Five questions: The Budget big picture
As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rose to present the Union Budget for 2022-23 on Tuesday, she was faced with several competing demands. On the one hand, the government’s fiscal deficit (or total borrowings from the market) was a concern. On the other, there were demands for continued support to the weaker sections of the economy.
If she spent more to provide direct financial support to various sections of society, the fiscal deficit, which was already more than twice the prudential norms, would worsen. If she tried to sharply curtail expenditure, it might hurt vast sections of the economy that are already struggling in the wake of Covid-induced disruptions.
In the end, she chose a strategy that substantially ramps up capital expenditure or capex (that is, expenditure towards making new productive assets) while largely holding back revenue expenditure (that is, expenditure to meet day-to-day expenses).
Lok Sabha proceedings adjourned till 4.30 pm on Friday.
"Such fear, such shamelesness. I had only paragraph left to finish, my alloted time of 13 mins was NOT over," TMC MP Mahua Moitra tweets.
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Mahua Moitra speaks in Lok Sabha. Listen to her full speech here.
TMC MP Sougata Roy claims there's no hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at the India Gate. "I had gone to the India Gate with other TMC MPs to see how the hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose looks. However, we could find no such statue. PM had installed it for one day and has removed it," he says.
"The way the masters of our Republic mistrusts the present is most acutely illustrated by the Pegasus mess," says Mahua Moitra. The government stands accused of spending taxpayers money to buy technology to spy on its own citizens," she alleges.
Mahua Moitra targets the govt over farm laws. She alleges it was more of governement's fear of losing out on votes on Western UP than any remorse for the farmers that they finally rolled back the farm bills.
Mahua quotes Roger F Kennedy: "People who wants to stop history in its tracks mistrusts the present." She says, "This government mistrusts the very soul of our Republic when it brings in an act to link Aadhaar card to the right to vote, because you are creating enourmous possibilities to disenfranchise genuine voters."
Mahua Moitra asks,"What is the kind of Republic we want, what is the India we want today, what is the idea of India we want to stand up for, fight for, get jailed for? Ours is a living Constitution. It breathes as long as we like to breathe life into it. Else it is just a piece of paper."
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Thursday lashed out at the Centre saying the current govt wants to alter history. "They are fearful of the future and and they mistrust the present," she said while speaking in Lok Sabha. "You fear a future India which is comfortable in its own skin, which is comfortable with conflicting realities... You are not content with just the vote, you want to get inside our heads, inside our homes, to tell us what to eat, what to wear, who to love. But your fear alone cannot keep the future at bay," she argued.
BJD's Pinaki Mishra mentions "unemployment riots" in Lok Sabha, says this has never happened in last 75 years. He urged the leaders to refrain from making "loose" statements while giving estimates on job creation.
The Centre addresses questions on availability of drinking water in Lok Sabha.
The Centre addresses questions on water supply connection to every household in Lok Sabha.
The Lowe House of Parliament addresses questions on crude oil prices.
Proceedings of Lok Sabha began at 4 pm.
Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till Friday.
"Rahul Gandhi makes remarks that harm the country, & benefit rivals (Pak, China)...A responsible minister should never talk like that. We don't want Rahul Gandhi's India where people travel abroad secretly. We want India with a vision to serve people," Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Thursday submitted a privilege notice to the Lok Sabha secretariat against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for attempting to "incite" MPs and the nation at large through his remarks during the debate in the House on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address.
Noting that while every MP has a constitutional right to speak in Parliament and express his/her views on various topics, he said it is also one of the foremost duties of every member to maintain decency and should not speak anything that would lower the dignity of Parliament and categorised as 'Contempt of the House'. (PTI)
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said he is examining the privilege motions moved against Union Minister for Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw for 'misleading' parliament on the Pegasus issue.
After examination, a clarification will be sought from the minister. The decision to admit or reject would be taken depending on that. Naidu said in the Rajya Sabha that Congress' KC Venugopal and two more MPs have given notice of privilege against the IT minister. "I am examining it," he said. "Once I examine it, I will have to seek the clarification of the minister and then we will get back to you." (PTI)
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Law and Justice Minister Kiren Rijiju highlighted how women's representation both in the high courts as well as in the Supreme Court has increased over time.
