Madam, these days mobile companies are putting up mobile towers even in flats against a monthly sum of money. Will the Minister do something regarding these towers have on those who live in these houses and flats? Will the Minister please give his attention to this issue?
Sir, this is a serious issue. Indian Railways is more on time than Air India. This Railway Committee actually has only one agenda for the entire year, which is to announce a dividend.
Suresh Prabhu ji is very enthusiastic and very earnest in his efforts, especially in the way he coordinates with all the States. We appreciate that. This discussion may be for 20-25 minutes but it is worth Rs 12000 crore.
Sir, based on the recommendations of this Committee, in the 1920s, I think it was 1924, the finances of the Indian Railways was separated from the Union Budget. The Indian Railways became a public sector undertaking in 1924. Now Sir, the commitment of the Indian Railways has changed. It is not only about profit, it is also about social responsibility.
In 1964, on the recommendations of this committee, Rs 100 crore was given to the Indian Railways, after which the Railways used it for its projects. For the last few years, the dividend has gone down from seven per cent to six per cent, five per cent, so much so now that this year the Committee has recommended that the dividend will come down from five per cent to four per cent. This means Suresh Prabhu ji will have Rs 6000 crore each in the left and right pockets.
Sir, my question is, why do we need to give even one per cent dividend from the Railways to the central government. Let that money remain in the Railways; that can be used in other social sector projects. You can use it in Kashmir or other places which are connected.
The Railway Standing Committee has made a serious recommendation this year; my colleague was the Chairman of the Committee. The Committee made a recommendation of scaling down the dividend to zero per cent. We understand that if suddenly from Rs 12000 crore we give Prabhu ji zero, he will be a very disappointed person. However, Sir, I believe, as a House, as Parliamentarians, we should take this issue up and reduce the dividend from four per cent to two per cent and then off it goes.
Railways cannot have this extra money. I will tell you why. Because once this money goes to the Railways, with no offence meant to Suresh Prabhu ji, then the priorities change. Let me give you an example – to build a bullet train. Now, we all want bullet trains. Bullet train is very good. But the cost to build a bullet train, even if Japan gives you money, will be Rs 90000 crore. What will the bullet train do? It will connect Mumbai to Ahmedabad.
Sir, you can put that money – at least Rs 40-50 thousand crore – to the national highways; you could have better roads. You can put it into other programmes. Sir, you can increase railway safety. I don’t have any problem with having a bullet train but I think if you use your money like this, Suresh Prabhu ji, it will be a misfired bullet.
Today if you look at the Railways – Suresh Prabhu ji has inherited some of it and it is not entirely his fault – there is over a cost overrun of Rs 1 lakh crore on the Railways. If you look at the smaller projects it is about Rs 7000 crore.
In the morning today, we asked the government why do you want cess. Similarly, I would like the Railway Minister and all the parties – in Opposition or the government – to reconsider this old colonial system of giving railway money, sucking railway money out because one Mr Acworth thought about it in the 1920s.
Sir, the allocation for Sarva Siksha Abhiyan for 2016-17 is Rs 22000 crore; the total allocation for construction of roads and highways is Rs 55000 crore. Sir, I want to leave behind this thought. Sir, since the concept of the Indian Railway has changed from colonial times and today there is social responsibility as well as a commercial viability, the only way to stop doing this is not to give the dividend to the Finance Minister.
What is basically happening is Suresh Prabhu ji is giving Hon’ble Arun Jaitley ji Rs 12000 crore. This is the bottom line of what we are discussing today. Let it be for this year, Sir. But next year we should look at the Standing Committee recommendation, look at the discussions of Railway Convention.
I think this is beyond a political issue and I think the Indian Railway, as I speak for them, must keep all the money. No more debate. This year jo mil gaya, woh ho gaya.
Thank you, Sir.
Thank you for allowing me to speak on The Central Agricultural University (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
The purpose of the Bill is to include the state of Nagaland under the jurisdiction of the Central Agricultural University, having its headquarter in Imphal. This Bill helps to impart education in different branches of agriculture and allied sciences, undertake research in agriculture, and extension of education in Hilly regions with national and international institutes.
