Parliament resumed proceedings as usual at 11 a.m. today. The Rajya Sabha commenced by paying its respects to late MPs Yogendra Alagh and R.C Singh. At the start of Zero Hour Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge asked that there be discussion about the clash of Indian and Chinese troops in Tawang sector, Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, but this was disallowed by the Chair. Opposition members walked out in protest, but Zero Hour, Special Mentions and Question Hour proceeded as usual.
Post lunch break, Law Minister Kiren Rijuju is expected to move that the New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019 be taken into consideration in the Rajya Sabha. The Lok Sabha will continue its discussion pertaining to the supplementary demand for grants. The Houses will also take up other pending business from the previous days.
Tuesday’s session was turbulent as Opposition members staged walkouts over their demand for a discussion on the Indo-China border clash in Arunachal Pradesh. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed both Houses, indicating that no soldiers were killed or badly injured in the clash. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said they had repeatedly asked for a debate on the Chinese transgression, but the government refused to allow it.
This marked a departure from proceedings which have been relatively calm in both Houses, as opposed to a turbulent Monsoon Session. The Winter Session will conclude on December 29.
Explained | What’s on agenda for the 2022 Winter Session of Parliament?
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House resumes proceedings
Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda replies on The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022
Lok Sabha adjourned for an hour
Proceedings will resume in the lower house at 2.10 p.m.
House adjourned till 2 p.m.
Question Hour concludes and the House stands adjourned till 2 p.m.
We are creating 15 lakh jobs per month: Minister of State Rajiv Chandrashekhar
Replying to a question about whether the government is using CSR funds for skill development, Minister of State for Skill Development Rajiv Chandrashekhar says that the inclusion of corporates is an important component of Skill India.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh asks that if government jobs are not available then are they available through the skilling programme, and why there has been a reduction in the people who have benefitted under the scheme year-on-year. He also brings up Prime Minister’s promise to create 2 crore jobs.
Average job creation per month is 15 lakh, the Minister replies. He also says that the pandemic has caused a lot of losses.
Withdraw remission policy that led to release of rape convicts: BSP leader Kunwar Danish Ali
Raising the issue of the release of Bilkis Bano case convicts, BSP’s Kunwar Danish Ali asked the Centre to ensure that such criminals remain in prison and demanded the government to revoke the remission policy that allowed the release of convicted rapists.
Children don’t have to wait to be adopted: Union Minister Smriti Irani
BJP MP Saroj Pandey asks what measures are in place to take care of adopted children or return them to centres if they are not treated well by adoptive parents. The Minister of State replies that stringent measures are in place. MP Mausam Noor asks what the average waiting period for adoption in the last five years.
Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani said that in September 2022, the ministry notified new regulations. Close to 900 cases were pending in court, but now 580 children have already been adopted, including “hard-to-place” children in older age groups, the Minister states. Parents may have to wait but children will not have to, she says.
MPs raise matters of urgent importance
Zero Hour is underway. Lok Sabha MPs are raising a host of issues under Matters of Urgent Public Importance. Issues included steep hike in air ticket rates from Delhi to Kerala, subsidy for harvesting to control stubble burning and cow smuggling.
Question Hour commences in the House
Reinstitute Maulana Azad National Fellowship: AITC MP Nadimul Haque
AITC MP Nadimul Haque asks the government to withdraw its decision to discontinue the Maulana Azad National Fellowship, which provided financial assistance to 6722 students from six notified minority communities pursing doctoral programmes from 2014-2015 to 2021-2022.
The government said that there was overlap between this scheme and others, but this is not so, the MP says. The government has also discontinued pre-metric scholarships before Class 9 he says.
This will lead to more dropout rates, he says, and asks that the fellowship be brought back.
Chaos again in Lok Sabha over India-China border clash, Congress stages walkout
After Rajya Sabha, Congress MPs, led by Sonia Gandhi, and TMC leaders staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha. This came after the Speaker denied permission to hold a discussion on the recent clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh.
Matter being investigated, measures in place: Centre on AIIMS cyber attack
On AIIMS cyber attack, Minister of Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said such attacks happen in lakhs every day, and added that the Centre has been able to prevent a majority of such attacks. In the specific case of AIIMS, the network had gone flat over time. It is now being revised and redifned. We will know about the attackers once the investigation is complete but measures have been put in place by the government,” the minister said.
Question Hour has concluded in the Lok Sabha.
Long Covid needs study, will become parallel pandemic: NCP MP Vandana Chavan
NCP MP Vandan Chavan brings up the issue of long Covid, saying that there are long-lasting effects after infection by Covid.
