Page 122 - Lok Sabha

LIVE: Shah appeals to Meitei, Kuki communities to engage in dialogue

Catch all the latest news updates on the second day of the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha today

Toy exports up 60% to $326 mn from FY19-FY23: MoS informs Parliament

India's toy exports increased 60 per cent from USD 203.46 million in 2018-19 to USD 325.72 million in 2022-23, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. Import on the other hand dipped 57 per cent from USD 371.69 million in 2018-19 to USD 158.70 million in 2022-23, according to data provided by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Parkash. He said the government has taken proactive steps to promote domestic toy industry. "As a result of various steps taken by the government, the volume of import of toys into the Indian market has shown a consistently decreasing trend," he said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. In a separate reply, he said the total number of industries registered under the ministry from January 1991 to July 31, 2023 is 1,10,525. Replying to a question on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said ONDC has launched a Feet on Street (FoS) programme, involving 90 FoS resources, to support the network participa

Standing Committee on Economic Statistics renamed: MoS tells Parliament

The government on Wednesday said Standing Committee on Economic Statistics has been renamed as Standing Committee on Statistics. The committee will advise Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on all surveys. "The government has formed various committees after the year 1947...including Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES)," Minister of State for Statistics Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. He further said SCES was renamed as Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS), which was constituted vide a MoSPI order dated July 13, 2023. SCoS will review the extant framework and address the issues raised from time to time on the subject/results/methodology, etc related to all surveys as brought before SCoS by MoSPI. It will advise on survey methodology including sampling frame, sampling design, survey instruments, etc and to finalize tabulation plan of surveys. It will also aid finalization of survey results. The panel will provide gui

Mizoram Congress president asks all parties, NGOs to unite against BJP

Congress's Mizoram unit president argued that the entire country, especially Mizoram, is passing through a dark period due to the BJP's policies

BJP MPs file complaint against Rahul Gandhi over flying kiss in Parliament

While walking out of the Lok Sabha premises, Rahul Gandhi blew a flying kiss to BJP MPs, and Smriti Irani's speech was underway

Smriti Irani slams Congress over Rahul's 'murder of India' remark

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday came down heavily on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "murder of India in Manipur" remark in Lok Sabha, saying this is for the first time in parliamentary democracy that someone has made such a statement. Speaking soon after Gandhi concluded his speech on the no-confidence debate in the House, the BJP member, who is minister for women and child development, said Manipur is an integral part of India. "I condemn the behaviour that was displayed. This is the first time that someone talked about the murder of India, and Congress leaders were thumping desks," Irani said. "Manipur is not divided, it is a part of this country. A member of his (opposition) alliance said in Tamil Nadu that India only means north India. If he has the courage, Rahul Gandhi should comment on this... another Congress leader said there should be a referendum on Kashmir... Was the statement given as per the order of the Congress leadership that a leader talked about ...

Detained on my way to commemorate Quit India Day: Mahatma Gandhi's grandson

Tushar Gandhi, the great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, Wednesday claimed that police detained him as he left home to commemorate Quit India Day at Mumbai's August Kranti Maidan. For the first time in history of Indipendent India I have been detained at Santa Cruz Police Station as I left home to commemorate 9th August Quit India Day. I am proud My Great Grandparents Bapu and Ba had also been arrested by the British Police on the historic date, Gandhi tweeted. A police official said Tushar Gandhi has reached the Maidan.

Bharat Jodo Yatra still not over: Cong MP Rahul Gandhi in Lok Sabha

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Bharat Jodo Yatra is not over and he undertook the cross-country march to understand what was it he loved and what was it that he bore abuse for 10 years. Participating in the no-confidence motion debate, Gandhi also thanked Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for reinstating his membership of the House. "The last time I spoke, I also caused you (Birla) pain. I focussed on Adani ji with such intensity, your senior leaders felt pain. That pain also affected you, for that I apologise to you," Gandhi told Birla. "I only spoke the truth. My BJP friends you need not be afraid because my speech today will not be focussed on us. Rumi said, 'jo shabd dill se aate hain woh dil mein jaate hain'. Will not attack you much." "I walked from one end of the country to another, from the coast to the snowy mountains of Kashmir. The yatra is still not over ... Many people asked me after it started, 'Rahul why did you walk, what is your aim'. "I did not know

As both houses pass IIM (Amendment) Bill, here's a look at major changes

The Bill grants the President the role of Visitor to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), bestowing upon the office powers to audit their functioning, order investigations

