpose. I would like to submit that there is no food and there is no teacher in schools. When will these demands be fulfilled? It is my submission that kindly pay attention towards my demands, I am here to raise my point and will surely do that.
SHRI P. KARUNAKARAN: The decision taken by the Government to introduce the Women Reservation Bill as well as to increase the reservation quota to the local bodies is a welcome step. The UPA
Government has reduced the foodgrains of Kerala. I would request the
Central Government to retain the food quota, which they had already given.
We are celebrating the 61st year of Independence. But at the same time we are forgetting our freedom fighters. Though the State Governments are giving the pension to all these persons, yet the Central Government is not paying any such pension to them. Therefore, I would again request the
Central Government to go into all the details. With regard to the Debt Relief Scheme, there are many farmers, who have remitted their loans in time but they are not getting this benefit because there was a cutoff date. I request the Government to make some amendments and give the deserved persons, what is needed.
This is the time to have a rethink about the Centre-State relations. I think irrespective of the political parties, all the Finance Ministers have demanded for more assistance. I think it is time to have a new Commission under new terms to define the Centre-State relationship.
In the President’s Address, due importance has not been given to the welfare of the young children. The ICDC centers are the most important ones. But the teachers and the helpers who are working in these centers are not permanent workers. I request the Government to give permanency to them or increase their honorarium.
The last point I want to make is with regard to the inter-State issues.
The Government of Kerala is not in any way rejecting or not taking any other views with regard to this Mullaperiyar dam. But the only issue is that this dam, especially in this monsoon season, is in a very dangerous position.
The Central Government should act not only as a mediator but also take a judicious decision in this regard because it affects lakhs and lakhs of the people. The Government has decided to sell 49% of the shares of PSUs. These all are public assets that are earning profits. So this decision would have far reaching adverse effect in our economy.
SHRI A.K.S. VIJAYAN: An action plan for the first hundred days of this UPA Government has been indicated. Streamlining and strengthening of our flagship programme Nation Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is being taken up. Suburban and rururban areas that come under the ambit of
Urban Development may also be extended with benefits of NREGA. At least the SC and ST population living in town panchayats must be covered and get job opportunities. It is a welcome move to enact National Food
Security Act to entitle every family below the poverty line in rural as well as urban areas, by law, to get 25 kgs. of rice or wheat a month at Rs. 3 a kg.
We have been able to insulate our economy to an extent from the onslaught of the global recession. We are determined to ensure that the growth process in accelerated. It must be socially and regionally more inclusive and equitable. The condition of fishermen in my Tsunami hit Nagapattinam constituency and some of the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu is miserable. As part of rehabilitation programmes, loans were extended to them. Vagaries of weather in the form of heavy rains and floods have added to their burdening problems affecting their livelihood in the successive years. Hence there is need to waive the loans extended to fishermen in the Tsunami affected areas of Tamil Nadu.
I welcome the policy pronouncement pertaining to stepping up of the efforts towards strengthening our infrastructure and paying special attention to housing activities. In the Tsunami affect Cauvery estuary region in my constituency, thousands of people were rendered homeless due to consecutive devastations in the form of Tsunami, cyclonic storm, heavy rains and rain floods. The State Government has announced to construct sixty five thousand houses for rehabilitating these people. I would request the Centre to strengthen the hands of our State Government that seeks to ameliorate the sufferings and problems of the common man.
SHRI BHAKTA CHARAN DAS: The Government of India does not provide grants to the Government of Orissa or takes it back after releasing. Orissa Government have proposed to increase cess in mines royalty. Private mines owners have earned a profit of Rs.30,000 crore.
Development of Orissa is being talked about but no development is visible there. Today Orissa is lagging behind in every field. Orissa is ridden with poverty and illiteracy. Most of the deaths from malaria are reported from there only. I would like to request the Government to pay attention towards
Orissa. I would like to state that bauxite deposits with crores of rupees in Niyamgiri forest have been handed over to Vedant company, which will render lakhs of tribals homeless and they will also loose their traditional source of income. This matter needs to be reconsidered and some other mine should be handed over in place of this one.
