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New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): A <keyword id="4261957" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="general-discussion" source="Orion">general discussion</keyword> on the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> and the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the fiscal year 2024-25 will be held in the <keyword id="19895369" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha" source="keywords">Rajya Sabha</keyword> later on Wednesday. <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> presented both the Union Budget and the <keyword id="22525621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jammu-and-Kashmir-Budget" source="keywords">Jammu and Kashmir Budget</keyword> in the House on July 23. The discussion is crucial as both the budgets shape the financial direction of the country and the Union Territory, respectively. The Union Budget outlines the government's revenue and expenditure plans for the upcoming fiscal year, while the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is a significant event considering the developmental needs. As per the list of businesses of the Rajya Sabha, the discussion on these two budgets will be convened later in the day. The discussion over these two budgets is expected to start in the second half of the day. According to the list of business of the Rajya Sabha, the ministers that are set to lay the papers on the table are Jayant Chaudhary for the Ministry of Education; Pankaj Chaudhary for the Ministry of Finance; Nityanand Rai for the Ministry of Home Affairs; and Sukanta Majumdar for the Ministry of Education. Besides, Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody will lay on the table the Public Accounts Committee reports. This includes the 124th Report on Construction of Toilets in Schools by CPSEs; the 125th Report on Rejuvenation of the Ganga (Namami Gange); the 126th Report on Avoidable Payment due to Non-Charging of Service Tax/GST from the Passengers; and the 127th Report on Action Taken by the Government on the Observations and Recommendations of the Committee contained in their 46th Report (16th Lok Sabha) on Implementation of the Public-Private Partnership Project at Chhatrpati Shivaji International Airport, Mumbai, among others. The reports were presented to the Speaker on February 23 and April 29, 2024, and to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, on February 28 and May 13, 2024, before the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha. The Speaker had ordered the printing, publication and circulation of the reports. As per the business list of the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju will move the motion for election to the committee on the welfare of other backward classes. Kiren Rijiju will also move the motion for nomination to the committee on the welfare of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The motion for nomination to the committee on public accounts will also be moved by Union Minister Rijiju in the House today. Moreover, Kiren Rijiju will move the motion for nomination to the committee on public undertakings. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday during the Monsoon Session of <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword>. Nirmala Sitharaman became the first finance minister to present seven consecutive budget speeches, surpassing former prime minister Morarji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets as finance minister between 1959 and 1964. In her seventh budget, Nirmala Sitharaman outlined key priorities aimed at fostering economic growth and creating ample opportunities. These included productivity and resilience in agriculture, employment, and skilling and services. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed the Union <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword> presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. "This budget strengthens every section of society. It takes the country's poor, village and farmers on the path of prosperity," the prime minister said in a video message. The Prime Minister praised the budget, emphasising its potential for job generation by incentivizing the top 500 companies to recruit more youth and also induct interns. The PM said the budget would help India achieve its objective of becoming the third largest economy, besides laying a strong foundation for Viksit Bharat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday also said the Union Budget 2024-25 is game-changing and will go down in history for coupling Bharat's economic growth with the torque of its youth power. He also lauded the government's decision to provide training and internship programmes to youth. The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, welcomed the Union Budget 2024 laid before Parliament on Tuesday. Calling the Union Budget 2024 a 'visionary document', Sonowal said, "The Union Budget, 2024 lays the roadmap for renewed and holistic growth towards Viksit Bharat. This visionary budget is aimed at empowering the 'Garib' (poor), 'Mahilayen' (women), 'Yuva' (youth), and Annadata' (farmers) so that the process of development reaches every citizen of the country." Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that Union Budget 2024 stands out for its unprecedented push towards employment generation and powering small businesses.

Rajya Sabha to hold general discussion on Union Budget, Jammu and Kashmir Budget today

New Delhi [India], July 25 (ANI): The discussion on the <keyword id="6360189" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="Orion">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25, presented on July 23, will continue in both <keyword id="244400" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Houses-of-Parliament" source="Orion">Houses of Parliament</keyword> on Thursday. The discussion on <keyword id="6358021" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Budget" source="Orion">Budget</keyword> of <keyword id="17605" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jammu-and-kashmir" source="Orion">Jammu and Kashmir</keyword>, 2024-25, which was also presented on Tuesday, will also continue today. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Kirtivardhan Singh will lay papers on the table today. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar is likely to make a statement regarding status of implementation of recommendations and observations contained in the 250th report of the department-related parliamentary standing committee on Home Affairs on action taken by the government on the recommendations and observations contained in the 243rd report of the committee on demands for grants (2023-24) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. Both Houses of <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword> took up discussion on the <keyword id="15626720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="union-budget-2024" source="Orion">Union Budget 2024</keyword> on July 24, with opposition parties accusing it of being "discriminatory" to most states and lacking vision. The discussion was initiated by former Finance Minister and Congress MP P Chidambaram in Rajya Sabha and Congress MP Kumari Selja initiated the discussion in Lok Sabha. Raising four major challenges, Chidambaram said the most significant challenge is unemployment and data released by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) indicates that the unemployment rate for June 2024 is 9.2 per cent . Chidambaram emphasised that the primary challenge for the economy is creating sufficient employment opportunities. He pointed out that the budget's announcement of the employment-linked incentives (ELI) scheme suggests that the Production Linked Incentives (PLI) scheme is not generating the expected employment. He urged the finance minister to disclose the number of jobs created by the PLI scheme. Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal of the BJP highlighted the achievements made by the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last ten years. He said the Jan Dhan Yojana has provided banking services to crores of people in the country. Biplab Kumar Deb of the BJP said the Economic Survey has estimated real GDP growth of 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent in 2024-25. He highlighted the provisions in the budget for various sections, including farmers and the education sector. Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee launched a strong attack on the Modi government, alleging that the Union Budget lacks clarity or vision, that it has been rolled out to satisfy the coalition partners of the BJP and that it "was planned by two individuals to keep another two in good faith." The budget session of Parliament began on July 22 and, according to schedule, will end on August 12.

