Author: aitc

Sir, out of pocket expenditure as a percentage of total healthcare in India in 2017-18 was found to be 48.8 per cent as per the National Health Accounts Estimate. While this is an improvement and may show an increased uptake of Government hospital facilities, it is still almost half of expenses incurred on health. The National Health Policy estimates that the private sector accounts for 90 per cent of all hospitals (up from eight per cent in 1947), 60 per cent of all beds and 80-85 per cent of all doctors. More than 70 per cent of the patients in rural areas and 80 per cent in urban areas seem to rely on private hospital facilities. Fifty-five million people in India are pushed into poverty each year due to healthcare costs. As of 2019, there are around 43,000 private hospitals in India against
26,000 Government hospitals. The figures of 2017 estimate that the hospital industry is worth 61.79 billion US dollars, is growing at 22 per cent annually and will reach 132 billion US dollars by this year. There is no capping of the charges hospitals can levy on medicines, procedures, tests, etc. As hospitals become corporatized and profit-focussed, there is a need to protect patients and their families from exploitation. On the one hand,people’s faith in our expansive public sector health care system must be revived, on the other, private hospitals must be restricted from profiting at the cost of people.

Sir, the number of child labourers (5-14 years old) as per the 2011 Census Report stood at a whopping Rs.44 lakh.
For the National Child Labour Project Scheme, the financial target was Rs.110 crores. However, only Rs. 8.5 crores had been utilised. The Ministry had set a target of enrolling 50,000 working children in special training centres, and 50,000 children into the formal education system.

सर, ऐसेतो एसटीज़ सभी चीज़ों मेंवंिचत हैऔर दुभ�ग्य की बात हैिक इस िबल को भी िसफर् एक ही घंटा िदया गया है। मैंयह
कहना चाहता हूं िक यह िबल, if we call it as innocuous in a sense that भोगता कम्युिनटी और नौ अन्य कम्युिनटीज़ को झारखंड मेंएसटी की िलस्ट मेंलाना चाहतेहैं। इसका हम समथर्न करतेहैं, क्योंिक इसमेंउनको ज्यादा सुिवधाएं िमलेंगी, they will get more advantage and from 10 per cent, they will be moving to 26 per cent span. So, सुिवधाएं ज्यादा होंगी। मगर इस संदभर्मेंयह भी कहना चाहता हूं िक, the Government of West Bengal had sent a proposal to the Central Government and it involves 11 communities to be included in the ST list. They are, namely, the Gurung, Mangar, Rai, Sunwar, Mukhia, Jogi, Thami, Yakha, Bahun, Chettri and Newar. सर, हम समझतेहैंिक यह लम्बा �ोसेस है। यह वहां स यहां आता है, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment और Tribal Ministry की उसमेंएक involvement हैऔर National Commission for Schedule Tribes की भी उसमेंinvolvement होती है। मगर आज तक इससेकु छ नहीं हुआ और वेलोग आज भी वंिचत ही रह गए हैं। मैंमाननीय मं�ी जी सेआ�ह क�ं गा िक वेइस बारेहमेंकु छ बताएं। इसी की तरह गोवा मेंएक similar चीज़ हैिक वहां भी तीन कम्युिनटीज़ को एसटी िलस्ट में डाला गया है, मगर आज तक election-related कोई facility, यानी िरज़व�शन उन्हें नहीं िमल रहा है। मं�ी जी, मेरा आपसेयह अनुरोध हैिक आप इस पर भी थोड़ा �काश डािलए। Sir, the Scheduled Tribes fall under the category of India’s poorest people with five out of ten falling in the lowest wealth bracket in society. This abject poverty subjects them to all sorts of problems mainly lack of education and consequent unemployment. It makes them sitting ducks to
be trapped into political bewilderment, only to be misled by splinter groups into unsolicited activities in the garb of Maoism. सर, इस बारेमेंमैंबंगाल का एक उदाहरण देना चाहता हूं। We are in a system of co-operative federalism. We should learn the good things from each other. बंगाल के अंदर भी एक south western part है, िजसको हम जंगल महल कहतेहैं, उसमेंऐसा हो रहा था। वहां एक िदन हमारी मुख्य मं�ी सु�ी ममता बनज� नेकहा िक अगर येआिदवासी लोग बंदूक उठाएंगे, तो येराष्� के िखलाफ नहीं उठाएंगे, ब�ल्क वेराष्� के िहत मेंउठाएंगे। And, Sir, what she did was उन्होंनेदस हज़ार लोगों को पुिलस मेंभत� िकया और इससे क्या हुआ िक आज वहां सर, आज वह िबल्कु ल खत्म है। सर, मुझेिलबट� दीिजए। मैंिवश्व किव गु� रबीं�नाथ जी की दो पं�क्तयां बोलकर अपनी बात खत्म क�ं गा। उनकी किवता सं�ह ‘गीतांिजिल’ के िलए उनको Nobel Award िमला था, उसकी एक किवता थी ‘He Mor Durbhaga Desh’, मैंउसका �ांसलेशन भी क�ं गा। मैंके वल दो ही िमनट लूंगा। सर, यह बहुत दुखद घटना है। Okay, Sir, I have nothing to say. Thank you, Sir.

