TMC – Page 34 – All India Trinamool Congress

Trinamool in Parliament: Budget Session (Feb 1 – Feb 9)

Posted on February 9, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

All through this first part of the Budget Session (February 1 – February 9), Trinamool’s Members of Parliament (MPs) highlighted the ill effects of demonetisation and raised their voices against the political vendetta being carried out by the Centre against the party.

In fact, in protest against demonetisation, the party’s MPs did not attend the first two days of Parliament.

The MPs, through a protest inside the Parliament complex, also showed solidarity with the Indian IT firms creating value globally, in response to the US Government’s order limiting the issuing of H1B visas. They also organised a dharna demanding state funded elections.

February 2

Suspension Notice in the Rajya Sabha

Leader of the Party in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien gave a notice under Rule 267 on political vendetta and stifling of the voice of the Opposition.

Chief Whip of the party in Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy slammed the Centre for the “witch hunt” against Trinamool Congress.

Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha

Md Nadimul Haque asked a question on the empowerment of rural women.

During his speech on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien slammed the Centre on demonetisation, Digital India and political vendetta.

Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha

Vivek Gupta made a Special Mention regarding the inadequate number of toilets for girl students in schools in West Bengal.

February 3

Trinamool MPs protested inside the Parliament complex against the political vendetta by the Centre.

Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha

Derek O’Brien demanded Parliament observes a minute’s silence for the unfortunate victims of demonetisation.

Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha

Leader of the Party in the Lok Sabha, Saugata Roy in the Lok Sabha intervened to oppose the introduction of Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Bill, 2017.

Saugata Roy also raised the issue of misusing of CBI for political purposes by the Central Government, during which time BJP MPs disrupted the House, leading to the adjournment of the Lok Sabha.

February 6

Trinamool Congress MPs showed solidarity with the Indian IT firms creating value globally. The MPs gathered in front of Gandhi ji’s statue inside Parliament complex.

Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha

Derek O’Brien spoke on securing the interests of Indian IT firms creating value globally.

Vivek Gupta demanded an investigation into the case of missing JNU student Najeeb.

Md Nadimul Haque’s Zero Hour mention honoured the glory of former sportspersons, which received support across the aisle.

Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha

Vivek Gupta made a Special Mention on the issue of federalism.

Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha

Saugata Roy slammed the Government over demonetisation, political vendetta, rising intolerance in the country, deaths due to railway accidents, Maoist attacks, law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir and foreign policy vis-a-vis China and Pakistan.

Chief Whip of the party in the Lok Sabha, Kalyan Banerjee raised the issue of demonetisation and said that the country is facing a financial emergency.

February 7

Trinamool Congress MPs from both the Houses of the Parliament staged a dharna in front of Gandhi ji’s statue in the Parliament complex on the need for electoral reform and State funding of elections.

Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha

Derek O’Brien informed the House that BJP leaders in Bengal are threatening Trinamool leaders.

Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha

Kalyan Banerjee raised the issue of threats to Trinamool leaders by BJP functionaries in Bengal.

Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy questioned the Government on demonetisation.

Question Hour in the Lok Sabha

Ratna De Nag raised the issue of improvement of cold storages.

Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Bill, 2017 in the Lok Sabha: Saugata Roy called the Ordinance (which this Bill will replace) as “unnecessary and uncalled for”.

Legislative Business

Tapas Mandal, in the Lok Sabha, spoke on The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

February 8

Trinamool Congress MPs from both the Houses of the Parliament staged a dharna outside Parliament House, protesting against demonetisation, which completed three months today.

Suspension Notice in the Rajya Sabha

Sukhendu Sekar Roy sought the suspension of the House to discuss the impact of three months of demonetisation.

Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha

Dola Sen raised the issue of electoral reforms and state funding of elections.

Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha

Derek O’Brien raised the issue of online trolls. He wanted to know if the government is planning to issue an advisory for high Constitutional authorities, including the Prime Minister of India, who are following unknown people on the digital medium.

Ahamed Hassan Imran raised the issue of job losses in the manufacturing sector due to demonetisation.

Question Hour in the Lok Sabha

CM Jatua raised the issue of railway connectivity in the Sundarbans.

Aparupa Poddar asked a question about railway safety mechanisms.

Arpita Ghosh raised the issue of internet penetration in rural areas.

Idris Ali asked a supplementary question regarding Haj subsidy.

