Tag: West Bengal

We want peace and development in the Hills: Mamata Banerjee

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Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has instructed Information Technology, agriculture, horticulture and floriculture sectors to generate employment and economically uplift the people of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. The Tea Park in New Jalpaiguri will also become operational soon, she said.

An administrative review meeting of Kalimpong and Darjeeling districts was held at the Pintail Village on Wednesday. Addressing media persons after the meet, the Chief Minister stated: “Along with the circuit-wise review of tourism projects in great detail, we also feel that IT sector, agriculture, floriculture, horticulture and food processing have great prospects in employment generation and economic upsurge in the Hills.

I have asked the Agriculture, Animal Resource Development and Industries department to look into this. I have also instructed the Secretary of the Information Technology department to prepare IT projects for the Hills.”

The Chief Minister stated that tourism projects including the ones at Gajaldoba and Tiger Hill were discussed in detail in the presence of Tourism Minister Gautam Deb and the Chief Secretary.

“We have discussed different projects in connection to roads, drinking water and electricity,” stated the CM. As many as five road-over bridges will come up in Jalpaiguri and four in Siliguri. New electricity sub-stations will be constructed at Sonada, Bagdogra, Kawakhali and Purbo Karaibari.  “We are also improving road connectivity with bordering countries — Bhutan and Nepal. We have already spent Rs 750 crore on a four-lane highway,” she further stated.

 

আমরা পাহাড়ে শান্তি ও উন্নয়ন চাইঃ মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

বুধবার দার্জিলিং জেলার পিন্টাইল ভিলেজে দার্জিলিং ও কালিম্পঙ জেলার প্রশাসনিক বৈঠকে মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় তথ্য প্রযুক্তি, কৃষি, উদ্যান পালন ও ফুল চাষে জোর দেন যাতে মানুষের কর্মসংস্থান হয়। নিউ জলপাইগুড়িতে টি-পার্কেও কিছুদিনের মধ্যে কাজ শুরু হবে বলে তিনি জানান।

বৈঠকের শেষে সাংবাদিকের তিনি বলেন, “পর্যটনের ওপরেও জোর দেওয়া হচ্ছে। বিভিন্ন পর্যটন সার্কিট গড়ার ভাবনা রয়েছে রাজ্যের। এ ছাড়াও, তথ্য প্রযুক্তি, কৃষি, ফুল চাষ, উদ্যান পালন ও খাদ্য প্রক্রিয়াকরন এই সকল ক্ষেত্রে কর্মসংস্থানের মাধ্যমে পাহাড়ের অর্থনৈতিক উন্নয়নের সুযোগ রয়েছে।”

গাজোলডোবা ও টাইগার হিলের পর্যটন প্রকল্পগুলি নিয়েও আলোচনা হয় বৈঠকে।

“আমরা সড়ক যোগাযোগ, পানীয় জল ও বিদ্যুতের প্রকল্পগুলি নিয়েও আলোচনা করেছি” মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন। সোনাদা, বাগডোগরা, কাওাখালি ও পূর্ব করাইবাড়িতে গড়া হবে ইলেকট্রিক সাব-স্টেশন। প্রতিবেশী দেশগুলির সাথেও সড়ক যোগাযোগে জোর দেওয়া হচ্ছে বলে জানান মুখ্যমন্ত্রী।

 

Bengal CM declares Mirik as sub-division

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The Chief Minister declared Mirik a sub-division of Darjeeling district at an official programme today.  Mirik was earlier a block under the Darjeeling district.

Mirik is an important tourist destination and several lakh tourists visit the hill town every year for its beautiful lake.

During her speech, the Chief Minister said that earlier people had to commute for hours to Kurseong or Darjeeling for administrative work. Hailing the day as ‘historic’ she said she wants development for the Hills and employment for the youth.

She also commented that while the State Government has provided all help to GTA, they have even failed to renovate the Mirik Lake. The CM said that her thrust is on tourism and Bengal is incomplete without the Hills. “We do not believe in speeches. We believe in actions.,” Mamata Banerjee added.

