LOK SABHA
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SYNOPSIS OF DEBATES
(Proceedings other than Questions & Answers)
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Wednesday, August 3, 2016 / Shravana 12, 1938 (Saka)
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OBSERVATION BY THE SPEAKER
HON. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, as you may recall, on 25 July, 2016 I
made an announcement in the House regarding constitution of a nine-Member
Inquiry Committee to probe into the incident of serious breach of security of the
Parliament House by the improper conduct of Shri Bhagwant Mann, MP by
videographing and posting critical footage of Parliament House Complex on a
social media. The Committee was requested to submit its Report not later than 3
August, 2016.
I have since received a request from Dr. Kirit Somaiya, hon. chairperson of
the Inquiry Committee submitting that in view of gravity of the matter the
unanimous view among Members of the Committee was that for doing justice to
the remit of the Committee, they need some more time as some more witnesses
have to be examined and certain critical issues have to be examined in depth. The
Chairperson has, therefore, sought extension of time for further two weeks.
On due consideration of grounds and reasons stated, I have acceded to the
request for extension of two weeks more time with effect from 4 August, 2016.
As earlier observed by me, in view of seriousness of matter Shri Bhagwant
Mann, MP is further advised not to attend the sittings of the House until a decision
is taken in the matter.
SUBMISSIONS BY MEMBERS
(i)
Re:
Collapse of British-era Mumbai-Goa Highway Bridge.
THE MINISTER OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI RAJNATH SINGH)
responding to the issue raised by several hon. Member, said: The accident on the
bridge over the Savitri River in Raigarh district of Maharashtra is definitely painful
and unfortunate. Last night, at around 11.30 p.m. a bridge over the River Savitri in
the Raigarh district of Maharashtra near the Mahad town on the Mumbai-Goa
Highway got washed away due to the current of the river water. In this accident
two passenger buses and four other vehicles are feared to have been washed away
in the river.
The Government has taken a few effective steps.
As soon as
information of this accident was received, four teams of the NDRF comprising 115
members and 12 boats and divers trained in deep water diving have been deployed
for relief work. I, myself received information about this incident from the Chief
Minister of Maharashtra. Two helicopters of the armed forces have been deployed
for relief and rescue work. The officers of the State Government have reached at
the site and are coordinating adequate relief works after proper assessment of
situation. I would like to assure hon. Member that in this hour of crisis the Union
Government is extending every possible help in coordination with the State
Government.
(ii)
Re:
Reprinting of Literature on Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar on the
occasion of his 125th Birth Anniversary.
THE MINISTER OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS AND
MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS (SHRI ANANTHKUMAR)
responding to the issue raised by an hon. Member, said: There is no difference of
opinion that the complete literature of Dr. Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkarji must
be available to all the citizens of the country. As such, the Government of India
will definitely undertake this work. I would like to assure the hon. Member that
we will carry out this work and I also want to submit that I will convey it to the
concerned hon. Minister.
*
MATTERS UNDER RULE 377
(i)
SHRI HARISHCHANDRA ALIAS HARISH DWIVEDI laid a
statement regarding need to increase the honorarium of Aanganwadi
*
Laid on the Table as directed by the Chair
workers in the country particularly in Uttar Pradesh and also improve
their service conditions and facilities provided to them.
(ii)
SHRI RAVINDRA KUMAR PANDEY laid a statement regarding
need to ensure construction of overbridge at Bokaro Thermal,
Jharkhand as per specified norms and standards.
(iii)
SHRI ALOK SANJAR laid a statement regarding need to ensure
appointment of adequate number of doctors in AIIMS, Bhopal and also
provide adequate medical facilities to the patients at the Institute.
(iv)
SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK laid a statement regarding need to
establish a Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Singrauli district, Madhya Pradesh.
(v)
SHRI RAM PRASAD SARMAH laid a statement regarding alleged
violation of human rights of minority communities in Pakistan and
Tibet.
(vi)
SHRI RODMAL NAGAR laid a statement regarding need to expedite
the Ramganj Mandi - Bhopal Railway line project and also provide
funds for the purpose.