As agriculture is the main economic activity in Nagaland; more than 90 percent of the population is employed within it, with more than 60 tribes and sub tribes who have their own culture tradition and language. The widespread practice of jhum cultivation has led to soil erosion and loss of soil fertility. Research is required to retain soil fertility. Imphal with a hot and humid rainy season during summer and cool dry winter with fertile land made up of alluvial soil will help the farmers with new techniques thereby contributing to the productivity of agriculture of the region.
This would help in getting over the shortage of technical manpower and infrastructural facilities and would contribute to the development of agriculture including animal husbandry and horticulture, plant pathology, plan reading, soil science, agricultural chemistry.
After inclusion of state of Nagaland under the jurisdiction of Central Agricultural University, the College of Veterinary Science in Nagaland will produce professional manpower in the field of animal husbandry which will facilitate the social economy growth in the region thereby contributing in the productivity of the animals in Nagaland and will be a great blessing for the people of the state.
According to the 12th plan, Rs 14.31 crore shall be expended after establishment of the college of veterinary science in Nagaland which is a very welcome initiative. The state of Nagaland has enormous potential for production season and off-season agricultural foods and vegetables.
But due to proper storage and harvest handling there is a huge loss especially for the perishable items. Funds should be provided for purchase of machineries and equipment with reasonable affordable subsidy policy. The connectivity to the potential areas from village to highway and market should be improved to boost the economy of the rural farmers.
Deputy Speaker Sir, the state does not have industries to absorb the educated unemployed youth because the state has no proper infrastructure and institutional set up. So they have every reason to take up agriculture seriously. Hon’ble President Pranab Mukherjee on 6 February, 2016 at 54th Convocation of Indian Agricultural Research Institute had addressed that agricultural education in our country must be conformed to the global standards and we need to create a large pool of competent faculty in our institutions and technology to promote agriculture nationwide.
In West Bengal, the Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya is doing good research work and it is one of the best research institutes of the country; it is a state university. Its research work with modern technique are helping the farmers.
The government should take measures to reduce discrimination among various sections of people, specially the Dalit students and make an environment of studies and research in the university to shape students and to develop the nation.
So, I welcome the initiative taken by the government and on behalf of my party All India Trinamool Congress we support the Bill.
Thank you very much.
Sir, presently in the High Courts of our country there are 477 vacancies; and we all know how it has been caused. After this Parliament and the State legislatures passed the 99th Constitutional Amendment Bill, the Constitution Amendment Act and the NJAC Bill, the Supreme Court set it aside, calling it unconstitutional and void; the Minister’s statement is also on record in this regard.
Sir, over a period of time it has been held that the word ‘consultation’ in Article 366 has been understood as ‘concurrence.’ A new meaning has been imported into our Constitution. Not only under Article 366, there are several articles of our Constitution – like 124, 217, 127, 222 – where the word ‘consultation’ is there. And in all those cases, consultation is binding and the ordinary dictionary meaning is accepted. But only in the case of Article 366, ‘consultation’ has become ‘concurrence.’ So kabhi ha, kabhi na, ye dono jagah change kiya jaa raha hai. Arising out of this situation, the entire system of appointment of High Court judges has come to a standstill.
Now the Minister says in his statement, in para 6, that ‘it has been decided that the Government of India may finalise the existing MoP (Memorandum of Procedure) in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.’ So again, consultation will be interpreted as concurrence with respect to the Chief Justice of India. So it is not a consultation, it is concurrence. Hence it would have been better had the Minister used that term.
We have been reduced to that level and the Parliament has been ignored like anything. When the Parliament is in session, why isn’t the MoP discussed here? Why does the Government discuss it only with the Supreme Court and others? If suggestions have been invited from the public in general through the website of the Ministry of Law and Justice, why are the parliamentarians left in the dark? According to me this is an effort to ignore and undermine the existence of Parliament. This is why I am asking, why should the members not discuss? When the Parliament is in session, it is incumbent on the Minister to discuss the matter on the floor of the House. Otherwise, I think, as per my party’s point of view, the Government will bid goodbye to the greatest tradition of Parliament if we are kept in dark about the MoP.
