List of business in RS
New Delhi: In Friday’s list of business in the Rajya Sabha, papers will be tabled by seven ministers, the Parliament Standing Committee will submit report on the labour department and members will ask questions.
But it is the private members business that has some interesting resolutions to be put forth for consideration.
MDMK MP Vaiko will be moving a resolution on need for decentralisation. The resolution says: “Having regard to the fact that India is a pluralistic society, consisting of myriad cultures, languages, religions and ethos, and the founding fathers of the Constitution provided for federalism which is the foundation of democracy and India being a multi-region and multi-linguistic nation with people of different hues and colours, decentralisation is the need of the hour.”
The resolution further says; “some important subjects have been transferred over the years from the State List thereby diluting and diverting the States’ powers; important and sensitive subjects which have a bearing on the people of the country should be left to the States alone to decide in respect of its policy and implementation, since the State is nearer to the people than the Centre.
“To protect the unity and integrity of the country, federalism in true sense should be provided for in the Constitution; there is an urgent need to improve harmonious development of the Centre-State relationship and to empower the States with more self-sufficient, autonomous and financial powers; there is an urgency to examine and consider all the recommendations of the various Review Commissions submitted in the past, on the working of the Constitution for implementation.
“This House urges upon the Government to take necessary measures, including amendments to the Constitution to bring back the subjects which were transferred from the State List to the Concurrent List, during the last 70 years; ensure that the residuary powers are vested with the States, by reviewing and restructuring the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution; take necessary steps to ensure that the States are financially empowered by allocating more finances to them; and provide corpus funds to mitigate the sufferings of the people of each State, of such amounts depending on the past disasters each State faced like drought, floods, cyclone, etc,” says Vaiko’s resolution.
BJP MP Harnath Singh Yadav has a resolution on the need for population control. The resolution says: “Population, which produces, distributes and consumes goods and services, is an invaluable asset for a nation as it is a means to an end, i.e., the economic development of a country: due to the unprecedented rise in the population of the country in the past decades, a dreadful condition is arising on account of gross imbalance between available resources and overall development and services; no Government can succeed in providing necessary resources and services at the same pace at which the population is growing, more than 70 years have passed since the country got its independence but we have not been successful in providing potable water, healthcare facilities, food, housing, means of employment, electricity, etc, to the citizens as per the need due to the root cause of fast growing population, this House urges upon the Government to –
(a) formulate a stringent population control policy to check the mammoth growth of population, and
(b) make stringent and uniform population control laws to overcome the crisis arisen due to the rise in population.”
Binoy Viswam will move the following resolution:
“Having regard to the fact that
(i) The last financial year has seen the country’s economy face several setbacks with a continuously declining GDP growth rate, precarious fiscal deficit, surge in unemployment, decrease in domestic demand and a decline/stagnation in key sectors such as manufacturing, FMCG, coal, banking, telecom and automobiles amongst others.
(ii) The decline in the economy has been stated repeatedly by numerous national and international agencies including the World Bank, IMF, Asian Development Bank and Moody’s International Services.
(iii) The direct consequences of this economic setback are being faced by each and every citizen of our country as the price of daily essential goods, ranging from vegetables to pulses have been increasing rapidly, while consumer spending has rapidly decreased indicating an increasing prevalence of unemployment and poverty in the country.
(iv) Recent reports and studies have indicated an unprecedented increase in unemployment with over 11 million Indians losing their jobs and the unemployment rate reaching a 15 year high of 8.5 per cent.
(v) The most devastating effect of this economic crisis has been on individuals belonging to vulnerable sections of society, especially in rural areas.
(vi) While the Government has attempted to make several strategic decisions to revive the economy ranging from introducing FDI in key sectors to demonetisation and GST, very little has changed in reality.
(vii) As representative of the people, it would serve national interest if the Government provides clarity about the prevailing economic situation and its plans to address it, this House urges upon the Government to present a comprehensive and holistic report as to the causes of the current economic situation and future action plan to address the same and take immediate action to prevent further decline of the Indian economy and create jobs for India’s fast growing workforce.”
Following Ministers to lay papers on the Table, entered in the separate list:
1. Hardeep Singh Puri for Ministry of Commerce and Industry
2. Mansukh Mandaviya for Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers
3. Danve Raosaheb Dadarao for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
4. Parshottam Rupala for Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
5. Angadi Suresh Channabasappa for Ministry of Railways
6. Som Parkash for Ministry of Commerce and Industry
7. Kailash Choudhary for Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