Legislative Business in Rajya Sabha

Dola Sen spoke on The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

Discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha

Saugata Roy spoke during a discussion on the Union Budget and called it conservative. He said the Government did not make any big announcements because it did not receive any windfall gains from demonetisation.

Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha

Trinamool Congress asked for one minute of silence in respect for the people who have died as result of the measures taken for demonetisation. Some ministers were giggling. Treasury benches showed no grace. Then Trinamool walked out.

February 9

During a discussion on the Union Budget, Kalyan Banerjee (Lok Sabha) and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Rajya Sabha) spoke on behalf of the party. Both of them cornered the government on the declining economy, lack of jobs, black money, demonetisation and failed promises of the government.

Special Mentions in Rajya Sabha

Derek O’Brien made a Special Mention on the lack of security in Aadhaar services. Nadimul Haque made a Special Mention on increasing trolling practices online.

A productive Session

Thus, during this Budget Session, Trinamool Congress raised issues of national importance like demonetisation and its effects as well as those related to political vendetta, be it the arrest of two of its MPs, including the Leader of the Party in the Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandyopadhyay or the threats to party functionaries by members of the BJP in Bengal.

India will muddle through another year of hopes belied and aspirations unfulfilled: Trinamool on Union Budget

Posted on February 9, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

During a discussion on the Union Budget, Kalyan Banerjee (Lok Sabha) and Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (Rajya Sabha) spoke on behalf of the party.

Both of them cornered the government on the declining economy, lack of jobs, black money, demonetisation and failed promises of the government.

Lok Sabha

Chief Whip of Trinamool in the Lok Sabha, Kalyan Banerjee said that India will muddle through another year of hopes belied and aspirations unfulfilled. He called the Budget controversial and said it does not provide any roadmap for the future.

He asked the government why the cost and ‘benefits’ of demonetisation were not being shared. He wanted to know from the Finance Minister how much black money has been receovered post demonetisation.

On the effect of demonetisation, Kalyan Banerjee said, “The supply chain of leather industry in Bengal is in shambles. So is jute, tea, textile, handloom and handicrafts. Fact remains that Moradabad, Ferozabad, Meerut known worldwide for their glass bangles and sports goods are in miserable shape with maximum units closed. The unorganised sector of India provides 80 percent of jobs and demonetisation has destroyed that.”

Accusing the govt of playing jugglery with words he stated that private sector investment has declined over the last three financial years. “Investors are ineligible or unwilling to borrow and banks are unable to lend. Therefore credit growth to all industries is at all time low and turned negative in October, 2016,” he added.

On government’s penchant for cashless society, he had to say: “This year there has been very good cultivation, but the farmers are not able to sell their crops due to non-availability of cash. You may speak about the cashless society, but you cannot change a 70 year old system with the stroke of a pen overnight. We support cashless, but not in one day or two days, it will take time. Our rural economy is based on cash flows, we cannot shut our eyes to the reality.”

He said demonetisation has destroyed the rural economy: “The Budget has given credit to farmers, which will never reach them because 92 percent villages have no bank in India. The government’s demonetisation policy have already destroyed the cooperative system by not providing them cash which is the mainstay of farmers for credit.”

Full transcript of his speech

Rajya Sabha

Chief Whip of the party in Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said the Budget speech is full of rhetoric and the figures of increase in allocation are deceptive. He said, “ Export has lost momentum. Budget has no word on how the situation can be combated. Nothing has been said on the mounting NPAs over the years.”

He added that people are tired of hearing the growth story. He cited that India accounts for 1 in 3 people living below international poverty line. 800 million lndians live on 1.8$ per day and we talk of growth figures. More than 60% of the wealth is in the hands of only 1% people.”

Puncturing the government’s claims on FDI he said it is alarming that FIIs are constantly selling in equity and fixed income market since November 8, 2016 (when demonetisation was announced). He accused the ruling party of knowing in advance about demonetisation; that is why they bought hundreds of acres of land across States in cash, he added.

“People are suffering due to demonetisation. But government has no answer as to how much black money has been recovered and how much fake currency has been seized,” SS Roy said. “Workers in informal sector, plantation labourers, small traders, MSME – all have been destroyed,” he added.

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy wanted to know from the Finance Minister under which provisions of law were limits of cash withdrawal put in place. He said while ATMs still do not have cash, the Finance Minister claims there was no cash crunch for a single day in the last three months.

