Parliamentarians in the Lok Sabha, during the second part of Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi. (PTI/File)Parliament Budget Session 2022 Highlights: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the Budget for the next fiscal will attract private investment, and ensure a predictable economic recovery in the years to come. Replying to a debate on appropriation and finance bills in the Rajya Sabha, she also defended the handling of inflation but acknowledged the ongoing war in Russia and Ukraine has posed fresh challenges, including higher oil prices, and disruptions in supply chains. The Upper House later returned the two bills without any changes, other than those proposed by the government, completing the nearly two months long parliamentary process for approval of the Union Budget for the fiscal beginning April 1.
Highlighting that the war between Russia and Ukraine has affected all countries like the pandemic had, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said, “Supply and value chains are all broken, newer markets are emerging, at the same time old markets are caught up in a situation where nothing is normal.” Replying to the discussion on the Finance Bill, 2022, and Appropriation Bill, 2022, the minister said India continues to remain among the top five foreign direct investment recipient countries in the world, as per a UNCTAD report.
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Opposition members on Tuesday declared support to the two-day nationwide strike call given by a group of trade union against the privatisation policies pursued by the government and sought a discussion on the issue in the Lok Sabha. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Trinamool member Saugata Roy claimed that the strike had received massive response and reflected the unhappiness of the people with the policies of the government. “Government should understand that people are unhappy over its policies to sell out everything,” Roy said and sought a discussion on the issue in the House.
Parliamentarians in the Rajya Sabha during the second part of Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Friday, March 25, 2022. (PTI)
BJP leader Vasundhara Raje with her son and Lok Sabha MP Dushyant Singh during the second part of Budget Session at Parliament in New Delhi, Tuesday (PTI /Shahbaz Khan)
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal speaks in the Rajya Sabha during the second part of Budget Session of Parliament in New Delhi (SANSAD TV/PTI photo)
The government has received a total of 239 applications under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for bulk drugs and 49 of them have been approved till now, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
In a written reply to a query seeking details of applications received and selected under the PLI scheme for bulk drugs, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Bhagwanth Khuba said that in total 239 applications have been received for 36 products spread across the four target segments. "Out of these, 49 applications have been approved by the government till date," he added.
The minister further said that the 49 selected applications are from 33 companies. Out of these 33 companies, 13 are Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) besides some newly incorporated entities. (PTI)
Gross NPAs have reduced to Rs 7.73 lakh crore as of December 31, 2021, against Rs 10.36 lakh crore as of March 31, 2018, due to transparent recognition of stressed assets, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said as per inputs received from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the country-wise ratio of non-performing loans to total gross loans is available on the website of the International Monetary Fund under its Finance Sound Indicator database.
"It is observed that the said ratio for India compared adversely with those of US, UK and China, and information in respect of Japan is not available," the minister said. (PTI)
Expressing concern over the high number of child abuse cases in the country, DMK leader Tiruchi Siva on Tuesday stressed that regular workshop should be organised in schools to create awareness among students as well as teachers.
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Siva said that according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) Report, between 2018 and 2020, around 40,000 cases have been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
"These are registered cases, and there are many unregistered cases as well. The number declined in 2020 during the Covid period, but now, it has started rising again," he said. (PTI)
Rajya Sabha on Tuesday began discussion on a bill which seeks to remove Bhogta caste from the list of Scheduled Castes (SC) and include certain communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) for Jharkhand. The bill was introduced in the Upper House on February 7.
Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda moved the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2022, that also aims to help beneficiaries tap better into the provisions of reservation in education and government jobs, for discussion.
Initiating the debate, Congress member Naranbhai J Rathwa supported the bill and said that the BJP government has ignored the demand of adding Bhogta community in the list of Scheduled Tribes. (PTI)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the Budget for the next fiscal will attract private investment, and ensure a predictable economic recovery in the years to come.
Replying to a debate on appropriation and finance bills in the Rajya Sabha, she also defended the handling of inflation but acknowledged the ongoing war in Russia and Ukraine has posed fresh challenges, including higher oil prices, and disruptions in supply chains.
