Page 26 - Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha passes bill to amend water Act to decriminalise minor offences

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill which seeks to decriminalise minor offences related to water pollution, enable the Centre to prescribe service conditions of chairpersons of State Pollution Control Boards, and exempt certain categories of industrial plants from statutory restrictions. Piloting the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill 2024 in the Upper House of Parliament, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that development and environment protection must go together. There should be harmony in ease of living and ease of doing business, he added. Replying to a debate on the Bill, the minister said its provisions will lead to greater transparency in dealing with various issues related to water pollution. The Bill, which seeks to amend the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, was approved by the Rajya Sabha by voice vote. According to the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill, the amendment proposes to rationalise ..

No decision to introduce plastic notes: MoS finance to Rajya Sabha

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary on Tuesday said the government has taken no decision to introduce plastic notes. Efforts to enhance the durability and counterfeit resistance of the Indian banknotes is an ongoing process, he said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. As per the RBI Annual Report 2022-23, he said, "The total expenditure incurred on security printing stood at Rs 4,682.80 crore for 2022-23. No cost has been incurred on printing of plastic notes". "Government has taken no decision to introduce plastic notes in terms of section 25 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. Efforts to enhance the durability and counterfeit resistance of the Indian banknotes is an ongoing process," the minister said. In reply to another question, Chaudhary said trading illegal commodities using any kind of assets, including crypto assets, is a crime and is dealt with as per existing penal provisions. The Anti-Money Laundering (AML)/ Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) provis

Sanjay Singh gets nod from court to attend Parliament to take oath as RS MP

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted fresh permission to AAP leader Sanjay Singh, arrested in alleged excise scam, to attend Parliament to take oath as a Rajya Sabha MP. Special Judge MK Nagpal allowed Singh to go to Parliament in police custody either on February 8 or 9. The judge passed the order on the application filed by Singh, seeking directions to the jail superintendent concerned for taking him physically to Rajya Sabha to take oath as its member. The judge had earlier on February 3 allowed a similar application filed by Singh. However, the AAP leader could not take oath despite reaching Parliament on Monday. Official sources cited the direction of Rajya Sabha on August 11, 2023 that Singh's suspension for unruly conduct during the monsoon session will remain in force and he cannot attend proceedings till the Privileges Committee submits its report and it is considered by the House. The application sought direction to the authorities concerned to take him again to Rajya Sabha

Unruly passengers on no-fly list soared 78% last year, shows data

Whenever a passenger indulges in unruly behaviour, the incident must be investigated by the airline's internal committee to decide the duration for which the passenger will be banned from

AAP leader Sanjay Singh not allowed to take Rajya Sabha oath: Reports

Jailed AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who has been re-elected to Rajya Sabha from Delhi, on Monday could not take oath as it was not listed in the business of the House, sources in the Rajya Sabha secretariat said. Singh, who is in judicial custody in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, came to Parliament to take oath following permission from a Delhi court. The Aam Aadmi Party said Singh should have been allowed to take oath but official sources cited the August 11th direction of the Upper House that Singh's suspension for unruly conduct during the Monsoon session will remain in force and he cannot attend proceedings till the Privileges Committee submits its report and it is considered by the House. That the matter pertains to Singh's previous term has no impact on this, they said. "Summons (for oath taking) were not issued to Sanjay Singh who had also been elected, as he suffered the directives of the House passed on 11th August 2023 disentitling him

11.863 million houses sanctioned under PMAY-U: Centre to Rajya Sabha

PMAY-U is a demand-driven scheme and the Government of India has not fixed any target for financial year-wise sanctioning of houses under the scheme

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

5 of 14 rail projects taken up to boost coal evacuation, commissioned: Govt

Of the 14 rail projects taken up for implementation to boost coal evacuation, five have already been commissioned and the remaining are at different stages of construction, Parliament was informed on Monday. In addition, coastal shipping and inland waterways are also being promoted for evacuation of coal, Coal Minister Pralhad Joshi said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. Replying to a query, Joshi said, "14 rail projects have been taken up for implementation for improving coal evacuation... Of these, five rail lines have already been commissioned and others are at various stages of construction." "In addition to the above, the Ministry of Railways has planned several rail projects under Green Energy Corridor Projects, High-density Network Projects and Rail Sagar Projects," the minister said. The coal ministry recently launched a coal logistics policy and integrated coal evacuation plan to address the issue of coal transportation amidst rising demands.

