Parliament Budget Session 2024 Highlights: Haryana, Punjab farmers meet LoP Rahul Gandhi, share concerns over agricultural issues

BJP MP from UP Radha Mohan Das Agrawal stated in the Rajya Sabha that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is lifting India out of poverty, particularly multi-dimensional poverty. Agrawal cited various indices to illustrate India’s rapid progress and accused the Opposition of ignoring these advancements.

In the Rajya Sabha, MP P. Chidambaram has outlined five key demands from the Congress manifesto that he urges the Finance Minister to adopt:

1. Implement a minimum wage of Rs 400 per day for all types of employment.

2. Legally guarantee a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers.

3. Write off the unpaid balance of interest and instalments on educational loans issued up to March 2024.

4. Completely abolish the Agniveer scheme.

5. Allow states to scrap the NEET examination if they choose.

A delegation of 12 farmer leaders from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka met with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in the Parliament House complex on Wednesday. They briefed him on the challenges faced by farmers in their respective states.

The meeting was attended by Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Congress Chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, and Congress leaders Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Dharamvir Gandhi, Amar Singh, Deepender Singh Hooda, and Jai Prakas.

Kodikunnil Suresh, Congress MP from Mavelikkara (Kerala), has raised concerns about the Nipah Virus outbreak, urging the Centre to dispatch a special team.

Suresh highlighted that 99 Nipah Virus cases have been reported in India from 2001 to 2023, with Kerala accounting for 28% of these cases, including a recent outbreak in Kozhikode. He noted that the case fatality rate in the initial outbreak was alarmingly high, at 89.4%, with 17 deaths out of 19 confirmed cases in Kozhikode and Malappuram.

He slammed the state government’s response and called for immediate intervention by the central government to address the rising second wave of the outbreak.

June Maliah, TMC MP from Medinipur (West Bengal), has raised concerns about the inadequate infrastructure in railway quarters allotted to low-income groups in Kharagpur.

Maliah stated, “The Railways do not provide these colonies with basic infrastructure such as water supply, electricity, and sometimes even toilets.” She also added that the Municipality faces a lack of cooperation from the Railways in addressing these issues.

DMK MP T. M. Selvaganapathi from Salem (Tamil Nadu) has expressed concern about the fencing of railway tracks near Salem, which he says is affecting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers living along the tracks.

Selvaganapathi stated, “In the name of fencing the property, they [railways] are fencing the livelihood of those living along the railway tracks.”

The fencing of railway tracks is primarily intended to prevent encroachment on railway land and to stop the entry of animals and vehicular traffic.

During the Zero Hour, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai assured that India is a peaceful country with a “full guarantee of security.” He added that any terrorist activity would be swiftly dealt with in India today.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged on Wednesday that farmer leaders he had invited to meet in Parliament were barred from entering the premises. He suggested that their exclusion might be due to their status as farmers, questioning the reasoning behind their denial of access.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha described the Union Budget 2024-25 as an ‘out-of-the-box’ proposal that has left everyone disappointed. He noted that while typically some groups are pleased and others dissatisfied with a Budget, this is the first time a Budget has failed to meet expectations across the board.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the government has discriminated against Uttar Pradesh in the Union Budget. On Wednesday, Yadav criticised the Budget, claiming it fell short of the promises made during election campaigns and in the party manifesto. He expressed disappointment, asserting that Uttar Pradesh, which has supported the government for a third term, is being neglected.

BJD MP Shubhashish Khuntia advocated for Jagannath Rath Yatra to be declared a national holiday, highlighting its significance as a unique cultural celebration. Khuntia emphasized that recognizing the Yatra as a national holiday would honor and celebrate the shared cultural heritage of the nation.

In the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed Opposition protests labeling the Budget as ‘discriminatory’.

She mentioned that in every budget “one does not get an opportunity to name every state of the country.”

“In every Budget, you don’t get an opportunity to name every state of this country…The Cabinet had taken a decision to set up a port on Vadavan. But Maharashtra’s name was not taken in the Budget yesterday. Does this mean that Maharashtra feels ignored? If a particular state is named in the speech, does it mean that programs of the government don’t go to these states? This is a deliberate attempt of the Opposition led by Congress to give the impression to people that nothing has been given to our states. This is an outrageous allegation…” she noted.

In the Rajya Sabha, Rajini Patil raised concerns about the 18% GST on medical insurance, arguing that it is discouraging people from purchasing health insurance. She emphasized the importance of medical insurance, particularly highlighted during the pandemic, and urged reconsideration of the high tax rate.

