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Parliament LATEST Updates: Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal will resign as Union minister over government’s farm ordinances, PTI reported. Meanwhile, Lok Sabha has passed the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 Mahua Moitra, a TMC MP from West Bengal’s Krishnanagar said that the government is stomping upon the spirit of federalism with its brute majority. Moitra said, “By legislating on the farm sector, the government has once again done what it does best, that is aggrandising itself the authority that is simply not vested in it by the Constitution.” Stating that farm markets and agricultural pricing are state subjects, TDP lawmker K Ram Mohan Naidu urged the Centre not to presume that all Opposition parties have a political agenda The TMC MP said the proposed legislations would to also lead to black marketing and hoarding and push the entire sector towards privatisation. Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar defended the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce and Farmers Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services bills, saying these will give more freedom to farmers. The Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020 seeks to replace an ordinance issued in March to provide compliance relief to tax payers. Durga Prasad, a native of Venkatagiri town, was earlier with the Telugu Desam Party and jumped on to the YSR Congress party bandwagon ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Lok Sabha reconvened at 3 pm. TRS, TMC, DMK, RJD, AAP, NCP, Samajwadi Party and Shiv Sena MPs protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Parliament premises, demanding GST payments to states. Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said ‘we are all one’ when it comes to the integrity and sovereignty of India. Many RS members expressed solidarity with the government on this issue. Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said three vaccine candidates are being developed and a vaccine should be available in India next year. “Virus transmission is happening because of our own irresponsibility. Till a vaccine is available, masks and social distancing is a social vaccine,” he said. China continues to be in illegal occupation of approximately 38,000 sq. kms in the Union Territory of Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the Rajya Sabha. Chinese actions reflect a disregard of our various bilateral agreements, Singh said, adding that the amassing of the troops by China goes against the 1993 and 1996 agreements. “We do remain committed to peaceful resolution of the current situation. At the same time, we remain prepared to deal with all contingencies,” he added. Two days after presenting a statement on the government’s position in Lok Sabha on the India-China border row, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the Rajya Sabha on the developments in Ladakh. Ghulam Nabi Azad said that he WHO warning about a mysterious pneumonia came as early as December 2019, but the Indian government wasted golden months in addressing the virus’ spread. NCP’s Praful Patel said that though news reports quote officials saying that there is not shortage of oxygen cylinders and the remdesivir drug, the ground reality is different. On the fourth day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will address the Rajya Sabha on the developments in Ladakh. He had addressed the Lok Sabha on the India-China border row on Tuesday. The Upper House will also continue the discussion on the coronavirus pandemic and India’s response. Home minister Amit Shah will move the Salaries and Allowances of Ministers Act, 1952 in the Rajya Sabha to seek consideration and passage. The Bill pushes to temporarily reduce salaries and allowances of lawmakers and ministers in view of the COVID-19 outbreak. In the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020 that will replace the ordinance issued to provide compliance relief to taxpayers. It also seeks to provide tax benefits to donations made to PM CARES Fund. Terming three bills related to agriculture “anti-farmer”, AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday demanded that the Centre withdraw them, saying his party will vote against the bills in Parliament. The AAP has three Rajya Sabha MPs and one LoK Sabha MP. “The three bills related to farming and farmers brought in the Parliament are anti-farmer. Farmers all over the country are opposing them. The central government should withdraw these three bills. The AAP will vote against them in Parliament,” he tweeted in Hindi. The Centre had on Monday introduced The Farmers’ Produce Trade And Commerce (Promotion And Facilitation) Bill, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, and ‘The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill to replace the ordinances promulgated earlier.
Parliament Updates: Lok Sabha passes controversial farm sector bills; SAD's Harsimrat Badal quits Modi Cabinet
Parliament LIVE Updates: Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal will resign as Union minister over government’s farm ordinances, PTI reported. She has been handling the food processing ministry in the NDA government since 2014
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Lok Sabha adjourned till 3 pm on Friday
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Lok Sabha passes controversial farm sector bills
The Lok Sabha passed the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 by a voice vote.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Lok Sabha votes on suggested amendments to govt’s farm bill
All amendments suggested so far, most of them by Revolutionary Socialist Party MP NK Premchandran were rejected by the Lower House.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Farmers will benefit from contract farming: Narendra Singh Tomar
Agriculture Minister said that contract farming is not meant to help corporates, but to help farmers. He said that the bill will ensure that many services will reach small farmers. “Contract will not lead to taking over of land. If the corporates build some infrastructure, it will only benefit the farmer in the end,” Narendra Tomar said.
