Page 96 - Lok Sabha

Viksit Bharat: Centre to provide Rs 75,000 cr interest-free loan to states

The Union government will provide Rs 75,000 crore as interest-free loan for 50 years to support reforms by states for realising the vision of 'Viksit Bharat'. The government has set a vision to make India a developed nation by 2047. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made the proposal in this regard in her Budget speech in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Many growth and development enabling reforms are needed in states for realizing the vision of 'Viksit Bharat', she said. "A provision of seventy-five thousand crore rupees as fifty-year interest-free loan is proposed this year to support those milestone-linked reforms by the state governments," the minister said. According to the Budget documents, total resources being transferred to the states, including the devolution of states' share, grants/loans and releases under centrally sponsored schemes in 2024-25 (Budget Estimates), stand at Rs 22,22,264 crore. This is an increase of Rs 4,13,848 crore over actuals of fiscal year ...

Expect our govt will be blessed again by people with resounding mandate: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday expressed hope that the BJP-led government will be blessed again by the people with a resounding mandate in the forthcoming general elections. The elections to the Lok Sabha will be held in the next few months. "Based on stupendous work, we expect our government will be blessed again by the people with a resounding mandate," she said. She also said India overcame challenges of Covid-19, created foundations for self-reliant India. India was facing enormous challenges when the Modi government took office in 2014, and it overcame those in right earnest, Sitharaman said.

Congress-TMC talks 'on hold', Mamata reiterates vow to fight alone

The Trinamool supremo without naming any party or leader said that there were some who appeared only during elections like Cuckoos in spring

Parliament's Budget session to begin on Wed, 14 suspended MPs to return

President Droupadi Murmu will address members of the two Houses in the LS chamber, as the new Parliament building does not have a Central Hall

14 suspended Oppn MPs to attend House proceedings during Budget session

The Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee on Tuesday held 11 suspended opposition MPs guilty of breach of privilege and contempt of the Council of States, but Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar revoked their suspension allowing them to attend the Budget session, sources said. In its report to the Rajya Sabha chairman a day before the session starts on Wednesday, the committee also recommended that the period of suspension already suffered by the members be treated as "sufficient punishment" for the transgression. The MPs held "guilty of breach of privilege and contempt of the Council" of States are Jebi Mather Hisham, L Hanumanthaiah, Neeraj Dangi, Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, G C Chandrashekhar, Binoy Viswam, Sandosh Kumar P, M Mohamed Abdulla, John Brittas and A A Rahim. The committee presented the report to Dhankhar, taking note of the situation that the suspended members would not be able to attend the special address of President Droupadi Murmu to both Houses of Parliament, the first address

No more elections will be held in India if Modi wins 2024 LS polls: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday expressed apprehension that the 2024 Lok Sabha elections would be the last opportunity for the people to save democracy, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi might prefer dictatorship in case his party wins the upcoming polls. He urged people to keep away from the BJP and its ideologue RSS, alleging that they are "like poison". "This will be the last opportunity for the people to save democracy in India. If Narendra Modi wins another election, there will be dictatorship in the country," Kharge said while addressing a party rally. On the JD(U) of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar returning to the NDA leaving the Congress on Sunday, Kharge claimed it will not have any impact on the polls. "One person quitting Mahagathbandhan will not weaken us. We will defeat BJP," he said.

Parl panel examining bill on marriage age of women gets another extension

A parliamentary committee examining a bill seeking to raise the age of marriage of women from the present 18 years to 21 has been given another extension to table its report. The Budget session of Parliament beginning January 31 is the last session of the present Lok Sabha before parliamentary elections are announced. The committee will now finalise its report by May following the four-month extension while the term of the 17th Lok Sabha ends on June 16. The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha and remains pending there, is likely to lapse when the tenure of the House ends in June. Bills introduced in the Lok Sabha and pending there as well as those passed by the Rajya Sabha and pending in the lower house lapse on the dissolution of the Lok Sabha. "Chairman, Rajya Sabha, has granted extension of time for a period of four months with effect from 24th January, 2024 to the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on ..

