Parliament Updates | DMK leader Kanimozhi also hit out at the Centre for naming welfare schemes in Hindi. "This govt has taken up that every program will be only named in Hindi.I would like to ask you how will a villager in my district understand what it is? I've seen signboards in Thoothukudi saying PM Sadak Yojana,with no translation. I don't understand it," said the DMK leader.
Taking a dig at the Centre for employing over 90,000 workers as manual scavengers, Kanimozhi said that the ruling party has done nothing to protect their rights.
The DMK leader also stressed on the need of safety of passengers inside the coaches. Listing out the incidents of mob lynching in the recent months, Kanimozhi talked about a madrasa teacher, who was allegedly pushed off a moving train for refusing to chant contentious Jai Shri Ram slogan in Kolkata.
Speaking on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha, which has been disrupted by protests from the Opposition for two days, Congress leader P Chidambaram said that the current Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was "not a bold one".
He said, "The gravity of unemployment can be looked by only 1 example — For 62,907 khalasi posts, 82 lakhs people applied, and 4,19,137 of them were BTech graduates. 40,751 had a Masters' degree in Engineering. This is the economy you (NDA-II government) inherited. I don't blame Nirmala Sitharaman for that."
"But taking note of the reality, you should have been bold. The government has a superb mandate, 303 people in the Lok Sabha. Dr Manmohan Singh and I've exchanged notes and we wish he had such mandate of that kind sometime in our life. With your allies, you have ve a mandate of over 352. Why did you not take bold measures?" he questioned.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the introduction of a bill in Parliament that amalgamates provisions of 13 Central Labour Acts to enhance safety, health and working conditions of workers.
The Code on Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Bill, 2019 is expected to be introduced in the Budget session of Parliament. Briefing reporters after a meeting of Union Cabinet, Labour Minister Santosh Gangwar said that the bill will be applicable to establishments having more than 10 employees who will be given appointment letters.
He said the workers will also be entitled to an annual medical check-up. The new code has been drafted after amalgamation, simplification, and rationalisation of relevant provisions of the 13 Central Labour Acts.
This includes the Working Journalist and other Newspaper Employees (Conditions of Service and Misc. Provision) Act, 1955 and Working Journalist (Fixation of rates of wages) Act, 1958.
Other labour laws included in the code are Factories Act, 1948; the Mines Act, 1952, Dock Workers (Safety, Health and Welfare) Act; Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996; Plantations Labour Act, 1951, Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 and Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979.
It also includes the Motor Transport Workers Act, 1961, Sales Promotion Employees (Condition of Service) Act, 1976; Beedi and Cigar Workers (Conditions of Employment) Act, 1966 and Cine-Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers Act, 1981. After the enactment of the Code, all these Acts being subsumed in the Code will be repealed.
Referring to the Code of Wages Bill approved by the cabinet last week, Gangwar said it will benefit more than 40 crore people who will get right to minimum wages. He said there were complaints that the workers were still paid Rs 40 or Rs 60 a day but the enactment of the law will ensure that they get a minimum of Rs 178 per day. States, he said, were free to fix higher minimum wage.
The Code of Wages Bill is the first in the series of four labour codes. It seeks to subsume relevant provisions of The Minimum Wages Act, 1948, Payment of Wages Act 1936, Payment of Bonus Act Act, 1965 and Equal Remuneration Act 1976.
Code on Occupational Safety, Health, and Working Conditions Bill, 2019, which is the second in the series, seeks to enhance the ambit of provisions of safety, health, welfare and working conditions from existing about nine major sectors to all establishments having 10 or more employees.
An official release said that safety, health, welfare and improved working conditions were pre-requisite for the well-being of the worker and also for the economic growth of the country. (ANI)
Your guide to the latest cricket World Cup stories, analysis, reports, opinions, live updates and scores on https://www.firstpost.com/firstcricket/series/icc-cricket-world-cup-2019.html. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram or like our Facebook page for updates throughout the ongoing event in England and Wales.
