Because the issue is so important, we request you to guide the Government for Calling Attention Motion, so that the Health Minister can come and assure the students in particular. That is all.
Author: aitc
Derek O’Brien makes a Point of Order on the order of speaking during the discussion on Ministry of Railways
Sir, since you have announced the Member’s name, we are not going to be ungracious and stop the Member, my dear
friend and colleague, from speaking. However, please allow me to make a simple point on rules, procedure and what this House has been following for many years. There are four Ministries which are being discussed in this Session. The first Ministry was the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. That was initiated by the Congress Party being the largest in terms of Opposition. The second was the Ministry of Tribal Affairs where the Minister just now gave a stirring speech. That was initiated by the BJP. The third is the Ministry of Railways. Fourth is the Ministry of Labour and Employment. If you go only by numbers and of the last fifty years, the thirdlargest Party after BJP and Congress in Rajya Sabha is the All India Trinamool Congress. So, by virtue of that, we should have been initiating this discussion to set the tone but in the spirit, since you have called Acharyaji’s name, he may
do it. But this may be taken into account next time. Our political beliefs may be different from that of the Ruling Party, but that should not be the reason not to allow us to initiate a discussion. They have won elections, we have won elections; but it is not that. It is, here, we should go by the precedents. I have no problem conceding. We will speak on Monday; Khargeji will speak on Monday. Now, DMK also has numbers, but we have more numbers. So,
please, Sir, I request you in good spirit. Please, with your permission. Sir, may I have one minute? Sir, let me finish. You allow me one minute. There were six Ministries to be discussed. I am aware. In the Business Advisory Committee, it was decided six. Out of six, four have been selected. Two have been kept for the next Session. That does not change. If there are four Ministries to be discussed, BJP, Congress, TMC and DMK, this has to
be the order, not because I am saying so. This is the precedent. So, no issue. Please. Thank you.
Santanu Sen asks a Supplementary Question on the funds released by the Union Government for cyclone relief in Bengal
Sir, as the reply of the hon. Minister states, the Central Government supplements the State Governments whenever there is a natural disaster or calamity. As we all know, West Bengal got badly affected by cyclones Bulbul in 2019, Amphan in 2020 and Yaas and Jawad in 2021. Our State Government did its best, but my question to the Minister is:
how much funds were released to West Bengal during these natural calamities?
Dola Sen asks a Supplementary Question on the Union Government’s interference in the teacher recruitment and management of Christian missionary-run educational institutions
Since the answer to the question mentions the National Education Policy 2020, let me ask the hon. Minister to explain to this House why the Union Government is interfering into the teacher recruitment and management of minority-run, especially, Christian institutions. These great institutions have been imparting top quality education to children of all castes, creed and religions, as I have also done my schooling from Christian minority school. When will this interference stop?
Md Nadimul Haque makes a Zero Hour mention on the impact of the closure of schools on education
Sir, according to ASER Major Findings Report for 2021 School Survey, nearly three quarters of all respondents said that they are currently having difficulty in teaching their grade. The most common issue was that children were unable to keep up with their grade-level curriculum, which account for 65.4 per cent of the total. In rural Karnataka, for example, the percentage of grade three students in Government schools who can perform simple subtraction has
decreased from 24 per cent in 2018 to only 16 per cent in 2020. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports released a report in August, 2021 that criticized the learning gaps caused by school lockdowns. It was “not only the loss of learning but also the loss of social contact and socialisation routine that were part of a student’s daily experience of life in schools and educational institutions”, according to the Committee. According to a joint report released by UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank in 2021, this generation of students around the world faces a loss of 17 trillion dollars in lifetime earnings in present value as a result of school closures. Given long school closures and erratic remote learning, the number of children living in “learning poverty” will rise sharply in low and middle-income countries, potentially reaching 70 per cent. The Government will first need to develop protocols for when to close and, more importantly, when to reopen. Second, more flexibility in funding resources at the district and school levels is required so that schools can comply with Government SOPs and support expenditures based on their needs. Sir, I urge the Government to take necessary steps.
