Parliament Watch: Migrant worker crisis, fake news, stubble burning and more

Here is an overview of some important Parliamentary Questions which were raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament.

. Migrant labour crisis

. On the COVID-19 migrant crisis, the Minister of State (IC) Labour and Employment was asked whether the government is contemplating a comprehensive national policy for migrant workers. A state-wise list disclosing the number of migrants who returned home was also sought.

. In response, Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar replied,

“ NITI Aayog has constituted a sub-group to prepare a National Action Plan for Migrant Workers. The sub-group comprises the members from various Ministries of Govt. of India, subject experts, NGOs and civil society organisations, to prepare a tangible action plan to address issues related to migrant workers .”

. Further, the House was informed that with a view to boosting employment and livelihood opportunities for migrant works returning to villages in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Centre launched the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan in June 2020.

"The Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan involves intensified and focused implementation of 25 target driven works to provide employment and create infrastructure in the rural areas of 116 districts of 6 States with a resource envelope of Rs.50,000 crore . With the total expenditure of Rs. 39,293 crore (approx.) the Abhiyan has already generated 50,78,68,671 man-days employment."

. The House was also informed that a total of 1,14,30,968 migrant labourers reached their home states during the lockdown period. Most of the migrants have returned to their workplaces now, it was clarified.

.[Breaking] “Crisis of Migrant Labourers continuing till today”, Supreme Court takes suo motu cognizance. Bankruptcy and National Company Law Tribunal

. A query was raised before the Minister of Corporate Affairs by MP Benny Behanan on the number of companies that have filed for bankruptcy before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) during the past year.

. In response, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that as per NCLT data, 2,278 cases have been filed under the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code, 2016 between April 2020 and December 2020. Out of these 2,278 cases, 176 cases have been disposed of by the NCLT.

. Child labour and rehabilitation

. The following questions on child labour and rescue operations were pressed before the Minister of Labour and Employment by Pradyut Bordoloi :

The number of FIRs filed under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 during the year 2020?

The number of children and adolescent labourers rescued during COVID-19, State-wise?

The number of children and adolescent labourers rehabilitated since 2017, State and Year-wise?

. The House was informed that many children have been rescued/withdrawn from work, rehabilitated and mainstreamed under the National Child Labour Project (NCLP) Scheme since 2017. In 2019-2020, a total of 54,894 children were rescued, with Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal recording the highest number of child rescues.

. The government also informed that the “ details regarding FIRs filed under the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 are not maintained centrally , and a State-wise compilation was attached. Uttar Pradesh had the fewest cases of child labour, with only a single FIR being lodged. Gujarat had the most, with 56 cases.

. Fake news and misinformation

. On the issue of misinformation and unverified news, a question was posed by Kerala MP Thomas Chazhikadan to Minister of Information and Broadcast, Prakash Javadeka r. The MP inquired whether the government is taking any steps to tackle fake news and “ whether it has come to the notice of the Government that fake news caused misinformation and damage to the individuals as well as the country in the backdrop of COVID-19?"

. It was informed by the government, that a dedicated COVID Fact Check Unit was set up by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in April 2020 to provide correct and updated information.

Furthermore, referring to the Supreme Court’s decision in Alakh Alok Srivastava v. Union of India , it was stated that the Press Council of India (PCI) had issued an advisory dated April 1, 2020 for media to responsibly ensure dissemination of verified news on the COVID-19 outbreak in terms of the order.

. Compensation for health workers and frontline workers

. The Ministry of Health and Family was asked for data regarding the death of doctors/health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was inquired “ whether the Government proposes to grant any monetary and other benefits to the health workers and about the number of Doctors, Nurses and other health care workers died due to this Pandemic across the country so far, State/UT-wis e.”

. The government stated that it doesn’t maintain any data on the numbers of health workers engaged in various government hospitals for COVID-19 duty, because “health is a State subject”.

. An incentive of Rs. 1000 per month is being paid to Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in view of their significant contribution towards COVID-19 pandemic related work.

. Based on information received from states under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Package: Insurance Scheme for Health Workers, a total of 199 health workers had died during the pandemic. In Maharashtra, 11 nurses, 21 doctors and 55 other workers had died due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

. Pollution due to stubble burning

. On the issue of stubble burning and pollution caused by it, a question was posed by Karnataka MP PC Gaddigoudar whether the government is taking any ‘efficient’ steps to curb the same.

. It was informed by the government that the following actions/steps have been taken in accordance to curb the Air pollution:

A Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas’ has been constituted through promulgation of an ordinance to replace multiple Committees and to streamline public participation, inter-State cooperation, expert involvement, research and innovation so as to mitigate air pollution in National Capital Region (NCR) and Adjoining Areas.

Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) and Graded Response Action Plan identifying time-lines and implementing agency for actions identified for prevention, control and mitigation of air pollution in Delhi and NCR has been notified.

All operational brick kilns have been shifted to zig-zag technology in Delhi and NCR. Installation of on-line continuous (24x7) monitoring devices for all red category industries in Delhi and NCR.

A new Central Sector Scheme on ‘Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for in-situ management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi’ has been launched.

Banning of burning of biomass

Advisory has been issued to the Implementing agencies and State Boards in Delhi NCR regarding use of mechanised rod sweeping and dust suppressant.

. It is claimed that the above actions have had a positive impact on the Air Quality Index in Delhi NCR.

."All of you should stop using your beautiful cars, use bicycles instead", Supreme Court remarks during hearing on stubble burning. Retrospective Taxation

. A question was raised by MP Asaduddin Owaisi seeking details of the Permanent Court of Arbitration rulings in favour of Cairn Energy and Vodafone on the issue of retrospective taxation by the Indian government.

. Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs Anurag Thakur replied,

” Yes, Sir. The above mentioned award in the Cairn group came after the arbitral award dated 25.9.2020 in the case of Vodafone International Holdings BV vs Republic of India under the Agreement between the Republic of India and the Kingdom of The Netherlands for the Promotion and Protection of Investments .”

. Further, it was also informed that an application has been filed in the “ High Court of Singapore to set aside the award dated 25.09.2020 in the case of Vodafone International Holdings BV. In the case of Cairn group the matter is under consideration of the government .”

.PCA Tribunal directs Indian government to pay Cairn $1.23 billion in 2006 tax dispute

Parliament Watch: Migrant worker crisis, fake news, stubble burning and more

Areeb Uddin Ahmed

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