Both Houses of Parliament have adjourned for the day after continuing discussions on the Union Budget 2024-25. The session saw multiple disruptions and heated debates between Opposition and Treasury benches. Here are the latest updates:
To catch up with the highlights of yesterday's Parliament Budget Session 2024, click: Parliament Budget Session 2024
House Adjouned
♦ Airfare Regulation Bill Proposed
Congress MP Shafi Parambil seeks to introduce a Bill to establish an Airfare Regulatory Board.
Parambil: "Airlines are looting people and lessening opportunities for urgent travel."
♦ BJP Defends Airline Pricing
BJP MP Dushyant Singh:
"Airfare is determined by different preferences of the passenger."
♦ RSP MP Raises Concerns
N.K. Premachandran questions impact of Air India privatization and high airfares on middle-class Indians working in Gulf countries.
♦ BJP MP Defends Budget
Saumitra Khan:
"This budget is for the farmers, the youth, and people belonging to the SC/ST communities."
♦ Unemployment Concerns Raised
Independent MP Rajesh Ranjan cites ILO report on rising educated unemployment.
♦ Farmer Promises Questioned
Samajwadi Party MP Chhotelal Singh Kharwar:
"This budget is a 'Sarkar bachao budget' and isn't a guarantee to the farmers."
♦ Old Pension Scheme Demand
Congress MP Balwant Baswant Wankhade calls for application of old pension scheme.
♦ BIMARU States Progress Defended
BJP MP Vishnu Dayal Ram defends allocation for Bihar's development.
♦ Middle Class Tax Burden Highlighted
IUML MP Dr. MP Abdussamad Samadani
"The government believes that the middle class should continue to be taxed more and more."
♦ SAD MP criticises Budget as "Sarkar Bachao"
Harsimrat Kaur Badal calls the Union budget a "sarkar bachao" (save the government) budget.
Badal: "This Union budget is not for the States, it is a 'sarkar bachao' budget."
She raises issues of water allocation in Punjab and requests implementation of MS Swaminathan Committee's recommendations for MSP.
♦ Concern Over Incomplete Metro Projects
MDMK MP Durai Vaiko raises issues with metro project allocations.
Vaiko: "It is highly disheartening to note that the second phase of Chennai Metro, much-awaited metro projects in Coimbatore and Madurai have not been mentioned."
♦ Heated Exchange Over Budget Discussion
- Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister:
"It seems like the discussion is not on the Budget but to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
- Chair Jagdambika Pal intervenes:
"Learn the tradition of the House."
♦ Budget Criticism from Haryana MP
Jai Prakash, Congress MP from Hisar, criticises the Budget.
Prakash: "This Budget has nothing for the farmers or youth of the country. The Budget was made just for a few wealthy individuals."
♦ Budget Criticism from Haryana MP
Jai Prakash, Congress MP from Hisar, criticises the Budget.
Prakash: "This Budget has nothing for the farmers or youth of the country. The Budget was made just for a few wealthy individuals."
He questions why Haryana is ignored in the Budget 2024.
→ Budget 2024 Discussion Begins
♦ Jammu MP highlights the good
Jugal Kishore, BJP MP from Jammu, hails positive aspects of the Union Budget 2024.
"Budget aims at creating maximum employment opportunity."
♦ Opposition Objects to House Proceedings
Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, intervenes amid chaos.
Rijiju: "When it comes to the business of the government. Then [Opposition] can object to it but why are you objecting to the normal authority of the house."
♦ Congress Criticizes Parliamentary Affairs Minister
K. C. Venugopal responds to Rijiju's statements.
Venugopal: "The primary duty of the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is to carry the house together. Unfortunately, yesterday, our Parliamentary Affairs Minister gave a bad statement, a very condemnable statement."
→ Brief Adjournment
House briefly adjourned amid uproar over remarks about dividing West Bengal and an alleged scam in Karnataka government.
♦ Healthcare for Seniors
Question Hour focuses on healthcare issues. Health Minister J.P. Nadda outlines government schemes.
Nadda: "Aayushman Arogya Mandir, Centre's wellness centres, has over 2 crore footfalls. A sizable population are senior citizens."Parliament Budget Session 2024
♦ Proposal for Roadside Trauma Care
BJP MP C.N. Manjunath suggests poly-trauma clinics every 125 km on highways.
