Sir, the practice of hiring the teachers on contract basis has become a great problem in this country, and it is adversely affecting the quality of education in India. Initially, the Government of India used to hire the teachers on contract basis in exceptional cases. However, in the current era, it has become common method for recruitment. Sir, we have 6.5 lakh contract teachers which is 13 per cent of the total teachers in the country. The situation in the rural areas is even worse and the percentage of contract teachers in those areas is as high as 41 per cent. In the last five years, about one lakh teachers have been added in the education sector120 on contract basis. Contract teachers are appointed on ad hoc basis with no service benefits, no job security, and on140 (1) lower salaries than the regular teachers. This has caused general discontent among the teachers engaged on contract basis. As a result of this, we witness financial stress and lack of motivation among the teachers. This kind of trend has made it difficult to attract and retain the talented teachers, thus bringing down the overall quality of education in the country. In our Indian culture, we consider our teacher as Guru, as God, but with such kind of contractual appointments, our teachers are not being treated fairly. So, I urge upon the Government to take necessary measures for regularizing the employment240 of contract teachers and enhance the overall teacher welfare in the country.
Sir,
the gravest issue in the country is280
the issue of unemployment. There is no need to explain (2)
the data because no data is correct. Unemployment is on the increase day by
day. When the pandemic came, many people lost their jobs. How are they
living? I should say that they are not living; they are just surviving
around us. They have a right to ask for whom we are running this country, for
what we are ruling this country. Our country is having this gigantic problem of
unemployment. The number of pandemic-affected people is growing higher and
higher. I believe that the Government has a responsibility360 towards them. I request the Government
to make a plan to support them, to give them some kind of allowance. The
Government should publish an unemployment calendar and support them with a wage
system. The Government should urgently depute a committee to look into the
matter and that committee should come up with a report within three or four
months.420 This way, we have to be with them. The
country has to tell them that they are not forgotten; the country is
with them.
Sir,
I would like to draw (3) the attention of the House
towards some sections of the Hindu Succession Act not being in favour of
women. Under the gender-based rules governing devolution of property, the
relatives of480 a woman's
husband have a stronger claim to her property than her parents and siblings.
However, this is not true of the property belonging to a man. The
present scheme of devolution keeps all the man's property within his natal
family. This is inconsistent with the equal treatment guaranteed in
Article 14 and Article 15 of the Constitution of India. Sir, this anomaly under
the Hindu Succession Act also goes against India's commitment under the United
Nations Convention on the560
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.
Removing gender-based discrimination and property-related legislation is one of
the core requirements of this Convention. The Supreme Court of India has also
noted that a judicial or legislative intervention is necessary to600 remedy it. There are two ongoing cases
where this issue (4) is being considered. However, the Legislature is
the appropriate forum for amending legislation. We should not look towards
courts for policy decisions. Therefore, through this august House, I
urge upon the Government to relook and revise these unfavourable sections of
the Act and give the rights to the women affected by these archaic
rules.
Mr.
Chairman, Sir, it is not a small issue but a serious
issue as far as Telangana is concerned. The Adilabad district of
Telangana is one of the most backward districts in the country and it700 has 48 per cent tribal population living
in an ordinary state. It does not have any factories at all.720 It
had two factories; both were closed down. With great struggle, one paper
factory came back. There was cement industry which is also closed down.
First, it fell sick; later on, it was closed down. It has its own land. It has
750 acres and also 1,200 acres (5) of leased land. It has lime deposits
of 48 million tonnes. It has water because the Godavari flows past this area.
It also has electricity because Telangana is full of electricity. It has
labour. It was closed down and its employees were offered VRS. Employees went
to court and got it stayed. Still, people are on rolls as far as this factory
is concerned. Now, the Chief Minister has840 requested the Prime Minister and the Central
Government that he is prepared to pay equity. During discussions, the
Union Minister said that the National Highways Authority of India can
take benefit out of this cement factory; so, let us do it. There is
the issue of employees. Then, there is the issue of much needed cement. The
National Highways Authority of India wants to join. We are willing to give more
land if they want. Whatever the Central Government wants, we would give
that and we will join in equity also. (6) The National Highways
Authority of India also wants to join in equity. So, everything is straight.
Let us try to concentrate on this and try to revive it because960 in court proceedings, people are still
on rolls. That means they are still employees and have not taken their money. 980
Hon.
Chairman Sir, Similipal was declared a wildlife sanctuary by the
Government of Odisha more than 40 years ago. At that time, there was a
proposal to accord the status of a National Park to a specific area
measuring 845 square kilometres. The tiger conservation project had already
begun in Similipal during that period. In order to help and
co-operate with the wildlife authorities visiting from outside the
State, some locals were engaged and they were allowed to live in the
core area. However, since the people living in the core area of the sanctuary have
not yet1080 been relocated, Similipal still remains a proposed National
Park. Therefore, (7) it is requested that Similipal Wildlife Sanctuary
be accorded the status of a National Park with immediate effect. The Department
of Tourism should consider promoting Similipal as a centre of1120 tourism industry. This will provide
employment opportunities to the unemployed youth of the district and there
will be socio-economic development in the area. Due to operational
flaws in the system, forest fire in the summer has become an annual affair and
the fire is raging even at present. As a result, various species
of plants and animals are in a continuous state of danger. It is a pity that
the news related to Similipal is not being reported by the1200 media. Last year, I myself tried to
douse the jungle fire to get rid of the menace. As the fire incidents
are largely man-made, steps should be taken for their permanent
solution so that both humans and the environment can co-exist in harmony.
Therefore, I urge upon the Government through (8) this august
House to look into the matter with due1260 earnest and to accord the status of
National Park to Similipal.
Sir,
I thank you for permitting me to speak on implementation of Metro Rail
projects in Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore is the second largest city in terms
of GDP in the State of Tamil Nadu after the capital of Chennai. It has a
population of approximately 30 lakhs. Apart from the local traffic, the
people from neighbouring districts travel to Coimbatore city for work,
education and medical needs. Technically, 15 to 20 lakh people commute
daily in and around Coimbatore for the above purposes. Considering these
aspects, the State Government of Tamil Nadu proposed for the Metro Rail project
in Coimbatore city. The feasibility study and the DPR have been completed and
the State Government of Tamil Nadu has allocated the fund for the project. So
far,1400 (9) the
coordination and support between the Government of India and the State
Government of Tamil Nadu is remarkable. However, I request the Ministry of
Housing and Urban Affairs to provide the Central financial
assistance as early as possible to initiate the execution of
Coimbatore Metro Rail project.
Sir,
it is very painful to see the Dalits getting lynched by mob. It is even more
painful to see that the ministers and leaders of the ruling party take
food from 7-star hotels to the houses of Dalits, sit there and eat there just
to get votes and then forget these people. It is very unfortunate. India
has 427 tribal communities, of which 130 major categories are from the Northeast.
Sir, 9 per cent of total Indian population belongs to them. Unfortunately, 92
per cent of them stay (10) in
the remote villages without having any proper access to health, education,
transport, drinking water etc.
