New Delhi, Enthused by the keenness shown by members especially first timers and guided by its necessity to push a series of important draft legislation, the government is toying with the idea of extending the ongoing Budget session of Parliament by seven to ten working days. The deliberation on this line figured at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting held here on Tuesday.
Sources said the government’s floor managers in both the Houses have already toyed with the idea of extending Parliament session by about a week ‘informally’ on Monday. However, sources said even as Biju Janata Dal from Odisha was not against the idea, some opposition members were against it.
On the contrary, in last few days, the opposition parties – including the Congress, NCP, All India Trinamool Congress and Left parties – were wanting earlier formation of various standing committees of both Houses so that various Bills piloted by the government be sent to the parliamentary panels for closer scrutiny.
Sources said, BJP MPs have been conveyed of the possibility of extension of the ongoing session, which is supposed to conclude on July 26. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters, “There is a possibility of extending the session. You will be officially conveyed when a decision is taken.”
At the BJP Parliamentary Party meet here on, ruling MPs and senior ministers reportedly discussed at length on the issue of water conservation. BJP president and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat spoke on the subject.
In the last ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast through All India Radio on June 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given a clarion call to citizens, including the celebrities to those performing folk music, to launch a nationwide campaign on water conservation.
“Like Swacch Abhiyan, I urge citizens to launch a nationwide campaign on water conservation,” he said adding that “Use #JanShakti4JalShakti to upload your content relating to water conservation”.