Updated Date: Jul 11, 2019 20:20:02 IST
Highlights
Lok Sabha | Bring metro rails to Visakhapatnam, Vijawada, demands TDP’s Ram Mohan Naidu
Stating that the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act had a provision for the same, TDP’s Ram Mohan Naidu demanded that metro rails be brought to Visakhapatnam and Vijaywada. The state also needs the development of a rail corridor, he said, requesting the government to introduce a train between Visakhapatnam and Varanasi.
He demanded PPP implementation to modify smaller stations in his state, adding that the modification of the smaller stations could create opportunities to earn livelihoods for the people residing around these areas.
Lok Sabha | Budget has granted highest ever amount to the North East, says BJP’s Pratima Bhoumik
Lauding the Budget, BJP’s Pratima Bhoumik said the people of Tripura have never seen railways until 2017. “It is because of Narendra Modi that people of Tripura have been able to experience trains after 70 years of independence,” she said.
She also said that till date, North East has been granted the highest amount ever in a Budget.
Lok Sabha | Request rail ministry to start trains from Vadodara to Haridwar and Amritsar to benefit pilgrims, says BJP’s Ranjanaben Bhatt
BJP’s Ranjanaben Dhanajay Bhatt welcomed the government's' initiative of private trains and going green. “The Vadodara Smart City project will look to implement the multi-model transport hub soon,” she said, adding that the Rs 25 crore railway university has benefited the youth and enhanced the educational capabilities of Vadodara.
She also said that the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) will continue the legacy of the National Academy of Indian Railway. Bhatt said that the Aadarsh bus station in her constituency is no less than ‘a national airport’, emphasising that it was built under the PPP model. She also requested the rail ministry to introduce trains from Vadodara to Haridwar and Vadodara to Amritsar for the benefit of the devotees in Gujarat.
Lok Sabha | ‘Door-closer’ trains have led to reduce in rail accident fatalities, says BJP’s Gopal Shetty
BJP’s Gopal Shetty said that the PPP model is the only solution to the issues that the railways face, adding that the money saved under the model can be reinvested to develop other infrastructure.
He said that while the government has been considerate towards those displaced by railway projects, the implementation of MUTP 3A has been lax. He also said that the 'door-closer' trains have played a big role in reducing the number of people who are killed in rail accidents, requesting that ladies special trains also have coaches with doors.
Rajya Sabha | Long-term policies necessary to bring in FDI, says SAD’s Naresh Gujral
Shiromani Akali Dal’s Naresh Gujral supported the Budget by saying that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been able to keep a balance between fiscal deficit and growth. “For the first time, the government has focused on the farmers, especially with regard to Minimum Support Price,” he said.
Gujral also said that constituency and long-term policies is necessary to Foreign Direct Investment, adding that the world does not like "flip-flop" policies.
Rajya Sabha | Union Budget did not address working class, farmers and poor, alleged Elamaram Kareem, CPM
CPM MP Elamaram Kareem accused the Centre of discrimination against Kerala, especially with regard to providing assistance to the state in the aftermath of the 2018 floods. "Neither did the Centre permit the State to access help from outside the country, nor did they help themselves," alleged Kareem.
The Rajya Sabha MP also said that the Union Budget 2019 failed to address the working class people, farmers and the poor. "The reforms for the government can be be equated to taking wealth from the poor and giving to the corporates. It was completely silent on the agrarian distress, the industrial crisis and unemployment. The government is exaggerating figures to make it seem like India is growing stronger," Kareem said.
Rajya Sabha | Rate of unemployment highest in last 45 years, says Prasanna Acharaya, BJD
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Prasanna Acharaya said that the biggest problem that the country is subjected to is unemployment. "It is the highest in the last 45 years and yet it has not been addressed adequately," Acharaya said.
