Md Nadimul Haque asks a Question on losses faced by e-commerce companies due to internet shutdowns

Md Nadimul Haque asks a Question on losses faced by e-commerce companies due to internet shutdowns

Posted on March 13, 2020 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:

(a) whether e-Commerce companies have seen economic losses due to internet shutdown in different parts of the country;

(b) whether Government has estimated the same and if so, the details thereof; and

FIRST SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION

Sir, over 150 days of internet shut down in the State of Jammu & Kashmir has led to many businesses and start-ups, especially in IT and E-commerce, to shut down or leave for better opportunities. Young entrepreneurs have been discouraged from starting online businesses. Sir, my question is, when will the Government take actual steps and not totalistic measures to address this serious crisis?

SECOND SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION

The order for internet shut down is rarely open to the public. It has been reported that only secretary-level officers can issue such orders like internet shut down, even DMs can also order, Sir.

So my question is, how has the Government allowed internet shut down to be imposed so easily, especially when the repercussions are not just on an area but across whole of India?

Sudip Bandyopadhyay asks a Question on religious tourism circuits

Posted on July 8, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, in the reply, some circuits have been allowed, which covers spiritual circuits, Ramayan circuit, Krishna circuit, Buddhist circuit, Tirthankar circuit and Sufi circuit.

As the Chairman of the Railway Parliamentary Standing Committee, I placed a report in the House on tourism promotion in pilgrim circuits. We discussed these issues very broadly in this report.

My specific question is, whether the government intends to induct ‘Jyotirling circuit’, Jain circuit, Christian circuit, famous temples circuit, with an aim to establish more religious tourism circuits?

Also, tourism is connected with the railway ministry, very broadly. If Railways does not extend their support, the tourism proposals cannot be fulfilled. Whether the Minister of Tourism can make a coordination with the Railway Minister and set up a committee to formulate, and to see that these proposals are implemented more quickly.

And, if necessary, I can give the report to the Hon’ble Minister; you can go through it.

Thank you.

Saugata Roy asks a Question on reduction in ESI contribution

Posted on July 8, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you for clubbing the Question Sir and giving me an opportunity. Sir, two things are not clear. The Labour Minister is the Chairman of the ESI Corporation. They have reduced the employer contribution from 4.75 to 3.25; also the employees’ contribution. All the trade unions oppose this reduction of the employers’ contribution.

Further, the ESI is s a good scheme for the workers. It is good that it is being extended but there are crores of ESI dues from different companies. In jute mills, which are there in my area, there are ESI dues amounting to Rs 100 crore. Also the ESI hospitals are not running properly, as the earlier Member had mentioned.

May I ask the Hon’ble Minister, through you Sir, as to what is the reason for reduction employers’ contributions? Is it to give relief to the capitalists and the big industry owners? What is the minister doing to recover ESI dues from companies which are in default and whether he will set up a committee to look into the state of affairs in the ESI hospital in my constituency? There is an ESI hospital in Kamarhati also; it is in doldrums. Will the minister appoint a committee to look into the affairs of the ESI hospitals?

Shanta Chhetri asks a Question on security concerns on allowing private drones

Posted on July 3, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government is aware that security agencies have raised concerns about allowing private drones;

(b) whether Government has directed drone companies to install a safety chip to switch off drones remotely; and

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION 1

Thank you Sir. I would like to know from the hon’ble minister whether the ministry is aware that drones can be a serious security threat. If so, what are the measures the government has taken so far to avoid mishaps?

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION 2

Whether the ministry is going to introduce new laws or guidelines with regard to the use of drones by private players? If so, the details thereof. If not, the reasons thereof.

Thank you, Sir.

Manish Gupta asks a Question on ONGC’s cash reserves and working capital

Posted on July 3, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the public sector Oil and Natural Gas Corporation’s (ONGC) cash reserves are precariously low, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the situation has been aggravated by the Government’s policy of pushing State-run firms to pay out more dividends, go in for buybacks and acquire stakes in other State-owned firms to meet its fiscal deficit targets, if so, the details thereof; and

(c) whether the dwindling of ONGC’s cash reserve had adversely affected its working capital requirements, if so, at what level should such reserves be ideally kept, the details thereof?

