The Motion to thank the President's address is part of the agenda in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday.
The Rajya Sabha, which kickstarted the debate on President's address with BJP chief Amit Shah making his debut speech in the Upper House.
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Meghraj Jain of the BJP speaks next.
Kalyan Banerjee of the Trinamool Congress speaks now. Deputy Speaker M. Thambidurai is in the Chair.
Mr. Banerjee speaks about unemployment and the issues with demonetisation.
Swapan Dasgupta, a nominated Member rises to make his speech.
Mr. Kharge lists issues of communal violence in Uttar Pradesh. Treasury Benches seek to drown his voice with slogans.
Ramachandra Prasad Singh of the JD(U) speaks now.
As Speaker Sumitra Mahajan chairs the Lok Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi are present.
Amid sloganeering, opposition party lists various issues.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks: "Andhra Pradesh's Chief Minister had written about a funding from NABARD. The funding would reduce the borrowing pace. I think a solution by which the amount will be given without an issue can be worked out. The amount will be the same."
MPs thud their tables acknowledging the Finance Ministry's move.
Dilip Kumar Tirkey of the BJD rises to speak now. Basawaraj Patil is in the Chair.
Chair is totally neutral, says Deputy Speaker P.J. Kurien. Chair isn't bothered which side is present. Chair is only bothered about the quorum. Everyday I find some members absent.
Chair asks AIADMK MP from Tamil Nadu, Vijila Satyanath to start motion of thanks for President's address. She mentions that Tamil Nadu wants Cauvery water for the state. She says, "Our CM has asked for time to have a talk with Karnataka. The Central govt should take steps for the same. Water regulation and monitoring committee has to be formed.
I am concerned President's address didn't mention about the fishermen issue against Sri Lankan Navy's actions. The govt of Tamil Nadu is taking all possible steps. IMBL, the international maritime border line isn't an issue.
We want Godavari, Krishna and Palar rivers to come to light in the coming budget. Even Tamil Nadu was expecting some suburban trains from Chennai. A vast growing city like Chennai has to be widened. We were in dismay that these weren't found in the budget. Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Jayalalithaa had done a lot for women empowerment, like 9 months maternity leave and an amount of Rs.80,000 as maternity benefit scheme. Amma even introduced cradle baby scheme. Tamil Nadu is the first in women safety since we've given that much protection. PDS is one of the best schemes by the state. All card holders were given 20 kilos free rice every month. Tamil Nadu is the first state to follow food safety standards.
Our farmers have been suffering and this has to change. I also want to mention that NEET has to be abolished from our state because there are medical colleges in every district formed by Amma. We are being denied of our right."
Rajya Sabha adjourned till 3 p.m. following noisy opposition protests over their voice being "muzzled" in the House.
Mr. Kharge resumes his speech on the motion of thanks.
House is adjourned till 3.30 p.m.
Mr. Joshi's speech continues with him saying that his government brought in crop insurance for farmers.
Amendments are taken up next. Mallikarjun Kharge speaks now. But his speech faces constant interruptions.
House is adjourned till 2.40 p.m.
House reconvenes and is immediately adjourned till 3 p.m.
Prahlad Joshi seconds the motion moved by Rakesh Singh.
Mr. Joshi mentions the change in the timing of Budget presentation instituted by Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government. K.H. Muniyappa is in the Chair.
Slogan shouting is still on in the House. Mr. Joshi lauds the Modi government for its passing of the Benami Act and reform measures like demonetisation. He says the Congress lost credibility due to decades of misrule, something that his government is now fixing.
It is time for change. People allowed Congress to rule the country for decades but the rule was remembered for poverty and corruption. We have changed it, he says.
The President has rightly said the new India will not belong to a single party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision is also the same.
For the first time over 1,300 Muslim women undertook Haj yatra without a male support this year. The government has brought a legislation to ban instant triple talaq, Mr. Singh says.
He also highlights Atal incumbation centre and other initiative targetting youth to take up entrepreneurship. We are a young nation. The youth should take up entrepreneurship, he says.
On infrastructure, we have doubled the rate at which roads were being laid in the country, Mr. Singh claims.
Slogan shouting doesn't reduce. Mr. Singh appeals to the Opposition to come forward and discuss development.
Mr. Singh talks about tribal welfare. The government for the first time recognised the role of tribals in freedom movement, he says.
The government is poised to make agriculture a profitable business and double the income of farmers, he says. The government eradicated hoarding of urea, Mr. Singh claims. Farmers depend on rain and weather. The Fasal Bhima Yojana (crop insurance) ensured the farmers do not bear the brunt of calamities, he says.
