Parliament Highlights: Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 passed in LS; both houses adjourned for the dayThe BJP on Thursday held its Parliamentary Party meeting the new Parliament complex where PM Modi was felicitated for the BJP's victories in the recent polls. The Rajya Sabha witnessed a discussion on the economic situation in India, where FM Sitharaman highlighted the growth of the Indian economy, and issued a rebuttal to Opposition claims about it. Meanwhile, the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was passed in the Lok Sabha following a lengthy debate. Here are the highlights from Thursday's proceedings of the Parliament Winter Session.
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The Parliament Winter Session in progress.
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J&K bills passed by LS; Amit Shah hits out at Opposition over Nehru's 'historical mistakes'
The Lok Sabha saw the passage of two bills on Jammu and Kashmir — the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023 — with the Opposition staging a walkout over Home Minister Amit Shah saying that Jawaharlal Nehru made two historical mistakes.
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Govt seeks Parliament nod for Rs 1.29 lakh crore extra spending
Ahead of the 2024 general elections, the centre is seeking to spend an additional Rs 13,351.8 crore on the National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (NREGA), as per the supplementary demand documents tabled on Wednesday.
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Discussions scheduled for today: 1) Discussion on 'economic situation in the country'; 2) J&K bills to be tabled in RS; 3) 249th and 250th reports (in English and Hindi) of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs to be presented in RS
PM Modi reaches for Parliamentary Party meeting in Delhi
PM Modi given standing ovation at BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, felicitated over assembly polls win
Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Dr S Jaishankar, Virendra Kumar arrive for BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, in Delhi.
PM Modi felicitated at the meeting
BJP Parliamentary Party meet concludes in Delhi
Kamakhya Prasad Tasa lays copy of Statements of Committee on SC/ST
Kamakhya Prasad Tasa lays copy of statements showing final action taken by government on recommendation/ observation of 17th LS committee as indicated in today's list.
The 2 J&K bills proposed by Amit Shah admitted in RS
At BJP meet, PM Modi cites data of incumbent parties winning state polls to assert BJP most preferred party for governance
3 hours allocated to discussions on 3 bills slated for today in Rajya Sabha
Pramod Tiwari of INC raises issue of unclarity in Article 25 in RS
Jyotiraditya Scindia talks of Tarrif monitoring Unit in Lok Sabha in relation to high fares of airlines, says they suffered big losses in Covid
1. 55,000 cr- 1,30,000cr loss suffered by airlines due to Covid, he states
2. Civil Aviation is a deregulated sector
Mahabali Singh of JDU says despite lakhs of application from Bihar, only 56,000 approved under Street Vendors Act
For Bihar, 59% target of first loan achieved, 95K beneficiaries, says Hardeep Singh Puri, Housing Minister
Read the letters of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, says Manoj Jha on Amit Shah Nehru remark
In South Goa, prolonged cancellation of local passenger trains have affected villages, students, workers, says Sadanand Sheth Tanavade
Rajneet Singh of INC says cinema justifying and gloryfying violence, disrespect of women extremely dangerous
Gandak Canal water not reaching Bihar despite DPR, says BJP leader Rajeev Pratap Rudy
Under accelerated irrigation benefit programme, farmers unable to reap benefits in Godda, says Nishikant Dubey in Lok Sabha
In 2021, there were 4,12,432 road accidents and in 2022, there was 12% rise with 4,61,312 road accidents, says Nitin Gadkari
Sandeep Kumar of AAP says crop diversification crucial for stopping stubble burning
Jaishankar replies to question over Foreign visits
Post abrogation of Article 370, J&K witnessed record 2cr tourists, says Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy
Anganwadi workers' salary meagre, no pension, gratuity, no medical benefits; their condition pathetic in the face of very high responsibilities, says NK Premchandran of RSP; demands official bill which increases salary, extends minimum pension and ESI to anganwadi workers and helpers
INC MP from Meghalaya takes up non implementation of ILP in the state
Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Bihar BJP MP takes up death of migrant workers in Vijaypura, Karnataka; asks 10 lakh compensation from Karnataka state govt; he further says that workers dying in Bangalore septic tank, in Delhi's Mandi, in Kashmir at the border, are all Bihari migrants; Biharis ahead, Bihar far behind
Jairam Ramesh draws attention towards non NET PhD fellows concerning the stipend they receive; he says it has remained same since 2006; normally revision happens every 4 year; there should've been 4 upward revisions till now; UGC is responsible for conducive environment for researchers; insufficient resources in infrastructure also, absence of grievance redressal; govt should consider significant hiking in non NET PhD fellows
Untimely rain in Vidharbha, Amravati has destroyed crops; Navneet Rai rana requests help for farmers, loan waive for them
Plantation workers not getting gratuity, which is their right, for past 10 years; request govt to release 50 cr, says Adv Dean Kuriakose, INC MP from Idukki
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary draws attention to condition of jute workers; MSP has been guaranteed for jute workers, but JCI don't buy jute from them; I request government to provide data on how many farmers were given MSP
