Trinamool dominates Parliament on Day 2 of Monsoon Session

Trinamool dominates Parliament on Day 2 of Monsoon Session

Posted on July 19, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Trinamool dominated the Parliamentary proceedings on the second day of Monsoon Session in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Playing a responsible Opposition, Trinamool MPs spoke on matters of national importance and took part in debates on important Bills.

The day started with the leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien raising the issue of the site of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s resting place lying in utter neglect and slow progress of the work of building a memorial for the late President of India.

In Lok Sabha, leader of the party Sudip Bandyopadhyay demanded answers from the government on low conviction rate in case of cyber crimes. During Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, Nadimul Haque asked the government about its plans to tackle the menace of spitting.

During a Calling Attention Motion in the Upper House of the Parliament, MP Ahmed Hassan Imran grilled the government on its flood management programmes and demanded that the compensation criteria for States be revisited.

Vivek Gupta participated on behalf of the party in a discussion on the Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2012 in Rajya Sabha while Dr Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Dr Ratna De Nag participated in discussions on The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016 respectively in Lok Sabha.

Ratna De (Nag) speaks on the Union Budget 2016

Posted on March 12, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Mr. Chairman, Sir, this year’s Union Budget has been presented at a time when the public discourse in India shifted from mere issues of development towards issues of social democracy. Nonetheless, one has to analyse the Budget as a fiscal document affecting the Indian people.

The classes of people who occupy the centre stage of the Budget are farmers and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who otherwise do not find any place in the dominant discourse of the NDA Government. Two consecutive years of drought and allowing the drastic fall in global consumer prices has placed the farmers in severe distress. Farmers’ suicides have become the order of the day even in affluent States like Punjab. In such a situation much is needed to be done for rural India where 67 per cent of our population resides. Let us see what has actually been done in the Budget.

There has been substantial hype about focus on farmer and rural India. But a minute study of the Budget makes it clear that the claim is entirely baseless. I put some figures here to support my argument. In terms of the total outlay, irrigation accounted for only 0.14 per cent. In 2015-16 the allocation was Rs.13,500 crore, amount spent during that period was Rs.12,000 crore, amount remained unspent was Rs.1,500 crore. Agriculture and allied activities accounted for only 2.7 per cent of that total outlay. Rural development accounted for a mere 0.4 per cent of the total plan outlay. To be precise, agriculture, irrigation, There is one area of rural India which has got much importance in the Budget. That is the area of rural consumption demand. For that purpose, Rs 38,000 crore has been devoted to rural job creation through MGNREGA. Much emphasis has been put on creation of infrastructure and Rs 97,000 crore has been given for roads and highways. In addition, Rs 48,000 crore has been given for rural infrastructure. Any student of political economy would know that the sole purpose of this expenditure is to boost Indian industry and business which has been declining in profit. the Budget does not reflect any ideological shift towards the making of India. Coming to the urban poor and the middle class, the Budget does nothing for them. In fact, by increasing the proportion of indirect tax, Budget has been extremely regressive on them. In a few words, regarding the restless aspiring youth of India, the Budget does nothing to revive the lost hope.

Decreasing the allocation for higher education and education in general shows the commitment of the Government towards the youth of India.

Regarding my State, our Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee has provided inclusive governance and has fulfilled the hopes and aspirations of our people with limited resources without much need and appeal for financial assistance from the Central Government.

There has been some mild noise in the Budget regarding the hill sector. Yes, the dialysis will be cheaper but what about the cost and treatment of the patient which is always a burden on the poor?

We have been told that 100 per cent rural electricity will be completed by 2018. But in our State, already 100 per cent rural electrification has been achieved in early 2016. At the end, I have no other option but to say that this Budget has no hope for the industry, no hope for the youth, no hope for the poor and no hope even for the Sensex. Lastly, I would say that the Budget has continuously marginalized the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The allocation for the Scheduled Caste Dalit women is one per cent and for Adivasi women it is two per cent. Without taking into account the needs and voices of the women, the scheme lacks in understanding the life’s reality and is blind to the conscience of the Dalit and Adivasi women.

On 7th December 2015, it was reported in the Indian Express that hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modiji said that his Government is leaving no stone unturned to fulfill the vision and dream of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to create a prosperous and inclusive India, whose views and thoughts he said have not been fully understood as yet. I would like to know whether you are going to fulfill such views and thoughts of hon. Prime Minister.

Ratna De Nag speaks on the occasion of International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2016 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Madam,

There is a need to ensure gender equality and it is not going to be an easy task. We live in a world where inequality prevails. To be very frank, inequality is in our psyche. To come out of this mould is not easy. It is arduous. It needs lots of guts and courage and what not.

Women have the capacity to excel in whatever they do, whatever they aspire for.

Our hon. Speaker Smt Sumitra Mahajan is a good example how women can achieve with hard work, sincerity and perseverance. Our country has produced many eminent women leaders, starting from Indira Gandhi, our former President Pratibha Patil, and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

My party, the Trinamool Congress is headed by a woman, Mamata Banerjee, who faced all odds to come to this position and became the Chief Minister of West Bengal. We should take up the cause when we come across any injustice. We should not let it go.

