Opposition members in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday hit out at the government over high unemployment rate in the country and said the Union Budget 2022-23 failed to address the concerns of the poor. They said the Budget was only intended to benefit big corporate houses.
The discussions are scheduled to continue in the Parliament today.
Here are the latest updates:
One India belongs to Haves, other to Have-nots: Adhir
Mr. Chowdhury says Rahul Gandhi talks about two Indias. One India belongs to Haves and the other to Have-nots, he adds.
He cites a Government response given in the Rajya Sabha to note that more than 25,000 people killed themselves in the country due to unemployment or indebtedness.
He says Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed the dream of 'achhe din', but the people of the country are today saying "Modi lauta de mere bure din (Mr. Modi, give me back my bad days)".
Citing a report (from Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy), Mr. Chowdhury says Mr. Modi had promised to create two crore jobs every year but after seven years, instead of 14 crore new jobs being created, more than 12.2 crore jobs had been lost in the last two years.
He also claims that nobody knows what the Government's road-map was as only "Mr. Modi knew knew what was going to happen the next day in the country".
No road for future in Budget: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says the Budget is perceived to be the road-map for the future. "There may be a map but there is no road in the Budget document," he says, while claiming that it was just a compilation of "rambling stories coupled with intricate word".
Praising Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Mr. Rudy says it was the first time the country had announced a capital investment of about Rs 7.5 lakh crore.
Rajiv Pratap Rudy praises PM Modi's vision
BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy says the Government had promoted sustainable development as he cites the example of bridges on National Highways passing through forests, giving passage to elephants and other animals.
He also commended the plan of making rope-ways in the parts where it was difficult to build roads. He adds that rope-ways were also environment friendly.
BJP MP Sunita Duggal says the Railway Budget, during West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's tenure, used to only focus on her State.
General discussion on Budget
Speaker Om Birla begins General discussion on the Union Budget 2022-23.
Question Hour ends; papers being laid on the table
Papers are now being laid on the table in the Lok Sabha.
Airstrips under UDAN scheme
BJP MP from Arunachal East, Tapir Gao asks about the completion of the three airstrips under the UDAN scheme in Arunachal Pradesh.
Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Jyotiraditya Scindia says north-eastern States and hilly and island States have been given a priority in the scheme. He says the detailed project report (DPR) for the three projects had been prepared and sent to the State Government and the work would be undertaken at a faster pace once the State Government responds.
Completion of Smart Cities Mission
Adding to his answer to Mr. Adoor Prakash, Mr. Puri says the period for completion of a smart city project is five years and notes that out of 100 cities, 75 have Integrated Command and Control Centres functioning in them and the work was in advanced stages of completion in the remaining cities.
"I make this statement with a sense of responsibility before august House that by August 15, 2022, all of them (Integrated Command and Control Centres) will be operational," he says.
Development of Smart Cities
Noting the deadline for the completion of Smart City Mission in Thiruvanathapuram is June 2023, Congress MP Adoor Prakash claims that the progress of the various projects has not even completed the work-order stage. He demands a review of the progress of the projects in the city and asks if the Government will conduct a review meeting and a take measures for the faster implementation of the projects.
Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri responds saying the 73% of projects in Thiruvananthapuram are in work-order stage and 21% had been completed while adding that the Government will review the projects in 2022 and 2023 and will complete them on time.
He also notes that the work-order stage means that a project is in advance stages.
Electricity generation from waste
Shiv Sena MP Rahul Ramesh Shewale asks if the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy was planning on funding and finalising the technology for the waste to energy programmes as he claims that the PPP model for such programmes was not effective?
Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, R. K. Singh says the programme was now being funded by the Ministry of Urban Development, but add that when his department was funding it, it did not prescribe the technology and left it to the developers. He adds that the programme was not on PPP model while under his ministry.
He also tells the House that it has been made mandatory for the distribution company to purchase the power generated through waste to energy plants no matter the cost.
Question Hour taken up
Question Hour has been taken up in the Lok Sabha.