TDP MP from Andhra says Canal system has collapsed and 25 lakh acre remained unsowed because of inability of state government
Rajya Sabha takes up short duration discussion on the economic situation in the country
PM alleviated poor from dangerous virus, gave them free ration, gave 13 cr toilets, says Aditya Prasad, BJP MP from Jharkhand; says RBI chief Raghuram Rajan said that UPA ushered in NPA crisis;
Lok Sabha proceedings begin after short adjournment
Rajiv Pratap Rudy, BJP MP says some have reached Rajya Sabha by accumulating wealth from educational sector
Brijlal, BJP MP from UP says in RS that development is dependent on law and order, border peace- somethings that we never experienced during UPA regime; Indian Mujahideen claimed so many blasts, they planned it
Kodikunnil Suresh, INC MP from Kerala raises concern about SC/ST students and research students; reiterated the fact that 13K SC/ST students dropped out from central universities in last 5 years (2422 SC, 2622 ST; 4596 OBC students have discontinued in central universities); For 5 academic years, in IITs the drop out rate is: 1068 SC, 408 STs, 2066 OBC; in IIMs, the drop out rate is: 163 SC, 188 ST, 91 OBCs; amid intolerance and hatred the rate is sure to increase; On suicides in academic institution, he says 33 students committed suicide in IITs & IIMs last year, while for Central University between 2014-2021, the number stands at 122
Instead of establishing 1 university, it is important that mechanism against caste discrimination is effectively established, Kodikunnil Suresh says
Kodikunnil Suresh demands every university to have quasi judicial powers to deal with menace of caste atrocities against SC/ST & OBC students; this commiittee should have representation of Dalit academicians and eminent persons to ensure justice
Kodikunnil Suresh highlights lack of SC representation in academic leadership
TMC MP Sougata Ray speaks in support of establishing a central tribal university in Telangana
Despite all the money being allotted, why aren't Indian institutes among the best in the world, asks TMC MP Sougata Ray
Let the tribal university be set up in one place, but let's establish campuses in tribal dominated areas across the country. This will help drive education among tribals, says TMC MP Sougata Ray
Sougata Roy brings up Rohith Vemula's suicide, reminds House of struggles faced by tribals in central universities
The Bill is a 'good idea' but the the minister [Dharmendra Pradhan] has the chance to improve central universities. Some central universities are very good, others are not up to the mark, says Sougata Ray
If we can retain tribal students in central universities and give them appropriate scholarships, then it'll go a long way in tribal education, says TMC MP Sougata Ray, confirming his support for the Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023
Debate continues on Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2023 as several MPs speak in turns
FM Sitharaman speaks on economic situation in India in Rajya Sabha, highlights increase in public expenditure
Infrastructure has been a priority for the Modi govt, says FM Sitharaman. This has been praised in global media, which usually doesn't laud India, she adds
'PM Modi's efforts to outrun China and transform India's economic model into one driven by manufacturing rather than consumption are creating a tail-wind for infra and heavy industry companies'—This observation coming from those who monitor the Indian economy say volumes about India's growth, says FM Sitharaman
India is the world's largest producer of milk, pulses, jute, sugar...most real-time digital payments happen in India, says FM Sitharaman
Today India is the third-largest producer of power, India also ranks third in annual forest gains, says FM Sitharaman
India stands fourth globally in renewable energy installed capacity, fourth in wind power capacity and solar power capacity, says FM Sitharaman, highlighting that this progress has seeped into rural areas as well
FM Sitharaman highlights rural development under the Modi govt, points out increases in agricultural budget since 2014
Schemes that existed nominally earlier have found life under the Modi govt; UPA just launched schemes and forgot about them, says FM Sitharaman
FM Sitharaman lists 'naam ke vaaste' schemes launched by UPA govt, compares them with schemes by the Modi govt
FM Sitharaman goes on to list India's progress in building toilets, providing tap water under the Modi govt
Domestic LPG connections in 2014 was 14.5 crore, now it is 31.4 crore, says FM Sitharaman
Those deserving of govt support have been targeted through several schemes, says FM Sitharaman—PM Kisan Scheme (11 cr beneficiaries get income support), PM Mudra Scheme (collateral free loan to run small businesses given to 41 crore people), PM Swanidhi (73 lakh beneficiaries, most women), PM Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (18.58 cr beneficiaries getting life insurance of Rs 2 lakh); PM Suraksha Bima Yojana (41.16 cr beneficiaries received disability cover), Stand Up India (loans to 2.08 lakh beneficiaries worth Rs 22,000 cr have been given)
FM Sitharaman highlights progress in healthcare, sanitation, reduction in malnutrition under the Modi govt, says multi-dimensional poverty on the decline. 13.5 crore Indians have come out of multi-dimensional poverty since 2014, she adds
FM Sitharaman says politicising issues doesn't help; points out case of tribal man being lynched in Kerala five years ago
FM Sitharaman slams Oppn over law & order issues post-election wins, says this is where BJP is different
Sitharaman cites post-poll violence in West Bengal, Calcutta HC observation as Oppn MPs jeer her.