The Upper House later returned the two bills without any changes, other than those proposed by the government, completing the nearly two months long parliamentary process for approval of the Union Budget for the fiscal beginning April 1. (PTI)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday defended the 137-day hiatus in fuel price revision, saying the disruption in supply chains and the resultant increase in global oil prices due to the war in Ukraine was a "couple of weeks" phenomenon resulting in the record hike in petrol and diesel prices in last 8 days.
International oil prices had started moving up days before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. The basket of crude oil that India buys averaged USD 100.71 per barrel that day as compared to USD 82 in early November 2021 when state-owned fuel retailers hit the pause button on daily price revision ahead of assembly elections in five states.
On March 9, international prices touched USD 140 a barrel (USD 128.24 for the Indian basket of crude oil) while the fuel retailers re-started daily price revision on March 22. (PTI)
Seeking to puncture the Aam Aadmi Party's 'ideal budget' for Delhi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said budget making is simple when the state does not have to pay for police, defence and farm sector, and asserted that instead of lecturing, the expenditure on full-page advertisements to promote Kejriwal government should also be counted.
Replying to the debate on Budget in the Rajya Sabha, Sitharaman said, "There is no expenditure of police, army (defence) and on farmers because central government takes care of it. Therefore, budget (of Delhi Government) is good." She also stated that the central government does not give full page advertisement in newspapers.
"If that budget (funds) are saved then it could be used for the pollution issue of Delhi. Do I need to learn that? They are lecturing us that we should learn from our budget or some else document," she stated. (PTI)
The second part of Budget session was held in the Rajya Sabha, New Delhi, Tuesday.
(SANSAD TV/PTI photos)
Member of Rajya Sabha Ranjan Gogoi during the second part of Budget Session at Parliament, in New Delhi, Tuesday (PTI /Shahbaz Khan)
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday asked the government to allocate Rs 20,000 crore for the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.
During the discussion on the Finance Bill-2022 in Rajya Sabha, Singh raised the issue of "abuse" of a chief minister by a BJP state president and questioned the culture in the party and the RSS, which led to heated arguments between him and BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao.
Rao objected to the remark of Singh that the government will lose its face and asked the chair to expunge it from the record. Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, who was in the chair of the speaker, assured that records will be scrutinised but Singh and Rao continued the verbal spate. (PTI)
Claims of empanelled healthcare organisations amounting to Rs 1,330 crore were settled during the current financial year 2021-22, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed the parliament on Tuesday.
Settlement of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) bills is a continuous and dynamic process, he said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
"During the current financial year 2021-22, claims of empanelled Health Care Organisations (HCOs) amounting to Rs 1,330 crore are settled. Bills amounting to Rs 1,343 crore were received from empanelled HCOs for payment," Mandaviya stated. (PTI)
The Centre has requested the Kerala government to provide required physical infrastructure and manpower to carry out immigration functions at the Kollam port, but no response has been received to its eight communications so far, Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Asked whether the government proposes to promote immigration facility at ports to ensure their use for contractual operation, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha that the Centre considers immigration facilities at those ports which fulfil the requirement of becoming immigration check posts.
"So far as declaration of Kollam port as authorised Immigration Check Post (ICP) is concerned, the central government, vide letter dated July 4, 2019 and subsequent reminders dated September 6, 2019, October 23, 2020, February 16, 2021, April 8, 2021, August 13, 2021, December 8, 2021 and February 15, 2022, has requested Kerala government to provide required physical infrastructure and manpower to carry out immigration functions,” the Minister said. (PTI)
The government is in the process of setting up a panel on Minimum Support Price (MSP), Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
While announcing the repeal of three farm laws in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to set up a committee to make MSP system more effective and transparent as well as suggest ways to promote zero budgeting based-agriculture.
"As per the changing requirements of the country to change the cropping pattern, to make MSP more effective and transparent, and to encourage natural farming method of agriculture, setting up a committee is under process," Tomar said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. (PTI)
Asking the government not to “insult” those killed in the 1921 Malabar Rebellion, Congress leader T N Prathapan on Tuesday urged the Centre to “revisit the ICHR's decision” to exclude them from the list of martyrs of the freedom movement.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, he said the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) should be reminded of its responsibility to celebrate the country's history and heritage “without any political agenda”.
