481 Matters under (Hil) Need to settle pending cases of Freedom Fighters’ pension ex- peditiously SHRI UTTAM RATHOD (Hingoli): Mr. Chairman, Sir, many applications for Free- dom Fighters’ pension from the Central Gov- ernment are pending with the Home Minis- try. There is usually delay in sanctioning these cases. There is a great discontent- ment among the freedom fighters as a result of the delay. The CentralGovernment should enquire into the delay and settle the freedom fighters’ pension cases recommended by the State Government at the earliest. (iv) Need to include Manipuri lan- guage In the Elghth Schedule of the Constitution PROF. N. TOMBI SINGH (Inner Manipur): Mr. Chairman, Sir, the rising na- tlonal consensus in favour of the inclusion of Manipuri in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution does not need re-enphasis: As to justification, Manipur is the official language of the State of Manipur. It is the medium of instruction and examination upto Xil class in Manipur. Manipur has been the language of administration and the judiciary for the State of Manipur for thousands of years still the British annexation of Manipur in 1891 and continued more or less in the same position upto Manipur’s merger with the Indian Union in 1949. ॥ is the mother tongue of more than two million people in Manipur mainland and Manipuris in Assam and Tripura. ॥ has been recognised as a developed modern India language by the Sahitya Academy. It has an ancient script of its own and has rich ancient medieval, modern and contemporary litera- tures particularly in the niodein and con- temporary spheres, original writina com- prising novels, stories, essays, criticisms poems, history of literature anu drama. Inthe sphere of translation it has covered the Mahabharata, Ramayana, Puranas, Upanishads, Smritis, Shremad Bhagwat Gita, the Bible and leading Bengali, Hindi and English works, International agreements till 1891 were signed in Manipuri by Manipur Kings. The Government is requested to take PAUSA 18, 1912 (SAKA) Rule 377 482 early steps to amend the Constitution to fulfil the long standing demand. (v) Need to withdraw the Increase in excise and customs duty on man- made fibre yarn SHRI KASHIRAM CHHABILDAS RANA (Surat): Sir, the recent increase in excise and customs duty on man-made fibre yarn is likely to dislocate the entire textile industry in Surat resulting in aloss of revenue in form of excise and customs duty to the Gov- ernment. This would also effect more than three lakh workers engaged in twenty thou- sand small powerloom units and ancillary units. Surat and surrounding South Gujarat region is the biggest centre for art silk and weaving industry in India, where more than 195 thousand powerlooms are working , producing about 45 lakh metres of cloth per day. Textile policy, 1985 inter alia stipulates reduction of taxation on man-made fibre yarn. Abid Hussain Committee has also supported this contention. In 1988, the then Finance Minister had reduced the excise duty. Besides, the last meeting of N.D.C. consented to transfer an additional excise duty to yarn from fabric. ' ॥ upon the Governmentto withdraw the present decision, which has an adverse’ effect on the industry. (vi) Need to bring Pay-scales and other facilities of Anganweadi workers at par with those of Government employees [ Translation} SHRI SARJU PRASAD SAROJ (Mohanlalganj): Mr. Chairman, Sir, through you | want to draw the attention of the Central Government towards Child Development Projects being run in the country. The con- dition of the Anganwadi workers and ‘Sahayikas’ working in these projects is be- coming miserable day by day. In my con- Stituency, Mohanilalganj, Lucknow and in its ah