Tomar also added that the contracts signed under this law will also have a provision that if prices at time of sale are more than what agreed to at time of contract then farmer will get a certain percentage of the additional profit. He said that the trade outside APMCs will also give the farmers an option to avoid payin the mandi tax imposed by various state governments.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Farmers will get better prices now, says Agriculture Minister
Agriculture Minister said that the new bill is not anti-farmer and will lead to more traders competing for farmers’ produce, which in turn will get them better prices. “License, Inspector Raj will end, corruption will end and farmers, traders will be free to buy and sell anywhere in the country,” the minister said.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Congress ‘worst pest’ for agriculture sector: BJP
The BJP on Thursday rejected the allegations of the Congress against the Union government over three agriculture sector bills as “complete lies” and alleged that the opposition party was the “worst pest”. The Congress had earlier said that the farm sector legislations brought in by the government defeat the purpose of the Green Revolution and will be “a death knell for the future of farming” as it alleged that the Modi dispensation, akin to the coronavirus pandemic, was attacking lives and livelihood of farmers
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Harsimrat Kaur Badal quits Modi government to protest farm bills
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Agriculture minister says Modi govt made largest-ever budgetary allocation to farm sector
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar says in the UPA government of 2009-10, the agriculture ministry budget was Rs 12,00 crore, and now under PM Modi’s leadership, the budget has been increased to Rs, 1,34,000.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Lok Sabha extended till farm bill is passed
Lok Sabha was scheduled to sit till 7 pm but the time was extended till 8 am to continue the discussion on the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020. Later, the time was again extended till such time that the bill is passed. This is despite several MPs opposing the bill and an NDA ally announcing resignation as protest against the move.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
TRS says can’t support legalisation of contract farming at cost of poor local farm tenants
TRS MP Bheemrao Baswanthrao Patil said that by bringing in corporate players through contract farming, the government is putting at risk the hundreds of poor farmers who rent farm lands from owners on feeble verbal contracts with little bargaining power. The MP said that landowners will clearly prefer corporates over poor farmers who are ploughing fields on batai (tenants farm the land and split the produce with absentee landlords under this system).
The MP also said that the bill mentions some grievance redressal mechanism for any disputes but what chance will farmers stand in face of large corporations with infinite legal resources at their disposal.
Subramanian Swamy criticises govt over SAD minister’s resignation
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Farm sector bills will bring cosmetic changes only: Congress MP Jothimani
Congress MP Jothimani said that the government is not taking comprehensive approach to improve the situation of farmers and is only going for just cosmetic changes. “What if agreed amount is not paid before delivery of produce? What if company rejects produce on grounds of quality? How will the bill ensure farmers protected, justice will be granted?” Jothimani asked, adding that the bill removes necessary safeguards that protect farmers’ interests.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
SAD MP and Union Minister Harsimrat Badal to resign over farm bills
Harsimrat Kaur Badal of Shiromani Akali Dal will resign as Union minister over government’s farm ordinances, PTI reported. She has been handling the food processing ministry in the NDA government since 2014.
The decision was announced by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal during his speech in the Lok Sabha.
He recalled Punjab’s massive contribution in making India self-sufficient in food grain production as he vehemently opposed the bills.
“I announce that Harsimrat Kaur Badal will resign from the government,” he said in Lok Sabha.