Discussions on Union Budget, Budget for Jammu and Kashmir to continue in Parliament today

Union <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> will table the <keyword id="20613906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Economic-Survey" source="keywords">Economic Survey</keyword> 2023-24 along with a statistical appendix in <keyword id="19895397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Parliament" source="keywords">Parliament</keyword> on Monday, a day ahead of the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword>. The Budget Session of Parliament will commence today (Monday) and subject to the exigencies of government business, the session is likely to conclude on August 12. Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Jayant Chaudhary, Pankaj Chaudhary, Kirtivardhan Singh and Sukanta Majumdar will present the document on the table in Lok Sabha today. Union Minister Manohar Lal will move the motion for election to the Rajghat Samadhi Committee (RSC). "That, in pursuance of clause (d) of sub-section (1) of Section 4 read with subsection (4) of Section 4 of the Rajghat Samadhi Act, 1951 (41 of 1951), this House do proceed to elect, in such a manner as directed by the Chairman, one member from among the members of the House to be a member of the Rajghat Samadhi Committee," stated the List of Business in the Lok Sabha. Meanwhile, Shatrughan Prasad Sinha (Asansol Parliamentary Constituency, West Bengal) will take the oath or make the affirmation, sign the Roll of Members and take his seat in the House. Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will move a motion for the election of two members to the central building and other construction workers' advisory committee in Lok Sabha. "That in pursuance of Section 3(2)(b) of the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, read with Rule 11(2) of the Building and Other Construction Workers' (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Central Rules, 1998, the members of this House do proceed to elect, in such manner as the Speaker may direct, two members from amongst themselves, to serve as members of the Central Building and Other Construction Workers' Advisory Committee, subject to the other provisions of the said Act and the Rules made thereunder," the list of Business stated. Matters under Rule 377 are to be taken for discussion in Lok Sabha. The Session will have 16 sittings spread over 22 days. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that this session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2024-25, which will be presented to Lok Sabha on July 23. The Economic Survey of India 2023-24, along with a statistical appendix, will be laid on the table of the Houses of Parliament on Monday. The Budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2024 will also be presented on July 23. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-9-pro-fold-to-launch-in-india-on-august-14-alongside-the-pixel-9-series/articleshow/111855704.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/google-pixel-9-pro-fold-to-launch-in-india-on-august-14-alongside-the-pixel-9-series/articleshow/111855704.cms" target="_blank">Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold to launch in India on August 14 alongside the Pixel 9 series</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-nord-4-vs-realme-gt-6t-which-mid-range-phone-should-you-buy-under-35000/slidelist/111803604.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-nord-4-vs-realme-gt-6t-which-mid-range-phone-should-you-buy-under-35000/slidelist/111803604.cms" target="_blank">OnePlus Nord 4 vs Realme GT 6T – which mid-range phone should you buy under ₹35,000?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-added-3-45-million-subscribers-in-may-2024-while-vi-lost-nearly-a-million/articleshow/111800758.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-added-3-45-million-subscribers-in-may-2024-while-vi-lost-nearly-a-million/articleshow/111800758.cms" target="_blank">Reliance Jio and Airtel added 3.45 million subscribers in May 2024, while Vi lost nearly a million</a>

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to table Economic Survey in Parliament today