“I request the Culture Ministry to revisit the decision of ICHR to exclude our freedom fighters, who were once respected and honoured, as martyrs,” Prathapan, who represents Kerala's Thrissur in the Lok Sabha, said. (PTI)
The Congress on Tuesday accused the government of interfering in an autonomous institution by bringing in amendments to a law on cost and chartered accountants and said that the move will infringe on the independence of the apex body.
Initiating the discussion on The Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Congress MP from Tamil Nadu MK Vishnu Prasad said that while the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) is a statutory and autonomous body, it is still under the control of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. He also said that the ministry does not provide funding to the institute.
"The government keeps talking about the independence of ICAI, where is the independence? The number of ICAI council members should exceed the number of government nominees so that a balance is met," he said. (PTI)
The Department of Sports has urged the Ministry of Finance to impose a uniform GST of 5 per cent on all sports goods to encourage manufacturing of sports goods in India, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Sports Nisith Pramanik said the GST rates are fixed based on the recommendations of the GST Council and most of the sports equipment are taxed at a GST rate of 12 per cent.
He said only a few sports equipment such as for general physical exercise and padding pools attract Goods and Services Tax (GST) at 18 per cent. (PTI)
Police have registered FIRs in Delhi and Mumbai and arrested six persons in connection with the cases against 'Sulli Deals' and 'Bulli Bai' apps, the government said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Also, a charge sheet has been filed in court on March 4, 2022 in the Sulli Deals case. The two apps had targeted Muslim women and posted their pictures without consent, triggering outrage and prompting authorities to ban them.
Replying to a query on the issue, Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said the Delhi Police and Mumbai Police have registered FIRs in the matter of 'Sulli Deals' and 'Bulli Bai' apps cases under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Information Technology Act, 2000. (PTI)
Farm sector in West Bengal has shown appreciable growth despite adversities created by COVID-19 pandemic, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The productivity of rice, maize, foodgrains and pulses registered an increase of 1.2 per cent, 8.1 per cent, 2.3 per cent and 19.34 per cent, respectively between the period 2018-19 and 2020-21, he said in a written reply to the Lower House.
During the last three years (2019-2021), a total of 84 field crops varieties were developed and released for West Bengal. These include 31 varieties of cereals; 23 of oilseeds; 14 of pulses; 9 of fiber; 4 of forages and 3 of sugarcane, he added. (PTI)
Parliament on Tuesday approved the Budget 2022-23, with the Rajya Sabha returning the Appropriation Bill 2022 and Finance Bill 2022.
The two bills were approved by the Lok Sabha on Friday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had presented the Union Budget on February 1. (PTI)
(SANSAD TV/PTI Photo)
Stating that the World Inequality Report, which termed India 'poor and very unequal country', was flawed, the Finance Minister Tuesday mentioned that the report was based on questionable methodology.
Referring to utilisation of funds, Sitharaman said: “Excluding Rs 51,917 crore for paying Air India debt, Rs 5.51 lakh cr capex done in 2021-22, as against the budgeted Rs 5.54 lakh crore.”
Regarding the inclusion of Rs 51,917 cr provided to Air India to clear debt in capital expenditure, Sitharaman mentioned that support provided to PSUs was considered capex.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said FDI into the country during the Modi government was USD 500.5 billion, which is 65 per cent more than the amount received in the 10 years of the UPA government, as investors have trusted the economic management of the current regime.
Replying to the discussion on the Finance Bill, 2022, and Appropriation Bill, 2022, the minister said India continues to remain among the top five foreign direct investment recipient countries in the world, as per a UNCTAD report.
The FDI inflow in 2020-21 was USD 81.72 billion compared to USD 74.9 billion in the preceding financial year. (PTI)
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that the Ukraine war was having an impact on all countries like pandemic had, as a result of which supply chains have been broken.
Stating that the Central government has not taken taxation as a route to resource mobilisation, Sitharaman pointed out that no tax was increased to fund recovery process.
“India is still one of the top five FDI recipient countries.
In the seven years and nine months of Prime Minister Modi's government, till Dec 2021, the FDI inflows into India has been USD 500.5 Billion, which is about 65 per cent higher than the FDI inflows during the entire 10-year regime of the UPA,” the FM added. (With inputs from agencies)
India's sharp economic recovery post COVID-19 and Budget initiatives will help in sustaining growth momentum in the years to come, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Tuesday.