He also questioned the curtailing the MGNREGA funds. "When there is a drought-like situation in different states. The government should be allocating more to the scheme in such a situation," the BJD leader said.
Lok Sabha | Every welfare programme named in Hindi, don't understand it: Kanimozhi on welfare schemes named in Hindi
Kanimozhi also hit out at the Centre for naming welfare schemes in Hindi. "This govt has taken up that every program will be only named in Hindi.I would like to ask you how will a villager in my district understand what it is? I've seen signboards in Thoothukudi saying PM Sadak Yojana,with no translation. I don't understand it," said the DMK leader.
Rajya Sabha | Union Budget 2019 did not raise hopes of unemployed youth, pensioners, says Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, TMC
Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said that the Union Budget failed to raise the hopes of the unemployed youth of the country and the pensioners.
The TMC leader said that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had halwa at the printing of the Budget at the Finance Ministry. "Some of that halwa should have been given to the common people through the Budget," said Roy.
Goa chief minister M Pramod Sawant arrives in Parliament
Day after 10 of the 15 Congress legislators who have sided with the BJP, Goa chief minister M Pramod Sawant arrived in the Parliament on Thursday with two of the 10 MLAs. The MLAs are likely to meet BJP chief Amit Shah and working President JP Nadda later on Thursday.
Lok Sabha | Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury targets Centre over railways
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury targetted the government over the situation of farmers and the railways. Reportedly, he said that the Centre did not care about farmers. He also listed the NDA-I's promises from the previous Union Budget, which have not been fulfilled.
He said that the Centre was not focussing attention on the railways. He said, "The growth of the railways' revenue from its core business of running freight and passenger trains is declining."
Rajya Sabha | Veerendra Kumar says 10 percent customs duty on news print should be rolled back
MP Veerendra Kumar said that the 10 percent custom duty levied on newsprint should be reversed as the print media is already tackling factors like the "lack of funds".
Rajya Sabha | P Chidambaram says goal of $5 trillion economy is 'pie in the sky'
Former finance minister P Chidambaram weighed in on the Union Budget on Thursday and said that the Centre was showing people a "pie in the sky" by talking about the goal of growing to a $5 trillion economy by 2020-25. He said that as long as the rate of growth is 11-12 percent, the rate of the economy will continue to double every five or six years.
"It is the magic of compounding," he said, adding, "Any money lender will be able to explain the same. Instead, bold structural reforms is needed because the economy is weak."
He also said, "While loans worth Rs 5 ,55,603 crore have been written off for corporates, the same has not been done for farmers, micro industries, small industries."
Lok Sabha | Rajnath Singh responds to Rahul Gandhi over farmer suicides
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi brought up the issue of farmer suicides in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and criticised the Union Budge saying that there had been no "concrete steps" taken to provide relief to the farmers from debts. He also said that the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the farmers have remained unfulfilled.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in reply, said that the agrarian distress and the situation of the farmers is not a new phenomenon and "is a product of the failures of the governments that came before the BJP government."
Rajya Sabha | Union Budget is not 'bold', says P Chidambaram
Speaking on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha, which has been disrupted by protests from the Opposition for two days, Congress leader P Chidambaram said that the current Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was "not a bold one".
He said, "The gravity of unemployment can be looked by only 1 example — For 62,907 khalasi posts, 82 lakhs people applied, and 4,19,137 of them were BTech graduates. 40,751 had a Masters' degree in Engineering. This is the economy you (NDA-II government) inherited. I don't blame Nirmala Sitharaman for that."
"But taking note of the reality, you should have been bold. The government has a superb mandate, 303 people in the Lok Sabha. Dr Manmohan Singh and I've exchanged notes and we wish he had such mandate of that kind sometime in our life. With your allies, you have ve a mandate of over 352. Why did you not take bold measures?" he questioned.
Rajya Sabha | P Chidambaram speaks in debate on Union Budget in Parliament
Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram began his speech in the debate on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha by condemning the political crisis unfolding in Karnataka and Goa.
