The Winter Session of Parliament that started on November 18 and will conclude on December 13. Follow this space to track the latest on proceedings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Parliament Winter Session 2019 HIGHLIGHTS: The Union Cabinet Wednesday cleared the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that proposes to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Prakash Javadekar will brief the media today about the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting held today morning.
The Citizenship Bill is likely to be introduced in Parliament next week. The Bill that could not be cleared in the previous Lok Sabha session has been re-drafted to address concerns expressed by states in the North-East. BJP has also issued the whip to its MP to ensure their presence in Parliament when the Bill is taken up next week.
The National Capital Territory of Delhi Bill, 2019 will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The bill will help grant ownership rights to 100 residents who have properties in unauthorized colonies in Delhi. While the Delhi BJP has called the Bill historic, AAP’s Raghav Chadha called it an “eyewash” and a “lollipop” ahead of the Assembly elections.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table The International Financial Services Centres Authority Bill, 2019 and The Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2019 in Lok Sabha
Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament, in New Delhi (File)
A bill to grant ownership rights to residents living in Delhi's 1,731 unauthorised colonies was tabled in Rajya Sabha today. The National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019 was introduced by minister of State for Housing and Urban Development Hardeep Singh Puri, who told the House that about 40-50 lakh people live in unauthorised colonies in Delhi.
The bill was passed in Lok Sabha on November 28.
Puri said the ownership rights will be given to residents of the identified colonies based on five documents, adding that maps of the all the 1,731 colonies will be uploaded on the website of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) "within days".
Around 14,500 NGOs, registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), were banned in the last five years from receiving funds from abroad, Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai informed Rajya Sabha Wednesday.
"Registration certificates of approximately 14,500 associations have been cancelled during the last five years," he said in a written reply.
Rai said so far this year, the ministry has cancelled FCRA registration of 1,808 NGOs recently for non-submission of mandatory annual returns for 2017-18.
The FCRA and rules made there-under provide that all FCRA NGOs and associations have to file annual returns on time. The non-compliant NGOs are issued notices and reminders through the online mechanism.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said in Lok Sabha on Wednesday Railways have been spending an additional Rs 22,000 crore on salaries and pensions of its employees following implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, which has hit its financial health.
"After the implementation of 7th Pay Commission recommendations, there has been an over expenditure of Rs 22,000 crore for salaries and pension of railway employees. This has contributed to the overall operating loss," he said during Question Hour.
The Union Cabinet Wednesday gave assent to a bill to amend a law that governs the welfare of senior citizens. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019 provides basic needs, safety and security to senior citizens. It proposes registration and maintenance of minimum standards of senior citizens' care homes, besides registration of homecare service agencies.
Union minister Prakash Javedkar said the bill was cleared by the Cabinet and will be introduced in the Parliament.
-PTI inputs
In a written reply submitted in the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Home Affairs said around 1,154 illegal migrants have been arrested by security forces at India-Bangladesh border till October 31.
Hours after P Chidambaram's bail, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed confidence that the former finance minister will be able to prove his innocence in a fair trial. "Mr P Chidambaram’s 106 day incarceration was vengeful & vindictive. I'm glad that the SC has granted him bail. I'm confident that he will be able to prove his innocence in a fair trial," he tweeted.
Amid demand by members for a separate law to curb mob lynching, Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said in Rajya Sabha that the government has set up a committee to suggest necessary amendments in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to deal with it.
In Lok Sabha, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged Centre to support the state government in a railway line for Wayanad. Kanimozhi (DMK) brought up financial assistance to pregnant women under the Maternity Benefits Scheme. She says this was reduced to Rs 5,000 per woman and restricted to only the first living child.
A group of Rajya Sabha MPs is looking into the issue of regulating access of children to pornography on the Internet and it has decided to hold deliberations with law enforcement agencies, TRAI and social media giants such as WhatsApp and Facebook, sources said. The informal group includes 14 MPs from 10 parties and it was formed by the Upper House Chairman Venkaiah Naidu. On November 28, Naidu had asked Congress MP Jairam Ramesh to form a committee comprising lawmakers from across party lines to suggest concrete steps to curb pornography on social media and other Internet platforms which is adversely affecting children.
P Chidambaram, who was granted bail by the Supreme Court in the INX Media case, will attend Parliament proceedings tomorrow. "I am very happy that he is going to be back home, I am relieved. He will also be attending Parliament session tomorrow," Karti Chidambaram told ANI.