The government's road map for imparting momentum to the economy focusses on growth at the macro level and complementing it with all-inclusive welfare at the micro level, promoting digital economy and fintech, technology-enabled development, energy transition and climate action and relying on a virtuous cycle of investment and growth, she said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
The government's road map was put into effect in 2014, she said, adding that major reforms, including Goods and Services Tax (GST), Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and significant reduction in corporate tax rate, were implemented. (PTI)
Several members addressed the Lok Sabha during the second part of the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Tuesday.
(SANSAD TV/PTI photos)
Nearly 3,400 communal riot cases were registered in the country between 2016 and 2020, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The minister also said that 2.76 lakh rioting cases were registered in the country during the said period.
Quoting the reports of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Rai said 857 communal or religious riot cases were registered in 2020, 438 in 2019, 512 in 2018, 723 in 2017 and 869 in 2016.
As many as 51,606 rioting cases were registered in 2020, 45,985 were in 2019, 57,828 in 2018, 58,880 in 2017 and 61,974 in 2016, he said replying to a written question. (PTI)
As many as 1,205 paramilitary personnel have committed suicide in the last 10 years with the highest 156 in 2021, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
He said 143 personnel committed suicide in 2020, 129 in 2019, 96 in 2018, 125 in 2017, 92 in 2016, 108 in 2015, 125 in 2014, 113 in 2013 and 118 in 2012.
Domestic problems, illness and financial problems are some of the contributory factors to the incidents of suicide, he said replying to a written question. The organisations whose personnel have committed suicides are CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles. (PTI)
Voicing concern over the accidental firing of a missile that landed in Pakistan, Congress leader Manish Tewari on Tuesday called for an institutionalised dialogue on nuclear issues.
Raising the matter during Zero Hour, he said facts suggest that Pakistan had prepared a retaliatory strike when the missile had entered their territory.
“The trajectory of the missile had a large number of civilian aircraft in its vicinity and there could have been an unintended catastrophe. We were lucky on that particular day,” Tewari said. (PTI)
There has been no discussion on presidential elections and neither the government nor the opposition has approached the BJD over it, said the party's supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
He visited Parliament on Tuesday and held a meeting with his party MPs from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. He was welcomed by all BJD MPs at the entry gate of Parliament.
Interacting with reporters, Patnaik said, "I have come to Parliament to meet my party MPs and to take up the developmental schemes of Odisha." Asked whether there should be a consensus between the government and opposition over a presidential candidate, Patnaik said, "I haven't given a thought to it. There is time for presidential elections and no one has approached us so far." Patnaik held a brief meeting with his party MPs in the BJD office in Parliament. (PTI)
Opposition members on Tuesday declared support to the two-day nationwide strike call given by a group of trade union against the privatisation policies pursued by the government and sought a discussion on the issue in the Lok Sabha.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Trinamool member Saugata Roy claimed that the strike had received massive response and reflected the unhappiness of the people with the policies of the government.
“Government should understand that people are unhappy over its policies to sell out everything,” Roy said and sought a discussion on the issue in the House. (PTI)
AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi informed the Lok Sabha that the Cofset syrup, which contains Diethylene Gylcol (DEG) and is manufactured with “digital vision”, had failed to qualify quality standards.
“Many children are consuming this cough syrup and dying, and there is no control by the government on the sale of such sub-standard drugs,” he said.
He demanded that the Drugs Consideration Committee’s statement that prosecuting every case of substandard drugs would lead to harassment of manufacturers be withdrawn. He added that the Centre should ensure strict implementation of good practices under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has declined to renew the FCRA licence of 466 NGOs since 2010, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai informed the Lok Sabha.
Rai said the refusal of applications was due to not fulfilling the eligibility criteria in accordance with the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) 2010 and the rules made there under.
A total of 100 applications of NGOs were refused in 2020, 341 applications were refused in 2021 and 25 applications were refused till March 21, 2022, he said in a written response to a question. (PTI)
DMK MP Tiruchi Siva raised the issue ofrising cases of child abuse registered under POCSO Act. While speaking in the Rajya Sabha, he pointed out that awareness about the Act is low and redressal mechanisms are not available in schools.