Shanta Chhetri makes a Zero Hour mention on the growing demand among newer Central Armed Police Force personnel for the Old Pension Scheme
Sir, I would like to draw your kind attention to the fact that there is a growing restlessness amongst the paramilitary forces, as people who joined after 2004 have been denied Old Pension Scheme. I humbly urge the Government to restore the Old Pension Scheme to the new entrants after 2004.
Luizinho Faleiro makes a Zero Hour mention on the hardship and harassment faced by the people of Goa because of the faceless Income Tax assessment
Thank you, Chairman, Sir, for permitting me to raise this very important issue. On behalf of Goa TMC, I would like to bring to the notice of hon. Finance Minister the hardships and the harassment faced by the honest tax-payers in Goa on account of Faceless Assessment Scheme, Faceless Penalty Procedure Scheme and faceless disposals.
Sir, you may be aware that Goa is the only State in India which follows the Common Civil Code. In fact, Goa is the only State in India which fulfils Article 44 of the Constitution of India, and, therefore, the Government of
India, by bringing the Finance Act, have amended and brought Section 5A of the Income-Tax Act. The people in Goa, especially the tax-payers, have been enjoying this Section 5A for the last six decades. However, with the
introduction of the faceless scheme, the people of Goa are facing very highpitch demands because Section 5A is supposed to be helping the apportionment of income between the spouses. Now, many of the officers in the Income-Tax Department don’t have the knowledge of Section 5A, and, therefore, it is leading to very high-pitch demands followed by penalty proceedings, recovery of taxes, though the tax-payers file the returns in compliance with all the provisions of the Act. I know about some cases where many people, who are earning hardly Rs.15 to 20 lakhs per annum, are given notices to pay up to Rs.8 crores. I know one lady whose income is Rs.20 lakhs. She has been issued a notice to pay Rs.8 crores. She finally got a massive heart attack and she landed in the intensive care unit. The Government cannot afford to be so cruel even though the Income-Tax officials are. The Government has to be humane, fair and just. My request to you and to the hon. Finance Minister is to have a review of the Faceless Assessment Scheme in Goa and ensure proper implementation of Section 5A. Thank you, Sir.
Kalyan Banerjee speaks during the discussion and voting on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for 2022-23
Sir, while speaking on the Budget for the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, I will be committing a great
error unless I take the name of the great stalwart and former hon. Prime Minister, late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. The Golden Quadrilateral or GQ was former Prime Minister, late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji’s first dream project and is enshrined as the biggest infrastructure intervention in the roadways sector in post-Independent India of making 5,846 kms. of highways with the start of the first phase of the National Highways Development Project.
Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji used to say ‘हमारेदेश मेंसड़कों मेंग््ढेहैंया ग््ढे मेंसड़क है।’ The stalwart who dreamed and has achieved his greatest contribution to infrastructure in India. Within months of assuming charge as Prime Minister in 1999, late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji called a meeting in the PMO to direct the Road Transport Ministry to map out 20 most congested areas of India and make a plan to create four-lane highways to ease congestion. What
emerged was the grand design to connect Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai for seamless movement of freight. Therefore, no one can ever forget the stalwart and great statesman of our country late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji for
development of roads and transport facilities in the country as the pathway has been shown by him in this country.
In the present fiscal, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry strives to reconstruct or construct 68.49 kms. of National Highways per day. The goal targeted by the Ministry is higher than the record development of 37 kms. daily
during 2019-2020 period. India has one of the largest road networks in the world. Roads have been in existence since ancient times after Ashoka and Chandragupta made great efforts to build roads. Having 32,87,263 square kms.