(vii)
YOGI ADITYANATH laid a statement regarding need to take suitable
measures to prevent annual floods occurring in district of eastern Uttar
Pradesh.
(viii)
SHRI OM BIRLA laid a statement regarding need to introduce regular
flight from Kota Airport, Rajasthan.
(ix)
SHRI B. SRIRAMULU laid a statement regarding need to restore old
wells and water tanks for conservation of water.
(x)
SHRIMATI MALA RAJYALAKSHMI SHAH laid a statement
regarding need to ensure the safety of Gangotri Dham Temple in
Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand.
(xi)
SHRI JANAK RAM laid a statement regarding need to ease the
procedure to bring back the dead bodies of Indian citizens who die
abroad.
(xii)
SHRI NISHIKANT DUBEY laid a statement regarding need to
establish a Sanskrit University in Deoghar, Jharkhand.
(xiii)
SHRI BISHNU PADA RAY laid a statement regarding need to
appoint super specialists in Andaman & Nicobar Islands Institute of
Medical Sciences.
(xiv)
SHRI MUKESH RAJPUT laid a statement regarding need to declare
Farrukhabad city in Uttar Pradesh as a tourist centre.
(xv)
SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA) laid a statement
regarding need to establish a Kendriya Vidyalaya in Kasganj district,
Uttar Pradesh.
(xvi)
SHRI S.P. MUDDAHANUME GOWDA laid a statement regarding
four-laning of National Highway No. 206 in Karnataka.
(xvii)
SHRI K. N. RAMACHANDRAN laid a statement regarding need to
provide stoppage of lane-distance trains at Tirusulam Railway Station
in Tamil Nadu.
(xviii)
DR. K. KAMARAJ laid a statement regarding need to provide
uninterrupted
telephone
services
in
Kallakurichi
parliamentary
constituency of Tamil Nadu.
(xix)
SHRI DASRATH TIRKEY laid a statement regarding need to
enhance allocation under Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, new Twenty
Point Programme, Skill Development Scheme and National Agriculture
Development Scheme in West Bengal.
(xx)
SHRIMATI PRATIMA MONDAL laid a statement regarding need to
provide railway services in Kultali block in Jaynagar parliamentary
constituency, West Bengal.
(xxi)
SHRI PRASANNA KUMAR PATASANI laid a statement regarding
need to recognize the Paika rebellion of Odisha.
(xxii)
DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE laid a statement regarding need
to take welfare measures for the welfare of construction workers.
(xxiii)
SHRI JAYADEV GALLA laid a statement regarding need to
complete the pending railway projects in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh.
(xxiv)
SHRI MD. BADARUDDOZA KHAN laid a statement regarding need
to establish a new Land Custom service in Murshidabad district of West
Bengal.
(xxv)
SHRI Y. V. SUBBA REDDY laid a statement regarding need to start
two Kendriya Vidyalayas in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh.
(xxvi)
SHRI RAM KUMAR SHARMA laid a statement regarding need to
promote labour-oriented indigenous technology to enhance employment
opportunities in the country.
(xxvii)
SHRI PREM DAS RAI laid a statement regarding bad condition of
National Highway No. 10.
DISCUSSION UNDER RULE 193
Re: Sustainable Development Goals
KUNWAR BHARATENDRA SINGH initiating said: The attention of the
developed countries was drawn towards basic developmental issues through the
sustainable development goals, which were enumerated by the United Nations
General Assembly in September, 2000. There are 17 goals. Nearly 17 Ministries
have to coordinate the work among themselves. This is a very ambitious plan
which has to be achieved by 2030. The Government has done a mapping of the
goals and selected the partners who are going to implement these goals. Then,
there have been indicators set up by the Government that can monitor how many
goals have been achieved and how many we have to still pursue further and what
further plans are.
Most of the implementation under our Constitution of
parliamentary democracy is done by the State Governments. There have already
been two meetings of the Chief Secretaries of the State Governments with other
Secretaries concerned. These 17 Ministries are working with a lot of excitement.
