Sir, as a law abiding citizen, I am really worried because there is a prevailing public perception because of certain events and certain statements that our Government is trying to have a direct control over the judiciary. My question before my learned Minister is: What step is being taken by your Government to clear this confusion amongst the common people at large?
Sir, I rise to participate in the Budget discussion. Yesterday also, Budget discussion took place. Today it is taking place. It is very unfortunate that the Finance Minister has not been present on either occasion. The Budget discussion belong to the Lok Sabha. The Rajya Sabha has no power. I understand the Finance Minister is from the Rajya Sabha. Why is she not there on either day? अध्यक्ष महोदय, यह वमवनस्टर ऑफ स्टेट हैं। The Railway Minister whose Budget also comes under this is also not here. These are all big people. They do not care otherwise. The Lok Sabha has full power as far as Budgets are concerned. दोनों नहीं हैं, यह क्या मजाक है? The Railway Minister should be present to listen to our objections. Sir, I will speak on the Budget. Before I go to my main demands, I want to mention two points regarding our State of West Bengal. West Bengal has been deprived of its share of NREGS funds. A sum of Rs. 7,300 crore is pending from the Centre. Along with Shri Sudip Bandyopadhyay, we all went and met the Rural Development Minister. Our local Minister went and met him. He said everything is alright. Still, money is not being released. You also belong to a rural area. Just imagine the situation in the rural economy if total NREGS funds are stopped. People will be starving. अध्यक्ष महोदय, यह एलेक्स है, गला ठीक रखनेकी है। प्रधानमंत्री जी पानी पीतेहैंऔर मैंएलेक्स खाता ह ं। Sir, it for health. Now, I demand that the money for NREGS for West Bengal should be released immediately and the Government should give up its cruel attitude. Secondly, I have to speak something about Railways. The Railway Minister made a big hue and cry that he has given Rs. 11,000 crore to West Bengal for unfinished projects but nothing is finishing. He will earn name as a Railway Minister who is very smart. He is starting Vande Bharat trains so that PM can go and inaugurate it. These have no long-term benefits. In Kolkata metro system, he is inaugurating a truncated line. There is a line from Behala to BBD Bag. He goes to inaugurate Joka to Taratala line which is one-third complete. So, I demand that whatever Railway projects he is doing, let him complete them instead of inaugurating truncated lines. Sir, I wanted to speak on the Budget. Shrimati Nirmala Sitharaman herself called her Budget beautifully balanced. I have never heard a Finance Minister praise her own Budget. She is saying India is set to become a $5 trillion economy, and the Budget is beautifully balanced. I willिtalkिaboutि‘balance’ि later.िButिitिisिunfortunateिthatिtheिFinanceिMinister’sिBudgetिSpeechिdoesि not mention the words unemployment, poverty, inequality, inflation or equity anywhere in the speech. So, even if it is beautifully balanced, it is that of an accountant. This Budget has no vision about the future. It is not futuristic, but opportunistic, anti-people and anti-poor. This is what Mamata Banerjee said about the Budget. Unfortunately, as soon as the Finance Minister presented the Budget, the next day, an avalanche took place. Avalanche of what? Hindenburg Research Report! One short-selling firm from America released a report about a company in India. I will not name the company. When we were small, after sunset, we could not useिtheिwordि‘सांप’. My mother used toिsayि‘don’tिuseिtheिwordि‘सांप’,िsay ‘लता’. Now, there is a new word. We cannotि mentionि somebody’sि name.ि Weि haveि toि sayि ‘A’ि company,ि `thisि company’.िButि‘thisिcompany’िisिeverything.िWeिcannotिmentionिtheिnameि just like my mother told me when I was young living in a village. We could notिmentionिtheिwordि‘snake’. He has become a new spokesperson forिtheिRulingिPartyिtoिpreventिtheिOpposition’sिprotest. He has become the new spokesman after being dropped from the Ministry. Heिhasिstartedिexplainingिeverythingि… GoिbackिtoिtheिMinistry. Thatि isि theि newि way. Some professional hecklers have sprungि up.ि Their job is to disturb the Opposition wheneverिtheyिspeak. I cannot take concern about them. Now, I will be very brief on this matter. I have other things to speak about. The Hindenburg research report said that a certain company did round- tripping of its finances, and they bought up assets in India after round-tripping them from abroad. You know in the snowy areas, the ice comesिdown.िTheिiceिcameिdownिonिthisिcompany’sिshares.िInिthreeिdays,ि itिlostिtoिtheिtuneिofिRs.ि10िlakhिcrore. यि कौन सी कंपनी िै, आप लोग बताए।ं इसका नाम तो वलया निीं जा सकता, यि सांप िै। … िमेंकोई डर निीं िै, अडानी बोलेंगेतो येलोग बोलेंगेवक काट दीवजए, उनका नाम निीं जाना चाविए। यि सांप िै। … IिhaveिaिsimpleिdemandिfromिtheिFinanceिMinister.ि She has got the SEBI under her. If a company has done round-tripping, it is the job of SEBI to look into it. I demand that she ask SEBI to inquire into the fallen shares of this certain company. Also, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), matter of fear for the Opposition, is also under the Finance Minister. They are investigating each and every politician from the Opposition. Why is the ED not investigating the affairs of this company? Yes, he is not in the Opposition. Yes, very right. Lalan Singh Ji is a first class leader from Bihar and President of theि JD(U).