This is a very serious issue, Sir. This is not a one-time affair, Sir. Once this MoP is accepted in some form or the other, this will continue to be in force for years together, nobody knows for how long.
Lastly, regarding the word ‘consultation’ – there should be an interpretation to the effect whether consultation means concurrence or not in each and every article of our Constitution. For that the Government should move a Bill defining the word ‘consultation.’
Thank you.
The Hon’ble minister has given a written reply. I have never seen such a cryptic reply of any Ministry in respect of such an important issue. So cryptic, I cannot imagine. This is not a reply at all.
For more than half a century, the people of North-East India have seen an unending cycle of violent conflicts dominated by insurgents with demands ranging from outright sorority to getting political autonomy.
Insurgency has taken a toll on thousands of lives of both of security forces and citizens. The root of insurgency in the North-Eastern region is imbedded in the geographic history and host of socio-economic factors. Ninety-eight percent of the borders of the region are international borders. While the population share is 3.90 crores (a mere 3 percent) but between 1951-2001 it has gone up by 200 percent.
Madam, there are recommendations of a high level commission regarding the transformation of the North-East.
Eight recommendations were made by this commission, constituted by the Centre:
There is a need to make an in-depth study. In 50 per cent of the border area, there is no fencing till now.
Madam, my question before the Hon’ble Minister is that whether the central government has gone through the recommendations made by the high level commission regarding the transformation of North-East. If so, what steps have been taken?
Second supplementary question
It is a fact that this central government has stopped the ‘Operation All Clear’ and ‘Operation Golden Bar’ – a joint military operation on the soil of neighbouring countries along the North-East border to pass out the insurgent militant grants.
If so what are the reasons? What is the cause behind the failure of the government to stop the repeated insurgency in the North-Eastern region of the country?
With an aim to expand the base of the party, Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee today addressed a public rally in Tripura at Vivekananda Stadium, commonly known as Astabal ground, in Agartala.
A huge crowd cheered Mamata Banerjee as she called for ‘Poriborton’ in Tripura. She said that after 34 years of misrule in Bengal, there is a surge of development in the State; time has come for Tripura to say goodbye to the CPI(M).
The Assembly election in Tripura is scheduled for 2018. The All India Trinamool Congress is currently the main Opposition party in the state.
Highlights of Mamata Banerjee’s speech:
On Bengal verdict
In Bengal we have the Government of Maa-Mati-Manush; now let there be a Maa-Mati-Manush Government in Tripura also. During the elections in Bengal, a slander campaign was launched by some leaders. People hit the Opposition for a sixer through their mandate. Trinamool stands development, progress and moving ahead. Trinamool fulfills the promises it makes.
On CPI(M)-Congress alliance
The CPI(M) does not understand anything but torture, and the Congress is in cahoots with them. We came out of the Congress the day they sold their ideology to the CPI(M). We were able to establish Trinamool because we walked out of the Congress. The CPI(M) was responsible for the birth of chit funds.
On BJP
The BJP Government does not do any work; it blows its own trumpets during elections. The BJP only interferes in the business of the State; it is not following the federal structure. BJP wants to scare us but we will keep marching forward fearlessly.
On development in Bengal
We have distributed 40 lakh bicycles under Sabuj Sathi. We get only 10% of Central funds whereas Tripura gets 90%. We have been giving rice at Rs 2 per kg since we came to power. The people of Jangalmahal get these advantages too. We have worked for the welfare of tribal people. We have set up 41 multi super-speciality hospitals in Bengal.
We have started Kanyashree scholarships for girls. We have instituted the Sikshashree Scheme for tribal students. In Bengal we have started Fair Price Medicine Shops, free heart operation for children. We can do the same for you. Fifteen thousand children have got cardiac surgery free of cost in Bengal.
On misrule in Tripura
What have the comrades done for Tripura? Is there any good hospital here? Do the people of Tripura get free healthcare in Government hospitals? People go to Delhi or Assam for treatment. There is only loot and plunder here. FIRs are rejected. The police force is controlled by the CPI(M).
Potatoes cost Rs 35-40 per kg in Tripura but in Bengal, we have set up fair price shops selling potatoes at Rs 14.