Six bills, including Data Protection Bill listed in Rajya Sabha today

The focus of the Bill is to protect internet users from online harm and create a safe and trusted digital ecosystem as India is a digital economy powerhouse today

India's grain stockpiles crucial to PM Modi's pre-election strategy

Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, campaigning to be re-elected for a third term, are facing widespread frustration about rising prices, a concern that has brought down past governments

Heartless govt: Oppn lashes out at govt over Manipur during no-trust debate

Echoing the refrain, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule demanded the resignation of the Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh for failing to rein in the runaway violence

LIVE: Pak's Imran Khan barred from politics for 5 yrs, says local media

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Over 11.3 mn MGNREGA workers' bank accounts yet to be seeded with Aadhaar

Bank accounts of around 1.13 crore workers under the rural job scheme MGNREGA are yet to be seeded with their Aadhaar numbers, Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, the minister said wage payment to beneficiaries under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) may be made either using Aadhaar-based payment bridge systems or national automated clearing house depending upon the status of a beneficiary in the Aadhaar-based systems. He said that bank accounts of 1,13,86,599 workers, or 8.93 per cent of the total active workers, are yet to be seeded with their Aadhaar numbers. The minister said northeastern states are lagging behind in the process, with accounts of more than 42 per cent workers in Assam, around 23 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, over 70 per cent in Meghalaya, and 37 per cent in Nagaland not being seeded with Aadhaar numbers. To a question on "whether it is also a f

No-confidence motion news LIVE: Lok Sabha adjourned till Wednesday 11am

Catch all the latest news updates live related to the no-confidence motion that will be taken up in Lok Sabha today

Monsoon Session: Parliament clears inter-services organisations bill

The Parliament on Tuesday passed a bill which seeks to provide the commander-in-chief and officer-in-command of inter-services organisations disciplinary and administrative powers over personnel from other forces serving in such establishments. The bill was cleared in Rajya Sabha with a voice vote. Lok Sabha had had given its nod to the legislation on August 4. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India is fully prepared to face any type of warfare and the country's defence spending can be increased to 5-6 per cent of GDP if needed. In his reply to discussion on The Interservices Organisations (Command, Control and Discipline) Bill, 2023, Singh said also said filling vacancies in the armed forces is a continuous process. The country's maritime interest is fully protected and there is no reason for the house to worry about it, he said, adding "Also, we are fully prepared for any type of warfare." This preparedness will continue going forward, Singh asserted. On low defence spendin

Over 400,000 hectares brought under natural farming in 8 states: Govt

About 4.09 lakh hectares have been brought under natural farming in eight states with Andhra Pradesh leading the group, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in Parliament on Tuesday. The eight states are Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Tamil Nadu, the minister said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. The Centre is promoting natural farming since 2019-20 through a sub-scheme, Bharatiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati (BPKP), under Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana. "So far, 4.09 lakh hectare area has been brought under natural farming in 8 states," Tomar said. About 1 lakh hectares have been brought under natural farming in Andhra Pradesh, 99,000 hectares in Madhya Pradesh, 85,000 hectares in Chhattisgarh, 84,000 hectares in Kerala, 24,000 hectares in Odisha, 12,000 hectares in Himachal Pradesh, 3,400 hectares in Jharkhand, and 2,000 hectares in Tamil Nadu, he said. Natural farming is chemical-free and based on the

Rahul Gandhi gets back his official bungalow after being reinstated as MP

Rahul Gandhi vacated the bungalow in April this year following his disqualification as member of the Parliament

LS briefly disrupted as Oppn protests tickers on Sansad TV on govt works

Lok Sabha was briefly disrupted on Tuesday during a discussion on the no-confidence motion following opposition members' loud protest against tickers running on Sansad TV that highlighted development works of the government during the live broadcast of the debate in the House. Soon after BJP member Nishikant Dubey began speaking against the motion, several opposition members, including the Congress, TMC and the DMK, protested over the issue. Some members of the treasury benches, including ministers, were seen taking a swipe at the Opposition for its inability to come to terms with the development ushered in by the government. Speaker Om Birla sought to calm down opposition members, noting that a different system was in place to run the Sansad TV after it was created following the merger of the Lok Sabha TV and the Rajya Sabha TV. He later said he has given instructions, a suggestion that the tickers will stop running, and that happened in a couple of minutes. Opposition members we

No confidence motion in Parliament today: Here's all you should know

The no confidence debate will run for three days and will be initiated by Congress Member of Parliament Rahul Gandhi at 12 pm