New Delhi: Lok Sabha member from Lakshadweep Faisal P P Mohammed on Tuesday highlighted the plight of students and patients from the archipelago due to the non-availability of adequate passenger ships.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Faisal claimed that at least five passenger ships, run by the Lakshadweep Development Corporation Ltd, were non-operational for want of repairs.
He claimed that the Lakshadweep Administrator had not given funds for the repair of the ships, causing hardships to patients and students who had to travel to the mainland for medical treatment and professional exams respectively.
Faisal expressed concern over the possibility of handing over shipping operations from Lakshadweep to the mainland to the Shipping Corporation of India.
Shiv Sena member Arvind Sawant demanded the renaming of Mumbai Central railway station after Nana Shankarshet, the pioneer of railways in the country.
Sawant said Nana Shankarshet was instrumental in the formation of the Great Indian Peninsular Railway in 1845 which eventually started the first railway in the country on April 16, 1853.
NCP member Supriya Sule demanded that the government assist people provided with cochlear implants in case of wear and tear.
She appreciated the government initiative to help persons with special needs through the assistance to disabled persons for purchase, fitting of aids and appliances, which include cochlear implants and hearing aids.
Cochlear implant is a very expensive machine. But after the cochlear implant, there is a lot of wear and tear and the cost of repairing regularly is Rs 85,000, Sule said.
She urged the government to provide one cochlear implant along with support to children until the age of 18/21 to account for the wear and tear of the device.
DMK member DNV Senthilkumar demanded that the government reduce the prices of petrol and diesel, and increase the margins for retail outlet dealers.
Shiv Sena member Pratap Jadhav said farmers of Maharashtra were getting a better price for their soybean crop this year and decried the demand by poultry farm owners for importing the farm commodity.
Jadhav wanted the government to put on hold any plans to import soybean till the crops of domestic farmers are procured.
BJP member C P Joshi demanded that the government issue a postal stamp on Lord Parshuram.
BJP member Rajiv Pratap Rudy highlighted the backward status of Bihar and wanted the government to spell out policies to increase investments in sectors ranging from education, sports and infrastructure.