Comrades, you can always call me names; work for the people before you criticise me. We have witnessed violence in Netai, Nandigram and Singur. We have witnessed a lot of violence in Udaypur (in Tripura). We cannot be scared by fear tactics. Trinamool cannot be stopped by taking cable TV channels off air.
Slogan for change
The time has come for the CPI(M) to leave Tripura; the time has come for Poriborton. We will launch all the successful Bengal initiatives in Tripura. We will achieve victory; Trinamool will emerge victorious here. Rabindranath Tagore wrote Bisarjan; let today’s meeting be the call for CPM’s ‘bisarjan.’ Trinamool doesn’t want to just come to power in Tripura, it wants to work for the people.
তৃণমূলকে জাতীয় স্তরে আরও বিস্তার করার লক্ষ্যে ত্রিপুরা সফরে মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। আজ আগরতলার আস্তাবল মাঠে তিনি একটি জনসভা করেন।
সভামঞ্চ থেকে যখন তিনি ত্রিপুরার পরিবর্তনের ডাক দেন তখন উল্লাসে চিৎকার করে জনতার ভিড়। তিনি বলেন, ৩৪ বছর অপশাসনের পর বাংলায় যেমন উন্নয়নের জোয়ার এসেছে তেমনই ত্রিপুরাতেও সিপিএমের বিদায়ের সময় এসে গেছে।
২০১৮ সালে ত্রিপুরায় বিধানসভা নির্বাচন। বর্তমানে সর্ব ভারতীয় তৃণমূল কংগ্রেসই প্রধান বিরোধী দল।
বাংলায় বিপুল জয় সম্বন্ধে
বাংলায় এখন মা-মাটি-মানুষের সরকার, এবার ত্রিপুরাতেও মা-মাটি-মানুষ সরকার গঠন করবে। বাংলায় নির্বাচনের সময় বেশ কিছু নেতারা অপপ্রচার করে বেরিয়েছেন। শেষমেশ মানুষের রায়ে ধরাশায়ী হয়েছে বিরোধীরা। তৃণমূল মানুষের দল, সাধারণ মানুষের জন্য কাজ করে তৃণমূল। তৃণমূল মানে উন্নয়ন, প্রগতি এবং এগিয়ে চলা। তৃণমূল যা প্রতিশ্রুতি দেয় তা পূরণ করে।
সিপিএম-কংগ্রেস আঁতাত সম্বন্ধে
সিপিএম অত্যাচার ছাড়া কিছু জানে না। চিট ফান্ডের জন্মদাতা সিপিএম। এখন বাংলায় সিপিএম-কংগ্রেস বন্ধু হয়েছে। কংগ্রেস সিপিএমের কাছে নিজেদের আদর্শ বিক্রি করে দেওয়ার পর আমি কংগ্রেস ছেড়ে বেরিয়ে এসে তৃণমূল কংগ্রেস প্রতিষ্ঠা করেছিলাম।
বিজেপি সম্বন্ধে
বিজেপির সরকারের কোনও কাজ নেই, নির্বাচন এলেই ঢাক -ঢোল নিয়ে বেরিয়ে পরে। ওদের কাজ যুক্ত রাষ্ট্রীয় পরিকাঠামোয় হস্তক্ষেপ করা। ওরা আমাদের ভয় দেখাতে চায়, কিন্তু আমরা ভয় না পেয়ে আমাদের লক্ষ্যে এগিয়ে যাব।
বাংলার উন্নয়ন সম্বন্ধে
আমরা বাংলায় ৪০ লক্ষ ছাত্রছাত্রীদের সাইকেল দিয়েছি। আমরা কেন্দ্র থেকে মাত্র ১০ শতাংশ টাকা পাই কিন্তু ত্রিপুরা ৯০ শতাংশ টাকা পায়। ক্ষমতায় আসার পর আমরা ২ টাকা কিলো দরে চাল দিয়েছি। জঙ্গলমহলও আজ এই সুবিধা পাচ্ছে। আদিবাসীদের জন্য আমরা অনেক কাজ করেছি। বাংলায় ৪১টি মাল্টি সুপার স্পেশালটি হসপিটাল তৈরি হয়েছে।
মেয়েদের জন্য আমরা কন্যাশ্রী প্রকল্প চালু করেছি। তফসিলি জাতি ও উপজাতির ছাত্রছাত্রীদের জন্য আমরা শিক্ষাশ্রী চালু করেছি। যুবশ্রী, লোক প্রসার প্রকল্পসহ আরও অনেক স্কিম আমরা চালু করেছি। বাংলায় সরকারি হাসপাতালে এখন বিনামূল্যে চিকিৎসা হয়। সরকারি হাসপাতালে ন্যায্য মূল্যের ওষুধের দোকান চালু হয়েছে। ১৫০০০ শিশুদের বিনা পয়সায় হার্ট অপারেশনের ব্যবস্থা করে দিয়েছি আমরা।
ত্রিপুরার অপশাসন সম্বন্ধে
ত্রিপুরার জন্য কি করেছেন কমরেডরা? কোন ভাল হাসপাতাল তৈরি করেছেন? ত্রিপুরার লকেরা সরকারি হাসপাতালে বিনামূল্যে চিকিতসার সুযোগ পায়? তাদের চিকিতসার জন্য আসাম-দিল্লি যেতে হয়। এখানে শুধু লুঠ আর অত্যাচার। এফআইআর নেওয়া হয় না। সিপিএম পুলিশকে কন্ট্রোল করে।