Seems we are preparing for 2029 polls: Congress' Acharya Pramod Krishnam

As per information from Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra will be entering the state of Bihar today

Himachal govt transfers 42 HPAS officers ahead of Lok Sabha elections

In a major administrative reshuffle, the Himachal Pradesh government has transferred 42 Himachal Administrative Service (HPAS) officers

LS speaker says committee to be formed to review anti-defection law

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said on Sunday that a committee headed by Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar would be formed to review the country's anti-defection law. He made the announcement after the 84th All India Presiding Officers' Conference here. The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution provides for the prevention of defection of the elected and nominated members from their political party and contains stringent provisions for curbing the menace of switching over of legislators. Birla said Narwekar will head the committee that will be formed to review the anti-defection law. Earlier this month, Narwekar gave his verdict on cross-petitions filed by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of each other's MLAs, under the anti-defection law, following a split in the party in 2022. Narwekar is currently hearing similar petitions filed by two rival NCP factions. Asked about security arrangements during the next session of Parliament, Birla said appropriate steps are bein

Congress expects to win 15-20 seats in Karnataka in LS polls: Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said the Congress expects to win between 15 and 20 seats in the state, in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Karnataka has 28 Lok Sabha seats. "The Congress party will win around 20 seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections. We don't lie like the BJP, claiming to win all 28 seats in the state. Our expectation is that we may win between 15 and 20 seats," Siddaramaiah said while speaking to reporters here. "We have got some surveys done," he said, responding to a question. The BJP swept the 2019 Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka by winning 25 seats, while an independent (Sumalatha Ambareesh from Mandya) backed by it won one seat. The Congress and JD(S) won one seat each. The Congress and JD(S) were in alliance during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, while this time around the regional party has partnered with the BJP to face the upcoming elections. Noting that when he was chief minister earlier, the Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly

AAP will contest all Assembly seats in Haryana on its own: Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said his party will contest all the 90 assembly seats in Haryana on its own, but the Lok Sabha polls will be fought as part of the INDIA bloc. The Lok Sabha polls are due in April-May while the assembly elections will be held later this year a few months after the general elections. "Today people only have trust in one party, which is the Aam Aadmi Party. On one side, they see Punjab, and on the other, our government in Delhi. Today Haryana is seeking a big change. In Delhi and Punjab, people made this big change earlier and now people there are happy," he said at his party's 'Badlaav Jansabha' in Jind. The AAP will contest all the 90 assembly seats in Haryana on its own, but the Lok Sabha polls will be fought as part of the INDIA bloc, Kejriwal said. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was also present at the event.

Time to end new trend of planned obstruction of House proceedings: Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said there is a new trend of obstructing the proceedings in the House in a planned way and the time has come to change it. Addressing the 84th All India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC), Birla said there is enough space to give voice to dissent in a democratic system and, therefore, disruption should not be used as a tool of protest and dissent. "There is a new trend of obstructing the proceedings of the House in a planned way. Time has come to change this," he said, noting that state legislatures, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha are places for discussion and dialogue. The agenda of the 84th AIPOC is to strengthen people's trust in democratic institutions - the need to maintain discipline and decorum in Parliament and the legislatures of States and UTs; and how to make the committee system more purposeful and effective. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the AIPOC through video message, while 26 presiding officers took part in the inaugural .

CM Jagan sounds poll bugle, says target 100% Assembly, LS seats in state

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday sounded the poll bugle for the YSR Congress party for the upcoming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls saying it is a 'Kurukshetra war' comparing himself with the Pandavas while the opposition TDP with the Kauravas (from the epic Mahabharatha). Addressing a rally of his party workers titled "Siddham" (Ready) at Bhimili near here, Jagan said the YSRCP Government has fulfilled 99 per cent of the poll promises unlike the TDP which has allegedly "dumped its manifesto in the dustbin." Seeking votes for the YSRCP in the coming elections, the CM said his government has disbursed Rs 2.53 lakh crore through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) without giving any scope for corruption and as many as 2.13 lakh government jobs were given in the past 56 months of his rule. "This a Kurukshetra war. This side Pandavas. That (opposition) side Kauravas. I am not Abhimanyu who was entangled in the Padmavyuham. I am Arjuna who was supported by you people

LS polls: Election dept begins preparations in Raj with checking of EVMs

With the first level checking of the electronic voting machines, the Election department has started the preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan, an official said on Saturday. Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta in a statement said the Election department has started the process of preparations for the Lok Sabha elections in the state with the first level checking (FLC) of the electronic voting machines (EVMs). He said the first level checking of the EVMs is necessary for fair, free and transparent elections. Gupta said that as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India, the first level checking work of EVM/VVPAT machines for the Lok Sabha elections has been started by the engineers of the Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru, from January 27 in all the districts of the state. This work is likely to be completed on February 20, he added. Gupta said this work will be done in the presence of recognised national and state political parties. EV

