The Bhupesh government, which is going through the Corona period and financial crisis, has now started preparing for the budget session. A cabinet meeting has been called on February 13 at the Chief Minister’s residence. The budget will be approved in the cabinet meeting on Saturday and the Governor’s address will also be approved. Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey told that in the meeting an important strategy will be prepared for the budget session. The budget session of Chhattisgarh starts this time from 22 February. This time some new schemes are also being included in the budget. There will also be a provision in the budget for additional funds for health facilities under the corona transition. Apart from this, the meeting will also be discussed on many topics including opening of schools, purchase of paddy, lifting of paddy, corona vaccination.
Tag: Budget Session
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Rajasthan Congress MLA reaches Assembly on tractor to show support for farmers
By Express News Service
JAIPUR: Congress MLA from Bamawas Indira Meena on Wednesday reached the Rajasthan Assembly here on a tractor on the first day of the budget session to extend her support to the farmers protesting against the new farm laws.“I am in support of the farmers agitating against the farm law. I am there for them whenever they will need me,” Meena told reporters outside the state Assembly.
Later, the session began with uproars as echoes of the peasant movement were dominant even inside the House. During the Governor’s address, CPI MLA Balwan Poonia shouted slogans in support of the farmers’ movement in the house. He threw the papers before the governor and termed the central farm Acts ‘black law’ which would ruin farmers. He demanded the central government repeal them.
Poonia, who represents the Bhadra constituency, even interrupted the governor while the latter was addressing the Assembly and asked him to “say something”. “I am speaking, brother”, Governor Kalraj Mishra responded to Poonia. Poonia and a few other MLAs then sat on a dharna in the House.
Later, state Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi, and Deputy Whip Mahendra Chaudhary tried to convince Poonia who eventually was taken out of the House after a prolonged altercation. The Governor’s address, however, continued amidst the din and dharna in the Well.
The Governor’s address remained focused on Coronavirus and farmers. The Governor referred to the works done by the Gehlot government for the people during the Covid pandemic period and its pro-farmer initiatives. The Governor even referred to the special session called by the state government and mentioned the three agricultural ordinances passed for the benefit of the farmers.
After the completion of the Governor’s address, some other MLAs supported Poonia and raised slogans of ‘Jai Kisan’ in support of the agitating farmers in the presence of the Governor. Among those who raised slogans were Independent and Congress MLAs.
In sharp contrast, slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ were raised by a group of BJP MLAs inside the House. Overall, the first day of the Rajasthan Assembly indicated that heated debates over the contentious farm bills are bound to dominate the Budget Session.
In addition, it was announced that CM Ashok Gehlot will present the state budget on 24 February.
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27 bills passed earlier to be presented in Lok Sabha today
By ANI
NEW DELHI: On the second day of the Budget Session, 27 bills passed by the Houses of Parliament during the fourth session of the 17th Lok Sabha will be tabled in the Lower House on Tuesday.Today’s Lok Sabha session will also see various Standard Committee reports on Coal and Steel, Home Affairs, Health and Family Welfare, among others being presented.
After the Lower House assembles at 4 pm, Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh will table 27 Bills passed by the Houses of Parliament during the Fourth Session of Seventeenth Lok Sabha and assented to by President Ram Nath Kovind.
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Satya Pal Singh will present reports and statements of the Public Accounts Committee, including the 21st Report on “Implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006” and the 114th report on “Design, Development, Manufacture and Induction of Light Combat Aircraft”.
BJP MPs Rakesh Singh and Ajay Nishad will present reports of the Standing Committee on Coal and Steel, while Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Dayanidhi Maran and Janata Dal (U) [JD(U)] MP Dulal Chandra Goswami will present reports on the Standing Committee on Home Affairs, which will include traffic and COVID-19 management.
The Standing Committee’s reports on Home Affairs were virtually presented to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on December 21, 2020, and were forwarded to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on the same day.