 

মিরিককে মহকুমা ঘোষণা করলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী

আজ মিরিককে দার্জিলিং জেলার মহকুমা ঘোষণা করলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। এর আগে মিরিক দার্জিলিং জেলার একটি ব্লক ছিল।

মিরিক একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ পর্যটন কেন্দ্র এবং প্রতি বছর বহু পর্যটক এখানে বেড়াতে আসেন।

বক্তব্য রাখার সময় মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন, আগে মানুষকে যেকোন সরকারী কাজের জন্য কার্শিয়াং, দার্জিলিঙে যেতে হত, এখন সেই সমস্যা মিটবে। আজকের দিনটিকে ঐতিহাসিক আখ্যা দিয়ে তিনি বলেন, “আমরা পাহাড়ের উন্নয়ন চাই, আমরা চাই পাহাড়ের যুবসম্প্রদায়ের কর্মসংস্থান হোক”।

তিনি আরও বলেন উন্নয়নের জন্য জিটিএ কে সব রকম সাহায্য করা সত্ত্বেও ওরা এখনও মিরিক লেক সংস্কার করেনি। রাজ্য সরকার পর্যটনে জোর দিচ্ছে, মহোম-ট্যুরিজম, ইকো- ট্যুরিজমেও জোর দেওয়া হয়েছে। লামাহাটায় পর্যটনের বিকাশ হয়েছে। টাইগার হিলে নতুন প্রকল্প শুরু হয়েছে। তাঁর কথায়, “ভাষণ নয়, কাজ করে দেখাতে হবে”।

 

Sukhendu Sekhar Roy makes a Point of Order on the Finance Minister’s reply on Finance Bill

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

First of all, the “reasons to believe” cannot be unreasonable. If the Court has the power to hear an aggrieved person on this point, why should the Appellate Tribunals not hear?

Therefore, it appears from the statement of the Hon. Finance Minister that the Government will not consider the demand made the Opposition parties. So, we are staging a walkout.

 

Vivek Gupta speaks on the Finance Bill

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank You, Sir, for giving me an opportunity to speak today. Sir, as the Finance Bill is a little disturbing for me because my State – আমার সোনার বাংলা – my West Bengal is going to be deprived of Rs 4,000 crore every year just on account of non-division of the cess and surcharge that the Central Government is going to collect. Sir, the cess and surcharge over the last two to three years have jumped from a mere amount of Rs 20,000 or Rs 30,000 crore to 1.7 lakh crore.

Sir, rough pen and paper calculation shows that West Bengal will be deprived of Rs 4,000 crore because cess and surcharge is not shared with the States. Sir, what is more intriguing is that all the people who have spoken before me in the Council of States, have chosen not to raise this point because each and every State will get affected from this point.

Sir, the Finance Minister made forty amendments in Lok Sabha. I request him to make similar amendments here and remove all cess and surcharge and include them in the taxes, so that the States also get a share.

Sir, enough has been said before me but I would like to draw your attention to a few things. Sir, the tribunals have been merged and a lot of changes have been done. Sir, enough has been said about Money Bill. I just want to quote something, Sir. The Supreme Court, in the Madras Bar Association vs Union of India, in 2014, had held that “appellate tribunals have similar powers to High Courts and hence matters related to appointments should be free from the executive involvement.” Sir, I urge, through you, that all the tribunals, which are now being put under the executive control, should be free from executive control so that their independence is maintained.

Sir, Clause 50 of this Finance Bill is a very interesting clause. This government, our Prime Minister and Finance Minister, both of them have repeatedly said that they will not do any retrospective changes and they will not do any tax terrorism. But Sir, if you see Clause 50 and Clause 51 they have done exactly the same.

Sir, first I’ll refer to Clause 51 and I will just read from there. “In Section 132 of the Income Tax Act, in Sub Section 1, the following explanation shall be inserted and shall be deemed to have been inserted with effect from the first day of October 1975”. Sir, if this is not retrospective change, I fail to understand what is retrospective change.

Sir, another draconian provision, Clause 50, in section 132, Sir, where they are saying, “shall not be disclosed to any person of authority or Appellate Tribunal’. Sir, I was going through the Honourable Finance Minister’s reply in the Lok Sabha where he said he is doing it because he wants to protect the person who is giving the information. Sir, I am sure there is the Whistleblowers Act and other Acts that provide some confidentiality. Don’t disclose the name of the person but at least the reason can be given at the Appellate level. Sir, why is the assessee being denied a chance to defend himself? Why should he not know why the Income Tax people are doing certain seizure on him? Then again, Sir, 9(b) of Clause 50 says, merely by getting the sanction of the Director General provisionally any property can be attached. Sir, I think we are going back to the dark ages. I don’t know what will happen.

