Politics

Parliament Monsoon Session highlights: Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed in Lok Sabha

Updated : September 15, 2020 08:42 PM IST

Here are the live updates from the Parliament Monsoon session on Tuesday

The 18-day Parliament Monsoon session is set to continue on Tuesday amid extensive COVID-19 precautions. During the monsoon session, which began on Monday, the opposition is seeking to corner the government on its handling of the standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the COVID-19 situation, economic downturn, unemployment and will press for discussions on these issues.

Here are the highlights updates of Monsoon Session from September 15:

Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed via voice in Lok Sabha

The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020, has been passed in the Lok Sabha via voice vote. The Bill empowers the Centre to control trade, production, supply, distribution and storage of essential commodities and liberalises the regulatory system while protecting the interest of consumers. The House has been adjourned until 3 pm on September 16, 2020.

Why can't government answer questions on India-China border issues, asks Owaisi

Speaking outside the Parliament, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi said that we have the right to ask the government how 20 jawans lost their lives in Ladakh. There should be a debate on this issue. Why are there no daily briefings on this? Today, there are only selective leaks.

We have the right to ask the government how did the 20 jawans lose their lives in Ladakh. There should be a debate on this issue. Why are there no daily briefings on this? Today, there are only selective leaks: AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi on India-China border issue pic.twitter.com/WmXqO03HGW
— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2020

Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed in Lok Sabha

As the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was passed in Lok Sabha, TMC MP Mahua Moitra said, “The government came to power on promises of transparency and accountability. In the past six years we've had very little of that from the government. The MPLADS is the perhaps the only thing where MPs are directly accountable to their constituents."

Bill will reduce MPs' salary by 30%

The amendments to reduce salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers, under The Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 202 are done to supplement the central government's resources to fight the coronavirus pandemic. The question is whether this reduction has a significant impact to help ramp up financial resources needed to fight COVID-19. As per PRS Legislative Research, the proposed reduction to the salaries and allowances of MPs and Ministers amounts to savings of around Rs 54 crore. This is less than 0.001% of Rs 20 lakh crore which is the amount of the special economic package announced by the centre, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on India-China border issue in Lok Sabha

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said in the Lok Sabha that the perception of LAC is different for India and China. He said the government was actively coordinating with different intelligence agencies. "Since April, China has been increasing the presence of soldiers and arm deployment in areas near LAC. India has successfully warned China through diplomatic and military channels," he said.

"The recent violent conduct of Chinese troops is a violation of all past agreements. We have told China through diplomatic channels that the attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements. Our troops have done counter deployments in the area to safeguard our borders," Singh added.

"I request this house to pass a resolution that we stand with our armed forces who are guarding our borders to safeguard India's sovereignty and unity. In my meeting with the Chinese Defence Minister, I made it clear that while our troops had always taken a responsible approach towards border management, there should be no doubt about our determination to protect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Defence Minister said in the Lok Sabha.

Congress MPs stage walkout from Parliament session

Congress MPs staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha following Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement on the India-China border issue, demanding more discussions on the tussle between the nuclear powered nations.

Delhi: Congress MPs stage walkout from Lok Sabha demanding discussion on India-China border issue
— ANI (@ANI) September 15, 2020

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh statement on the India-China border issue in Lok Sabha

Both India and China agree that to maintain peace and tranquility along the Indo-China border areas, it is essential for further development of bilateral relations. The border issue remains unresolved. Till now, there has been no mutually acceptable solution. China disagrees on the border. China doesn't recognise the traditional and customary alignment of the boundary. We consider that this alignment is based on well established geographical principals. We have told China through diplomatic and channels that the attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo were in violation of the bilateral agreements.

Defence Minister @rajnathsingh makes a statement on India-China border issue, in #LokSabha. He says border issues with China are unresolved. LAC perception of India & China are different#IndiaChina #LACStandoff @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/I8HB60C6ux
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) September 15, 2020

40 lakh people kept under surveillance as part of COVID contact-tracing, says Centre

Around 40 lakh people have been kept under surveillance as a part of the contact-tracing efforts in the country and 5.4 crore samples were tested for coronavirus till September 10, Union minister Ashwini Choubey told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The minister of state for health said there were 15,290 COVID-treatment facilities with 13,14,171 dedicated isolation beds till September 10. There are also 2,31,269 oxygen-supported isolation beds and 62,694 ICU beds (including 32,241 ventilator beds). Guidelines on clinical management of COVID-19 have been issued and are being updated regularly. States are being supported in terms of supply of logistics, Choubey said. So far, 1.39-crore PPE kits, 3.42-crore N-95 masks, 10.84-crore hydroxychloroquine tablets, 29,779 ventilators and 1,02,400 oxygen cylinders have been supplied to state and central government hospitals till September 10, according to the minister.

