Parliament Winter Session Live Updates: Naidu slams Oppn leaders for calling suspension of MPs 'undemocratic'

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the Centre has recruited around 6.98 lakh employees for its various departments since 2014 as against 6.19 lakh in the previous seven years of the UPA government. In response to supplementary questions in the Rajya Sabha during the Question Hour, Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pension, said the Central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only expedited the recruitment process but at the same time made efforts to create new posts.  Between 2007-08 to 2013-14, 6,19,027 posts were filled by three major recruiting agencies, the Staff Selection Commission, Union Public Service Commission, and the Railway Recruitment Board, he said. In comparison, he said the recruitment increased to 6,98,011 in the last seven years of the Modi government. The sanctioned strength has also increased to 40,04,941 in 2020 from 36,45,584 in 2014, the minister added.

Several steps are being taken to help reduce air pollution levels in the country and monitoring stations have been set up in 132 cities, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav informed Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Replying to supplementaries during Question Hour, he said the government has taken steps on changing BS4 norms in vehicles for fuel emissions to BS6 and is evolving schemes in various cities for setting up Metro rails. "Monitoring stations have set up in 132 cities in the country to monitor air pollution and steps are being taken by the government to reduce pollution. The finance commission has also earmarked Rs 4400 crore for local industry to help reduce pollution at the national level," Yadav told the House.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal said that the party MPs will continue agitation. "We will also raise the issues concerning the common people in the House," he said.

I would, on behalf of TMC, like to humbly appeal to the presiding officers of both Houses to rectify television coverage. All protests are censored on the TV & we demand this censorship to be stopped, Parliament cannot be converted into a closed chamber: TMC MP Derek O’Brien

LoP in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said that the government has been making cuts in NREGA Budget ever since they came to power. Their intention is to see to it that the poor do not stand on their feet & don't live with self-respect. Their budget of Rs 1.10 Lakh in 2020-21 has now come down to Rs 73,000 crores. When people are coming back to their homes at the time of the pandemic, they will search for work there. They are not getting any work, on the other hand, the budget went down too.

Over 57 lakh public grievances were received by the Centre through an online system in the last three years, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. Of these, 54.65 lakh grievances were disposed, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. "The total number of public grievances filed on the online Centralised Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) in last three years is 57,25,443, out of which, 54,65,826 grievances have been disposed of," he said. Some of the general grievances categories are allegations of corruption/mal practices, land related problems, environment issues/animal welfare/forest conservation, harassment/atrocities, police, railway, among others, the minister said. The CPGRAMS provides feedback option to a citizen after his/her grievance is disposed of. 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi meets the 12 suspended Rajya Sabha MPs who are protesting against their suspension from the House for the remaining part of the Winter session of Parliament.

The Opposition on Thursday hit out at the Modi government over the COVID-19 management, accusing it of favouring BJP-ruled states in allocation of vaccines and dubbed the celebrations over the 100-crore vaccination mark as premature. Initiating the debate in the Lok Sabha on the COVID-19 pandemic, Shiv Sena leader Vinayak Raut lamented that Parliament was discussing the issue 21 months after the outbreak of the disease and at a time when cases were on the decline. Referring to the Omicron variant of the virus, Raut demanded close co-ordination among state governments and the Centre.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi members on Thursday shouted slogans, displayed placards and later tore them and threw the pieces in the Well of the Lok Sabha before walking out of the House while protesting over farmers' issues. While the members continued with their protests for the fourth straight day, the Question Hour was not adjourned. This is also the first time since the Winter session began on Monday that the Question Hour was completed. Within minutes of the commencement of the Question Hour, TRS members trooped into the Well displaying placards and later began shouting slogans. They wanted to raise issues related to farmers, including compensation for the families of those who lost their lives during the protest against three farm laws. The farm laws have now been repealed. They were also demanding a bill on the minimum support price.