ত্রিপুরায় আলুর দাম ৩৫-৪০ টাকা। আমরা বাংলায় ন্যায্য মূল্যের দোকান থেকে ১৪ টাকায় আলু বিক্রি করি।
আমার বিরুদ্ধে কথা বলার আগে মানুষের জন্য কাজ করুন। আমি নেতাই, সিঙ্গুর, নন্দীগ্রাম যেমন দেখেছি তেমন উদয়পুরের অত্যাচারের সাক্ষী আমি। আমাদের ভয় দেখিয়ে কোন লাভ নেই। কেবল টিভি বন্ধ করে তৃণমূলকে থামানো যাবে না।
পরিবর্তনের স্লোগান
ত্রিপুরা থেকে সিপিএমের বিদায়ের সময় এসে গেছে। ত্রিপুরায় এখন পরিবর্তনের সময় এসেছে। আমরা বাংলায় যা যা উন্নয়ন করেছি তা ত্রিপুরাতেও করব। আমরাই জয়ী হব, তৃণমূলই জয়লাভ করবে। রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর ‘বিসর্জন’ লিখেছিলেন। আজকের এই সভা থেকে সিপিএমের ‘বিসর্জন’ শুরু হল। শুধু ত্রিপুরায় সরকার গঠন আমাদের লক্ষ্য নয়, আমাদের লক্ষ্য মানুষের জন্য কাজ করা। কাজ করাটাই আমাদের ধর্ম।
Sir, on August 6, 2001, a fire broke out in an asylum in Erwadi, Tamil Nadu. More than 25 patients were burnt alive; they could not escape the blaze as they had been chained to poles or beds. The Supreme Court stated that the ‘Mental Health Act, 1987 is not at all implemented by the concerned authorities and there is failure on the part of Central/State Governments to implement the 1987 Act.’ Thus, there is an urgent need to introduce and implement sweeping reforms in the country.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has conducted detailed studies of patients in mental institutions and the conditions they live in. They found numerous instances of cruel treatment and people being chained, being beaten, and being denied any kind of dignity.
There are around 4,000 psychiatrists in India, and many of them are in private practice. Thus there is a massive shortage of psychiatrists in the public sector, which has led to a large number of people requiring mental healthcare remaining undiagnosed.
As per National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 1,31,666 people committed suicide in India in 2014. Depression is the leading cause of suicide around the world and needs to be treated by healthcare professionals. There is a need to eliminate the social stigma associated with mental disorders.
Access to mental health services in India continues to be a major challenge as up to 40 per cent of patients travel more than 10 km to access District Mental Health Programme services.
Coming to the Mental Health Care Bill, 2013, it has some good provisions. Any person, with or without mental illness, can make an Advance Directive (AD) stating how he/she wishes to be treated for a future mental illness and also how he does not wish to be treated. Such an AD can also be challenged by families, professionals, etc. Decriminalisation of suicide is a much-needed reform. A person attempting suicide shall be considered to be under severe stress and will not be liable to be prosecuted under Section 309 of Indian Penal Code. The Government shall provide care, treatment and rehabilitation to all such persons.