New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> is set to present the <keyword id="15626720" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2024" source="Orion">Union Budget 2024</keyword> in Parliament today, marking her seventh consecutive budget and eclipsing the late Moraji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets, which is likely to focus on changes in the income tax structure and improving the ease of doing business in India. At 11 am today, the much-awaited full budget for 2024-25, the first under the Modi 3.0 government, will be presented on the floor of the Parliament. All eyes will be on the major announcements made by the finance minister and the government's forward-looking guidance about the overall economy. Sitharaman will lay on the table a statement (in English and Hindi) of the estimated receipts and expenditures of the government for the year 2024-25 in the Rajya Sabha. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111946291" title="Union Budget 2024-25: Focus on employment, skilling, MSME and middle class" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>She will table the budget one hour after the conclusion of the presentation of the <keyword id="19908389" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget" source="keywords">Union Budget</keyword> 2024-25 in the Lok Sabha. The Finance Minister also lay on the table, under subsection (1) of Section 3 of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003, a copy each (in English and Hindi) of the following papers: medium-term fiscal policy strategy statement and macro-economic framework statement. The Finance Minister will further lay on the table statements (in English and Hindi) of the estimated receipts and expenditures (2024-25) of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir (with the legislature). The interim budget, tabled on February 1, took care of the financial needs of the intervening period until a government was formed after the Lok Sabha polls, after which a full budget was to be presented by the new government. With this upcoming budget presentation, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will surpass the record set by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who presented five annual budgets and one interim budget between 1959 and 1964 as finance minister. The <keyword id="105431" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-session" source="Orion">budget session</keyword> of Parliament began on July 22 and, according to schedule, will end on August 12. Before presenting the Budget, the finance minister will go to the North Block, where the Ministry of Finance is housed. She will meet the secretaries of her ministry, and later, along with them, she will reach the President's residence to get permission before presenting the Budget. About half an hour before the budget is presented, a Cabinet meeting headed by the prime minister is usually held, where ministers are briefed about the budget and Cabinet approval is taken. Putting aside the details of the upcoming budget, let us review the budget-making process and sequence of events typically followed. The Ministry of Finance typically issues circulars to all ministries, Union territories, States, and autonomous entities to send their demands and recommendations for the Union budget around September-October, with budgets typically tabled on February 1. Another key event before the budget presentation is the 'halwa ceremony'. A few days before the budget is presented, the government has a tradition of conducting a 'halwa ceremony', marking the start of budget document printing. The Halwa ceremony is significant as it also marks the beginning of a lockdown at the finance ministry, meaning no official is allowed to leave the ministry compound. Everyone on the budget team is allowed to leave only after the financial document is presented in Parliament. The printing of the Union Budget inside the basement located in the North Block has been a permanent feature since 1980. A day before the budget is scheduled to be tabled, the government typically releases its Economic Survey. This year, too, the same norms were followed. The Economic Survey serves as a crucial input for budget formulation. It is prepared by the Chief Economic Advisor and provides an overview of the country's economic performance, prospects, and policy recommendations, including future outlook. India is poised to remain the fastest-growing major economy in 2024-25, Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran said in a press conference after the tabling of the Economic Survey. The Economic Survey tabled projected India to grow at 6.5-7.0 percent in 2024-25. As per the Economic Survey 2023-24 tabled by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Indian economy is on a strong and stable footing, demonstrating resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges. The first Economic Survey reportedly came into existence in 1950-51, when it used to be a part of the budget documents. In the 1960s, it was separated from the budget documents and presented a day before the Union Budget. The budget, once it is presented, is then subjected to detailed debate and discussion in both houses of Parliament, allowing members to scrutinise its provisions, raise concerns, and propose amendments. Following its presentation and approval by Parliament, the Union Budget sets in motion a series of post-budget activities aimed at implementing its provisions and achieving the outlined objectives. Like the previous few full Union budgets, the Budget 2024 will also be delivered in paperless form. An Interim Union Budget 2024 was presented on February 1, as the country was due for general elections later in the year. All the Union Budget documents, including the Annual Financial Statement (commonly known as the Budget), Demand for Grants (DG), and Finance Bill, as prescribed by the Constitution, will be available on the "Union Budget Mobile App" for hassle-free access to budget documents by Members of Parliament (MPs) and the public. The app is bilingual (English and Hindi) and available on both Android and iOS platforms. The app can also be downloaded from the Union Budget Web Portal (www.indiabudget.gov.in). SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024 Live Updates: PM Modi arrives in Parliament ahead of Budget 2024 presentation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/why-did-the-latest-economic-survey-of-india-heavily-shun-the-western-ways-of-climate-action/articleshow/111947230.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Why did the latest Economic Survey of India heavily shun the ‘Western ways’ of climate action?</a>

Here's a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government's first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today

New Delhi [India], September 18 (ANI): The five-day special session of Parliament is all set to begin on Monday during which the parliamentary proceedings will shift from the old to the adjacent new state-of-the-art building on September 19. Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs <keyword id="221548" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="pralhad-joshi" source="Orion">Pralhad Joshi</keyword> on Sunday stated that the Session will provide 5 sittings spread over a period of 5 days, besides informing that eight legislative items are likely to be taken up during this session. "Parliamentary journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha - achievements, experiences, memories and learnings" will also be discussed. On Sunday, Vice President <keyword id="7889551" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="jagdeep-dhankhar" source="Orion">Jagdeep Dhankhar</keyword> hoisted the national flag atop "Gaja Dwar" of the new Parliament building. <keyword id="6355187" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="Orion">Lok Sabha</keyword> Speaker Om Birla was also present on the occasion. The Special Session of the Parliament will be held from September 18 to 22. After weeks of no information about the agenda, the government last week announced an agenda that included bills to be taken up for consideration and a discussion on "Parliamentary journey of 75 years starting from Samvidhan Sabha - achievements, experiences, memories and learnings". Earlier, on Sunday, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Joshi requested all parties for active cooperation and support for the smooth functioning of the two Houses of Parliament. The meeting of all the floor leaders of political parties in the Parliament was attended by various ministers including Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is also Leader of the House in <keyword id="48510" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="rajya-sabha" source="Orion">Rajya Sabha</keyword>, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Union Minister V Muraleedharan and 51 leaders from 34 parties. Joshi shared with leaders that there would be a photo session from 10.00 am to 10.45 am on September 19, 2023, followed by a function in the Central Hall starting at 11.00 am which will be graced by the Vice-President/Chairman, Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister, Speaker, Lok Sabha, Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Leader of Largest Opposition Party in Lok Sabha and the Members of both the Houses of Parliament. After the conclusion of the function in the Central Hall, both Houses will meet in their respective Chambers in the New Parliament House. The announcement of the Special Session came as a surprise in political circles with the parties gearing up for assembly polls in five states later this year. Meanwhile, four bills including a bill to regulate the appointment, conditions of service, and term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners are part of the legislative business of the government for the session. Apart from the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, introduced in Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon session on August 10, the list includes 'The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023' and 'The Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023', already passed by Rajya Sabha on August 3. The Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 amends the Advocates Act, 1961, while the Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023 repeals the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867. Besides, 'The Post Office Bill, 2023' has also been listed in the Lok Sabha business. The bill was earlier introduced in Rajya Sabha on 10 August 2023 and it repeals the Indian Post Office Act, 1898. (ANI)