Meanwhile, the Centre released state-wise numbers of cases registered under the POCSO Act between 2018 and 2020, wherein Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh reported the highest numbers in 2020.
As many as 34 people from outside Jammu and Kashmir have bought properties in the Union Territory after abrogation of Article 370, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha.
The Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and also barred people from outside to acquire properties, was abrogated on August 5, 2019 and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
"As per the information provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, 34 people from outside the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have bought properties in the UT of J&K after abrogation of Article 370," he said replying to a written question. Rai said the properties are located in Jammu, Reasi, Udhampur and Ganderbal districts. (PTI)
Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said that while the Trinamool Congress spoke about labour interest in the Parliament, the party is trying to thwart the labour movement in West Bengal
He added that unions that are on strike have highlighted issues, including scrapping proposed changes in labour laws, privatisation of any form and national monetisation pipeline, increased allocation of wages under MNREGA and regularisation of contract workers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked BJP MPs to undertake various programmes as part of "samajik nyay pakhwada" (fortnight dedicated to social justice) from its foundation day on April 6, and also asserted that it is the only ruling party which has recognised contributions of every prime minister by building a museum to honour them.
With the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, architect of the Constitution, falling on April 14, Modi at the BJP's parliamentary party meeting asked party MPs to reach out to people, especially the disadvantaged sections of society like Scheduled Castes, to highlight various government programmes for their welfare.
Quoting him, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told reporters that Modi asked parliamentarians to work to spread awareness about the central government's welfare schemes for housing, nutrition and free grains among others. (PTI)
Congress MP in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said that about 50,000 kms of road are constructed annually under PMGSY, which involves heavy usage of fuel, leading to carbon emissions. He inquired if the government is looking at adopting a new technology to build roads.
Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan responded by stating that the ministry is trying to bring appropriate technology to prevent any kind of environmental pollution under the Pradham Mantri Sadak Yojna.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will move the The Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the Lok Sabha.
The three Acts provide for the regulation of the professions of chartered accountants, cost accountants and company secretaries, respectively. The Bill seeks to strengthen the disciplinary mechanism under these Acts, and provide for time bound disposal of cases against members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, the Institute of Cost Accountants of India and the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
Among the Bills listed for consideration and return in the Rajya Sabha are The Appropriation Bill, 2022 and The Finance Bill, 2022. After the discussion on these Bills, members will be allowed to outline topics raised under 267 notices and a labour and employment discussion will take place.
Meanwhile, Arjun Munda will move The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2022, for consideration and passing.
BJP MP Vivek Thakur has given a Zero Hour notice in Rajya Sabha over the increase in MP quota (in both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha) to recommend students in Kendriya Vidyalaya.
Additionally, Congress MP K C Venugopal gave a suspension of business notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha, over "the constant rise in the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG".
Middle class feels the heat of high petrol, diesel and cooking gas prices and the government should have a relook at the interest rate on savings bank accounts and tax exemption limit, NCP MP Praful Patel said.
During a discussion on the Appropriation Bill 2022 and the Finance Bill 2022 in the Rajya Sabha, Patel said comparing petrol prices of 2008-09 with that of today was not correct as the situation that time across the globe was different. He said the Ukraine conflict is going to impact all heads of the budget going forward.
"Middle class feels the heat of high petrol prices, diesel prices, cooking gas prices and all the general items on the inflation list which we normally see. Therefore, I feel that at least on the savings account, some kind of balance...for people who go for savings specially, small people. I think we need to have a relook because 3-3.5 per cent interest certainly does not do justice to anybody," Patel said. (PTI)
Over 10,400 women officers are serving in the three services, including 6,589 in the armed forces medical services, according to details provided by the defence ministry in Rajya Sabha.
In response to a question, Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said the Indian Air Force has commissioned 15 women fighter pilots till date and the women officers are now being inducted in all combat roles. He said the Indian Navy has already deputed 28 women officers on board ships.
The details provided by Bhatt showed that the total number of women officers serving in the three forces was 10,493. According to the details provided by Bhatt, the Army has 1,705 women officers followed by 1,640 in the IAF and 559 in the Indian Navy. (PTI)
More than 37,000 users have joined the digital payment service meant for feature phones while 21,833 successful transaction have taken place since its launch on March 8, 2022, Parliament was informed.