Many Ministries have asked the Department of Sustainable Development Goals to
include them as they realized that they also needed to be consulted. A huge
amount of population is living in cities today. Therefore, there are very poor
inhabitations within the city. We need to upgrade the slum settlements; we need to
have good public transport; and we need to have urban planning strictly
implemented, giving the inhabitants green spaces within the cities. The levels of
rainfall are becoming lower. The Prime Minister has said that every village should
try and keep its own water and not let it flow away in the monsoon. So, there is a
new impetus that the Government has given to excavate ponds, to have better
drainage systems and to have better urban planning. As the global warming takes
place, average temperatures around the world have risen by two degrees
centigrade. So, infrastructure needs to be more resilient in coastal areas so that
they do not get destroyed every time a cyclone hits them. Sustainable development
is the desire of every citizen. Every citizen wants to have clean drinking water and
electricity supplied to him. Unfortunately, in India, most of our electricity supply
is done by coal based electricity power plants. So, we have to concentrate on
renewable energy and efficient use of energy. The Central Government has come
up with a policy that we should be able to give LED bulbs for efficient utilization
of electricity and also to have newer transmission lines. A very ambitious plan has
been put into place in this regard. SDG is a common development vision of the
world for moving ahead. There are high expectations from our country. We were
the first to sign in September, 2000 under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji.
Keeping these goals in view, our hon. Prime Minister has launched the 'Ujjwala
Scheme' to provide free gas cylinders to the poor women of rural areas. There are
still so many villages in our country where electricity has not yet reached. Our
Prime Minister has assured that all such villages would be provided electricity.
There is a scheme to provide free electricity connection to each BPL family in
villages. The Swachchh Bharat Yojana has also been launched in this context.
Our Government has made several efforts to bring the North-Eastern states in
mainstream by undertaking development work there. Besides, 'Sabka Saath Sabka
Vikas' is the slogan given by our government and we are making constant efforts to
achieve this end.
SHRI M. VEERAPPA MOILY: In the year 2000, 189 nations made a
promise to free people from extreme poverty and multiple deprivations and this
pledge became the eight Millennium Development Goals to be achieved by 2015.
In September, 2010, the world recommitted itself to accelerate the progress
towards these goals.
The UNGA adopted a new set of 17 Sustainable
Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. It is for India to introspect if we have
achieved the MDGs as they are related to the improvement in people's life. We
have several conflicts and day by day these conflicts are increasing. We have
conflicts relating to gender inequality, discrimination against dalits, discrimination
against minorities like Muslims, Christians etc., problems of the North-East,
problems of the East. We have health problems, problems with regard to drugs,
and we have problems with insurance, life insurance and crop insurance.
I do agree that Women and Child is an important component of MDG and
DG programme. But they have been mentioned neither in the Budger nor in any
programme of the 17 Ministries which are meant to implement them. So there
should be a serious approach to this issue. I wanted to introduce CSR without any
conflict both in the corporate and also political scenario. Initially there was a
strong resistance but ultimately everyone has agreed.
Today it is being
implemented. We do not lack in statistics but it is not the soul of the SDG goals.
As far as India's GDP is concerned, in another 15 years, by 2030 revised formula
has to be implemented. By that time the average age of the working population in
our country will be 29 years, the youngest in the world. Hence we should derive
the demographic dividends to develop human
resources and physical
infrastructure. Now it is upto the Government whether it derives the demographic
dividend or faces demographic disaster. All these things are to be done through the
institutions of governance and hence time-tested institutions are required to be
created and nurtured. Moreover, fundaments our of economy are quite strong
which no other country has. This is why, we could recover from the global
economic crisis. Besides, the eradication of poverty in all its forms has become the
topmost goal in the SDG. Furthermore, food security, improved nutrition and
promote sustainable agriculture should also gets precedence over all other issues.
