Author: aitc

Sir, will the hon. Minister be pleased to share the unemployment rate in the country? Will he inform this House about the challenges the Government is facing to control unemployment?

Sir, I thank you for giving me the opportunity to raise my Zero Hour submission here. Till date, hamare Vikshit Bharat aur Amrit Kaal ki mahol mein 76 per cent children are the victims of food poverty. UNICEF ki data ke anusa, 92 hungry desho ki andar Bharat 84^th position pe hain; so unfortunate. Very recently, United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization’s data revealed that India is the largest contributor to global under-nutrition with approximately 194.4 million people, that is 14.37 per cent of our population, lacking sufficient nutrition. Over half of Indian women are anaemic; so saddening. The major causes of under-nourishment are lack of access and unaffordability of nutritious food. Inequal distribution of wealth and property plays a major role in creating this lack of access. The top one per cent of the population controls over 40 per cent of India’s total wealth. On the other hand, the National Family Health Survey-5 reveals that 20 per cent of the children in India suffer from wasting, that is, low weight-for-height and 36 per cent suffer from stunting, that is, low height-for-age. Moreover, India accounts for 49 per cent of global burden of wasting, highlighting a significant challenge in combating from this acute malnutrition. The statistics show an urgent need for comprehensive and effective measures to address and mitigate child nutrition across the country. We cannot address under-nourishment without addressing rising food prices. Food inflation rose over nine per cent in June. This is mainly on the back of increase in price rise of vegetables, pulses, and cereals. Urgent steps must be taken to address the problem. I urge upon the Minister and the Union Government to address these alarming trends by intensifying efforts to tackle malnutrition through targeted nutritional programme and improving maternal health as well in the country and…

Sir, there is a need for developing a resilient healthcare system in the country. The Union Health Ministry reported that 143 people across India had succumbed to heatstroke this summer, based on confirmed data from States as of June 20. However, Sir, the number collected by the TOI from State Governments indicate 209 confirmed heat-related deaths, in addition to 239 suspected deaths, totalling 448 confirmed and suspected fatalities this season. This alarming data underscores the urgent need for a resilient healthcare system in India. Sir, treatment costs of various diseases including cancer also pushes six crore Indians below the poverty line every year. Financial measures must be taken including increasing the health budget and expanding health insurance coverage. Over the years, I must say that the GST on health insurance must be dropped; we appeal to the Minister. Sir, innovate steps must be taken, therefore, by the Government to increase health insurance coverage so as to ensure that households are not forced to spend from their savings, their hard-earned savings. One example of such scheme implemented successfully is the Swasthya Sathi Scheme in Bengal which gives insurance cover and is 100 per cent funded by the State. Sir, Bengal led by hon. CM, Mamata Banerjee has shown the way. The Union Government must follow that example. Enforcing health and safety regulations to protect workers from extreme heat and updating the building codes for climate resilience, and continuously monitoring and evaluating the policy effectiveness are essential. These comprehensive actions will ensure a resilient healthcare system for safeguarding public health against current challenges.

