A view of the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon session of Parliament.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: A Bihar BJP MP is all set to seek setting up of hi-tech cities called ‘NaMo Nagar’ in all states while three Opposition MPs will raise the pitch for scrapping NEET and Rs one crore compensation to families of the victims of entrance test, Caste Census and a ‘White Paper on Unemployment’ when their private members resolutions are taken up in Rajya Sabha this week.
Four such resolutions are listed for discussion on Friday with Bhim Singh from Bihar lamenting on the “deplorable” conditions of cities like Delhi and Mumbai.
He gives a thumbs up to Chandigarh for its well-planned urban design and efficient public transport system that has helped in reducing congestion and improving quality of life and says that there is a need for such cities where urbanisation can lead to economic growth and better infrastructure.
Against this backdrop, Singh proposes to move the resolution urging the Narendra Modi government to build a “new, modern and hi-tech city named ‘NaMo Nagar’ in each state of the country”. Incidentally, admirers sometimes refer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘NaMo’, especially on social media.
If the BJP MP is pitching for a hi-tech city, the Opposition I.N.D.I.A. MPs are using the platform to raise the decibel levels on issues on which they want to corner the government.
DMK MP Mohd Abdullah will demand legislation to move education from concurrent list to state list, scrapping NEET and National Testing Agency and providing a compensation of Rs one crore to families of victims of the NEET exam.
In his resolution, senior RJD MP Manoj K Jha will voice the demand for a Caste Census, which can “help identify the disadvantaged groups and bring them to the forefront of policy making as by understanding the distribution of different caste groups, targeted policies can be implemented to address social inequality and uplift marginalised communities”.
“...without accurate data on the population of OBCs and other groups, it is also difficult to ensure equitable distribution of resources,” the resolution says.
CPI(M) MP AA Rahim will be demanding a White Paper on unemployment as soon as possible.
Citing 9.79 lakh vacancies in the central government and 1.18 lakh in the military, he will also demand that all vacancies in the public sector should be filled immediately and new posts should be created.
“Public disinvestment policies should be stopped immediately and necessary steps should be taken to get more employment opportunities for the youth,” Rahim’s resolution says.