The Lok Sabha, after the session convened at 4.00 p.m., is currently holding general discussion on the Union Budget 2022-23.
Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha also held general discussion on the Budget. The House was adjourned at 3.15 p.m.
Here are the latest updates:
Lok Sabha adjourned for the day
Lok Sabha proceedings have been adjourned until 4.00 p.m. on Thursday, February 10, 2022.
Name train between Indore and Mumbai after Lata Mangeshkar: BJP MP
BJP MP Shankar Lalwani demands that the Duronto Express train running between Indore and Mumbai be named after legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar as she was born in Indore and worked all her life in Mumbai.
Congress member Ramya Haridas says even though the MSME industry has suffered severely due to the pandemic, but the Budget does not offer any financial package to the sector.
BJP's Rahul Kaswan praises the Government for the expansion of the National Highways network in the country.
He raises the non-payment of the insurance claims to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and urges the Finance Minister to hold the Banks and insurance firms responsible to make sure they pay the valid claims to farmers.
Congress MP Balubhau (SN) Dhanorkar says a Budget also evaluates the previous Budget, but how will a Budget be assessed which has a 25-year vision.
The MP from Maharashtra's Chandrapur also alleges the Budget has completely neglected his State.
Lost most of Galwan during Nehru's time: J. T. Namgyal
Ladakh MP further says Galwan valley is a large region and India had lost most of it during Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's regime. "What's left today is PP14 which is the mouth (entrance) of the Galwan valley," he says while claiming, "we have not lost an inch of it."
He praises the Central Government for allocating Rs 5,958 crore for Ladakh.
First Budget to cover remote border areas: Ladakh MP
BJP MP J. Tsering Namgyal says earlier most Budgets used to remain focused on election-bound States. This is the first Budget to focus on remote border areas where barely 5-7 households are present, he adds.
Saying that he comes from a border region in Ladakh, Mr. Namgyal says the Congress' policy was to not develop borders in order to keep them safe. "Today whatever threat is increasing in the border areas is a result of Congress' policies," he adds.
BJP MP Kanakmal Katara says the Budget provides vision for the next 25 years and to make India self-reliant.
Congress MP Adoor Prakash says the Budget is a disappointment for Kerala. The State is suffering heavily due to the COVID-19 outbreak, he says while saying an institution like AIIMS is of urgent importance for the State.
Indian Union Muslim League MP K. Navas Kani is speaking on the subject in Tamil.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi MP Dr. T. Thirumaavalavan Thol is speaking on the Budget in Tamil.
'Reliance began advertising cryptos two months before Budget'
Mr. Behanan also says that MNCs like Reliance had "started advertising crypto-currency two months before the Budget announcement of taxing them. "This is a clear evidence that the Government's intentions are to help the monopolies," he alleges.
Congress MP Benny Behanan says, "Nirmala ji, you are a very good orator and have always presented good speeches, but I'm sorry to say your Budget speeches are disappointing us."
He also says it was high time that Prime Minister Modi learned history to refrain from speaking about historical blunders.
Bahujan Samaj Party's Ritesh Pandey says the hike in the allocation for the defence sector in the Budget is not sufficient to meet all the demands of the three Armed Forces. We need to bring the expenditure on defence to at least 2% of the GDP to be able to compete with China, he says.
Hanuman Beniwal of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party says the Budget is silent on the Prime Minister's promise of doubling farmers' income. He also says the middle-class taxpayer was disappointed with it due to no change in the tax slab.
No interest on Rs 1 lakh crore for States, says Finance Minister
Talking about the Budget, Supriya Sule seeks clarification from the Finance Minister on Rs. 1 lakh crore allocated in the Budget for States to borrow.
Ms. Sitharaman, replying on the query, says the amount of Rs. 1 lakh crore is above the States' borrowing limits and will be given for a period of 50 years with zero interest. The amount has been allocated to push various infrastructure projects in the States, she adds.