ि Heि isि supportingि meि andि Iि thankि himि forि theि same. Now, I call this Budget basically an anti-farmer, anti-poor, anti-rural areas Budget. You know that they have reduced the allocation for MGNREGA. Sir, there has been reduction in the allocation of MGNREGA, and cut in food, fertiliser and petroleum subsidies. This is anti-poor. Sir, you will know that food subsidy has been cut from Rs. 2.87 lakh … Sir, what is it that I am saying that is objectionable? Thisि youngि manि isि shouting. िSir,ि youि pleaseि putि himि down. The food subsidy has been cut from Rs. 2.87 lakh crore to Rs. 1.97 lakh crore. Fertilizer subsidy has been cut from Rs. 2.25 lakh crore to Rs. 1.75 lakh crore. These cuts will expose Indian farmers to the vagaries of the global market and render the economics of agriculture even more fragile. This is a very serious matter, which should be looked into. What were we expecting? I was actually, originally thinking of praising the Finance Minister because she has herself said that the Budget is beautifully balanced. So, I thought that yes, it is balanced, but her balance is that of an Accountant. You know that in the Finance Ministry there is a Deputy Secretary who tallies the Budget and he ultimately balances both sides. The Finance Minister has done just that. This was the opportunity when inflation was under control, GDP was rising, current account balance was better, and fiscal deficit was under control. This was the time to take a big step forward. What did Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee say at the time of pandemic? He said that give some cash dole in the hands of the poor. The Budget does notि mentionि anywhereि theि wordsि ‘migrantि labour’ि who were the biggest Achilles heel of the Indian economy. People were walking hundreds of miles to their destination when the pandemic broke. They have not been mentioned. The top economists of the world wanted them to be given some cash dole / some money. The Finance Minister did not do it. The other thing she could have done in a stable macroeconomic situation was to reduce the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG. If you have a little financial space, then that is the time to give relief to the common man. She did not do this because she had to balance the Budget ‘beautifully’.िSo,िthisिBudget,िultimatelyिturnedिoutिtoिbeिwhat?िItिisिanti-poor people. So, that is the Budget. Now, you are talking about Digital India. Digital India is alright, but, Sir, you must be knowing that technology takes away jobs. Today, all the big tech companies like Microsoft, Meta and Amazon are all retrenchingिpeople.िTheyिareिcalledि‘pinkिslips’िinिAmerica.िItिisिhappeningि because technology always relentlessly takes away jobs. So, to talk about Digital India or Industrial Revolution 4.0 or three Artificial Intelligence CentresिwillिnotिsolveिIndia’sिproblem.िIndia’sिbasicिproblemsिareिpoverty,ि destitution, migrant labour and of course, unemployment. The employment issue has not been addressed at all. The Finance Minister will come and say, see I have increased so much in CapEx. What is CapEx? It is Capital Expenditure. How much has she given in it? It is Rs. 10 lakh crore, which is a very big sum. But does the CapEx get translated into projects anywhere? No, it does not. If you give the money today, the project will take another one or two years to start. What happens in the meantime? When you are building infrastructure projects, the main problem is that they take a lot of time. Some people get employment during construction. But after construction is over, they lose the jobs. So, you are taking India towards a jobless future from a very favourable situation. IिseeिMr.िGajendraिSinghिSekhawatिdoingि`Namaskar’िtoिme.िIिlikeि that.िHeिisिtheिfavouredिchild. Heिdidि`Namaskar’िtoिyou.ि Probably, it must have been because that would have been moreिproper. There are only two favoured children. Who are favoured children? One is this—the Jal Jeevan Mission. They have allocated Rs.70,000 crore, and the other is the PM Awas Yojana, for which they have allocated Rs.79,000 crore. But the NREGA has received a cut. So, if you developिonlyिtwoिprojects,िwillिthatिbeिenoughिtoिalleviateिIndia’sिproblems?ि Iिdoिnotिthinkिso.िIिthinkिyouिareिmakingिaिmistake. आप मेरीबात सवुनए।…(व्यिधान) मेरेपास डेटाहैवक आपनेक्या- क्या वकया है। आपनेजो नहीं वकया है, मेरा काम उसकेबारेमेंबोलना है।… महोदय, सभी मेरेअच्छेदोस्त हैं। येसमझतेहैंवक एक बडु्ढा आदमी बोल रहा है, तो इसकी मदद की जाए। येसब लोग मदद करतेहैं।… The other thing is, क्या आपको याद हैवक माननीय प्रधानमंत्री जी नेिादा वकया था वक िषा2022 तक वकसानों की इन्द्कम दोगनुी हो जाएगी? आपके कोटा में भी तो वकसान हैं, क्या उनकी इन्द्कम दोगनुी हुई? नहीं हुई।… They promised that by 2020, everybody would have a house. क्या सब लोगों को घर वमला? आप बोलतेहैंवक प्रधानमंत्री रोजगार योजना मेंसब लोगों को घर वमल जाएगा, लेवकन घर नहीं वमला। येजमुलेिाली सरकार है। एक-एक साल एक-एक सिाल उठाती ह कुछ पसानल प्रॉब्लम है।