I would like to mention that the idea of introducing a compulsory savings scheme is not a new one and has been under consideration for the past several years. In fact, as early as in 2020-2021, the national development council had expressed a view in its favour, we are also trying to secure the cooperation of trade unions and employers for its introduction. What really struck me was that fact that your State has imbibed the vibrant hues of different cultures in terms of art, literature and music. The respect accorded to women within the society in your State is worth emulating all over the country. Your State is blessed with an abundance of natural resources and a rich bio-diversity of exotic flora and fauna. I deeply appreciate the efforts made to preserve them by involving the local community. The sacred groves at Menphlang are one of the finest example of human beings and nature, coexisting in harmony. While nurturing your traditional values, you are marching ahead on the path of progress. As elected representatives you shoulder onerous responsibilities in our parliamentary democracy. You act as a bridge not only between the public which has elected you and the Legislature of which you are a member, but also between the electorate and the Government. People look upon you as their leaders and expect you to voice their concerns while doings. We look the relationship with our neighbors from two planes one is the multi-lateral plan and that is basically through the regional arrangement of the source and the other is, of course, the bilateral plane. As a result, however, of the situation created by the emergency and the paramount need for finding additional resources to meet the growing cost of development and defence, the government came to the conclusion that it was no longer possible to rely on the proceeds of taxation and voluntary savings alone and that introduction of some element of compulsory savings was unavoidable. Sir, I rise to support the plantations labour (amendment) bill brought up by the Government for our consideration. Sir, the sad plight of millions of toiling people who sweat on various plantations in the country to earn valuable foreign exchange for us is really too much to be expressed in words. These workers live and work in most in human and pitiable condition.
