New Delhi: Opposition parties today staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha in protest against the recent hike in fuel and cooking gas prices.
Members of Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, NCP and Left parties raised slogans against the move and walked out of the lower house demanding a rollback.
They had tried to raise the issue as soon as Lok Sabha met for Question Hour, but were disallowed by Speaker Om Birla who asked them to raise it after the Question Hour.
The second half of the Budget session of Parliament resumed from March 14 and will conclude on April 8. The first half of the Budget session began on January 31 and concluded on February 11.
The two Houses of Parliament are following the social distancing norms in the seating arrangements of the members by utilizing both the chambers and visitors' galleries.
Here are the highlights on the Budget Session:
Over 2,150 Cases Of Deaths In Judicial Custody In 2021-22: Centre
Over 2,150 cases of deaths in judicial custody and 155 deaths in police custody were reported by the National Human Rights Commission in 2021-22, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said Uttar Pradesh recorded the highest number of 448 deaths in judicial custody in 2021-22 till February, while Maharashtra reported the highest number of 29 deaths in police custody during the year.
638 Police Stations In India Don't Have A Phone: Centre Tells Parliament
As many as 257 police stations in the country do not have any vehicle and 638 police stations do not have a telephone connection, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the central government supplements the efforts of state governments towards equipping and modernising their police forces, by providing financial assistance under the scheme of Assistance to States for Modernisation of Police (ASMP).
Scrap Civil Aviation Ministry To Create Holistic Transport Ministry: Trinamool 's Mahua Moitra
Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra demanded that the civil aviation ministry be scrapped and merged to create a holistic ministry for transport as it was no longer in the business of running a national airline. Participating in the discussion in Lok Sabha on the demand for grants of the civil aviation ministry, she said that with the privatisation of Air India last month there was no point in discussing that as it was already a "fait accompli" and "we need to move on".
Need To Develop 30-40 Greenfield Airports: BJP Leader
BJP member Rajiv Pratap Rudy on Tuesday made a strong case for developing 30-40 greenfield airports in the country to cater to the requirement of ever increasing number of air passengers. Participating in the discussion on demands for grants for the Civil Aviation Ministry in the Lok Sabha, he said that upgrading existing airports and using defence enclaves for civil aviation "is not the future."
India needs to leverage 'China Plus One' strategy: Parliament panelThe Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce on Tuesday suggested the Central government leverage the 'China Plus One Strategy' for making India an alternative investment destination for major global companies that intend to substitute their China-dependent supply chains.
Congress hits out at government over fuel price hikeCongress on Tuesday slammed the Centre over the hike in petrol and diesel prices, alleging that the government is "making a gain worth Rs 10,000 crores by plundering the poor".
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said that while it's said that crude prices are rising due to the Ukraine-Russia crisis, the Petroleum Minister has stated that India doesn't buy even one per cent of crude oil from Russia.
The infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC) has decreased significantly since 2018 in Jammu and Kashmir. The estimated net infiltration during the last four years is 366: MoS Home Nityanand Rai in a written reply to Lok Sabha
Rajya Sabha misses 2019 record run of adjournment free sittingsThe continuous run of 12 consecutive full sittings of the Rajya Sabha during the second half of the Budget session without forced adjournments was interrupted on Tuesday after the Upper House was adjourned by Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu following the ruckus created by the opposition parties on the issue of the fuel price rise.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm after opposition parties disrupt proceedings over hike in petrol, diesel, LPG prices
PM Modi chairs meeting with senior Ministers, Opposition raises fuel price rise in ParliamentPrime Minister Narendra Modi is holding a meeting with Union Ministers in Parliament to discuss various issues and government strategy for the ongoing Budget Session.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman and Nitin Gadkari are attending the meeting with the Prime Minister.
Rajya Sabha adjourned till noon as opposition protest fuel price hike'Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for a little less than an hour on Tuesday as opposition parties, including the Congress and TMC, voiced their protest against the hike in petrol, diesel and cooking gas LPG prices.
While TMC members stormed into the well of the House carrying placards on the issue, Congress, Left, Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena MPs were up on their feet, some shouting slogans.
Congress MP seeks release of fisherman's body who died in Pakistan captivityCongress MP Shaktisinh Gohil on Tuesday submitted a zero-hour notice in Rajya Sabha to discuss the issue of bringing back the body of Indian fisherman Nanu Ram Kamalia who died in Pakistan's captivity on February 3, 2022.
Gohil said, "Pakistan Navy always arrests fishermen from Gujarat and until now there are 600 fishermen who have been arrested by the Pakistan Navy. Among these fishermen, Nanu Ram Kamalia, a fisherman from Somnath district, died on February 3 this year. After a month of his death, his body has not been brought to Gujarat. Earlier, the Pakistan Navy has unleashed brutality on fishermen of India."
BJP MP Sushil Modi gives a zero-hour notice in Rajya Sabha, to demand central GST exemption on the movie 'The Kashmir Files'.
BJP MP Sushil Modi gives a zero-hour notice in Rajya Sabha, to demand central GST exemption on the movie 'The Kashmir Files'.
EPFO interest rate better than other schemes, reflects today's realities: FM
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday defended a proposal to cut interest rate paid on employees' provident fund deposits to over four-decade low of 8.1 per cent, saying the rate is dictated by today's realities where interest rate on other small saving instruments was even lower.
Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the supplementary spending for the current fiscal, she said the decision to lower interest rate was taken by the central board of the provident fund managing body, EPFO, which has representatives of all stakeholders, including employee unions.
Parliamentary panel for framing price control regime for COVID medicines, medical devicesA Parliamentary panel has recommended framing a new price control regime specific for medicines and medical devices for COVID-19 management and put them under price control with no annual increase in prices allowed till the pandemic is entirely over in the country.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers, in its report on availability of medicines and medical devices for COVID-19 management tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday also recommended covering medical devices for COVID-19 treatment under National List of Essential Medicines for effective price control, while also suggesting exemption of basic customs duty and GST on medicines and medical devices for fighting the pandemic.