SHRI BADARUDDIN AZMAL: While supporting the President’s
Address Shri Badaruddin Azmal said that – Draft of the government is very good and some provisions for Assam, particularly for Dhubri which is the most neglected area of Assam are appreciable. After sixty years of
Independence, if there is no road, no drinking water, no electricity how can we say that we have made progress? Unless the poor are uplifted, country cannot make progress. My demand is that the river Brahmputra should be efficiently used controlled constructed and channelised. Pandit Jawahar Lal
Nehru had devised a programme for it in the year 1960. My demand is that it should be implemented. My second submission is that entire India is being industrialized, industry is following pace of growth but in Assam more than 19 thousand industries have been closed. Chief Minister and Home
Minister of Assam is not taking the problem seriously and bomb blasts are taking place everyday. Why cannot be solve these issues? If you want peace in Assam, you should address these issues immediately. There is zero implementation of Sachar Committee’s report in Assam. Hon. Prime Minister has formulated a better 15 point programme but the same is also not being implemented in Assam. The recommendation of Ranga Nathan
Committee should be implemented at the earliest. This way border is being fenced to deal the foreign intrusion but it has not benefitted even 10 percent of the people. I demand on behalf of my party that arrangements should be made to seal it.
SHRI K. BAPIRAJU: The people of the country are worried more about the behaviour of the parliamentarians than what we speak on various issues in Parliament. So, let us try to realize what is there in the minds of the people and behave accordingly. Today, 62 crore of people are not receiving proper clean energy in the country. Hardly 44 per cent of the energy is being supplied to the rural areas; 85 per cent of clean power is being supplied to the urban areas. Production of energy is 1,30,000 MW as to day.
We still are short of 38,000 MW for the needy people here. By getting the nuclear energy, we can improve the situation. We should realize that energy has become an essential commodity. I feel very happy that an amount of one lakh crore of rupees has been invested by the Government of India in this. As regards irrigation, in Andhra Pradesh, we have taken up about
1,75,000 acres under 80 projects. The Polavaram and Pranahita projects are pending. We want the Central Government to help us in these projects. SHRI HANSRAJ G. AHIR: The Address refers to various schemes and Women’s Reservation Bill. The largest number of voters in the country is farmers and labourers. The Government has neglected them. Farmers of the country particularly of Chandrapur and Yavatmal districts of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra are committing suicides for several years. The
Government has not formulated any schemes for such farmers. There is no mention of irrigation projects in the Address. As per Report of Arjun Sen
Gupta Committee, per capita income of 78 per cent people in rural area is
Rs. 20. The Government should seriously consider to increase the income of rural people and farmers. We are not able to fulfill the needs of rural people in the process of globalization. The Government has enacted a law to provide 100 days employment through NREGA but under this Scheme people are getting wages of only Rs. 60-70 per day. It would not solve the problems of rural people and labourers. They should be provided employment for 200 days in a year. Electricity is essential for farmers.
They are not getting electricity connections. There is shortage of about 6500
MW power in Maharashtra. Due to this, farmers are not getting electricity connections even after 2-3 years of applying for the same. The Central
Government should provide some electricity to Maharashtra so that farmers can get electricity connections and develop their farming. Impact of global warming and reducing water table is being felt in India also. The NDA
Government had proposed interlinking of rivers but the UPA Government has shelved this project. Interlinking of rivers would help us to solve the problems of floods and droughts. There are more than four crore educated unemployed in the country. These unemployed people are involving in anti- social activities like Naxalism due to lack of employment and livelihood. I come from Naxalite affected area. Funds provided by the Central
Government for eradicating Naxalism are not being utilized properly there.
The Union Government and Naxalite affected States should formulate a joint strategy to combat Naxalism. Families of policemen killed in Naxalite violence be given financial assistance and facilities as has been provided to the families of martyrs of Mumbai attacks.
SHRI RAMKISHUN: Poorvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh is the most backward area. It is because the Union Government has not taken up any development work in this region. There is no mention of doing away with regional imbalance prevalent in the country in the Address. A mega scheme should be formulated for development of Poorvanchal and
Bundelkhand regions of Uttar Pradesh. Hundreds of acres of land of farmers had been acquired several years ago for setting up a Railway factory in
Chandoli district. But that factory had been set up elsewhere. The largest railway yard of Asia is Mugalsarai. No development work has been taken up there. Chemical fertilizers factory situated there has been closed. I demand that all the closed factories in this area should be reopened. Fertile land of farmers should not be acquired for freight corridor project of Railways.
