As the house met, Congress MPs raised banners with “Don’t kill the Farmers” slogans and “Kisanon par Tanashahi nahin chalegi”. (ANI)Amid boycott by several opposition parties, Lok Sabha Tuesday passed three labour code bills including the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code 2020 and the Code on Social Security Bill, 2020. Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar, who moved the bill said that the reforms that are being undertaken by the government will prove to be “milestone for the welfare of workers”.
Earlier today, after Rajya Sabha, Opposition parties led by Congress Tuesday boycotted Lok Sabha session in support of suspended Rajya Sabha MPs and farm bills issue. As the house met, Congress MPs raised banners with “Don’t kill the Farmers” slogans and “Kisanon par Tanashahi nahin chalegi”. Speaker Om Birla urged members to follow the Covid-19 protocols in the house and maintain physical distance.
Meanwhile, the government said it will consider revoking the suspension of eight Rajya Sabha members only after they apologise for their behaviour in the Upper House, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Tuesday, news agency PTI reported. The remarks came after a number of Opposition parties, led by the Congress, staged a walkout
from the Rajya Sabha demanding that the suspension of eight members be revoked.
TMC MP Derek O'Brien attempts to tear the rule book as ruckus erupts in the Rajya Sabha over agriculture related bills, during the ongoing Monsoon Session, at Parliament House in New Delhi, Sunday. (Photo: Screengrab @ RSTV via PTI)
In one of the most productive days in its history, Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed seven key bills, including one that removes cereals, pulses and onion from the essential commodities list, within three-and-half hours even as the Lok Sabha saw the Opposition boycotting proceedings over farm bills and suspension of members in the Upper House.
In Rajya Sabha, Opposition parties, including Congress, NCP, SP, Shiv Sena, RJD, AAP, TMC and Left parties, staged a walk out and demanded that Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu reinstate the eight members who were suspended for “unruly behaviour” during the passage of the two key farm bills on Sunday. Naidu said the suspension could be revoked if the members expressed regret over their action.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said the Opposition would boycott the proceedings of the House till the Government accepts their three demands. Click here to read more.
Zero Hour is now currently underway in the Lok Sabha. Speaker has extended the session of the House till 10 pm.
Lok Sabha passes the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill, 2020 through voice vote.
Parliament on Tuesday passed amendments to the Banking Regulation Act to bring cooperative banks under the supervision of the RBI, a move aimed at protecting the interest of depositors.
The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which replaces an ordinance that was promulgated on June 26, was passed by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha. The amendment had received approval from the Lok Sabha on September 16.
The bill, which comes in the backdrop of the PMC Bank scam, seeks to strengthen cooperative banks by increasing their professionalism, enabling access to capital, improving governance and ensuring sound banking through the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), news agency PTI reported.
Lok Sabha Tuesday passed three labour code bills including the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020, the Industrial Relations Code 2020 and the Code on Social Security Bill, 2020. Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar, who moved the bill said that the reforms that are being undertaken by the government will prove to be "milestone for the welfare of workers".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited 58 countries since 2015 and a total expenditure of Rs 517 crore was incurred on them, the government said on Tuesday. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan provided details of the prime minister's visits abroad since 2015, including their outcome, in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.
"The total expenditure on these visits was Rs 517.82 crore," he said.
According to the details provided by Muraleedharan, the prime minister made five visits each to the US, Russia and China, and multiple trips to some other countries like Singapore, Germany, France, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.
Some of the visits the prime minister undertook were multi-nation trips while some were standalone bilateral visits. Modi's last trip was to Brazil on November 13-14 in 2019 where he attended a summit of influential grouping BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa). (PTI)
The Lok Sabha is likely to be adjourned sine die on Wednesday, eight days ahead of the scheduled end of the Monsoon Session, amid concerns of spread of coronavirus among lawmakers, sources said on Tuesday.
The House, which will meet at 3 pm on Wednesday is likely to be adjourned sine die (when there is no decided date for resumption) around 5 pm after taking up an extended Zero Hour, the sources said. The session which began on September 14, witnessed passage of several bills by the Lok Sabha, including those which sought to replace the ordinances issued recently. The decision to curtail the session has been conveyed to floor leaders of parties in the Lower House, the sources said.
The Monsoon Session is scheduled to end on October 1. Several MPs, including a few ministers, have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last few days. (PTI)
There was no requirement for mandatory COVID-19 testing when US President Donald Trump visited India from February 24 to 25, the government said on Tuesday. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, in a written reply to a query in Rajya Sabha, said the mandatory screening for COVID-19 of all international passengers arriving in India was implemented from March 4.
The minister was asked whether the US President's staff and delegation were tested for the COVID-19 during the visit. "At the time of President Trump's visit, that is February 24-25, there was no requirement of mandatory COVID-19 test for travellers coming from foreign countries," Muraleedharan said. He mentioned that the World Health Organisation declared novel coronavirus a pandemic on March 11.
In one of the most productive days in its history, Rajya Sabha on Tuesday in a matter of three and half hours passed seven key bills including one that removes cereals, pulses and onion from the essential commodities list and another that abolishes penalty for certain offences by companies. This after most of the opposition including the Congress, Left parties, the TMC, the Samajwadi Party and the NCP decided to boycott House proceedings in protest against the suspension of eight MPs for the remainder of the session for unruly behaviour. Click here to read the full report.
More than one crore migrant labourers returned to their home states on foot during March-June 2020, including those who travelled during the COVID-19 pandemic-induced lockdown, the government said on Tuesday.
"COVID-19 has resulted in the migration of a large number of workers from destination states to the home-states,? Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V K Singh told Lok Sabha in a written reply.
As per the data compiled by Ministry of Labour and Employment, more than 1.06 crore migrant workers, including those who travelled on foot during the lockdown, returned to their home states, he said.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is holding a meeting with members of Opposition parties after they announced a boycott of the session in solidarity with suspended Rajya Sabha MPs and in opposition of the Farm Bills, news agency ANI reported.
Opposition MPs, including Congress' Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and NCP's Supriya Sule, hold a meeting in Parliament premises after boycotting the ongoing Lok Sabha session.
Opposition parties led by Congress boycott Lok Sabha session, in support of Rajya Sabha MPs who have been suspended for one week and farm Bills issue.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi says: "What happens in the other House, has never been discussed in another House. This is highly unfortunate that it is being discussed now."
"Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha are like twin brothers...if one is in pain, the other has to be concerned. Our issue is related to the farm bills, we want it to be taken back. If Tomar ji agrees to take it back, we have no problem with session continuing," Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary says.
Speaker Om Birla is in the Chair. Opposition members continue to shout slogans.
After an hour-long adjournment, Lok Sabha proceedings have started again. Speaker Om Birla requests members to follow Covid-19 protocols.
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 4:15 pm after MPs led by the Congress shouted slogans and raised banners to protest against the contentious farm bills. As the house met, Congress MPs raised banners with “Don’t kill the Farmers” slogans and “Kisanon par Tanashahi nahin chalegi”. Speaker Om Birla urged members to follow the Covid-19 protocols in the house and maintain physical distance. Speaker then said he was concerned about the safety of the MPs and he would adjourn the proceedings for an hour. Read the full report here.
Lok Sabha has been adjourned till 4:14 PM.
Amidst sloganeering, Lok Sabha proceedings have begun. Speaker Om Birla is chairing the session.