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In conclusion, I would like to say a word in regard to employment, with which I have been dealing so far. According to the figures supplied, the number of displaced persons from Bangladesh employed through employment exchanges is only 37,000. This is very meagre, compared with their total number which comes to 32 lakhs, according to the official figures. This is with regard to Bangladesh refugees. The number of displaced persons from Pakistan employed through employment exchanges, is not very encouraging, but still, it is 75,000. I would urge upon the hon. Minister to take this into consideration and see that something is done to find employment for these people. Of course, there is some expenditure incurred on general education and vocational training, but when we look at the number of persons who have been given vocational training, we find that the number already trained and under training is only 17,000. This figure also seems to be very small, considering the magnitude of the problem before us. Some programmes of general improvement have been undertaken by the Government of West Bengal by way of setting up new industries etc. These programmes should be looked into, and put into operation, with a view to giving more employment to these displaced persons. Within the limited time at my disposal, I shall limit my remarks to refugees from Bangladesh. The first thing which strikes one, as one looks at the various brochures and publications that have been given to us, is the amount of contradiction one has to battle against. The first contradiction is in regard to the number of persons Government think they have rehabilitated in West Bengal. Granting that it is difficult to make a final assessment of the number of refugees who have come from Bangladesh, it is still true to say that at least there should be some sort of parity between what the Union Ministry says and what the West Bengal Rehabilitation Ministry says. Only a few days ago, the West Bengal Minister of Rehabilitation said that there are 22 lakhs of refugees who have to be rehabilitated, but the Central Government’s figures are 31 lakhs. Unless the Government know the number of people they have to budget for, it is rather bewildering to know how they mean to plan in bringing about their rehabilitation. As a matter of fact, many other sources believe that the figure is far higher, but in any case, there should be some parity and some idea as to the extent of the rehabilitation problem which still remains before the people of West Bengal. The other contradiction is this. On the one hand, Shrimati Renuka Ray says that in the near future they will be making a successful completion of the work of economic rehabilitation of refugees in that State, but only last year Shri A. P. Jain said that as yet the problem of the displaced persons from Bangladesh was a matter which was giving some concern. I really do not understand why in spite of Shri A. P. Jain recognising that the problem is still quite serious, Shrimati Renuka Ray should have made such a statement. Yet, when we heard the hon. Finance Minister, we find that there has been a big shortfall in rehabilitation budget. I think that if the Fact Finding Committee’s Report had been published, the assessment that we have rehabilitated about fifty per cent of the people of Bangladesh who came over as displaced persons would have become quite clear in regard to its incorrectness. As a matter of fact, when we went round the camps and colonies in West Bengal, we found that as yet, not more than fifteen per cent of the people have been rehabilitated in the sense that they are able to eke out their subsistence on the poorest levels. It is not more than fifteen per cent and I think the figures of the Fact Finding Committee are still lower I think this is something that we have to take very seriously and put our minds to, and apply all the resources that we have to find out how we will be able to tackle this problem of rehabilitation. Now, coming to the question of relief, I feel that until we are able to give really proper rehabilitation, we cannot withdraw relief. It is no use arguing whether relief leads to lethargy and moral slackness. Unless our rehabilitation policies are fruitful, have we any right to starve the people to death? As a matter of fact, Shri A. P. Jain may know that in West Bengal, the incidence of tuberculosis amongst the refugee population is very high. Only a small percentage of them is catered for by the medical relief given by the Directorate of Rehabilitation. If I am to tell you the tragic fate of the refugees in West Bengal, I would refer you to a report which appeared in February, 2004.
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