Supriya Sule slams Tejasvi Surya on various remarks
Ms. Sule also slams BJP MP Tejasvi Surya's comments on dynastic politics and named various BJP leaders who come from political families, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, Pritama Munde among others. She says she is not ashamed of being born in a political family and is also proud of all these leaders.
The NCP MP also rebuts Mr. Surya for saying that "no businesses were created in India before PM Modi came to power in 2014" and names companies like Infosys, Wipro, Serum Institute of India, Cipla among others and says founders of these companies started from nothing.
Supirya Sule condemns BJP MLA on moral policing to women on clothing
Requesting a couple of minutes out of the assigned topic of Union Budget, NCP MP Supriya Sule says a BJP MLA from Karnataka today said that "rapes are increasing because of women's clothing". "The BJP has a problem if women wear Hijab and they also have a problem if we wear something else. They do moral policing and thought policing at the same time," Ms. Sule says.
She urges Ms. Sitharaman to intervene into the matter and asks the House to unanimously condemn the remarks.
CPI's M. Selvaraj is speaking in Tamil.
Only Congress prince unemployed in country: Tejasvi Surya's remarks create uproar in Lok Sabha
The Bengaluru South MP, saying that he comes from the startup capital of India, says before 2014 there were “only 5,000 registered startups in India and today there are more than 65,000 registered start ups”. He also notes that “41 startups became unicorns during the COVID-19 pandemic”. "This shoes the kind of resilience, talent and the capability the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Governance has unleashed in the country. This is the two India."
He goes on to say that the Opposition was raising the matter of rising unemployment in the country but how can there be no employment generation when the size of the GDP, FDI, and number of unicorns have increased multiple times in the country.
"Congress party and its dynasty leaders are confusing their political unemployment as the unemployment of the country," Mr. Surya says while adding that if there is one person who is unemployed "it is the prince and dynast of the Congress party".
Mr. Surya's comments led to an uproar in the House as Opposition members led by the Congress objected to his comments.
Congress MP Hibi Eden rose to read out rule no. 353 which says "no allegation of a defamatory and incriminatory nature shall be made by a member against any person unless the member has given sufficient notice".
The BJP MP, however, replied, "How can you address a member who is perpetually absent from the House and spends more amount of time in foreign vacations." Congress MPs shout to protest Mr. Surya's personal remarks against Rahul Gandhi.
Mr. Surya also alleged the Congress "deliberately kept India's economy shackled", while saying the socialist parties wanted to keep country's stakes in their hands and did not promote wealth creation and entrepreneurship in the country. "We had not heard of self-made millionaires and startup millionaires," he claimed, while citing examples of various entrepreneurs and alleging the "dynasty-based political parities did not want to create such kinds of economic leaders".
1991 Budget result of economic compulsion; Nirmala Sitharaman's Budgets from Govt conviction: Tejasvi Surya
L. S. Tejasvi Surya of the BJP says the political commentariat speaks highly of the 1991 Budget and describes it as the Budget which opened the doors for India's economic growth. "One must keep in mind that the 1991 Budget and the reforms that were introduced therein were made at a time of economic compulsion," he says while adding that the reforms were not brought in as a result of the government's conviction.
"The difference between then (1991 Budegt) and all the four Budgets that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has presented is that the economic reforms introduced in her Budgets is very dedicatedly, concertedly a result of the conviction of the Government to introduce economic reforms," he adds.
He further says India's history can be viewed as before Modi era and after Modi era. Referring to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's speech, he says the Waynad MP should have elaborated on these two Indias.
JD(U) MP Mahabali Singh says it has become a trend in democracy that no matter how good a government does, the Opposition has to criticise it.
He says the Congress could not provide the poor of the country with a house, clean drinking water and good healthcare facilities in over 60 years but it is criticising the Government which is taking initiatives in this area.
He, however, raises the issue of development in Bihar and says India cannot become a developed nation unless Bihar becomes a developed State.