Lok Sabha begins
Proceedings in the Lok Sabha have begun.
Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day
After extending the session for 15 minutes, the deputy chariman adjourns the House for the day. Session to reconvene at 10 am tomorrow.
Discussion on the Budget continues
G.V.L. Narasimha Rao (BJP) says unemployment in U.P. is 3% and in Congress ruled Rajasthan it is 18%. India’s unemployment fell to 11 month low in January, he says.
"Union govt. has created employment in vigilante department"
Syed Nasir Hussain (Congress) says the government has given jobs in a new department - vigilante department. Latest is the hijab vigilante department, he says.
Abdul Wahab (IUML) says no company will invest in the country if society is not in order. "Girls wearing hijab in Karnataka are not being allowed to go to college. We need to eradicate hate economy. It is as dangerous as corruption or black money."
Discussion on the Budget continues
Rajmani Patel (Congress) says this is not Bharat’s Budget, it is India’s Budget, written in Nagpur and printed in Delhi.
On employment
K.J. Alphons (BJP) says we don’t claim to have done everything, we are in the process. Global inequality is a fact. What is the Opposition’s solution?, he asks.
You people spread canards that Christians are being persecuted. The Pope looked happiest when embracing PM Modi, says Mr. Alphons
Anyone who creates jobs, whether its Ambani or Adani, should be worshipped, he says.
Mahesh Poddar (BJP) says those days are over when Budget was used to make election promises.
Discussion on the Budget continues
Prashanta Nanda (BJD) says this Budget has no answer to price rise problems faced by middle class, poor and farmers.
Burden on States has increased due to hike in states’ share of Central schemes, he says.
"Union Budget is welfare-oriented, all-inclusive"
Sudhanshu Trivedi (BJP) says this is a welfare-oriented, all-inclusive development Budget.
Discussion on the Budget continues
M.V. Shreymas Kumar (LJD) says the Budget speech does not even mention MGNREGA, and at this rate the scheme will come to a standstill.
Akhilesh Prasad Singh (Congress) says he has seen a dozen Budgets as an MLA, as Lok Sabha MP and now as Rajya Sabha MP and has never seen such a direction-less Budget.
Discussion on the Budget continues
Ram Nath Thakur, JD(U), says there should be food processing units in all districts, this will lead to employment generation.
Government should have the caste census done and it should be included in this Budget, Mr. Thakur says.
He says that the farmers are in a bad condition and the govt. has reduced allocation for MGNREGA. Centre should give Bihar special category status, he says.
Discussion on the Budget continues
Anil Desai (Shiv Sena) says expectations and hopes of the common people are completely belied in this Budget. This Budget has left poor people high and dry, he says.
Jose K. Mani, KC(M), says India’s public spending as a percentage of GDP is the lowest of BRICS countries. The Budget has not addressed millions of Indians affected by COVID-19.
On MGNREGA
Vandana Chavan (NCP) MP says that a separate cadre for municipal officers should be created. There should be a scheme for urban poor on the lines of MGNREGA, she says.
Discussion on the Budget continues
Sujeet Kumar (BJD) MP, says that allocation to the health sector is less, and especially during the pandemic, it is worrisome.
"There is no mention of inflation and unemployment in the budget," he says.
Manoj Kumar Jha (RJD) says that no where the budget mentions about recruitment in defence sector.
He says that no vision for employment generation in railway sector. "We are a welfare State, don’t insult the poor by saying you are giving free vaccines."
Discussion on the Budget begins
Syed Zafar Islam (BJP) MP, Uttar Pradesh says that the UPA govt. did not do anything that was promised in their manifesto.
Chhaya Verma (INC) MP says that comments made by PM Modi that COVID-19 spread through migrants is shameful. When COVID-19 was spreading, you were busy toppling Madhya Pradesh government and were organising Namaste Trump, she alleges. "You reduced tax on diamonds and increased the price of artificial jewellery. Now, tell me, where do the maximum diamond traders come from?," she asks.
"Why don’t you bring women reservation bill?," she asks.
