New Delhi, March 17 Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha raised concerns over the shortage of LPG, the safety of NRIs living in West Asia, and rising inequality, while demanding an increase in allocation for the education and health sectors.
Participating in the discussion on the Appropriation Bill, BJP members highlighted various farmer welfare schemes and India’s strong macroeconomic fundamentals.
Haris Beeran of IUML said that circumstances have changed since the budget, given the crisis in West Asia.
"We have not seen any specific allocation for the non-resident Indians who will be in danger, who will be facing the brunt of this crisis and will be forced to return to our country," he said.
He said that 45 per cent of the country's energy needs come from the Gulf region, and almost one crore of our citizens live there for their livelihoods. He warned that if this situation persists, it will lead to disaster and severely impact India.
"Now we have already seen the crisis that is happening. The LPG supply is short. We have seen restaurants being closed due to a shortage of LPG cylinders. LPG price has been increased by Rs 60 per cylinder despite the fact that the government is saying that there is no shortage of LPG cylinders," he said, adding, "They are in a state of panic".
Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena (UBT) said the country is facing an LPG shortage. Even the distribution of 'prasad' at religious places such as the Annapurna Temple in Varanasi and the Shirdi Temple (Maharashtra) has been affected, with the temple trusts deciding to distribute only one laddu instead of the usual two.
Over the shortage of LPG, Ajeet Madhavrao Gopchade of BJP said people were forced to stand in queues for cooking gas before 2014.
Participating in the debate, V Sivadasan of CPI (M) raised concern over the rise in inequality, saying that India has become the "capital of inequality" during the BJP's rule. He claimed that around 63 million Indians fall into poverty every year due to healthcare expenses. "The real income of common people is decreasing due to the government's policy."
Demanding a waiver, Mahua Maji of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha said that Jharkhand has a burden of about Rs 13,000 crore due to the posting of paramilitary forces in the state to tackle Naxal activities.
On the Appropriation bill, Sadanand M S Tanavade of the BJP said the bill includes supplementary revenue and capital grants for the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. It builds upon a decade's success in schemes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, PM Fasal Bima Yojana, PM Krishi Sinchayee Yojana, PM Kusum, National Food Security Mission and Soil Health Card.
Deepak Prakash of the BJP said that the previous UPA government had put the Swaminathan committee report in cold storage, and it was the Narendra Modi government which brought it back and implemented it. Now, farmers are getting a fair price through MSP.
Masthan Rao Yadav Beedha of TDP said the government has adopted a saturation-based approach to welfare, ensuring that basic commodities reach every household, and as a result, nearly 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty in the last decade.
The government is also strengthening the MSME sector, which is the backbone of our economy. Targeted allocations and support through institutions such as SIDBI aim to bridge the great gap for small enterprises that provide employment to over 11 crore people. Moreover, it has taken steps to ensure stable agriculture production and farmer welfare through financial transfers and improved input availability.
Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a BJP-nominated member, said, "A combination of high growth and low inflation has contributed to strengthening our external balance. Our foreign exchange reserves today are at a record USD 725 billion. This not only provides more than 11 months of import cover but also insulates us from the global shocks that we see in today's day and age."
Service exports in India have risen to USD 348 billion, contributing 10 per cent to the economy. "This is a prime example of how India's economy is transforming from a consumption-led to a high-value export-led growth," he said.