NEW DELHI: A demand for holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state assemblies and municipal bodies to avoid draining of national resources was made in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Raising the issue through a zero-hour mention, D P Vats (BJP) said the country "is in permanent election mode" with some or the other elections happening in parts of the country. This, he said, was a burden on the resources - both manpower and material.
He suggested extending tenures of the state assemblies or using other means to help hold simultaneous general elections as well as those to elect governments in the states. A consensus has to be built so that parliament, assembly and municipal elections can be held together, he said.
Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) sought a revision in minimum wages and indexing it to inflation to help worker salaries keep pace with prices.
Chhaya Verma (Cong) demanded simplification of procedure and application under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana.
Under PMMVY, a cash incentive of Rs 5,000 is provided to pregnant women and lactating mothers for their first living child.
However, applying for it is difficult with 40 columns, and the second child losses benefit even if the first child has undergone an abortion, she said. She demanded simplification of procedure and allowing the benefit to the second child in cases where the first one has been aborted after getting the first installment of Rs 1,000 under the scheme.
Mallikarjun Kharge (Cong) wanted ESIC hospital in Gulbarga converted into AIIMS while Santanu Sen (TMC) sought a comprehensive programme to support the elderly.
Luizinho Faleiro (TMC) alleged that The Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, was "draconian and an assault on federal structure", and said it has led to Goa being converted to a coal state after a large quantity of dry fuel was imported at the state ports.
Ajit Kumar Bhuyan (Independent) raised the issue of toll collection being given priority over the construction of highways in Assam, Binoy Visham (CPI) wanted gig workers to be considered part of the workforce so as to extend benefits available to employees.