Weighing in on the Budget, Chidambaram said that the calculation of the GDP for last fiscal year is separate in the Economic Survey and the Budget document.
"Moreover, according to the budget document, growth projection is set at 8 percent, while the Economic Survey says 7 percent. There is no unified picture of the growth rate from the government," he was quoted as saying.
Lok Sabha | Rahul Gandhi says 'no concrete steps' to end farmer distress in Budget
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke on the agrarian crisis in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. He said, "The farmers in the country are suffering. I would like to draw the govt's attention towards it. No concrete steps were taken in the Union Budget to provide relief to the farmers."
"I would like to request the Central govt to direct RBI to consider the moratorium by Kerala govt & ensure that banks don't threaten farmers with recovery notice," he added.
"Yesterday,a farmer in Wayanad committed suicide due to debt. In Wayanad, bank notices for non-payment of loans given to 8,000 farmers. Under a relevant act their properties are attached against their bank loans, this is resulting in rise in farmers suicide," he said.
LIVE NEWS and UPDATES
20:13 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Supriya Sule draws parallels between PPP model and privatisation of Air India
NCP MP Supriya Sule said that she fears that like the privatisation of Air India, the ruling government might allow private enterprises to dominate railways under the PPP model.
20:09 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Comgress’ Mohammed Ali Khan criticises lack of financial help for Telangana, AP
Mohammed Ali Khan criticised the reduction for fund for scholarships for minority students.
He also said that the Centre did not financially help Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, asking how the government would bring sabka saath, sabkaa vikas if states like Telangana are left out. Listing the schemes promised for Telangana, he asked why no support has been extended as promised.
20:06 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | No schemes for rural areas in Budget, says Congress’ Ripun Bora
Highlighting that there are no schemes for rural areas in Budget, especially ones focussing on the health sector, Ripun Bora said there has been a reduction in funds for setting up or upgrading medical colleges.
19:54 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Southern Railways biased against Kerala, says NK Premachandran
RSP’s NK Premachandran said that the current Railway budget is 20 percent higher than the last one but without using its own public resources. He added that the Railways is getting highly dependent on the PPP model.
Premachandran said that the Southern Railways is biased against Kerala. He also sought that Chengannur station, the nearest one to Sabarimala, should be declared a heritage railway station.
19:51 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | AAP’s Sushil Kumar Gupta criticises Budget for not focussing on education
AAP’s Sushil Kumar Gupta said the budget has not addressed the job crisis and has also ignored the issue of education. “IIM budget has been drastically cut and IIT budget has not been increased. And there are 20,000 vacancies in central universities,” he said.
Gupta also sought that the Nationa Capital Region be given its proper share of tax revenue as it is the face of India.
19:40 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Budget a ‘document of illusions’, has done injustice to Kerala, says Binoy Visvam
Calling the budget a ‘document of illusions, CPI’s Binoy Visvam said that the Budget has done injustice to the state of Kerala. “If you call me a pessimist for stating the fact that this budget does not have anything to bring back the dying farmers to life, I am proud to be called a pessimist.” Viswam said. While water should be the keyword, the government’s keyword is investment - private and foreign.
He suggested that instead of earning Rs 9 lakh crore by imposing cess on fuel, the government should implement a wealth tax.
19:28 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Railways should complete all pending projects, says AIMIM MP
Before investing in new projects, AIMIM’s Imitiaz Jaleel Syed said the Railways must complete all pending ones.
19:27 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Budget lacks clarity on schemes for farmers, rural pockets, says BSP’s Vir Singh
Stressing on his belief that the nation will progress only if the farmer progresses, BSP’s Vir Singh said the Budget lacked clarity on schemes for different sections, especially farmers and rural areas.
He said that primary education system is in an abysmal state, asking how the government plans to bring the equality in education promised by them.