Reminding the BJP of their electoral promise of doubling the income of farmers, he wanted to know how much profit farmers have made in the last 2.5 years. He also said the BJP’s promise of bringing back black money from abroad was a jumla.

On electoral reforms, SS Roy said that Trinamool has always demanded state funding of polls through Election Commission. He said the measures introduced by the Finance Minister (capping of donations at Rs 2000 and introduction of electoral bonds) would not serve any purpose and were aimed at helping big parties at the cost of smaller parties.

Full transcript of his speech

Kalyan Banerjee speaks in the Lok Sabha on the Union Budget | FULL TRANSCRIPT

Posted on February 9, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

Respected Speaker Madam, we are opposing the speech of Budget 2017-2018. Our leader and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee gave her reaction on the Budget. I start my speech quoting her: “A controversial budget 2017 which is clueless, useless, baseless, mission less, action less. Heartless”.

Fortunately, I had the privilege to work with our Hon’ble Finance Minister in few matters as his junior. But I have never seen him as heartless as earlier which has been done in the Budget speech.

The Budget does not reflect any road map for the country or for the future. The present government has lost all credibility by reason of number of steps including demonetisation that affected public at large of this country.

There is jugglery of words and figures in the Budget. The biggest failure of the government is that the Budget is silent in respect of costs and benefits of demonetisation. The Hon’ble Finance Minister did not give any figure in the Budget speech on two points.

One is how much black money has been extinguished. Second is how much the exercise cost the nation. The Budget has neglected primary education, ICDS and nutrition projects. The Budget also did not speak that how much amount of black money is lying in foreign banks.

In other words there is not a single word about offshore accounts in the Budget. The Budget speech demonstrates a clear admission of the government that private investment is in the doldrums.

In 2015-16, the Government has created 1.5 lakh jobs which is far short from their promises of creating two crore jobs in a year. Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) is a widely-used measure for accounting for private investment. According to the Economic Survey, growth of GFCF in financial year 2014 was 4.9 per cent; in financial year 2015 it was 3.9% and in financial year 2016 was – 0.2 per cent. This is how much it has come down.

Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) are the low-cost producers and job-creators. Demonetisation has forced nearly 80 per cent of MSMEs to close down. Most MSMEs are not companies. They are proprietorships or partnerships. From 5.97 lakh to 6.9 4 lakh companies file income tax returns, and amongst them, only 2.85 lakh make profits. Cutting the corporate tax rate for MSMEs from 30 per cent to 24 per cent will therefore benefit only 2.74 lakh MSMEs. If the taxable income is modest the benefits are also modest. It will do nothing to increase sales or create new jobs.

On the other hand, if excise duties or service tax were cut, it would have boosted demand and revived the many MSMEs that have shut down. Deputy Speaker Sir, almost 12 lakh power looms of Maharashtra have been closed down. The diamond industry in Gujarat, due to demonetisation, is in such a bad shape that Bengali diamond-cutters have been forced to return to their State (that is, West Bengal). Workers have returned from Gujarat, Kerala and Mumbai due to demonetisation and the industries have closed down.

The supply chain of leather industry in Bengal is in shambles. So is jute, tea, textile, handloom and handicrafts. Fact remains that Moradabad, Ferozabad, Meerut known worldwide for their glass bangles and sports goods are in miserable shape with maximum units closed.

The unorganised sector of India provides 80 percent of jobs and demonetisation has destroyed that. It is unfortunate Hon. Finance Minister that there is not a single sentence in your speech in respect of the unorganised sector; it fully establishes the Govt’s heartless attitude towards the unorganised sector itself.

The Budget has given credit to farmers, which will never reach them because 92 percent villages have no bank in India. The government’s demonetisation policy have already destroyed the cooperative system by not providing them cash which is the mainstay of farmers for credit.

Now the government is playing jugglery of words. While you have given some tax relief somewhere, you have quietly put some surcharges somewhere else. We can understand very well that when you are giving with one hand and taking away with the other also. It is shocking that when the NPAs of banks have reached Himalayan heights (Rs 6 lakh crore), the Budget has allocated only Rs 10,000 crore only for capitalisation of banks. This is really a cruel joke for the banking sector.

Investors are ineligible or unwilling to borrow and banks are unable to lend. Therefore credit growth to all industries is at all time low and turned negative in October, 2016. Let us look at the NPA situation of the Public Sector; let me give a few figures.

