Tag: Aparupa Poddar

Aparupa Poddar demands increase in grant amount for Indira Awas Yojana

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Thank you, Speaker Madam, for allowing me to speak during the Zero Hour. In India, out of 200 million families approximately 65-70 per cent do not have adequate housing facility. Indira Awas Yojana has provisions for shelter of million of rural families belonging to SC/ST, minorities and people below poverty line. But it is very sad to say that in Indira Awas Yojana only Rs 70000 is being given under the scheme.
West Bengal consists of hilly and plain areas and it is very difficult to complete the construction because the amount is very less. So I urge the Government to take urgent measures to fix the grant amount according to the regional cost of the buildings and increase the number of dwelling units. I would also urge the government to give special quota for Arambagh constituency, which is inhabited by rural people belonging to SC/ST communities. Thank you.

 

Aparupa Poddar speaks during Zero Hour on the issue of funds for police modernisation

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Thank you Deputy Speaker Sir.

Police modernization has been taken out from the list of centrally-funded schemes because of which West Bengal will suffer, specially in Jangalmahal and Hill areas. Chandrakona in Paschim Medinipur district partly comes in Jangalmahal area which falls under my parliamentary constituency of Arambagh; it consists of people from weaker sections of the society.

Since national security is dependent on police modernisation, central government has to allocate funds to the State Government. Bengal should be given full A category status, Hon’ble Chief Minister has already written to Centre regarding the allocation of funds. Hence I urge the Hon’ble  Prime Minister to instruct the Home ministry to act upon this demand and do the needful for the betterment of the public.

 

Monsoon Session Week Two: A purposive week for Trinamool in Parliament

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Trinamool Congress raised various issues in both the Houses of the Parliament during the week and urged the Government to take appropriate steps.

In the Upper House, the Trinamool Congress utilised the Zero Hour, the Question Hour, the Calling Attention Motions to the fullest and took part in several discussions.

Question Hour

Trinamool Leader of the Parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha Derek O’Brien urged Centre to set up a committee to address concerns of debt-stressed States during Question Hour (http://goo.gl/3fds2m). Later in the week he again the Government what steps it was taking to make medicines affordable prices, and ensure that prices are not affected by FDI (http://goo.gl/q1rvwx)

MP KD Singh also questioned the Government on allowing of taxis in private airports (http://goo.gl/4G8Qsr).

Saugata Roy questioned the Centre on its stand on small tea gardens during Question Hour in LS (http://goo.gl/tTWlJN) and also the shift of Tea Board HQ from Kolkata to Assam (http://goo.gl/ljJOm2).

Ratna De Nag raised a question in LS regarding the mechanism of preventing banned drugs from being sold in the country (http://goo.gl/TPE8tn).

Prasun Banerjee’s question to the Central Government was on popularising football in India by strengthening the federation (http://goo.gl/4sHqmB).

Mumtaz Sanghamita, during Question Hour in Lok Sabha raised the issue of investment in development of airport/airstrips and also questioned the government on the withdrawal of the Air India flight from Durgapur where it is much needed (http://goo.gl/PMCrGU).

 

Zero Hour

MP Dola Sen, during the Zero Hour spoke regarding the demand for elimination of unmanned level crossings in the country (http://goo.gl/UPOHjq).

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy raised the issue of scholarships for minority students being during Zero Hour (http://goo.gl/cGA8gL) and Ratna De Nag raised the demand of expanding the subway at Bhadreswar station (http://goo.gl/xOmMDM).

Aparupa Poddar demanded allocation of funds for pilgrimage to Tarakeswar during Zero Hour and also introduction of special trains during the annual pilgrimage to Tarakeswar (http://goo.gl/lYvQqf). Whereas Pratima Mandal spoke on the need of a level crossing at Piyali railway station to ensure easier movement of vehicles and students across the Piyali River (http://goo.gl/8JDnDd).

Nadimul Haque in the week, during Zero Hour he raised the demand for release of scholarships to minority students (http://goo.gl/STr8ID) later in the week.

Special mention

Trinamool MP Md Nadimul Haque during a Special Mention urged the Government on the need for a law against spitting in public places (http://goo.gl/92m0FN).

