Budget Session of Parliament resumes today | Cut in EPFO interest rates, Ukraine war to be in focus

File image of the Indian parliament building pictured in New Delhi

The Budget Session of Parliament resumes on March 14 after a recess of more than a month, with the Opposition likely to target the government over rising unemployment, a cut in the interest rate of the employees' retirement fund and evacuation of Indians from war-torn Ukraine.

The BJP, which leads the ruling coalition, will be riding high on its election wins in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa. The Aam Aadmi Party, too, will bask in its sweep of Punjab, while the Congress returns diminished after a string of humiliating defeats.

During the day, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the budget for the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the financial year 2022-23.

With the improvement in the coronavirus situation in the country, both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will have simultaneous sittings from 11 am to 6 pm.

In the first part of the session, from January 29 and February 11,  the two houses meet in two shifts to avoid crowding.

#WATCH | Delhi: Copies of the Budget of Jammu and Kashmir brought to the Parliament. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Budget for J&K in Lok Sabha today. pic.twitter.com/6NwRwabnEL

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— ANI (@ANI) March 14, 2022

The Rajya Sabha will get additional 19 hours of business time in the second part of the Budget Session of Parliament.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi chaired a meeting of the party's working committee the previous day and decided to work in coordination with like-minded political parties during the session.

“We discussed the issues to be raised in the budget session of Parliament. We will work in coordination with like-minded parties to raise important issues related to public interest during the budget session,” said Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge.

The government has also listed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill for consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha.

Congress member Manickam Tagore has moved an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha to discuss the decrease in interest rates of employee provident fund deposits.

CPI's Rajya Sabha member Binoy Viswam has also given a suspension of business notice under rule 267 for a discussion on slashing of EPF interest rate to 8.1 percent, the lowest in 43 years, from 8.5 percent.

Also read: House to resume Budget Session for second part today: What's on the agenda

The move would affect over 60 million of the Employees’ Provident Fund salaried-class subscribers. The last time EPFO paid lower than this rate was in 1977-78 when the interest rate was 8 percent.

Congress member Manish Tewari has given notice for an  adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha to discuss the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the future of Indian students, most of them studying medicine,evacuated from Ukraine.

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar is likely to make a statement on "Operation Ganga", which was launched to evacuate Indians stuck in Ukraine.

The first half of the session saw the government presenting this year's budget. A debate on the motion of thanks of President Ram Nath Kovind's address was stormy as Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on the government.

In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had hit out at the Congress, accusing it of misgovernance and corruption when it was in power.

The Budget session concludes on April 8