"We are very happy that out of a total of 34 judges in the Supreme Court, we have for the first time four women judges. Three were appointed when I took over as Law Minister," he said. "Out of 1098 judges in HC, we have 83 women judges."
"Personally, I have been asking the Collegium led by CJIs of SC and HC that while recommending the names for appointment as judges, preferences may be given to women, backward communities, SC, ST," he added. (ANI)
During zero hour, Congress MP from Gujarat Shaktising Gohil spoke about preserving the culture and language of the Kutch district. To this, chairman Venkaiah Naidu jokingly retorted: 'Say two words in the language.'
The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed "disruption-free proceedings after a long time", chairman Venkaiah Naidu noted today. "I hope this spirit will continue to prevail," he added.
Rajya Sabha proceedings commenced for the second day with an obituary reference to Congress’s Jamana Devi Barupal, who served as a member of the upper house from 2000 to 2006.
IT IS not every day that a woman MP opens the debate on the Motion of Thanks to President’s Address in Rajya Sabha. With an eye on Assembly elections, the BJPon Wednesday fielded its Uttar Pradesh MP Geeta as its lead speaker and she promptly recounted every single welfare scheme of the Narendra Modigovernment and its implementation in the heartland state.
On its part, the Opposition launched a broad-based counter attack with Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge accusing the government of taking refuge in religion whenever it faces tough questions. He said the Indian democracy is in “big danger” as nobody is being allowed to speak the truth. “And if somebody speaks the truth… that person is branded a traitor… .And when we put forward our views… you negate it,” Kharge said.
Kharge reminded the Prime Minister, who was present in the House, of his many promises and past statements attacking the UPA government. Read more.
The government’s responses to a string of questions in Parliament about higher education have revealed that annually, a large proportion of Budget funds meant for the sector go unutilised.
The year 2021-22 is not likely to be an exception as out of Rs 93,224 crore earmarked for education in last year’s Budget, only approximately Rs 56,567 crore have been utilised so far, according to a response by the Ministry of Education to a question by BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra.
In a response to a separate question, the government said that in 2021-22 the unspent balance (as on January 11) of central universities and centrally funded higher education institutes stood at Rs 7,143 crore. It was Rs 274 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 355 crore in 2019-20. Read more.
Responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's claim that the Narendra Modi government has brought Pakistan and China together, the US' Dept of State Spokesperson Ned Price said: "I'll leave it to Pakistanis and PRC to speak to their relationship. I certainly won't endorse those remarks." (ANI)
The CBI, in last three years, declined six requests by state governments to probe cases referred by them, the government said on Wednesday.
Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh was replying to a question in the Lok Sabha. He said that in the last three years, six requests received from state governments for investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) were regretted.
Singh said the cases were not taken up on grounds of constraints such as existing workload, shortage of resources or the matter not having any international or inter-state ramifications or the level of complexity requiring investigation by the agency among others.
He also said the Centre has challenged before the Supreme Court an order of the Madras High Court directing to make the CBI an independent body like the Election Commission or the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. (PTI)
Total foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows during April-November 2021 stood at USD 54.10 billion, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash said the government has put in place a liberal and transparent policy for FDI, wherein most of the sectors are open under the automatic route.
To further liberalise and simplify FDI policy for providing the ease of doing business and attract investments, reforms have been undertaken recently across sectors such as coal mining, contract manufacturing, digital media, single-brand retail trading, civil aviation, defence, insurance and telecom, he said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. "During the current financial year 2021-22 (up to November 2021), FDI inflows worth USD 54.10 billion have been reported in the country," he said.
According to the data, FDI equity inflows during April-November 2021 was USD 39.26 billion. It was USD 43.85 billion during April-November 2020. (PTI)
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday described BJP Lok Sabha member Kamlesh Paswan as a "good person in the wrong party" but the latter was not amused saying he could become MP thrice only because of his party.
