"You should have provided 15 crore jobs by now," Mallikarjun Kharge said on Wednesday. (ANI)Parliament Budget Session Live Updates: Flagging a widespread unemployment crisis in the country, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP government of failing to follow through with its promise to provide 2 crore jobs every year. “You should have provided 15 crore jobs by now. But how many jobs did you actually provide? This year’s Budget promises just 60 lakh jobs in the next 5 years,” he said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the debate on the motion of thanks to President Ram Nath Kovind’s address is underway now. Both Houses have allotted 12 hours for the debate, ANI reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to respond to the debate in the Lok Sabha on February 7 and later in the Rajya Sabha on February 8, sources told the news agency. Both Houses are set to go on a month-long recess after February 11, following which, the proceedings will resume on March 13. The Budget session will continue till April 8.
In his 50-minute address to Parliament, President Kovind had hailed India as one of the fastest-growing economies of the world and urgedpeople to “work hard” for building a “grand, modern and developed” country by 2047. Kovind said, “In the year 2047, the country will celebrate its centenary of Independence. We have to work hard now for building a grand, modern and developed India of that time. We have to ensure that our hard work leads to fruitful results in the end. We all have a stake, and an equal stake in this journey.”
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on her way to present the Budget.
People are repeatedly giving a clear mandate to the NDA because it is making efforts to bring equality through the welfare of the downtrodden, exploited and backward classes while working for the development of the country, BJP MP Geeta said on Wednesday in Rajya Sabha.
Initiating the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address, Geeta alias Chandraprabha noted that as many 27 ministers are from OBCs in the Union Council of Minister and 20 belong to SC and ST communities while 11 union ministers are women.
The BJP MP, who is elected from Uttar Pradesh, especially highlighted the implementation of various welfare measures in the poll-bound state, where the first phase of voting will be held on February 10. "People have given us a clear mandate in 2019 (elections) on the basis of the work done in the preceding five years for the welfare of the downtrodden, exploited and backward classes and for developmental works of the country," she said.
The BJP MP stressed that the government is taking several measures for ensuring equality in the society that include providing reservation for the economically weaker sections and running welfare schemes for the SC, ST and OBC communities. She also highlighted the finalisation of the list of OBCs which would benefit 671 communities in the country. (PTI)
A total of 1,807 communal riot cases were registered in different parts of the country during 2018-2020 in which 8,565 people were arrested, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Replying to a written question in the Upper House, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the highest number of communal riot cases were registered in Bihar, followed by Maharashtra and Haryana. A total of 512 communal riot cases were registered across India in 2018, 438 in 2019 and 857 in 2020, Rai noted.
While 4,097 people were arrested for riots in 2018 in different parts of the country, 2,405 people were arrested in 2019 and 2,063 in 2020, he said. A total of 4,169 people were charge-sheeted in 2018, 2,281 in 2019 and 1,908 in 2020, he added.
Altogether, 200 people were convicted for the riots in 2018, 332 in 2019 and 229 in 2020. In Bihar, 419 riot cases were registered in the said three years, in which 2,777 people were arrested, 2,316 charge-sheeted and 62 were convicted. (PTI)
Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav on Wednesday refuted Home Minister Amit Shah's statements on the SP's stand on the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, saying the temple will be built faster and better if Akhilesh Yadav becomes the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
During a discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in Rajya Sabha, the SP leader said his party is not opposed to the construction of the grand temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram.
He was referring to Shah's recent statement made during the election campaign in Uttar Pradesh that Akhilesh Yadav will not be able to stop the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya.
"Who is stopping the construction of the temple?" Yadav asked while alleging siphoning of funds that are being currently collected for the construction of the Ram temple. "If the Akhilesh government comes, a better temple will be built at a faster pace," Ram Gopal Yadav said. (PTI)
Nearly 1,700 Kashmiri Pandits were appointed in various government departments by the Jammu and Kashmir administration since August 5, 2019 when Article 370 was abrogated and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into union territories, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said as per the data provided by the government of Jammu and Kashmir, 44,684 Kashmiri migrant families were registered with the Office of the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner (Migrants), Jammu, comprising 1,54,712 individuals.
“In order to rehabilitate Kashmiri migrant families, the government of Jammu and Kashmir has appointed 1,697 such persons since August 5, 2019 and selected additional 1,140 persons in this regard,” he said replying to a written question. (PTI)
The central government has initiated the process for comprehensive amendment of criminal laws, the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, in consultation with all stakeholders.
Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Kumar Mishra said in Rajya Sabha that amending criminal laws is a continuous process to make the laws in accordance with contemporary needs and aspirations of people.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs in its 111th, 128th and 146th reports had recommended that there is a need for a comprehensive review of criminal laws of the country, he said.
"The Government of India has initiated the process for comprehensive amendments to criminal laws viz. the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 in consultation with all stakeholders," he said replying to a written question.