19:22 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Don’t let bad policies kill farmers, says Congress’ MV Rajeev Gowda
Calling the current government a ‘big announcement’ one, Congress’ MV Rajeev Gowda said, “Do not let indirect taxes squeeze the people, do not let our bad policies kill farmers, do not let the credibility of our data suffer.”
19:05 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Bring metro rails to Visakhapatnam, Vijawada, demands TDP’s Ram Mohan Naidu
Stating that the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act had a provision for the same, TDP’s Ram Mohan Naidu demanded that metro rails be brought to Visakhapatnam and Vijaywada. The state also needs the development of a rail corridor, he said, requesting the government to introduce a train between Visakhapatnam and Varanasi.
He demanded PPP implementation to modify smaller stations in his state, adding that the modification of the smaller stations could create opportunities to earn livelihoods for the people residing around these areas.
18:45 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | TDP’s Kanakamadela Ravindra Kumar criticises Centre’s laxity towards Amravati, Polavaram project
TDP’s Kanakamadela Ravindra Kumar said that the central government has not allocated sufficient funds for promised educational institutes in Andhra Pradesh. He also criticised the ruling dispensation and its Budget for its lack of attention towards the Polavaram project and development of state capital Amravati.
In his maiden speech, YSRCP’s Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy emphasised the lack of government schemes’ implementation in Vijaywada and Andhra Pradesh.
18:30 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Presence of Tata Steel makes Jamshedpur ‘mini India’, says BJP’s Bidyut Baran Mahato
Stating that the presence of Tata Steel makes Jamshedpur mini India, BJP’s Bidyut Baran Mahato stressed on the importance of better railway connection of the city with neighbouring states. He listed certain railway routes that would benefit the state.
18:19 (IST)
Want India to play in the football world cup one day, says TMC's Prasun Banerjee
17:55 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Budget has granted highest ever amount to the North East, says BJP’s Pratima Bhoumik
Lauding the Budget, BJP’s Pratima Bhoumik said the people of Tripura have never seen railways until 2017. “It is because of Narendra Modi that people of Tripura have been able to experience trains after 70 years of independence,” she said.
She also said that till date, North East has been granted the highest amount ever in a Budget.
17:51 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Congress members protest BJP's Anil Baluni's statements on the criticism of the party
BJP's Anil Baluni criticises P Chidamabaram's statement on the media and the EVM hacking exercise where Congress leaders were present in London. Congress members protest from their benches as the Speaker insists that the arguments will not go on record.
17:47 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Railway budget is in sync with New India vision, says BJP’s Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo
BJP’s Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo said in her maiden speech that the country is in a period of transition and experiencing a paradigm shift and the railway budget is in sync with the vision of New India.
She cited initiatives like using Make in India to build the railways through Transfer of Technology, promotion of RRTS and metros, forming an alliance with France to build 'World Class' stations, installing CCTV cameras at stations, Vande Bharat train and dedicated freight corridors will improve the railway infrastructure.
She sought the setting up of workshops in her constituency Bolangir, along with laying down two new railway lines. “The 13 percent increase in the funds allocated to build railway lines in Odisha, which amounts to Rs 7,010 crore and the laying of new railway tracks at the rate of 25 km per year has been some of the highlights of the government's work in the constituency so far,” she said.
17:40 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Kerala might night be on govt’s political map, but should be on rail map, says PK Kunhalikutty
IUML’s PK Kunhalikutty said that the issue of Kanjikode coach factory, which is in a limbo, must be addressed. He said that Kerala is largely neglected and even if Kerala is not on the government’s political map, it should not be so in the case of the railway map.
17:18 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Taking debt and creating income-generating assets will result in economic growth, says BJP’s Ashwini Vaishnaw
Staring on the note that P Chidambaram missed out on the real picture, BJP’s Ashwini Vaishnaw said that if GDP doubling was so easy, why was the economy in its state before 1990? “Take debt, create income-generating assets,” he said on the Finance Minister’s statement that investments averaging Rs 20 lakh crores every year would be needed to reach the $5 trillion economy target.