Speaking on the motion of thanks to the President's address, Gandhi said he even learns from opposition leaders and mentioned Paswan's name, who had just spoken before him. "I saw my Dalit colleague speak Paswanji speaking today... He knows the history of Dalits, he knows who has been oppressing Dalits for the years. But he was reluctant today... He has spoken to me about what is in his heart. He is a good person but in the wrong party," Gandhi said.
After Gandhi concluded his speech, Paswan arose and said the Congress leader knows him because he is an MP, which he has become only due to his party. "Rahul Gandhi told me I am in the wrong party... I want to tell him about his party's policy, which is to divide our community and rule. Today Rahul Gandhiji takes my name because I am an MP. I became MP thrice because of my party," Paswan said, adding Congress is not capable enough to poach him and make him happy there. (PTI)
Sugar mills have exported 26.5 lakh tonnes of sugar in the first four months of the 2021-22 marketing year ending September, the government said on Wednesday. In 2020-21, 70 lakh tonnes of sugar was exported.
In reply to a Lok Sabha question, Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said, "Till date, contracts of about 40 lakh tonnes have been signed for export of sugar in current sugar season 2021-22 and that too without announcement of any export subsidy.
"It is also estimated that in sugar season 2021-22, about 50-60 lakh tonnes of sugar is likely to be exported by domestic sugar mills," the minister said. (PTI)
More than 6,000 URLs, accounts or websites were blocked in 2021, Parliament was informed on Wednesday.
Blocking directions are issued following the due process as prescribed in the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
He added that the Indian government is committed to ensuring an open, safe and trusted and accountable Internet.
"Under section 69A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is empowered to issue directions for blocking in specific scenario of any information impacting or likely to impact sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognisable offence relating to these," he added. (PTI)
Speaking in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led central government over a wide range of issues and took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying “The King does not listen to anybody”. Read more
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday attacked the government alleging that two Indias, one for the rich and one for the poor, have been created and the gap between them was widening.
Speaking first from the Opposition side in the Lok Sabha during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, he said the address to a joint sitting of Parliament didn't touch the central challenges facing the country and was a "list of bureaucratic ideas" instead of a strategic vision.
The presidential address made no mention of unemployment, the Congress leader claimed.
There are two Indias -- one for the rich, one for the poor -- and the gap between the two was widening, Gandhi alleged and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to start working towards bringing the two Indias, created by this government, together.
He claimed that 40 per cent of India's wealth has gone to a chosen few.
Today, the earnings of 84 per cent of Indians have dwindled, pushing them towards poverty, Gandhi said. (PTI)
While seeking an apology from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi said, 'A few days ago some political leader came to me from Manipur. He was very agitated. He said he felt very insulted when they went to Amit Shah's house and were asked to remove shoes. But inside, Amit Shah was wearing shoes. This is not the way to deal with the people of India.”
Rahul Gandhi said, “There are two visions. One vision – India is a union of states. It is a partnership, not a kingdom. You will never ever rule over the people of the states of India. It has never been done in 3,000 years…The second vision is ruling India with a stick. A centralised vision. Congress smashed the idea of a king in 1947, but now that has come back. All institutions are being attacked. The farmers do not have a voice in your vision. The 'King' does not listen to anybody.”
He added, “You are fiddling with something very very dangerous. I know something about the idea of India because blood has been sacrificed for this country--not by me but by my family members. My father was blown into bits.”
"The Judiciary, the Election Commission, Pegasus, these are all instruments of destroying the voice of the union of states," says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.
“Fundamental focus of India’s foreign policy has been to keep Pakistan and China separate. But what you have done is brought the two countries together. This is the single biggest sin you have committed against the people of India,” says Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.
“China has a clear-cut plan which they have implemented in Doklam and Ladakh. This is a very serious threat to the Indian nation. We have made a huge strategic mistake in our foreign policy.”
“You talk of Made in India. But there cannot be Made in India today. The matter has ended because who are the people involved in Made in India? Small and medium industry, unorganised sector, whom you have finished. Made in India is not going to take place,” said Rahul Gandhi in LS.
