Page 38 - Rajya Sabha

No compensation paid from Environment Relief Fund since 2019: Govt

No compensation has been paid since 2019 from the Environment Relief Fund established in 2008 to aid individuals affected by hazardous substances, the government has said. As of March 31, 2023, the fund has accumulated Rs 1,062 crore, Union Minister of State for Environment Ashiwini Kumar Choubey told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. "No amount has been disbursed as compensation from the Environment Relief Fund (ERF) since 2019," he said. Instituted under the Public Liability Act, 1991 (PLIA) in the wake of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, the ERF's primary purpose is to offer immediate relief to victims of accidents involving hazardous substances. The PLIA mandates industries handling hazardous materials to mandatorily obtain public liability insurance. Apart from contributions from hazardous industries that opt for insurance under the PLIA, the ERF consists of compensation awarded by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for damage to the environment under Section 24 of the NGT Act, 2010. Choub

Raghav Chadha suspended from RS for 'misconduct, contemptuous conduct'

AAP MP Raghav Chadha was on Friday suspended from Rajya Sabha for "gross violation of rule, misconduct, defiant attitude and contemptuous conduct", pending a report by the privileges committee. His suspension followed a motion moved by the Leader of House Piyush Goyal who sought action against the AAP leader for including names of four members of Upper House in a proposed select committee for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The motion was passed by a voice vote.

No temple under ASI protection is under debilitated condition: Govt

There are 3,696 centrally-protected monuments including temples under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India, and none of these temples is under a debilitated condition, the government told Parliament on Thursday. The government was asked whether it is a fact that there are huge number of centuries-old temples in the country which are in "debilitated condition" and needs rejuvenation, and if the Centre has prepared a comprehensive list of such structures in consultation with state governments. "No such list has been prepared by the ASI," Minister of Culture G Kishan Reddy in Rajya Sabha in his response to the question. Asked if it is a fact that "there are huge number of centuries-old temples in the country which are in debilitated condition and need rejuvenation," the government only responded about ASI-protected sites. "There are 3,696 centrally-protected monuments including temples under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the country. There i

Govt moves Bill dropping CJI from EC selection process; Opposition protests

Proposes Cabinet minister in the panel

Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid Oppn uproar, Pharmacy Bill passed

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Thursday amid Opposition uproar over discussion on the Manipur violence issue under a new rule. Amid the din, the House passed the Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023. When the House, which was adjourned in the morning session, reassembled at 2 pm, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar tried to bring unanimity for holding a discussion on the Manipur violence issue under a different rule. This followed an exchange of views from both sides as members recited poetry and couplets for sometime but no solution could be found. Soon thereafter a member from Mizoram rose to make a point that "tribals" including him have been living in India much before the British times and have not migrated from Myanmar. When the chairman did not allow him to speak further saying nothing will go on record, the entire opposition supported the Mizoram member and some of them trooped into the well raising slogans. The chairman took up the legislative business and the ..

Bill to replace CJI with cabinet minister for CEC, ECs selection tabled

The government on Thursday introduced in the Rajya Sabha a contentious bill that seeks to replace the Chief Justice of India with a cabinet minister in the panel for selection of chief election commissioners and election commissioners, amid an uproar by the opposition. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal moved the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023 in the Upper House in the post-lunch session. According to the bill, future chief election commissioners and election commissioners will be selected by a three-member panel headed by the prime minister and comprising the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha and a Cabinet minister. Opposition parties including the Congress and APP have raised strong objections to the bill and accused the government of diluting a Constitution bench order.

PM not God: Kharge insists on his presence in RS during Manipur debate

Opposition INDIA bloc members in Rajya Sabha Thursday proposed a discussion on Manipur under a rule that requires a resolution to be passed in the House but the ruling parties opposed their demand for the prime minister's presence, forcing an adjournment in the pre-lunch session. The opposition parties had till now been calling for a debate under Rule 267, which entails voting, and a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government has been insisting since the start of the Monsoon session on a short-duration discussion under Rule 176, which does not involve voting or any minister replying to the debate. On Thursday, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge requested Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar to allow a discussion under Rule 167 in the prime minister's presence. As the treasury benches protested this, Kharge quipped, "What will happen if the prime minister comes to the House? Is he parmaatma (almighty)? He is no God." This led to a ruckus in the House, forcing

Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid ruckus on Manipur issue

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Thursday after Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge demanded a discussion under Rule 167 on Manipur and insisted on the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the House. Members of the ruling parties were on their feet protesting against Kharge's demand. On this, Kharge said, "What will happen if the prime minister comes to the House? Is he 'parmaatma' (almighty)? He is not God." Sloganeering from ruling benches intensified after Kharge's remark on the PM. Amid the ruckus, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar adjourned the House till 2 pm.