I would like to quote the message of Mr Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General on International Women’s Day 2016: “We have shattered so many glass ceilings we created a carpet of shards. Now we are sweeping away the assumptions and bias of the past so women can advance across new frontiers.”

Before I conclude, Madam, I would like to convey my regards to you and all the honourable members of this House and all the women in my State, in my country and outside the country.

Ratna De Nag speaks on the National Waterways Bill, 2015

Posted on December 21, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on this bill, The National Waterways Bill, 2015. The Bill proposes to merge five existing Acts that have declared the five national waterways and proposes one additional waterway. It is important to note that the Bill specifies the extent of development to be undertaken in each waterway.

The Bill aims at repealing five Acts that have declared the five existing waterways. National Waterway 5, which is one of the six national waterways, covers a part of West Bengal. This waterway includes a 91-km stretch in West Bengal. The Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture in its report observed that the overall offices and organisational setup of the National Inland Waterways of India are not sufficient enough to undertake the task related to 101 additional waterways. There is a need to study overall organisational setup and offices if we really aim to benefit with the passage of the Bill. Another recommendation which our party, Trinamool Congress endorses is that a State-level water management committee with representatives from the State should be declared to oversee the development of waterways and resolve the issues at the State level.

Without any iota of doubt, the recommendations, if implemented, would go a long way in giving the States concerned a say in the process of development as the States know about their waterways. There is a need to go with caution as the subject of water, including irrigation and canals, is on the State List. Accordingly, a procedure should be there in the Bill to ensure that State scan continue to control all its water. This is most vital; otherwise there would be tensions between the States and the Centre. I would request the honorable Minister to clear the views of the ministry about the specific aspect which infringes on the power of the States. With the passage of the Bill, we can witness the development of the waterways and ensure that priority is given to the inland waterways. This would help the country to flourish in the years and decades ahead. This specific object of giving life and fillip to the waterways will definitely be a big event in the life of the waterways and give the young generation an eco-friendly environment, apart from other benefits.

Sir, 12 rivers in West Bengal have been identified to be included in the national waterways. I would mention a few – a stage of the Gnaga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River, Ajoy River, Damodar River, Jalangi River, Subarnarekha River, Sundarbans Waterways. I would like to ask the honorable Minister, have the ministry consulted the States about these 12 rivers? There are many important places on both sides of the river Bhagirathi in West Bengal. They are Nabadwip, the birthplace of Chaitanya Dev and the main centre of ISKCON, both in Nadia district of West Bengal. Are there any plans of the ministry to develop these two places, as they have a lot of religious significance? Thousands of tourists, both from within our country and from abroad, visit our country. That is the reason why I would like to request the honorable Minister to consider connecting Kolkata with these two places through waterways.

I would like to state here that regular dredging of Ajoy River, Churni River, Ichhamati River (connecting India and Bangladesh), Aitri River (which finds a place in the Mahabharata) and Punarnabha River does not take place. Due to siltation and lack of regular dredging, floods visit almost every year affecting millions of people living along the rivers, resulting in loss of life and property worth crores of rupees. I would like to request the honorable Minister to look into these issues raised by me and implement solutions as quickly as possible. Sir, here I would like to mention that Chief Minister of West Bengal, Ms Mamata Banerjee has revamped ferry services along the river Hooghly, which has been appreciated by everyone.

With these words I conclude. I would again like to thank you, Sir.

Ratna De Nag speaks in Lok Sabha regarding neonatal deaths in India

Posted on December 18, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

It is a matter of surprise for me to know that India accounts for 6,96,000 neonatal deaths per year.

Neonatal death means death during the first 28 days of life. According to World Health Organisation, two-thirds of these deaths can be prevented by adopting prudent and cost-effective measures.

There is a need for providing good-quality care around the time of birth of a child, particularly in the first days after birth, which would go a long way in saving or preventing complications and infection in newborns.

I would like to strongly urge the Ministry of Health to make renewed efforts by adopting the basic efforts by coordinating with the global health partners such as WHO, UNICEF, UNFA, World Bank and UNAIDS.

Thank you, Sir.

Trinamool raises issues of public importance in the Parliament

Posted on December 17, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Members of Parliament belonging to Trinamool Congress today raised issue related to public importance in both houses of the Parliament. Leader of the party in Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandyopadhyay and Dr Ratna De Nag spoke today about call drops issue and arsenic poisoning, respectively, while in the Upper House, Nadimul Haque raised the issue of appointment of Chief Information Commissioner during Zero Hour.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay raised the issue of call drops which is currently a major concern for people. “For a call of 15 minutes duration, the line gets disconnected at least 15 times,” he said. “Has the Government taken any step to collect money from private companies for call drops and how much money has been collected so far,” he questioned.

Click here for the full transcript and video of his speech

Also in Lok Sabha, Dr Ratna De Nag made a Zero Hour mention about arsenic poisoning. She said that 96 out of 640 districts have arsenic deposits and arsenic is entering our food chain. “Over 3 lakh people have arsenic related disease of which 30% are poor,” she said adding that the government must bring a policy to ensure arsenic poisoning is contained and arsenic does not enter our food chain.