17:13 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Privatisation of railways will not succeed, Congress’ Su Thirunavukkarasar
The PPP model, which was started with a small investment by the government, failed last year, Congress’ SU Thirunavukkarasar said. “The Rs 50 lakh crore that is planned to be invested with the deadline of completing the projects in 10 years, means that the government would need to procure Rs 5 lakh crore every year. Who will invest this money in these loss-making institutions?” he asked, adding that the privatisation of the railways will not succeed.
17:06 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | DMK’s RS Bharathi urges govt to link Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery rivers to solve water crisis
Criticising the government for not honouring the Tamil language and the Budget’s provision of hiking taxes on books and news print media, DMK’s RS Bharathi began to address the Upper house. “Why tax the fourth pillar of democracy? Why stop learning by taxing books?” he asked.
He also said that the Budget fails to redress water scarcity. “I urge the government to link Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery rivers, a project which will only cost Rs 1,000 crore,” Bharathi said. He also said that the Budget ignores the issue of unemployment, despite Make In India and highlighted the issue of NPAs.
16:45 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Request rail ministry to start trains from Vadodara to Haridwar and Amritsar to benefit pilgrims, says BJP’s Ranjanaben Bhatt
BJP’s Ranjanaben Dhanajay Bhatt welcomed the government's' initiative of private trains and going green. “The Vadodara Smart City project will look to implement the multi-model transport hub soon,” she said, adding that the Rs 25 crore railway university has benefited the youth and enhanced the educational capabilities of Vadodara.
She also said that the National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI) will continue the legacy of the National Academy of Indian Railway. Bhatt said that the Aadarsh bus station in her constituency is no less than ‘a national airport’, emphasising that it was built under the PPP model. She also requested the rail ministry to introduce trains from Vadodara to Haridwar and Vadodara to Amritsar for the benefit of the devotees in Gujarat.
16:32 (IST)
Lok Sabha | ‘Door-closer’ trains have led to reduce in rail accident fatalities, says BJP’s Gopal Shetty
BJP’s Gopal Shetty said that the PPP model is the only solution to the issues that the railways face, adding that the money saved under the model can be reinvested to develop other infrastructure.
He said that while the government has been considerate towards those displaced by railway projects, the implementation of MUTP 3A has been lax. He also said that the 'door-closer' trains have played a big role in reducing the number of people who are killed in rail accidents, requesting that ladies special trains also have coaches with doors.
16:28 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Government living in an optical illusion, says RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha
During the Budget debate, RJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha said the government lives in an optical illusion and has the tendency to remain living in that illusion.
15:58 (IST)
Water crisis will continue if India doesn't change cropping, export patterns, says Kapil Sibal
“Some journalists who have MHA clearance, PIB accreditation have been restricted from entering finance ministry. They should be allowed access to public data, says Congress’ Kapil Sibal.
He said that that he did not find thematic consistency in budget speech and opined that it was lacking in vision, like a trailer, not a movie. “Private investment, public investment, external and internal consumption are the cylinders of the economy. Three of these have collapsed. States figures to show no investment in public and private, impacting manufacturing, jobs and economy. That is why the unemployment rates are the highest. We must accept we are in a problem and find a solution,” he said.
Sibal said the issue is not $5 trillion, but per capita. “In Mumbai, 60 percent are poor, 1 percent rich. If crores of people earn less than Rs 10,000 per month, what is the point of a $5 trillion economy? In terms of per capita, we rank 122nd in the world. Tell us how you will improve incomes of the poor?” he asked.
Pointing out that agriculture consumes 60 percent of all available water, he said highlighted the need for changing the cropping pattern. “India’s water ends up everywhere but in India. Paddy, sugarcane, cotton, which use highest water, are among our exports. We will have no drinking water in the country if this fashion of exports continues. How will you solve the water crisis? “ Sibal said.
