On the third day of the ongoing Winter Session, the government introduced in the Lok Sabha four Bills that seek to modify the Scheduled Tribes list in the four States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. As per the list of business for Friday, the Lower House is scheduled to take up the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill, 2019, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to move to pass the Bill to amend the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002.
In the morning session, the Rajya Sabha conducted usual Zero Hour and Question Hour sessions, with moments of chaos when discussions about compensation for farmers’ deaths and the allocation of foodgrains under the Public Distribution System arose. In a turbulent moment, Minister Piyush Goyal characterised the Delhi government as thieves.
The post-lunch session is set to be hectic as both Houses are scheduled to consider over 40 private members’ bills.
On Thursday, the Rajya Sabha passed the Wild Life Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and took up the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022, for consideration and passing. Members of the Opposition, meanwhile, staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha in protest against the Speaker as they claimed that they were not being allowed to raise issues in the House.
Explained | What’s on agenda for the 2022 Winter Session of Parliament?
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Discussion on promotion of sports resumes
A discussion has resumed in the Lok Sabha on the need to promote sports in the country and steps taken by the Centre.
The discussion is taking place under Rule 193. It allows discussions without a formal motion in the House.
Lok Sabha adjourned
The Lok Sabha was adjourned as Zero Hour was underway. Proceedings will resume at 2.05 p.m.
House adjourns post Question Hour
The Rajya Sabha stands adjourned till 2:30 p.m.
Why is there is a rise in price of rise: AAP MP
AAP MP Sushil Kumar Gupta asks about why the price of rice is increasing and highlights the issues facing the common man. Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary said that there was no appreciable increase in the price of rice.
Congress attacks Centre over demonetisation
A heated argument broke out in the Lok Sabha as Congress party leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury attacked the Narendra Modi-led government over the issue of demonetisation. In response, BJP’s Nishikant Dubey said, “Congress is with corrupts, Bangladeshis, with Pakistan’s ISI and part of tukde tukde gang. That’s why they oppose demonetisation and since the matter is in the Supreme Court, they have no right to raise it.”
Government of Delhi a thief: Minister Piyush Goyal during PDS discussion
MP Jose Mani raises a question about the Public Distribution System, asking whether Government has data regarding State-wise allocation of foodgrains under PDS for the last two years and whether it plans to increase this. He also asked whether it will distribute millets under PDS.
Discussion in Rajya Sabha over allocation of foodgrains under Public Distribution System becomes heated, Mr. Goyal says that the Government of Delhi is a thief .A point of order is raised under Rule 47 Sub-rule 2 about his language.
Are we headed for a food crisis? asks AITC MP Jawahar Sircar. The country will not face any food shortage in the years to come, Mr. Goyal responds. We have buffer stocks and are calibrating import duties carefully, he says.
Minister Piyush Goyal fields questions about India-China trade, increase in milk prices
Question Hour commences with a discussion about India’s trading with China, with Digvijaya Singh asking about China being India’s largest trade partner, the value of total trading, the trade deficit and our reliance on Chinese goods. Minister of Trade and Commerce Piyush Goyal describes the steps taken by the government to curb this reliance.
The next question pertained to the rise in prices of milk. Mr. Goyal says the increase in prices over 4 years has not been very high. Supplementary questions are also raised about the rise of farmers’ earnings, and the rise in fodder prices.
Govt introduces Bills to amend ST list in HP, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda has introduced the following Bills to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in the States of Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh:
- The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022,
- The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill, 2022,
- The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022, and
- The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022.
Centre presents statement for grants for current fiscal
Union Minister Of State For Finance Pankaj Chaudhary presented a statement showing demand for excess grants for 2019-20 and supplementary demands for the first batch of grants for 2022-23. The statement was originally set to be made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, as per list of business.
Question Hour concludes
The Speaker has declined to allow suspension of business notices in the Lok Sabha. Leaders of the Congress protested against the Speaker’s decision, saying that matters listed are crucial and need to be discussed.
Question Hour commences in Rajya Sabha
Question Hour is underway in the Upper House.
Cyberattacks, reservations and drinking water: Rajya Sabha Zero Hour wraps up
Dr. Amar Patnaik, BJD MP from Odisha raises the issue of cyber threats and attacks. He mentions the recent cyberattack on the AIIMs. He says that we need to focus on both restoration of data as well as how quickly we can resume normal operations again. We should raise this issue at G-20 and have international collaboration on the matter, he says.
