BJP MPs raise power, banking issues in Rajya Sabha

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday saw BJP MPs raise issues ranging from power infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh to banking services in Bihar during Zero Hour, while a Congress MP sought an increase in deposit insurance cover from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.

Raising the issue of rising power demand in Uttar Pradesh, BJP’s Tejveer Singh said initiatives like smart city, data Centre parks and electric mobility have led to record power consumption in the State, creating a burden on meeting energy needs during peak demand hours in many districts.

He called for strengthening the transmission network and energy supply, giving priority to the expansion of the green grid in the State through solar parks and rooftop solar installations.

BJP’s Dharmshila Gupta sought further strengthening of banking services in Bihar, saying that despite positive changes through schemes like Jan Dhan, Mudra, Kisan Credit Card and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), credit flow remains below expectations.

BJP member Shambhu Sharan Patel demanded restoration of halts for trains, including Muzaffarpur-Bhagalpur Express (13420), Banka Intercity Express (13242) and Rourkela-Barbil Intercity Express (18403), besides the upgrade of Mankatha Railway Station in Lakhisarai district.

Another BJP member, Dinesh Sharma, raised the issue of roads and public places still bearing Mughal and British-era names, citing examples like Akbar Road, Lodhi Road and Minto Bridge in Delhi.

Congress MP Neeraj Dangi called for increasing the deposit insurance limit from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh, noting that with more banks becoming defunct, there is a need for enhanced protection for depositors under the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation.

The insurance limit was last raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh in February 2022 following the Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative Bank crisis, he said.

AIADMK member IS Inbadurai flagged the impact of cyclone Ditwah on Tamil Nadu’s farmers during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, urging the Centre to immediately dispatch an assessment team as thousands of acres of cropland remains submerged.

BJP member Medha Vishram Kulkarni demanded the withdrawal of “halal certification” to non-meat products, saying it is against the Constitution, which gives the right to all to practise one’s own faith.