NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Thursday witnessed a different kind of demand by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth during zero hour. Seth demanded housing facility for the country’s sportspersons.
“I urge the government to introduce a separate scheme for providing affordable housing to sportspersons, especially those from rural areas,” he said.
Seth highlighted the housing challenges faced by rural athletes who relocate to cities for training. “I think while all facilities are being made available for our sportspersons, a major inconvenience they face is housing,” he said.
He also appealed for a dedicated housing scheme on the lines of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna giving some weightage to sportspersons.
Seth also wished success for the 117 Indian athletes who will participate in the Paris Olympics. While welcoming the NDA government’s sincere efforts since 2014 to boost sports infrastructure and training facilities, he said the allocation of over Rs 3,400 crore in this year’s budget for sports showed the government’s genuine concern for them.
He said infrastructure like constructing stadiums and sports complexes in every district would be an added boost to the performance of sportspersons.
In another demand during the Zero Hour, RJD MP AD Sinha demanding hiking MSP for the farmers cultivating makhana (fox nut) in Bihar.
Sinha said Bihar accounts for about 90% of India’s total makhana production and produced nearly 10,000 tonnes of it annually. “Despite the demand of makhana going up, farmers are not getting fair prices. Makhana is sold at `8,000 per kg in the international market, but farmers get only `400 per kg due to lack of support,” he said.