He added, “UPA govt pulled 27 crore people out of poverty in 10 years. This is not our data, this is factual data. You pushed 23 crore people back into poverty.”
“There was not a single word on unemployment in the Presidential Address. The youth across the country is looking for jobs. Your govt is unable to provide them with one,” says Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.
He adds, “You speak of providing employment, 3 cr youth lost their jobs in 2021. Today India is facing the highest unemployment in 50 yrs. You talk of Made in India, Start-Up India, but youth did not get the unemployment they were supposed to. The one they had has disappeared.”
“There are two Indias, one India is for the extremely rich people—for those who have immense wealth, immense power, for those who don't need a job, those who don't need water connection, electricity connections, but for those who control the heartbeat of the country. And then another India for the poor. The gap between these two Indias is widening,” says Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha.
“I think there were 3 fundamental things that were not spoken about in the Presidential Address. First, and what I consider to be the most important, is the idea that there are now two Indias. There is now no longer one India,” Rahul Gandhi says in Lok Sabha.
Speaking in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the Presidential address did not touch upon central challenges that our country is facing now. “Unfortunately, the Presidental Address was a long list of things that the Govt claims to have done but didn’t really contain the deeper strategic issues that we would have liked to see. It didn’t touch a couple of central challenges facing our country,” he says.
He adds, “To me, it seemed that Presidential Address was a list of bureaucratic ideas instead of a strategic vision. It looked to me as if it has been constructed not by a vision of leadership but by a group of bureaucrats who had to simply put something down on paper.”
India is on track to achieve the USD 400-billion export target in the current fiscal and is negotiating trade agreements with countries like the UAE, the EU and Canada, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday.
In a reply during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, he said the prices of most of the commodities, including petroleum products, are prevailing high and because of this there is a stress on all sectors.
However, international prices of finished products have commensurately increased and hence the exports of these products have not faced detriments.
"For 10th month in a row, April 2021 to January 2022, India has posted over USD 30 billion of exports. It is a record, we have already crossed USD 334 billion of exports which is more than the highest ever that India has done in full 12 months period.. We are well on track to achieve USD 400 billion of exports," Goyal said.
The minister said that the government is working to negotiate free trade agreements (FTA) or comprehensive economic partnership so that Indian exporters too get similar price advantage benefits. "We have launched FTA negotiations with the UAE, Australia, the United Kingdom, the EU, Canada. We are also in dialogue with GCC countries -- the bloc of six countries in the Middle East-- who have shown keen interest in FTA with India and we hope to launch the negotiation in the near future," Goyal said. (PTI)
Opposition parties on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the government in Rajya Sabha, alleging it has failed to control prices of essential commodities, provide jobs and meet its target of doubling farmers' income.
They also accused the Centre of transgressing into the rights of the states and impinging on the federal structure of the country, as they opposed the proposed changes in All-India Services cadre rules and the decision to extend the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force to 50 kilometers in states bordering Bangladesh and Pakistan
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, speaking on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address, charged the government with not delivering on its various promises, including generating two crore jobs per year. In the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spent over an hour in the Upper House, Kharge also alleged that the government has failed when it came to controlling price increase of essential commodities like petroleum products and daily food items.
Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said the government issued a "fatwa" to make amendment in the rules which is an arbitrary and a veiled attempt to centralise executive powers of the states - a decision which has been opposed by nine chief ministers as well as over 100 retired IAS, IFS, etc.
"The home ministry has recently extended the jurisdiction of the border security force from 15 kilometers to 50 kilometers in the states bordering Bangladesh and Pakistan without having any discussion with the concerned states. This unilateral decision on the part of the central government is an attempt of coercion upon the elected state governments having international borders," Ray alleged. (PTI)
Over 20 lakh fake Indian currency notes of different denominations were recovered in the country between 2016 and 2020, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said that 4,67,346 fake notes of Rs 2,000; 5,22,381 fake notes of banned Rs 1,000 and 2,97,372 fake notes of banned Rs 500 were recovered in the five-year period.
