Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE: India to become $5 trillion economy early in Amrit Kaal: FinMin

16:12 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

16:02 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Revisit law, regularise a system which is workable in judicial system: DMK MP A Raja

The Bill, according to A Raja, a DMK MP from Tamil Nadu who represents the Nilgiris, was written with little consideration for the Parliament's legislative authority. He claims that cooperative federalism is becoming a laughingstock and that the Parliament has been presented with bills that infringe on state sovereignty.

He claims that although the Bill aims to remove a colonial-era provision, it is actually restoring it, and he challenges the reasoning behind it.

16:01 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

How to identify touts, ask AITC MP Kalyan Banerjee in Lok Sabha

AITC MP Kalyan Banerjee claims that the Supreme Court hasn't heard any cases involving the nation's poor or farmers in the last 20 years, raising the question of whether the court exists to settle the concerns of the affluent.

He claims that those in the larger field won't be apprehended as they are sipping tea in five-star hotels rather than at a street vendor. 

15:46 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

India to become $5 trillion economy early in Amrit Kaal: FinMin

India will become a $5 trillion economy early in the 'Amrit Kaal' on the path to achieve the goal of becoming an advanced economy by 2047, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said on Monday.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has projected India to become a $5 trillion economy with the third largest GDP in 2027-28.

The $5 trillion milestone will be crossed with the help of a strong rupee which will result from macroeconomic stability, he said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

"The government has set the goal of becoming an advanced economy by 2047. In the process, it will become a USD 5 trillion economy early in the Amrit Kaal," Chaudhary said.

At the end of 2022-23, the Indian GDP stood at $3.7 trillion. 

15:39 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

TMC raises MGNREGA dues issue in Lok Sabha, Minister alleges corruption

According to news agency PTI, the Trinamool Congress said in the Lok Sabha on Monday that the Centre had placed a "economic blockade" on the West Bengal government, preventing funding for programmes like PM Awas Yojana and MGNREGA because it wanted the outstanding amounts to be paid immediately.

In response, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan claimed corruption in the state's management of federal funding and announced that the CBI had been tasked with looking into the situation.

Raising the issue in Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay said that an amount of around Rs 18,000 crore is pending due to the state, according to the report. "Under MGNREGA, (PM) Awas Yojana, National Health Mission, all money allocated by government of India has been blocked since (sic) last two years, amounting up to Rs 18,000 crore," the TMC MP said in the Lowe House. 

15:37 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

YSRCP’s Vijayasai Reddy supports the Post Office Bill in RS on behalf of his party

“This Bill is a step towards three pillars of good postal service, reliability, reach, relevance,” the MP says.

In order to improve the Bill, he also offers three recommendations to Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw: digitise services wherever possible, such as by substituting mobile transfers for money orders, reevaluate pricing to increase profitability, and invest in payments banks and financial services in rural areas.

15:35 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Change recommended by Law Commission of India: BJP MP Jagadambika Pal in LS

BJP MP Jagadambika Pal asserts that judges, not the administration, have the authority to detect touts. According to him, this will mark a significant shift for courts across the nation.

He points out that the Law Commission of India endorsed this law. He clarifies that the government had extensive consultations with the Bar Council of India and that it is not the government's initiative alone.

15:27 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

CPI(M)‘s AA Rahim criticises the Post Office Bill, says that since 2014, not a single post has been created in the postal services

“As of now, 90,000 existing posts (in postal services) are lying vacant. Is this the evolution and prosperity of the services?” he says.

Rahim also said that in addition to this new Bill, the absence of nominations to open positions will facilitate the sector's privatisation.

The MP claims that the Bill goes against the nation's federal ideals.

15:20 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Go after big fish, not small touts: INC MP Karti Chidambaram in Lok Sabha

Speaking on the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, INC MP Karti Chidambaram emphasises that the complexities and asymmetry of the legal system are what enable touts to thrive.

He claims that the law's pursuit of little touts is the only thing that bothers him. He claims that there is a connection between touts and attorneys and calls on the government to pursue the big fish. 

