Need For Universal Old Age Pension

Raised A Matter Regarding Need For Universal Old Age Pension

SHRI RAMA CHANDRA KHUNTIA (ODISHA): Mr. Vice-Chairman, Sir, as we all know, the changed socio-economic scenario and the rise in longevity has added to the disadvantage of the elderly people, especially in the unorganised sector. We live in a country where 30 per cent people belong to the unorganised sector. They are totally dependent on their daily wage earnings. They are not covered by any medical care or social security scheme.

While, on the one hand, their lifespan has increased, elderly people no longer enjoy the protection of their wards and other relatives and are now required to fend for themselves. Their physical condition does not even allow them to collect water from the wells with their own hands. They are unable to live by themselves.

Their demand is non-contributory pension for those who are above the age of 55 while the eligibility for women should be 50 years without any distinction on the lines of the BPL and the APL; it should be for all the people. Presently, the Centre pays Rs.200/- as pension to those who are above 60 years and Rs.500/- to those who are above 80 years. As you know, for a person to live in this world, a minimum of 2,400 calories per day is required. Rs.200/- may not be enough for purchasing rice even for a week. So, it is high time that the Central Government should consider raising the pension to Rs.2,000/- per month. According to an estimate, if their pension is enhanced to Rs.2,000/-, the State would have to bear about Rs.3.6 lakh crores a year. It will benefit about 10 crore people. It may be difficult for the Central Government, but it is hoped that the Central Government will bear the cost. A cess has been proposed on the industrial sector to raise the needed funds and provide relief to the Government, which is very much required.

Today, thousands of elderly people, with the help of some NGOs, are staging dharna at Jantar Mantar from 7.00 a.m. – it has already been started -- to 11 a.m. Through you, Sir, I urge upon the Government to consider the demand and increase the pension of all elderly people. Thank you.

ी ईर िंसह (हिरयाणा): महोदय, म वयं को इस िवषय से सबं  करता हूँ।

DR. BHALCHANDRA MUNGEKAR (NOMINATED): Sir, I also associate myself with the point made by the hon. Member.


SHRI Y.S. CHOWDARY (ANDHRA PRADESH): Sir, I also associate myself with the point made by the hon. Member.

SHRI HUSAIN DALWAI (MAHARASHTRA): Sir, I associate myself with the point made by the hon. Member.


डा. िवजयलमी साधौ (मध्य देश): महोदय, मवयं को इस िवषय से सबं करती हूँ।

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The Appropriation Bill, 2011

The Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2011

Mr. Deputy Chairman, Sir, I am thankful to you for giving me this opportunity to speak on this Bill. Though we have definitely most experienced Finance Minister in the world, the present Government has presented three General Budgets but none of the Budgets has tried to give any direction to our economy, not to say about the supplementary

The Government is not able to tame the inflation and the common people of the country are/have been suffering from high inflation and skyrocketing prices.

Out of the additional expenditure proposed, 93 per cent is for non-Plan expenditure whereas a meagre four per cent is for creating durable capital assets; hence, 96 per cent is for revenue expenditure only.

Of the Supplementary Demands of Rs.63,180 crores, only ten per cent, i.e. Rs.6,330 crores, is proposed to be met through increased revenues while the rest 90 per cent will have to be necessarily borrowed. Thereby, it can have two undesirable consequences -- (i) increased in high interest rates, leading to higher inflation and (ii) sucking the liquidity from the market, thereby reducing the funds’ availability for investments. This eventually will lead the private sector to postpone the capital assets’ investments, which will automatically stagnate the Government revenues, and with continuous rise in non-Plan expenditure, the revenue and fiscal deficit will further rise and the country will be caught in the vicious circle of lower growth and rising fiscal deficits and Government debt.

We need to guard ourselves against such uncontrolled growth in public debt so that our country does not face the serious default situation as we have been seeing in the case of Greece, Italy and Spain.
To guard against this, I have two suggestions. If the Government is seeking supplementary grants in December, it means that a twelve months’ budgeted expenditure has been spent within eight months. Why should only the expenditure increase at all times? If the revenue is not growing and growth in some categories of expenditure is inevitable, why shouldn’t the Government plan and reduce expenditure under other heads well in advance, instead of approaching the Parliament for Supplementary Grants at the last minute?