Reports of the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare will also be presented in the Lok Sabha. These reports were presented to Naidu on November 21, 2020, and were forwarded to Birla on November 25.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary will also move a motion that the House does agree with the 18th Report of the Business Advisory Committee presented to it on Monday.
BJP MP Locket Chatterjee will move a motion of thanks on President Kovind’s address on January 29.
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First part of budget session to end on February 13: Sources
Leaders of various parties attending the meeting assured that there would be full participation in all the debates and discussions in the House, sources said.
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Finance Minister gave four-five mini-budgets in 2020, upcoming budget will be seen as part of that series: PM
By ANI
NEW DELHI: Asserting that this decade is very important for the bright future of India and should be fully utilised, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that a golden opportunity has come before the nation to fulfill the dreams seen by the freedom fighters for the country.While addressing media ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session of Parliament, PM Modi said that all MPs will make the Budget session very productive. He said that the Union Budget 2021 will be seen as a part of those 4-5 mini budgets announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in 2020.
“Today commences the first session of this decade. This decade is very important for the bright future of India. A golden opportunity has come before the nation to fulfill the dreams seen by the freedom fighters. This decade should be fully utilised. Keeping this in mind, there should be discussions in this session focussing on the decade – this is expected by the nation. I believe that we will not lag behind in making our contribution for the fulfilment of people’s aspiration,” he added.
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“This is the Budget Session. For the first time in India’s history, in a way, the Finance Minister had to present 4-5 mini budgets in 2020 in the form of different packages. So this Budget will be seen as a part of those 4-5 mini budgets, I believe this,” he added.
PM Modi further said that he believes that parliamentarians will not lag behind in their contribution towards the fulfilment of people’s aspirations by making full use of Parliament.
The first part of the session will continue till February 15. The second part of the session will be held from March 8 to April 8.
Rajya Sabha will function from 9 am to 2 pm and Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm with Zero Hour and Question Hour.
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Budget Session: No MP has tested positive for COVID-19 till now, say sources
By ANI
NEW DELHI: Ahead of the Budget Session today, sources have confirmed that till now, not a single Member of Parliament has been tested positive for COVID-19.Speaking to ANI, the sources informed, “Almost 140 Members of Parliament would be bringing their own COVID-19 test reports from the states they are arriving from. Not even a single MP has been tested positive for COVID-19 till now.”
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to table the Economic Survey 2020-21 in Parliament today, two days before the Union Budget is presented during the Budget Session.
The Budget Session will begin today with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind to the joint sitting of two houses of Parliament.
The first part of the session will continue till February 15. The second part of the session will be held from March 8 to April 8.
Rajya Sabha will function from 9 am to 2 pm and Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm with Zero Hour and Question Hour.
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Government terms Opposition boycott of Presidential address ‘unfortunate’, urges them to attend
By ANI
NEW DELHI: Terming the Opposition parties’ boycott of President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to the joint sitting of two houses of Parliament on the first day of Budget Session as “unfortunate”, Minister of State (MoS) for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal on Friday appealed to the leaders of opposition parties to attend the address.“President’s address to Parliament is a non-political thing. The opposition should attend it. It is unfortunate that they have decided to boycott it,” Meghwal told ANI.
Meanwhile, Giriraj Singh, Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Bihar’s Begusarai said that the Opposition is shredding the dignity of democracy by not attending the President’s address.
“They are shredding the dignity of democracy. In the Parliamentary system, President has his own dignity and boycotting his address is insulting him,” Singh said on being asked about Opposition parties announcing their boycott of the President’s address at Parliament.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has arrived at the Parliament to attend the Budget Session.
A total of 16 political parties including–Congress, NCP, J-K National Conference, DMK, AITC, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, RJD, CPI (M), CPI, IUML, RSP, PDP, MDMK, Kerala Congress (M) and AIUDF– in a joint statement on Thursday announced that they will boycott the President’s address in the Parliament to register their protest against the three farm laws.