Trinamool MP Ahamed Hassan Imran, during a Special Mention raised the issue of reduced Central funding of schemes (http://goo.gl/Gfbxf4) which is against the spirit of cooperative federalism. He later spoke on drug pricing during a Calling Attention Motion.

In a Special Mention Dola Sen spoke on the need to replicate successful models in combating Left Wing Extremism (http://goo.gl/2UEbM6).

 

Discussion

During a Short Duration Discussion on the situation arising out of the rise in prices in the country (http://goo.gl/k9nsWa), Derek O’Brien pointed out that Government is very good at communicating on social media sites. But when it comes to basic issues like price rise, they have forgotten the people that gave them this historic mandate in 2014 people that brought them to power.

The Trinamool Leader of the Party in Rajya Sabha also raised the issue of Aadhaar card being made mandatory for receiving Government benefits and pointed out that there are a lot of people who are suffering and not getting pension and several other benefits (http://goo.gl/VqpX6e).

Trinamool Chief Whip at Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy took part in a short duration discussion on Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014 (http://goo.gl/cB9KIs) where he demanded that assurances made by the then Prime Minister on the floor of the House must be fulfilled.

In Lok Sabha, the Trinamool Congress Trinamool Chief Whip Kalyan Banerjee took part in several discussions including  The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016 (http://goo.gl/OTGrfx), on The Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Amendment) Bill (http://goo.gl/HZpoba), on The Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2015 (http://goo.gl/9d7qHI) and protested the issue of Aadhaar card being made mandatory, during a short discussion (http://goo.gl/ThrEhX).

Trinamool MP Dr Sugata Bose took part in several discussion including the Lokpal and Lokayuktas (Amendment) Bill (http://goo.gl/iugFHh).

Sugata Bose, while speaking in LS regarding an enabling regulatory architecture in higher education institutions stated that Jadavpur University from West Bengal is in the 500-600 range of the world rankings of the TIME’s higher education supplement. On the subject of education (http://goo.gl/1nz5Df) Saugata Roy also spoke in Lok Sabha on The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and stated that IIT Kharagpur was a pioneer in the field and for the first time it started courses in naval architecture. Aeronautical engineering and agricultural engineering which were not taught anywhere else in the country (http://goo.gl/ENKkWp).

Saugata Roy raised the issue of Chinese incursion in Uttarakhand (http://goo.gl/4w9Lau). While speaking on The Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Amendment Bill, 2015 Saugata Roy mentioned that the Bill should not become another cursive instrument in the hands of revenue department to forcibly collect taxes (http://goo.gl/QZj9NP).

During a discussion on price rise in Lok Sabha, Saugata Roy criticized the central government stating their motto seems to be imposing cess on everything under the Sun (http://goo.gl/k9ITy5).

Ratna De Nag  spoke on The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016 during which she stated that even after 69 years of independence; we are unable to stop child labour in our country (http://goo.gl/HDsRVU) whereas Aparupa Poddar mentioned that child labour is a highly social evil and the root cause of child labour is poverty (http://goo.gl/l5xuvV).

Nadimul Haque took part on a discussion on The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, 2016, and stressed on the Trinamool Congress’ view on the ‘Rights of the Forest’ (http://goo.gl/uuhZGP)

 

 

Aparupa Poddar speaks on The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2016

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Thank you, Deputy Speaker Sir, for allowing me to speak on The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill.

Child is the future of not only the family but also the future of our nation. It is unfortunate to say that children, who are innocent, are exploited and put to inhuman treatment and abuse. A child is like a bud. He or she needs nurture and care to bloom into a flower.

Child labour is a highly social evil and the root cause of child labour is poverty. Employing children in any work that deprives them of their childhood and that interferes with their ability to attend school affecting them mentally, physically, socially or morally is child labour, which is very dangerous, harmful and a serious concern.

Bonded labour is a hidden phenomenon as a majority of the children are engaged in it and it is a form of slavery. Hundreds of factories across India have so much of child labour. As a developing nation, it is disheartening for us. They are made to work in factories without any protection. Is it legal? Or, is it in any way justified? We say India is going to be a superpower in 2020. We need to develop our human resources.

It focuses on the laws of employment, focuses on the amenity the employees should be given, and on how to develop our employees for a better future. Our Act of Right to Education is nullified by child labour. Our efforts for giving mid-day meal are nullified by child labour. When the Mid-Day Meal Scheme was started, it was for the children to go to school, get education and have food. Child labour is the biggest problem of the future India.