Many women in the country were suffering by using firewood for cooking. The Ujjwala scheme is a boon to eight crore women by giving them cooking gas connection for free, he says. Another women-friendly initiative is raising the maternity leave to 180 days, Mr. Singh says.
Lok Sabha takes up Motion to thank the President's address. Rakesh Singh, BJP MP from Jabalpur, rises to speak.
Mr. Singh takes potshot at Congress. He says the party claim to be successor of Gandhi ji but they couldn't eradicate open defacation. Our Government took up Swacch Bharat Abhiyan. Today women refuse to marry in a house that doesn't have a toilet. This is a welcome change, he said.
He highlights government's affordable housing initiative Awas Yojana. Our government is for the poor, he says.
Mr. Singh narrates the story of Janakibai, an 80-year-old tribal woman who got a house under Awas Yojana. She said God hasn't given me a child but Mr. Modi gave me a house like a son, the MP says.
Our government has the world's cheapest health insurance, he says. Within three years we provided electricity to over 15,000 villages. We will electrify every village within this year, he says.
Question Hour ends. Members lay papers on their subject.
Telugu Desam MPs hold placards in the House. Speaker asks them not to do it.
Motions for elections to various committees are being taken up. Parliamentary committees will have representation from both Houses of Parliament. Parties refer members based on the party strength. The members have a finite term and fresh members are elected periodically.
MSP
NCP member Supriya Sule asks under what formula is the minimum support price calculated. Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh says the government will set the MSP as i.5 times of production cost. A new formula will be decided in consultation with the States and NITI Aayog, he says.
Whether the claims of farmers under Fasal Bheema Yojana will be released within three weeks, asks AIADMK MP Jayavardhan.
Radha Mohan Singh, Agriculture Minister, says the issue will be sorted out soon. Mr. Jayavardhan also raises the issue of Cauvery river water sharing. Mr. Singh says this doesn't come under his ministry.
Housing for all
Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in Lok Sabha on Tuesday
Next set of questions pertains to Housing and Urban Development. Minister Hardeep Singh Puri says by 2022 every citizen will be able to have a house of his/her own through Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
We have a situation in which we have six options to use government land and two options to utilise private lands, the Minister says. 37,45,862 houses have been sanctioned till date across the country, he say.
Congress member K.C. Venugopal points out the banks are reluctant to sanction loans to these beneficiaries, since they are poor. The Minister says it has been taken up with the Finance Minister. The Ministry will take part of the interest, he says.
Allocation of funds to SC welfare schemes
Why less grant to Bihar for SC scholarship, asks a BJP member from Bihar. He points out that in certain schemes such as scholarship for post-graduate SC students, the grant is nil
The Minister explains the grant is processed based on requirements raised by the State.
Dhruvanarayana, Karnataka MP, suggests the fund should be allocated based on the population.
The question answer session is underway amid sloganeering.
Lok Sabha reconvenes. Sloganeering continues. Question Hour too continues. Mr. Ahir informs the House various steps taken to improve infrastructure in Naxal-hit areas.
Kulamani Samal, BJD MP from Odisha asks about reduction in allocation in funds for SC welfare schemes.
Thaawar Chand Gahlot, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment says the allocation is actually higher than previous years.
Lok Sabha proceeds with Question Hour. MoS Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir replies to questions pertaining to Central Armed Police Forces.
Opposition MPs raise slogans over cross border firing in Kashmir region.
House adjourned for 10 minutes.
Rajya Sabha convenes. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu is in the Chair. Ministers and members lay papers listed under their names.
Lok Sabha too convenes. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan is in the Chair. She informs the members that a member delegation from Chile will see the proceedings today. The Speaker also congratulates India's U-19 cricket team that has won the World Cup.
Rajya Sabha Chairman rejects adjournment motions brought by parties such as Trinamool Congress, Akali Dal and Telugu Desam. The MPs protest. House adjourned till 2 pm.
Protests before the session begins
TDP members staging a protest demanding special status to Andhra Pradesh outside the Parliament on Tuesday.
While the Parliament will convene at 11:00 am, some parliamentarians have already began their day. Members from Andhra Pradesh were seen holding placards outside the Parliamentary premises seeking special status to their State.
Trinamool Congress members were also protesting. They wanted the government to explain the reason behind rising fuel prises despite crude oil being imported at a lower rate compared to 2014.
