Parliament Budget Session Highlights: Sonia Gandhi urges govt to conduct Census at earliest

Parliament Budget Session: Catch all the Parliament updates here

8:05 PM

Lok Sabha adjourns for the day

Proceedings to recommence in the lower house on Tuesday, February 11th at 11:00 am

7:51 PM

Budget should be about the current year, says Vivek Tankha

Congress MP Vivek K Tankha said that the government is boasting about ‘Viksit Bharat’ as if the Union Budget is for the year 2047.

He said that we don’t even know what the situation of the country would be after 4 years.

7:34 PM

Government should nudge private sectors to invest in sports: BJP MP Sujeet Kumar

BJP MP from Odisha Sujeet Kumar said that if the nation’s economy continues to grow at a rate of 6.4%, as India does today, India will achieve the mark of $5 trillion economy within 3-4 years.

 

He also appreciated the Financial Minister and Prime Minister for giving a historical allocation for sports. He also said that the government should nudge private sectors to invest in sports like many other countries.

7:14 PM

Budget does not address genuine concerns of the Indian economy, says Kollam MP Premachandran

The RSP MP held that the budget does not address the basic problem prevalent in the economy as aggregate demand, lack of purchasing power, mass unemployment and shrinking wages. 

 

“Instead of mobilising resources by taxing the rich and big corporate houses and expanding public that would help generate employment and ensure minimum wages: the government chose to go in the wrong direction,” he stated. 

6:59 PM

Budget is ‘of the elections, by the elections and for the elections’: MP Rajeev Shukla

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla said the Budget is “of the elections, by the elections and for the elections.” 

 

He said the budget is not for the people of India but elections. He said the Budget focused on Delhi and Bihar, aiming for the elections in the States.

6:51 PM

Viksit Bharat not possible when 80 crore people depend on free rations: Owaisi

AIMIM MP from Hyderabad Assadussin Owaisi in Lok Sabha said that Viksit Bharat is not possible when 80 crore people in the country are dependent on free rations

6:42 PM

BJD MP Sulata Deo says Budget is focused on election states

BJD MP from Odisha Sulata Deo said that the Budget is focused on the States where the election is around the corner. 

 

She said all the requests from Odisha like special category and disaster funds were neglected by the government in the Budget. 

 

She asked how five trillion economy would come into being when the value of the rupee plummets on and on.

6:27 PM

Union Budget will help strengthen economy of erstwhile state: Jammu MP Jugal Kishore in LS

The BJP MP said that the people of J&K have welcomed the budget. He argued the budget would also have strengthen the economy of the Union Territory. 

 

“The budget has considered for an all-round development of J&K. It is reflective of the centre’s focus on the development of the state,” he stated. 

6:17 PM

Lok Sabha proceedings for the day extended to 9:00 pm

The lower house, in order to accommodate time for members to express their views on the Union Budget, unanimously agreed to extend the day’s seating till 9:00 pm

6:04 PM

Per capita income of Bihar has fallen considerably during PM Modi’s time: Akhilesh Prasad Singh

Congress Akhilesh Prasad Singh said the government, during the Union Budget, tried to convey that Bihar is in a very bad situation. 

 

Atal Bihari Vajpayee wanted to transform Bihar into an agricultural State like Haryana or Punjab, he said. 

 

He said the per capita income of Bihar has fallen considerably during PM Modi’s time. According to the data quoted by him, Bihar, before the 2010s had a per capita income higher than the national average.

5:53 PM

BJP MP Medha Vishram Kulkarni on Maha Kumbh stampede

Dr Medha Vishram Kulkarni took a jibe at the leaders who criticise the mismanagement of the Maha Kumbh Mela. 

 

She said that in the 2003 Nashik Kumbh Mela, many people died during a stampede that happened. 

 

She said in 2013, the Mauritius President of that time left India condemning the pollution in the Ganga river. 

 

She added that Azam Khan, who organised the Kumbh in 2013, had the responsibility for these horrible situations.

