New Delhi, March 11 Rajya Sabha CPI MP Sandosh Kumar P demanded a comprehensive package for the rural economy on Wednesday, which is facing distress due to the ongoing West Asia crisis, as their products are stuck at various ports.
Participating in a discussion on the functioning of the rural development ministry in the House, he said that more funds must be allocated to the ministry.
"We are discussing the functioning of the Ministry of Rural Development in a changed circumstance. And we all know what the changed circumstance is, that is the global war going on. The Americans and Israelis are targeting Iran, and retaliation is happening. The point is that who are the worst sufferers – our villagers. And we need to protect our villagers," Sandosh said.
He said that 4 lakh tonnes of basmati rice worth at least Rs 3,200 crore is stranded at various ports following the West Asia crisis.
"Who are the sufferers, sir? The poor farmers. More than 80 lakh eggs meant for export to Gulf countries are stuck. Who are the sufferers? Our poor poultry farmers," the MP from Kerala said.
Sandosh said that around 6,000 tonnes of grapes are at risk of spoiling and over 1,200 containers of bananas are stuck in cold storages.
"We need to protect our rural economy from distress," he said, and demanded "a comprehensive rural economy package."
Participating in the discussion, Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference demanded that the Centre release funds to J&K.
He said, with reference to Jammu and Kashmir, there is a liability of Rs 196.29 crore on the Centre and this amount should be released to the Union Territory.
Ramzan also demanded an increase in wages, terming the existing Rs 259 per head wage as "insufficient".
BJP's Dharmshila Gupta credited the Modi government for checking the issue of fake job cards and middlemen in the rural livelihood scheme.
"Under the leadership of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji, the government has taken steps to bring transparency. Wages are now being paid through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), directly into the workers' bank accounts. The cards are linked to Aadhaar, and fake beneficiaries have been removed," she said.
Gupta said the Centre has increased 125 job days in the Viksit Bharat— Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB G-RAM-G Act from 100 working days.