SP offers 11 LS seats to Cong in UP, Akhilesh says 'off to good start'

The Samajwadi Party on Saturday announced that it has offered 11 Lok Sabha seats to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh, with former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav asserting that their alliance is "off to a good start". UP Congress president Ajay Rai, however, said that the decision on the matter will be taken by his party's national leadership. Yadav said in a post in Hindi on X, "Our cordial alliance with the Congress is off to a good start with 11 strong seats. This trend will move forward with the winning equation. 'INDIA' team and 'PDA' (Picchda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) strategy will change history." Elaborating further on the developments, chief spokesperson of the Samajwadi Party Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI, "We (Samajwadi Party) have offered 11 seats to them (the Congress), so that there is a respectable mutual coordination among us, and we defeat the BJP." Chaudhary also said the party's top leadership is in continuous touch with the Congress. He said the number of seats offered, wh

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to tender resignation by Sunday morning: Report

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the Mahagathbandhan' government, is likely to tender his resignation by Sunday morning, a source close to the CM said on Saturday. Talking to PTI, the source, who requested anonymity, said though the possibility of resignation by late Saturday evening could not be ruled out, "it would definitely take place by Sunday morning". He also said prior to putting in his papers, Kumar, the JD(U) president, will hold a customary meeting of the legislature party. The source said government offices like the secretariat have been asked to remain open on Sunday "in view of hectic activity expected during the day", which may see a new government with the BJP's support. Meanwhile, at a party meeting, state BJP leaders stopped short of making a formal announcement of support to the JD(U) chief in the event of his pulling out of the Mahagathbandhan'. Requesting anonymity, BJP sources said instructions have been received from the top leadership to put on

Political parties defending those who break rules of House is not good: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said political parties backing members who break the rules of the House and defending their conduct does not augur well for Parliament and state legislatures. In an online address to the 84th All India Presiding Officers' Conference (AIPOC) here, Modi said young elected representatives should be given more opportunity in legislative committees, so that they can participate more in policy-making. "There was a time when, if any member in the House broke the rules and action was taken against that member, senior members of the House would talk to him so that in future he did not repeat the mistake and break the rules of the House. "But these days some political parties stand in support of such members and defend their mistakes. The situation is not good for Parliament or state legislature," Modi said. He also said that work was underway on 'One Nation, One Legislative Platform' through the E-Vidhan and Digital Sansad initiative. In the last te

BJP meeting underway in Bihar as political uncertainty in state continues

Leaders of the BJP in Bihar gathered here on Saturday to discuss the political situation in the state, amid indications that former ally, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, was planning yet another volte face. We have come here to deliberate on the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The current situation in Bihar will also be taken up for discussion, state BJP president Samrat Choudhary told reporters ahead of the party meeting at its Veerchand Patel Marg office. The meeting is also being attended by the party's MPs. The BJP has the largest number of 17 MPs in Bihar, where the total number of Lok Sabha members is 40. The JD(U), headed by Kumar, has 16 while another NDA ally LJP, now split up between the uncle-nephew duo of Pashupati Kumar Paras and Chirag Paswan, has six. Earlier, the party's state in-charge Vinod Tawde had slammed the Congress for driving Kumar, the JD(U) president, towards a break up with the INDIA coalition of which he was widely regarded as the architect. Party leaders have s

Will make all efforts to keep INDIA bloc united, says Congress prez Kharge

Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday said his party expects that those who have the desire to protect the country's Constitution and democracy, will definitely not take any hasty steps, amid indications that JD(U) was planning to revert to the BJP-led NDA. He said the Congress will make all efforts to keep the INDIA bloc united, while maintaining that he has no clarity as to what is in the JD(U) leadership's mind. Responding to a question on the possibility of JD(U) going out of the INDIA alliance, Kharge said, "Are they (JD(U)) going out? I have not got any information about it so far. I have written a letter to them (JD(U) leadership) and have tried to talk to them. I don't know clearly what is in their minds." There are strong indications that JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was planning to quit the ruling 'Mahagathbandhan' in the state and revert to the BJP-led NDA. Some JD(U) leaders like K C Tyagi have claimed that the INDIA bloc is on the ver