Sir, as I have said before, frequent changes – as many as 40 amendments – have been made in the Finance Bill on the day it was introduced in Lok Sabha. But, if you see this Finance Bill, here more than 300 amendments have been made. Sir, why does a tax law need so many amendments and so many changes every year? Why can’t we have a thorough discussion once and for all and move for a simplified ease of doing business, as this Government claims.

Sir, I just have three questions for the government. Sir, the Finance Minister in his reply to the Lok Sabha said that the RBI is still checking for fake notes in the currency deposited during demonetisation. Sir, I would like to know – whenever the Finance Minister speaks – how much loss has the RBI suffered on account of accepting fake notes? RBI’s loss means ultimately we are suffering.

He also said that there are many instances where people with five PAN cards have been discovered. Sir, I would like to know what is the number of such people who have been prosecuted. How many people have been discovered with multiple PAN cards?

And Sir, the last point. Even the Law Minister himself said on the floor of the House that in 46% cases, the government is the litigant. Is there any plan to reduce this reputation? Are they planning to file cases based on merit and not just on a monetary limit? Right now there are monetary limits for going to higher courts but not on the merit of the case.

Thank you.

 

Bengal fought hard to protect cooperative federalism during the formulation of GST: Trinamool

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Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee today said in the Lok Sabha that “Bengal fought hard to preserve and protect cooperative federalism in the process of the formulation of the GST”. He was speaking during a discussion of the GST Bills in Parliament.

In his speech he highlighted the proactive role taken by the Finance Minister of Bengal, who is the Chairman of the Empowered Committee. “Bengal Finance Minister was instrumental in bringing about a broad consensus amongst states on single control in the hands of the State below Rs 1.5 crore turnover of small business in its meeting in the great city Calcutta many months ago,” he said.

He reiterated that Mamata Banerjee had in-principle supported the concept of GST as early as 2009 in our party-manifesto. Kalyan Banerjee said, “Bengal engaged uncompromisingly in a spirit of cooperative federalism and fiscal autonomy of the States.”

He cautioned the government against rushing ahead with the legislation; he said steps must be taken to make the system fully error free or else the whole indirect taxation system would collapse. He pitched for an e-based taxation system and said industry must be given sufficient time to prepare themselves for the new system.

Kalyan Banerjee also reminded the government that GST is the result of the hard work by all and no one should claim credit for it alone.

Also speaking on the issue, Saugata Roy cautioned the government against the “technological nightmare” that GSTN could bring and asked the government not to hurry. “If there will be any breakdown in the server, all over the country GST will go flat. So, Sir, I want the Government to be very careful. Government has said that they will train 60,000 officers for this job. For that, at least six months are necessary,” he said.

He also reminded the government that prices should not rise during the transition period. He wanted to know why the government was in a hurry o pass GST when the rates of individual commodities have not yet been decided. He wanted to know from the Centre where would the extra money come from to compensate the States.

Click here to read the full transcript of Kalyan Banerjee’s speech

Click here to read the full transcript of Saugata Roy’s speech

Vivek Gupta speaks on the need for uniform travel advisories across airlines

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

Sir, recently the US and UK airports have banned all electronic items larger than mobile phones, like tablets and DVD players, from being taken into the cabins of planes. Sir, through you I would request that our country also reviews security arrangements as our country is also under a high amount security threat.

The larger issue here is that every day different guidelines are being issued by different airlines. Some airlines say that you can take a tablet inside while some say that you have to check-in a tablet. No uniform guidelines are being issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

There is so much of confusion at the airports – you go in, then you have to go for a security check, then you are supposed to go back and check in the luggage – there is utter chaos at the airport. Sir, through you I would wish to bring to the attention of the honourable Government and the Minister of Civil Aviation to look into this problem.

Sir, the bigger problem is that we lack around 2,500 CISF staff, according to various reports, which have made our airports more vulnerable. Sir, 26 hyper-sensitive airports are still not covered by the CISF, and we don’t know who’s handling the security.

Sir, various travel advisories are issued by other countries but we seem to be lagging behind in that. Sir, whenever there is a ban issued I would like the Government to issue a centralised ban so that there is no confusion for the passengers and they can easily go airports.

Thank you, Sir.

State Govt to provide training in honeybee rearing

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The Bengal Government has decided to set up training for farmers to enable them to rear honeybees. Such training opportunities would be made available in all the districts of Bengal.