Special session of Parliament set to begin today

Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Parliament on Tuesday to approve the Union Budget ahead of its presentation by <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword>. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Parliament this morning to attend the cabinet meeting. On Monday, Prime Minister said the Economic Survey highlighted the prevailing strengths of the economy and identifies areas for further growth and progress as the government "moves towards building a Viksit Bharat". Union Ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Pralhad Joshi were also seen arriving in the Parliament earlier for the Cabinet meeting today. At 11 am, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the <keyword id="20387181" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Budget-2024-25" source="keywords">Union Budget 2024-25</keyword>. Earlier today, Sitharaman met with President Droupadi Murmu before leaving for Parliament. This would mark Sitharaman's seventh consecutive budget and eclipses the late Moraji Desai's record of six consecutive budgets, which is likely to focus on changes in the income tax structure and improving the ease of doing business in India. Addressing the media, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary earlier said that the first Union Budget of the third Modi government will be based on his mantra of "Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas". Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said that this budget would accelerate the country's economic growth. "The economic growth that happened under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this budget and this Budget will further accelerate it. The budget that will be presented today by Nirmala ji will also help our country, which is the fastest-growing economy," Pralhad Joshi said while speaking to the media on the Parliament premises on Tuesday. The budget session of Parliament began on July 22 and, according to schedule, will end on August 12. On Monday, the economic survey presented in Parliament by finance minister Sithraman stated that in the medium term, the Indian economy can grow at a rate of 7 per cent. The economic survey stated, "In the medium term, the Indian economy can grow at a rate of 7 per cent plus on a sustained basis if we build on the structural reforms undertaken over the last decade. This requires a tripartite compact between the Union Government, State Governments and the private sector. "The survey further added that India faces a unique blend of opportunities and challenges amid global trends such as geo-economic fragmentation, a push for self-reliance, looming climate change, the rise of technology, and limited policy space. (ANI) SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/union-budget-2024-live-updates-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-key-announcements-23-july/liveblog/111942008.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024 Live Updates: PM Modi arrives in Parliament ahead of Budget 2024 presentation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/expectations-from-union-budget-2024-25-how-will-this-budget-impact-you/articleshow/111946291.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Union Budget 2024-25: Focus on employment, skilling, MSME and middle class</a>

Union Cabinet meets in Parliament ahead of Budget presentation

New Delhi [India], July 20 (ANI): The Monsoon session of <keyword id="6354721" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="parliament" source="Orion">Parliament</keyword> begins on Thursday amidst outrage over the situation in <keyword id="6359754" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="manipur" source="Orion">Manipur</keyword> with the Opposition demanding a statement from the Prime Minister of India. Parliamentary Affairs Minister <keyword id="145705" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="prahlad-joshi" source="Orion">Prahlad Joshi</keyword> has said that 31 bills will be taken up in the monsoon session. Among these include the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023. Other important legislations that are expected to be taken up in the Session are the Bill to replace the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, promulgated in May this year. The ordinance deals with the control of services in Delhi and was promulgated after the Supreme Court verdict on an appeal by the Delhi government. Parliamentary Affairs Minister yesterday said that 34 parties and 44 leaders participated in the all-party meeting convened by the government for smooth conduct of the monsoon session which will continue to till August 11 and will have 17 sittings. Other Bills on the agenda of the government include Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2019; DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2019; Mediation Bill, 2021; Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 ; Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022; Repealing and Amending Bill, 2022; Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2023; Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023; Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill, 2022 (with respect to State of Himachal Pradesh); Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 (with respect to State of Chhattisgarh); Postal Services Bill, 2023; National Cooperative University Bill, 2023; and Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The list also includes International Monetary Fund and Bank Bill, 2023; Provisional Collection of Taxes Bill, 2023 18; the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023; National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023; Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Bill, 2023; Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023; <keyword id="6357972" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jammu" source="Orion">Jammu</keyword> and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Press and Registration of Periodicals Bill, 2023; Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023. Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2023; National Research Foundation Bill, 2023; Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023; Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 are also among the 31 bills on the agenda of the government. Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023, was approved by the Union Cabinet earlier this month. This government had withdrawn Personal Data Protection Bill from Parliament in August last and said that it will come up with a fresh bill. Supreme Court had ruled in 2017 that privacy is a fundamental right and the Digital Personal Data Protection Bill, 2023, is a crucial pillar of the overarching framework of technology regulations being framed by the Centre. The previous version of the bill had come after an extensive consultation process with a Joint Parliamentary Committee also examining it. The government has held another round of consultations to frame the new bill. The Bill to replace the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023, seeks to establish the National Capital Civil Services Authority, which consists of the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary of Delhi, Principal Home Secretary of Delhi. The Authority will make recommendations to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) regarding transfers and postings of officials and disciplinary matters. While the government is expected to give push to its legislative agenda, the Opposition parties have planned to raise several issues including Manipur violence, railway safety, unemployment, inflation, India-China border standoff and trade imbalance between the two countries. Pralhad Joshi said the government has sought the Opposition's support in the smooth functioning of the Parliament during the Monsoon Session. "The government is ready to discuss all issues in the Monsoon Session. We have appealed to the Opposition parties to support in the smooth functioning of the Parliament," Joshi said after the all-party meeting yesterday. Some of the parties have planned to move an adjournment motion over Manipur violence among other issues on day one of the Parliament's Monsoon Session today. The opposition insisted that the discussion should take place in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress on Wednesday said that the party will raise Manipur violence during the session. "Today, in the beginning (of the meeting), I kept my point. Our first issue is the violence in Manipur. Prime Minister should come and answer in Parliament. We will bring adjourment motion over the matter tomorrow," Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Choudhary said after attending the all-party meeting. <keyword id="6355187" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="lok-sabha" source="Orion">Lok Sabha</keyword> Speaker Om Birla also chaired a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee ahead of the session. He said, leaders of all parties have assured cooperation in the proceedings of the House. (ANI)

