Parliament Updates: 'Poverty in India has doubled over recent years': Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slams Centre for low global poverty index ranking

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

LS lists out govt schemes for farmers, crop insurance

The Lok Sabha is currently holding a discussion on crop loss and its impact on farmers.​ Narendra Singh Tomar, Agriculture Minister lists the government’s schemes for farmers and crop insurance.

Rajya Sabha Latest Updates

Upper House opens discussion on reservation for SC/STs 

BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena speaks about the SC/ST representatives in Rajya Sabha during the debate on continuing reservations for SC/STs for ten more years. He stated that the Opposition parties said that if Narendra Modi comes to power, reservations will be abolished. This Bill defies that, he added.

Rajya Sabha Latest Updates

Ravi Shankar Prasad speaks on Constitution Bill

Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad speaks on The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Sixth Amendment) Bill, which seeks to amend provisions related to reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs)

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

Poverty in India has doubled, says Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

In Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “India ranks 102 in the global poverty index. Bangladesh is also ahead of us, they rank 88. In today’s times, poverty has doubled.”

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

Delhi govt carried out drone survey in unauthorised colony,says Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri

The Delhi government has carried out a drone survey in an unauthorised colony and is exploring the possibility of delineating boundaries of unauthorised colonies, Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Thursday.

During Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Puri said the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was in the process of preparing the Master Plan 2041 for Delhi.

“Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) had informed in January, 2019, that they have got a drone survey done of one unauthorised colony, namely Vikas Vihar, and are exploring possibility of delineating boundaries of unauthorised colonies in Delhi by using drone-based survey,” Puri said.

The minister said ’land’ and ‘colonisation’ were state subjects.

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

’Pura northeast jal raha hai’: Opposition leaders protest against Citizenship Bill 

Opposition leaders in Lok Sabha protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill by chanting slogans, saying ‘pura northeast jal raha hai’ (The entire northeast is burning).

Lok Sabha adjourned till 2.15 pm

The Lower House has been adjourned till 2.15 pm.

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

Congress compares protests in Assam, Tripura to Kashmir, says similar phenomenon implemented in North East

Speaking in Lok Sabha on the ongoing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, “Already Army has been deployed. The Kashmir phenomenon has been replicated in the northeast region. Both the areas are of strategic importance. Even the foreign minister in Bangladesh has disagreed with India’s claims.”

Rajya Sabha Latest Updates

House adjourned till 2 pm

Promotion of Indian languages in the draft New Education Policy, Notification of new rules under the RTI Act, Differential tax issues in the textile industry, construction of nuclear power plants, were discussed. Rajya Sabha was adjourned til 2 pm.

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

There is no power crisis in the country: Lok Sabha told

Union power minister RK Singh says India has installed power generation capacity of around 365 GW, double the peak demand. “States meet their demand from their own generating sources and share from central generating stations. The maximum peak demand experienced during the current year was around 183 Giga Watt (GW) whereas the installed generation capacity in the country is around 365 GW which is double our peak demand,” he said during Question Hour.

Apart from long-term power purchase agreements, states have the option to purchase power at any time from power exchanges and meet the electricity requirements fully, the minister said. There is more than sufficient power available and states and distribution companies can draw as much power as they need, he said.

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

Ruckus in House over Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Second Amendment Bill

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman speaks on The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019. A few members oppose the bill. As MPs raise their objections against the amendment, Sitharaman says there is an amendment which will bring clarity, since there is a doubt about the bill.

Sitharaman introduces the bill to amend insolvency law. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019 was approved by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The amendments in the law seek to remove bottlenecks and streamline the corporate insolvency resolution process, wherein successful bidders will be ring fenced from any risk of criminal proceedings for offences committed by previous promoters of companies concerned.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, which came into force in 2016, has already been amended thrice. The latest changes pertain to various sections as well as introduction of a new section.

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code amendment bill introduced in Lok Sabha

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduces The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019.