Worldwide, honeybees have been severely affected by the changes in environmental conditions, so much so that productions of honey and beeswax have come majorly.

A beginning has been made with the initiation of a four-day course for 100 farmers in Naikuri block of Purba Medinipur district. After the completion of training, each farmer would be handed over, by the State Government, two boxes of honeybees.

Today’s youth have largely forsaken the often dangerous method of collecting honey from inside deep forests. As a result, the production of honey and beeswax has come down, so much so that a large portion of the requirement of the State has to be imported from foreign countries.

Through this honeybee-rearing programme, the State Government has thus provided a three-pronged solution: employment generation through the rearing and selling of products derived from honeybees, conservation of foreign exchange and maintaining the balance of the environment (since the already less number of honeybees need not be exploited).

 

কৃষকদের মৌমাছি পালনের প্রশিক্ষণ দেবে রাজ্য

সারা পৃথিবী জুড়ে মৌমাছি প্রজাতি আজ বিলুপ্তির পথে। আর এর জেরে চাহিদার থেকে কম উ९পাদন হচ্ছে মোম, মধু। শুধু মোম-মধু নয় কীটপতঙ্গ কমে যাওয়ায় পরিবেশের ভারসাম্যও নষ্ট হচ্ছে। এবার এই সমস্যার সমাধানে কৃষকদের মৌমাছি পালনে উ९সাহী করার উদ্যোগ নিল রাজ্য সরকার।

রাজ্যের সমস্ত জেলায় এই ধরনের প্রশিক্ষণের ব্যাবস্থা করা হয়েছে। পূর্ব মেদিনীপুর জেলার নাইকুড়ি ব্লকে কৃষকদের মৌমাছি পালনের প্রশিক্ষণের মাধ্যমে এই জেলায় রাজ্যে সরকারের উদ্যোগের সূচনা হল। প্রশিক্ষণ চলবে চার দিন ধরে। পাঁশকুড়ার প্রতাপপুর বি কিপিং সমিতির সহায়তা নিয়ে নাইকুড়ি ব্লকের ১০০ জন কৃষককে নিয়ে এই প্রশিক্ষণ শিবির অনুষ্ঠিত হচ্ছে। প্রশিক্ষণের পর এই কৃষকদের হাতে রাজ্য সরকারের তরফে বিনামুল্যে মৌমাছি পালনের জন্য প্রয়োজনীয় দুটি মৌমাছি ভর্তি বাক্স তুলে দেওয়া হবে।

এর ফলে কৃষকদের মৌমাছি পালনে সমস্যায় পড়তে হবে না। মৌমাছি পালনের ফলে কৃষকেরা মৌচাক থেকে মধু ও মোম দুটোই সংগ্রহ করে তাদের উপার্জন বাড়াতে পারবেন। এর সঙ্গে বাজারের যোগান বাড়বে।

বিপদ মাথায় নিয়ে এই প্রজন্মের ছেলে মেয়েদের জঙ্গলে গিয়ে মধু ও মোম সংগ্রহের পেশায় যুক্ত না হওয়ার প্রবণতা জোগান কমিয়েছে মোম, মধুর। ফলে চাহিদাপূরণের জন্য বিদেশ থেকে প্রয়োজনের প্রায় ৭০ শতাংশ মোম ও ৩০ শতাংশ মধু আমদানি করতে হয়। রাজ্য সরকার গ্রামে গ্রামে মৌমাছি পালনের মাধ্যমে মোম ও মধুর জোগান বাড়ানোর উদ্যোগ নেওয়ায় বিদেশ থেকে আমদানির পরিমাণ কমবে। এলাকার মানুষের কর্মসংস্থান হবে। পাশাপাশি বিদেশি মুদ্রা সঞ্চয় হবে এবং পরিবেশের ভারসাম্য রক্ষা করা যাবে।

Bengal Govt to promote cultivation of rare aromatic rice varieties

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The Agriculture Department of the Bengal Government has firmed up plans to extend all forms of assistance to farmers to enable them to grow 800 varieties of aromatic rice, many of which are rarely grown nowadays. To collect seeds for these varieties and culture them, officials of the department are visiting farmers across Bengal and in some neighbouring countries too.

Among the aromatic varieties identified for special treatment are kanakchur, randhuni, chandrachur, radhatilak, badshahbhog and kerala sundari. Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya in Kalyani is playing a major role in identifying the varieties of rice, as well as finding out ways for growing them on a large scale so that the seeds can be distributed among farmers. Some of the varieties have been found at the agricultural research laboratories run by the State Government in Fulia in Nadia district and in Hooghly.