15:18 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

AAP MP Raghav Chadha says Post Office Bill ridden with ‘Big Brother’ syndrome

After being restored to the Rajya Sabha, AAP MP Raghav Chadha rejected the Post Office Bill, 2023 in his first speech.

According to Chadha, the Act reveals a "Big Brother" mentality that permeates the government and gives it unbridled authority to read, open, hold, and intercept correspondence as well as conduct any desired action without following the proper legal restraints.

The Bill does not outline the procedures for authorising such interception, he continued, and the justifications for opening and intercepting correspondence are "vague."

15:10 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Lok Sabha takes up for the Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2023 for discussion, passing

The measure further the present government's goal of doing away with any antiquated legislation or actions from before independence that are no longer necessary. Broadly, the objective entails, “...reduce the number of superfluous enactments in the statute book.”

The bill, which was drafted in conjunction with the Bar Council of India, would integrate the provisions of section 36 of the Legal Practitioners Act (1879) into the Advocates Act (1961), so repealing the Legal Practitioners Act (1879). This would also assist in regulating the legal profession through the Advocates Act of 1961, a single Act.

15:04 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Post Office Bill compromise right to privacy, privatise India’s vast postal network, says Opposition

Discussions heat up on the privacy and privatised aspects of the Post Office Bill, 2023. All India Trinamool Congress’s Sukhendu Sekhar Ray opposed the Bill “in its entirety”.

“This Bill in part shall create avenues in transforming our democracy into a surveillance state after the Pegasus-Gate”, he said.

DMK’s P Wilson further added that the Bill is a “step to privatise and encourage private players in postal services”.

14:47 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Post Office Bill will increase employment opportunities, use technology to transform postal system: BJP MP

On the other hand, BJP’s Laxmikant Bajpayee outlined the advantages of the Post Office Bill.

The speed at which mail and packages are delivered will rise; the Bill's new post offices will generate jobs; and the post service's focus on technology will enable it to evolve into a banking environment.

Speaking to Bajpayee's privacy concerns, Gohil expressed confidence that the government will make sure the interception is carried out securely.

Bajpayee continued, that India has come a long way from the days of using pigeons to send mail and letters to now using drones for the same.

14:38 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Exhaust every resource to bring back ex-Navy personnel on death row in Qatar, Adhir Chowdhury says in LS

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday insisted that the government "exhausts every resource" to repatriate the eight ex-navy personnel who received death sentences from a Qatari court.

On October 26, the Court of First Instance in Qatar sentenced the Indian nationals to death. India promised to investigate all legal possibilities in the matter and called the verdict "deeply" disturbing.

Chowdhury brought up the matter during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, stating that the government need to use all available means to remove the accusations against the Indian nationals found guilty by the Qatari court.

14:35 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Congress leaves decision on selection of Telangana CM to Congress President

After a mega win in Telangana, Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting of the newly elected MLAs was conducted in Hyderabad's Gandhi Bhawan on Monday.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, State Congress Chief Revanth Reddy, Karnataka Minister KJ George, Congress Leader Deepa Das Munshi and other AICC observers were part of the meeting.

Post the meeting, Congress leader DK Shivakuamar stated that all the newly elected MLAs have authorized Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge to appoint the Congress legislature party leader.

14:34 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Bengal's elections will be contested on the issues of Bengal, says TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee

#WATCH | On INDIA Alliance, TMC MP and national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee says, "Public will decide whether the face will be Mamata Banerjee or Rahul Gandhi or Arvind Kejriwal or Uddhav Thackeray...If you think this victory of BJP will be reflected in West Bengal, then… pic.twitter.com/sZyGhFrdSs— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2023

14:31 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Happy that my suspension has been revoked, says AAP MP Raghav Chadha

#WATCH | AAP MP Raghav Chadha says "On 11th August, I was suspended from the Rajya Sabha. I went to the Supreme Court for the revocation of my suspension. Supreme Court took cognizance of this and now my suspension has been revoked after 115 days...I am happy that my suspension… https://t.co/y3Lx9d8tdH pic.twitter.com/QPMf8iKSyD— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2023

14:17 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

AAP MP Raghav Chadha's suspension revoked

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar overturned AAP MP Raghav Chadha's suspension in response to a motion made by BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao.