The UPI123Pay service is available for feature phones without internet. Prior to the launch of this service, the Unified payments interface (UPI) was limited to smartphone users.
Various steps have been taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to expand the reach of UPI outside India, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat K Karad said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. (PTI)
A demand was made in the Lok Sabha on Monday for a law banning use of words 'vanvasi' and 'girijan' for tribal communities.
Congress member Suresh Dhanorkar made the demand contending the practice was 'highly demeaning' and 'insulting'.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Dhanorkar urged the government to take legal steps to ensure that the use of such words for tribals is banned.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore gave an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha to discuss 'the rank of New Delhi as the most polluted capitals in 2021, as per World Air Quality Report'.
Congress MP TN Prathapan gave an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha to discuss 'the fuel price hike in the country'.
Meanwhile, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva gave a suspension of business notice in Rajya Sabha over the "unprecedented price hike in fuel prices and LPG cylinders which affect the life of the poor".
Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil has given a Suspension of Business notice under Rule 267 in Rajya Sabha to have a discussion on the two-day nationwide strike called by different trade unions to protest against government policies.
Additionally, Congress chief whip Kodikunnil Suresh gave an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha to discuss the same issue.
Four TMC Rajya Sabha MPs, namely Md. Nadimul Haque, Dr Santanu Sen, Mausam Noor and Abir Ranjan Biswas, have given suspension notice under Rule 267 on the ‘urgent need to check price rise in essential commodities'.
The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Bill, 2022, introduced by Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra in Lok Sabha, compels certain individuals, convicted and accused of offences, to share biological personal data. This has raised concerns about excess state surveillance and violation of privacy. According to the text of the Bill, it is “to authorise for taking measurements of convicts and other persons for the purposes of identification and investigation in criminal matters and to preserve records and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto”.
Compared to the 1920 Act, the Bill expands the individuals it seeks to cover. It proposes that the law apply to three categories of individuals: 1. Those convicted of an offence punishable under any law for the time being in force.
2. Those ordered to give security for good behaviour or maintaining peace under Section 117 of the CrPC for a proceeding under Section 107, 108, 109 or 110 of the Code. These are provisions involving “suspected criminals” or “habitual offenders” with a view to preventing crime.
3. Those arrested in connection with an offence punishable under any law in force or detained under any preventive detention law. This would include the National Security Act or the Public Safety Act.
How will data be stored and what are the issues being raised against the Bill? Read our explainer here
A bill seeking to include the 'Darlong' community as a sub-tribe of the 'Kuki' in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Tripura was passed by Lok Sabha on Monday, with the government asserting that its programmes for tribal welfare are outcome driven and constant efforts are being made to ensure development reaches all.
Moving the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2022, in Lok Sabha, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said the Union government is working towards betterment of living conditions of the tribal community, and good results will be visible on the health, education and employment fronts. The government is committed to the development of tribal areas and sufficient funds have been allocated for the purpose, he said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes that without the development of tribal land and tribals, comprehensive development of the country is not possible, Munda said. (PTI)
The government on Monday said that a total of Rs 3,343 crore has been received as foreign direct investment (FDI) in the defence sector since 2014.
In response to a question in Rajya Sabha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the defence sector needs continuous investment for capacity enhancements and the creation of state-of-the-art technologies.
"During the period from 2001-2014, a total FDI inflow of about Rs 1,382 crore was reported and from 2014 till date, a total FDI of about Rs 3,343 crore has been reported," he said. (PTI)
A discussion on rising fuel prices and the Russia-Ukraine conflict is expected to be held in Lok Sabha after the Centre agreed for the same, members of parliament said on Monday.
The government has agreed to the opposition's demand for discussing the Ukraine war and rising prices in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting chaired by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, they said. The discussion on both the topics will be held under Rule 193 of the Lok Sabha which does not entail voting, the MPs present in the meeting said.