Parliament Monsoon session begins today; 31 bills likely to be taken up

<ul><li>The Monsoon parliamentary session is set to kick off in India today with ministers adhering to social distancing and the houses of Parliament meeting in two shifts. </li><li>A total of 47 items will be up for discussion in 18 sittings spread out over the next 18 days. </li><li>The India-China border issue isn’t on the docket, but the opposition has said it plans to question the Prime Minister Narendra Modi about some of the statements that he has made with respect to the situation.</li></ul>The Monsoon parliamentary session begins today, and the border dispute between India and China will be a hot topic of discussion between the ruling party and the opposition — the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress. According to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the <keyword id="662516" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon-session-of-Parliament">Monsoon session of Parliament</keyword> will include 18 sittings spread across 18 days with a total of 47 items on the docket - 45 bills and two financial items. Meanwhile, the opposition plans to bring up India’s border issue with China for debate today. On Sunday, Congress chief Jairam Ramesh told reporters that the party along with other like-minded cohorts would be raising the issue of what’s happening at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the state of the Indian economy, and how things were managed during the coronavirus pandemic — in addition to opposing four of the proposed ordinances. “We need a discussion on China. Parliament is a place for debate and discussion, not for running away,” he said. However, the BJP is reportedly prepared. Sources told <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/government-likely-to-make-statement-on-china-standoff-in-monsoon-session-of-parliament-2294696">NDTV</a> that the government is likely to make a statement during the Monsoon session. Just last week, Indian Foreign Minister <keyword id="491850" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="S-Jaishankar">S Jaishankar</keyword> and his Chinese counterpart, Wi Yang, agreed on the five-point plan to de-escalate matter along the border. “The current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. The border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions,” said the statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Experts weigh in Experts point out that the shift in the narrative after a four-month face-off in Ladakh could only be temporary in order to throw water in a heated situation. “Given a chance, both armies would want to avoid that (war),” retired Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-54113621">BBC</a>. Chinese media is also busy poking holes with the narrative that the diplomatic and military narratives of India seem to be at odds. Qian Feng, director of the research department of the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in China, wrote “Some experts pointed out that narratives and moves from India's Ministry of External Affairs seem to differ from the Indian Ministry of Defense, and they hold an unclear attitude on whether India will carry out the consensus,” in the <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1200756.shtml">Global Times</a>, a Chinese state-run herald. Congress to question Modi’s remarks According to Ramesh, India’s situation concerning China has ‘weakened’ due to some of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statements — like the ‘no-intrusion’ remark back in June after the Galwan Valley clash that left 20 Indian soldiers dead and an undisclosed number of casualties on the Chinese side. “The greatest damage to our cause has been done by the Prime Minister’s own statement. He owes an explanation,” said Ramesh. The Prime Minister’s Office later issued a clarification that the media was twisting Modi’s words and putting out a ‘mischievous interpretation’. The statement asserted that Modi does recognise that over 43,000 square kilometers of territory “had been yielded under circumstances with which this country is well aware.” While the India-China border dispute will certainly be on the docket, the question remains on how much time will it take away from bills and ordinances that are up for debate. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/education/news/iiits-of-surat-bhopal-bhagalpur-agartala-and-raichur-will-be-up-for-debate-during-the-monsoon-parliament-session-2020/articleshow/78057767.cms">The fate of five IIITs will be up for debate during the Monsoon Parliament Session 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/foreign-policy/news/india-and-japan-sign-10-year-military-pact-to-counter-china-in-the-indo-pacific-strengthening-the-quad/articleshow/78055166.cms">India and Japan sign 10-year military pact to counter China in the Indo-Pacific — strengthening the QUAD</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/rajanth-singh-bipin-rawat-ajit-doval-and-three-army-service-chiefs-to-discuss-india-china-border-issue-today/articleshow/78053222.cms">Rajanth Singh, Bipin Rawat, Ajit Doval and three Army Service Chiefs to discuss India-China border issue today</a>

India-China border tension will be in focus as the Parliament's Monsoon session begins today