The moment elections are over in five States, people should be ready for increased petrol and LPG cylinder prices, she says.
"What was the need to build Rs 56,000 crore worth Central Vista during the time pf the pandemic?," she asks.
Question Hour ends
The Deputy Chairman signals the end of Question Hour.
On unemployment
Labour minister Bhupendra Yadav says that there has been a 22% increase in employment compared to 2014. He says that latest periodic labour report says two lakh more jobs added despite COVID-19. "3 crore 80 lakh jobs created in formal sector post 2013-14," he says.
On tiger deaths
Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change says that tigers die because of a myriad of reasons. Poaching, old age, health issues, in-fighting between them and electrification cause death. We do have stringent rules to reduce poaching, he says.
We have held meetings to bring out strict rules to criminalise poaching, and reports have been submitted, he adds.
He further says that many tigers live outside the designated tiger reserves. "I admit that there is a serious issue of human-animal conflict, and we will bring it down in areas of dense human population."
According to the Wild Life Protection Act, we have brought out guidelines to reduce human deaths in human-animal conflicts, he says.
On Priyanka Gandhi's tweet
Arun Singh (BJP), referring to Priyanka Gandhi’s tweet, without naming her, asks when will her account be blocked?
Ms. Gandhi has said that students should wear bikinis and go to schools if they want to.
Mr. Murugan says that we have a three tier mechanism, and a self regulatory body is there, inter department committees are there, and as per norms we will initiate action against fake news and those who write against the national sovereignty of the country.
Press Council of India
Dr. L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, as a response to a question by Vivek Tankha (INC) MP, says that Press Council of India is an autonomous body.
Mr. Tankha asked why there is no head for the PCI yet since November, and why has the govt. not done anything about it.
Manoj Jha (RJD) asks about steps taken to curb online harassment of women journalists, and Mr. Murugan says that it is an IPC offence, and is a State subject, and the union govt. cannot act on it.
Question Hour begins
Zero Hour is completed, and Question Hour begins.
Zero hour continues
Governments of West Bengal and Jharkhand encourage illegal mining, alleges a BJP MP from Jharkhand.
K.C. Ramamurthy (BJP) says that students getting lured by advertisements by Ed tech companies and private tuition centres.
Kailash Soni (BJP) says,"I want to mention the murder of Kishan Bharwad in Gujarat. ATS has revealed that the accused wanted to kill Sudarshan TV’s Suresh Chavhanke along with 11 others." He says that security to nationalist Suresh Chavhanke and Jitendra Tyagi (alias Wasim Rizvi) should be provided.
Protests in the House
TRS MPs are in the Well of the House with placards to oppose the PM’s statement on Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Bill.
Zero hour begins
Manoj Jha (RJD) urges the House to open all universities and colleges. He says that many students don’t have digital access to education.
John Brittas (CPI-M) says that Covid has further deteriorated the situation of senior citizens in the country.
Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge speaks on the remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill.
Rajya Sabha proceedings begin
The House convenes at 10 am. Papers are being laid on the table.
List of Business in Rajya Sabha (10:00 am)
1. Papers to be laid on the table
2. Report of Standing Committee on Home Affairs
3. Reports of study visit of the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
4. Further general discussion on the Union Budget
5. Statements by Ministers
6. Question Hour
List of Business in Lok Sabha (4:00 pm)
1. Question Hour
2. Papers to be laid on the table
3. Reports of study visit of the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
4. Further general discussion on the Union Budget
5. Report of Standing Committee on Home Affairs
6. Matters under Rule 377
Day 8 recap
Ladakh MP further said Galwan valley is a large region and India had lost most of it during Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's regime.
Nirmala Sitharaman, replying to a query, says the amount of Rs. 1 lakh crore is above the States' borrowing limits and will be given for a period of 50 years with zero interest.
Aam Aadmi Party's Chief Ministerial candidate for Punjab Assembly polls and MP Bhagwant Mann raised the issue of pending cases against people involved in the farmers protest against the three farm laws (now repealed).
Discussion on the Union Budget was held in both the Houses.