Rajya Sabha members on Wednesday sought immediate steps to ensure at least 30 per cent representation for women in the police force, flexible working hours for women and enhanced budgetary allocation for women and child welfare.
Participating in a debate on working of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Satish Chandra Misra (BSP) said concrete steps were also needed to extend a safe environment to 43 crore children in the age bracket of 0-18 years in the country and to ensure their compulsory education. Misra demanded steps to ensure that every household has a toilet as its absence makes them vulnerable to crime and cited the example of UP gang-rape case.
His remarks that sex ratio in the country has declined by 12 points drew concerns from members including the Deputy Chairman P J Kurien who too remarked that it is "very alarming and very serious."Congress member Mohsina Kidwai said the budget on social sector is coming down and asked the minister concerned to treat Women and Child Ministry as something which will shape up the country's future and not just as one ministry or department.
Prabhat Jha of the BJP, Derek O'Brien (AITC), Pavan Kumar Varma (JD-U), Sasikala Pushpa (AIADMK), SP's Jaya Bachchan, Kanimozhi (DMK), Mani Shankar Aiyar (Cong), and D Raja (CPI) were amongst the others who presented their viewpoints.