Union minister Ashwini Choubey also said more than 30 vaccine candidates have been supported and they are in different stages of development. Three candidates are in the advanced stage of Phase I, II and III trials, and more than four are in the advanced pre-clinical development stage, Choubey said.

A national expert group on vaccine administration for COVID-19 has been constituted on August 7 under the NITI Aayog. Thirteen clinical trials of repurposed drugs have been undertaken to build a portfolio of therapeutic options for coronavirus patients, he said.

"The government of India has taken a series of actions to prevent, control and mitigate the impact of COVID-19. India followed a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach," Choubey said.

.@MoHFW_INDIA tells Rajya Sabha that there are a total of 62,979 ICU beds & 32,862 ventilators are available in COVID-19 hospitals in India.

Here is a look at the top 5 states w.r.t ICU beds & ventilators pic.twitter.com/pZ3GYRv7NW
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) September 15, 2020

413 earthquakes recorded from Mar 1 to Sept 8 in India: Govt

The National Seismological Network recorded 413 earthquakes in the country between March 1 and September 8, the Ministry of Earth Sciences said on Tuesday. The NSN is maintained by the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) to detect and locate earthquakes in and around the country, the ministry said in response to a question in Rajya Sabha. "A total of 413 earthquakes have been recorded by NSN during March 1, 2020 to September 8, 2020," it said.

According to the ministry, 135 out of the 413 earthquakes were of magnitude 3.0 or lower which are "usually not felt". As many as 153 earthquakes were between 3.0 and 3.9 magnitude. These are are "minor" and "felt by many people" but there is "no damage", the ministry said. A total of 114 earthquakes were between 4.0 and 4.9 magnitude. An earthquake in this category is "felt in a large area" and there is "minor breakage of objects", it said. Only 11 earthquakes were in the range of 5.0 to 5.7 magnitude. This category is known as "moderate" and there is "some damage to weak structures", it said.

Central govt should support Maratha quota: Congress MP Rajeev Satav in Rajya Sabha

The Central government was on Tuesday urged in Rajya Sabha to support quota for Marathas in jobs and education. Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Rajeev Satav of the Congress said the Supreme Court has referred the issue of quotas for Marathas in jobs and education to a larger bench. The Central government, he said, had not placed its view when the issue was considered by a three-judge bench. But before the larger bench, "the central government should along with state government (of Maharashtra) support Maratha reservation," he said.

Last week, the Supreme Court imposed an interim stay on quotas in jobs and education to Marathas and referred the matter to a larger bench to examine if the 2018 law, which breached the 50 percent apex court-mandated cap in the cast-based reservation, was legal. The law originally provided a 16 percent quota but in June 2019, the Bombay High Court trimmed it to 12 percent in education and 13 percent in jobs. Sambaji Chhatrapati (BJP) too raised the issue of quota for Marathas.

Congress alleges govt monopolising airports, BJP says transparency ensured

The Congress on Tuesday demanded a probe into the privatisation of six airports in the country alleging violation of rules and corruption, a charge denied by the BJP which said there is complete transparency under the Modi dispensation. Initiating the debate on 'The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020', Congress member K C Venugopal alleged that the government was promoting crony capitalism by privatising airports in the name of developing them. "There is a move to monopolise the Indian airports. In the future, all Indian airports will be owned by only one company. How can you allow this...There is a clear violation of norms and regulations in giving airports to a single private entity. This is a clear scam of public money," he alleged. "I am asking for an inquiry into all this. This is a clear case of corruption," he said.

Congress in Rajya Sabha demands active govt policy to deal with rising mental health issues

The Congress on Tuesday said in Rajya Sabha that there has been an exponential growth in mental health issues amid the COVID-19 crisis, and the government should come out with an active policy and allocate resources to address the problem. The Samajwadi Party also expressed concern over the issue of mental stress being faced by organised and unorganised workers due to joblessness in the wake of the pandemic and demanded that the government provide a monthly allowance Rs 15,000 monthly to those who lost jobs. Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Upper House, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said reports indicate that one in seven persons in India is suffering from depression.