Apart from these 16 parties, BSP, AAP and SAD have also announced that they will also boycott the President’s address.
The Budget Session will begin today with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind to Parliament.
The first part of the session will continue till February 15. The second part of the session will be held from March 8 to April 8.
Rajya Sabha will function from 9 am to 2 pm and Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm with Zero Hour and Question Hour.
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Budget session: BSP will boycott President’s address, says Mayawati
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Bahujan Samaj Party will boycott the president’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses over the Centre’s stand on the farmers’ demand to repeal the new agri laws and its “dilly-dallying” approach on matters of public interest, the party’s chief Mayawati said on Friday.She made the announcement just hours before President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to the joint sitting of both Houses, making BSP the 19th party to announce boycott of the address.
A day before the start of the Budget session of Parliament, as many as 18 opposition parties, led by the Congress, the NCP, the Shiv Sena and the TMC, had decided on Thursday to boycott the president’s address in solidarity with the farmers protesting against the new farm laws.
“In protest over (the Centre) not accepting the farmers’ demand of repealing the three controversial agri laws and adopting a dilly-dallying approach in matters of public interest, the BSP has decided to boycott the president’s address in Parliament,” Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.
“Also, I request the Centre to take back the farm laws and normalise the situation in Delhi. Innocent farmers should not be made a scapegoat in the the wake of the violence on Republic Day. There is a lot of truth in the objection of BKU and other leaders from UP in this matter,” she said.
While 16 opposition parties issued a joint statement announcing their decision to boycott the president’s address, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had also separately announced their decision to boycott the address.
The parties that jointly announced that they will boycott the president’s address were the Congress, the Nationalist Congress Party, the National Conference, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Trinamool Congress, the Shiv Sena, the Samajwadi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the CPI, the Indian Union Muslim League, the RSP, the People’s Democratic Party, the MDMK, the Kerala Congress (M) and the All India United Democratic Front.
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BJP slams opposition parties for decision to boycott President’s address to Parliament
By PTI
NEW DELHI: Slamming opposition parties for their decision to boycott the President’s address to Parliament, the BJP on Thursday accused them of “constitutional and moral bankruptcy”.BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said if these parties think that the Modi government will backtrack from its support to three farm laws due to their collective pressure, then they should know that they lack such strength and that this dispensation bows only before people.
Addressing a press conference, Bhatia said opposition parties had been calling for a session all this while as he hit out at them for their decision to boycott the address.
A day before the start of the Budget Session of Parliament, 16 opposition parties led by the Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena and the TMC on Thursday decided to boycott the President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament in solidarity with the farmers protesting the new farm laws.
The BJP spokesperson said all major opposition parties had spoken before these laws were passed in the last session, rejecting their contention that the government had rammed through these legislations without following due consultation.
What they have shown with this decision is their constitutional and moral bankruptcy, he said.
Parties like the Shiv Sena had even supported these laws in Parliament before making a U-turn, so did the Shiromani Akali Dal, he said.
Bhatia also lashed out at opposition parties like the Congress, TMC and the Samajwadi Party for not “condemning” the “anarchy” protesting farmers unleashed in the national capital on Republic Day and “insult” to the national flag.
Some opposition leaders had disapproved of the violence but alleged that the government’s refusal to heed the farmers’ demand to repeal these laws was a factor in it.
Bhatia said it is the government which has shown much flexibility and an open mind in its talks with farmer union leaders.
He also lauded the Delhi Police for its restrain and overall handling of the situation.
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Stormy Budget session on cards as Opposition set to corner Modi government on farm laws, economy, LAC standoff
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The crucial Budget session of Parliament is set for a stormy start with as many as 18 opposition parties announcing their decision to boycott the President’s address to a joint sitting of both houses on Friday, in solidarity with the farmers agitating against the three contentious farm laws.The session is also likely to witness acrimonious scenes, with the opposition all set to corner the government on issues like recession, job losses, handling of COVID crisis, LAC stand-off with China and the WhatsApp chat leaks of Arnab Goswami.