Sir, a recent study has shown that 21 per cent of India has one of the lowest female participation rates in the world, which is quite concerning. Many women, in the country, work in farming, have the grocery stores, work at home for their families. And, this is uncounted for in the stream of economy. My question would be this. What are the steps
taken to recognize the unpaid labour of women who work full time at home or outside?

Sir, as my colleague has already gave out many a data, I would like to add that in India, Bhiwadi in Rajasthan, closely followed by Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, occupy the first and second most-polluted cities. In the list of most polluted countries in the world, India ranks the fifth. It is very alarming that the level of PM2.5, a marker of the severity of pollution, is hiked throughout the country with no city in the country meeting the safe limit of 5 micrograms per cubic metre. Sir, a recent report has revealed that the air pollution will reduce the life expectancy of 40 per cent of Indians by nine years causing one death every minute. Every citizen of the country has a right to clean air. Therefore, I request the Government to take adequate measures to improve the air quality of the country. Thank you, Sir.

Sir, this House has congratulated exporters very recently by thumping desks and by expressing their approval, but we need to take a look at the actual reality of where these exporters are being harassed by the system. I had the opportunity to work both in Commerce and Finance, and I am aware of what is going on. Therefore, the plea that I make is like this. Computerization and faceless assessment of income-tax has served its purpose, is serving a good
purpose, and there is no doubt about it. But having said that, it has expedited disposal, cut down malpractices, but the same should be extended in letter and spirit onto GST. As we are aware, even in direct taxes, of course, there are issues of appeals, delays of hearings, but we will let that pass. Where exports are concerned, as you know, exporters are entitled to a reimbursement of the GST paid. This reimbursement of GST was small in amount and, therefore, it was continuing somewhat in a regular manner. But of late, with the increase in GST rates and increase in value,
the amount has become so big for most exporters that they are being put into unnecessarily trouble. The major problem is and I am explaining it with a particular example. A class of exporters go to claim their refund of GST
and just one word is put on their assessment saying ‘mismatch’. And once a word ‘mismatch’ goes, other bills are passed; therefore, the word goes around that you come and meet us. I am not saying that corruption is particular to any Government. It has been happening, but all we need to do is in a transparent system, make it more difficult to be one of that. I am suggesting a way out also. Everything is on computer. We know who claimed what and on what day. When a simple dangerous word like ‘mismatch’ is put, it needs to be explained in the public domain that what
the mismatch was. That is number one. Number two, if it is on the net, vigilance and other officials can see. And number three, when number is skipped and payments made, it is cause for concern. Don’t jump numbers
without a particular cause. Sir, if the Finance Ministry adopts this practice, they will be able to improve not only GST operationalisation, but also help the cause of exports at a time when we direly need foreign exchange.

Sir, my subject is of immense importance – ‘Need for better health services and education for adolescent girls.’ Sir, India has the largest adolescent population of nearly 253 million. Every fifth person in India belongs to the 15-19 years age group. During the Covid pandemic, the World of India’s Girls (WINGS) 2022, did a study in the four States of Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar and Telangana. They have recorded that a maximum of 51 per cent of adolescent girls have access to healthcare services while the remaining 49 per cent don’t have the access. Let me cite some examples of the problems they suffer from. One of them is lack of education. The National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, NCPCR, says that 40 per cent of them do not attend schools. Talking about dropout students, India is the tenth largest country in the world. We have a project called Beti Bachao Beti Padao, but unfortunately, 75 per cent of the total funds allocated for this scheme are spent for advertisement purposes. Sir, menstrual hygiene is another very important issue. There is reproductive and sexual health as well. Talking about mental and psychological health, India shoulders 36.6 per cent of the total number of suicidal cases in the world. Suicides in the 15-19 age group surpass even cases of maternal mortality. This age group suffers from grave injuries at different points of time. In cases of gender-based violence, alcohol and drug abuse, rural adolescent girls are affected more than urban adolescent girls. Also, there are cases of excessive tobacco use, HIV and other infectious diseases and early pregnancy. Under the age of 16, early pregnancy rate is 22.6 per cent; below 13 years, the rate is 2.6 per cent. Of these, 57 per cent are anemic while 42 per cent are malnourished and underweight. They suffer from serious mental issues. Sir, investment in adolescent health would yield demographic and economic dividends for the country. Talking about our State, West Bengal, we run the Kanyashree project to promote girl child education up to the Post Doctorate level. We provide cycle to girls for easy access to schools through the Sabooj Saathi project. We provide shiksha, education, to the SC and ST population through Sikhashree project and we provide the Rupashree project to prevent early marriages. Sir, my humble submission to the Government is, please take up this issue very seriously because it is a very burning issue. It would help our nation in the future.

Sir, this is a very ambitious plan. I am not opposing this initiative of the Government of India, but the reality is that in the health sector, our own citizens are struggling for affordable healthcare and access to healthcare. The hon. Minister has said that they have had many consultations. In a country where we believe in federalism and in the
Constitution, where Health is a State subject, मुझेदुख हैिक इस consultation मेंिकसी भी �देश को नहीं बुलाया गया। उन्होंनेपूरी िलस्ट दी है, MEA, नीित आयोग आिद, but without the State machinery, this is nothing but a jumla. Sir, my question is: how many States have been consulted and when do you plan to consult them on this plan?