As on March 31, 2014, gross NPA was 4.5%. on March 31, 2015, it was 4.6%. On March 31, 2016, it was 7.8%. And on December 31, 2016 it was 9.1%. As on March 31, 2014, loan accounts that were performing have become Non-Performing Assets under this present government.

Budget 2017-18 has not given any benefit to people of any class of this country. There are only big words about the poor people, farmers, of people of remote areas. I also come from rural area and represent rural people.

This year there has been very good cultivation, but the farmers are not able to sell their crops due to non-availability of cash. You may speak about the cashless society, but you cannot change a 70 year old system with the stroke of a pen overnight. We support cashless, but not in one day or two days, it will take time. Our rural economy is based on cash flows, we cannot shut our eyes to the reality.

Therefore Deputy Speaker Sir, the Budget 2017-18 will be remembered for not extending benefits to the people of this country, and it will be remembered as a damage control Budget. India will muddle through another year hopes belied and aspirations unfulfilled.

With this I am ending my speech. Thank you Sir.

Saugata Roy speaks during a discussion on Union Budget in Lok Sabha

Posted on February 8, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Madam, I rise to speak on the Union Budget. Today is the three month completion of demonetisation. I take this opportunity to offer my condolences to the families of more than 150 people who died on the queues due to demonetisation. This House has not adopted a condolence resolution but I propose that a condolence should be made for them. In Bengal one man died in Kanchrapara on the line; he had heart attack while standing in the queue. Before anybody could take him to hospital he died.

Jaitley ji has presented a controversial budget. The Finance Minister has not rocked any boat. He has gone on a conservative path. And so there is no hype and hoopla over his budget. Now why the Budget is conservative? There is an opportunity for him to take new paths in reform. Why he did not take that?

Let me put it this way that the expectation or the speculation of the Government was that they will have a windfall of four to five lakh crores due to demonetisation. Fifteen and half lakhs were demonetised. They expected that only 10 lakh crores would be deposited. So 5 lakh crores will be with the reserve bank. They will pass it on to the Government and that’s why the Government floated this idea of universal basic income through the economic survey. The Government has not been able to do any such thing because there is no money in the kitty. Actually as much as 15 lakh crores must have been deposited in the banks, which is why the Government is not coming forward to speak on the Budget.

Now Madam speaking on the Budget the total expenditure is said to be Rs 21.6 lakh crores which has only increased by 6.6 percent. Normally it should increase by 10 percent.

Out of that, Rs 16 lakh crore is the government’s revenue income which leaves a gap of five and a half Lakh crore; this will be borrowings. So, the government will borrow this much amount to fund their projects. Tax revenue will be up but non-tax revenue – which rose last year due to sell of spectrum – will be down by as much as 13.7 percent. Capital receipt is expected on the ground of disinvestment. But, it is doubtful if the government’s target of disinvestment will be filled. Up to December, only Rs 23,000 crore have been found due to disinvestment. So, the government will not be able to meet its target of disinvestment.

Railways, which he took over forcibly, has a Budget of Rs 1.31 lakh crore, the Railway Minister could not even protest. But, after the Finance Minister took over the job of the Railway Minister, two major accidents have taken place – one in Kanpur Dehat, 146 people died; and another, Hirakhand Express where 36 people died. So, Railways safety- for which Rs 1 lakh crore is promised – is in very bad shape.

Madam, the Defense expenditure is set at Rs 2.75 lakh crore which is only 26 percent of China’s military budget. We want to become a big nation, strong nation. But, when spending is concerned, we are spending only 26 percent of China’s military budget. China has got the newest missile with multi-polar missile, together they will one warhead carry 10 missiles and we are far behind China.

Now Madam, the main problem in this Budget, why the government could not spend more money, is that there is no money in the kitty. I mentioned that due to failure of demonetisation, there will be no financial bonanza for the Govt.

Now what will this lead to Madam? This will lead to severe joblessness. I would like to share some figures with you. This was a Budget where government could have taken a big step towards jobs. A million people are entering the job market every month and in 2015, of which figures are available, only 1,35,000 jobs were created. So there is no investment by the private sector in the Indian economy. Where will the jobs come from, that is the big question.

They said that for job creation the youth needs to be skilled. They put a target of 400 million employable youths in seven years. Now of this, only 1.76 million has been skilled out of 400 million and only 5.8 lakh have completed the course. So there is a serious shortfall in skilled Indians. Unemployment will grow in the absence of private sector investment. This will be a major problem that government has not attended to.