This Act contains four Parts and one Schedule. The Schedule is further made into two parts, namely, Part (A) – Prohibited Occupation and Part (B) – Prohibited Process. This restriction of prohibition is not applicable if any workshop or any process is carried on by the occupier with the aid of his family or any school which maintains or is recognised by the Government.

The Central Government has a Committee to look after all the laws that are followed and the child should not get involved in any hazardous work. The Child Labour Technical Advisory Committee should monitor the injustice faced by children by taking care of their working hours, their health and safety, getting proper rest and getting holidays in a week. This Committee is to take all the steps for the betterment and the welfare of children and take strict action against those people who do not follow the law.

Deputy Speaker Sir, hamare desh mein garibi itni buri tarah hai ki hum child labour ko poori tarha rok nahi pa rahe hain. Azadi ke lagbhag 70 saal hone wale hain. Kabhi kabhi baat sexual offence tak bhi aa jati hain aur inhuman treatment dekhne ko milta hain. Consequence bahut kharab hain, jo desh ko andar hi andar kha rahe hain. Iss desh main illegality aur criminal activities badti ja rahi hain. Iss Bill ke Clause 3 mein jo family enterprise ke bare mein pravdhan hain, yeh sochne wala vishay hain ki iss cheez ko hataya jaye, kyunki yeh cheez baal shram ko aur aura age badne ka mauka de rahi hain. Isse ek bachhe ko daabe mein kaam karne ke liye force kiya ja sakta hain, usko shops mein kaam karne ke liye force kiya ja sakta hain. Yeh sochne ka vishay hain. Jab uska padai karne ka samay hain, tab usko yeh sab karna parega, iss liye yeh section par dhyan diya jaaye. Yehi main sarkar se arj karti hoon. Gandhi Ji ne kaha tha, “Education is something that can give a child a great future.”

Paschim Bangal ke Mananiye Mukhye Mantri Mamata Banerjee Ji ne bachhe ke liye tarah-tarah ki schemes shuru ki hain, jaise Kanyashree, Shikshashree, Sabuj Sathi, Shishu Sathi. Iss tarah ki schemes wey bachho ke liye layi hain aur bachho ke future inse badal rahe hain. Mein apni baat sirf char line keh kar khatam karna chahungi. Yahan par Mananiye Mantri Ji hain, aap iss par thoda gaur kijiye:

Inn hawayon se tum bachaye rakhna,
Umeed ka diya dil mein jalaye rakhna,
Jisne mitne na di Bangal ki laaj,
Uss Mamata Banerjee ko dil mein basaye rakhna, basaye rakhna, basaye rakhna.

With this, I conclude. I request the Government to send the Bill to the Select Committee to make the Bill child-friendly. Thank you, Sir.

Aparupa Poddar speaks in Lok Sabha on International Women’s Day

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Aaj, hum jish kshetra se chum kea ate hain, chunao jeet kea aaye hain Arambagh Lok Sabha constituency se, azaadi ke baad sabse pehle baar, mahila sansad koi aaya hain wahan sa. Main apni party ke leader Mamata Banerjee aur hamari sabhi karyakarta ko dhanyavad deti hoon ki unhone mujhe iss jagah par pahunchaya hain, aur uss kshetra ke sabhi maa behno ko joh itne zaada vote de ke mujhe Paschim Bangal mujhe second position pe laya, mein unko bhi shubhkamnaye deti hoon.

Hamare kshetra aisa jagah hain jahan par Raja Rammohan Roy jaise vyaktitwa janam liye, jinhone satipratha ko kupratha band kiye, jis liye hum sabh mahilaye iss jagah par surakshit hain, aur Ramkrishna Dev ka janamsthan bhi hamari kshetra mein hain jinhone samaj ko samjhaya ki devi ka puja karna chahiye, to hiss jagah se chunke jab hum aaye hain. Hamare kshetra mein hum jab jaate hain toh joh pichli varg ki mahilaye hain who zaade sa zaade apne ko padhane ke liye, shikshit karne ke liye, ladkiyo ko shikshit karne ke liye. Mamata Banerjee jo paschim Bangal ke bivhinn schemes laya hain – Kanyashreee se le ke aur bhi schemes hain – usme woh log jab involve karate apne bachho ko, aur education de rahe hain, aur yahan par sab sansad apne apne baat bataye hain – Poona ji abhi bata rahe they woh apne jagah par bahut achhe schemes kiye hain – aaj iss august house ko iss jagah par batana chahte hain ki aaj ki tarikh par joh discussions ho rahe hain – agar mahilaon ke liye kuch special schemes ho skill development ke liye jisme mahilao bhaag le sakey, hum logon ke liye bahut achha hoga. Thank you.

