Budget Session 2022 Highlights: Today is the eighth day of the Budget Session of the Parliament, which started on January 31. On February 8, Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to Motion of Thanks to President Ram Nath Kovind’s address in the Rajya Sabha. At the beginning of the Session, President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, in which he said that his government's policies have given top priority to the poor and marginalised sections of the society. The Congress called PM's reply in the Upper House an election speech. The party said that the prime minister skipped the real issues raised by the party and accused him of throwing parliamentary conventions to the winds. Later, Opposition parties staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha after raising the hijab row in Karnataka and only getting a BJP MP responding to their demands instead of a government statement as demanded by them. Among the parties that staged a walkout were Congress, DMK, Indian Union Muslim League, CPI(M), CPI, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. The issue likely to be raised today again. Being held amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the timings of the session of both the houses have been staggered with the Rajya Sabha sitting from 10 am to 3 pm and Lok Sabha from 4 pm to 9 pm. The session will continue till April 8, with a month-long break after the first part culminates on February 11.
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Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Lok Sabha proceedings to go on till 11pm as the house dicusses Union Budget 2022-202
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | FY22 fiscal deficit estimate a responsible target, says Sitharaman
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said the projected fiscal deficit of 6.9 per cent for the current financial year is a "responsible" target as the government has tried to ensure a balance between keeping up expenditure and being fiscally prudent. Making an intervention during the discussion on the Union Budget 2022-23 in the Lok Sabha, the minister also said the Rs 1 lakh crore loan for states will help in speeding up infrastructure development and capital expenditure.In her Budget speech on February 1, Sitharaman had said the revised fiscal deficit in the current financial year is estimated at 6.9 per cent of GDP as against 6.8 per cent of GDP projected in the budget estimates. "I don't want anyone to think this (fiscal deficit estimate) is unusual. The pandemic was unusual and therefore 6.9 per cent is a responsible fiscal deficit. That is the kind of fiscal deficit ... we have tried to do balancing between keeping up spending and being fiscally prudent," Sitharaman said.She was responding to certain remarks made by NCP leader Supriya Sule during the discussion.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | 305 cases booked for violations related to country of origin, expiry dates since Oct 2020
As many as 305 cases have been registered under the Legal Metrology Act for various violations of mandatory declarations, like country of origin and expiry dates, since October 16, 2020, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ashwini Kumar Choubey said, "As against violations of mandatory declarations under the Legal Metrology Act 2009 and the rules made thereunder like country of origin, expiry date, etc, 305 total cases have been booked for various violations from October 16, 2020, and February 3, 2022."Out of the 305 cases, 281 cases pertain to grievances related to the country of origin. The minister also informed that 15 notices have been sent to e-commerce entities and sellers so far for selling non-standard pressure cookers online.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Question in Tamil, reply in Hindi: Heated exchanges in Lok Sabha between oppn, treasury benches
A question asked in Tamil triggered heated exchanges in Lok Sabha on Wednesday between the Opposition and Treasury benches that spilled over to the issue of ministers giving replies in Hindi. It all started during Question Hour, with DMK member A Ganeshamurthi asking a supplementary question about FDI inflow in Tamil and Union minister Piyush Goyal saying that he missed the first part in Tamil and wanted to know which project was he referring to."If I ask a question in English, then the ministers should respond in English only... a member asks a question in Tamil and the minister replies in Hindi," the member remarked and Goyal responded by saying that he can answer in Hindi while the translation is available for the member. Some opposition members shouted as they also apparently sought to raise the issue of ministers replying in Hindi to questions asked in English. In recent times, there have been instances in the House when opposition members, especially from southern states, have protested against such a trend. Some opposition members shouted as they also apparently sought to raise the issue of ministers replying in Hindi to questions asked in English.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | We will be able to launch beta version of ONDC in few months: Goyal
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday said the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) will give an opportunity to small retailers to compete with big firms and its beta version is likely to be launched in few months. As UPI is to the digital payment domain, ONDC is to e-commerce in India. It will enable buyers and sellers to be digitally visible and transact through an open network, no matter what platform/ application they use.Goyal said that over the past few years, large companies have almost taken a complete stronghold on e-commerce business and small retailers do not get equal opportunity to be able to engage with e-commerce due to weak financials and strong financial muscle of large firms. Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, he said there are start-ups and small shops that are an important part of the ecosystem that provides retail shopping."We are in the process of the governance structure of ONDC. We have taken technocrats to help us to create the technology and in another few months, we will be able to do a beta launch and this system will give opportunity for small retailers to stand up in competition against big companies," Goyal said. He added that the platform will provide opportunities for new start-ups to start creating a network of sellers, provide service to local areas, and increase competition.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | 'Worse than Aurangzeb' : Kapil Sibal slams Centre over tax on petrol and diesel
Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Wednesday slammed the government for increasing excise duty on petrol and diesel, alleging its tax regime is worse than that of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. During the second day of the discussion on the union budget 2022-23, Sibal said that in 2014, the price of petrol was Rs 71, and in January 2022, it was Rs 95.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | India is in discussion with ASEAN to start FTA review: Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel
India is in discussion with the 10-nation bloc ASEAN for initiating the review of the free-trade agreement in goods between the two regions to seek more market access for domestic products, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel said the market access issues and trade barriers being faced in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries and China are being regularly taken up with individual countries through bilateral engagements."The Government of India is in discussion with ASEAN countries for initiating the review of ASEAN-India trade in goods agreement to seek more market access for Indian products," she said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. In a separate reply, she said that to increase exports including apparel exports, India is actively negotiating regional trade agreements (RTAs)/ FTAs with a number of countries including the UAE, Australia, Canada, Israel and the UK."Ongoing FTA negotiations will also provide more favourable market access to products exported from India," she said. The minister said that textile and apparel export growth has been facing adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and higher import tariffs in key markets such as the European Union and the United Kingdom as compared to zero duty access in these countries to competing countries like Bangladesh and Cambodia.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Major social media companies set up institutional structure, following guidelines: IT Minister
Almost all the social media companies have set up an institutional structure and are publishing monthly compliance reports as required under the statute, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Wednesday. Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw said to ensure that social media is safe and people can trust what is written on that, a very self-regulating regime, which was laid down in IT social media intermediary guidelines, was brought in last year.In a supplementary question, BJP member Nishikant Dubey asked that since the Supreme Court has removed Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, whether the government is planning to bring any amendment in the IT Act against the SC verdict. Vaishnaw said the matter needs a "detailed debate" to arrive at a solution.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates |
National Single Window System has been created in which online approval of 30-32 departments can be found at one place. Many states are also involved in this. Thousands of companies are taking advantage of this: Union Minister Piyush Goyal in Lok Sabha
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Congress Lok Sabha MP K Suresh gives adjournment motion notice to discuss the hijab row in Karnataka
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Rajya Sabha adjourned till 10 AM on February 10, 2022
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates |
Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has given adjournment motion notice to discuss "curb on freedom of Press"
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Over 25,000 Indians ended lives due to unemployment, indebtedness in 2018-2020, Govt tells RS
As the issue of unemployment is being discussed in Parliament during the debate on Union Budget, the Union government on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that more than 25,000 Indians died by suicide due to either unemployment or indebtedness between 2018 and 2020. As many as 9,140 people died by suicide due to unemployment and 16,091 people due to bankruptcy or indebtedness during the time period, the government told the upper house. The information was provided by Minister of State (Home) Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question on the issue in Rajya Sabha. Rai said that the government figures are based on data provided by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | LWE violence reduced by 77% from all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021, says MoS Home in Lok Sabha
Implementation of National Policy & Action Plan to address Left Wing Extremism 2015 has resulted in a decline in violence. The incidents ofLWEviolence have been reduced by 77% from all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021, saysMoSHomeNityanandRaiinLokSabha.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | For the first time in 70 years, no answer given during Rajya Sabha's Question Hour: Jairam Ramesh
Congress leaderJairamRameshsaid thatfor the first time in 70 years of theRajyaSabha, today no Cabinet Minister answered questions during Question Hour. In a tweet he wrote, "For the first time in 70 years of theRajyaSabha, today no Cabinet Minister answered questions during Question Hour. The Ministers of State were pathetic—reading out replies already circulated and chantingModiChalisa!"
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Status of clean Ganga project sought in Rajya Sabha
Saying the water of the river Ganga is not even fit for bathing, a Congress MP in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday demanded to know the status of the clean Ganga project. Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Kumar Ketkar of the Congress said it was promised that by 2019, the Ganga will be cleaned up."Not only me but the whole nation wants to know the status of the clean Ganga project," he said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself is the chairman of the Clean Ganga Council. The Central Pollution Board has stated that not only the river is not clean, but it is also unlikely to be cleaned for many years, he said. "And it is not certainly (fit) for bathing purposes."