She is the only SAD representative in the Modi government. The Punjab party is the oldest BJP ally
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
BJP ally, SAD opposes farm sector bills
Shiromani Akali Dal, a part of the National Democratic Alliance, has said that they are strongly opposed to the bill. Party’s leader and MP from Jalalabad Sukhbir Singh Badal said that successive state governemnts in Punjab have worked hard to create an environment favourable to farm sector. He said that it is one of the only state to have every inch of land irrigated and the only state where droughts do not affect the produce. He said that the Punjab’s APMC act is the best in the entire world. This bill is not good for Punjab.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Govt attacking federalism: Mahua Moitra on farm sector bills
Moitra, a TMC MP from West Bengal’s Krishnanagar said that the government is stomping upon the spirit of federalism with its brute majority. Moitra said, “By legislating on the farm sector, the government has once again done what it does best, that is aggrandising itself the authority that is simply not vested in it by the Constitution.”
Moitra pointed out that the government’s interference in a state subject will create unnecessary ambiguity and rural divide. She said that the bill creates two trade areas, one trade area under new Bills, other already existing under the APMC act, which will create confusion. She said that the Bill doesn’t mention about any license in this new trade area, which will make farmers vulnerable to unscrupulous practices, as states will not be able to regulate
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
TDP says Centre can’t legislate on farmer issues that are State subject
TDP MP K Ram Mohan Naidu said that the government should not presume that all of opposition has an political agenda and should listen to some genuine concerns. He said that the farm markets, fares and agricultural pricing are state subjects. The MP said that the bill is regulating sale and purchase of agricultural goods, which are decidedly a state subject as per the Constitution.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Congress MPs from Punjab burn copies of farm bills, party protests in Parliament
Congress MPs from Punjab burnt copies of the farm bills proposed by the government inside the Parliament complex on Thursday even as the party staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi’s statue.
The Congress is opposed to the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 that the NDA government has proposed in Parliament during the ongoing monsoon session, replacing the ordinances issued by it earlier.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Congress kept mum on MS Swaminathan report for 6 yrs: Jagdambika Pal
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal, while supporting the farm sector bills, cornered the Opposition Congress. Pal said that the Congress invokes the Swaminathan report on farm sector reforms every now and then but the truth is that the Congress-lead UPA government had ample time to take action on the suggestions made in the report. The report was released in 2006, finalised in 2008 and the Congress lost power in 2014, Pal said.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Samajwadi Party MP bats for lowering cost of farming
Samajwadi Party MP from Moradabad ST Hassan said that no move for farmer’s benefit will have the desired effect until and unless the costs associated with farming are brought down. The MP said that the government is making tall claims, but its action on ground told a different tale, Instead of increasing the minimum support price, the government has increased the cost of diesel five times in the past few moths.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
BJD MP recommends sending bill to Standing Commitee
BJD’s Anubhav Mohanty recommeds sending bill to standing committee stating that the benefits promised by the bills cannot be realised due to practical hurdles. He also highlights need for more markets.
Farmers will remain constrained by practical concerns like to whom to, where and how they will sell. Farmers will need transport facilities, knowledge of markets, internet connectivity and so on and benefits are likely to go to large farmers.
The proposed laws will have the impact of gradually abolishing APMCs he says. The abolition of APMCs have made small farmers in Bihar more vulnerable to exploitation, he says while defending APMCs for providing farmers with storage and other facilities. Dispute resolution mechanism is also too complicated for small farmers, he said and suggested that the bills be sent to standing committee.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
TMC opposes bills, says they will lead to privatisation
DMK Member K Shanmuga Sundaram says the government should have done away with export restrictions on food commodities.There is nothing in the proposed laws to ensure that the contract with farmers would be fair, he further states.
TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee also opposed the bill, saying that 60% citizens who are poor and marginal farmers will be affected. The bills force He also said that the bill is unconstitutional as the House cannot legislate on the issue of agriculture produce. “The bills allow enterprises and middlemen to force illiterate, marginal farmers to enter into an agreement forcefully. Making the agreement under contract employment of the Bills will be an ‘agreement’ between two unequal parties.” he says. The TMC MP said that the proposed provisions will also lead to hoarding and black marketing, profiteering, consumers will suffer..The entire agriculture industry will move towards privatisation and states revenues will also suffer.
Shiv Sena’s Arvind Sawant supports the bill but demands clarity on on how the existing infrastructure would be integrated under the new arrangement.. Sawant says that 75% of farmers have less than five acres lands and carry out farming in remote areas. “How will the proposed legislations benefit them?”