<ul><li>More than a day has passed since the New York Times report saying the Indian government bought the spyware from Israel and there is very little in terms of response from the government. </li><li>It shows that either the government doesn’t take lying as a serious charge or it has little material to defend itself and neither of the two is a good show on an elected government in a democracy. </li><li>Check out more stories from the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/bi-newsletter">Simply Put series</a>, Business Insider’s uniquely simple explainers on the hottest news topics every week and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/newsletters_signup.cms">sign up</a> for the weekly newsletter if you like.</li></ul>At first, about six months ago, the question was whether the spyware was used by the Narendra Modi government to trace and track the dissenters. Now, after the New York Times investigation, the first question to be answered is whether Modi's ministers lied to the Parliament. And, the government’s silence on the New York Times charge that it bought Pegasus spyware is eerie. The Prime Minister gave his frequent radio address, called the Mann ki Baat, on January 30, but there was no mention of the Pegasus issue. The opposition is likely to launch a high decibel protest, demanding a response from the Modi government in the Parliament when it opens for <a href="https://businessinsider.in/budget">the Budget session this week</a>. A minister of the Modi government, Ashwini Vaishnaw, had denied the snooping charge in Parliament saying India was not one of the buyers of the Pegasus spyware. The Ministry of Defence backed it up saying it didn’t do any transaction with the NSO Group that sells Pegasus. The government lawyer maintained a similar stance at the Supreme Court of India as well, but the court did not find it convincing. These were some of the court’s observations after the government’s response to the charge that it used national security as an excuse to illegally monitor its detractors: <ul><li>There has been no specific denial by the Centre. Thus, we have no option but to accept the submissions of the petitioner and appoint an expert committee whose function will be overseen by the Supreme Court.</li><li>There is no clear stand from the government. There is a serious concern of foreign agency involvement by surveilling Indians.</li><li>The Solicitor General had suggested that many such reports are motivated. However, such omnibus oral submissions cannot be accepted.</li></ul> Given the Modi administration’s response in the preceding months, the implication of the latest New York Times report is that the Modi administration lied both to the Parliament and the Supreme Court. It’s a charge similar to the Watergate scandal in the United States that toppled the Richard Nixon administration in the early 1970s. Even Subramanian Swamy, a member of Parliament from Modi’s own party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has raised a similar question. <div type="twitter" handle="Swamy39" handlename="Subramanian Swamy" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1326823978174910465/lBQbS0ZX_normal.jpg" favoritecount="15368" retweetcount="4437" status="Modi government must rebut New York Times revelations today that It did indeed subscribe by payment from tax payers… https://t.co/gBWw1J1jfV" createdat="1643424463000" id="1487256113187721217"></div> The New York Times report has alleged that the Indian government under Modi did buy the spyware from Israel as part of a $2 billion purchase of defence equipment. The report also connected this purchase with India supporting Israel at a United Nations (UN) forum ⁠— <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/politics/israel-palestine-conflict-here-is-how-india-has-voted-in-un-over-the-years-6956341.html">a shift from its long-standing support for the Palestinian cause</a> ⁠— to deny a Palestinian human rights organisation an ‘observer status’. More than a day has passed since the latest report and there is very little in terms of response from the government or the Prime Minister. So far, there is a tweet from a junior minister for civil aviation and road transport and highways, General VK Singh, who has called the New York Times ‘supari media’. Taking a Supari ⁠— the Hindi word for betel nut ⁠— is a colloquially used to describe a hit job. Syed Akbaruuddin, India’s former permanent representative to the UN, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/utter-rubbish-ex-diplomat-syed-akbaruddin-on-nyt-pegasus-report-citing-indias-un-vote-2736819">has ‘rubbished’ the link</a> with India’s stance in support of Israel against Palestinians. Other than these, there isn’t another official word on the matter so far. Considering the seriousness of the charge, it would be fair to expect that the Prime Minister would have defended the government in his Mann ki baat address to the voters today. But he didn't. <div type="Youtube" id="WdprihSHmmQ" title="PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat with the Nation, January 2022" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WdprihSHmmQ/mqdefault.jpg"></div> There are two ways to look at it. Either team Modi doesn’t take the charge of ‘lying to Parliament’ seriously. It’s not a good show on an elected government in a democracy that it doesn’t take offence to being called a liar, especially in the Parliament. Or, it doesn’t have enough material to defend itself. An expert committee appointed by the Supreme Court, led by a former judge RV Raveendran, is already <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/supreme-court-of-india-verdict-on-pegasus-spying-case-appoints-a-retired-judge-committee-for-probe/articleshow/87299281.cms">looking into the snooping charges</a>. If the three-member panel arrives at a conclusion that there was illegal supervision, it could automatically imply that the tool i.e. Pegasus was purchased by the government. A clean chit from the Justice Raveendran panel would be a good thing for Modi and his government but it isn’t here, at least not yet. Meanwhile, ignoring the charge of lying, or wishing it away, is not an option. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/pegasus-google-reveals-how-the-sophisticated-spyware-hacked-into-iphones-without-users-knowledge/articleshow/88383175.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Google reveals how the sophisticated spyware Pegasus hacked into iPhones without user’s knowledge</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/rupee-is-likely-to-weaken-against-the-us-dollar-in-2022-as-per-experts/articleshow/89218673.cms">Experts say the rupee is likely to weaken against the US dollar this year</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2022-indian-government-can-help-zomato-swiggy-uber-and-ola-can-increase-salary-of-delivery-partners-and-drivers/articleshow/89180404.cms">There’s a way government can prod Zomato, Swiggy, Uber and Ola to increase salaries of delivery partners and drivers</a>

Simply put, the charge on the Modi government is that it lied to the Parliament about buying Pegasus spyware and it must respond