The river, he said, is being primarily used as a 'Shav Vahini'. "More dead bodies have been floating in the Ganga than actually for bathing. More money has been spent on 'puja-pat' than on the clean Ganga project," the MP said. The budget has gone from Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore but nothing has happened. "Ganga remains as unclean or more unclean," he alleged.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | 5,543 Constable posts lying vacant in Police Stations of Delhi: MoS Home to RS
As per inputs by Delhi Police, 5543 Constable posts lying vacant in Police Stations of Delhi. Occurrence of vacancies inter-alia on account of retirements, creation of posts etc is a dynamic process & accordingly filling up of vacancies is also a continuous process,MoSHome toldRayjaSabha. Delhi Police has already initiated a recruitment process to fill up the vacant posts, MoS Home said.(ANI)
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Govt has taken several measures to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrants : MoS Home
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs NityanandRaitold Rajya Sabha that Centrehas taken several measures to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrants back into the valley, including the 3000 state government jobsunder the Prime Minister's Development Package-2015 (PMDP-2015) at an outlay of Rs 1080 crore. The minister also said that thegovernment of Jammu and Kashmir has appointed 1739 migrants and selected additional 1098 migrants under PMDP-2015. "The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has launched a portal in Septemberto address the grievances of Kashmiri Migrants related to Immovable properties and community assets. An amount of Rs 753.89 crores has been released during the last five years in this regard,"MoS Home told Rajya Sabha
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | House Panel to discuss
Bulli Bai, Sulli app casesIn the wake of Bulli Bai and Sulli app case, the Standing Committee for Information and Technology and communications chaired by Dr Shashi Tharoor will meet at 3 pm on February 9 to discuss the pressing issue concerning the safety of women especially in cyberspace.The subject for the meeting says, "Evidence of the representatives of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Home Affairs on the subject 'Safeguarding citizens' rights and prevention of misuse of social or online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space." As per the sources in the Ministry of Information and Technology, the IT secretary and other senior officials are likely to be present in today's meeting. Several members of Parliament especially Priyanka Chaturvedi had raised the matter with the IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw following which both the Mumbai and Delhi police had jumped into action. (ANI)
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Modi misused his motion of thanks : Leader of Opposition M Kharge
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha accused PM Modi of misusing Motion of Thanks by confining his address to criticising the Congress party.“If you hate Congress, Gandhiji, Nehruji or Rahulji, say all that outside Parliament. He (PM Modi) dropped our issues of Pegasus, COVID-19, inflation,etc. We weren't even born when Congress fought and won independence. He misused his motion of thanks and left his principles,” Kharge said
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Notice demanding Lata's statue in Parliament House
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)MP Seema Dwivedi has given zero hour Notice in Rajya Sabhaseeking installation of a portrait of legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar in Parliament House.Mangeshkar passed away on February 6 in Mumbai.
Budget Session 2022 LIVE Updates | Left parties attack PM Modi on his remarks in Parliament
The Left parties have launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his statements in Parliament, terming them "rhetoric" and "Modinomics". In his reply to Motion of Thanks to the President's Address in the Lok Sabha on February 7 and in the Rajya Sabha on February 8, Modi highlighted the achievements of his government. "The only cure for a bunch of lies is to constantly try to uncover the truth. But such untrue and indecent statements from the highest seat of the country hurts India," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in tweet. Yechury alleged that the government was pushing the poor into further poverty. (PTI)
Hello and welcome to Moneycontrol’s LIVE coverage of the Budget Session of the Parliament.
Today is the eighth day of the Session, which started on January 31. Prime Minister Narendra Modi replied to Motion of Thanks to President Ram Nath Kovind’s address in the Rajya Sabha yesterday. At the beginning of the Session, President Ram Nath Kovind addressed the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, in which he said that his government's policies have given top priority to the poor and marginalised sections of the society.
The Congress called PM's reply in the Upper House an election speech. The party said that the prime minister skipped the real issues raised by the party and accused him of throwing parliamentary conventions to the winds.
Stay tuned to this LIVE blog for the latest updates through the day.