Now let us see Madam how much the government is spending. The government has rejected the option to boost aggregate demand to cut indirect taxes specially excise duty and service tax which affects everybody. This would have given relief to crores of people; the government will pay a heavy price in terms of poor demands, lower price, and fewer jobs and closures of MSMEs. Also madam the Gross Fixed Capital Formation, meaning net investment has constantly shrunk and was negative 2% in 2016–17.

There is nothing new in the Budget regarding strategy to revive private and public investment. The other thing that to be noticed in this budget is the talk of real concern towards farmers.The budget does not even mention the word Minimum Support Price to farmers, which is absolutely essential. Minimum Support Price at the time of acute agrarian distress is not there, so the government is not able to provide relief to the farmers at this crucial time. Demonetisation has affected farmers, farm workers, manual labourers, self employed artisans, and micro small and medium business persons. They lost crores of rupees in terms of wages, incomes and capital. There is absolutely nothing for these sections. There is little.

Mr. Jaitley had the difficult task of damage control on behalf of his Prime Minster because many sections of people were affected by demonetisation. Many sections were angry, so he has given three sops to these sections.

One is towards the middle class. For income between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, income tax has been reduced from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

Two, the MSMEs, as I had mentioned earlier, have been affected badly. So, another sop: for turnover upto Rs 50 crore, the corporate tax has been reduced to 25 per cent – the corporate tax.

And three, they have kept allocation for MGNREGA at Rs 48,000 crore – though it is a very small increase, as last year it was Rs 47,499 crore, so it has been increased by only 1.1 per cent. The need was to increase NREGA by at least 10 to 15 per cent because many people who have lost their jobs are coming back to their villages.

Madam, in Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the last year’s revised estimate was Rs 19,000 crore, this year too it is Rs 19,000 crore, therefore zero per cent increase. Now, allocation for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was Rs 13,240 crore, this year it is Rs 9,000 crore – this means a reduction of 32 per cent. They are talking of the villages, and this is what is happening to the villages.

Again, as far as the cities are mentioned, they launched the ‘Smart City’ programme with much fanfare. Now, for the smart city mission, the estimate has been lowered from Rs 4,676 crore to Rs 4,000 crore. So where is the focus? Where is the thrust of development in urban and rural areas, I want to put to the Hon’ble Minister.

Now, as far as the direct taxes are concerned, I mentioned earlier that two sops have been given – one to the salaried class and another to the MSME. There have been no major cuts in excise. I have no objection to this because he wants to keep the tax net big; he has given a lot of logic that India is an under-taxed country, that the ratio of our gross tax income to GDP is low. Actually he was planning to increase the taxes, but faced with the anger of the middle classes, the Finance Minister has not increased the taxes.

Now, the Finance Minister has tried to be path-breaking. He is saying that he wants a new law on the funding of political parties. Instead of Rs 20,000 as individual donation, only Rs 2,000 can be donated. Now what is the problem in this – because instead of printing one receipt, you will print ten receipts. They are saying that you can buy election bonds. If you give your name to the bank you can buy election bonds. That’s why the RBI Act will be amended. Now who will want to go to a bank, write his name and buy an electoral bond? Because the Government can always access the bank to determine who have bought election bonds. This is not the way. Our party yesterday demanded that there should be State funding of elections. If you had a bonanza you should have State funding of elections. Let the Government finance the major expenditures of the successful candidates as it happens in Germany and in many other countries of the West. They have not talked about such election reforms.

Madam, I’ve already told you that this Budget is a conservative Budget. Just as there has been no new taxation, there has been no major rebate in taxes which will help to create employment. I’ve mentioned that demonetisation has failed to provide the financial bonanza to the Government. Demonetisation has harmed the economy. Now, even in the Economic Survey, produced by the Government of India, they have said three things. Demonetisation will have three problems. One is the shocks of demonetisation – aggregate demand shock (demand will fall), aggregate supply shock (production would fall) and aggregate uncertainty shock (people will be very wary of investing money).

This is not all. The country faces a grave crisis in the sense that oil prices may rise this year; this year subsidy has been lowered for petroleum – it may suddenly shoot up. Number two: trade tension because of the new protectionist policy of the United States may reduce global growth, and that will affect India too.

This Budget does not provide any vision. The Economic Survey of the Government of India says that we need a vision. Arvind Subramanian is a truthful man and he mentioned something with which I will end. He said, “A new economic vision is needed. If that vision is not found, India will waste the second half of this youth bulge the way it wasted the first. The demographic dividend with the youth bulge is already lost and it will have peaked by 2020”.