… Sir, Last year, they made a promise about the asset monetisation pipeline. They made a promise about the asset monetisation pipeline. क्या यह इस साल केबजट मेंह? ै नहीं है। कुछ एसेट्स मोनेटाइज नहीं हुए हैं। They used to speak about disinvestment. वपछलेसाल भी 50 हजार करोड़ रुपयेथा और इस साल भी बजट में50 हजार करोड़ रुपयेहै। कोई भी आपके एसेट्स लेनेके वलए, वडसइंिेस्टमेंट के वलए इंटरस्े टेड नहीं हैं। Your programmes are failing one by one. Shrimati Nirmala Sitharaman has this advantage, she makes an announcement and forgets about it next year but we keep the last year’s Budget and we remember what all she said. That is why, this Budget that was brought with good intentions at a time when Indian economy was recovering from the downslide of the COVID missed all the opportunities. I will briefly complete my point. मझुेबहुत वडस्टबाकर वदया है। इन लोगों का … हैऔरहमेंवडस्टबाकरतेहैं।… कल अधीर रजं न चौधरी जीगलिान केबारे मेंबोल रहेथेवक चाइना वकतनेपॉइंट तक गलिान मेंदखल वकया, वकतनेपॉइंट तक अरुणाचल प्रदेि मेंदखल वकया। वडफेंस बजट बढ़ानेकी क्या जरूरत थी? पूरेबजट का वसफा 1.5 परसेंट बढ़ा। This remains almost the same if you consider inflation. अभी तक छत्तीसगढ़ मेंमाओिादी लोगों को मार रहेहैं। अभी परसों बीजेपी के एक आदमी को मार वदया गया। सीआरपीएफ का एलॉटमेंट भी नहींबढ़ा। येलोगबोलतेहैंवक हम हेल्थ और ऐजकुेिन के वलए पैसेदेंगे। एजकुेिन के वलएपूरेबजट का केिल 2.9 परसेंट एलॉटमेंट वकया गया।…ि(व्यिधान) हेल्थ की इतनी प्रॉब्लम है, लेवकन उसके वलए भी कोई एलॉटमेंट नहीं है।… सर, इन लोगों का … Lastly, I want to say that giving allocation is not enough. In our country, you have to see that the projects are implemented on the ground. The Government has spent Rs. 22,000 crore less of what it had allocated for CapEx in this fiscal year. Allocating money is not equal to spending money, nor is allocating money equal to creatingjobs. They have mentioned all ‘Taar Kaata Hua’ programmes for India’! सर, आप सवुनए वक कुछ प्रोजेक्ट्स के वलए एक पैसा भी नहीं वदया गया है।… अभी भी हमारी इकोनॉमी मेंprivate investment, equity and FDI constitute 40 per cent. Since last year, FDI is escaping from the economy. You find out how much FDI money has gone out. Private investment is being squeezed out because the Government is doing huge borrowings so the private sector is not being able to mop up resources. This point that they are giving everything to CapEx and creating a deficit financing creates a problem. यह देवखए, कुछ प्रोजेक्ट्स का अनाउंसमेंट वकया गया – Agriculture Accelerator Fund, PM-PRANAM, GOBARdhan Scheme, Prakritik Kheti BioInput, MISHTI Scheme, यह मैंग्रोि के वलए हैऔर अच्छी है। Amrit Dharohar Scheme and even for millets, इनके वलए एक भी पैसा एलॉट नहीं वकया गया है। सर, एक भी पैसा एलॉट नहीं वकया गया है। केिल फाइनेंस वमवनस्टर नेबजट स्पीच में एनाउसंमेंट की हैऔर बजट पेपसा मेंइनका कोई मेंिन नहीं है– ‘पीएम प्रणाम,’िएग्रीकल्चर एक्सलरटे र फण्ड, गोबरधन, नेचरुल खेती आवद । यह नेचरुल खेती क्याहोतीहै? … क्या आप गोबरधन केपक्ष मेंह? You show it to me in the Budget. I am carrying all the Budget papers. आप वदखाओ। : These are all announcements without any meaning. So, this is all cheating, hustling, befuddling. येसब िैलेंटाइन्द्स डे प्रजेंट है। सर, आप देवखए, बजट पेपसामेंएक अच्छी वपक्चर हैवक हमारा रुपया कहां सेआता है। इसमेंइनकम टैक्स 15 प्रवतित, एक्साइज ड्यूटी 7 प्रवतित, कारपोरिे न टैक्स 15 प्रवतित, जीएसटी 17 प्रवतित है। आपनेइनकम टैक्स मेंवकतनी छूट दी है? 0.1 प्रवतित । 38 हजार करोड़ रुपया इनकम टैक्स है। हमारा टोटल कलेक्िन 25 लाख करोड़ रुपयेहै, उसका1 प्रवतित है। यह कोई छूट नहीं है। आपनेक्यों बड़ेलोगों को सरचाजापर छूट दी? िह देना नहीं चावहए था, गलत वकया। This Budget is a tinkering exercise. सरकार नेदो साल पहलेएक अटल वटंकररगं लैब िरूु की थी, उसमेंथोड़ा सा इधर-उधर करतेहैं। यहबजट भी इकोनोमी को लेकर वटंकररगं करता है। Defence is only eight per cent. सवब्सडीज कम करके7 प्रवतित कर वदया, स्टेट िेयर18 प्रवतित है। एक ही अच्छा काम हुआ हैवक 50 साल के वलए स्टेट्स को 1 लाख करोड़ रुपयेका वबना इंट्रेस्ट लोन वदया हैऔर स्टेट्स को 3.5 प्रवतित वफस्कल डेवफवसट एलाऊवकयाहै। ठीक है, लेवकन यहऐसा समय ह, ैजबइंवडयन इकोनोमी स्टेबल है। This is the time to make a frontal attack on poverty, unemployment. अगर इकोनोमी स्टेबल हैतो आप गरीबों केहाथ मेंपैसा पहुंचाओ, अपना दल भीस्ट्रागूँ होगा। अनवुप्रया जी, आप भी कररए। जो क्रोनी कैवपटवलस्ट है, िह देि को लूटेगा, िह कुछ नहीं करगे ा। आपको और हमेंगरीब के साथ रहकर लड़ाई लड़ना है। इसवलए मैंइस बजट प्रस्ताि का समथान नहीं करताह ं। मैंवफर मांग करताह ं वक पवश्चम बंगाल काएनआरईजीए का रुपया अभी देना चावहए, पवश्चम बंगाल का पीएम आिास का रुपयेअभी देना चावहए और रले िेवमवनस्टर कोलकाता जाएंऔर हमारेकम्प्लीटेड प्रोजेक्ट्स को इनागरुटे कर।ें सर, मैंबहुत आभारी ह ं वक आपनेधीरज के साथ मेरा भाषण सनुा है। मैंआपको नमस्कार करता ह ं। धन्द्यिाद।
Thank you, hon. Chairman Sir. I also thank All India Trinamool Congress for allowing me to speak today. I seek your intervention and protection from the heckling that has been going on. Right from yesterday, I have been watching that whenever the Opposition speaks, there is heckling going on from the Treasury Benches. So, I seek your indulgence for 10 minutes, not more than that. I oppose this totally opportunistic and anti-people Budget. This Budget comes with its ‘Saptarishi’ value system including inclusive development reaching the last mile, infrastructure and investment, unleashing the potential, green growth, youth power, and financial sector. This seems like a lot of lofty claims without any substance in it. Strangely, not one sentence has been spoken by the hon. Finance Minister, being herself a lady, encouraging proposals for the women of the country except the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana National Rural Livelihood Mission. Even the self-help groups are actually organised by the State Governments, not by the Central Government. Besides the mundane ones, one would have expected ‘out of the box’ schemes for emancipation and economic empowerment of women including the urban poor students. This actually regrettably neglects 