While the Ukraine crisis will be discussed this week, the issue of rising prices will come up next week, a member of parliament (MP) said, adding that the exact date and timings have not been decided. (PTI)
Three BJP members of Rajya Sabha on Monday gave notice of privilege against Dola Sen of Trinamool Congress over her comments on the Chair for allowing Rupa Ganguly of BJP to speak on Birbhum Rampurhat incident during Zero Hour last week.
Sources said Rakesh Sinha, Sudhanshu Trivedi, and Rupa Ganguly moved the breach of privilege motion, and sought action against Sen for what they termed as "contemptuous remarks" by her on Deputy Chairman Harivansh.
Sen in a video post is said to have remarked that Harivansh functioned as a BJP worker in allowing Ganguly to speak during the Zero Hour. BJP sources said Sen's remarks on the Deputy Chairman amounted to breaching the privilege of the chair and of the House. (PTI)
The government has not given any farm loan waiver to farmers in the last five years and this year so far, Parliament was informed on Monday.
The government has initiated various steps to ease the debt burden of farmers in the country, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.
"No farm loan waiver scheme has been implemented by the Government of India during the last 5 years and the current year," Karad said. He was responding to a question asked by All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF)'s Badruddin Ajmal about the amount allocated and spent by the government to waive loans of farmers during the last five years and the current year in the lower house of Parliament. (PTI)
A group of MPs from the Rajya Sabha has sought urgent intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide immediate financial support to rare disease patients under government's RAN scheme to save their lives.
Rashtriya Aarogya Nidhi (RAN) was set up to provide financial assistance to patients, living below the poverty line and who are suffering from major life-threatening diseases, to receive medical treatment at any of the super speciality hospitals or institutes or other government hospitals.
A group of Members of Parliament from the Rajya Sabha, cutting across party lines, have written to Modi, seeking an urgent meeting with him about saving the lives of several young patients, diagnosed with life-threatening rare disease conditions, classified under Group 3(a) in the National Policy for Rare Diseases. (PTI)
After being on target of the opposition for months, Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra “Teni’ took centre stage in the Lok Sabha as he piloted a bill to expand the scope of a 102-year-old law to allow police to take physical and biological samples of convicted persons.
Opposition members tried to rake up the issue of the alleged involvement of Mishra’s son in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence last October in which eight men, including four farmers, were killed during a protest against farm laws.
Mishra’s son Ashish was arrested in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case and was released on bail later. Read More
Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till Tuesday 11 am.
The objective of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna-Urban and the dream of the prime minister enshrined in it will stand fulfilled within the next 18 months, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
Replying to supplementary questions of members, the minister said the government, based on the assessment demands provided by states, has sanctioned 1.15 crore houses under PMAY-U which ends in March 2022, and various projects underway will be completed in the next 18 months or so.
Replying to a specific question, he said, "It is not under consideration to review this continuation of the credit-linked subsidy scheme beyond March 31, 2022." PMAY-U was conceived in June 2015 and the demand for houses has gone well beyond the initial projection of one crore. The number is now 1.15 crore and in the remaining three days of this fiscal, it will go up further, the minister said. (PTI)
A bill to amend the list relating to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of Uttar Pradesh was introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday with Congress leader in the House Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury urging the Centre to avoid piecemeal measures and instead bring comprehensive legislation for various states.
He also claimed that the bill was brought keeping in mind the Uttar Pradesh polls, a charge rejected by Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda. "The polls are over. This has nothing to do with the elections," the minister said.
Munda also explained that such bills are brought after careful study of data and lots of research goes into it. (PTI)
A BJP MP on Monday demanded that the Centre intervene in West Bengal in accordance with the Constitution after a ruckus in the Assembly there, alleging that there was no rule of law in the state and party MLAs Suvendu Adhikari and Manoj Tigga were "attacked" inside the House.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, BJP MP Saumitra Khan said, "We come to Parliament, we see sometimes there is one MP, sometimes 300, but in my seven years I have not seen anybody is attacked. But in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari and Manish Tigga were attacked inside the Assembly. This has not been seen in the entire country." "We need Article 355 as there is no rule of law in West Bengal, there is no government...There is no republic in West Bengal, we demand Article 355," he said.
Article 355 of the Constitution deals with an emergency provision by which the Centre can intervene and protect a state against external aggression or internal disturbance. (PTI)