Jaya Bachchan slams those vilifying Bollywood, says they are biting hands that feed them

Veteran actor and Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan on Tuesday charged that the film industry was being defamed and slammed those from the entertainment industry indulging in it, saying they are biting the hands that feed them. Though Bachchan did not take any names, her remarks come a day after BJP's Lok Sabha MP and Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan said there was problem of drug addiction in the film industry and also actor Kangana Ranaut's recent remarks calling Bollywood a "gutter". Through a Zero Hour mention in Rajya Sabha, Bachchan said the entertainment industry was being flogged by social media and asked the government to protect and support it. Without taking names, the Samajwadi Party MP said she completely disagrees with those who called the entertainment industry a "gutter".

RAJYA SABHA adjourned till 9 am tomorrow

Parliament passes bill to give statutory status to aviation regulators

Parliament on Tuesday passed a bill that seeks to improve India's aviation safety ratings and provide statutory status to regulatory institutions, including the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The Aircraft (Amendment) Bill, 2020 also provides for keeping aircraft belonging to the country's armed forces outside the purview of the Aircraft Act, 1934. The Bill also proposes to increase the fine amount for violations of new rules from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 crore. The bill was passed by voice vote in Rajya Sabha. It had got the approval of Lok Sabha in March.

Civil Aviation Minister @HardeepSPuri says AAI received Rs 29,000 cr due to privatisation of Delhi & Mumbai airports which resulted in availability of resources for aviation infra.

Mumbai & Delhi airports account for 33% of traffic and earnings, he adds. pic.twitter.com/ESl4eFdVre
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) September 15, 2020

COVID-19: Demand made in RS for using term physical distancing instead of social distancing

A demand was made in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday for using the term 'physical distancing' for fighting COVID-19 on the grounds that the use of the term 'social distancing' was promoting social stigma of coronavirus patients and their families. Agreeing to the suggestion, Chairman Venkaiah Naidu said an appropriate term should be used and suggested 'safe distancing'. In a special mention made in the Upper House, Trinamool Congress leader Shantanu Sen said the term 'social distancing' is regularly used to avoid the spread of coronavirus.

Defence Minister Rajnath likely to make a statement in Parliament on the Sino-India issue

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday on the continuing standoff between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. The statement would assume significance in the backdrop of demands made by the Opposition for a debate on the issue. Singh had met his Chinese counterpart Gen Wei Fenghe in Moscow recently. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi had also met in Moscow a few days ago.

Sources say that India is getting ready to procure tactical winter equipment & wear, specialised weapons.

The latest procurement drive to meet immediate requirement of armed forces pic.twitter.com/x4bAWHH3mC
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) September 15, 2020

An updated business agenda for the Lok Sabha session on Tuesday said Singh will make a statement in the lower house on "the developments on our border in Ladakh". The Congress and other opposition parties raised these demands in the first business advisory committee (BAC) meeting for Lok Sabha chaired by Speaker Om Birla on Sunday, but no time has been allocated yet for these discussions. The BAC for Lok Sabha will be held again on Tuesday afternoon to further discuss the first week's business schedule. Similar demands have been raised by the Congress in the BAC for Rajya Sabha as well.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020 has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha

Tourism Ministry (@tourismgoi) tells #RajyaSabha that a task force has been constituted to meet the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

It will be chaired by the Tourism Minister & will make recommendations for revival of the sector pic.twitter.com/ZHrIJx2DQT
— CNBC-TV18 (@CNBCTV18Live) September 15, 2020

30 MPs test COVID-19 positive

Around 30 MPs, including BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi and Pravesh Verma, and over 50 employees of Parliament have tested positive for COVID-19, sources said. Many of them tested positive after undergoing compulsory coronavirus tests at the parliament premises before the start of the Monsoon session, while several of them had undergone tests in their respective constituencies.

Parliament meets under COVID shadow; MPs adjust to changes in proceedings

The Monsoon session of Parliament commenced on Monday amid extensive COVID-19 precautions, with a large number of members attending the proceedings while adjusting to the changes spawned by the epidemic. In a first, the chambers of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were used along with the galleries to seat members of each House which met at separate timings to ensure social distancing. The usual hustle and bustle was missing in the Parliament complex on the first day of the 18-day Monsoon session in the wake of restricted entry.

Lok Sabha sat in the morning from 9 AM to 1 PM, while Rajya Sabha held its four-hour sitting in the afternoon starting at 3 PM where NDA nominee Harivansh was re-elected as deputy chairman and 15 new members took the oath. The Lok Sabha secretariat said 359 members attended the proceedings on Monday. With two vacancies, the current strength of the Lower House is 541. The attendance in the 243-member Rajya Sabha was also impressive but no exact number was available.

Here's a recap of the proceedings from the first day of the Parliament Monsoon Session on Monday

-With inputs from agencies

Parliament Monsoon Session highlights: Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020 passed in Lok Sabha

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