Nadda responds: "It is not possible as of now. But we have opened trauma units in National Highways."
♦ Affordable Cancer Treatment
Discussion on making cancer care more accessible.
Nadda: "Ayushman Bharat covers cancer. A patient gets up to Rs. 5 lakh benefit."
♦ Support for Special Needs Children
Minister Annpurna Devi addresses questions about support for children with special needs.
Devi: "Via Mission Vatsalya we provide children with CNCP (Bal Grihya)."
♦ Remembering Kargil War Heroes
Speaker Om Birla leads the House in remembering Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Birla: "Today our country remembers the courage and sacrifice of the Indian Army to protect the unity, sovereignty and integrity of India."
To read more on Kargil Vijay Diwas 2024, click: Kargil Vijay Diwas 2024: Prime Minister Modi's Tribute In Drass, Inaugurates Shinkun La Tunnel Project
House Adjouned
♦ AAP MP Criticizes Budget
Vikramjit Singh Sahney:
"Budget neglects Punjab despite its historical challenges and contributions."
♦ Uproar Over Constitution Amendment Bill
- Discussion continues on Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022 (amendment of Article 16).
- Congress MP Neeraj Dangi's demand for caste census leads to loud protests from Treasury Benches.
- Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar urges decorum and healthy discussion.
→ Rajya Sabha resumes amid protests after an hour break.
→ Rajya Sabha adjourned amid protests
♦ Private Members' Bills Considered
- Karnataka BJP MP Iranna Kadadi moves to amend the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
- MP R. Girirajan proposes amendments to the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955.
♦ CPI MP Criticises Budget
Sandosh Kumar P. calls the Budget "the worst of its kind."
"This is a kind of surgical strike on the dreams and aspirations of people."
♦ Proposal to Scale Back Apprenticeship Programme
S. Niranjan Reddy suggests modifications to the proposed apprenticeship programme.
Reddy: "It may be a tall ask, and ₹5,000 maybe a little less. The government should start with a reasonable number of 20-30 lakhs to start with for the first four or five years."
♦ Karnataka Scam Allegations
BJP MP Iranna Kadadi raises issue of alleged scams in Karnataka.
Kadadi: "Every day there is a new scam in Karnataka. There should be a CBI inquiry into this matter and the (Karnataka) CM should resign taking moral responsibility."
♦ BJP Protests Over MUDA and Valmiki Issues
- BJP members from Karnataka protest alleged scams involving MUDA and Valmiki Development Corporation.
- Former Karnataka minister Basvaraj Bommai accuses Congress of embezzling ₹1,087 crore in the Valmiki Development Corporation case.
♦ MP Named and Directed to Withdraw
- Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar "names" Randeep Surjewala, directs him to withdraw from the House for causing disruptions.
- Dhankhar: Mr. Surjewala is "not allowing the House to discuss the welfare of farmers and is causing disruptions."
♦ Protests Continue
Chairman urges members to sit as Opposition protests in the Well of the House.
Dhankhar: "This is unbecoming of you."
♦ Cyber Attack Allegations
- AAP MP Raghav Chadha raises issue of "state-sponsored cyber attacks".
Chadha: "Several members of the House, particularly of the Opposition, were victims of this...our mobile phones notified us of this."
- MoS Jitin Prasada refutes allegations:
"I can categorically say, there is no such thing as state-sponsored hacking or tracking."
→ Budget Discussion Resumes
Rajya Sabha resumes discussion on Union Budget amid ongoing tensions.
♦ Protests Over Rule 267
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar refuses to allow notices under Rule 267, leading to protests.
♦ Flood Issues in Eastern India
AITC MP Sushmita Dev highlights flood problems in Assam and West Bengal.
Dev: "The national average of flood-prone areas is 10.2%, but for Assam, it's 40%."
♦ Objection to Business List Amendment
P. Chidambaram objects to changing the published list of business.
Chidambaram: "It is unfair to amend a published list of business."
♦ Olympic Duty Leave
House grants P.T. Usha permission to remain absent for the session due to Olympic duties.
♦ Inflation and Unemployment Debate
The opposition continues to highlight economic issues in budget discussions.
Inputs by Agencies
Image Source: Multiple Source
Ⓒ Copyright 2024. All Rights Reserved Powered by Vygr Media.