Instead of this, a parallel line should be laid along with existing one.
Children and pregnant women are suffering from malnutrition. There is no water policy in the country. People should be provided clean drinking water. People in the rural areas are not getting clean drinking water. Poor people are not getting BPL cards. Therefore, a fresh survey should be conducted for identifying people living below poverty line. All the children of the country should be provided equal, free and compulsory education. If we do not take these steps, poverty cannot be eradicated from the country.
SHRI S.S. RAMASUBBU: I am a grass root worker hailing from
Tirunelveli, which is situated near Kanyakumari. I am very proud that I also come from the area of great freedom fighters. The President’s Address unveils a new vision for India. The people have given a clear mandate. The mandate is for the UPA to rule this country. Because of the NREGA
Scheme of our Government the poor people are getting job opportunities, feeding their children and educating them also. In our area Koodangulam project is generating power. The Government should give some support to this project. The power production must be accelerated to distribute it to the industrialists and to the poor people in the area. The vegetable and agricultural producers are not getting remunerative prices. So, they have to be supported by giving adequate prices. The cold storage facilities must be established for them. I would like to say that beedi workers are getting
Rs.45,000/- to construct their houses. This money is provided to them through the Central Government’s assistance. It must be enhanced to Rs. 1 lakh.
SHRI GORAKHNATH: Various problems of the villages have been mentioned in the President’s Address yet there are some points related to these problems which have been left over. I am thankful to the Government for declaring the Ganga, a national river. So far as the piousness of this river is concerned, paying attention is a must but there are a number of farmer families affected by the erosion of this river. There is a need of safety and security of the villages, which have submerged due to the erosion of the
Ganga, Carpet industry used to fetch forex of thousands of crores of rupees.
I urge that this industry should be included in small-scale industry and brought under the Khadi Gram Aayog. Thousands of slum dwellers will get employment opportunities and their poverty would also be alleviated.
Druing cultivation season fertilizer, seed, electricity and other basic things are not available in the villages. I urge that the Government should make arrangements to make available the basic resources at the time of cultivation.
There is a need to provide technical education in the villages also. The
Government should make available technical education at block level, free education should be provided and better education should be provided in less fee so that the rural families in the villages can be self-dependent.
SHRI MUKESH BHAIRAVDANJI GADHVI: I am thankful for giving me the opportunity to speak on the Motion on Thanks on the
President’s Address. It has been said in the President’s Address that the
Government will take action within 100 days. The programmes of the
Government will be reviewed after 100 days. The time bound programme of the Central Government would be implemented by the State Governments.
If the State Governments fail to do so then it should be monitored and reviewed and the grant given by the Central Government to the State
Governments should be stopped completely. NREGA is going on smoothly.
Border Area Development Project should either be implemented independently by the Central Government or the State Governments should be asked to expedite it so that it can be beneficial for the people.
SHRI S.D. SHARIQ: So far as the hon. President’ Address is concerned there is nothing in it to find fault with. I think that it is a draft of the progress to be made. If the Government implement it seriously and in a time bound manner then after five years the condition of the country can undergo a drastic change. Jammu and Kashmir was allocated Rs.24000 crore under the Prime Minister Reconstruction Programme. Merely 6 percent of this amount has been spent and the remaining amount is lying unspent. Why it is so? In the name of privatization of education, institutions are being set up and the people are being looted. I urge the
Government to pay attention towards it, evolve some system and have a check on it. I urge the Government to give a special package for the development of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Fruit industry is the biggest industry in our State. Something should be done to strengthen it. In adverse conditions Special Armed Act was enforced there but now the situation is under control and I urge that some leniency should be granted.
The incidents in Australia with our children are unfortunate. The
Government should look into it. The situation in Ladakh is not good. I urge that a tunnel should be constructed in Jozila Pass to connect it with Kashmir.
In the remote and hill areas of Kashmir, an AIIMS like hospital should be set up so that the poor people may not have to come to Delhi.