15:38 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Long-term policies necessary to bring in FDI, says SAD’s Naresh Gujral
Shiromani Akali Dal’s Naresh Gujral supported the Budget by saying that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has been able to keep a balance between fiscal deficit and growth. “For the first time, the government has focused on the farmers, especially with regard to Minimum Support Price,” he said.
Gujral also said that constituency and long-term policies is necessary to Foreign Direct Investment, adding that the world does not like "flip-flop" policies.
15:21 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Union Budget did not address working class, farmers and poor, alleged Elamaram Kareem, CPM
CPM MP Elamaram Kareem accused the Centre of discrimination against Kerala, especially with regard to providing assistance to the state in the aftermath of the 2018 floods. "Neither did the Centre permit the State to access help from outside the country, nor did they help themselves," alleged Kareem.
The Rajya Sabha MP also said that the Union Budget 2019 failed to address the working class people, farmers and the poor. "The reforms for the government can be be equated to taking wealth from the poor and giving to the corporates. It was completely silent on the agrarian distress, the industrial crisis and unemployment. The government is exaggerating figures to make it seem like India is growing stronger," Kareem said.
14:47 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Visas for all qualified athletes belonging to any National Olympic Committee, says Kiren Rijiju
On whether visas would be granted to athletes from all countries, including Pakistan in events taking place in India, Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju said, "Stated policy of Government of India is to permit all qualified athletes belonging to any National Olympic Committee recognised by it."
14:34 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Rate of unemployment highest in last 45 years, says Prasanna Acharaya, BJD
Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Prasanna Acharaya said that the biggest problem that the country is subjected to is unemployment. "It is the highest in the last 45 years and yet it has not been addressed adequately," Acharaya said.
He also questioned the curtailing the MGNREGA funds. "When there is a drought-like situation in different states. The government should be allocating more to the scheme in such a situation," the BJD leader said.
14:25 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Kanimozhi says attempts to privatise Indian Railways will be resisted by people of Tamil Nadu
14:14 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Every welfare programme named in Hindi, don't understand it: Kanimozhi on welfare schemes named in Hindi
Kanimozhi also hit out at the Centre for naming welfare schemes in Hindi. "This govt has taken up that every program will be only named in Hindi.I would like to ask you how will a villager in my district understand what it is? I've seen signboards in Thoothukudi saying PM Sadak Yojana,with no translation. I don't understand it," said the DMK leader.
14:09 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Government should be ashamed to still employ manual scavengers, says Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, DMK
Taking a dig at the Centre for employing over 90,000 workers as manual scavengers, DMK leader Kanimozhi said that the ruling party has done nothing to protect their rights.
The DMK leader also stressed on the need of safety of passengers inside the coaches. Listing out the incidents of mob lynching in the recent months, Kanimozhi talked about a madrasa teacher, who was allegedly pushed off a moving train for refusing to chant contentious Jai Shri Ram slogan in Kolkata.
Hafeez Mohd Sahrukh Haldar, a 26-year-old Muslim man, had been travelling from Canning in the South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal to Hooghly in the Canning-Sealdah passenger train.
On the way, a group of people chanting Jai Shri Ram in his train compartment began heckling him to join in their chants. When he refused, the group began beating him.
13:56 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Union Budget 2019 did not raise hopes of unemployed youth, pensioners, says Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, TMC
Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said that the Union Budget failed to raise the hopes of the unemployed youth of the country and the pensioners.
The TMC leader said that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had halwa at the printing of the Budget at the Finance Ministry. "Some of that halwa should have been given to the common people through the Budget," said Roy.
13:42 (IST)
Goa chief minister M Pramod Sawant arrives in Parliament
Day after 10 of the 15 Congress legislators who have sided with the BJP, Goa chief minister M Pramod Sawant arrived in the Parliament on Thursday with two of the 10 MLAs. The MLAs are likely to meet BJP chief Amit Shah and working President JP Nadda later on Thursday.