Ensure inclusive and equitable quality of education and promote lifelong learning
opportunities for all. The quality of education should also get preference. Even
with regard to higher education, all those down trodden people whom we call OBC
and Scheduled Castes, they are basically intelligent. Let us not think that DNA of
a Scheduled Caste family or an OBC family is less than anybody else. So, the
country can become prosperous and go in the third or fourth line provided the
entire country moves forward and nobody is left behind. Let us not discriminate
with people just because of poverty and the origin of the family. My request is that
Disha Programme of the Department of Rural Development should also be sent as
one of the items to be reviewed by each of the MP in their respective District
Committees. They should find out the deficit in achieving these goals. You
provide them adequate funds to meet with that challenges so that they do not lag
behind. You must come up with the funding and also the effective programme and
effective enforcement of these goals.
THE MINISTER OF RAILWAYS (SHRI SURESH PRABHU): What is
necessary is that all these goals have to be accepted at global level which we have
done. Now it has to become part of a national mainstream agenda which is what
we are doing. We also have to bring it down to the local communities where the
action has to happen. So, it is classical case of Think Global, Act Local.
SHRI R. GOPALAKRISHNAN:
Overall human development is the
ultimate goal of our Hon. Chief Minister. Even after 69 years of independence, we
have so many goals before our country like food, water, clothing and a shelter to
live.
Tamil Nadu Government has implemented the ambitious Rain Water
Harvesting Scheme in the state which all other states of the country need to follow,
so that depleting ground water table level could be restored.
I urge upon the
Union Government to extend financial assistance including cost for land
acquisition to interlink rivers in the state. I also urge upon the Union Government
to commence the ground for the speedy implementation of the interlinking of
rivers, especially, the peninsular component of the Mahanadi-Godavari-Krishna-
Pennar-Palar-Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar link and the Pamba-Achankovil-Vaippar
link. As far as eradication of poverty is concerned, all the states of the country
should try to emulate Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu ever remains a role model to all
other states of the country in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals in a time
bound manner.
DR. KAKOLI GHOSH DASTIDAR: We are today actually standing at
cross roads. The question here is - to be a developed nation, or not to be. When
we take up the task of development, a lot of sanctions and interjection are being
placed on us and we, as a developing nation, are facing this problem now. But I
would like to extend gratitude to the leaders of the 193 countries who got together
and took serious cognizance of this burning issue to strike a balance between
growth and development of individual nations and also to maintain nature,
environment and protect our planet. Even if we are trying to develop in different
fields, we have to take care of our planet, of our atmosphere, of our water bodies,
of our nature and the SDGs have taken this aspect into consideration. The first six
Goals of MDG which were for poverty alleviation has been repeated here also. In
order to achieve such goals, most important would be policy-making. So, Budget
allocation should be made towards meeting these 17 Goals and 169 targets. We
have to strike a balance. We have to go back to our natural resources. Out of the 17
Goals, the first one is poverty eradication. Poverty and degraded environment are
closed inter-related. Similarly, the right of the forest should be with the people who
live in the forests since ages. I would like to point out that these days baby food
and prepared foods are taking a serious toll on the health of the children. With
regard to India, breast feeding could reduce 1,56,000 child deaths each year. So,
many countries are opting and educating their mothers towards breast feeding. On
the other hand, industrially manufactured milk formula adds green house gases
emission at every step of production, transport and use. The second Sustainable
Development Goal is regarding the food that the developed nation throws away but
the under developed nation goes hungry. Everyday, the food wasted in the
developed nations is 4896 crore kilograms. And methane produced by it causes
global warming. There should be a slogan like ‘Grow more food, don’t throw
food’. Then the next SDG is basic education. In this regard, West Bengal Chief
Minister is giving them non-polluting vehicles in the form of cycles to peddle to
school. I think we should all accept and adopt these methods towards sustainable
development. As far as industry and production of electricity is concerned, we are
using fossil fuel. It is a polluting agent. So, we have to shift towards renewable and
clean energy. I would request the Government to train young students to maintain
the equipment of renewable energy and non-polluting equipment so that they
maintain these renewable energy equipment for use for a very long time. Out of
these different SDGs, agriculture is another very important sector because it
involves land use and water use. We should start practicing multicrop cultivation
and have a proper land use policy. Similarly, the significance of diversity in nature
must be realized, must be appreciated and taught in schools. There is a strong
relationship between health and the state of environment and employment. More
importantly, the mainstream education should include science and children should
be taught basic science so that they know about the future that if they do not
preserve this Earth, they have no more.