50 per cent of the population, the adhi abadi, leaving them outside the effective work force in nation building. So, this Budget cannot be termed as inclusive, nor can it be termed as “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”. In contrast, it is prudent to draw your attention to schemes like Kanyashree, Rupashree, Lakshmir Bhandar conceptualised and implemented by the hon. Chief Minister of West Bengal Smt. Mamata Banerjee which is taking the women of West Bengal forward. A woman empowered is two generations empowered:not only her generation, even her children. So, I appeal to the hon. Finance Minister for sufficient fund allocation for reproductive healthcare of women, menstrual healthcare of women, subsidy for their education, for their educational loans, tax benefits, and for help towards entrepreneurship of women. Thousands of posts are lying vacant. But there is not a word about employment for the unemployed youth. A new Data Governance regime is being talked about, but if we go by the trajectory of the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2022, this could be another attempt to obscure data protection in the country. Considering the fact that this was actually the last Budget before we go into polls in 2024, this looks more like an appeasement towards the middle class. Of course, the tax benefit given is welcome and appreciable, but already when the Reserve Bank has raised the repo rate by 25 basispoints, theonus is coming to the middle class as far as the home loan or car loan is concerned. That is going to be higher by 6.5 per cent. We have 3.7 crore unemployed youths in India, but not a word has been spoken about them. Let us make it clear that the mere rebate of Rs. 50,000 for the lower limit of taxable income is no relief for the middle class. It is more like a drop in the ocean. While the tax slab reduction has been announced, nothing has been said about unemployment, about cost of petrol and diesel which is really telling on the purse of the middle class and the lower middle-class people, and the debt the country has on it. We saw a huge cut in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) in the Union Budget this time. In the Union Budget, there is a provision of Rs 60,000 crore for MGNREGA which is the lowest in many years. It is a 33 per cent cut, as compared to the Revised Estimates of the current fiscal. In this year’s Budget, food subsidy has been reduced. In the coming days, the poor will be suffering the most. Meanwhile, the Bengal Government provides ration free of cost at the doorstep of the poor people through the ‘Duare Ration’ scheme. So, we call our Government for the people, by the people, and of the people. Let the Central Government also be for the people, by the people, and of the people as far as the constitutional promises go. The Union Budget has promised that there will be a reduction of price in the cooking gas, the LPG. At the moment, we have to pay Rs.1,170 for a gas cylinder. There has been a hike of Rs.70 per cylinder and a subsidised reduction of Rs.4 in the price of a cylinder. Who are they trying to fool? Under Ujjwala Yojana, it has been claimed that so many lakhs of women were given LPG connections. It is a welcome move, and we thought that women are going to be relieved of smoke. But they do not have money to refill the cylinder. They could make use of the cylinder which was given free but now they do not have money to refill it. Money should be given in the hands of the poor people by directly transferring funds into their accounts so that the economy can take off. After the pandemic, the economy is actually dying. For the market to thrive, more funds should be made available to the poor people. We have, time and again, stated that there is a need to debate the dismantling of cooperative federalism. But, as usual, the Centre has conveniently neglected the issue in this Budget as well. The tax exemption is only a smoke-screen to cover the Government’s monumental failures in addressing the increasing unemployment and inflation along with the concerns for the poor. What has the Centre done for the Self Help Groups, the ASHAs and the ICDS workers? They are finding it very difficult to make ends meet. For the farmers, the Minimum Support Price has not been talked about. The promise with regard to enhancement of the farmers’ income has not been fulfilled. As far as the medical research possibilities are concerned, there is a proposal for research with ICMR, which is a very welcome move. But I would like to draw the attention of the hon. Minister to the fact that there is a high economic burden of diabetes in the country. It can also be said that India is the Diabetes Capital of the world. Nothing has been said about it in the Budget. We would request the Government to create awareness or consciousness of the scare that people are getting of diabetes, and guide the people properly so that diabetes does not become another killer disease. It affects eyes, kidney, and heart. We should allot more money to take care of this disease. In this Budget, India’s economic growth is forecast, and also as per the Economic Survey, to be 7 per cent in contrast to 8.7 per cent of the last fiscal. This seems to be a hastily prepared, mindless document with no plan for employment generation, and no relief for farmers, daily earners, and women. So, I would like to draw the attention of the hon. Minister to these facts. Thank you.