Alleging that the farm laws have been pushed by the BJP government without a national consensus, the opposition parties announced their decision on Thursday to boycott the President’s address, a move termed as “most unfortunate” by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi.
To seek the cooperation of various parties for the smooth functioning of the Budget session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has convened a meeting of all political parties on Friday which is expected to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The session will begin with the President’s address followed by the presentation of the Economic Survey.
The Union Budget will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.
Both the houses will also debate on the Motion of thanks to the President’s address after the budget presentation.
The session will be held in two parts –January 29 to February 15 and March 8 to April 8 and will have a total of 33 sittings.
With the session starting barely days after the national capital witnessed unprecedented violence on Republic Day during the farmers’ tractor parade, the issue is expected to echo in Parliament.
A total of 18 Opposition parties including the Congress, the NCP, Shiv Sena, DMK, Trinamool Congress, CPI, CPI-M and RJD and some other parties have announced that they would boycott the President’s address.
There are over 20 opposition parties in Parliament.
Joshi has appealed to all the parties to reconsider their decision to boycott, saying the President is above party politics.
He also claimed that the BJP has never boycotted the President’s address when it was in the opposition, and said the issues raised by the opposition parties can be raised during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s address.
The parties that will boycott the President’s address are –the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, National Conference, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPI, Indian Union Muslim League, RSP, Peoples Democratic Party, MDMK, Kerala Congress (M) and the All India United Democratic Front.
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The Shiromani Akali Dal and Aam Aadmi Party also separately announced their decision of boycotting the address.
“The Prime Minister and the BJP government remain arrogant, adamant and undemocratic in their response. Shocked by this insensitivity of the government, the opposition political parties, reaffirming the collective demand for the repeal of the anti-farmer laws and in solidarity with the Indian farmers, have decided to boycott the President’s address to both the houses of Parliament,” a joint statement issued by 16 parties said on Thursday.
The statement was released by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Azad alleged that the Opposition is against the manner in which the three bills were passed in Parliament after rules and regulations were “thrown in the dustbin”.
The parties have alleged that the farm bills were brought without any consultations with states and farmer unions, and lacked national consensus.
“Parliamentary scrutiny was bypassed and the laws were pushed through muzzling the Opposition, in brazen violation of Parliamentary rules, practices and conventions.
The very constitutional validity of these laws remains in question,” they said, adding that the laws are an assault on the rights of the states and violate the federal spirit of the Constitution.
Terming the boycott as “unprecedented”, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said, “tomorrow in all likelihood, only the ruling party will be in attendance. This an indication to the degree to which our institutions are being destroyed. It is a sorry state of affairs for parliamentary democracy.”
It is after almost six months that the Parliament will be convened, as the Winter session could not be held due to the COVID pandemic.
With a view to have a paperless Budget, all the documents and the Economic Survey would be made available online soon after the authenticated copies are laid on the Table of the House, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has said.
This session will be held as per COVID-19 protocols, with Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha meeting in shifts of five hours each — with the upper house meeting from 9 AM to 2 PM and the lower house in the evening from 3 PM to 8 PM.
This is also the first time when the members of both the Houses will be seated in three different locations – chambers of both houses and the Central Hall.
The Question Hour, which could not take place during the Monsoon session, has also made a comeback in this session.
The Monsoon session also saw the two Houses working on Saturdays and Sundays.
But this time, Parliament will not sit on weekends.
Private Members’ business, which usually takes place on Friday afternoons, will also be part of the Budget session, according to the Lok Sabha secretariat.
In the previous session, the Private Members’ business was not taken up.
During the session, the government will also push to convert ordinances issued recently into laws.
An ordinance has to be converted into a law within 42 days of the beginning of the session, else it lapses.
The ordinances issued recently include The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Ordinance 2020, The Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 and The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.