Aparupa Poddar speaks on Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015

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Thank you, Deputy-Speaker, Sir, for allowing me to speak on this Payment of Bonus (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

The Bill provides for payment of bonus to persons employed in certain establishments on the basis of profits or on the basis of production or productivity. The Act provides bonus to employees of certain establishments including factories and establishments employing 20 or more persons. Under the Act, the payment of bonus to the employees whose salary or wages is up to Rs. 10,000 per month. The Bill seeks to increase the eligibility limit to Rs. 21,000 per month.

Under the new Act, the casual labour and the contract labour are eligible for bonus. The law stipulates that an employer is mandated to give a minimum bonus of 8.33 per cent of the salary. So, the worker earning Rs. 7,000 per month will receive a minimum bonus equivalent to 8.3 per cent of his salary.

An employee is entitled for bonus only when he has worked for 30 working days in the year. Considering the cost of living and other connected matters, it has to be reviewed. There should be no upper limit of salary for getting bonus.

Everybody working in various sectors should get bonus. Labour voices have been silent; over the years trade unions have been sterilised. But without a vibrant, well-paid workforce, India will not have a domestic demand to fuel its 1.3 billion people economy.

If companies do not pay bonus on time, the Government should take legal steps and speedy justice should be given to the labourer’s family. I want the assurance from the hon. Minister who is present here.

I have a suggestion to the Minister that there should be a provision of giving bonus in advance for the employees who have some emergency in their families. At least 50 per cent of the bonus should be given to them in the case of an emergency.

On behalf of our Party, All India Trinamool Congress and our hon. Leader Mamata Banerjee, on this festive occasion, I welcome this Bill and support it.

Thank you.

Aparupa Poddar raises the issue of malnutrition in India during Zero Hour

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Thank you Madam.

India is one of the fastest growing countries as far as its population and its economy are concerned. Every year 1.2 billion population is added at the rate of 1.5 per cent to 1.7 per cent. Though we are growing economically, a major part of our population is still living below the National Poverty Line.

India is highly ranked in the world by World Bank for the number of children suffering from malnutrition. The main cause for malnutrition in India is gender inequality as the social status of women is still under developed. Women who suffer from malnutrition give birth to less healthier babies. Reports state that every second child in India is malnourished.

Children from Muslim households, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes face higher rates of malnourishment. Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand have very high rates of under-nutrition. Many welfare schemes like the Integrated Child Development Scheme, National Children’s Fund, National Health Mission have been launched by the Government of India, but still the number of malnourished children is increasing. The United Nations estimates that 2.1 million Indian children die before reaching the age of five years every year. The malnutrition rate is 42 per cent among children in India. As many as 1,500 children die every day due to lack of a balanced diet.

The West Bengal Government under the leadership of our hon. Chief Minister, Kumari Mamata Banerjee has brought various steps like Support to Training & Employment Programme, Organizational Assistance for Women & Child Development, Integrated Programme for Street Children, Balika Samridhi Yojana.

The Government has to monitor and improve nutritional status of children in India by ensuring Nutritional Status of Women during pregnancy; dietary intake of children and lactating mothers; availability of safe, clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene facilities; well balanced, nutritious diet to be provided through ICDS and improved medical assistance through Government and NGOs; and by providing good environment.

Madam, I would like to make a last suggestion to the Government. A Committee should be formed consisting of Members from the Central and State Governments to monitor the training programmes and schemes carried out to eradicate malnutrition, and also strict action should be taken against those who malpractice in this human cause.

Thank you.

Aparupa Poddar speaks on punctuality of Indian Railways | Transcript

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Thank you Deputy Speaker, Sir, for permitting me to mention the following matter in the Zero Hour. With deep regret, I inform the House that the Indian Railway, the world’s largest public railway network, now has become the world’s biggest late-running network in the country.