As many as 2,97,372 fake notes of new Rs 500 notes, 43,406 fake notes of Rs 200 and 3,43,483 fake notes of Rs 100 were also recovered during the said period, he said in a written reply to a question. (PTI)
Rajya Sabha today had a normal disruption-free sitting. The last such normal disruption-free sitting was on March 19, 2021, during last year's Budget session, the 253rd session of RS, reports, ANI citing sources.
The sitting on Dec 13, 2021, was also disruption-free but it was a Private Members' Day when disruptions are rare. The last disruption-free full session was the 216th session in June 2014 when ministers of govt were introduced in RS. (ANI)
People are repeatedly giving a clear mandate to the NDA because it is making efforts to bring equality through the welfare of the downtrodden, exploited and backward classes while working for the development of the country, BJP MP Geeta said on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha.
Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, Geeta alias Chandraprabha noted that as many 27 ministers are from OBCs in the Union Council of Minister and 20 belong to SC and ST communities while 11 union ministers are women.
The BJP MP, who is elected from Uttar Pradesh, especially highlighted the implementation of various welfare measures in the poll-bound state, where the first phase of voting will be held on February 10. "People have given us a clear mandate in 2019 (elections) on the basis of the work done in the preceding five years for the welfare of the downtrodden, exploited and backward classes and for developmental works of the country," she said.
The BJP MP stressed that the government is taking several measures for ensuring equality in the society that include providing reservation for the economically weaker sections and running welfare schemes for the SC, ST and OBC communities. She also highlighted the finalisation of the list of OBCs which would benefit 671 communities in the country. (PTI)
A total of 1,807 communal riot cases were registered in different parts of the country during 2018-2020 in which 8,565 people were arrested, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Replying to a written question in the Upper House, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the highest number of communal riot cases were registered in Bihar, followed by Maharashtra and Haryana. A total of 512 communal riot cases were registered across India in 2018, 438 in 2019 and 857 in 2020, Rai noted.
While 4,097 people were arrested for riots in 2018 in different parts of the country, 2,405 people were arrested in 2019 and 2,063 in 2020, he said. A total of 4,169 people were charge-sheeted in 2018, 2,281 in 2019 and 1,908 in 2020, he added.
Altogether, 200 people were convicted for the riots in 2018, 332 in 2019 and 229 in 2020. In Bihar, 419 riot cases were registered in the said three years, in which 2,777 people were arrested, 2,316 charge-sheeted and 62 were convicted. (PTI)
Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav on Wednesday refuted Home Minister Amit Shah's statements on the SP's stand on the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, saying the temple will be built faster and better if Akhilesh Yadav becomes the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
During a discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in Rajya Sabha, the SP leader said his party is not opposed to the construction of the grand temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram.
He was referring to Shah's recent statement made during the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh that Akhilesh Yadav will not be able to stop the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya.
"Who is stopping the construction of the temple?" Yadav asked while alleging siphoning of funds that are being currently collected for the construction of the Ram temple. "If the Akhilesh government comes, a better temple will be built at a faster pace," Ram Gopal Yadav said. (PTI)
Nearly 1,700 Kashmiri Pandits were appointed in various government departments by the Jammu and Kashmir administration since August 5, 2019 when Article 370 was abrogated and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into union territories, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said as per the data provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, 44,684 Kashmiri migrant families were registered with the Office of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants), Jammu, comprising 1,54,712 individuals.
“In order to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrant families, the government of Jammu and Kashmir has appointed 1,697 such persons since August 5, 2019 and selected additional 1,140 persons in this regard,” he said replying to a written question. (PTI)
The central government has initiated the process for comprehensive amendment of criminal laws, the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, in consultation with all stakeholders.
Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said in Rajya Sabha that amending criminal laws is a continuous process to make the laws in accordance with contemporary needs and aspirations of people.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its 111th, 128th and 146th reports had recommended that there is a need for a comprehensive review of criminal laws of the country, he said.
