Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to move the Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2021 in Rajya Sabha for passing today, ANI reported. Parliament Live Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will move the Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2021 in Rajya Sabha for passing today. Union Ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Nitin Gadkari will make statements on eligibility in reserved constituencies and vehicles scrapping policy respectively. The upper house will also discuss the working of the ministries of agriculture, farmer welfare and rural development.
In Lok Sabha, discussions will be held on The Appropriation Bill, 2021 and The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
Yesterday, the Opposition targeted the Centre over its handling of the pandemic while accusing it of absolving China from its blame for the spread of the coronavirus, during a discussion over Demands For Grants for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. However, the government said that its handling of the pandemic has made the country self-reliant and “future ready”.
BJP MP Ram Swaroop Sharma died by suicide at his residence in Delhi’s North Avenue, Delhi Police said on Wednesday morning. After learning about his death, the Bharatiya Janata Party cancelled its Parliamentary Party meeting. Lok Sabha was also adjourned till 1 pm after expressing condolences over his death.
BJP Rajya Sabha Member Sushil Modi speaks to The Indian Express about getting tech giants like Google and Facebook to compensate traditional media for using their content.
What are the concerns you raised in Parliament today about Google and Facebook?
Traditional media is going through its worst phase financially in the recent history — first because of the pandemic and now because of giants like Google which are eating into their revenues. Traditional media invest thousands of crores… they collect and verify the news and disseminate it. Google is using this content and earning a lot of money through advertisement revenues. This is depriving the traditional media of its revenue share.
How do you suggest the government should address this?
About two weeks ago, Australia passed a code under which these tech giants are compelled to share their revenue with print and electronic media. These platforms tried to retaliate by trying to block content from Australia but they have to relent and negotiate with the government. India should study the Australian model and draft a similar law or code…
You mentioned Facebook blocking content in retaliation. Do you think this was a warning shot to lawmakers elsewhere?
They tried but could not succeed. They had to surrender and come to the negotiation table. The Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has spoken to the leaders of India, UK and Canada. All democratic countries should study Australia’s experience… Read the full interview here.
Congress MP Manish Tewari has given an Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha demanding 'discussion on the proposed amendments to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi Act', ANI reported.
BJP MP KC Ramamurthy has given a Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over the 'demand for setting up of Supreme Court Bench at Bengaluru'.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday will brief both Houses of Parliament about the contours of the vehicle scrapping policy, which was announced in Union Budget this year.
At 12 noon in the Lok Sabha and thereafter at 2 pm in the Rajya Sabha, Gadkari, the Road Transport and Highways Minister, is expected to talk about the much-touted policy.
Under the policy, old vehicles are supposed to undergo mandatory fitness tests in automated fitness centres to be set up across India. The government has sanctioned 26 such centres to be set up across India either by state governments, or under PPP, or even by private players directly. Failing the test, the vehicles are to be scrapped. Government vehicles older than 15 years are also likely to be marked for mandatory scrapping. The cost of re-registration of older vehicles, like after reaching 15 years, will be significantly increased in a bid to dissuade vehicle owners. Read the report here.
Coal and Mines Minister Prahlad Joshi has introduced the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2021 in Lok Sabha to streamline the renewal of the auction process for minerals and coal mining rights.
What are the key changes?
The amendment proposes to allow captive miners of both coal and other minerals to sell up to 50 per cent of their production after meeting the requirements of the end-use plant and on paying additional royalty to the state government. Operators are currently only allowed to use coal and minerals extracted from captive mines for their own industrial use. Experts note that this increased flexibility would allow miners to maximise output from captive mines as they would be able to sell output in excess of their own requirements.
The amendment also proposes to fix additional royalty payments to states for the extension of mining leases for central public sector enterprises. Disagreements over the additional royalty to be paid by state-owned NMDC to the Karnataka government for the extension of mining rights at the Donimalai mine had led to NMDC suspending operations at the mine for over two years. NMDC recently resumed operations after an interim agreement on the additional royalty to be paid to the Karnataka government.
Experts noted that state governments may object to the fixing of an additional royalty to be paid by CPSEs for such extensions as this may lead to lower revenues compared to a transparent auction process.
Another key change the Bill proposes is to empower the central government to conduct auctions or re-auction processes for the grant of a mining lease if a state government fails to complete the auction process in a specified period, decided after consultations between the Centre and state. Experts noted that industry players may welcome the move as it would likely lead to greater transparency in the auction process as there is a perception that state governments may in some cases prefer some bidders, and try to delay or cancel mining rights if their preferred bidders do not win mining rights. Read our full explainer here.