Over 33,000 complaints and appeals are pending with the Central Information Commission, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. "As far as Central Information Commission is concerned, 33,487 number of second appeals/complaints are pending as on November 28, 2019," Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. He said government has started a web portal whereby Right to Information (RTI) applications can be filed online by Indian citizens, including those who are living abroad. An Indian citizen can file RTI application online through RTI online web-portal, having url www.rtionline.gov.in, the minister said.
Calling the Citizenship Amendment Bill "fundamentally unconstitutional," Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "The basic idea of India is violated in this Bill. Those who believe that religion should determine a nation, that was the idea of Pakistan. Mahatma Gandhi, Nehruji, Maulana Azad, Dr. Ambedkar said that religion cannot determine nationhood and ours is a country for everybody. Everybody irrespective of religion has equal rights in our country. Today, this Bill violates that fundamental principle"
Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha adjourned. Lok Sabha to resume at 2 pm, while Rajya Sabha will reconvene at 3 pm.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised the issue of Chinese intrusion in Indian borders. "Pakistan shelters terrorists and China shelters Pakistan. China has started sending ships to Andaman & Nicobar. We keep aggression in our voice when it comes to Pakistan, then why are we balanced soft towards China?"
Responding to him, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, "I would like to assure the House that our forces are vigilant and protecting our borders. Our forces are fully capable of facing any challenge, nobody should have a doubt about it. There is no mutually agreed Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India & China. Due to different perceptions of the LAC, sometimes incidents of incursion occur, I accept it. Sometimes the Chinese Army enters here & sometimes our people go over there."
In a meeting with the BJP MPs, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh tried to reject criticism of the Citizenship Bill, telling the MPs that the BJP always works to unite the nation. Rejecting the criticism that the Bill goes against the principles of secularism, Singh said the countries — Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan — are predominantly Islamic nations and India wants to offer citizenship to those who face religious persecution there.
In Lok Sabha, members ask about the plight of BSNL and MTNL. Communication Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad reiterates that the public sector telecom operator will be revived and all steps are being considered.Prasad said that Public sector undertakings like BSNL and MTNL did not get 4G earlier, but now the government is providing a separate scheme for optic fiber. "We will soon make these PSUs professional, consumer-friendly and competitive," said Prasad.
A Bill that will help grant ownership rights to those who have properties in unauthorised colonies in Delhi will be introdcued in Rajya Sabha today. The Bill will recognise ownership rights on the basis of power of attorney, agreement of sale, will, possession letter or any other document, conveyance deed or authorisation slip. Rights will be granted after payment of registration charges.
The DDA will distribute 100 conveyance deeds by the year-end. The deed, an essential document required for purchase of property and is a binding contract in a court of law, will pave the way for people to register their properties with the Delhi government.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh has given Suspension of Business Notice in Rajya Sabha over 'rising price of onions.'
TMC MP Shanta Chhetri has given zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha over need to release central funds for West Bengal due to devastation caused by Cyclone Bulbul. Nationalist Congress Party MP Vandana Chavan gives zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha over concern on rising sea levels
With the Citizenship Bill facing opposition in the North-East, BJP chief and Home Minister Amit Shah met a delegation from the region last Saturday. At the meeting, he agreed to make changes to the Bill in its current form. He assured civil society groups and political representatives that ethno-cultural concerns of all stakeholders in the North-East would be addressed, and that the Bill would provide protection to such regions and states where the Inner Line Permit (ILP) is applicable, and autonomous administration has been granted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Congress leader Kodikunnil Suresh has given Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha over the issue of 'Chinese intrusion reported in Andaman & Nicobar Islands'.
Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh on Tuesday had confirmed that a Chinese vessel was forced to retreat after it entered India’s Exclusive Economic Zone near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in September. The vessel was apparently conducting “research” near Port Blair and had not taken permission or informed the Indian authorities. The issue has been taken up with the relevant authorities.
The Centre expects the Citizenship Bill to be passed before December 10. The Bill proposes to Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Stressing on the importance of passing the Bill, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asked MPs to ensure they are present in the House when the Home Minister takes it up in Parliament.
Welcome to The Indian Express' live blog on Parliament. Follow this space to track the latest on proceedings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.