The Opposition on Thursday hit out at the government over Covid-19 management, accusing it of mishandling the second wave and struck a word of caution on the spread of Omicron strain of the virus besides seeking clarity on booster doses of vaccines.
Journalists on Thursday held a protest against certain restrictions imposed on the entry of scribes and camera people intoParliament, alleging the move is a precursor to a "complete ban" on spot coverage of parliamentary sessions by the media in the coming days.
They demanded that all restrictions imposed on journalists' entry intoParliamentpremises and the Press Gallery must "immediately" be lifted, and media persons be allowed to perform their professional duty.
Several senior editors, journalists and camera persons working with various media organisations joined the protest.
The Bill provides for the surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of specified dams in India via a regulatory body.
The Motion to send the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 for examination to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabhais negatived with 80 Members opposing it and 26 Members in support
Over 10,000 disputes were settled, while more than 29,000 are pending with the commercial courts in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru, the government informedParliamenton Thursday.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju also said no proposal is under the Centre's consideration to give some special powers to trade bodies such as chambers of commerce on settling commercial disputes.
The TMC on Thursday expressed solidarity with the journalist fraternity on the issue of restricted access toParliamentand called for immediate restoration of all facilities to the media to cover the proceedings.
In a statement, the party condemned the move stating that such restriction was against the spirit of democracy.
"The Chief Minister of Bengal and the Chairperson of the All India Trinamool Congress, Ms Mamata Banerjee, along with the entire Trinamool Congress parliamentary party wish to express our complete solidarity with the journalist fraternity on the issue of restricted access toparliament.
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh has taken leave of absence for the entire winter session ofParliamenton health grounds, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu informed the House on Thursday.
"I have to inform the honourable members that a letter has been received from Dr Manmohan Singh, member, stating that he is unable to attend the entire current 255th session of the Rajya Sabha, from November 29 to December 23, due to his illness," Naidu said.
The Opposition on Thursday hit out at the government over Covid-19 management, accusing it of mishandling the second wave and favouring BJP-ruled states in allocation of vaccines.
It also dubbed the celebrations over the 100-crore vaccination mark as premature.
Initiating a debate in Lok Sabha on the Covid-19 pandemic, Shiv Sena leader Vinayak Raut lamented thatParliamentwas discussing the issue 21 months after the outbreak of the disease and at a time when cases were on the decline.
Redevelopment of the Central Vista Avenue, stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate and has a deadline of December 2021, has achieved 60 per cent of physical progress, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry told the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
The government, however, has planned to hold the 2022 Republic Day parade on the newly-developed Rajpath that comes under the Central Vista Avenue Redevelopment Project.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti informed Lok Sabha that safety issues of the Mullaperiyar dam were examined by an Empowered Committee which concluded that the dam was safe in all respects- hydrologically, structurally and seismically
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday objected to the Opposition defending the "sacrilege" of Parliament and suspension of 12 MPs, saying it is setting "new norms of democracy" even as he asked the government and its opponents to "talk it out" and allow the House "to do its mandated job".
Passengers from 11 'at-risk' countries will be subjected to Covid-19 testing. In addition, they will have to undergo seven-day quarantine and take another Covid-19 test on the eighth day, says Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Congress party has given notices in both Houses of Parliament on the issue of inflation and has demanded discussion on the price rise of essential commodities.
No separate database has been maintained for disabled persons under National Food Security Act (NFSA) designed to provide additional free of cost foodgrains under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY), the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has said.
The Ministry said this while replying to a question raised in the Lok Sabha about the total number of persons with disabilities who are covered under Public Distribution System.
The government on Thursday will table 'The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill 2021' in the Lok Sabha. A discussion on Covid-19 pandemic and its various related aspects is also likely to take place in the lower House.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will move the 'The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill' in the Lok Sabha to amend the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998.
Union Health MinisterMansukh Mandaviya will introduce The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in Lok Sabha today.
The suspension of 12 Opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha for the duration of the Winter Session was unfair and unreasonable, and the reasons cited for the drastic action are inadequate and unconvincing.
The Centre on Wednesday notified a legislation to repeal the three agriculture laws against which thousands of farmers have been protesting for over a year now.
The Farm Laws Repeal Act, 2021 received the assent of the President of India on November 30, said a gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
This law was passed by Parliament on November 29 without debate amid protests by Opposition MPs.
(PTI)
After the policy of distancing itself from the Congress isolated the Trinamool Congress (TMC) from the rest of the Opposition, Mamata Banerjee’s party on Wednesday changed its tack a bit and joined the demonstration in the Parliament House complex to protest the suspension of the 12 Rajya Sabha MPs.
Amid uproar over the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, Deputy Leader of the Upper House Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday hit out at the Opposition, saying they should come out of their "hangover of feudal arrogance" and accept their "mistake" instead of justifying their actions.
The Congress on Wednesday questioned the government over restrictions imposed on the media on coverage of the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge wrote to Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and demanded that the matter be resolved as a number of senior journalists were not allowed entry inside Parliament due to Covid restrictions.
He also highlighted the importance of free access of media into the domains of Legislative and Executive premises of the Parliament.
(PTI)