11:05 am: A bright future awaits us, says President Pranab Mukherjee
President Pranab Mukherjee said that the government's motto remained 'sabka saath, sabka vikas' and that it had undertaken a number of steps since coming to power.
After listing various steps listed by the government, Mukherjee said,"A strong beginning has been made and a bright future awaits us."
The president said that the Jan Dhan scheme had been started to alleviate poverty and that it had achieved all its objectives so far.
"The unprecedented target was achieved in less than six months making it the largest such programme in the world," Mukherjee said.
10:45 am: Modi says he hopes for productive session of Parliament, President leaves to address joint session of Parliament
Prime Minister Narendra Modi started the Budget Session of Parliament by saying that he hoped it would be a productive session and that the government has reached out to the opposition on all issues.
"Parliament is the temple of democracy, there should be proper dialogue and and deep discussions...There should be solutions that are of use to the poorest of poor," Modi said outside Parliament.
Reuters image
The Prime Minister said that he had met with opposition party leaders on Sunday and had heard their views.
"It is our desire that there is a debate on every issue that is of importance to the nation," he said.
The PM said that he was hopeful that the session would be a productive one that all parties would use to do good for the country.
There's little else today expected other than the President's speech but the Prime Minister will be hoping that the coming days are better for the government in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
Meanwhile, accompanied by a ceremonial guard, President Pranab Mukherjee has left Rashtrapati Bhavan to address a joint session of Parliament.
10:00 am: A long and difficult Budget session ahead for the Modi government
The government is bracing up for budget session beginning Monday where it will face a tough challenge to get bills replacing six ordinances passed.
The government's agenda includes 44 items of financial, legislative and non-legislative business.
The session will begin with President Pranab Mukherjee's address to members of both houses of parliament.
Parliamentary Affairs M. Venkaiah Naidu had convened a meeting Sunday of leaders of all parties in both houses to discuss financial,legislative and other business. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has also called a meeting Sunday evening of leaders of parties in the house to ensure its smooth functioning.
The government faces an uphill task in getting the bills aimed at replacing ordinances passed as opposition parties have conveyed their firm stand against some of them including the land acquisition ordinance.
Though the government has held back channel discussions on contentious bills with leaders of opposition parties, there is no sign of a breakthrough so far.
An official release said that the financial business (11 items) include presentation of and discussion on general and railway budget, voting on demands for grants, supplementary demands for grants for 2014-15 and excess demands, if any, for 2013-14. The rail budget will be presented on 26 February, Economic Survey on 27 February and general budget on 28 February.
The legislative agenda comprises introduction, consideration and passing of seven new bills by both the houses including the Finance Bill, 2015 and bills replacing the six ordinances.
While 10 new bills are slated to be introduced, the government's agenda includes passing of three bills pending in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha. Those pending in the Lok Sabha are: The Constitution (122nd Amendment) Bill, 2014 relating to introduction of GST, The Lok Pal and Lok Ayuktas and other Related Law (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2014. After being passed by the Lok Sabha, these bills will be taken up by the Rajya Sabha.
Bills pending in the Rajya Sabha include four bills already passed by Lok Sabha - The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2014, The Public Premises Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2014, The Regional Rural Banks (Amendment) Bill, 2014, The Repealing and Amending (Second) Bill, 2014, and the Payments and Settlement Systems(Amendment) Bill, 2014.
Other pending bills are: The Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill,2013 and The Constitution (Scheduled Casts) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2014.
The new bills pertain to on the National Cooperative Development Corporation, the Warehousing Corporation, Andhra Pradesh reorganisation, arbitration and conciliation, repeal of appropriation acts, registration of births and deaths, whistle blowers protection, Indian Institutes of Management, National Academic Depository and Identification of Scheduled Castes.
The non-legislative business for the session includes discussion on the motion of thanks to the President's address.
The first part of the session will continue till 20 March. The second part will commence after a month-long recess from April 20 and conclude 8 May.
There will be 20 working days during the first half of budget session and 13 in the second half.
During the intervening recess, standing committees will take up detailed examination of the demands for grants of different ministries.
With IANS inputs
0 comments:
Post a Comment