Khaamree mo, Sir. In Lepcha language, it means namaskar. Thank you, Sir, for allowing me to speak. I would like to draw the kind attention of this august House that Lepcha is a Himalayish language spoken by the Lepcha people in Sikkim, and parts of West Bengal, namely, in Darjeeling and Kalimpong. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) lists Lepcha as an endangered language. The Lepcha language is spoken in Sikkim and in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal. The 1991 Indian Census counted 39,342 speakers of Lepcha. Lepcha is considered to be one of the indigenous languages of the areas in which it is spoken. The Lepcha people have their own indigenous script. I humbly urge the august House to draw the kind attention of the hon. Prime Minister to include the long-pending demand of the Lepcha people, to include their language in the Eighth Schedule. This will ensure preservation and growth of the rich language. Taokchhyee mo, Sir. That means, thank you.
Mr. Chairman, Sir, the matter is known to you as you happened to be our learned and beloved Governor at that point of time. On 18th November, 2021, our hon. Chief Minister met with our hon. Prime Minister and thereafter, on 5th August, 2022. Once again she has given all the documents which has shown that there was a due of Rs. 1,96,800 crores. If we can categorise for the welfare projects, for MGNREGA, it was Rs. 6,561 crores; for Amphan cyclone, it was Rs. 4200 crores; for Covid and other natural calamities, it was more than Rs. 6000; for PM Awas Yojana, it was more than Rs. 9000 crores; for PM Gram Sadak Yojana, the dues were more than Rs. 2000 crores; for mid-day meal, the dues were Rs. 174 crores; for Swachch Bharat Mission, it was Rs. 344 crores; for food subsidy, it was more than Rs. 1200 crores; for the PM Jan Vikas Karyakram Yojana, it was Rs. 44 crores and the ongoing Kelaghai-Kapaleswari flood management, it was Rs. 178 crores. Since then, till now, only a meager amount has been cleared. At the same time, sometimes the funds are getting released at the fag end of the financial year leading to complications as far as the implementation of the project is concerned. As far as PM Awas Yojana is concerned, till date, we were supposed to get the first installment for more than 11,33,000 houses. As far as MGNREGA is concerned, we have seen that there has been a slash down of budgetary allocation by 33 per cent though it is the largest social welfare project. You can easily record the PM’s comment regarding MGNREGA, but unfortunately we are yet to get a huge amount for the MGNREGA project. Though West Bengal happens to be one of the best performing states, but because of political vendetta, West Bengal has been facing financial blockage from the Government of India. We have been facing several Central agencies. Mid-day meal is facing CAG audit, but PM CARES Fund is not facing any CAG audit. This is very unfortunate. As far as name changing is concerned, this Government is the pioneer of changing the names of several projects. My humble submission to the Government is this. Don’t do this vendetta politics with the best performing States like our best State, the State of West Bengal. It is doing its best under the leadership of Madam Mamata Banerjee. Kindly clearly the dues for the social welfare projects which you are supposed to clear. This is my humble suggestion before the Government. Thank you.