So this Budget does not give us a bright picture of the economy. It just stays a conservative Budget in which the Minister has tried to hold the baby for the Prime Minister and done damage control. He was not able to take any major decision. That’s why I cannot support the Budget.

Dola Sen speaks on The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017

Posted on February 8, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Honourable Chairman Sir, Thank you for letting me speak on this important Bill.

Sir, India has a 472 million labour market. Out of this, 90% of the workforce is in the informal and unorganised sector. It contributes 45% of the GDP. However, workers are deprived of the benefits of formal employment like provident fund and health insurance (like ESI), bonus, dearness allowance etc. Many workers complain that employers pay them less than the minimum wages mandated by States anc Centre. This is today’s reality. I am sorry to say, the Central Labour Directorate has not been able to exert the law of the land.

Sir, it is important to protect the interests of the workers and labourers. I am glad that a reformed labour code will ensure that wages reach the workers in a timely manner.

However, this Bill states that all wages must be transferred to the bank account of the employer, unless the Government specifically notifies a certain amount, which may be paid in cash. This may pose a difficulty for many who still do not have bank accounts.

This Government constantly talks about cashless India, Digital India. However, does the Government know how many people have bank accounts? The harsh reality is that 80% of women don’t have bank accounts in India. More than 50% of workers do not have bank accounts till date.

To add to the misery of the workers, the restrictions on cash withdrawal have still not been removed by the government. How will the poor worker stand in the ATM queues during his work hours to withdraw money? How will he pay service to banks? Sir, Political parties can receive Rs 2,000 cash donation but the poor worker cannot.

For example, I want to add, if an entrepreneur has to pay Rs 2 crore as wages or salaries of workmen per week, say on Saturday. He is also entitled to withdraw only Rs 24,000 from his bank account per week. Obviously there are no needs for lockout. Factories after factories are being closed due to lockouts affecting the workers.

Sir, in Bengal, there are over 4 lakh people working in the tea gardens. There are over 5 lakh people working in the jute mills. Over 1.5 crore people are associated with tea industry, over 2.5 crore people are associated with jute industry. These workers and labourers could not be paid their wages due to demonetisation.

Sir, demonetisation has caused hardship to all workers and labourers. After 3 months of pain and agony, over 25 crore daily wageworkers have lost their jobs. Unemployment has increased to 7%.

There is a need to provide a comprehensive social security system for workers in the informal sector. The Government cannot make the poor worker suffer because of its own agenda to go cashless and Digital.

From demonetisation to railways and online trolls – Trinamool MPs raise several issues of importance in Parliament

Posted on February 8, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

It was a busy and productive day for Trinamool MPs in Parliament today. The day began with dharna on the completion of 90 days since demonetisation. The MPs highlighted the sufferings of the common people due to restrictions on cash withdrawal and demanded all restrictions be removed immediately.

Trinamool had given a Notice of Suspension of Business under Rule 267 to discuss the limits on withdrawal of cash. Speaking on the issue, Chief Whip of the party in Rajya Sabha, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said: “Three months have passed since the Government announced demonetisation.”

SS Roy reminded the House that the PM had asked for 50 days for situation to normalise but 90 days are over and cash crunch is still there. “Our party is against the restrictions on cash withdrawal. Govt must immediately remove these restrictions,” he added.

Read the full transcript of his speech

Dola Sen raised the issue of electoral reforms in her Zero Hour Mention in Rajya Sabha. She said, “The issue has been part of my party’s DNA, its very existence, since it was established on 1st January, 1998. In last 18 yrs, Trinamool has dedicated first section of every manifesto to electoral reforms.” She said solution to electoral reforms is state funding through Election Commission.

Read the full transcript of her speech

During Question Hour, Leader of the AITC Parliamentary Party in Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien raised the issue of online trolls. He said: “In today’s digital medium, everyone from civil society, every citizen can be a journalist because you can broadcast from your mobile phones.” He wanted to know if the government is planning to issue an advisory for high Constitutional authorities, including the Prime Minister of India, who are following unknown people on the digital medium.

Read the full transcript of his speech

MP Ahamed Hasan Imran raised the issue of job losses due to demonetisation during Question Hour. He asked the government, “what steps have been initiated for rehabilitation and compensation of the workers who have lost their jobs in the manufacturing sector due to demonetisation.”