Click here for the full transcript and video of her speech

In the Upper House, Nadimul Haque spoke on the appointment of Chief Information Commissioner. He pointed out that till date 33000 cases are pending before the CIC and the delay in appointment of CIC has laid to denial of information on higher offices. Why is the Government not appointing CIC expeditiously, he wondered while urging that in future the government must appoint the CIC well in advance before the term of sitting commissioner ends.

Click here for the full transcript and video of his speech

Ratna De Nag speaks on arsenic contamination in food chain

Posted on December 17, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Thank you, Madam Speaker, for allowing me to speak.

It is a matter of astonishment for me to know that arsenic poisoning has spread to 12 states.

Arsenic groundwater contamination was first detected in West Bengal in 1983. By 2020 its spread was reported from Ganges-Brahmaputra alluvial region covering Jharkhand, Bihar and other states. At present 96 out of 640 districts have high contents of arsenic. Most disturbing news at present is arsenic poisoning has entered the food chain through our farm products.

A committee of secretaries in a report to government estimated that 7 lakh people have been affected by arsenic with around 3 lakh people have been arsenic related disease. Thirty per cent of these 3 lakh people are poor and malnourished. A policy of action should be put in place immediately to ensure that arsenic contamination is not entered into the food products in these 12 states.

Under these circumstances, Madam, I would strongly urge the Hon’ble Minister to address the issue of arsenic poisoning and get rid of arsenic contents in our food and farm products.

Thank you, Madam.

Ratna De Nag speaks during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha

Posted on December 1, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Thank you, Madam.

There has been a long pending demand from the people of my parliamentary constituency for introduction of two parts of EMU local. There is a need for this local because the area between Katwa and Sealdah is an agricultural belt and a lot of passengers commute in the morning and return back through this belt.

This will also go a long way in easing the existing pressure on EMU locals and give passengers a great relief. There is also a need to construct a subway at Kuntighat. This too is pending for a long time.

Through you, I would urge upon the hon. Minister to look into these important, genuine and long-pending matters, which would benefit the people of my parliamentary constituency.

Ratna De Nag speaks on demands for grants under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare| Full Transcript

Posted on April 29, 2015 | by admin2

Full Transcript

Hon. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I thank you for allowing me to speak on the Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare 2015-16.

Firstly, I would like to quote as to what the Ministry has informed the Committee on Health and Family Welfare. It had stated that the projected demand of the Ministry for Plan Funds for 2015-16 was Rs 14,456 crore but the actual allocation made is only Rs.6, 254 crore. There is a shortfall of Rs 8,202 crore.

The startling fact is that this shortfall in Plan allocation has been attributed to non-allocation of funds for certain State Plan schemes in the Health sector. I would urge upon the Minister to explain this huge gap in projection, allocation and n

Ratna De Nag speaks on Warehousing Corporations (Amendment) Bill, 2015 | Transcript

Posted on March 18, 2015 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Warehousing Corporation Act was introduced in Lok Sabha, on 3 March 2015. The bill has been brought to suitably amend section 5 of the warehousing corporation act 1962 which would withdraw the guarantee the Government has given the warehousing corporation under subsection 1 of 5 of this act.

Sir, why should Government absolve itself when CWD is making profit and has not taken any loan from the Government nor is it dependent on it. Why should the Mini Ratna Public Sector Enterprise be absolved from the administration of the Government. It defies logic and reasoning. The Government needs to explain a lot.

Sir, I would like to highlight the food worth thousands of crore is wasted every year. In 2013 we have wasted food worth Rs 13,300 crore. On one hand we find poor go to sleep without food, on the other hand we see food grains rot in the Government godown. It would be astonishing to know that according to 2013 global Hunger Index, India ranks 63rd out of 78 hungriest countries. India is worse than Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization believe that 17% of Indians are still too undernourished people live in India which is more than in all sub-saharan Africa. According to UNICEF 47% of Indian children are underweight and 46% of those under 3 years old are too small for their age. The shocking thing is that almost half of all childhood days can be attributed to malnutrition.

The Indian Institute of Management in Kolkata estimated sometimes back that cold storage facilities are available in only 10% of perishable food produces, leaving around 370 Million tones of perishable food products rotting.

There is a need to bring vast changes to stop perishable food crops. India is one of the food surplus country still we are not able to curb food grain wastages. Our food production is going up and on one side year after year. Court too tell the Government not to waste food grains in godowns instead should distribute it amongst the poor.

There is a need for establishing state-of-the-art distribution chain, vast in quality in cold storage network across the country to ensure that the food is not perished. We may also to introduce refrigerated tracks there is also need to ensure 24×7 electricity supply. Excessive use of perishable food in godown should be stopped. We have ASSOCHAM study report that over 30% of food grains are stored unscientifically.

It is true, Sir, that we have inadequate storage capacity to the tune up around 20-30% of total food grain harvest which is declared as waste. What measures have put in place in last 10 months to modernise the storage of the food grain.

Thank you, Sir.