Govt lists bill in Rajya Sabha to regulate appointment of CEC, ECs

The government has listed a bill for introduction in the Rajya Sabha to regulate the appointment, conditions of service and term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners. The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners (Appointment Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Bill also seeks to set up a procedure for transaction of business by the Election Commission. Though the contents of the Bill were not immediately available, the Supreme Court had in March delivered a landmark verdict aimed at insulating the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and election commissioners from the Executive's interference. It had ruled that their appointments will be done by the President on the advise of a committee comprising the prime minister, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Chief Justice of India. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice KM Joseph, in a unanimous verdict, held that this norm will continue to ho

Mansukh Mandaviya to move Pharmacy (Amendment) Bill, 2023 in Rajya Sabha

The bill, which was passed by voice vote in the Lower House, seeks to do away with issues concerning the status of persons registered or qualified under the Jammu and Kashmir Pharmacy Act

RS to take up Repealing and Amending Bill, 2023 for consideration, passage

The Bill seeks to repeal 65 laws that are obsolete or that have been made redundant by other laws. It also corrects a minor drafting error in the Factoring Regulation Act, 2011

Data bill compliance timelines to be different for startups and big techs

This (licensing requirement for PC imports) is really about the import management system. It is about managing the type of imports bound for India, said MoS IT

Rajya Sabha passes data protection law amid surveillance concerns

The new legislation comes after India withdrew a 2019 privacy bill that had alarmed tech companies like Facebook and Google with its proposals for stringent restrictions on cross-border data flows

Bill to decriminalise offences in coastal aquaculture activities passed

Parliament on Wednesday passed the Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which aims to decriminalise the offences committed in carrying out coastal aquaculture activities and ensure ease of doing business. The bill was cleared by the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote on Wednesday. It was passed in the Lok Sabha on August 7. Replying to a debate on the bill in Rajya Sabha, Parshottam Rupala, Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, said that India has benefitted from green revolution and white revolution. "Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, India will have blue revolution which will take the fisherman community ahead," Rupala said. The Coastal Aquaculture Authority (Amendment) Bill also seeks to expand the scope, remove regulatory gaps and reduce the compliance burden without diluting environmental protection rules in the coastal areas. To decriminalise the offences, the bill seeks to remove the jail term of up to three years and impose only a .

Bill to set up national agency to fund research across universities passes

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Bill 2023 to set up a national agency to fund research across universities in the country. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday. It was passed by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha in just 40 minutes after being taken up for consideration and passage. Only six members participated in the debate as the Opposition had earlier walked out of the House. Replying to the discussion for consideration and passage of the Bill, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh termed it "history in the making" and said it is going to have long-term outcomes. As Opposition members were not present in the Upper House during the discussion and passage of the Bill, Singh said the government was looking forward to having more constructive inputs from them as well. Participating in the discussion on the Bill, Sujit Kumar of the BJD said: "The hope is that this Bill - NRF 2023 - will bring about an integrated, holis

761 terror attacks, 174 civilian deaths in J&K in last 5 yrs: Home Ministry

The hinterlands of the country have witnessed five terrorist incidents in the last five years with more than half of them in 2022 alone

Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act not a threat to Nagas: Nagaland CM Rio

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday asserted that the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act 2023 is not a threat to Nagas as more than 95 per cent of forest cover in the state belong to individuals or community. "In Nagaland, hardly 5 per cent of the land and forest cover belongs to the government while more than 95 per cent are owned by individuals or community," he said while replying to a query of PTI on the stand of the state government on the passing of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill by Parliament recently. The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on August 2 and it received the President's assent on August 4. Rio while talking to reporters on the sidelines of an official function here said Article 371 (A) gives special protection to Nagas on land and its resources. He said, "We feel that it is not a threat to the state but we will make further study on its implication and we will not make any reacting for now". On the Naga Peopl

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

Rajya Sabha proceedings adjourned till 2 pm amid protest from Opposition

Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Wednesday amid protest by opposition parties after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Tushar Gandhi has been arrested on a day India marks anniversary of the Quit India movement. After the listed papers were tabled, opposition MPs raised the issue of Tushar Gandhi's arrest. Several members from the ruling side countered them. When Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked Kharge to express his views on the matter, the Congress leader said: "You mentioned about Quit India movement and we stood in silence for two minutes. But Tushar Gandhi was arrested this morning". As opposition members protested, MPs from treasury benches tried to counter them. Tushar Gandhi is the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. The chairman appealed to the protesting members to take their seats. Amid the ruckus, Dhankhar also expressed anguish over AAP MP Sushil Gupta coming to the House wearing a garland of tomatoes. "There is a limit to which we ca

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