SHRI TATHAGATA SATPATHY: Corruption, in my mind, stems from
the very base, from the people itself. So, we need to change our strategies to
address issues. We have two years. Either we weave in and out of this national
character. We can only correct ourselves now to live in the present so that we
create a better future for our children tomorrow. The WTO is also involved in
SDGs as a whole. The WTO is involved in the implementation of SDGs. The
Millenium Development Goals upto 2015 have already supposedly been achieved,
to a great extent, that is what we are told. But there is a terrible dearth of teachers
in our schools. We do not see doctors in our hospitals. I request the Health Minister
to transfer some doctors. We have been spreading our resources very thinly over a
very large country with a massive population for which nothing is actually felt at
the ground level. I believe, there should be less of governance and more of
Government. I was thinking, is it possible that we concentrate in every State, take
10 districts. And in 10 districts in two years time, we can show a qualitative
change. If we could focus on certain areas, a huge percentage of our population
which is living under abject poverty. They could feel the change. In my opinion, it
is social, cultural and governmental corruption that is creating the inefficiency in
our society and in successive Governments. Government needs to create targeted
development policies so that Sustainable Development Goals does not become just
a nation wide slogan.
SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI): Some of APs
commendable achievements under MDGs are: 100 per cent child immunization
against measles, 100 per cent births attended by skilled personnel; access to
improved drinking water to almost three-fourth of the population; and increase in
forest cover. It aims to become one among the three most developed states in India
by 2022. How can we eradicate poverty in this country? I strongly feel that we
have to make the people self-sustainable instead of giving more and more
subsidies. Even people are also not bothered about corruption these days. This is a
dangerous signal for a democratic country like India. The third point is selfishness.
It should end somewhere. The Government should take some immediate measures
to reduce discrimination among various sections of the people. Then only the
society will progress. There is unrest among the people. We should have a value
based system in the society.
THE MINISTER OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
(SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI): Under the leadership of our Prime
Minister, India has been at the forefront of all dialogues around Sustainable
Development Goals and the Prime Minister has been one of the key contributors in
shaping this Agenda. One of the key objectives of the SDG Agenda is to achieve
food security. There is the target of ending hunger and ensuring access to safe,
nutritious and sufficient food for all including infants. The second target is to end
all forms of malnutrition. Restructuring ICDS has been one of the key focus areas
of the Government in the last two years. We are going to increase the cost norms
of the food per child as well as ensure that safe and nutritious food is given. We
aim to construct about four lakh new Anganwadi centres in the next 3-4 years.
This restructured ICDS is taking the shape of the National Nutrition Mission.
Through which we hope to eliminate hunger and malnutrition well before 2030.
India has become the first country in the world where inducing a child to
consuming tobacco in any form has become a serious pnishable offence. The
Ministry of Women and Child Development also contributes to the achievement of
fourth sustainable goal related to inclusive and equitable quality education for all.
Goal number five which refers to achievement of gender equality and empowering
all women and girls. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme has been formulated by
the hon. Prime Minister. Within one and half years, this initiative has led to major
improvement in child sex ratio in almost 60 per cent of the districts. We have also
mandated the mobile phone companies to get a panic button on all mobile phones
which will provide a safety net to women. Another important initiative taken by
the Ministry is to get 33 per cent reservation for women in police forces.
Government has come out with another innovative scheme of Special Mahila
Police Volunteers (MPVs). We have started a comprehensive programme for
capacity building women sarpanchs.
On the economic empowerment front, we
have the STEP scheme through which we support NGOs to provide skill training to
women. We have the Rahstriya Mahila Kosh which provides low interest funds to
women self-help groups. A number of other initiatives are in place which can be
directly linked to the targets under this sustainable goal. These include mandatory
mentioning of name of widow on the death certificate of her husband so that she
can claim all entitlements easily. Our Prime Minister has the vision which has
shaped these sustainable development goals. The Ministry of Women and Child
Development is all set to give shape to our part of the vision of the hon. Prime
Minister and to put in place mechanisms which will ensure that the sustainable
development goals and targets are achieved.