During the Lok Sabha Question Hour, Coal Minister G. Kishan Reddy addressed concerns about privatisation in the coal sector. He clarified that there are no plans to privatise coal mines, including the Singareni coal fields, where 51% of the stake is held by the State government and 49% by the Government of India. Reddy assured that the administration of Singareni remains under state control and emphasized that the goal is to strengthen the sector, not privatise it.

During the Lok Sabha Question Hour, Rudra Narayan Pany, BJP MP from Dhenkanal, raised a question about the establishment of a medical college in each district, specifically asking whether Dhenkanal would have one.

In response, Rao Inderjit Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Planning, noted that Odisha has ten aspirational districts, with four projects sanctioned totaling ₹126 crore. He suggested that the Health Ministry would be better positioned to address questions about medical colleges.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s criticism that her Budget speech mentioned only two states. Sitharaman remarked that it’s not feasible to name every state in every Budget. She also pointed out that Congress, having previously ruled and presented numerous budgets, should understand this aspect of Budget presentations.

In a heated exchange in the Rajya Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman directly confronted Trinamool Congress members, accusing them of failing to implement several central government schemes in West Bengal over the past decade. The remarks led to protests from Trinamool Congress members, who questioned how Sitharaman could name West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee when she is not a member of the House.

In the Rajya Sabha, Opposition MPs walked out, claiming that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s speech failed to mention non-BJP ruled states. In response, Sitharaman noted that although Maharashtra wasn’t mentioned, a Rs. 76,000 crore port project had been approved for the state. She asserted that the expenditure account details all allocations and accused Congress of deliberately attempting to malign the government. She also questioned if Congress Finance Ministers had mentioned all states in their Budget speeches.

INDIA bloc MPs staged a walkout in the Lok Sabha, protesting the “discriminatory” Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday. Kiren Rijiju noted that the entrance to the Lok Sabha was being blocked by the Opposition.

Vice President Jaideep Dhankhar has raised concerns about the frequent suspension of regular business notices, noting that in the past 36 years, such motions have been taken up only six times. He has rejected all recent notices for suspension.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized the budget, stating that only two states benefitted from it. “Only two plates got pakora and jalebi; the rest got nothing,” he remarked.

As Lok Sabha proceedings commence, Congress MP Kirsan Namdeo raises concerns about the slow pace of railway projects in his constituency, Gadchiroli-Chimur.

The Rajya Sabha has set aside 20 hours to deliberate on the Union Budget. After discussing the budget, the upper house will spend five hours on the Jammu and Kashmir Budget before returning it to the Lok Sabha.

Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan, and TMC MP Derek O’Brien were present in Parliament as the INDIA bloc protested against the ‘discriminatory’ Union Budget 2024.

Congress President & LoP Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday, claimed that the Union budget 2024-25 only serves BJP allies’ interests.

“This budget is just to satisfy their allies… They have given nothing to anyone.”

On INDIA bloc protest against Union Budget, Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said, “This budget doesn’t deserve a reaction. This is just a drama. Promises which will be kept in papers will not be implemented.”

The President of the International Parliamentary Union and the Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania are in the gallery observing the proceedings. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar extended a warm welcome to both. They attended the Union Budget session yesterday.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has lauded the 1991 budget delivered by former Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, highlighting its role in driving India‘s economic growth. Kharge emphasized the importance of crafting budgets that cater to the needs of both the middle class and the underprivileged, stressing that such measures are crucial for sustained development.

“July 1991 marked a watershed moment in India’s history, as the Liberalisation Budget, spearheaded by then Prime Minister P.V.Narasimha Rao and Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, ushered in a new era of economic reforms. This visionary move revolutionised the country, empowering the middle class and uplifting millions from poverty and marginalisation. The Congress party takes immense pride in this groundbreaking achievement, which catalysed India’s growth trajectory and continues to inspire progress and prosperity,” Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge wrote in a post on X.

In the 2024-25 Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the establishment of a Rs 1,000 crore venture capital fund dedicated to advancing space technology. This initiative is expected to significantly support new entrepreneurs and non-government entities (NGEs) within the space sector. Additionally, the Department of Space received an 18% increase in its budget allocation for 2024-25 compared to the previous fiscal year. A total of Rs 13,042.75 crore has been allocated, with Rs 10,087.52 crore designated specifically for space technology, covering the activities of various ISRO centers.