Sir, the State I represent is West Bengal and it is famous for Darjeeling tea which is famous throughout the world. It is still considered the best in many parts of the world. The Headquarters of Tea Board is within my Parliamentary Constituency. It is in the city itself but the condition of Tea Board Headquarters, at this stage, is gradually diminishing. Its members have been transferred. The office size has been reduced. Many employees have been transferred to some other places. At least, 60 per cent of the employees from the present Tea Board have been transferred to different places. The situation of tea garden employees is really very pathetic. I feel that some special steps are to be taken by the Central Government and the State Governments jointly so that these employees can get some relief. I would like to know whether the Government of India is thinking on these lines. Are they taking any initiative on their own by calling the State Governments and discussing with the them about the situation of tea garden employees? टी बोर्रहैर्क्वाटरसरकेबारेमेंबताइये।
Sir, between 2019-21, 35.5 per cent of kids below the age of five years were stunted and 32.1 per cent were underweight. In the Human Capital Index, out of 174 countries, India’s position is 116. Lack of venture in health and education makes economic growth slow. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has clubbed all the schemes which include Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) and the National Creche Scheme (NCS). But the budgetary allocation for Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan Schemes is only 0.5 per cent of the total Budget. India ranks 101 out of 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index, 2021. According to National Family Health Survey-5 (NFHS-5) data, the rural population of stunted children in India is 37 per cent and in urban areas, it is 30 per cent. The NFHS-5 survey also indicates that more than 57 per cent of women and over 67 per cent children suffer from anaemia. Therefore, there is a need to tackle these issues for mothers and children for holistic development of children during and after the pregnancy, and, hence reduce stunting with special emphasis on the marginalized sections. I urge the Government to look into this matter urgently as the issue of malnutrition is waiting to become an impending doom. Thank you.
Thank you Chairman, Sir, for giving me this opportunity. The TMC’s position has been very clear. We use the floor of Parliament to expose this Government on multiple counts. Economic blockade of States, murdering federalism, weakening institutions like Parliament, CBI, ED, SEBI, the price rise, unemployment, the lack of communal harmony and, of course, scams of huge proportions that need to be enquired. The immediate inquiry of the big scam which is currently creating much furore can happen in two different ways. Firstly, as many have been suggesting, by constituting a JPC. But, Madam, I understand the weak nerve of the Government. All the previous Governments which had constituted JPC, have not come back. Maybe on that count, they are afraid. They might not! On the second part, of course, we could have a Supreme Court monitored Committee to conduct this inquiry in a time-bound manner. So, we demand the second, of course, if the first plan is touching the weak nerve of the Government. It was said in the Address of Mahamahim Rashtrapatiji and I quote. “Today, India has a Government which is committed to removing every obstacle faced by women.” Madam, crimes against women in India have increased by 15 per cent. India registered 32,000 rape cases in 2021 – sadly, that is, 86 cases of rapes per day. I would like to remind this august House that Kolkata is the least crime-prone metropolitan city as per the latest NCRB records. Women’s safety in Kolkata should be emulated by the rest of the country. Another statement in the Address is, and I quote, “The digital network that India has built is a source of inspiration even for developed countries. Madam, I would like to showcase the digital service delivery achieved by West Bengal. The West Bengal Government recently received the Platinum Award from the hon. President at the Digital India Awards for its flagship scheme called Duare Sarkar, which literally means ‘the Government at your doorsteps’. This was for excellence in design and implementation of a public digital platform. The initiative by the Mamata Banerjee Government has a widespread coverage. Duare Sarkar camps help people, all over the State, to get Government services and accesses to various social welfare schemes; the achievement also includes the U.N. award winning Kanyashree Prakalpa and the students’ credit card. In the Address, the Rashtrapatiji has said, ‘From education to their career, my Government is trying to remove all obstacles for daughters.’ Madam, I would like to say that in this regard the Union Government can take inspiration from the West Bengal Government when it comes to education, especially for girls and implement effective schemes like the Kanyashree, the famous award winning scheme, the Sabooj Sathi and so on. The Kanyashree scheme has benefited 78 lakh girl children in West Bengal. The Sabooj Sathi has provided cycles to more than one crore students in West Bengal. In the Address, there was nothing mentioned about the youth unemployment. Let me tell you all about the Yuvasree Scheme in West Bengal. Under this scheme, eight lakh youths have been registered to receive financial assistance. Further, the Address said, ‘My Government has awakened the aspirations of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes.’ At the top five IITs and IISc, Bengaluru, I would like to bring to the notice of the august House, 98 per cent of professors and more than 90 per cent of assistant and associate professors are from the privileged castes, in violation of the constitutional reservation mandate. In faculty positions, the reservation should be 7.5 per cent for Scheduled Tribes and 15 per cent for Scheduled Castes. That is the real picture. Madam, when it comes to the matters of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Government at the Centre could take a leaf out of the success diary of the West Bengal Government. I would like to mention that there are multiple schemes for the benefit of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. About eight lakh students from economically backward sections have received scholarships under the Swami Vivekananda Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Programme of the Government. Madam, another thing is that we have a Joy Bangla Pension Scheme in place; it is an umbrella of two schemes–Taposhili Bandhu and Joy Johar- -where elderly, senior citizens of the communities, receive monthly pensions. Further, in her Address, Rashtrapatiji said, ‘The long felt urge to be rid of scourge of mega scams and corruption in Government schemes is now being realised.’ Is it true, Madam? Let me give you one example. In Meghalaya, the practice of coal mining was banned in 2014, but transportation was permitted till 2017. Further extensions were granted by the Supreme Court. They were also misused. Illegally mined coal was taken out of the State and then returned to Meghalaya with false documentation of coal originating in other States. Last December, re-verification of extracted coal before the ban on illegal mining of coal revealed that there are over 19 lakh MT of coal, not over 32 lakh MT of coal as stated by the Government. In 2018, activists Agnes Kharshiing and Amita Sangma faced a near-fatal attack while they were on returning after lodging a complaint on illegal mining. It has been five years since, but where is the justice? I would further like to mention that coming to the geo-political situation, we know that 25 per cent of current import of the Russian crude oil comes at a very lower price of an average of 48 to 52 US$ dollar per barrel. But when prices rose to over Rs. 100 for petrol, the international price of crude per barrel was more than 120 US dollars. Currently, 25 per cent of the import is of 48 to 52 dollars per barrel. But how is the benefit of this percolating to the poor? We can only say ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’, but it should not remain as a jumla, unless you want to have sabka vishwas and sabka prayas. This benefit should percolate down to the people as bringing down the oil prices will have a ripple effect. It will bring down the prices of other commodities that are coming up with transportation and definitely the people at the lowest rung of society who are suffering from high price rise will have the benefit. So, things should not just remain as statements, i.e. jumla. Things should reflect on the ground. We can have many things said, but one thing delivered will be much more than many things said. Sir, I would like to conclude by saying that I want to thank Mahamahim Rashtrapatiji for her Address. Having said that, equality in gender, caste and class is far from becoming a reality and needs to be our focus in all policies. The issues of people on the margins require urgent intervention by the Government. I conclude by re-emphasising our demand for an immediate Supreme Court monitored inquiry into what could be the world’s biggest scam. Thank you, Madam.
