New Delhi, Feb 7 (Bureau) Income inequality, issues related to mental health, challenges faced by diamond businesses were some of the issues raised by members in the Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour on Friday. RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha expressed concern over the increasing income inequality in the country and demanded immediate intervention of the government on this. Jha said under “matters raised with the permission of the Speaker” that the income of the middle class and lower class is continuously declining. It has increased after the Covid. He said that income inequality is also affecting social stability. Health services, education services and other basic services are also being affected in the country. The RJD MP said that centralisation of capital is also affecting politics. He said that to deal with this situation, the government should work towards equitable distribution of income as per the provisions of the Constitution.
Fauzia Khan of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) raised the issue of deteriorating public health situation in Maharashtra and demanded the intervention of the Central Government. Sanjay Kumar Jha of JD-U demanded to name Darbhanga Airport as Kavi Kokil Vidyapati Airport. He said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has written a letter to the Central Government in this regard. He also demanded expansion of Darbhanga airport. Syed Naseer Hussain of the Congress demanded strengthening of mental health institutions and opening of new mental health institutions in Karnataka. He said that a mental health institute should be opened in Bellary also. BJP’s Pradeep Kumar Verma demanded inclusion of Kurmali, Kortha, Mundari and Nagpuri languages in Jharkhand in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Govind Bhai Lalji Bhai Dholakia of BJP raised problems in diamond business. He said that the diamond industry directly provides livelihood to 10 lakh people and indirectly to 50 lakh people. At present these people are facing problems like unemployment, layoffs and salary cuts.