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION 1:

ONGC has in the last few years undergone a metamorphosis. It has diversified widely into such things as SEZ infrastructure, in retail etc. The question is, is the ONGC shifting away from its core competence in oil exploration and production? Is it because of the continuous movement of the NELP, NELP 2, NELP 3 where privatisation is taking place?

SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION 2:

The limited that ONGC Videsh Ltd. has acquired a lot of oil fields across 20/30 countries, what the future of OVL?

Dr Santanu Sen asks a Question on increased spending from GDP on health services

Posted on July 2, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Chairman Sir, first of all, as yesterday was Doctors’ Day I would like to wish happy belated Doctors’ Day to our Hon’ble Health Minister, who is also a doctor.

Sir, it is very unfortunate to remind you all, though India is the sixth largest economy of the world and we have seen the budgetary allocation for health in our country was hardly 1.5 per cent or even less. We have also noticed that our Hon’ble Minister hardly found 1.5 minutes to spend on budgetary allocation speech.

Sir, my question is… in our State of West Bengal we have seen that our present Chief Minister Madam Mamata Banerjee has increased the budgetary allocation for health from Rs 682 crore to nearly 1400 times in the last seven years. So, can we see our State as a role model for the rest of the country?

Sudip Bandyopadhyay asks a Question on the illegal recovery of loans

Posted on July 1, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, whether in government sectors or, in private sectors, recovery of loans is a huge problem. It has been found that bouncers are deployed for recovery of loans and these bouncers, who are musclemen, normally rush to the small loan defaulters, and not the big guys. Big guys leave the country.

I want to know whether deployment of bouncers is approved by the GOI? Whether the minister approves that the bouncers can be deployed? I want the minister to reply.

Derek O’Brien asks a Question on the new draft National Education Policy

Posted on June 27, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, the question is on RTE, so it is part of the issues discussed or put out in the public domain of the new draft National Education Policy. My question is very specific.

The Prime Minister and the Rashtrapati ji spoke in great detail about federalism, and Education is number 25 on the Concurrent List. I want to first welcome the new Education Minister. He said this is the first time he’s here. Sir, the question is also not complicated; the answer is a simple yes or no.

The draft National Education Policy was submitted and is in the public domain. There are only three days left for people to give their inquiries, so I am sure you will consider extending that.

While putting together this draft National Education Policy, it seems that zero meetings were held with the 29 State Governments – none were consulted. This is what I was told not only by the media but also by the chairperson of the drafting committee, Dr Kasturirangan.

My question is, were there any meetings held or not with the State Governments before this National Education Policy was made?

Sudip Bandyopadhyay asks a Question on the modernisation of Bagdogra Airport

Posted on June 27, 2019 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir my Question is related to Question Number 89, which have been clubbed together. Sir, a list has been submitted for the modernisation of airports.

I want to draw your attention to Bagdogra Airport, which is the gateway to the north-east – the ‘Seven Sister States’. Wherever you go in the north-eastern region, you have to use the Bagdogra Airport. It is not in good condition.

Would you consider the proposal for all-out modernisation of Bagdogra Airport in West Bengal, with priority?

Saugata Roy asks Question on setting up new nuclear plants

Posted on July 18, 2018 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

There are two mistakes in the reply given by the Hon’ble Minister. One, on page 1, Gorakhpur is mentioned being part of Haryana, which is not correct. The same should be corrected. On page 2, they’ve mentioned that in West Bengal, in Haripur, in-principle approval has been given for building a nuclear plant. The State Government has not cleared the project nor has it promised any land. I don’t know from where the Ministry got the fact that Haripur nuclear plant would be set up. The Minister should correct this.

But my question is regarding the problem of setting up new nuclear plants – it is a problem of civil liability for nuclear damage, and the insurance. The Minister has said in his reply that they have resolved this. No Bill, no legislation for civil liability for nuclear damage has been brought forward by the Government yet. Nor do we know what insurance will be paid to those who will be affected by nuclear disasters. I would like the Minister to clarify the position of the Government with regard to civil liability for nuclear damage and with regard to insurance pool.