In one of the most productive days in its history, <keyword id="48510" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajya-Sabha">Rajya Sabha</keyword> on Tuesday in a matter of three and half hours passed seven <keyword id="1137044" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Key-bills">key bills</keyword> including one that removes cereals, pulses and onion from the essential commodities list and another that abolishes penalty for certain offences by companies. This after most of the opposition including the Congress, Left parties, the TMC, <keyword id="2463282" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-Samajwadi-Party">the Samajwadi Party</keyword> and the NCP decided to boycott House proceedings in protest against the suspension of eight MPs for the remainder of the session for unruly behaviour. Only members from the ruling <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> and its ally JD-U and those of parties such as AIADMK, BJD, YSR-Congress and TDP, which have been extending support to the Modi government on various issues, participated in the debates on the bills. In most bills, the members participation was sparse and the minister's reply brief. The Upper House took up government legislative business after nearly an hour of discussion over the conduct of opposition MPs during the passage of two agriculture reform bills on Sunday, with Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu saying the suspension could be revoked if the members expressed regret over their action. First, it passed a bill to declare five newly-established <keyword id="627109" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Institutes-of-Information-Technology">Indian Institutes of Information Technology</keyword> (IIITs) as institutions of national importance. The crucial Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, which removes cereals, pulses, oilseeds, edible oils, onion and potatoes from the list of essential commodities and removes stockholding limits on them, was passed next. This bill is part of the agriculture reforms bills that the government is pushing to raise farm incomes. The bills passed on Sunday gave farmers the freedom to sell produce anywhere in the country and enter into forward contracts with companies. Rajya Sabha also passed amendments to the Bank Regulation Act to bring cooperative banks under the supervision of the RBI in a bid to protect the interest of depositors. Thereafter the Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2020, which removes the penalty for certain offences, was passed. The National Forensic Sciences University Bill, 2020 and the Rashtriya Rakash University Bill were passed in quick succession. Thereafter the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020 to relax time limit on compliance with tax laws, GST payment and filing in view of the coronavirus pandemic. The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 as well as the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Bill, 2020 replace emergency ordinances. The sitting of the Rajya Sabha was extended by just over an hour beyond the scheduled time to allow the passage of the bills. The legislative business started at 10.29 hours and ended at 14.03 hrs - 214 minutes in all. All the seven bills have already been passed by <keyword id="6355187" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="lok-sabha">Lok Sabha</keyword> and will now be sent to the President for assent. Once he gives his assent, they will become the law. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/dailyhunt-to-launch-family-of-bharat-apps-claiming-it-can-push-a-new-mobile-app-every-three-days/articleshow/78250283.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Dailyhunt is curating an entire family of 'Bharat' apps — claims it can push a new mobile app every three days</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/rajya-sabha-passes-banking-amendment-bill-2020/articleshow/78251384.cms">Rajya Sabha passes Banking Amendment Bill 2020 bringing cooperative banks under RBI's umbrella</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/latest-updates-on-india-china-border-issue/articleshow/78162853.cms">India-China border dispute was discussed for 14 hours at the sixth Corps Commander-level meeting</a>

