SP member raises issue of child abuse after lockdown in Rajya Sabha

"I seek that the chairman gives directions to the government to fill up these vacancies," he said. Amee Yagnik (Congress) demanded upgradation of technology infrastructure to ensure access to justice delivery to the poor and economically disadvantaged people in rural areas.

A Samajwadi Party member in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday raised concern about the rising cases of child abuse after the coronavirus-induced lockdown. Ravi Prakash Verma alleged that India is being considered unsafe for children as cases of child abuse are rising in the country.

"As many as 92,000 cases of child abuse have been reported by the National Children's Commission during the first two lockdowns. This is unprecedented and painful, and a cause for worry," he said. Verma said children who are abused remain traumatised in their life for a long time.

"It is important that India identify such traumatised children and they should be treated. It is important that in the next 10 years there should be child focussed planning and local bodies be made accountable to make children safe," he said. A number of members associated themselves with the cause.

Ashok Bajpai (BJP) raised the issue of demand for steps against national and multinational companies for providing subsidised hybrid seeds to farmers. While K Vanlalvena (MNF) demanded help for the victims of earthquake in Mizoram, Kumar Ketkar (Congress) raised the demand for rescuing Indian fishermen arrested by Pakistan.

He said already 270 Indian fishermen are in Pakistan's custody in jails and over 1,200 fishing boats have been captured and confiscated by Pakistan so far. K Somaprasad (CPI-M) Kerala government's request for establishing an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the state. He said the request holds significant importance in the time of COVID-19 pandemic. He said sixteen AIIMS are working and another eight are under development in the country. "I request the central government, considering the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation, an AIIMS be sanctioned in Kerala immediately," he said. Tiruchi Siva (DMK) raised a demand for revamping an expert panel constituted to study Indian culture to reflect inclusivity and said there should be representation of Tamil experts and other south Indian languages and those from the northeast on the panel.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said it is a good suggestion and it has to be kept in mind and passed on to the Minister of Culture. V Vijaysai Reddy (YSRCP) raised the demand for establishing a new bench of Central Administrative Tribunal in Visakhapatnam as there are a number of employees of central PSUs who have to travel to Hyderabad for seeking justice. Mallikarjun Kharge (Cong) raised the demand for filling up of vacancies in government departments and ministries.

Kharge said there are around 20 lakh vacancies in government departments and they should be filled up on an emergency basis. "I seek that the chairman gives directions to the government to fill up these vacancies," he said.

Amee Yagnik (Congress) demanded upgradation of technology infrastructure to ensure access to justice delivery to the poor and economically disadvantaged people in rural areas. "The imperative need of the hour is to ensure that the video conferencing infrastructure is upgraded, fine tuned and enhanced substantially, so that each and every court begins working in full strength and capacity and all matters be heard.

"Courts in rural areas lack basic Internet access and broadband infrastructure. I urge the government to step in to bring in newer technologies and upgrade infrastructure to ensure that the poor and the economically disadvantaged have access to justice delivery," she said. A Vijaykumar (AIADMK) demanded resumption of transmission of Tamil services of external services division of All India Radio, New Delhi.

Bhaskar Rao Nekkanti (BJD) raised the demand for inclusion of nine communities of Odisha in the Scheduled Tribe list. K C Venugopal (Congress) urged the central government to include state-specific crops within the ambit of Minimum Support Price and declare MSP of the crops.

He said state-specific crops like cluster bean, moth, cowpea, cumin, coriander, garlic, castor, aloevera and mehandi should be included within the ambit of the MSP as Rajasthan is a leading state in the production of these crops. KC Ramamurthy (BJP) raised the demand for extending the insurance coverage period under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojna for COVID-19 frontline warriors. M Shanmugam (DMK) demanded EPF pension for retired employees of Neyveli Lignite Corporation of India.

Phulo Devi Netam (Cong) raised the demand for constructing a four-lane road from Dhamtari to Bastar division headquarters in Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh. Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba raised the demand for conferring classical language status to Manipuri.

K Ravindra Kumar (TDP) said the new government scrapped the Amaravati Capital City project in Andhra Pradesh and came up with the idea of establishing three capitals for Legislature, Executive and Judiciary at Amaravati, Vishakhapatnam and Kurnool respectively. "It is unimaginable to have three capitals for a state having only 13 districts. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, which are considered big states population-wise and extent-wise, have only one capital. If this trend is allowed, it will lead to opening of a pandora's box. "I, therefore, urge the central government to take necessary steps to restrain the state government from taking steps in contravention to a central act," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)