SHRI R. DHRUVANARAYANA: The UPA Government has introduced NREGA, Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, rural drinking water scheme, road connectivity, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid-Day
Meal Scheme. I welcome all these programmes. In Karnataka, under
National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), daily wages given are Rs.84 per day. I would request you to increase the daily wages to
Rs.100. Coming to Education, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has to be extended up to 12th Standard. This is a very good scheme. There is a Special
Component Scheme for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. I would request the Government to form a vigilance commission for the strict implementation of this Special Component Scheme. A large number of posts of SC/STs are vacant. I would request the Government to take speedy action to fill up this backlog. There are number of nomadic and semi- nomadic tribes living in Karnataka. I would like to request the Union
Government to take all necessary steps to provide housing, education, employment etc., to these people. There should be uniform wage for all workers without any discrimination. As far as total sanitation is concerned, emphasis has to be given for awareness generation programmes to be taken up at the village and district level. The pace of construction of toilets has to be speeded up. Provision of sanitation facilities in schools requires immediate action. Separate provision of toilets should be made for girl students. The rural employment programme needs to be further strengthened. The distribution of 25 Kg rice or wheat at Rs.3per Kg. for all
BPL families, women reservation, setting up of new 14 Universities and formation of National Council for Higher Education are to be welcomed.
SHRI NAVIN JINDAL: Hon. President has described the internal security as one of the most serious problems of our country. Our
Government has taken a lot of steps to counter this problem. Hon. President has said that, within the next three years, the Government will issue special identity cards. I welcome this step. Our Government has promised to set up a National Counter-Terrorist Centre. I would like to suggest that a National
Tactical Training Centre should also be set up so that our police and para- military force receive the best training. Moreover, they should be provided with the latest weaponry to fight this menace. Recently, the Election
Commission has done a splendid job of conducting smooth elections in our so vast a country. My suggestion is that we should introduce some measures such as absentee voting etc. so that our migrant labourers, NRI’s and student studying abroad should cast their votes. Ours is a country of youths. So we should promote sports here. We need to concentrate on the Commonwealth
Games-2010. Hon. Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, should issue a statement in the House in regard to the preparation being made for these
Games. The treatment meted out to the Indians in Australia is worrisome. The
Australian Government should ensure the safety of our people there.
I am pleased to note that the Government is likely to bring a National
Food Security Bill. We all know that our PDS needs a serious revamping.
We should think that what is the most appropriate method – subsidy or direct cash transfer. My suggestion is that the food stamps, which are in vogue in the USA, can be applied here too. Lastly, we should strengthen the social security measures. The physically and mentally challenged children need a lot of our attention.
DR. ARVIND KUMAR SHARMA: The Hon. President, in her
Address, has mentioned the proposed reservation of women in the
Parliament. I welcome this move. The law enacted to prevent the female foeticide has some loopholes. If they are plugged, it will go a long way in achieving its objectives. I would like to add that the portable Ultrasound machine should be banned.
In order to develop the National Capital Region, we need a separate
Ministry and budget allocation. We should provide more and more health services, infrastructure and transportation facilities in Bahadurgarh, Rohtak,
Sonipat and Panipat which are located in this region. This will help Delhi in checking the increasing burden of population over it. Panipat, which is a historic city, houses textile industries, refinery and millions of weavers. But
this city is stuck up in terms of development. I hope that this city shall be
included in the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Scheme. Further, NREGA
scheme is a revolutionary one, but there are some shortcomings in this
scheme. The money received under this scheme by Haryana and Punjab has
not been utilized properly and this aspect must be looked into. Under this
scheme 60 per cent of the allocation is used for labour and the rest 40 per
cent is used for the material cost. I have requested the Government that the
proportion of the material cost should be increased in Haryana. Further, the
scope of works should also be increased.
The employment exchanges of Haryana have 10 lakh unemployed
youths on their registers. The Government should give its attention to this
fact. Lastly, I shall request, through you, that a special package should be
given to Haryana.
The Discussion was not concluded. P.D.T. ACHARY, Secretary-General.
© 2009 BY LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT NOTE: It is the verbatim Debates of the Lok Sabha and not the Synopsis that should be considered authoritative.