Rajya Sabha Latest Updates

Naidu seeks report on issue of pornography on social media

Venkaiah Naidu tells Rajya Sabha that on 5 December he had constituted an informal group to study the issue of pornography on social media and its effect on children and society as a whole. He asks for a report to be submitted one month from today. Question Hour begins. DMK’s Tiruchi Siva presides the Chair.

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

DDA plans to use drone technology for unauthorised colonies in Delhi: House told

Hardeep Singh, minister of state, Housing and Urban Affairs replies to questions on unauthorised colonies and mentions that the process is well underway. “DDA plans to use drone technology to prepare for the ‘Master plan 2041’. On encroachment on public land, now it is possible for any citizen of Delhi to upload a picture of the encroachment on the app, and DDA will clear the issue.”

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

Centre will bring a move to transplant trees instead of cutting them: Gadkari

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Jal Shakti Minister says that the ministry will work on increasing groundwater levels and National rural drinking water programme. BJP’s Shankar Lalwani takes up pending national highway projects.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways tells the steps taken to save trees while building highways. He says the government will bring a move to transplant trees instead of cutting them.

Rajya Sabha Latest Updates

SC/ST undertrial inmates make up 34% of prisons: Congress tells House

Nominated member Narendra Jadhav speaks about food testing and food borne hazards in Rajya Sabha. He requested Ministry of Health and Welfare to put up a mechanism to monitor.

Congress’ PL Puniya addresses the House about SC/ST undertrials who are languishing in prison, and that they make up more than 34 percent of the prisoners. He says cases are being filed on them after manipulation.

Rajya Sabha Latest Updates

Suspension of Business Notice in Rajya Sabha over protests in Assam

AAP MP Sanjay Singh today gave a ‘Suspension of Business Notice’ in Rajya Sabha under rule 267, on ‘protest in Assam, Tripura and the northeastern region over the Citizenship Amendment Bill’. Congress MPs Manicka Tagore and Abdul Khaleque have also given an Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha, over ‘highly volatile situation in northeast India’.

Lok Sabha Latest Updates

Question Hour underway in Lok Sabha

Lok Sabha assembles and begins Question Hour. Speaker Om Birla is in the Chair. Members speak on compensation for farmers, dams and reservoirs near National parks, irrigated area under CADWM programme.

Rajya Sabha Latest Updates

Upper House session begins

Rajya Sabha convenes. Reports of the department related to Parliamentary Standing Committee on agriculture, chemicals and fertilizers, External Affairs, Ministry of Railways, Social Justice and empowerment. MoS communications, Dhotre Sanjay Shamrao gives a statement. Later, matters are raised with the permission of the Chair.

M Venkaiah Naidu is in the Chair. Papers are being laid on the table.

Lok Sabha Latest Updates
 

Congress MPs give adjournment notice over situation in the North East

Congress MPs Adhir Ranjan Chaudhry, K Suresh and Gaurav Gogoi have given an Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha, over ‘unrest in north eastern states and law and order situation’.​

Guwahati was placed under indefinite curfew while Army was called in at four places and Assam Rifles personnel were deployed in Tripura as the two northeastern states plunged into chaos over the hugely emotive Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

Army PRO Lt Col P Khongsai said two Army columns have been deployed in Guwahati city and are carrying out flag marches. Army has also been deployed in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Jorhat districts, officials said. Curfew was also imposed late in the night in Dibrugarh for an indefinite period as protesters targeted the houses of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union minister Rameswar Teli in the district.

Rajya Sabha Latest Updates
 

Congress MPs gives suspension of business notice over situation in Assam

Congress MP Ripun Bora has given a Suspension of Business Notice in Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 over the ‘current situation of Assam and northeast region’.

Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien has given a Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha, over the ‘Information and Broadcasting advisories to television channels’.

Derek O'Brien, TMC Parliamentary Party Leader in Rajya Sabha, has given zero-hour notice in Rajya Sabha, over 'I&B advisories to TV channels' pic.twitter.com/EQ73lhRIdL

— ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2019

Lok Sabha Latest Updates
 

Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Bill to be tabled in Lok Sabha

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2019.

The proposed bill to make amendments in the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (code) to remove certain difficulties being faced during the insolvency resolution process.