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Govt bringing in laws to protect farmers, says Virendra Singh
“I talked to the farmers in UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and other States. All of them said the proposed law would facilitate easy transportation of the produces to other States This is a historic step being taken by the government, says Virendra Singh. “Market forces always seek profit, the government is bringing in law to protect the farmers from them,”
He also said that the average landholding in India is 2.5acres, and the ministry is also providing subsidized machines for small landholding and farmers and they are hence benefitting
Singh also countered the Opposition saying the ordinances were not attack on federalism and questioned why some states were not giving PM Kisan benefits to farmers in their states.
He emphasised that the legislations were need to make atma-nirbhar Bharat.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
BJP MP Virendra Singh praises govt’s efforts in wake of pandemic
BJP MP from Balia Virendra Singh said that the Modi government’s policies in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown were historic and proved to be very empathetic towards the farmers. He said that from kisan rail, to help farmers transport their produce, to giving direct cash benefit to agrarians under the PM KIsan Samman Nidhi, the government has helped the farmers. He also said several farmers agree that the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill will help them take their produce from one place to other with ease.
Rajya Sabha Latest Updates
Opposition demands restoration of status quo ante of April on LAC with China
Opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha asked the government on Thursday to restore status quo ante as on April this year on the India-China border. Cutting across party lines, members in the Upper House of Parliament expressed their solidarity and support to the armed forces, which are facing a standoff situation against the Chinese army in eastern Ladakh.
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anad Sharma and former defence minister A K Antony of the Congress asked the government to take efforts to restore the status quo ante of April and resolve the over-three-month-old border standoff.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
No justification for farm ordinances, says NK Premchandran
“What is the urgency in promulgating the ordinance? the ordinance states that the ordinances are being promulagated to protect the livelihoods of the farmers. NK Premchandran, RSP MP from Kerala hits out at the Centre saying there is no justificationfor passing these ordinances. The MP alleges that the ordinances were passed to bulldozing the farmer’s interests while taking advantage of the COVID-19 situation. All 3 ordinances aim to facilitate the interests of corporates, he states. 48% farmers indebted according to NSSO, he says while highlighting the plight of farmers since neo-liberal reforms
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu opposes farm sector bills
Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu speaks in defence of retaining MSP, saying that it helped maintain stock of foodgrains in lockdowns during the pandemic.He also says that the bill do not mention any guarantee for MSP. In the six months only a crop of maize has entered the market. The MSP is 1700 but it is being sold at Rs 700 in Punjab today," he said.In other states too, the situation is bad. “Soldiers from Haryana and Punjab are fighting at the borders. How will their families survive if there is no guarantee of MSP?” he asks
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Two farm sector bills under consideration for passing
Zero Hour has been suspended today. Lok Sabha discusses two farm sector bills which seek to replace existing ordinances. Dean Kuriakose moves resolution that House disapproves Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Ordinance 2020. Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar defends the bill, saying,“The bill in a way aims to liberalise the agricultural sectors. Through this ordinance, farmers will be freed from the chains on markets. APMC will remain in states but outside these, farmers will be able to sell their produce even in inter-state markets. These legislations will benefit farmers and MSP will continue. A resolution is also moved against The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Speaker extends birthday wishes to prime minister
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla extends birthday wishes to PM Narendra Modi on behalf of all the members of the House.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Lok Sabha reassembles
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Sena’s Sanjay Raut attacks Centre over dues
Stepping up the attack at the Centre over dues to the states, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said Maharashtra is yet to Rs 25,000 crore from the Centre. “How will we fight COVID-19?”, he asked. Earlier, in the Rajya Sabha, Raut charged that from 1 September, the Centre has stopped supplies of medical equipment like PPE Kits and masks, putting an additional burden of Rs 350 crore on the Maharashtra government. He demanded that the Centre release GST dues as well funds from the PM CARES.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
House adjourned till 4 pm over demise of Tirupati MP
Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla informed the death of Tirupati MP Balli Durga Prasad Rao, who died at a private hospital in Chennai on Wednesday. House is adjourned till 4 pm.