5:21 PM

Why didn't Chidambaram ask this question when he was the minister, says Nadda

"I wanted to intervene when the former finance minister (P Chidambaram) was speaking, but I wasn't allowed. However, I feel it is important to clarify the facts. First of all, I couldn't understand whether P Chidambaram was speaking on budget on external affairs ministry. He started his speech where he questioned did the external affairs minister had a talk with secretary of state with foreign affairs of America? Why didn't he ask this question in 2012 when he was the minister? Why didn't he ask this question in 2009 and 2013?," said Union Minister JP Nadda on Congress MP P Chidambaram's address in RS

4:21 PM

1% of population controlling 22.6% of income: Tiruchi Siva

“Only 1% of the population are controlling 22.6% of income and 40.1% of wealth. Whereas poor people, at the bottom level, 50% of them are getting 15% of the income and 6.4% of the wealth. This is totally disproportionate. Only the finance minister can explain this,” DMK member Tiruchi Siva said.

4:17 PM

250 million people lifted out of multi-dimensional poverty line: Anurag Thakur in Lok Sabha

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi, the Hamirpur MP said, “The people who visit Rae Bareilly and Amethi for photo-sessions with the homeless or in makeshift dwellings were in for a surprise when they could not find anybody.” He stated," That is because the Modi government provisioned them proper housing – endowing them a life of respect and dignity”. 

3:19 PM

News update: Request FM to recapture former PM Manmohan Singh's financial philosophy, says Chidambaram

3:03 PM

If the middle class is happy, the nation is happy: BJP MP Anurag Singh Thakur

Anurag Singh Thakur equated the tax cut for earnings up to Rs. 12 lakh as Mahalakshmi being at the door, and asked Opposition members to be happy about.

2:52 PM

Budget was politically driven, Congress leader P Chidambaram

There is no driving philosophy behind the Budget,  P Chidambaram stated.

2:49 PM

Employment generation is the need of the hour: DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran

DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran said the the income tax cuts were an “economic sugar rush,” saying that inflation will catch up in a couple of years. Highlighting that  MSMEs have received no tax cut from the Budget, Maran stated that employment generation is the need of the hour.

2:27 PM

Lok Sabha resumes discussion of Union Budget 2025-26

Rajya Sabha has also resumed the discussion on Union Budget 2025-26.

 

2:13 PM

Rajya Sabha updates: Civil Aviation minister introduces Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025

1:39 PM

Contributions of USAID should be investigated in detail: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey asked if USAID gave money to organisations such as Open Society Foundation and Rajiv Gandhi charitable trust.

12:49 PM

Congress MP raises the issue of exorbitant airfares to Prayagraj

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari stated that the the airfare to Prayagraj from Chennai, Kolkata, and other cities is more than the fare from Delhi to London. There has been a big rise in airfares to the city.

 

12:31 PM

When will international operations begin at Patna airport: BJP MP Shambu Sharan

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu replied that the length of the runway at the Patna airport is not enough to handle larger aircraft, and Bihar will soon receive a greenfield airport which will be equipped to handle international flights.

When will international operations begin at Patna airport: BJP MP Shambu Sharan 

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu replied that the length of the runway at the Patna airport is not enough to handle larger aircraft, and Bihar will soon receive a greenfield airport which will be equipped to handle international flights.

11:47 AM

'Modi, Modi' chants fill Lok Sabha

BJP members chanted 'Modi, Modi' slogans in the Lok Sabha as the proceedings began on Monday. The sloganeering by the treasury benches continued for a brief while before Speaker Om Birla called for the Question Hour.

11:33 AM

Is govt taking any measures to prevent large-scale auctioning of gold?: DMK MP Kanimozhi

DMK MP Kanimozhi questions  if it is taking any measures to prevent large-scale auctioning of gold, noting recent instances of this by NBFCs. Pankaj Chaudhary, MoS for Finance, stated that that in September 2024, the RBI instructed all organisations to keep an eye on their gold loan portfolios.

11:27 AM

Parliament update: Question Hour commences in Lok Sabha

11:20 AM

Parliament resumes proceedings

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have resumed proceedings today at 11 am. 

11:00 AM

Parliament Budget Session LIVE: Proceedings to begin shortly

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to table the New Income Tax Bill in Lok Sabha today. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the New Income Tax Bill on Friday.