Key Issues Raised in Parliament by MPs
Amidst the usual focus on political issues in Parliament sessions, several important topics concerning citizen welfare have been raised by Members of Parliament, though they often receive less media coverage. Below are seven critical issues highlighted by MPs across various political parties.
1. Road Accidents on Highways
- Statistics: In the last five years, approximately 8 lakh people have died in highway accidents in India.
- Issue: Road accidents are a major cause of unnatural and untimely deaths, and the government has failed to reduce these incidents by 50% as targeted.
2. Rehabilitation for Acid Attack Victims
- Statistics: Over the last 11 years, 200 women have been acid attack survivors, with one-third being girls below 18.
- Challenges: Survivors face lengthy justice processes, with cases lasting up to 20 years. Compensation is limited to 5 lakh rupees despite the Supreme Court's ruling for free medical treatment.
3. Blood Transfusion for Thalassemia Patients
- Statistics: India needs 14.6 million units of blood annually but falls short by 7 million units.
- Issue: Thalassemia patients face disruptions in transfusion cycles due to blood shortages, and life-saving drugs are also in short supply.
4. Safety of School Transport
- Statistics: Half of school transport vehicles lack basic safety features like seat belts and speed governors.
- Concerns: There is no comprehensive policy on school transport safety, and many vehicles lack essential safety equipment.
5. Drug Addiction Amongst Children
- Statistics: As of 2022, 1.5 crore children aged 10-17 were addicted to various substances.
- Issue: Children access easily available substances like pain relief balms, fevicol, and multiple types of cough syrup, posing a challenge for legal remedies.
6. Low-cost Gene Therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
- Statistics: SMA affects between 8,000 to 25,000 Indians annually.
- Challenge: Treatment costs for infants can reach up to 17 crore rupees, emphasizing the need to enforce the National Policy for Rare Diseases (2021) to facilitate local drug manufacture.
7. Crisis of Plastic Pollution
- Statistics: India generates 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with only half collected and 50% of that recycled.
- Impact: The remaining plastic ends up in landfills, rivers, oceans, and contributes to air pollution. Effective recycling could save India Rs 50,000 crore annually.