14:05 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Lok Sabha panel won’t table Mahua Moitra expulsion report today

In light of the cash-for-query charges against Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra, the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee has decided not to table its report today.

When the report was presented to the Parliament, Moitra told reporters outside the Parliament House that she would have comments to make.

Nishikant Dubey, a BJP MP who had initially brought up the accusations against Moitra, said that Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a Congress lawmaker, had "leaked the report."

Chowdhury emphasised in a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla last week that ejection was a "very serious punishment." He said that it was unclear if the committee had followed accepted practises and created a financial trail in the case.

14:00 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

CPI (M) raises Uttarakhand tunnel incident in Rajya Sabha, demands fair inquiry

In the Rajya Sabha on Monday, CPI (M) MP P V Sivadasan brought up the subject of the Silkyara tunnel collapse in Uttrakhand and called for an investigation into the event, claiming that the business in question had neglected to apply safety precautions.

About 200 yards from the entrance, a portion of the Uttarkashi tunnel collapsed on November 12, trapping 41 workers.

After nearly 17 days of twilight between hope and despair, a multi-agency rescue team managed to free all of the trapped workers on November 28.

13:46 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Rajya Sabha Chairman reconstitutes 8-member panel of vice-chairpersons with 50% women MPs

On Monday, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar reorganised the group of vice-chairpersons, adding eight new members, including fifty percent of female lawmakers.

Four women will now be on the eight-member panel: Phulo Devi Netam, a Congress MP, and Phangnon Konyak, Darshana Singh, and Sonal Mansingh, MPs for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

13:43 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

‘What can I say when it’s not tabled yet?' TMC MP Mahua Moitra on panel report

TMC MP Mahua Moitra stated she will speak when the report on the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee's investigation into the "cash-for-query" matter is brought before the House.

"What can I say when it was not even tabled (before the Parliament)? Had they tabled it, I would have said something. I will speak when they table it," she said.

13:40 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Deep fake worry makes way to Lok Sabha, BJP MP demands law

BJP MP Jagdambika Pal expressed concerns about the deepfake scandal involving celebrities and public people. She asked the government to create a strict legislation to address the growing anxiety about the rapidly evolving technology industry, which includes artificial intelligence.

13:39 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

INDIA bloc to raise ‘leak’ of ethics panel report against Mahua Moitra

The leaders of the opposition parties decided in the all-party meeting of the INDIA bloc, to raise the matter concerning the alleged leak of the ethics committee report to the media before it was tabled in parliament, ANI quoted sources as saying.

The meeting, which included parliamentary party leaders of the INDIA bloc happened at the office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, before the commencement of the Winter Session of Parliament on Monday. The leaders within the bloc deliberated their strategy during the parliamentary session.

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13:37 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Heated debate ensued over ‘misappropriation’ of central funds by Bengal govt

Alleging the TMC-led West Bengal government over the misappropriation of central funds, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “.Over half a dozen ministers are in jail and they are scared that their leadership will also be sent to jail.”

“In the PM Poshan Yojana (Mid-day meal scheme) they (West Bengal Govt) have misappropriated ₹4000 crores and the Govt of India has given the inquiry to the CBI,” he added.

13:34 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

'Will oppose such an expulsion...:' Adhir Ranjan on Ethics panel report on Mahua Moitra

On Ethics Committee report on TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says "We will oppose that such an expulsion should not be done. We have written a letter and we have been saying that the issues of Parliament should be dealt inside the Parliament..."

#WATCH | Winter Session of Parliament | On Ethics Committee report on TMC MP Mahua Moitra, Congress leader and LoP in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury says "We will oppose that such an expulsion should not be done. We have written a letter and we have been saying that the issues… pic.twitter.com/ncmD0qeMuZ— ANI (@ANI) December 4, 2023

13:28 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2 pm

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have been adjourned till 2 pm.

13:21 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Congress meet to chalk out strategy for Parliament winter session

To plan the course of action for the upcoming winter session of Parliament, the Congress Parliamentary Strategy Group will convene at Sonia Gandhi's home at 5:00 p.m. today.