"The Government of India has initiated the process for comprehensive amendments to criminal laws viz. the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 in consultation with all stakeholders," he said replying to a written question.
The minister said the legislation of such laws is a complex and lengthy exercise given the spectrum of divergent views of stakeholders. (PTI)
Question Hour underway in the Lok Sabha
A large consignment of semi-processed talc stones was cleared through the Mundra port in Gujarat, three months prior to the seizure of nearly 3,000 kg of heroin worth about Rs 21,000 crore in September 2021, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
The seized heroin in Mundra port was booked as semi-processed talc stones.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 2988.21 kg of narcotics substance (heroin) between September 17 and September 19, 2021 at T.G. Terminal Private Limited Container Freight Station, Mundra Port. (PTI)
A total of 4,267 ad-hoc teachers are employed in various colleges of Delhi University, Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar said on Wednesday. Sarkar gave the information in response to a written question in Rajya Sabha.
According to the statistics shared by Sarkar, the maximum number of ad-hoc teachers are in Ramjas College (137) followed by Sri Venkateswara College (131), Deshbandhu College (127) and Kalindi College for Women (120).
"The appointment of teaching staff in various colleges and institutions are made by the governing body of the colleges on the recommendation of the Selection Committee envisaged under Ordinance XVIII of the university in consonance with the eligibility criteria laid down in the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and other Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2018," Sarkar said. (PTI)
Amaravati remains the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and it is learnt that the state government has withdrawn a law to create three capital cities, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The minister, during the Question Hour in the Upper House, also said the division of assets between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, can be speedily undertaken with mutual agreement and the Centre can only act as a coordinating agency. Responding to BJP leader G V L Narasimha Rao's query on "confusion" over the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, the minister said the state government has the right to take a decision on creating a capital city.
On April 23, 2015, the Andhra Pradesh government had declared Amaravati as its capital. However, in July 2020, the state through a law notified three capital cities -- Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kurnool, he said. (PTI)
The government on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that nearly 8.35 lakh pieces of counterfeit notes, including 2.44 lakh pieces of Rs 2000 denomination, were seized last year.
Replying to a question in the House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai provided a data of counterfeit notes seized in five years since 2016.
As per the data, 8,34,947 pieces were seized in 2020, 2,87,404 in 2019, 2,57,243 in 2018, 3,55,994 in 2017, and 2,81,839 in 2016.
Replying to supplementary questions, Rai also refuted suggestions that there was rise in counterfeit notes seizures in the country, saying the number of fake notes seized in 2018 were lower than in 2017. No significant pattern had emerged in seizures of fake notes, he said. (PTI)
As many as 439 terrorists and 109 security personnel were killed in 541 terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since Article 370 was repealed on August 5, 2019, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday.
Replying to a written question in Rajya Sabha, Rai said 98 civilians were also killed in these incidents and private properties worth about Rs 5.3 crore were damaged since then. "During these incidents, no significant public property has been damaged," he added. (PTI)
Accusing the BJP government of failing to follow through with its promise to provide 2 crore jobs every year, Mallikarjun Kharge said: "You should have provided 15 crore jobs by now. But how many jobs did you actually provide? This year's Budget promises just 60 lakh jobs in the next 5 years." (ANI)
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said: "Widespread unemployment is prevalent in the country. Youths are in distress because big factories are shutting down, investment is not coming, and the number of govt jobs is shrinking." (ANI)
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday asked MPs to ensure smooth functioning of the House during the ongoing Budget session and said they should conduct themselves in a manner befitting the trust citizens still have in India's parliamentary democracy.
The country's 5,000 MPs, MLAs and MLCs should resolve in this historic year to return to the people the favour they have doing by relentlessly nurturing democracy over the last 70 years, Naidu said. (PTI)
Responding to a question about marital rape posed by CPI MP Binoy Viswam during the question hour, Minister of Women and Child Development of India Smriti Irani said: "To condemn every marriage in the country as violent and every man as a rapist is not advisable."
"The matter of marital rape is sub-judice. There are over thirty help lines in the country that have assisted women," she added.