The budgeted expenditure, this year, was over Rs.12 lakh crores. In making budgets for all large projects, it is a general practice that five per cent we normally keep as contingencies. Why not we start following the practice of keeping five cent as contingency for each head? And, thereby, it can be monitored in a better manner for avoiding this kind of last minute approaches.

The other subject is, we all know that agriculture is the backbone of our economy and about 70 per cent of the people are engaged in agricultural activities. But this Government, for some or

other reason, has not been able to do anything for the agriculture sector substantially.

There is no sustainable credit policy for the farmers and the cases of farmers’ suicide are/have been continuing. The main reason for farmers’ suicide is lack of credit, high rate of interest, non- availability of credit in time, and lack of other infrastructural facilities, though the Government has done so many studies for the infrastructure. Of course, State Governments are not in a position to provide any required benefits, financially, to the farmers. Thereby, a national fund is required to be created to address the problems of farmers. ... (Time-bell) ...

Even after 64 years of Independence, it is visible that governments after governments have been taking all actions only keeping in view to attract the voters and we are not able to develop any sustainable, long-term solutions.

Sir, I feel, now the time has definitely come to work with cooperation and coordination, and particularly, we have got an opportunity to learn lessons from the various mistakes already committed by the so-called developed countries and we need not repeat those things. Thank you, Sir.



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The Transplantation Of Human Organs

The Transplantation Of Human Organs (Amendment) Bill, 2011

Mr. Deputy Chairman, Sir, I am happy that the hon. Minister has covered almost all the critical points by bringing forward the Transplantation of Human Organs (Amendment) Bill, 2011. In addition to that, our hon. experienced Members have covered almost all the points. Hopefully, the hon. Minister will consider those points. We all are aware that this Bill has come into existence mainly because of our great scientists’ success about human organ transplantation, which is very critical and important to maintain certain quality assurance. I, personally, feel that instead of saying this as Authorisation Committee or Appropriate Authority, if we can make it as a quality assurance and regulatory body, that will be better. I suggest ---some of the Members have also mentioned -- that instead of going by merely certain bureaucrats, proper, credible and qualified people should also be made members. Though, in most of the States, there is a condition that hospitals have to be registered, registration is becoming a mere formality. Instead of that, before registration, hospitals should be vigorously checked about the quality and they should be approved by this Board. That will improve the mortality rate. I also suggest that whoever wants to go for an organ transplantation, they should apply to the Board, if not for permission, at least for the information, so that, subsequently, it could be made mandatory for them to file proper, periodical returns so that at the national level, we can always have proper information about the success rate of human organ transplantation.

Talking of penalties, instead of financial penalties, if the Bill can provide more rigorous punishments such as life imprisonment, it would be better. We are all aware that while we pass Bills, we are not able to execute them properly. For that purpose, proper propaganda must be done in order to create awareness about the rules and procedures involved. That would help the common man understand the procedures better.



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Early Completion Of Cuddapah-Bangalore Railway Line

DEMAND FOR EARLY COMPLETION OF CUDDAPAH-BANGALORE RAILWAY LINE

The Cuddapah- Bangalore new railway line is one of the South Central Railway's largest projects and the foundation stone for the project has been laid at the Cuddapah Railway Station. The new line will reduce the distance considerably between Cuddapah and Bangalore. It has the potential to boost the economy and generate employment in the region. The Cuddapah-Bangalore railway line once completed will shorten the distance by 226 kms. as compared to the route via Renigunta and will also provide a shorter alternative route between north India and Bangalore.

The project involves an investment of Rs. 2,000 crores, which the Central Government and the States of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have agree to bear on a 50:50 basis.

In view of the benefits that are likely to accrue to the people of the region and the economy from the new railway line between Cuddapah and Bangalore, I urge upon the hon. Minister of Railways to take interest in the railway line and ensure that the line is completed at the earliest. Thank you.

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