Mr. Chairman, Sir, thank you very much for giving me the honour of speaking on the President’s Address. The President’s Address is mooted on one concept of Amrit Kaal. We have noticed it. So, I would like to know from you and from our other friends as to what this Amrit Kaal is. अमृत काल क्या है? Have we crossed Achhe Din or are we still to reach Achhe Din? Year after year, these terms like Amrit Kaal, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav are invented. मुझेआजादी के अमृत महोत्सव पर दो शब्द कहनेहैंिक we were very glad to see those of them, whose genetic ancestors, whose political ancestors, did not take part in Azadi, freedom struggle, were celebrating . Please put the House in order. As I was saying, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav became a celebration for the atonement of those who had not participated in India’s freedom struggle. If you want, I can produce those documents. Talking of the other one, Achhe Din . Sir, I hope that this time is not deducted from my very limited account. We were talking about Achhe Din, Amrit Kaal, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. These terms are invented every now and then to distract attention. As I said, ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ was an atonement by those who did not take part in the freedom struggle. Now, as we move forward, there is another term, ‘Achche Din’. I was most expectant, like many other Indians, to be part of the Independence Day of last year, 2022, because several promises were made that were going to happen by the Independence Day of 2022. The first promise was that the farm income would be doubled by August, 2022. Has it happened? I leave it to the wisdom of the House. There was another promise that was repeated several times over the social media and the IT cell of a particular party that we were heading towards a five trillion dollar economy and that it would be achieved by 15th August, 2022. We are nowhere near the five trillion dollar economy. We were promised that we would ride the bullet train on 15th August, 2022. Only 25 per cent of the work has been completed. We were told that there would be electricity in every house on 24X7 basis by 15th of August, 2022. I leave it to the House to see whether it has happened or not. We were promised that Indian astronauts would be up there in the space by that night. I started looking up, but I could not find any Indian astronaut. I don’t know whether these are promises, whether these are ‘Achche Din’, whether these are part of ‘Amrit’! Somebody from their party called them jumlas. Now, the biggest jumla, as you know, was that Rs.15 lakhs would be put in everyone’s pocket. That is nowhere in the scene. Nowhere has it happened. But, the movie that was opposed, Pathaan, that represents the essence of plurality, the essence that represents our oneness, has secured record earnings. Maybe the amount of Rs.15 lakhs will come from there. We believe in multi-culturalism. We believe in multi-religionism. When we look at the smallest regions, one appeal that I would like to make on behalf of my Party and on behalf of the neglected people of Meghalaya is that Garo and Khasi be placed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. An official request has been made in this respect. I repeat it. Now, coming back to the President’s Address, I draw sustenance from para 9, 10 and 13 which have focussed attention on corruption. As you can guess, the most live issue of corruption now is about a particular conglomerate. Now, enough has been spoken about that issue, but the only thing that I would like to highlight is the role of the regulatory authorities. I have served in the regulatory authority bodies and in the Civil Service. The way the regulatory authorities collapsed in the face of hard facts when Adani Green Energies’ share value shot up by 5,500 per cent in 2.5 years, no regulatory, including SEBI, did look the other way round. At every point of time, the Reserve Bank has failed us. At every point of time during this economic scam, the DRI has failed us. Of course, the DRI did take some steps, to be correct, but certainly not commensurate with the steps that should have been taken. The most glaring example of missing an action was the Enforcement Directorate and the PMLA. They were so busy raiding the Opposition that they did not find time to look at one of the biggest scams in the history of India. Our Party has supported the claim to send this to a JPC. There is no point in discussing it in the House, but we would go one step higher and we would place forward a demand for a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry, and a time-bound report will, perhaps, be even a stronger way of ensuring that we have taken this seriously, that the whole House has taken this seriously. This Address mentions about poverty, but what poverty are you talking about? I am unable to understand because the entire basis is a report, that the consumer expenditures are there, which was done last in 2011-12, before this Government came into office, about eleven years ago. In the last eleven years or rather nine years of this Government, they did not undertake any consumer expenditure survey. One report that came out in 2017-18 was taken off from the website because it showed the uncharitable picture of this Government. We demand that the final consumer survey that is finally happening should be put out in the public domain as soon as possible so that we know whether India’s poor constitutes eight crore or more. Sir, the Prime Minister and others have said with a lot of pride that they have been giving free food to 81 crore people. If 81 crore Hindustanis are lining up for free foodgrains — and nobody can remove it now — does it mean that 81 crore out of 140 crore are poor? You revise your lines of poverty, you revise your norms of poverty but come forward with