Cong Telangana unit authorises party high command to finalise RS candidates

The Pradesh Election Committee of the Congress' Telangana unit on Tuesday passed a resolution authorising party chief Mallikarjun Kharge to finalise its candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections to fill three vacancies from the state. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy said a unanimous resolution was passed authorising Kharge and the Congress' Central Election Committee to finalise the candidates. The meeting, attended by Deepa Dasmunshi -- the All India Congress Committee's (AICC) Telangana in-charge -- and other leaders, discussed the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha elections and finalised an action plan, he said. Elections will be held to fill three vacancies in the Rajya Sabha from Telangana. Reddy -- who is also the Congress' Telangana unit chief -- said applications from probable candidates for the Lok Sabha polls will be accepted at Gandhi Bhavan, the party's headquarters in the state. Telangana has 17 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress is like

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

Lone seat vacant on Nadda's term expiry can go to Sonia or Priyanka: Cong

Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh on Tuesday said the lone Rajya Sabha seat falling vacant on expiry of six-year term of BJP national president JP Nadda on April 2 can go to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. "We would discuss the matter with senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and the seat could go to them if they are willing," Singh said when asked about sending their names from the state. Sonia Gandhi contested from the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituency in the 2019 general election. Priyanka Gandhi is neither a member of the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha at present. "The names of Sonia Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra can be considered if they so desire," she told mediapersons here in reply to a question on the sidelines of a function to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 76th death anniversary. Following declaration of schedule for the elections to 56 Rajya Sabha seats, including one in Himachal Pradesh, search has be

BJP-led NDA could gain in Rajya Sabha polls to 56 seats on February 27

The strength of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) that it leads, currently at 114, is also set to improve with the return of the Janata Dal (United) to its fold

VP urges assembly speakers to make constitution that carries all amendments

VP Dhankhar also expressed concern over the fact that the general public is clueless about the 22 miniature paintings that are an integral part of the Indian constitution

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 .

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

Will not contest Lok Sabha polls from Balasore, says Ashwini Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday said he will not contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Balasore seat in Odisha, putting speculations to rest. Speculations were rife that the BJP may field Vaishnaw, a Rajya Sabha MP, in the Balasore seat in the Lok Sabha elections. He was the district collector of Balasore as an IAS officer. "I will not contest from Balasore. We have Pratap 'Nana' here," he told reporters, referring to sitting BJP MP Pratap Sarangi, who is a former Union minister. The speculations were further fuelled by Vaishnaw's extensive visits to various places in Balasore and attending public programmes. He visited the Balasore railway station in the morning, and asked officers to write 'Baleswar', as the place is known in Odia, instead of 'Balasore' in signages. He also visited Jhadheshwar Shiv temple along with Sarangi. He donated an ambulance to the Balasore district hospital, and also went to the AIIMS satellite hospital nearby. Last week, when Vaishnaw vi

With no opposition candidates, AAP candidates to sail unopposed in RS

The AAP's Rajya Sabha nominees in Delhi Swati Maliwal, Sanjay Singh and N D Gupta are set to be elected unopposed as no candidate from any other party has filed nomination, officials said on Friday. The six-year term of AAP MPs Singh, N D Gupta and Sushil Kumar Gupta ends on January 27. While the AAP has renominated Singh and N D Gupta for a second term, it nominated Maliwal, former Delhi Commission for Women chief, to replace Sushil Gupta. "The three candidates are set to be elected unopposed since no other candidate has filed nomination. The results will be announced formally later in the day," an official said. The last date for filing nominations was January 9 while the scrutiny of nominations took place on January 10. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is January 12.

AAP's RS candidates Maliwal, N D Gupta, Sanjay Singh file nominations

The Aam Aadmi Party's candidates for the January 19 Rajya Sabha elections former Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal, N D Gupta and Sanjay Singh filed their nominations here on Monday, officials said. The six-year term of Sanjay Singh, Sushil Kumar Gupta and N D Gupta ends on January 27. Maliwal's name has been nominated by the party to replace Sushil Gupta. AAP has renominated ND Gupta and jailed party leader Sanjay Singh for their second terms. The officials said Maliwal, ND Gupta and Singh filed their nominations at the Delhi transport commissioner's office in Civil Lines. The election, if necessary, to fill up the three vacancies will be held on January 19. The last date for filing nominations is January 9 while the scrutiny of nominations will take place on January 10. The last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is January 12. Maliwal resigned as the DCW chairperson after AAP fielded her as its Rajya Sabha candidate on Friday.

Court allows jailed Sanjay Singh to visit Returning Officer for RS polls

A court here has allowed AAP leader Sanjay Singh, arrested in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise scam, to physically visit the returning officer for the Rajya Sabha election in connection with the filing of nomination papers. Special Judge M K Nagpal, who had earlier allowed Singh to sign certain documents related to his re-nomination for Rajya Sabha polls, passed the direction on an application filed by the politician. The judge directed Tihar jail authorities to produce Singh before the returning officer on January 8 and 10 "to enable him to submit his nomination papers in connection with the said election and also for scrutiny thereof". "The accused shall be permitted to remain there till the above process of nomination and scrutiny of the documents is completed," the judge directed in an order passed on January 6. The politician submitted that his present term as a Member of Rajya Sabha is expiring on January 27, 2024, and the returning officer has alrea

Aam Aadmi Party nominates DCW chief Swati Maliwal for Rajya Sabha

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal has been nominated for the first time