area of the country, Indian Railway covers 67,956 square kms. area with track length of 99,230 kms. as on March, 2020. The length of National Highways has grown up from 1,01,011 kms. in 2016 to 1,36,440 kms. in 2021 at an average of 7,086 kms. per year with 19.41 kms. per day construction rate. Most of the Indian roads are unsurfaced, that is, 42.65 per cent, and are not suitable for use of vehicular traffic. The poor maintenance of the roads aggravates
the problem especially in the rainy season. According to an estimate, there is about per year loss of Rs. 200 crore on the wear and tear of the vehicles, due to poor quality of roads. Road transportation has gradually increased over the years with improvement in connectivity between cities, towns, and villages. Highway construction has increased at 17 per cent CAR between 2016 and 2021. In cities, streets are very congested and most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow. For the development of roads in rural and backward areas, Rs.15,000 crores were announced in the Union Budget 2021 under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) but still the States are waiting for the funds from the budget for the work which they have already completed. According to a study conducted by a global consultancy firm in 2018, traffic congestion during peak hours in four major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and
Kolkata – costs the economy around Rs.1.47 lakh crore annually. Wayside amenities like repair shops, first aid centres, telephones, clean toilets, restaurants, rest places, trauma hospitals are lacking along the Indian roads and in
the national highways. There is very little attention on road safety and land traffic laws are wilfully violated due to lack of proper observations. There has been no stability in policy-making relating to highway development in the country. Due to long gestation period and low-returns, there is very little participation of private sector in road development in India and is around seven per cent of the total budget expenditure. The legislative framework for private investment in roads is also not satisfactory. Since there is no co-ordination between expert agencies and Government, their decisions are often conflicting and contradictory. Even there is little cooperation and co-ordination among different states. On the issue of Bank of Sanctions with the State Government, recently the
Standing Committee on Transport has suggested: “The Committee is of the view that the existing mechanism of bank of sanctions is causing a visible lack of clarity between the State Government departments concerned and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, regarding the amount that the State is yet to be awarded. The Committee recommends that the Ministry may look into the issue and come up with suitable guidelines to ensurethat thereis noconfusion among the State Government Departments and the Ministry, regarding the share of funds to be received by the State, in any particular year, after factoring in the Bank of Sanctions.” Roads are bad and inadequate in India. There are 34 km. long roads per 100 sq. km area in India while in Japan 270 km. and in West Germany 167 km.
long roads per 100 sq. km area. India has 11 km highways per one lakh population and 3.32 km. road per thousandpopulation. Sir, 60 percent of villages still are without roads in India which adversely affects our agriculture and rural economy. Therefore, the Government should spend more on the development and construction of roads.
Another major problem is that roads are not maintained and repaired properly in India. Less than 0.1 per cent of the national income is spent on the maintenance of roads in India, while in Japan it is three percent of the national
income. It causes discomfort and quick depreciation of vehicles. India tops the world with 11per cent of global deathsin road accidents withabout 4.5 lakh road crashes per annum, in which 1.5 lakh people die which account for 11 per cent of all road crash deaths, witnessing 53 road crashes every hour; killing one person every four minutes.