Rajya Sabha passes 7 key bills in three and half hours amidst Opposition boycott

<ul><li>The monsoon session of the <keyword id="145182" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Parliament">Indian parliament</keyword> began on July 19 and is almost half way through.</li><li>Several pressing matters have been raised during this session regarding the COVID-19 situation, farmers' protest and more.</li><li>However, when faced with questions, the government has cited lack of data on at least four issues listed below.</li><li>The session is scheduled to close on August 13 and several other matters like Pegasus spyware are yet to be discussed.</li></ul>It has already been more than 10 days since the Indian parliament kicked off its monsoon session on July 19, 2021. Lot of important questions have been raised over several long hours of discussions and brawl, however, not all have been answered. From death due to oxygen shortage during the pandemic to cryptocurrency investments, these are the pressing issues for which the <keyword id="44734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Government">Indian government</keyword> has simply slid past saying it has no data in hand. ‘No one died due to oxygen shortage’ If the first wave of COVID-19 brought Indian healthcare system to its knees, the second one was a blade on the neck. The South Asian country witnessed the worst healthcare crisis in its history, with people looking for hospital beds, oxygen cylinders and concentrators, COVID-19 medicines and other necessary equipment over Twitter. Many lost their lives in this struggle. However, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharati Pravin Pawar in the Rajya Sabha, a day after the monsoon session began,<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-proceedings-no-deaths-reported-due-to-lack-of-oxygen-health-ministry-tells-rajya-sabha/article35428791.ece"> said</a>, “no deaths due to lack of oxygen have been specifically reported by states/union territories’ during the second wave of COVID-19. This led to a nationwide outrage. ‘Farmers death, what?’ The farmers of <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> took to streets in September 2020, after the government passed three farm acts. On 30 November 2020, an estimated crowd of 200,000 to 300,000 farmers were walking to the national capital of Delhi to make their voices heard. The protest went on for close to ten months, however the government has no data on how many people have lost their lives during this course. As per a press release issued by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Joint Farmers’ Force), a coalition of over 40 farmers’ unions, 537 farmers have died in the agitation till date. SKM has also updated the<a href="https://humancostoffarmersprotest.blogspot.com/2020/12/list-of-deaths-in-farmers-protest-at.html"> list of farmers</a> who have died during the protest since November 24 last year. However, the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, in the parliament, said that the government has no record of farmers having died or fallen ill during the protests. ‘Black money is white money painted in a different colour’ Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech of 8 November 2016, while announcing the demonetisation of some currency notes, was a historical moment against black money in India. <div type="ExtQuote" text="“To break the grip of corruption and black money, we have decided that the five hundred rupee and thousand rupee currency notes presently in use will no longer be legal tender from midnight tonight, that is 8th November 2016. This means that these notes will not be acceptable for transactions from midnight onwards. The five hundred and thousand rupee notes hoarded by anti-national and anti-social elements will become just worthless pieces of paper.”" auname="— Narendra Modi, demonetisation speech of 2016."></div> He also highlighted the government passed a law 'The Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015', soon after taking over the office, for disclosure of foreign black money. The country had signed agreements with many countries, including the USA, to add provision for sharing banking information. Cut to 2021, there is no data available. The Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, has informed that there is <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-no-official-estimate-of-black-money-stashed-in-swiss-banks-centre-tells-parliament-2902569">no official </a>estimate of the amount of black money deposited in Swiss banks in the decade. According to data shared by Switzerland's central bank, Indian individuals and firms have deposited over CHF 2,554.7 million or<a href="https://scroll.in/latest/997838/indian-deposits-in-swiss-banks-rise-to-over-rs-20700-crore-highest-in-13-years"> ₹20,700 crore</a> in Swiss Banks in 2020. All of this may not be black money, but it’s a good data point to begin with. The Indian government, in 2019, said that it has an information sharing agreement with the Swiss authorities. Yet they have no data to show in 2021. ‘Cryptocurrency bill on the way, but no data yet’ Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) on July 27 that the government does not collect any information on the number of cryptocurrency exchanges and investors in India. It does sound fair, but not when the government of India has been pushing to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/indias-crypto-bill-is-unlikely-to-be-up-for-discussion-this-month-and-it-may-be-a-while-before-we-see-it-in-parliament/articleshow/84401863.cms">regulate cryptocurrency</a> in India since 2019. As per the <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/economy/no-information-collected-on-number-of-crypto-exchanges-and-investors-in-india-finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman-7232611.html">data </a>shared by crypto exchanges, there are about 15 million Indian cryptocurrency investors, with holdings worth ₹15,000 crore ($2 billion) cumulatively. There are 350 startups that operate in the blockchain and crypto space, as per the crypto currency exchanges. Besides this, Sitharaman also mentioned that the government of India has no information on drug trafficking and money laundering that is being carried out through crypto exchanges. ‘No one dies due to manual scavenging’ No deaths have been reported due to manual scavenging in India over the last five years, the minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said in the Rajya Sabha on <a href="https://thewire.in/government/centre-says-no-death-reported-due-to-manual-scavenging-activists-decry-govt-response">July 29</a>. If only, the ministry had thought of going through this year’s budget session thoroughly. Athawale, during his own speech during the budget session, highlighted<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/340-sewer-cleaning-deaths-in-past-5-years-government/article33732992.ece"> 340 people </a>died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks in the last five years till December 31, 2020. He also noted that 66,692 manual scavengers have been identified across the country. ‘Information on witnesses killed, turned hostile not maintained centrally’ The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, has informed the parliament that the government has no data of the cases where key witnesses were killed or turned hostile. “The Witness Protection Scheme, 2018 provides that the witness protection measures ordered shall be proportionate to the threat and shall be for a specific duration not exceeding three months at a time," Rai added. However, these cases are fairly common in India. In March 2021, the family and lawyers of the 19-year-old Dalit girl who was allegedly gang raped and murdered in Hathras in 2020, were <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/allahabad-high-court-on-threats-to-hathras-family-will-consider-shifting-trial-2395571#:~:text=The%20affidavit%20said%20that%20the,stated%20that%20it%20was%20%22evident">threatened </a>before the special court where the case was pending. ‘Hospital beds data not available’ The Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, informed that the government of India does not centrally maintain the data of hospital beds. This is majorly because health is a state subject, meaning it's up to the governments in states and union territories (UT) to increase the bed strength in their hospital. Despite this, Pawar shared that India has an isolation and ICU bed capacity of 18.21 lakh and 1.22 lakh, respectively. If the government had data on isolation and ICU beds, then the question remains why doesn’t it have information on hospital beds. ‘No data available for MSMEs that went under’ When the member of parliaments (MPs) asked the government for details on the number of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), which shut down during the pandemic. Instead of the data, the government listed the steps taken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for extension and restructuring of credit. It even cited two surveys, which stated 88% of MSMEs were affected by the pandemic. ‘No data on deaths due to air pollution’ Minister of State for Environment, Forest And Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey informed the parliament that they do not have any conclusive data to establish a direct correlation of death/disease exclusively due to air pollution. According to ‘States of India: The Global Burden of Disease Study 2019’ <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/17-million-deaths-in-india-were-attributable-to-air-pollution-in-2019-says-study/article33394600.ece">report</a>, nearly 1.7 million deaths in India were attributed to air pollution in 2019. This was 18% of the total deaths in the country. ‘No updates on how many lost jobs during second wave of COVID-19’ A few MPs asked the government for details on the number of casual or contractual employees who lost their jobs during the second wave of COVID-19. However, the government did not share any such details. Instead, it listed out several initiatives undertaken by the government to boost hiring. [This is a developing story. The article will be updated as the government shares more details about the lack of data in their repository.] SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/droom-automobile-marketplace-raises-200-million-in-a-pre-ipo-round-at-unicorn-valuation/articleshow/84818567.cms">Automobile marketplace Droom is raising $200 million in a pre-IPO round at unicorn valuation</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/the-whole-truth-a-healthy-packaged-food-brand-raises-6-million-from-sequoia-capital/articleshow/84815594.cms">The Whole Truth, a ‘healthy’ packaged food brand, raises $6 million to enter new categories</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/rolex-rings-ipo-opens-on-july-28-and-closes-on-july-30-with-a-price-band-of-880-900/articleshow/84813639.cms">Rolex Rings IPO opens today with a price band of ₹880-900</a>

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Rajya Sabha to hold general discussion on Union Budget, Jammu and Kashmir Budget today

ANI

Discussions on Union Budget, Budget for Jammu and Kashmir to continue in Parliament today

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to table Economic Survey in Parliament today

ANI

Here's a quick overview of PM Modi 3.0 government's first budget, to be presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman today

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Special session of Parliament set to begin today

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Union Cabinet meets in Parliament ahead of Budget presentation

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Parliament Monsoon session begins today; 31 bills likely to be taken up

ANI

India-China border tension will be in focus as the Parliament's Monsoon session begins today

Prabhjote Gill

Simply put, the charge on the Modi government is that it lied to the Parliament about buying Pegasus spyware and it must respond

Sriram Iyer

Rajya Sabha passes 7 key bills in three and half hours amidst Opposition boycott

PTI

There are at least 10 hot issues in India that the government has no data for

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