Parliament Diary

Parliament continued with its discussion on Budget 2021. The Finance Minister is expected to reply in Rajya Sabha tomorrow. 

In Lok Sabha, the Finance Minister presented the statement showing the second batch of supplementary budget for 2020-21. The proposal involves an additional cash outgo of  Rs. 4.13 lakh crore. The first batch, presented during the Monsoon Session, had included an additional cash outgo of Rs 1.67 lakh crore.

Before financial business, the Defence Minister briefed Parliament on the situation in Ladakh. 

The Committee on Labour submitted its report on the welfare measures of inter-state migrant workers and the External Affairs Committee submitted its report on the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill, 2019. The Bill provides for the prevention of maritime piracy and prosecution of persons for such piracy-related crimes. 

During Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, a question was put to the government regarding its plan to reintroduce the bill on accountability of judges. (The bill was passed in Lok Sabha in 2012, but lapsed with its dissolution). The Law Minister replied that there have been concerns from the judiciary regarding some of the bill’s provisions impinging upon its independence. He agreed on the need to strengthen the accountability mechanism and said the government is in dialogue with the judiciary. 

Separately, a Member asked the IT Minister if the government was planning to regulate social media as media companies and bring them under the purview of the Press Council rules and FDI rules, as recommended by the IT Committee. The Minister replied that the government is revisiting the guidelines which will be announced once they are finalized.

Proceedings in Lok Sabha were ongoing at the time of uploading this note.