The total vehicle production till December 2021 is estimated at 2,40,67,787 units, which is not even one per cent growth from thecorresponding number in 2015-16 at 2,40,16,599 units. Two-wheeler sales data of the lowermiddle-class families for April-December, 2021, is just 10 million units which shows that this demand is at a decadal low in the country. The low level of consumption in the economy needs immediate remedy. The new budget calls for a 35 per cent increase in spending, mainly on infrastructure related projects while allocation to roads and bridges dip over -2%. Since 2014-15 to 2020-21, the expenditureagainst the revised budget has been an average of 95 per cent of the allocation. Road engineering and construction are yet to gearup to meet the challenges of the futurelike achieving
the target of expanding the National Highway network by 25,000 km construction. Sir, while speaking on the Budget
for the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, I will be committing a great error unless I take the name of the great stalwart and former hon. Prime Minister, late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji. The Golden Quadrilateral or GQ was former Prime Minister, late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji’s first dream project and is enshrined as the biggest infrastructure intervention in the roadways sector in post-Independent India of making 5,846 kms. of highways with the start of the first phase of the National Highways Development Project. Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji used to say ‘हमारेदेश मेंसड़कों मेंग््ढेहैंया ग््ढे मेंसड़क है।’ The stalwart who dreamed and has achieved his greatest contribution to infrastructure in India. Within months of assuming charge as Prime Minister in 1999, late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji called a meeting in the PMO to direct the Road Transport Ministry to map out 20 most congested areas
of India and make a plan to create four-lane highways to ease congestion. What emerged was the grand design to connect Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai for seamless movement of freight. Therefore, no one can ever forget the stalwart and great statesman of our country late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji for development of roads and transport facilities in the country as the pathway has been shown by him in this country. In the present fiscal, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry strives to reconstruct or construct 68.49 kms. of National Highways per day. The goal targeted by the Ministry is higher than the record development of 37 kms. daily during 2019-2020 period. India has one of the largest road networks in the world. Roads have been in existence since ancient times after Ashoka and Chandragupta made great efforts to build roads. Having 32,87,263 square kms. area of the country, Indian Railway covers 67,956 square kms. area with track length of 99,230 kms. as on March, 2020. The length of National Highways has grown up from 1,01,011 kms. in 2016 to 1,36,440 kms. in 2021 at an average of
7,086 kms. per year with 19.41 kms. per day construction rate. Most of the Indian roads are unsurfaced, that is, 42.65 per cent, and are not suitable for use of vehicular traffic. The poor maintenance of the roads aggravates
the problem especially in the rainy season. According to an estimate, there is about per year loss of Rs. 200 crore on the wear and tear of the vehicles, due to poor quality of roads. Road transportation has gradually increased over the years with improvement in connectivity between cities, towns, and villages. Highway construction has increased at 17 per cent CAR between 2016 and 2021. In cities, streets are very congested and most of the bridges and culverts are old and narrow. For the development of roads in rural and backward areas, Rs.15,000 crores were announced in the Union Budget 2021 under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) but still the States are waiting for the funds from the budget for the work which they have already completed. According to a study conducted by a global consultancy firm in 2018, traffic congestion during peak hours in four major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and
Kolkata – costs the economy around Rs.1.47 lakh crore annually. Wayside amenities like repair shops, first aid centres, telephones, clean toilets, restaurants, rest places, trauma hospitals are lacking along the Indian roads and in
the national highways. There is very little attention on road safety and land traffic laws are wilfully violated due to lack of proper observations. There has been no stability in policy-making relating to highway development in the country. Due to long gestation period and low-returns, there is very little participation of private sector in road development in India and is around seven per cent of the total budget expenditure. The legislative framework for private investment in roads is also not satisfactory. Since there is no co-ordination between expert agencies and Government, their decisions are often conflicting and contradictory. Even there is little cooperation and co-ordination among different states. On the issue of Bank of Sanctions with the State Government, recently the
Standing Committee on Transport has suggested: “The Committee is of the view that the existing mechanism of bank of sanctions is causing a visible lack of clarity between the State Government departments concerned and the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, regarding the amount that the State is yet to be awarded. The Committee recommends that the Ministry may look into the issue and come up with suitable guidelines to ensurethat thereis noconfusion among the State Government Departments and the Ministry, regarding the share of funds to be received by the State, in any particular year, after factoring in the Bank of Sanctions.” Roads are bad and inadequate in India. There are 34 km. long roads per 100 sq. km area in India while in Japan 270 km. and in West Germany 167 km.
long roads per 100 sq. km area. India has 11 km highways per one lakh population and 3.32 km. road per thousandpopulation. Sir, 60 percent of villages still are without roads in India which adversely affects our agriculture and rural economy. Therefore, the Government should spend more on the development and construction of roads.