YSRCP MP from Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor, N. Reddeppa is speaking on the subject in Telugu.
BJP MP Dr. Heena V. Gavit, supporting the Budget, says she has seen women carrying water in pots on their heads from a long distance and thanks the Government for the Jal Jeevan Mission.
Congress MP M. K. Raghavan, referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech in the House, says we don't belong to any 'tukde-tukde gang' but are part of an organisation called Indian National Congress.
He also says this government should thank Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru for setting up so many public sector undertakings. If he hadn't created the PSUs, how would the Government earn so much revenue, he adds.
D. M. Kathir Anand of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam raises the matter of National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and asks how does it make sense that the Tamil Nadu Government will put in all the money in a State medical college but a person from "North India" comes, takes the degree and leaves.
He alleges the Central Government is completely "neglecting the concerns of Tamil Nadu and is only focusing on North India".
Farooq Abdullah demands tourism be declared an industry
Noting that the economy of Jammu and Kashmir is dependent on two sectors -- Tourism and Horticulture, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah says the apple growers of the Union Territory was in a bad state as the Government is importing apples from Iran without any taxes. And our own apples are rotting in the cold storage, he adds.
He says a large part of J&K's population was involved in the tourism sector while demanding the Government to declare it an industry. "We have been demanding this for a long time."
General discussion on Union Budget begins
The Lok Sabha is now holding general discussion on the Union Budget 2022-23.
YSRCP MP Kotagiri Sridhar raises the issue of shutting down of Sri Krishan Jute Mills in Andhra Pradesh's Eluru, a 100-year-old factory employing about 5,000 people, and reduction in Jute production in Andhra Pradesh. He says this happened due to the price restriction policy of the Jute corporation and the Food Ministry.
"While they are price sensitive, it is unfortunate that indirectly they are helping a plastic product from Reliance Industries in place of millions of farmers who are supplying from the Jute industry," he says.
He says the Government should encourage the Jute industry which is also helping the farmers and Jute bags will be essential to reduce the use of single use plastic.
CPI(M)'s S. Venkatesan is currently speaking in Tamil.
Ramesh Bidhuri calls Arvind Kejriwal 'chameleon'
Bharatiya Janata Party's Ramesh Bidhuri alleges Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was 'hypocrite' for providing salary to the maulvis of mosques in Delhi and ignoring the pujaris of temples. He says Mr. Kejriwal was like "chameleon which changes its colour time to time".
He further goes on to talk about Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, but Chair N. K. Premachandran asks him to stick to one issue.
Various Opposition members objects to his comments calling them unparliamentary and demand ann inquiry into them.
Compensate kin of those who died during farmers stir: Bhagwant Mann
Aam Aadmi Party's Chief Ministerial candidate for Punjab Assembly polls and MP Bhagwant Mann raised the issue of pending cases against people involved in the farmers protest against the three farm laws (now repealed).
He also says that now that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken back the laws and apologised for them, the Government should also give compensation to the families of those who lost their lives in the year-long stir.
Lok Sabha takes up matters of urgent public importance
The House is now taking matters of urgent public importance.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury points out absence of several ministers
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of Congress says it has become a norm now that one Minister represents several of his/her colleague even if a question is not distantly related to his/her portfolio. He says some Ministers have made it an excuse to remain absent in the House.
Speaker Om Birla says he made this provision due to the COVID-19 outbreak and the system will end as the outbreak stops.
Papers being laid on the table
After the Question Hour ends, papers are now being laid on the lable in the Lok Sabha.
Om Birla disappointed over lack of discipline in Lok Sabha
Speaker Om Birla expresses his displeasure over MPs standing and talking to one another during the House proceedings. He says he noticed members standing and talking for minutes in the House but "after today if I find a member standing and talking for more than 10 seconds, I will call them out by name".
