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Som Pal's remark on Central teams stings Rajya Sabha

Agriculture Minister Som Pal created a flutter in the Rajya Sabha today when he said Central teams visit natural calamity hit states only when invited.

Som Pal's remark drew a sharp rejoinder from Opposition members who pointed to Central teams visiting West Bengal and Tamil Nadu uninvited. Chairman Krishan Kant finally stood up and promised a full half-hour discussion on the subject.

RS members Ram Gopal Yadav and Ish Dutt Yadav wanted to know what steps were being taken by the government to help those affected by recent natural calamities that caused heavy loss of life and property.

Pal said disaster management was an ongoing process and he could not give any statistics.

When a member from Orissa said 4,000 lives had been lost in the recent heat wave in the state and demanded to know why no Central minister had visited the state, Som Pal countered by saying there was no invitation from the state government.

UNI

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