The minister said the legislation of such laws is a complex and lengthy exercise given the spectrum of divergent views of stakeholders. (PTI)
Question Hour underway in the Lok Sabha
A large consignment of semi-processed talc stones was cleared through the Mundra port in Gujarat, three months prior to the seizure of nearly 3,000 kg of heroin worth about Rs 21,000 crore in September 2021, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
The seized heroin in Mundra port was booked as semi-processed talc stones.
Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized 2988.21 kg of narcotics substance (heroin) between September 17 and September 19, 2021 at T.G. Terminal Private Limited Container Freight Station, Mundra Port. (PTI)
A total of 4,267 ad-hoc teachers are employed in various colleges of Delhi University, Union Minister of State for Education Subhas Sarkar said on Wednesday. Sarkar gave the information in response to a written question in Rajya Sabha.
According to the statistics shared by Sarkar, the maximum number of ad-hoc teachers are in Ramjas College (137) followed by Sri Venkateswara College (131), Deshbandhu College (127) and Kalindi College for Women (120).
"The appointment of teaching staff in various colleges and institutions are made by the governing body of the colleges on the recommendation of the Selection Committee envisaged under Ordinance XVIII of the university in consonance with the eligibility criteria laid down in the University Grants Commission (Minimum Qualifications for Appointment of Teachers and other Academic Staff in Universities and Colleges and other Measures for the Maintenance of Standards in Higher Education) Regulations, 2018," Sarkar said. (PTI)
Amaravati remains the capital city of Andhra Pradesh and it is learnt that the state government has withdrawn a law to create three capital cities, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
The minister, during the Question Hour in the Upper House, also said the division of assets between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, can be speedily undertaken with mutual agreement and the Centre can only act as a coordinating agency. Responding to BJP leader G V L Narasimha Rao's query on "confusion" over the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, the minister said the state government has the right to take a decision on creating a capital city.
On April 23, 2015, the Andhra Pradesh government had declared Amaravati as its capital. However, in July 2020, the state through a law notified three capital cities -- Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kurnool, he said. (PTI)
The government on Wednesday informed the Rajya Sabha that nearly 8.35 lakh pieces of counterfeit notes, including 2.44 lakh pieces of Rs 2000 denomination, were seized last year.
Replying to a question in the House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai provided a data of counterfeit notes seized in five years since 2016.
As per the data, 8,34,947 pieces were seized in 2020, 2,87,404 in 2019, 2,57,243 in 2018, 3,55,994 in 2017, and 2,81,839 in 2016.
Replying to supplementary questions, Rai also refuted suggestions that there was rise in counterfeit notes seizures in the country, saying the number of fake notes seized in 2018 were lower than in 2017. No significant pattern had emerged in seizures of fake notes, he said. (PTI)
As many as 439 terrorists and 109 security personnel were killed in 541 terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir since Article 370 was repealed on August 5, 2019, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday.
Replying to a written question in Rajya Sabha, Rai said 98 civilians were also killed in these incidents and private properties worth about Rs 5.3 crore were damaged since then. "During these incidents, no significant public property has been damaged," he added. (PTI)
Accusing the BJP government of failing to follow through with its promise to provide 2 crore jobs every year, Mallikarjun Kharge said: "You should have provided 15 crore jobs by now. But how many jobs did you actually provide? This year's Budget promises just 60 lakh jobs in the next 5 years." (ANI)
Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge said: "Widespread unemployment is prevalent in the country. Youths are in distress because big factories are shutting down, investment is not coming, and the number of govt jobs is shrinking." (ANI)
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday asked MPs to ensure smooth functioning of the House during the ongoing Budget session and said they should conduct themselves in a manner befitting the trust citizens still have in India's parliamentary democracy.
The country's 5,000 MPs, MLAs and MLCs should resolve in this historic year to return to the people the favour they have doing by relentlessly nurturing democracy over the last 70 years, Naidu said. (PTI)
Responding to a question about marital rape posed by CPI MP Binoy Viswam during the question hour, Minister of Women and Child Development of India Smriti Irani said: "To condemn every marriage in the country as violent and every man as a rapist is not advisable."
"The matter of marital rape is sub-judice. There are over thirty help lines in the country that have assisted women," she added.
Rajya Sabha members observed a moment of silence for people who lost their lives during the recent tsunami in Tonga and due to heavy showers in Malaysia. The government has announced that it will be extending financial aid to Tonga to help with its rehabilitation efforts.
Rajya Sabha proceedings commenced on Wednesday morning with chairman Venkaiah Naidu urging members to maintain social distance. He then paid tribute to anti-aparthied activist Desmond Tutu and former President of the European Parliament David Sassoli, who passed away this month.
The Pegasus issue had rocked the Monsoon Session of Parliament last year with the Opposition parties disrupting both Houses demanding a discussion on the scandal.