Congress MP seeks annual social justice report in Parliament

Rajya Sabha Congress MP Mukul Balkrishna Wasnik on Tuesday asked the Government to come out with an annual report on social justice and table it in Parliament on the lines of the economic survey.

The Government tables economic survey in Parliament prior to the Union Budget. Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the House, Wasnik said India should institutionalise an annual report on the state of social justice and table it in Parliament just like the economic survey.

“This report should serve as a data-driven strategic guide to uphold the constitutional values of equality and inclusivity, and should be available for discussion in and outside Parliament,” he said. The Congress MP said the report on social justice must systematically evaluate existing legal and policy frameworks to ensure they meet constitutional mandates.

It should focus on security to examine the implementation of various schemes and laws that exist for the protection of the life and dignity of persons from the disadvantaged sections.

“The growing number of atrocities against SCs, STs, women, and the rise in cases of lynching should be at the very core of this report. How long should we be witnessing people getting into the manholes and cleaning the gutters in inhuman conditions and remain spectators of some of them dying in the process? We need to address this as a national priority,” he said.

It should also analyse budgetary allocations and ground level impact of affirmative action, and schemes for the empowerment of disadvantaged sections. Wasnik said the report should also focus on socioeconomic gaps, examining disparities in education, employment, median income, and poverty levels across different social segments.

“Why is it that we still have a huge backlog in the employment of reserved category persons and what needs to be done? Why is it that there still exists, a huge gap in educational levels of children coming from disadvantaged categories?” he said.

In his Zero Hour mention, KRN Rajesh Kumar of DMK demanded tax exemption and enhanced support to the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard).

Nabard, he said, is the backbone of India’s rural economy.

It plays an important role in agriculture, credit, rural infrastructure, development and helping maintain incomes across the nation, he said.

However, the financial framework under which Nabard operates, severely restricts its ability to fulfil its mandate, the DMK MP said.

Kumar said the imposition of income tax on Nabard affects its operations and drains resources. “I ask the Government to remove the income tax imposed on Nabard.”

He also said Nabard needs higher budgetary support and greater autonomy, besides more investment in technology and human resource to fulfil its mission effectively.