Arguments between DMK MP and Piyush Goyal
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP A. Ganeshamurthi asks a question regarding FDI inflow in Tamil, to which Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal says he could not hear the first part of the question and asks Mr. Ganeshamurthi to repeat the question.
The DMK MP, however, says if I ask a question in Tamil, the Minister has to answer in English and not in Hindi. He says some MPs asked questions in Tamil but the Ministers replied in Hindi.
Mr. Goyal replies saying he could not switch on his translator immediately and missed some part of the question, but adds that he could answer in Hindi if he wishes and the translation tool was available with the MP.
The issue starts arguments between the DMK MPs and the Treasury Benches, leading to intervention from Speaker Om Birla.
Calming down the uproar in the House, Mr. Birla asks Mr. Ganeshamurthi to repeat his question once, which the DMK MP does.
Mr. Goyal, before getting to the answer to the question, asks the Speaker if there was a rule that a Minister had to reply in the same language in which the question was asked. After Mr. Birla confirms there was no such rule, Mr. Goyal says he would answer in Hindi.
He says the Government of India is committed to bringing more FDI into the country.
Revolutionary Socialist Party MP N. K. Premachandran says 4G network is still not provided for BSNL consumers in Kerala and demands a response on the matter.
Mr. Vaishnav, in his response, says the company had been in a bad state for a long time and efforts were being made to revive it. We're all trying to revive BSNL and it might take some time, he adds.
Danish Ali, Ashwini Vaishnav argue over BSNL's performance
Danish Ali of the BSP asks if the Government was planning on using the revival package of about Rs 44,000 crore to improve the performance of BSNL and sell it into private hands like Air India.
Union Minister of Communications Ashwini Vaishnav says BSNL and MTNL, with the capital investment from the Government, will revive properly and grow.
Lok Sabha proceedings begin
Lok Sabha session begins as the House takes up the Question Hour.
Rajya Sabha adjourned
The Upper House is adjourned and is set to meet on February 10 at 10.00 a.m.
Sanjay Singh, Aam Aadmi Party, says the government first promised 2 crore jobs but now they have promised 60 lakh jobs, admitting that they are not capable to give 2 crore jobs.
Elamaram Kareem, CPI (M), says this is an anti-people Budget. "Unemployment is so bad that there are job riots in Bihar. No Budget in the recent period has been presented at a time the economy is going through so many problems. Need of the hour was job creation. The Budget failed to address this", he says.
Kanimozhi N.V.N. Somu, DMK, in her maiden speech, says the road to recovery is very fragile. The only sure thing in the last three years is economic uncertainty. She adds, "we are sitting on a health time bomb."
Dola Sen, TMC, says Budget gave no assurance to the young, women, jobless migrants and MGNREGA workers. "When the government is trying to privatise everything it is time the government also is made private", says Ms. Sen.
Nirmala Sitharaman presented 100 times better Budget than Chidambaram: Sushil Kumar Modi
Sushil Kumar Modi,BJP, says Finance Minister has degree from JNU, not Harvard like P. Chidambaram and she presented a 100 times better Budget.
"If we did not have PM Modi’s leadership and the frontline workers, 50 lakh not 5 lakh people would have died of COVID-19", Mr. Modi says.
Speaking to the Finance Minister, he says "I request your party to field you in an election so you find out about the condition of people."
Mr. Sibal asks the Finance Minister to focus on the children of the country. Quoting an article by Raghuram Rajan, former RBI Governor, he says the thing that is lacking is the gross demand shortage.
This Budget has no vision, no long-term plan: Sibal
Kapil Sibal, INC, speaks on the Union Budget. He says words like "green", "digital" were used but words like "food security" and "poverty" were missing. He questions whether the budget is for the people who buy airports and asks who the budget is for. Mr. Sibal says to Finance Minister, "you look at the skies, you should look at the ground" and emphasises on the need for a budget rooted in reality. He says one should tackle unemployment sector-wise. "I believe that this budget has no long term plan.". "Wealth is always created by universities and never by industries." He says giving benefits to industries will not create wealth. Mr. Sibal highlights the importance of investing in Research and Development. "Give students the freedom to think", Mr. Sibal says. "Unless we invest in the university system to create IPs it is hard to create wealth", Mr. Sibal says. "Since 2014, I have been experiencing Rahu kaal, not Amrit kaal", he says. He adds, the leader of the tukde tukde gang is the one who drives a wedge between people and "the one who does tukde tukde of the constitution".