SHRI KONDA VISHWESHWAR REDDY: The key take away from the
UN Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 led to a document titled 'The
Future We want'. If you look at the various plans, programmes, projects, schemes
and yojanas of various Ministries in this Government and in the past Governments
it looks like no country, no Government takes care of its people as much as the
Indian Government takes care of the Indian people. We have programmes for
employment, for education and thereafter if they want to set up an industry or get a
job. At the end, even when they become old, there is a yojana for old age. I think,
the Sustainable Development Goals are highly interconnected. At times there are
two programmes and there is conflict with each other.
We have the toilet
programmes. We have two soak pits for toilets. We want to provide clean
drinking water to everyone. Now, if every village, every home has a toilet with
two soakpits, the e coli bacteria from the soakpits will go into the borewell
drinking water. We had to do it because it is easily achievable than to put a
drainage system. We have to give village some targets and goals and only if you
do this, we will provide additional funds for let us say, youth, sports building or a
community hall or additional road for the village. We have to be tough and we
should be less tolerant on ourselves when it comes to any targets relating to these
goals whether it is cleanliness or hygiene. We as a country are very proud of our
diversity but there are some regional disparities we need to ashamed of. States like
Kerala differ greatly 10 to 20 times difference from some of the backward States.
In Sikkim, the population is declining to an unsustainable level. The goals should
be reached to attain. The goals should not remain goals. Let us make them
achievements, and in the year 2030, let us hope we reach the future we want.
SHRI M.B. RAJESH: I am proud to say that I am coming from a State,
Kerala, which is far ahead in social and human development indicators. The
Sustainable Development Goals comprises of 17 goals and 169 targets. I believe
that Sustainable Development Goals can trigger a public discourse not only at the
international level but also in our country forcing the Government to think about
development from people's perspective.
This will bring some amount of
accountability also to the working of the Government Departments and Ministries.
According to a UNDP report, out of eight Millennium Development Goals and 12
targets, we were rated as slow on four; we were rated on track only on four; and in
another four, we were rated as moderate. So, this is our experience of achieving
the MDG targets. As far as implementing the Sustainable Development Goals is
concerned, one major challenge is financing. A new study has estimated that
implementing SDGs will cost around roughly Rs.90,000 crore.
The public
spending on social sector has been showing a declining trend all through these 25
years. According to the UN Report of the Millennium Development Goals - 2014,
one-thirds of the world's extreme poor population, live in India alone. There is no
shortcut to fulfill these Sustainable Development Goals but to enhance public
investment in social sectors in a massive manner. The sectors like health and
education are crucial for achieving these Sustainable Development Goals. Even
our National health policy, 2015 envisages spending of only 2.5 per cent of GDP
on health. We need to enhance our public investment in health and education.
So far as progress in the rate of reducing infant and maternal mortality is
concerned, we are lagging far behind in it.
Still we are not increasing our
investment and spending on public health. Despite the Kothari Commission's
recommendation of spending 6 per cent of GDP on education, which came in 1968,
we have not yet reached that mark. We are only at 4 per cent expenditure of GDP
on education. In order to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, we must invest
in our children, our youth and our future.
SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA: Today, we are discussing the SDGs. I
would like to congratulate hon. Prime Minister and hon. Speaker for this. When
MDGs were adopted in the year 2000, I had an opportunity to attend the UN
General Assembly. India is serious about SDGs. When the hon. Prime Minister
said in this House that the poor have the first right on all resources in the country,
it showed the commitment of our country towards SDGs. India had progressed in
achieving the MDGs too but we lagged in achieving certain MDGs. India is
serious about the 17 goals and 169 targets set now. One goal is about climate
change in SDGs. An office on climate change has been set up in Gurugram in
India. We are implementing schemes with the objective of inclusive growth. India
has achieved a growth rate of 7.5 per cent in the last two years, overtaking China.
