Parliament Session Live Updates | Nehru, Indira Did Not Even Use The Word 'Farmer' In Their August 15 Speeches: Shivraj In RS

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 11 AM on August 6.

AAP Rajya Sabha member from Punjab Raghav Chadha demanded that a structural audit should be conducted of railway stations and airports in the country. "We saw bridges collapse in Bihar. We have seen several traumatic incidents in the country. All the structures should be audited and on the basis of the audit, the necessary repair should be done," said Chadha.

Responding to the Agriculture budget in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan targeted Congress and said farmers were "not a priority" for Congress. "Farmers are not a priority for Congress. I read the August 15 speeches of all Prime Ministers and I was surprised. I read all the speeches of Jawaharlal Nehru. I respect him but I must say he did not even use the word farmer in his speeches from 1950 to 1961. Indira Gandhi. I respect her. I don't want to disrespect anyone. In 1966, she uttered the word farmer twice, once in 1967, thrice in 1968, once in 1979, once in 1970, did not say the word in 1971 and 72, thrice in 1973. She used the word casually, and did not announce any policy," the minister said.

Lok Sabha has passed demands for grants for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for 2024-25. The Lok Sabha now takes up discussion on Demands for Grants under the control of Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for 2024-25. The discussion begins with TMC MP Sayani Ghosh addressing the house.

In reply to the discussion on Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for 2024-25, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda stated that the NDA government has strengthened health infrastructure. “There were 387 medical colleges in the country. The number now stands at 731. Undergraduate seats [in medical colleges] have increased from 51,348 to 1.12 lakh seats — an increase of 118%. As for PG seats, the increase is 133%,” he informed the House.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda is addressing Lok Sabha as the house resumes discussion on Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for 2024-25.

Union Law & Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduces The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha to provide reservation to Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Goa Legislative Assembly. As of now, the ST community has no seats reserved in the state's assembly. The Rajya Sabha has also listed the Bill among the list of government business for the remaining part of the session. The Bill will empower the census commissioner to notify the population of STs in Goa. Based on it, the Election Commission (EC) will amend the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008, to make way for ST reservation in the 40-member Goa assembly. The EC will take into consideration the revised population figures of STs and readjust the legislative assembly constituency once the Bill becomes a law. The proposal to bring the Bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet in March this year, days before the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections was announced on March 16. As of now, no seat in the 40-member Goa assembly is reserved for the ST community while one seat is reserved for Scheduled Castes. The ST community has been demanding that four out of the 40 seats in Goa be reserved for it. It is estimated that Goa has an ST population of 1.5 lakh.

Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Opposition benches when the Minister was responding to a question on the refund of money deposited in Sahara Group & PACL Limited. The Minister assured the House that the Centre is working on the refunds under the supervision of the Supreme Court. “The Centre can’t decide on matters that are in the court. MPs should not mislead outside that it is the government that is not releasing money,” Sitharaman said.

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 11 AM on August 6.

AAP Rajya Sabha member from Punjab Raghav Chadha demanded that a structural audit should be conducted of railway stations and airports in the country. "We saw bridges collapse in Bihar. We have seen several traumatic incidents in the country. All the structures should be audited and on the basis of the audit, the necessary repair should be done," said Chadha.

Responding to the Agriculture budget in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan targeted Congress and said farmers were "not a priority" for Congress. "Farmers are not a priority for Congress. I read the August 15 speeches of all Prime Ministers and I was surprised. I read all the speeches of Jawaharlal Nehru. I respect him but I must say he did not even use the word farmer in his speeches from 1950 to 1961. Indira Gandhi. I respect her. I don't want to disrespect anyone. In 1966, she uttered the word farmer twice, once in 1967, thrice in 1968, once in 1979, once in 1970, did not say the word in 1971 and 72, thrice in 1973. She used the word casually, and did not announce any policy," the minister said.

Lok Sabha has passed demands for grants for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for 2024-25. The Lok Sabha now takes up discussion on Demands for Grants under the control of Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying for 2024-25. The discussion begins with TMC MP Sayani Ghosh addressing the house.

In reply to the discussion on Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for 2024-25, Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda stated that the NDA government has strengthened health infrastructure. “There were 387 medical colleges in the country. The number now stands at 731. Undergraduate seats [in medical colleges] have increased from 51,348 to 1.12 lakh seats — an increase of 118%. As for PG seats, the increase is 133%,” he informed the House.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda is addressing Lok Sabha as the house resumes discussion on Demands for Grants under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for 2024-25.

Union Law & Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduces The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes Bill, 2024 in Lok Sabha to provide reservation to Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the Goa Legislative Assembly. As of now, the ST community has no seats reserved in the state's assembly. The Rajya Sabha has also listed the Bill among the list of government business for the remaining part of the session. The Bill will empower the census commissioner to notify the population of STs in Goa. Based on it, the Election Commission (EC) will amend the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008, to make way for ST reservation in the 40-member Goa assembly. The EC will take into consideration the revised population figures of STs and readjust the legislative assembly constituency once the Bill becomes a law. The proposal to bring the Bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet in March this year, days before the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections was announced on March 16. As of now, no seat in the 40-member Goa assembly is reserved for the ST community while one seat is reserved for Scheduled Castes. The ST community has been demanding that four out of the 40 seats in Goa be reserved for it. It is estimated that Goa has an ST population of 1.5 lakh.

Lok Sabha witnessed a heated exchange between Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Opposition benches when the Minister was responding to a question on the refund of money deposited in Sahara Group & PACL Limited. The Minister assured the House that the Centre is working on the refunds under the supervision of the Supreme Court. “The Centre can’t decide on matters that are in the court. MPs should not mislead outside that it is the government that is not releasing money,” Sitharaman said.