13:20 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury targets Centre over railways
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury targetted the government over the situation of farmers and the railways. Reportedly, he said that the Centre did not care about farmers. He also listed the NDA-I's promises from the previous Union Budget, which have not been fulfilled.
He said that the Centre was not focussing attention on the railways. He said, "The growth of the railways' revenue from its core business of running freight and passenger trains is declining."
13:08 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Veerendra Kumar says 10 percent customs duty on news print should be rolled back
MP Veerendra Kumar said that the 10 percent custom duty levied on newsprint should be reversed as the print media is already tackling factors like the "lack of funds".
13:02 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | P Chidambaram says goal of $5 trillion economy is 'pie in the sky'
Former finance minister P Chidambaram weighed in on the Union Budget on Thursday and said that the Centre was showing people a "pie in the sky" by talking about the goal of growing to a $5 trillion economy by 2020-25. He said that as long as the rate of growth is 11-12 percent, the rate of the economy will continue to double every five or six years.
"It is the magic of compounding," he said, adding, "Any money lender will be able to explain the same. Instead, bold structural reforms is needed because the economy is weak."
He also said, "While loans worth Rs 5 ,55,603 crore have been written off for corporates, the same has not been done for farmers, micro industries, small industries."
12:45 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Rajnath Singh responds to Rahul Gandhi over farmer suicides
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi brought up the issue of farmer suicides in the Lok Sabha on Thursday and criticised the Union Budge saying that there had been no "concrete steps" taken to provide relief to the farmers from debts. He also said that the promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the farmers have remained unfulfilled.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in reply, said that the agrarian distress and the situation of the farmers is not a new phenomenon and "is a product of the failures of the governments that came before the BJP government."
12:32 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | Union Budget is not 'bold', says P Chidambaram
Speaking on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha, which has been disrupted by protests from the Opposition for two days, Congress leader P Chidambaram said that the current Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was "not a bold one".
He said, "The gravity of unemployment can be looked by only 1 example — For 62,907 khalasi posts, 82 lakhs people applied, and 4,19,137 of them were BTech graduates. 40,751 had a Masters' degree in Engineering. This is the economy you (NDA-II government) inherited. I don't blame Nirmala Sitharaman for that."
"But taking note of the reality, you should have been bold. The government has a superb mandate, 303 people in the Lok Sabha. Dr Manmohan Singh and I've exchanged notes and we wish he had such mandate of that kind sometime in our life. With your allies, you have ve a mandate of over 352. Why did you not take bold measures?" he questioned.
12:24 (IST)
Rajya Sabha | P Chidambaram speaks in debate on Union Budget in Parliament
Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram began his speech in the debate on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha by condemning the political crisis unfolding in Karnataka and Goa.
Weighing in on the Budget, Chidambaram said that the calculation of the GDP for last fiscal year is separate in the Economic Survey and the Budget document.
"Moreover, according to the budget document, growth projection is set at 8 percent, while the Economic Survey says 7 percent. There is no unified picture of the growth rate from the government," he was quoted as saying.
12:14 (IST)
Lok Sabha | Rahul Gandhi says 'no concrete steps' to end farmer distress in Budget
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke on the agrarian crisis in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. He said, "The farmers in the country are suffering. I would like to draw the govt's attention towards it. No concrete steps were taken in the Union Budget to provide relief to the farmers."
"I would like to request the Central govt to direct RBI to consider the moratorium by Kerala govt & ensure that banks don't threaten farmers with recovery notice," he added.
"Yesterday,a farmer in Wayanad committed suicide due to debt. In Wayanad, bank notices for non-payment of loans given to 8,000 farmers. Under a relevant act their properties are attached against their bank loans, this is resulting in rise in farmers suicide," he said.