'This is a Ambani, Adani government': Binoy Viswam
Binoy Viswam, CPI, says the government was the reason for the pitiable situation of migrant workers. PM in turn blamed the Congress for it. - Damini Nath
Narendra Jadhav, Nominated, welcomes the Budget, says it is a no-nonsense Budget. - Damini Nath
A.D. Singh, RJD, says government only paying lip service to Atma Nirbhar Bharat. "We respect U.N. sanctions, not U.S. sanctions. Why are we scared? Government stopped buying urea from Iran because of U.S. and price went up from $300 to $1,000, says Mr. Singh - Damini Nath
Sukhram Singh Yadav, Samajwadi Party, asks how will farmers benefit from drone farming given the lack of education. - Damini Nath
M. Thambidurai, AIADMK, says his party supports the Budget and he appreciates the efforts of the Modi government in protecting the economy during the pandemic. "States are not getting sufficient funds after the implementation of GST. Centre should give more funds and arrears" - Damini Nath
Jharna Das Baidya, CPI (M) says PM Awas Yojana is fine but there should be allocation for it also. "They give only ₹1.30 lakh per house. How can you make a house in that much?" "Allocation for all schemes for farmers and agriculture has been cut when farmers are starving for legally guaranteed MSP." - Damini Nath
'No one's budget'
V. Vijayasai Reddy, YSRCP, says the budget is bad for Andhra Pradesh. "What about the aatmanirbharta of the States?", he asks. "Andhra is the only State that has controlled population but it is not getting the benefit of doing so from the Centre", he says. "Lakhs of people have complained about glitches in Income Tax portal. The Income Tax deductions should be linked to inflation." "Every year one element is added to Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas; prayas and Vishwas were added later."- Vijaita Singh
K.R. Suresh Reddy, TRS, says the Finance Minister's 90 minute speech has left 90 crore Indians out of the budget. "Not even the PM can question the authority of the House, the bill was passed by this House, if the bifurcation of Telengana pains you so much, how many amendments did you bring to correct the mistake? How many meetings did you convene?", he asks.
He's responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks in the House regarding bifurcation of erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh.
He criticises the government for their procurement policy. "With the talk of private players in agriculture in the budget speech, we are scared the three farm laws might make a back door entry and government should assure that MSP will continue to remain."- Vijaita Singh
Rural economy is under stress
Dr. Amar Patnaik, BJP, says the budget devotes about eight paragraphs on climate action and climate change and commends the Minister for the same. He says that it is important to devote a part of the budget to combat climate change and says that it is the poor who are disproportionately affected.
Mr. Patnaik quotes the 15th Finance Commission report and notes that investment in primary health sector requires a definitive push.
He demands for the implementation of Swaminathan Committee. He says that rural economy is under stress.
"What is more important to women, a diamond or a sanitary napkin?"
Mohamed Abdulla, DMK, is continuing his speech. Enforcing 30% tax on cryptocurrency without an Act has never been heard of, Mr. Abdulla says. "Does an illegal activity become legal if one pays tax?", he asks. "Is a diamond more important to a girl or a sanitary napkin?", he asks and condemns the taxation of sanitary napkins at 12%. The budget is not focussed on unemployment and agricultural crisis, he says. Quoting Oxfam report he notes that the number of Indian billionaires grew from 102 to 142. He says the poor and middle class have been hit and demands that the government tax corporate establishments suitably.
Discussion on Union Budget 2022-23 starts
Questions concerning the use of drugs are being taken up.