The State Government is also taking initiatives to convince farmers to grow these less-known varieties of rice by making them realise the commercial value of these varieties.

For the last few years, under the special initiative of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Bengal Government has been actively promoting tulaipanji aromatic rice. The Government has set up stalls at several key places, including at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata. It even sent the variety to the 2012 London Olympics for promotion and sale.

 

 

বিলুপ্তপ্রায় সুগন্ধী ধানের চাষ বাড়াতে উদ্যোগ রাজ্যেরি

বাঙালীর পাতে সুগন্ধী চাল ফিরিয়ে দিতে উদ্যোগী হল রাজ্যে কৃষি দপ্তর। বিলুপ্তপ্রায় ৮০০ ধানের বীজ খুঁজে বের করতে পথে নেমেছেন কৃষি দপ্তরের আধিকারিকরা। প্রতিবেশী দেশেও হাজির হতে চলেছেন তাঁরা। কৃষকদেরও সুগন্ধী ধান চাষের কাজে সব রকমের সাহায্য করবে রাজ্য।

এই ধানগুলির মধ্যে রয়েছে – কনকচূড় , রাঁধুনি,চন্দ্রচূড় ,রাধাতিলক  ,বাদশাভোগ ,কেরালা  সুন্দরী। এই ধানের চালের সৌরভ অপূর্ব।

ইতিমধ্যে এইসব বীজের মধ্যে কিছু খুঁজে পাওয়া গেছে নদীয়ার ফুলিয়া এবং হুগলির কৃষি গবেষণা কেন্দ্রে।  সেগুলি  কি করে চাষের কাজে এগানো যায় তার গবেষণা চলছে।  বিধানচন্দ্র কৃষি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় এ ব্যাপারে তদারিক করছে।

কৃষকদের এ ব্যাপারে উ९সাহিত করতে উদ্যোগ নিচ্ছে রাজ্য।  এই বীজ থেকে আরও উন্নতমানের বীজ তৈরী করে কৃষকদের দেওয়ার কথাও ভাবা হচ্ছে।

উল্লেখ্য, রাজ্য সরকার ২০১২ সালে লন্ডন অলিম্পিকে অ্যাপেডার মাধ্যমে ওই চাল পাঠিয়েছিল। এই চালের বিপণনে জোর দিয়েছে রাজ্য।  বিভিন্ন জায়গায় স্টল খোলার পাশাপাশি কলকাতা বিমানবন্দরেও বিক্রির ব্যবস্থা করা হয়েছে।

 

 

I believe in religion that teaches you to love all humans: Mamata Banerjee

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In a stern message to a section of people who are trying to incite communal tension in the State, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said Bengal is a land of culture and politics of riots has no place here. She urged people to be aware and not pay heed to rumours.

“We believe in religious amity. We do not believe in the politics of riots,” she said.

“I believe in religion that teaches you to love all humans. I participate in Durga Puja, Eid, Christmas as well as Guru Parab. The human body is incomplete without all organs. We must treat all humans equally. A mother can never discriminate between her children,” she added.

The CM said Constitution of India was her guiding principle and it taught her to be tolerant and respectful of people from various backgrounds.

 

যে ধর্ম সকলকে ভালবাসতে শেখায় আমি সেই ধর্মে বিশ্বাসী: মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

এক শ্রেণীর মানুষ যারা ধর্মের নামে রাজ্যে বিভেদ সৃষ্টি করে বাংলায় অশান্ত পরিবেশ তৈরি করতে চাইছে তাদের কড়া বার্তা দিলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়।

জলপাইগুড়িতে একটি জনসভায় তিনি বলেন, “আমি জাতি-ধর্মের ভেদাভেদে বিশ্বাস করি না, দাঙ্গার রাজনীতিতে বিশ্বাস করি না। উৎসবের সময় বেশ কিছু মানুষ সমস্যার সৃষ্টি করার চেষ্টা করেন।” তিনি জনগণকে সতর্ক হওয়ার পাশাপাশি গুজবে কান না দেওয়ারও আর্জি জানান।

তিনি বলেন, “যে ধর্ম সকলকে ভালবাসতে শেখায় আমি সেই ধর্মে বিশ্বাসী। বাংলায় দুর্বৃত্তদের কোন জায়গা নেই। এ মাটি সংস্কৃতির মাটি।”

