RS: PM-Kisan registration, telecom sector revival raised  

Expediting enrolment of farmers for providing financial support under PM-Kisan scheme and strengthening telecom companies were some of the key issues raised by MPs in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Trinamool Congress leader Sukhendu Sekhar Roy urged the government to expedite registration of farmers under the PM-Kisan scheme under which Rs 6,000 is provided to farmers in a year in three equal installments.

Quoting various reports, Roy said that about 5 crore farmers are yet to be registered for the scheme. Further, not more than Rs 37,000 crore can be spent out of sanctioned fund of Rs 87,000 crore in the current fiscal.

"PM-Kisan scheme was announced to pay Rs 6,000 in three instalments to 12.5 crore small and marginal farmers. For this, Rs 75,000 crore was allocated in the interim budget this year which was subsequently increased to Rs 87,000 crore to cover all section of farmers. But only 8.11 crore farmers have reportedly been included so far against the targeted inclusion of 14.5 crore farmers in the scheme," the Rajya Sabha member said during Zero Hour.

Congress MP Vivek Tankha raised concern over poor financial health of the telecom companies saying the sector was once a sunshine sector but was now staring at a collapse.

Without naming any company, Tankha said that there will be only one player left in the country given that all other companies were grappling with massive debt. He urged the government to strengthen the public sector telecom companies BSNL and MTNL.

"Our telecom sector which was a sunshine sector is staring at a collapse. BSNL and MTNL which were the bulwark of the industry at one point of time, today stare at Rs 69,000 crore revival package and even in that package there is no provision for 5G, new technology into BSNL or MTNL or for other R&D," the Congress MP said.

He said that Vodafone-Idea and Airtel were burdened with a debt of nearly Rs 90,000 crore.

"There will be only one player left in the country. Monopoly is never good for any country," Tankha said.-IANS