Sir, thank you for the opportunity. I have already discussed the economic blockade of Bengal in the last occasion. I will just repeat what I mean by economic blockade. We have been blocked out of Rs.34,000 crores by the Central Government for reasons that we are not still sure. It appears to be a vindictive act. PM Awas Yojana, Rs.8,000 crore; MGNREGA, Rs.7,000 crore; Food subsidy, Rs.9,000 crore; Samagra Shikhsa, Rs. 9,000 crore and Fifteenth Finance Commission dues, which only have to flow to us, these also have been withheld. So, it comes to Rs.34,000 crores. But I will take this occasion to speak to my colleagues on both sides of the House on a very general issue and this general issue relates to federalism and anti-federalism. To understand the federal spirit, one has to understand what is anti-federal, what goes against the spirit of the Union of India? I have listed out ten, other than the economic blockade. Number one is, cesses and duties and additional duties. These are collected by the Central Government and not shared. Every year, this pool is becoming bigger and bigger. It does not matter whether you are here today or whether you are here tomorrow. It is a question of principle. Why should the Government of India put these cesses and additional duties on to the non divisible pool? That is the first point. Is that being followed? Number two, Central expenditure is calibrated. A State like ours or Kerala cannot speak of any Central expenditure other than railways and national highways. Central expenditure; second way of treating federalism. Third is CPSU investment, the investments in Central Public Sector Units. Whatever we had have been shut down. No new Central Public Sector investment until we vote with you! Number four is bank credit. The subtlety with which credit is controlled by the officials of the bank, on signals, on hints — I am not saying they are ordered by the Finance Ministry — they just take hints  This is a terrible thing that is happening which will destroy the spinal cord of federalism. Today, if you do not stop it, maybe, you will be on the receiving end tomorrow. The fifth one is FDI approval. For FDI approval, we need the Government of India’s support, we need the Government of India’s proactive energies and we have not received any FDI approval in years because we are not with you. Our political opposition is being translated into an economic punishment. The sixth one is PLI. I have spoken about it. The PLI scheme (Production Linked Incentive), I have called it something that needs to come out in the public domain. I can challenge the Finance Ministry here and maybe, they will reply to it and correct me. Seventy per cent of the PLI has gone to one State, only one State that gets all the investment, all the Central investment, all the bank credit. Seventy per cent has gone to the State of Gujarat. Please prove me wrong. Please place all this data in the public domain. Let us understand what this PLI incentive is and we will understand. We need to put it up in the public domain. Then comes private investment, discouragement of private investment. Then comes State loans. You are choking State loans. Last and second last point. The IAS and IPS are being misused. And last is, put your name into every scheme, ‘PM SHRI’. Why not.. You are forcing us to put saffron colour. You are forcing us to call them mandirs. These are the ten points on which you are anti-federal.

Medal or no medal, we salute you! You are our hero, Vinesh Phogat. Thank you for what you have done today for India. Sir, now on the Bill. First point, roll back 18 per cent GST on insurance — health insurance and life insurance. Sir, this is not winning. We win, they lose – No! This was a provision introduced in 2017. So, this is our humble appeal to the Finance Minister, through you, Sir. No one saw this, maybe, from 2017 to 2024. In the last two weeks, it has been brought up in Parliament. The Chief Minister of Bengal has written a letter. Yesterday, there were 350 MPs from 20 parties — Congress, DMK, SP, everybody. We all are together on this, but it is not against ‘us’ versus ‘you’. No! Like in sport, you can win-win. Here is a great chance to win, Sir. Even if you don’t listen to us, Madam Finance Minister, I noticed in the morning that your senior Cabinet colleague — both of you are very senior — sitting next to you, chose not to tell you on the phone or WhatsApp, but he has written a letter to you; please come back to us and take away this 18 per cent GST on medical insurance. Secondly, this is again my humble appeal to the hon. Finance Minister, Dr. Mitra was my colleague there and I spent many hours with him and so, we all know about the GST Council. Everyone needs to know that in the GST Council, one-third of the weight is of the Union Government. NDA has 18 States in that Council. You have a comfortable majority to do what you want in the GST Council. So, don’t use the GST Council as a curtain. Sir, it is not an ego issue. On the 22nd or 23rd of August, you are having a meeting — I saw in the media — pull off this 18 per cent. This is not about ego. We will all win, and those suffering, who are paying the 18 per cent GST on life and health insurance, will win. So, that is the first point, on the rollback of the GST. Then, Sir, let me say something on federalism. Some of my friends here, they are not in the NDA, but they give you some nice support. Very good, we respect that. But some of us parties, we politically oppose you, and we defeat you in elections. With humility, we defeat you. So don’t deprive us. We’ve been asking for only one thing. Give us a white paper on Bengal from 2021. You lost the elections in 2021. We have been saying, present the white paper, present the white paper. What do we want to know? We are making a charge here today, Sir, which we have been making for the last four years. For MNREGA, you have not paid Bengal even one rupee. Authenticated! Now you’ll turn around and tell us that 99.96 per cent of all the paperwork has been done, 0.5 per cent have not complied. But you are holding up people who work. The first charge is that Rs. 7,000 crores to Rs. 8,000 crores on the Awas Yojana are owed to Bengal. I say this again, we have asked for a white paper. But, Sir, I have been wondering, maybe there is some communication problem from our part, because our understanding of a white paper is to present a concise and specific report. My colleague who spoke in Lok Sabha, Mr. Abhishek Banerjee, also mentioned this. However, maybe, just maybe, while our understanding of a white paper is a report, but is it possible that the Government’s understanding of a white paper to a State Government where they don’t have data is actually giving a white paper? Just a white paper! Finance Minister, come present that White Paper. Sir, my last point on this is — I appeal to this Government, Mr. Modi, the Finance Minister, to please understand this mandate. We have understood the mandate in our State. We have to come and work harder. Understand the mandate. The mandate says, show cooperation and humility. Take us all together so that we solve problems. Please understand the mandate with humility. Then it would not be a problem at all for you to roll back the 18 per cent on the medical and health insurance. Or, look at the price rise, acknowledge the price rise, whether it is onion, milk, tomato, and gas cylinders, and find solutions. Please. Thank you.