V Vijayasai Reddy, YSCRCP MP from Andhra Pradesh, asks for appropriate reservations in public services and educational institutions, among others. Backward classes are more than 50%, but right now there is only approximately 27%. The Supreme Court has recently said that more than 50% reservations does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution, he says, and seeks proportional reservations to uplift the backward classes.
JD(S) MP H.D Devegowda brings up the issue of drinking water and speaks about the plight of the people of Karnataka. His speech is ended by the commencement of Question Hour.
Fund public libraries, librarians underpaid: CPI (M) Member
Dr. V Sivadasan, CPI(M) MP, raises to speak about the plight of public libraries in the country. Funds and basic facilities should be provided by the Union government. He also mentions that librarians are underpaid. Saying that some libraries in Kerela are well-run, the member says that other parts of the country are not equally well-placed. He also indicates that public libraries can help eliminate illiteracy.
Zero Hour continues interspersed with chaos
Chaos ensues in the House, members raise to their feet as the Chair appeals for silence and orderly hearing of matters.
No one who applies will be denied…: Centre on MP’s query on passport services
In his reply to a question asked by YSR Congress Party MP Chinta Anuradha, MoS External Affairs V. Muraleedharan said the Centre will make all efforts will be undertaken to see that no person who applies for a passport is denied. “We aspire to have at least one post office passport seva kendra in every Lok Sabha constituency. Anyone can apply for a passport from anywhere in the country. It is not compulsory for the person to apply from his/her State or UT,” the MoS informed.
Mild turmoil in House over farmers’ compensation matter
The Rajya Sabha erupted in chaos after MP Chaudhary Jayant Singh raised the issue of the Centre compensating families for the deaths of farmers at Lakhimpur Kheri, with members saying that his words did not deal with a State subject.
Congress seeks discussion on ‘tension’ between judiciary and Centre
Congress MP Manish Tewari has given an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss “confrontation” between the judiciary and the central government. The issue was part of Congress’ strategy to corner the Centre during the Winter Session.
Chair refuses to admit notices under Section 267, Zero Hour commences
Two notices seeking suspension of business are brought to the attention of the Chair. BJP MP Harnath Singh gives Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss implementation of Uniform Civil code. KC Venugopal also submits a noticed under Section 267.
The Chair refused to admit two notices seeking suspension of business. Zero Hour commences with a matter raised by BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits.
Zero Hour commences with a matter raised by BJP MP Sushil Kumar Modi about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits.
On the table for the next week in the Rajya Sabha
The MoS of Parliamentary Affairs presented the statement regarding Government business for the week commencing Monday. These include
1. Further consideration of the Energy Conservation Amendment Act
2. The Consideration of the bills passed by Lok Sabha
-The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Amendment Bill
– The Constitution Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Second Amendment Bill, 2022
3. Consideration and passing of the following bills after they are passed by the Lok Sabha
-Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022
-Anti Maritime Piracy Bill 2019
4. Consideration and passing of Bills after they are introduced in the Lok Sabha.
Congress MP submits adjournment motion notice
Congress MP Manickam Tagore has given an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the Centre’s move to “scrap the pre-metric scholarship for SC, ST, OBC and minority students” from Class 1 to 8 from academic year 2022-23, news agency ANI has reported.
Proceedings commence in Rajya Sabha
The House resumes business with the laying of papers and reports on the table
Proceedings resume in Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha resumed proceedings on the third day of Winter Session with Question Hour.
What is on the agenda in Lok Sabha today?
As per notified schedule, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda is set to introduce the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill, 2022, the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 in Lok Sabha today.
The four Bills seek to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh.
The Lok Sabha will also consider the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill, 2019. The Bill was moved by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on December 7. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will, meanwhile, move the Multi-State Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022. The Bill seeks to amend the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002.
Under Rule 193, MPs will resume their discussion on the need to promote sports in India and steps taken by the Centre in this regard. The discussion had started in Lok Sabha on March 31, during the Budget Session.
The Lower House will take private member’s Bills around evening. The proposals include draft laws on teaching of Sanskrit as a compulsory language in schools, population growth control, etc.