Congress, NCP, RJD, TRS and IUML stage walkout from Rajya Sabha over the issue of inflation. Trinamool Congress also walkout from Rajya Sabha over various issues including suspension of 12 Opposition MPs

Lok Sabha holds a discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opposition MPs raise slogans on the issue of farmers' deaths, rising inflation in Rajya Sabha

It has been our effort over last 6 months to slowly increase flights, internationally as well...#Omicron is a setback as all countries across the world need to be safe. Our govt has categorised 11 countries as 'at risk': Union Civil Aviation Min Jyotiraditya Scindia in Lok Sabha

Some respected leaders&members of this august House, in their wisdom, chose to describe the suspension of 12 members as ‘undemocratic’. I have struggled to understand if there was any justification in that kind of a narrative being propagated but could not. You don’t want to regret your misconduct but insist on revoking the decision of this House taken as per due process stipulated under the Rules of the House. Does this amount to upholding the principles of democracy?. Deputy Chairman has urged both the sides to talk it out and do the needful to move forward to enable normal functioning of the House...I urge both the sides of this august House to talk it out and let the House do it’s mandated job: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu

While calling this suspension as undemocratic both within & outside the House, not even a word being said about reasons given for suspension, the disdainful conduct of some members during last session, which I have categorically called as ‘acts of sacrilege’. Unfortunately, a message is sought to be sent out that ‘sacrilege’ of the House is democratic but action against such sacrilege is undemocratic. I am sure people of the country would not buy this new norms of democracy: Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu

Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 12 noon on Thursday following noisy protests by opposition members when Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu was making observations regarding the suspension of 12 members from the House. Soon after the listed papers were laid on the table of the House, Naidu said the Rajya Sabha could not transact any business during the last three days. "Some of the respected leaders and members of this august House, in their wisdom, chose to describe the suspension of 12 members as æundemocratic'. I have struggled to understand if there was any justification in that kind of a narrative being propagated but could not," he said.

Rajya Sabha MP T Siva gives notice to send 'Dam Safety Bill 2019' to the Select Committee of Rajya Sabha. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will move the 'Dam Safety Bill 2019' in Rajya Sabha today for further consideration and passage. The Bill was also moved in the House yesterday but it couldn't be passed due to ruckus created by Opposition on various issues.

Opposition leaders wearing black bands protest against the suspension of 12 Opposition members of Rajya Sabha

PM Narendra Modi is holding a meeting with top ministers in Parliament to discuss strategy for the ongoing session

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi joins the Opposition leaders' protest against the suspension of 12 Opposition members of Rajya Sabha, in Delhi

Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha gives Zero Hour Notice on the matter of 'caste-based census'. The Opposition parties are demanding from the Centre to announce caste-based census.

Congress MP Manish Tewari gives Adjournment Motion Notice in Lok Sabha on the issue of 'rising inflation'. Congress MP KC Venugopal gives Suspension of Business Notice under rule 267 to have a discussion in the House on 'the rising prices of essential commodities & high inflation resulting in huge financial burden on common people in the country'.

Congress MP Manickam Tagore gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to "discuss damage followed by heavy floods & excessive rainfall in Tamil Nadu, to direct the Govt to announce compensation of Rs 4,626 cr flood relief for affected farmers & people who lost their property."

TRS MP Nama Nageswara Rao gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha to discuss the issue of 'national policy on foodgrains procurement and legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price to farmers'.

The government has said it has no proposal under consideration for the creation of a separate Vidarbha state out of Maharashtra. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said this in Lok Sabha in reply to a question on whether any step has been taken or proposed to be taken by the government to carve out a separate Vidarbha state out of Maharashtra.

Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill to regulate and supervise assisted reproductive technology clinics. Passed by a voice vote, the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2020, seeks for the regulation and supervision of assisted reproductive technology (ART) clinics and assisted reproductive technology banks, prevention of misuse, and safe and ethical practice of assisted reproductive technology services. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also moved various amendments to the Assisted Reproductive (Regulation) Bill based on recommendations made by a parliamentary committee.

Amidst a heightened level of concern over the Omicron variant, the Centre on Tuesday advised states and union territories to ramp up testing and undertake effective surveillance of international passengers.

On Tuesday, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told Rajya Sabha that the new COVID-19 variant has not been reported in India yet and asserted the government has taken measures to ensure it does not reach the country and has issued an advisory after looking at the developments globally.

Time has been allotted for a short-duration discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic in Lok Sabha today. The discussion will be held under Rule 193, under which members may seek details about the new 'Omicron' variant of SARS-CoC-2.