Sir, the discussion is about to start. Once, okay; second time, okay. Again, when we are discussing, where the Finance Minister of this country is. Where is the Finance Minister of this country? We are here to discuss. Is the Minister of State here? Sir, we should adjourn the House for five minutes. This is an insult.. : Nobody is here. Sir, it is fine. Now the External Affairs Minister is here. Let us start the discussion. . Sir, it is our request. This is the Appropriation Bill, the entire Budget of the nation. This country needs the MoS (Finance).

Sir, we see a lot of advertisements of different Government schemes in the media or in the newspapers, and we also come across these advertisements when we go on the streets. All of them carry a massive picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi plastered everywhere. But the issue is that when we ask for data, the NDA Government becomes ‘No Data Available’ Government. _Ñ T^ हE KdS^ j^o QW ~eVU EUi`Pe हJ, ÜS QW ~eVU Lहù õPU हôà You will ask for total number of successful water connections, they will give you data regarding something completely different. It is quite unfortunate that the Finance Minister who was here till about 10 seconds ago has left the House. But, Sir, there is a specific issue with regard to data that I wish to bring up in this House. Sir, this Government contradicts itself even on claims of data, that is, Government data. I will give you an example from my State, West Bengal. Our funds under MNREGA were stopped in the year 2021, which incidentally also is the year when the BJP had a resounding defeat in West Bengal in the elections. After that, in 2021, after the BJP lost, हEUWU ELWe`U dU QôSU KWN^o dWLU ÑiH dW KHIUà The excuse given by the Government was that fake job cards have been found in West Bengal. When I went to the website of the Ministry of Rural Development, I found that on their own website, the Government data says that 99.7 per cent of job cards under MNREGA in West Bengal are found to be verified. 99.7 per cent job cards! Sir, my leader Abhishek Banerjee during his speech in the Lok Sabha had raised a point, which he had also first raised 140 days ago. He challenged the Finance Minister to give a White Paper showing whether a single penny under MNREGA and PM Awas Yojana has been given to West Bengal after the BJP’s humiliating defeat in 2021. Sir, 140 days ago, he raised it in his speech during discussion on Budget in the Lok Sabha. I raised it again in the Rajya Sabha in my speech. What is unfortunate is the response of this ‘No Data Available’ Government. In the Finance Minister’s response, she addressed everything, except for giving a response or giving a White Paper. It is a simple question whether money has been given to West Bengal since 2021 for MNREGA and Awas Yojana. Han ya na? It is very simple. Agr han to kitna paisa diya hain? What I don’t understand is why is the Finance Minister, who in her speech, read out data, read out tables, is not willing to answer such a simple point. Since 2021, how much has West Bengal been given? Why is she not taking up Abhishek Banerjee’s challenge? Why is the Finance Minister scared to do so? I will tell you the statistics. A total of 1.72 lakh crore rupees have been withheld from West Bengal since 2021. Sir, this has nothing to do with Trinamool Congress. This is money of the people of West Bengal. Please give a White Paper. This is my demand. Thank you.