The Bill states that it is the obligation of the Central and State Governments to build halfway homes and community care centres, among others, for the mentally ill. Such services should be affordable, of good quality and available without discrimination. It also provides protection to patients from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Some treatments currently being used will be prohibited, most importantly, electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) given without anaesthesia and the practice of chaining patients to their beds.
However, there are some issues with the Bill which I would like to raise. The provision of appointing a nominee, and then all subsequent decisions being taken by the nominee may lead to the damaging of goodwill and bonding between the members of a family. Furthermore, a person can only be admitted to a mental healthcare facility after being reviewed by a Mental Health Review Commission (MHRC) panel. This might cause undue delay to the treatment, and will make the entire process more complicated. These reasons might discourage families from playing a proactive role in seeking treatment.
The MHRC has six members, but out of which only one is a psychiatrist and another a mental healthcare professional. This will lead to crucial decisions being taken in the field of mental health by of non-experts.
The Bill allows for ECT on minors in case the psychiatrist advises it, with the consent of the guardian and prior permission of the Board. However, due to its extreme side effects and its controversial practice in the treatment of mental illness in minors, a blanket ban on ECT for minors should be implemented, as recommended by the World Health Organisation.
It is surprising that the Bill provides for only one District Board for the eight north-eastern states of India, covering an area of 2,62,230 sq km. This would make it inaccessible to a majority of the people in these States, who face difficulties because of connectivity issues and terrain.
Sir, I would urge the Government to look into these issues and make the necessary changes so that India gets a progressive law on mental healthcare, which would work towards raising awareness and eradicating the stigma attached to mentally ill people.
Thank you, Sir.
We share the agony and anguish with the Hon’ble member and also condemn the brutal attack on the people. But this is not the first time that this has happened. Someone has said that in December, 2014 such incident took place in that particular area of Kokrajhar and more than 70 people were killed and many injured.
There is 21 percent Bengali Muslim population in that district, bordering West Bengal, particularly in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal. During December, 2014 hundreds of villagers had to free to Cooch Behar district of West Bengal and our Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had to arrange for their shelter, foods, medical treatments etc. Now again this has happened and one of the Ministers from Assam is on record saying that it was not a planned attack. That is why Government did not have any information and the security forces reached the spot half an hour or one hour after the incident took place and this is why they could not prevent the incident.
But, Sir, this is not an isolated incident. This Kokrajhar district has suffered since long and the so-called Bodo agitation has going on and after the peace agreement of 2005, when people thought that everything will be improved. But again this is happening.
The clarification that I would like to seek from the Hon’ble Minister is that whether it is a case of intelligence failure. If that is the case, whether the Government of India is advising the State Government to take appropriate steps for improving the intelligence mechanism together with the Central Government to combat recurrence of such incidents in future in a diligent manner.
Sir, I want to ask our Hon’ble Home Minister some questions regarding the massacre in Kokrajhar. I congratulate him for condemning this massacre and I remember that last time when innocent Santhali adivasis were killed, our Home Minister went to the spot, he took strong steps and it was stopped immediately and I personally congratulated him for that.
Incidents like these are happening in the lower Assam region for the last 20-25 years. In 1993-94 also there was a huge massacre, and after that also huge massacres took place; nearly six lakh people fled their homes and have become refugees.
My first question to the Hon’ble Home Minister is which group has done this massacre?
Secondly, from where are these groups getting such sophisticated arms and ammunitions; is there any report? Who is providing them the money to create this type of chaos in our country?
My third question is a suggestion. Since these events are happening at regular intervals, why are we not creating gram raksha vahinis or village defense forces?
I have a question for the Hon’ble Minister. During the stormy season, the open wiring gets torn, particularly in villages, and then there is no electricity for hours. Secondly, in many areas, people take illegal connections from the open wirings which result in great loss to the Government.
Hence my question to the Honourable Minister is whether the Government has any plans for underground wiring system in the near future, particularly in such areas, to avoid all such problems.