Questions concerning moral education in schools are being entertained in the House.
Binoy Viswam talks about the roots of left wing ideology. Deputy Chairman says it won't go on record. Mr. Rai says "we don’t use the term urban naxal, be it rural area or urban area, when it comes to LWE, be it a city or any other place we take strict action accordingly."- Vijaita Singh
Maoist ideology in India inspired by international groups: MoS Home Nityanand Rai
Rakesh Sinha, BJP, Nominated, says some sitting in universities and educational institutions are propagating urban naxal ideology and adds that it is happening under the garb of media too.
MoS Home Nityanand Rai says in India, Maoist ideology inspired by international groups. If some action is taken, then some international groups come forward to help them. Left wing Extremism is a dangerous ideology, those who raise Anti- India slogans can never be part Of Indian culture that is constructive, PM Modi is the messiah of the poor, the LWE ideology under wane under his leadership. Efforts taken to arrest the urban naxal ideology. Left Wing Extremists want to bring dictatorship at the point of gun. - Vijaita Singh
Questions concerning Highway construction are being entertained. BJP MP Neeraj Shekhar says no work done on road from Ghazipur to Hajipur, though work was sanctioned in 2016, big potholes.
Minister Gen. (Retd.) V.K Singh says four landing of road under process, DPR has been finalised. - Vijaita Singh
Question Hour begins
Question Hour begins in Rajya Sabha and questions concerning education of girls are being entertained.
On arrested fishermen
Shaktisinh Gohil, INC, says "yesterday night Pakistan Marine confiscated 10 boats and arrested 60 fishermen, 27 in the past few days , 643 Gujarat fishermen in Pakistani jails. Government should press for their release." - Vijaita Singh
On increasing cost of education
V. Sivadasan, CPI(M), Kerala, talks about the increasing cost of education for students during the pandemic and lists the fellowships whose grants have been slashed. He notes that scholarship for SCs by UGC have been cut down drastically from more than 9,500 in 2016 to 3986 in 2020-21. The post doctoral fellowships have come down from 553 to 332, he says. - Vijaita Singh
On Retirement age for judges and the naming of Odisha High Court
Prasanna Acharya, BJD, Odisha, asks that the name of Odisha High Court be changed to High Court of Odisha and P. Wilson, DMK, Tamil Nadu suggests that the age of retirement for judges be increased from 62 to 65. - Vijaita Singh
On forest cover and 'Clean Ganga' project
Vandana Chavan, NCP, Maharashtra, talks about how coffee, palm trees do not constitute as forest cover and Kumar Ketkar, INC, Karnataka, asks the status of the Clean Ganga project and notes that that about 20,000 - 30,000 crores has been alloted to the project. - Vijaita Singh
'We can raise an Afghan battalion and deploy them in Kashmir'
A.D. Singh, RJD, Bihar, says "hundreds of students stranded in Afghanistan are being denied visa. When we know Afghanistan is pro-India we can easily raise a battalion of Afghans like the Gorkhas and deploy them in Kashmir to give a befitting reply to Pakistan."
Zero Hour begins
Zero Hour begins in Rajya Sabha.
Rajya Sabha proceedings begin
Rajya Sabha proceedings begin. Papers are being laid on the table.
List of Business in Rajya Sabha (10.00 a.m.)
1. Papers to be laid on the table.
2. Question Hour
3. General Discussion on the Union Budget 2022-23
List of Business in Lok Sabha (4.00 p.m.)
1. Question Hour
2. Papers to be laid on the table.
3. General Discussion on the Union Budget 2022-23
Day 7 recap
The Rajya Sabha proceedings were marked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech as a response to the Motion of Thanks to the President. The House also witnessed its first day of general discussion on the Union Budget 2022-23, with P. Chidambaram and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda taking part in the same.
The Lok Sabha continued the general discussion on the Union Budget. The House also discussed matters of urgent importance after the Question Hour.
