Parliament Diary

The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill, 2019 was discussed and passed in Rajya Sabha today. The Bill was passed in Lok Sabha on Monday, July 1, 2019. To understand how the provisions of the Bill overrule the Allahabad High Court judgment, you can read a short explainer simplifying the Bill here. 

Some key questions answered in the Explainer: 

• How has teachers’ reservation been implemented in the past?
• What is the roster system specified by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pension in 1997?
• What is the difference in the application of the roster between the department and university systems?

Rajya Sabha took up a short duration discussion on electoral reforms. Members discussed simultaneous elections, questioned the use of electoral bonds, how to strengthen the use of EVMs, and the expenditure spent on general elections.  
The New Delhi International Arbitration Centre  Bill, 2019 was introduced in Lok Sabha today. The Bill replaces an Ordinance promulgated earlier this year. The Ordinance sought to establish an autonomous and independent institution for better management of arbitration in India. To know more about the provisions of the Ordinance, you can read a short summary here. 

The Dentists (Amendment) Bill was passed in Lok Sabha today. The Bill amends the Dentists Act, 1948. A register of dentists is maintained under the Act in two parts, Part A and Part B. The persons in Part B are Indian citizens who have been practicing as dentists for at least five years prior to a registration date notified by the state government. The Bill seeks to remove the mandatory requirement of the representation of dentists registered in Part B in these Councils.

The Bihar State Budget for 2019 -20 was presented by Mr. Sushil Kumar Modi, Finance Minister, on February 2019. You can read the budget analysis here. The Hindi translation can be accessed here. 

Some key highlights: 

• The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Bihar for 2019-20 at current prices is estimated to be Rs 5,72,827 crore, which is 5% higher than the revised estimate for 2018-19.  
• Total expenditure for 2019-20 is estimated to be Rs 2,00,501 crore, a 5% increase over the revised estimate of 2018-19.
• Total receipts (excluding borrowings) for 2019-20 are estimated to be Rs 1,79,849 crore.
• Revenue surplus for 2019-20 is targeted at Rs 21,517 crore or 3.76% of the GSDP. The fiscal deficit is targeted at Rs 16,101 crore (2.81% of GSDP).
• Increased allocation in sectors such as  agriculture and allied activities (24%), police (16%) and health and family welfare (14%).