During the last six months, few trains have reached their destination in due time though they departed at scheduled time. Number of trains has increased. Good. Fare has been hiked but the security, punctuality, cleanliness of the trains are being neglected.

In this context I like to inform that CAG states zones are reporting wrong data in order to show that the trains are punctual 95% of the time. In addition, CAG also reports that trains are late at least 54 per cent of the time while prestigious trains like Rajdhani were late at least 53 percent of the time. Thus there is a need to measure a report of punctuality from the passengers’ perspective.

I would therefore request you, and the Hon’ble Minister through you, to inform the House with the last three months’ statistics of Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express trains and the detailed cause of late running. The government must ensure the punctuality, cleanliness and security of the passengers.

Thank you.

Aparupa Poddar speaks on the Railway (Amendment) Bill, 2014 | Transcript

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Thank you, Sir, for allowing me to speak in this august House. I thank my hon. Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee and the people of Bengal, who have voted and sent 34 MPs from Bengal.

I rise to speak on the Railway Amendment Bill. The Bill adds a new section 124 (b) to the Railway Act, 1989 to empower the Railways to deny compensation claims if it feels that the victim has fallen down from the train due to his/her own fault. The Ministry has also sought to make the Zonal Railways, in whose jurisdiction an accident takes place, a party to claim so that the authenticity of the claim can be ascertained.

Now, Sir, I would like to say accidental deaths due to falling from trains are not only due to the negligence of passengers. Most of the passengers who die due to accidental falling from trains are economically poor people who cannot avail reservation in upper class facilities and travel in ordinary second class compartments where number of passengers exceeds the number of seats. Hence passengers near the gates accidentally fall from the train. Thus, compensation in such cases of accidental falling should be considered, I urge the Railway Minister.

It would be practically impossible to prove that accidental falling is due to negligence of the passenger and not the Railway. Hence, I propose such cases should be considered sympathetically and the propose Amendment should include this part of the compensation process. The proposed amendment should include the time frame within which claims of compensation will be settled by Railways. Generally the enquiry to determine the cause of negligence is made by Railways. I propose that the ‘Enquiry Committee’ to determine the case of negligence should include representatives from the passengers’/Railway Users’ body. This will ensure transparency and timely compensation, Sir.

The rationale behind the Amendment is that the Railway finds that 98% of the accidents that reach the Claim Tribunal are due to accidental falling. The number has risen from 136 in 1995 to 8175 in 2011 as mentioned by the Minister. The average annual payment of such claims has been above Rs 134 crore, rising from Rs 26 lakh in 1994-95. The Railway feels that there is an organized racket and they have brought the Bill to prevent malpractice.

I feel the bill is anti-poor people. The Railways officers have been trying to bring the Bill since 2008, but in 2009 former Railway Minister, Mamata Banerjee, felt the Bill was against poor people. So the Amendment will make it more difficult for the poor people who are genuine victims of the accidental falling from trains. Presently a victim or surviving relatives can register a claim’s case at the place where tickets were purchased as well as at final destination. This should not be changed. The final compensation amount should be determined keeping in view the economic condition, asset liabilities and earning capacity of the affected passenger. The corruption is in railway bureaucracy and law will only change it. Railway should ensure that all those poor people suffering from Railway accidents are compensated adequately.

Thank you.

Aparupa Poddar demands a new rail link from Arambagh to Bardhaman | Transcript

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There has been constant demand for rail link for commuters and vendors from all the areas of my Parliamentary Constituency of Arambagh, district Hooghly, regarding a new railway line from Arambagh to Bardhaman covering two districts of Hooghly and Bardhaman.

Presently the commuters take a huge detour and go to Sheoraphuli station in Howrah-Bardhaman main line section, about a distance of 60-65 km) or have to change from Kamarkundu station of Howrah- Bardhaman chord line section (about a distance 40-50 km).

The link stations in the chord section are too high and pose a problem to elderly persons and vendors to change from Bardhaman route. The people of my constituency are wholly dependent on the agricultural products and need easy marketing access along with hazardless road journey. I would therefore urge to Railway Minister immediately undertake the survey of the construction of Arambagh-Bardhaman new link line which would be a great help to the people of my constituency.

Thank you.