Read the full transcript of his speech

During Question Hour in Lok Sabha, Mathurapur MP CM Jatua raised the issue of railway connectivity in Sunderbans. Arambagh MP Aparupa Poddar asked a question about railway safety mechanisms. Balurghat MP Arpita Ghosh raised the issue of internet penetration in rural areas.

Read the full transcript of CM Jatua’s speech

Read the full transcript of Aparupa Poddar’s speech

Read the full transcript of Arpita Ghosh’s speech

Ahamed Hasan Imran’s Question regarding the rehabilitation of those who have lost their jobs in the manufacturing sector due to demonetisation

Posted on February 8, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

As per data mentioned by the All India Manufacturing Association, the country’s manufacturing sector has suffered a lot due to demonetisation. Thousands of workers engaged in the sector have been rendered jobless.

Sir, my question is, what steps have been initiated by the government for rehabilitation and compensation of the workers who have lost their jobs in the manufacturing sector due to demonetisation.

Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien’s Question in Rajya Sabha on advisory regarding online trolls

Posted on February 8, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, the question and the answer both refer to the word ‘journalist’, and I suppose it is in the traditional term of a journalist being a print journalist or a television journalist. Sir, in today’s digital medium, everyone from civil society, every citizen can be a journalist because you can broadcast from your mobile phones. Sir, in this digital age, since you can broadcast from your mobile phone, there is a generation of people known as ‘trolls’ who broadcast very negative, abusive stuff, murderous threats and misogynistic stuff, and the kind of editorials which go out can also lead to deep communal differences.

My specific question, Sir – in this digital age, when every citizen can be a journalist and broadcast this kind of negativity – is whether the Minister and his Ministry is planning to issue an advisory for high Constitutional authorities, including the Prime Minister of India, who are following unknown people on the digital medium.

I don’t say they have to know everybody – the Prime Minister himself is not sending out any negative messages but the people who he is following on digital media, are sending out bile, and very venomous stuff.

My question is, would the Government consider sending out an advisory to high Constitutional authorities, or to everybody in a responsible position, to not to follow these unknown trolls who are spreading rape threats, communal threats and misogynistic threats under the guise of anonymity.

CM Jatua’s Question in Lok Sabha on railway connectivity in Sunderbans

Posted on February 8, 2017 | by aitc | Leave a Comment

Thank you Madam Speaker for allowing this Supplementary Question. I come from the southernmost part of West Bengal, which is the Sunderbans area. The Railways stands as a good communication medium in the area.

In 2009, when Mamata Banerjee was the Railway Minister, she introduced several programmes in the Sunderban areas. There were several projects which were initiated; I will not be naming all of them. Although the surveys were done, no progress was made after that. In one case Madam, from Namkhana, Chandannagar and Bakkhali, it is hardly 18 – 19 km, the money was sanctioned and work had begun when Mamata Banerjee was the Rail Minister itself. Thereafter, nothing has been done.

I know we are discussing the safety measures of the railways; it is good to hear that Hon’ble Railway Minister has taken several actions on safety matters. But the Sunderbans area does not have a line, so where is the question of safety? And this is only 19 km for which money was allotted and work had begun. I want to know from the Railway Minister when this work of extension will be started and be completed. Thank you.

Arpita Ghosh’s question in Lok Sabha on internet penetration in rural areas

Posted on February 8, 2017 | by admin2 | Leave a Comment

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you, Speaker Madam. Mera jo MP quarter hain wahaan pe WiFi pariseva sahi nahi hua hain, optical fibre charo taraf chhahel raha hain. Mera jo Balurghat constituency hain woh ek rural area hain. Abhi Mantri sahab bata rahe the ke rural area pe kaam zada ho raha hain; mera constituency mein abhi tak line proper nahi hua hain, adha din line kharab rehti hain.

Mujhe ek baat samajh me nahi aa raha hain. Yeh sarkar optical fibre ki baat kar raha hain, cashless economy ki baat kar raha hain, internet ki baat kar raha hain, toh is pe jor diya jai ke kaise Government kaam karegi, kyuki private parties agar itna achha kaam kar raha hian toh kaise government nahi kar sakti hain. Pradha Mantri ji vigyapan mein aa raha hain. Mere constituency Balughat mein kab tak yeh pariseva thik ho jayegi, sahi matlab se kabse ye chalu ho jayegi.