Govt-Opposition spat over nominated member Rakesh Sinha's speech in RS

Reacting to a point of order raised by RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha, Union Minister and Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said: "It is a very very unfortunate incident that certain members of Parliament are resorting to the rule book with absolutely unconnected issues which are not connected with the debate at all."

New Delhi: A war of words broke out between the Opposition and the ruling BJP on Friday over nominated member Rakesh Sinha's speech on a private member resolution moved by BJP MP Biplab Kumar Deb from Tripura which seeks setting up an Agarwood Board of India under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Supporting the resolution nominated member Rakesh Sinha said that Deb could have submitted a memorandum to the concerned ministry and it should have been easily implemented. He also said that the government should identify the climatic zones across the country where agarwood can be grown and demanded a strong policy to promote agarwood and grants for the same.

During Sinha's speech, some points of order were raised by Opposition MPs regarding the time allotted to a member for speaking on a private member business. Reacting to a point of order raised by RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha, Union Minister and Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said: "It is a very very unfortunate incident that certain members of Parliament are resorting to the rule book with absolutely unconnected issues which are not connected with the debate at all."

The Union Minister also asked why the Opposition MPs did not remember this rule when the Opposition parties disrupted the House. Goyal further alleged that the Opposition MPs are not allowing discussion on important tribal issues. Later Goyal again intervened more urging the Chair to let Sinha conclude his speech.

However, the resolution was supported by MPs cutting across party lines. Deb demanded the government to smoothen the procedure for the export of products made from agarwood such as oil, dry roots, and chips which he thinks can do business of around Rs 5,000 crore.

He drew the attention of the House toward illegal trade (export or import) of agarwood products. Dev suggested that the government should formalise its trade which will also help it garner tax revenue.

The resolution urged the government to empower the board to identify the issues, simplify the processes, and encourage different central and state ministries to work in collaboration for the overall development of the agarwood sector.

It also demanded the government to ensure support for the promotion of the sector, prescribe policies that make it easier for growers to grow and harvest agarwood, and incentivize its industrial user. It also asked the government to promote scientific efforts for increasing agarwood production and improving its quality in line with the conditions laid down by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Export-Import Policy of India.

The resolution also suggested adequate welfare measures for agarwood cultivators, self-help groups, and workers of MSME units engaged in the production of agarwood-based products. It also urged the government to provide incentives to young entrepreneurs to undertake new ways of harnessing agarwood and products made with it for making India an export powerhouse.

Deb, a former Chief Minister of Tripura, told the House that the cost of pure agarwood oil extracted using natural processes can go as high as Rs 75 lakh per liter. He also stated that the oil extracted through injecting artificial methods is priced between Rs 20 lakh to Rs 30 lakh per liter.