Demand for policy to promote women sportspersons

New Delhi: A demand was raised in the Rajya Sabha today that the sports ministry should formulate a special policy to promote women sportspersons in the country as they are performing well and could win many Olympic medals. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Congress member Rajeev Shukla said Indian women are performing very well in sports and referred to the recent performance of the women cricket team which made it to World Cup finals. He added that women players like Sania Mirza (Tennis), Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu (Badminton), Mithali Raj and Harmanpreet Kaur (Cricket), Phogat sisters (Wrestling) and Mary Kom (Boxing) have given excellent performances in sports. While male sportspersons could not bring the laurels, women should be now given opportunity, said the former vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). "I am sure they will succeed," the Congress member said. Dangal movie, made on Indian women wrestlers, was a hit at the box office, Shukla said. "More and more efforts should be made to promote women in sports. I think they can bring all Olympic medals," he said. In his Zero Hour reference, Naresh Agrawal (SP) highlighted the problems the poor patients have when they have medicines which are not generic. He said there was a huge difference in prices of generic and non-generic medicines. The SP member said there are hospitals in the country which charge a minimum of Rs 1 lakh if one goes there for treatment. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the government's effort was to ensure availability of cheap medicines and in this regard, 'Jan Aushadhi' stores were being opened in different parts of the country. Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked Naqvi to bring the issue raised by Agrawal to the notice of the Health Minister.