Page 47 - Parliament

Prime Minister Modi to reply on 'Motion of Thanks' in Rajya Sabha today

On Monday, the PM expressed his confidence in the NDA alliance securing 400 seats in the upcoming general election 2024

Strictly implement it once it becomes law: Gehlot on examinations Bill

With the Lok Sabha passing a bill that seeks to deal sternly with malpractices in competitive exams, former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said the central and state governments should coordinate and strictly implement it once it becomes a law. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, also has provisions for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine up to Rs 1 crore. "It was our long standing demand that the Government of India should make a strict law on paper leaks, on which a bill has now been introduced in the Parliament," Gehlot, a senior Congress leader, posted on 'X'. He said that "we made a law in Rajasthan providing life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10 crore on paper leak". Now, the central government is making a law to impose 10 years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 1 crore, Gehlot said. He said, "The Government of India and all the state governments should coordinate and strictly implement the law against paper leaks so that just

Parliamentary panel for introduction of composite licence for insurers

A parliamentary panel on Tuesday suggested the introduction of composite licence for an insurer to undertake life, general, or health insurance under one entity to increase penetration of insurance in the country. The panel headed by BJP leader Jayant Sinha suggested the government to introduce a provision of composite licensing for insurance companies and make the related amendment in legislation at the earliest. As per the Insurance Act, 1938, and the regulations of the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India, composite licensing for an insurer to undertake life, general, or health insurance under one entity is not allowed. The panel also suggested a reduction in the GST rate on insurance products, especially health and term insurance, which is 18 per cent at present. The high rate of Goods and Services Tax (GST) results in a high premium burden, which acts as a deterrent to getting insurance policies. The committee, with a view to making insurance more affordable, .

Climate Change: Parliament panel unhappy over delay in submission of ATNs

A parliamentary committee has expressed displeasure over the "unprecedented" delay by the environment ministry in submitting action taken notes on the recommendations made in a report in 2018. In a report presented in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the 30-member Committee on Estimates chaired by BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal said that ministries and departments concerned are required to furnish action take notes (ATNs) on the panel's recommendations within six months of the presentation of its report to Parliament. The committee presented its 30th report (16th Lok Sabha) on Performance of the National Action Plan on Climate Change to Parliament on December 13, 2018. While the ministry was expected to provide the ATNs by June 12, 2019, "the first set of requisite ATNs were received after a long delay" on September 13, 2021, the committee said. Subsequent sets of ATNs were received on October 28, 2021; and July 18 and August 24 last year, the committee said. "The committee takes serious note of

PM Narendra Modi gives 370 to BJP and 400 to NDA in Lok Sabha polls

Modi said he will continue to wage a battle against corruption, would not allow the looting of the country's resources and asserted that probe agencies were independent

SBI issues electoral bonds worth Rs 16,518 cr in 30 tranches since 2018

State Bank of India (SBI) has issued Electoral Bonds worth Rs 16,518 crore in 30 tranches since the inception of the scheme in 2018, Parliament was informed on Monday. The objective of the Electoral Bond Scheme is to ensure clean tax-paid money is coming into the system of political funding through proper banking channels, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. "The total value of Electoral Bonds purchased (Phase-I to Phase-XXX) from State Bank of India is about Rs 16,518 crore. No GST or any other taxes/cess are charged from the purchaser on the purchase of Electoral Bonds," he said. Sharing details, Chaudhary said, the commission paid to SBI by the Government of India for issuance and redemption of Electoral Bonds from Phase I to Phase XXV is about Rs 8.57 crore while the amount paid by the government to Security Printing & Minting Corporation of India Ltd (SPMCIL) till date is about Rs 1.90 crore. With regard to Rs 5,000 crore ...

344 antiquities returned to India since 2014: Govt tells Parliament

A total of 344 antiquities have been returned to India from other countries since 2014, the government informed the Parliament on Monday. Union Minister of Culture G Kishan Reddy said this in a written response to a query in Lok Sabha. Only one antiquity had been returned to India during 2004-13, according to the data shared by him in his response. A total of 115 antiquities were returned to India in 2023, and 344 antiquities have been returned since 2014, he said. On a query regarding smuggled antiquities, he replied that 314 antiquities have been repatriated during the last five years, and he also shared the country-wise data. From the US, 262 such items were repatriated in the last five years, 15 from the UK, 35 antiquities were returned from Australia and one from Italy in the same period. The issue of repatriation was attempted to be addressed in the Culture Working Group event during the G20 Summit. The subjects was "Re(ad)dress: Return of Treasures", he added. Reddy, in .