Durga Prasad, 64, a native of Venkatagiri town, was earlier with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and jumped on to the YSR Congress party bandwagon just ahead of the elections.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Opposition protest on Parliament grounds over GST clearance
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Sitharaman to move The Taxation and Other Laws Bill
At 3 pm, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha will move The Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020.
She will also lay on the table The Appropriation (No.4) Bill, 2020 to authorise payment and appropriation of certain further sums from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2020-2021.
Lok Sabha Latest Updates
Lok Sabha to assemble at 3 pm
Bill to be introduced
The Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020.
Bills for consideration and passing
- The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020
- The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020.
- The Appropriation (No.4) Bill,2020
- The Appropriation (No.3) Bill,2020.
Rajya Sabha Latest Updates
Galwan Valley was never a disputed site: AK Antony
Congress MP and former Defence Minister AK Antony said that the nation is ‘completely’ with the armed forces. “What does it mean when Defence Minister says government will do everything to protect the sovereignty,” he asks.
“Galwan Valley was never a disputed site. Now our soldiers not allowed patrol areas they used to earlier. We should be allowed to patrol where we used to,” said Antony.
Rajya Sabha Latest Updates
India should get COVID-19 vaccine at affordable rate: Ghulam Nabi Azad
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday said India should be well placed to get the vaccine at an “affordable price” and at an “early stage” through a mechanism like pooled procurement.
“The government, however, should be over cautious about the quality, safety and efficacy of a new vaccine as any long term side effects would impact India which has a large and young population,” he said.
Rajya Sabha Latest Updates
MPs express solidarity with soldiers, govt on border issue
Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said we are all one when it comes to the integrity and sovereignty of the country. He recalled the times when he had visited Siachen military posts.
“China should return to where they were earlier,” he said.
Different members of the House express solidarity with the soldiers and the government on this issue.
Defence Minister appreciates the expressions of solidarity by the MPs. “I do not want to say thank you, because we are one,” he said.
Rajya Sabha Latest Updates
Till vaccination is developed, distancing and masks are social vaccine: Harsh Vardhan
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said three vaccine candidates are being developed and a vaccine should be available in India next year.
“Masks are our biggest protector. Ever since unlock, people have assumed that the virus is gone and they don’t need to wear masks, maintain distancing. Virus transmission is happening because of our own irresponsibility. Till a vaccine is available, masks and social distancing is a social vaccine,” he said.
He also said that India will soon leave America behind in the number of tests.
Vardhan added that the migrant workers did experience problems for some time, but the Home Ministry and Railways took significant steps to help them.
Rajya Sabha Latest Updates
Government addressing situation since 8 January: Harsh Vardhan
In response to the debate on the prevailing coronavirus situation, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan said the Prime Minister, ministers and state health ministers have been addressing the situation since 8 January. “All Chief Ministers have fought this battle with the PM,” he added.
“All types of advisories and details were given before the first case of COVID-19 in the country on 30 January. For the first case, 162 contacts were traced. That is how we started our history of contact tracing,” he said.
“History will remember Prime Minister Narendra Modi for meticulously monitoring the entire situation himself,” Vardhan said.
Responding to Congress MP Anand Sharma’s query, the Minister says that five scientific agencies gave scientific data on the basis of which it was said 14-29 lakh cases were prevented by the lockdown. Vardhan also said that about 1,700 labs were set up in the lockdown.
“The Prime Minister did not see which party was in power when deciding where to deploy equipment. Cobas machines were installed in Delhi, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Noida. We did capacity building in February and March,” he said.
Rajya Sabha Latest Updates
Lockdowns necessary till vaccine is available: BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar
BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the world hasn’t experienced anything like this since the 1918 Spanish flu. He questioned the behaviour of the Chinese government and the origin of the virus, citing a recent report of a Chinese doctor claiming that the virus was made in a lab.
He said the Opposition and the government should work together to solve overcome the crisis, instead of making petty allegations. The lockdown was unambiguously necessary, Chandrasekhar said, adding that lockdowns are a necessary tools for government and will be implemented intermittently till a vaccine is available.
“When there is an economic loss in states due to floods, the Centre steps in. But this is a loss for the whole country and there is no else to pass on the losses to, unless China accepts it’s responsibility and there is a case for reparations,” he said.