facts, come forward with facts. As far as tackling poverty is concerned, as everyone knows, popular schemes MNREGA and others help but budget of MNREGA has been slashed from Rs. 111 crores to Rs. 89 crore last year and to Rs. 60 crore. Out of this, West Bengal has been selected maliciously for complete stoppage of MNREGA funds. You should come to Bengal to see how the welfare schemes are conducted. Without the success of such schemes, we could not have resisted the massive onslaught that was thrown at us in 2021. With all the power of the State and with all the wealth that was possible, the people of West Bengal rejected it with 48 per cent majority because of welfare schemes. Please do take the trouble to come to West Bengal for learning how to conduct welfare schemes. Sir, one point towards which I would like to draw the attention of my friends on both sides is that very soon we will move to new Parliament building but not a minute’s discussion has been held with the users of Parliament. I have some insight because for the last one and a half years, I have been pursuing it with the Minister concerned who gives Minister-type answers. Because not even one consultation has been held, we do not know what facilities will be there. When I enquired, they said, no, we won’t have State Bank there. आपको बैंिंकग के िलए बार-बार उस िब�ल्डग से इस िब�ल्डग मेंआना है। This space has been utilized for grand hall far beyond our requirement in the near future, and, I see a plan behind the large hall. You know that, Sir. As it is, fifty per cent of the Members are outside, maybe in the lobby and other places, for doing their other important things. So, when the camera pans at the House, it looks half-empty as it is even now. But if the hall size is made one and a half times more, the TV camera will show that hon. Members of Parliament do not take the House seriously. It is part of the narrative that Parliament is not required; Parliament has to be belittled. In one State Assembly — I am talking about the State of Gujarat — the Assembly sittings were reduced to 29 days in a year. Is some similar grand plan of belittling the legislature also on for the national Parliament? Secondly, Sir, why am I talking about consultation? It is not only for the facility. Look at the building; look at the grandeur of this building; that has lotuses; that has all Indian symbols all around. And, you see the triangular building. You won’t get the same gravitas; you won’t get the same splendor. At every point of time, aesthetics has been cast upon us. That aesthetic will remain as a permanent memory of poor architecture and this has been done by an architect specially chosen from Gujarat who is taking Rs. 250 crores for advising on a completely unaesthetic building. Sir, let me now come to the subject of health, which has been repeatedly mentioned. Ayushman Bharat has saved eighty thousand crores of rupees. I have gone through the entire health expenditure budget and I found that it is almost 100 per cent of the Budget. Where do they get these figures from? Where do they obtain these figures from? If the officers are misleading them, then, question them as to where do they get such figures from. You talk of 9,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras – one Kendra for 155 lakh people and you are proudly mentioning that in your Report! Hundred and fifty five lakh people will go to one kendra. सर, इस पर िदमाग लगाइए। I will take only one more minute. Our total health expenditure is just 3.6 per cent of the GDP. I could not help mention it. The Western world has 12 to 19 per cent; China has 5.6 per cent; Mexico has 6 per cent and we are at half of it. We should hang our heads in collective shame that we have not been able to look after the health sector the way we should have looked after it. Sir, I thank you for the time given to me.
Today Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee and the party’s National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee addressed an assembly election campaign meeting in Tripura.
Highlights of Mamata Banerjee’s speech:
Your language and mine are the same. There is no difference between the cultures of Bengal and Tripura. On top of that, I’ve toured the whole state, ward by ward, on account of my political responsibilities. Hence, Tripura is not a new place for me.
I had given Abhishek the responsibility of ensuring freedom from the troubles the people of Tripura have been enduring. I have heard there were attacks on Abhishek and Sushmita Dev. Had it not been for the bullet-proof car, Abhishek would not have returned alive.
I had gone to the temple in Matabari yesterday. There has been no development over the last few years. Go and visit Dakshineswar, Kalighat and Tarakeswar, and see for yourself the amount of work that has gone into them.
During the covid period, while unemployment saw a marked increase across the country, in Bengal, it came down by 40 per cent. If Trinamool comes in power here, this state too will see the same amount of development as Bengal. Successful schemes like Kanyashree and Lakshmir Bhandar will be replicated here.
A lot of the avenues of development that have opened in Bengal will open in Tripura too. Tripura isn’t far from Bengal, the two states have a brother-sister relationship. If the opportunity is provided, hospitals, medical colleges and industrial towns will come up here too.
Constitution and history have been erased by them. Let’s see, what happens in 2024. It is Trinamool which would wipe out the ‘double engine’ government.
At one time, we were planned to be wiped out too. But remember, the grass under your feet cannot be wiped out, it always grows back. And now, we have transformed into a big tree; we can never be wiped put.
I’ll come back after the elections. I will decide whether there would be a double engine or single engine here. We are not letting go of Tripura.
