Normalcy returns to RS, Question Hour, Zero Hour conducted smoothly

New Delhi, Aug 6 : After repeated adjournments last week over the Assam NRC issue, normalcy returned to the Rajya Sabha on Monday with the smooth conduct of the Zero Hour and Question Hour.

Soon after the House met, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu sought the members' cooperation, saying only four working days were left and businesses including some bills were pending.

He said the House will extend the duration of business hours.

The Samajwadi Party's (SP) Javed Ali Khan raised the issue of vacant seats in minority education institutions, urging the government to do away with discrimination against them.

"There is neither a chairman nor members in the National Commission for Minority Education Institutions. In the last four years, the commission has been retired. More than 7,000 requests are pending," he said, alleging that the Centre gives slogans like "sabka saath, sabka Vikas" (development for all) but doesn't care for the minorities.

Naidu said the government should take note of it.

Trinamool Congress's (TMC) Manish Gupta raised the issue of shortage of anti-rabies vaccines and urged the government to improve its supply.

Ashok Vajpayee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) expressed concern over the country's rising population and urged the Centre to find a method to control it.

"If you don't control the population, development would have no meaning," he said.

BJP's Vijay Pal Singh Tomar and many other members of the treasury and opposition benches also shared their concern on the issue.

SP's Ravi Prakash Verma spoke of the discrepancies in the distribution of Mudra scheme and sought to form a special committee for its effective monitoring.