Another major problem is that roads are not maintained and repaired properly in India. Less than 0.1 per cent of the national income is spent on the maintenance of roads in India, while in Japan it is three percent of the national
income. It causes discomfort and quick depreciation of vehicles. India tops the world with 11per cent of global deathsin road accidents withabout 4.5 lakh road crashes per annum, in which 1.5 lakh people die which account for 11 per cent of all road crash deaths, witnessing 53 road crashes every hour; killing one person every four minutes. The total vehicle production till December 2021 is estimated at 2,40,67,787 units, which is not even one per cent growth from thecorresponding number in 2015-16 at 2,40,16,599 units. Two-wheeler sales data of the lowermiddle-class families for April-December, 2021, is just 10 million units which shows that this demand is at a decadal low in the country. The low level of consumption in the economy needs immediate remedy. The new budget calls for a 35 per cent increase in spending, mainly on infrastructure related projects while allocation to roads and bridges dip over -2%. Since 2014-15 to 2020-21, the expenditureagainst the revised budget has been an average of 95 per cent of the allocation. Road engineering and construction are yet to gearup to meet the challenges of the futurelike achieving
the target of expanding the National Highway network by 25,000 km
construction.
Kalyan Banerjee intervenes with clarifications during the debate on the Demands for Grants for the Ministry of Railways
सर, मयार्दा पालन करनेक� �रस्पॉिन्सिब्लटी िसफर् मे म्बर क� ही नहीं, मं त्री क� भी होती है। माननीय अध्य�: हा। ँ श्री कल्याण बनजीर् (श्रीरामपुर): सर, I may tell you with great respect िक … (अध्य�पीठ केआदेशानसार ु कायर्वाही-व�ान्त ृ मेंसिम्मिलत नहीं िकया गया।) Under the Railways Act, there is a provision that the Railways has the power to acquire land and also, the Railways has to pay a fair compensation. I think, this provision is mentioned in Section 80. Maybe, I am quoting an incorrect Section. In 2011, a circular was issued by the Railway Board that wherever the Railways will be acquiring land, the Railways will provide employment to the affected families and that was given effect to. You can opt any … (Interruptions) सर, मैंएक सेकेंड चीज बोल रहा ह�। ँ आप एक और चीज सनु लीिजए। इसमेंएक कहावत है। There is a saying that, in the court, if you do not have any argument or if you do not have any reason, तब आप टेबल ठोकतेहैं।
Sudip Bandyopadhyay intervenes with clarifications during the debate on the Demands for Grants for the Ministry of Railways
सर, आपनेमझको ु िपछली रलवे ेस्टेंिडं ग किमटी का चे यरमै न बनाया था। मैं नेतीन साल काम िकया। बह�त सारेरले के िवषय पर मरी े अब जानकारी है। मैं नेइसिलए कल भाषण नहीं िदया िक जो चे यरमै न रहतेहैं, वेनहीं बोलतेहैं। I would like to repeat what I have said, इं िडयन सॉयल मेंजापान क� तरह बलुे ट ट्रे न नहीं चले गी। जो ट्रे न चले गी, वह फास्ट स्पीड ट्रेन होगी। That can be compared with the Euro Rail. मैंपे�रस सेलं दन तक ट्रे न मेंआया। I covered 1,050 kms. in three hours. It comes to 350 kms. per hour, which is possible in India. But we cannot have high-speed train like Japan’s Bullet Train.
Secondly, I have incorporated in my Report, मे री कमे टी मेंतोबी.जे.पी. केही मे रे भाई और दोस्त ज्यादा हैं। We still have 1,50,000 vacancies. What is the harm if the hon. Minister agrees to it? Thirdly, if any untoward exchanges ह�आ, इसके िलए मैंद: ुखी ह�ं । आप भी थोड़े एक्साइटे ड थे, कभी भी मैं नेिकसी िमिनस्टर को घूंसा मारनेजैसी बात को भारत क� लोक सभा में नहीं देखा। आपके साथ हमारीपाटीर् का ऐसा कुछ िवरोध नहींहोगा।हम लोग आगेभी एक साथ रले को आगेबढ़ानेके िलए काम करगेंे