“আমি দুর্গা পুজো, ঈদ, ক্রিসমাস, গুরু পরব সবেতেই যোগদান করি। সব অঙ্গ ছাড়া মানব-শরীর অসম্পূর্ণ। আমরা বিশ্বাস করি সব মানুষ সমান। একজন মা কখনও নিজের সন্তানদের মধ্যে বিভেদ করেন না” মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন।

তিনি আরও বলেন, “ভারতের সংবিধান আমাদের সহনশীল হতে শেখায়। সংবিধানই আমাদের পথ দেখায়।”

 

Mriganka Mahato speaks on The National Institutes of Technology, Science Education & Research (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

The National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Second Amendment) Bill, 2016 is a very important Bill in the context of engineering education in India at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels and in the context of research. The Bill was first introduced in the year 2007. The motto behind this Bill is for giving national importance to certain institutes of engineering and science so that they can provide quality education, both at the undergraduate and post-graduate levels of engineering, and do research work in the frontal areas of engineering.

The Bill was first amended in 2012. In 2007, 20 such institutions run by different societies across the country were included and were mentioned in the first schedule. In 2012, when the first amendment was done, another 10 institutions run by different societies were included and added to those in the first schedule. At that time, another five IISER – that is, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research – were incorporated and mentioned in the second schedule. Another institute, Indian Institute of Science Technology and Research in Shibpur, was mentioned in the third schedule. All these endeavours are very good in promoting engineering education. Recently, in 2016, two new IISERs were incorporated to correct the regional imbalance after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh into Andhra Pradesh and Telangana – one in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and another in Berhampur in Odisha. So the endeavours for promoting engineering education and moreover, to correct the regional imbalance in terms of institutes of national importance, by the Government are very good. At present there are a total of 31 NITs and five IISERs and two more will be included in the Bill, bringing the number of IISERs to seven. All these are welcome approaches. But my humble submission in the floor of the House is regarding my points of concern.

The first point of concern is regarding the quality of education. The prime focus of the Government should be to provide substantial amount of finance to these institutions. As far as my information goes, the global ranking of these NITs is between 3,500 to 4,000, that is, far down in the list and the global ranking of the IITs – that is, only IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay – is between 400 and 450. Only the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore is ranked between 300 and 350. So, in the global ranking, we are far behind and in the Asian context, the ranks of the NITs is not even within 1,000. In the Asian raking too, even IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi are within 300. So my humble submission to the Minister and the Government is that there should be an expert committee which should monitor the declining quality of education in India and address the issue of bridging the huge gap in the ranking of Indian institutes with respect to the world’s top ones, both in the context of the global ranking and the Asian ranking. There should also be a committee to monitor the quality of education in the NITs. The 31 NITs should be ranked, and then efforts should be made to address the gaps in quality. The faculty from one NIT should be moved to some other NIT, students from one NIT should be allowed to go to another NIT, etc. so that the parity of engineering education in the country is maintained. The next point of concern is regarding research work. The Minister has said that the purpose of the IISERs is mainly to focus on research work. So, does the Government have any report on how many research papers are submitted by the engineering students in these institutions each year in Indian and international journal?

The second thing of concern is this: there are several scientific programmes and scientific competitions in the country; now, how many students from the NITs and the IITs participate in these engineering competitions, and are there records on that or not? This is very important to know with respect to research work. We all know and we appreciate the research work by our scientists in space technology, research work done by the DRDO. So all our engineering faculty should do a lot of research work.

The third point is regarding the long-standing problem of brain drain in India. We all know that every year a large number of students passing from these institutions go abroad and do their research work there and then one day we read in the newspaper or see on TV that some Indian scientist doing research work in MIT or Harvard has got the Nobel Prize in physics or chemistry. This should be stopped. We should create such an environment that all brilliant Indian students do their research work in India, and we should be proud of such institutions that bring fame to India. We should think of this. And my last humble submission to the Minister is to enquire whether the Government is thinking of any common test for engineering students before they graduate from the NITs after the eighth semester, so that the Government can get a sense of the amount of parity in engineering education in India. The Government should consider this proposal.

At the end, I want to congratulate the Minister for correcting the regional imbalance in terms of the IISERs by setting up two new ones in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. I welcome this Bill. Thank you, Sir.