Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha today, a day after the Centre warned states to be more alert as China reports a surge of COVID-19 cases. The minister said that foreign returnees at airports are being randomly tested via RT-PCRs and that states are encouraged to conduct genome sequencing on positive samples. Following his address, the Lok Sabha was soon adjourned for a third time today until 4 pm.
Chaos and commotion took over both Houses of Parliament on Thursday morning as the Opposition demanded answers on India-China tensions and rising COVID cases. The entire Opposition decided to boycott Rajya Sabha proceedings on Thursday due to the lack of discussion on the border issue. Lok Sabha proceedings have been adjourned thrice since starting at 11 am.
Earlier in the day, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar warned Opposition leaders that their behavior would "haunt" them as they disrupted proceedings. He requested Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to meet him in his chambers at 1 pm.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs will move three Bills — that have been passed by the Lok Sabha — to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950. In the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of Law and Justice Kiren Rijiju is also set to move a Bill.
There are a host of committee meetings on the agenda as well. The Parliament's Standing Committee on Energy is expected to meet at 3 pm where Union Minister of Power RK Singh and officials of the Power Finance Corporation will brief the committee on revamped distribution sector schemes, smart metering and more.
The Labour and Employment Committee is scheduled to meet at 9 am and the Commerce and Industry Committee and the Women and Child Development Committee will meet at 6 pm.
Officially, the winter session is set to conclude on December 29 but it could end earlier by December 23, sources tell News18.
Here are the latest updates of session proceedings from both Houses:
# The government on Thursday said it is examining a Supreme Court judgement which upheld Employees' Pension (Amendment) Scheme, 2014 and allowed employees to opt for enhanced pension coverage alongside their employers in four months' time.
"Yes, sir. The directions of the Supreme Court in the judgment are under examination," Minister of State for Labour and Employment Rameswar Teli said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
Teli was replying to a question on whether the government is aware about the Supreme Court verdict of November 4 on EPF pension scheme and by when it will implement the verdict and instruct the EPFO (Employees Provident Fund Organisation) to take actions for giving higher pension.
In another written reply, Teli said the court judgement has legal, financial, actuarial and logistical implications.
The scheme has provided for an extension of four months' time for eligible employees to opt for enhanced pension.
The apex court order provides that employees who were existing EPS-95 members as on September 1, 2014 can contribute up to 8.33 per cent of their actual salaries, as against 8.33 per cent of the pensionable salary capped at Rs 15,000 a month, towards pension.
It had also struck down the requirement in the 2014 amendments mandating employer contribution of 1.16 per cent of the salary exceeding Rs 15,000 per month.
This will facilitate the subscribers to contribute higher to the scheme and get enhanced benefits accordingly.
There are more than six crore subscribers of the retirement fund body. A large number of contributing members of the pension scheme would benefit from opting for contribution on wages higher than threshold of Rs 15,000 per month.
The minister also said EPFO has a corpus of Rs 18,64,136 crore. This amount consists of Rs 11,37,096.72 crore in Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 1952; Rs 6,89,210.72 crore in Employees' Pension Scheme, 1995 and Rs 37,828.56 crore in Employees' Deposit-Linked Insurance Scheme, 1976, as on March 31, 2022.
# "We haven't done any politics on COVID," says Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya to the Rajya Sabha.
"Oxygen plants have been set up in big hospitals across the country and are being run. We have reviewed the adequate amount of medicines in the country," he added.
# Soon after Mandaviya's comments, the Lok Sabha was adjourned again for the third time today.
# From the last few days, COVID-19 cases have been rising in the world but in India, cases are depleting. We are seeing rising cases and deaths due to it in Mandaviya told the Lok Sabha.
We are reporting 153 new cases each day, he said. The ministry is keeping an eye on the situation and taking necessary steps, Mandaviya added. He also asked people to mask up and maintain distance as the festive season embarks. He urged states to conduct genome sequencing on all positive samples, as well.
# Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is expected to make a statement in both Houses of Parliament on COVID-19, ANI reports.
# Led by the Congress, the entire Opposition boycotted the Rajya Sabha proceeding for the day on Thursday after a discussion on the China border issue was disallowed in the House.
"We have been demanding a discussion on the border conflict with China from day one but the government is adamant. The entire opposition has decided to boycott the proceedings of the House for the entire day today," Congress leader K C Venugopal told PTI.
Other opposition members also joined the Congress in boycotting the proceedings to press their demand for a discussion on China and an apology from Leader of House Piyush Goyal for his remarks on Bihar.
# Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday walked back his statement on Bihar following strong objection from members of the Opposition. On Wednesday, had remarked, "Inka bas chale, toh desh ko Bihar hi bana de." Goyal said he had no intention to hurt anyone and withdrew his statement which Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar had deemed "contemptuous and condescending."
# Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Rajya Sabha proceedings wearing a mask amid reports of rising cases of COVID-19.
PM Narendra Modi and several other MPs wear masks as they attend the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. pic.twitter.com/DMvK9FwWU6
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2022
# Opposition MPs staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha, protesting Union Minister Piyush Goyal's remarks on Bihar and the need for discussion on Chinese action at the Line of Actual Control.
Opposition MPs walkout of Rajya Sabha over their demand for a discussion on Chinese action and infrastructure along LAC & Leader of House in Rajya Sabha and Union Minister Piyush Goyal's remarks against Bihar pic.twitter.com/xfZA8mDdtq
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2022
# Lok Sabha MP Rajendra Agrawal adjourned the House proceedings for the second time today as protestors in the hall made it impossible for lawmakers to make their comments. They will reconvene at 2 pm.
"Very important business remains to be discussed," Agrawal said while requesting protestors to return to their seats.
# The Lower House resumed proceedings to chants of "jawab do" ("Give us answers"), causing major disruptions during the session.
# Lok Sabha reconvenes at noon after brief adjournment due to chaos. The Rajya Sabha will soon begin Question Hour.
# Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar got in a spat over House proceedings and the former asked the latter to meet him in his chambers at 1pm.
Kharge, on behalf of the opposition, demanded a discussion on China. The chairman, seeing the chaos, warned the politicians that their behavior will "haunt" them for ages as the House was not in order
# Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 12 pm, minutes into the House reconvening at 11 am, due to protest by opposition over various issues, PTI reports.
# RJD-JD(U) MPs stood in front of the Gandhi statue in Parliament to protest a remark made by Union Minister of Power Piyush Goyal on Bihar and demand his apology.
# Several Members of Parliament donned masks just a day after the Centre gave its COVID warning as cases begin to surge in China. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankar can be seen wearing face masks.
Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla wear a mask as the proceedings of Parliament begin today. A few MPs also mask-up. pic.twitter.com/LVABlV3jwZ
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2022
# Opposition party members met in Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's chambers ahead of the proceedings to discuss strategy, per ANI. They reportedly discussed bring up the India-China border issue.
Delhi | Opposition parties' floor leaders met at LoP in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber in Parliament to discuss strategy. pic.twitter.com/cbldZorWaE
— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2022
# Rajya Sabha: Congress MP Syed Naseer Hussain gives a Suspension of Business Notice under Rule 267 for a "meaningful discussion" on the India-China clash and requests Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a statement on the same, ANI reports.
(With agency inputs.)
First Published: Dec 22, 2022 11:16 AM IST
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