Stand-Up and Start-Up Schemes have been launched for the benefits of dalit
entrepreneurs. Power production and coal production are in double digit for the
first time in 20 years.
Experts have rated India as one of the best locations for
setting up industries. Today, we stand 7th in world ranking. UNO has also
estimated our growth rate at 6.4 per cent. This Government has taken steps after
steps for the benefit of the minorities, dalits and the backward classes.
SHRI JAI PRAKASH NARAYAN YADAV: There are 17 goals and 169
targets set in the SDGs for the year 2030 adopted by the UN. Separate allocation
should be made for sustainable development. Knowledge leads the society. We
should have clear vision with regard to the schemes like Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan and
Mid-Day Meal. We have not been able to construct toilets in schools till now
under Swach Bharat Abhiyan. I demand that AIIMS and a power project be set up
in district Banka, Bihar. Report of the caste-based census should be published.
There was a demand for 5,000 hand pumps for providing drinking water at places
like Banka, Bhagalpur, Munger, Lakhisarai etc. Arrangements should be made in
the field of irrigation, environment, forests and to tackle flood and drought. River
inter-linking programme should be launched.
National Highways should be
constructed. National Livelihood Mission, Indira Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri
Gram Sadak Yojana, National Social Assistance Programme and Integrated Water
Management Programme etc. can pave the way for development. We should
ensure sustainable development and I demand from the Government that if we
want to take the country forward, we should take the backward states along other
states.
SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV: At the United Nations Sustainable
Development Summit held on 25th September 2015, the world leaders adopted the
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), with 169 targets to end poverty, fight inequality and
justice, and tackle climate change by 2030. In MDGs, adopted in 2000, aimed at
an array of issues that included slashing poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality
and access to water and sanitation. The SDGs are determined to protect the Planet
from degradation and call all people to urgent action on climate change. It urges
all communities for sustainable consumption and production so as to allow Earth to
fulfill the needs to both the present and future generations. Most importantly, it
talks of peace. Our Government in UP under the leadership of our hon. Chief
Minister Shri Akhilesh Yadav has for quite some time, now paid need to the
challenges of climate change, lack of education and health care and so on.
Unfortunately, extreme hunger and malnutrition remains a huge barrier to
development in many countries. Over 90 million children under the age of five are
dangerously underweight. And one more person in every four still goes hungry in
Africa. One of the most important points and goals of SDGs is quality education.
Ensuring universal access to safe and affordable drinking water by 2030 requires
that we must ensure adequate infrastructure, provide sanitation facilities and
encourage hygiene at every level. One of the important points is the affordable and
clean energy. Income inequality is on the rise. The rapid growth of cities in the
developing world, coupled with increasing rural to urban migration, has led to a
boom in mega-cities. The most important point for the SDGs is the peace, justice
and strong institutions. We are living in a world that is increasingly divided.
Some regions enjoy sustained levels of peace, security and prosperity while others
fall into seemingly endless cycles of conflict and violence. This is by no means
inevitable and must be addressed. One of the most important points and goals of
SDGs is quality education. Achieving inclusive and quality education for all
reaffirms the belief that education is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles
for sustainable development. One of the important points is the affordable and
clean energy. Ensuring universal access to affordable electricity by 2030 means
investing in clean energy sources such as solar, wind and thermal. It is welldocumented that income inequality is on the rise. These widening disparities are a
call for action that requires the adoption of sound policies to empower the bottom
percentile of income earners and promote economic inclusion of all regardless of
sex, race or ethnicity. Sustainable development cannot be achieved without
significantly transforming the way we build and manage our urban spaces.
Extreme poverty is often concentrated in urban. Making cities safe and sustainable
means ensuring access to safe and affordable housing and upgrading slum
settlements. There is no country in the world that is not seeing the first-hand drastic
effects of climate change. Addressing problem requires urgent collective action.
The most important point for the SDGs is the peace, justice and strong institutions.
We are living in a world that is increasingly divided. Some regions enjoy sustained
levels of peace, security and prosperity while others fall into seemingly endless
cycles of conflict and violence. This is by no means inevitable and must be
addressed.