Budget session highlights: PM predicts at least 370 seats for BJP in LS

Parliament Budget Session 2024 Live Updates: Catch all the latest developments here

Congress trying to launch same product again and again: PM in Lok Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, 'I can see many in the Opposition have lost hope... strength to even fight elections'

Bill to provide OBC quota in J&K local bodies introduced in Lok Sabha

The Centre on Monday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to provide reservation to Other Backward Classes in local bodies in Jammu and Kashmir. Currently, there is no provision for reservation of seats for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in panchayats and municipalities in the Union territory. The aim of the Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 is to uphold principles of fairness and inclusivity in local governance, thereby addressing long-standing disparities and ensuring justice for OBC citizens. "With this,...justice will be ensured to the citizens of Other Backward Classes of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time after 75 years of independence," according to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill. The bill says that in future all local body polls will be conducted by a State Election Commission consisting of a State Election Commissioner, instead of the Chief Electoral Officer of Jammu and Kashmir. The bill says the State Election Commissioner shall

Govt collects Rs 600 crore penalty for delay in PAN-Aadhaar linking

The government has collected over Rs 600 crore as penalty for delay in linking PAN with Aadhaar, and about 11.48 crore Permanent Account Numbers are still not linked with biometric identity, Parliament was informed on Monday. "Number of PANs not linked with Aadhaar, excluding exempted categories, is 11.48 crore as on January 29, 2024," Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. To a question regarding the details of government earning through late penalty of Rs 1,000 from the persons who have not linked their PAN and Aadhaar after the last date of June 30, 2023, Chaudhary said "the total collection of fee from persons who have not linked their PAN with Aadhaar is Rs 601.97 crore from July 1, 2023 to January 31,2024". The last date for linking PAN with biometric Aadhaar was June 30, 2023. The Income Tax department had said the PAN of taxpayers who have failed to intimate their Aadhaar shall become inoperative from July 1, 2023 and no ...

Govt seeks Parliament nod for Rs 78,673 cr more as spendings this fiscal

The government on Monday sought Parliament's nod for a net additional spending of Rs 78,673 crore in the current financial year, including Rs 10,798 crore expenditure towards MGNREGA. The second batch of supplementary demands for grants for 2023-24 was tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also provides for additional spending of Rs 9,231 crore and Rs 3,000 crore towards food and fertiliser subsidy, respectively. The supplementary demands for grants include a gross additional spending of over Rs 2 lakh crore, which would be matched by savings of over Rs 1.21 lakh crore. The proposal involves net cash outgo aggregating to Rs 78,672.92 crore, said the document tabled in Parliament. The Interim Budget for 2024-25 has pegged the government's total expenditure in the current financial year at Rs 44.90 lakh crore, up 7.1 per cent from 2022-23. Other major spending heads include Rs 9,162 crore for payments to defence services and Rs 3,890 crore towards defence ...

Parliament condoles Namibian President Hage Geingob's demise: Jaishankar

Geingob passed away at the age of 82, a month after it was announced he would undergo cancer treatment, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday

PM Modi to address Parliament, likely to set agenda for Lok Sabha polls

PM Modi on Monday will reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President's January 31 address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha

Tewari gives adjournment notice in LS to discuss Indo-China border issue

Earlier last week, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi gave an adjournment motion notice in the Lok Sabha and sought a discussion on the border situation with China

No one can stop women from reaching Parl, state assemblies now: CM Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said no one can stop women from reaching the state assemblies and Parliament now. He said this while discussing the Nari Shakti Vandan Act during an address after launching the "Shakti Vandan Abhiyan" organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan here. "The Nari Shakti Vandan Act (Women's Reservation Act) will be implemented across the state," Adityanath said. Under the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, there is a provision for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Adityanath said "after this Act, no political party can stop women from reaching the legislative assemblies and Parliament". According to an official statement, the chief guest of the programme was BJP's national secretary Vijaya Rahatkar. On the Ram temple's consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, Adityanath said it has been achieved under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after a long battle of 500

PM Modi meets top ministers to discuss govt's strategy in Parliament

The government said that the Budget was presented with a focus on economic policies that foster growth, facilitate inclusive development, improve productivity, and create opportunities

Budget at a glance: Here're the key numbers from interim Budget 2024

FM Sitharaman emphasised India's growing popularity as a global tourist destination as well as its booming domestic segment, spanning from business to spiritual tourism

Budget 2024: Govt allocates Rs 600 crore as grant to Maldives for FY25

Budget 2024: India has allocated Rs 600 crore as grant to the Maldives in FY25 (BE). This is 28.33% lower than RE for FY24, but 50% higher than the Rs 400 allocated in BE for FY24

Budget 2024: Industry leaders 'happy' with Modi govt's 'prudent' budget

Budget 2024 Updates: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her sixth budget, an interim one on February 1, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections scheduled for this year