She mentions that there has been in increase in heart issues, diabetes and mental health. She says that there should be greater research into the same, saying that this will otherwise result in a “parallel pandemic.”
Settle Manipur-Myanmar border: BJP MP
BJP MP Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba brings up issue of the unsettled border between Manipur and Myanmar. He asks the Indian government to take up the issue at the diplomatic level.
Rs. 1953 crores pending from Centre to TN: DMK MP P Wilson
Special mentions are now underway.
DMK MP P Wilson brings up the issue of dues pending from the government to the Tamil Nadu State government, saying that 1953 crores have not been paid. This amount is under various heads, such as GST compensation.
This is impeding the growth and development of the State, he says, and asks the Centre to release the funds forthwith.
Opposition members stage a walkout
MPs gamely try to speak over opposition protests during Zero Hour. As MP Abir Ranjan Biswas is speaking about the protection of aromatic rice species, Opposition members stage a walkout of the House since their demand for a discussion about the Indo-Chinese border dispute is not accepted.
Start-up ecosystem strengthening in urban, rural areas: Piyush Goyal
Congress MP Manish Tewari asked the Centre about government initiatives and policies to ensure that start-ups are upgraded to unicorn grade. While Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal did not specify the steps taken by the government in this direction, he said the ecosystem is strengthening in both urban and rural areas. India is moving forward. As listed in the written reply, the government has listed more schemes than the US and China. They [hinting at the Opposition] should be happy,” Mr. Goyal said.
Zero Hour begins, Leader of Opposition asks for discussion about India-China border dispute
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge asks that there be discussion about the clash of Indian and Chinese troops in Tawang sector, Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, 2022.
The Chair Harivansh Narayan Singh does not allow a discussion, saying that there is no notice to this effect and the Defence Minister has already made a statement. Opposition members loudly protest
Motion to appoint woman member to surrogacy board
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya moves a motion to appoint one women member to the National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy (NART&S) Board. The motion is passed with no objections.
Rajya Sabha resumes at 11 am, pays respects to late members
Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh addresses the House and pays respect to the late MPs Yogendra Alagh and R.C Singh.
He informed the House that Alagh passed away on December 6 at the age of 83 years. Alagh, who taught economics during his lifetime, served as a member of the erstwhile Planning Commission and was vice chancellor of JNU. He represented the state of Gujarat in the Upper House from November 1996 to April 2000. “In the passing away of Alagh the country has lost an eminent economist and an able Parliamentarian,” he says.
An agriculturalist and social worker, Singh, who was an MP of Rajya Sabha from June 2008 to April 2012, died on December 10 at the age of 78 years. “In the passing away of Singh, the country has lost a veteran trade unionist and an able parliamentarian,” The Chairman says.
Members rise in their places and observe silence in the memory of the departed.
Proceedings resume in Lok Sabha amid protests
Placrads seen in the House as session resumes amid uproar by Opposition. Speaker warns, proceeds with Question Hour.
Mallikarjun Kharge meets Opposition leaders; TMC skips meet
A meeting chaired by the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, with floor leaders of opposition parties was held on Wednesday morning. Among other issues on agenda was the recent Tawang border clash in Arunachal Pradesh.
Trinamool Congress skipped the meeting.
Opposition leaders, led by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, hold a meeting to devise a joint strategy on the Indo-China clash and other issues.
| Photo Credit:
ANI
Congress MP gives adjournment motion notice
Congress MP Manish Tewari has given an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss the current situation along the LAC in Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh.
On Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had stated in Parliament that troops of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China tried to transgress the LAC on December 9 but were forced by the Indian Army to retreat. Opposition MPs, however, walked out of the House. Oppsoition MPs said they were dissatisfied with Mr. Singh’s statement and assurances.
What is coming up in the Rajya Sabha today?
The House will kick off with the usual laying of papers and reports. Union Minister Smriti Irani is expected to make a statement on the status of implementation of recommendations pertaining to issues related to the safety of women. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya is expected to move to elect one women member to the National Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy (NART&S) Board.
Post the usual Question Hour, Rajya Sabha is expected to take up The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022 for discussion and passing. The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre Act, 2019, as passed by Lok Sabha, is also expected to be taken up.
On the table at the Lok Sabha today
The House is expected to resume with the usual Question Hour and laying of papers and reports on the table of the House. Following this, MP Anupriya Singh Patel will move to elect two members to the Spices Board.
The Lok Sabha will continue with its discussion on the supplementary demand for grants for 2022-2023 and excess grants for 2019-2020. Yesterday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced a Bill to authorise payment and appropriation of further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the current financial year, and during the financial year 2019-2020.