THE
MINISER
OF
STATE
OF
THE
MINISTRY
ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI
OF
ANIL
MADHAV DAVE) : Sustainable Development Goals are the set of rules and
regulations formulated by the civilized part of the world to make the world a better
place for living. As far as Sustainable Goals are concerned, I would not like to
discuss all the Goals but I would certainly like to mention the Goal at serial no. 1
which is poverty alleviation. I feel if the poverty is alleviated then it will
automatically achieve all other objectives Goals. Ultimately, poverty should be
alleviated from the world and there should be no politics on this issue. The policy
makers of the world will have to seriously ponder over the fact as to how poverty
can be alleviated and what measures need to be taken for this purpose. The poverty
cannot be removed from the world unless we stop illicit financing. Until we
achieve this objective, poverty alleviation will merely remain as slogan. India is
committed to achieve SDGs however, what we actually want is that the bindings
should be universal in nature. The SDG at serial no. 12 make a mention about
Responsible Consumption and Production. Ultimately, the world has to accept
Indian lifestyle to meet this objective. We will have to understand that this
generation and society certainly have right or the natural resources but they have to
be equally concerned about the fact that the coming generations should also be able
to utilize those resources. The SDGs are extremely noble but it also reminds us of a
saying by hon. Deen Dayal ji that pious objectives cannot be achieved through
immoral means. Therefore, we will have to adopt moral means to achieve these
Goals.
DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE: As we all know, there are 17
Sustainable Development Goals in all which 193 countries have agreed upon. India
is also a signatory to these goals. Poverty eradication, zero hunger, good health and
well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, decent
work and economic growth are some of the goals that have been emphasized as
Sustainable Development Goals by the UN. Poverty eradication is one of the goals
of prime importance. Majority of our resources are directed towards this one goal.
There are many schemes from various Ministries. Lakhs of crores of rupees are
spend every year. However, it is unfortunate that even today we have not been able
to determine the official poverty line. Unless we identify the number of people
who exactly are qualified to be poor, how are we going to direct our responses to
help those very people come out of poverty? We would like to know the efforts
being taken by the Government to reduce the urban poverty. Nearly 33 per cent of
our population is living in urban areas. According to the estimates there are about
two crore construction workers at present. Every State collects one per cent cess on
cost of construction to be used for the welfare of construction workers. Till date, a
whopping Rs. 24,000 crore were collected by all States collectively but a miniscule
amount is actually spent for the purpose for which it was collected. We can use
these resources to improve the conditions of these workers who are mainly residing
in cities. This could go a long way to tackle the urban poverty. It becomes
imperative for the Government to invest heavily in the health sector. The same is
the case with education. We are investing very less in our education sector. We
cannot afford to ignore education sector. Kothari Commission had recommended
that India must invest six per cent of its GDP in education. I would also like to
congratulate the hon. Prime Minister on his emphasis on hygiene and cleanliness
through Swachh Bharat Mission. The only suggestion I want to make is that we
must adopt an integrated approach.
SHRIMATI BUTTA RENUKA: Sustainable Development is development
that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. These goals aim to address issues of
economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. These SDGs are
global in nature and universally applicable. The nature’s resources are being used
indiscriminately without having any concern for the future generations.
Sustainability requires that human activity only uses nature’s resources at a rate at
which they can be replenished naturally. I would request the Government to bring
out a Bill banning any mining in hills and mountains. We must leave them forever
to our future generations. The Government must come out with strict laws and
regulations in respect of management of the public resources that are used for
personal use. We have to focus more on renewable resources and lessen our
dependence on natural resources which cannot be replenished. We need to focus on
development which is less environmentally destructive. Poverty is the main
stumbling block of sustainable development. We need to eradicate poverty to
progress towards sustainable development.
The Discussion was not concluded.
ANOOP MISHRA
Secretary General
© 2016 BY LOK SABHA SECRETARIAT
NOTE: It is the verbatim Debates of the Lok Sabha and not the Synopsis that
should be considered authoritative.
English and Hindi versions of Synopsis of Debates are also available at
http://loksabha.nic.in.