Parliament Proceedings Live | Lok Sabha discussing COVID-19

Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Rattan Lal Kataria raise a discussion on COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects related to it.

Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Rattan Lal Kataria raise a discussion on COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects related to it. Lok Sabha is discussing COVID-19 situation in the country, while Rajya Sabha is continuing its debate on the Dam Safety Bill. The issue of suspension of 12 members once again echoed in the Upper House with Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu reiterating that a revocation will not be considered unless the said members apologise.Here are the updates:Rajya Sabha | 4:37 pmMaharashtra NCP member Dr. Fauzia Khan lists the issues with the Dam Safety Bill, 2019. Assam AGP member Virendra Prasad says, “India has about 5344 dams. India has witnessed many disasters on dams and more than 6000 people have lost their lives so far, so the Bill is the need of the hour.”Lok Sabha | 4:29 pmBJP MP Jagdambika Pal says India is ready for any challenge, including Omicron variant, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.The Prime Minister thought about the poor who had to travel to district headquarters and cities for basic medical needs and tests. He thought why do we have to send them to a medical college or district hospital.We only had National Virology Institute (NIV), Pune where we were sending all the samples for coronavirus tests. Today, you can get an RT-PCR test done at block or district level.Rajya Sabha | 4:19 pmDuring the debate on the Dam Safety Bill, 2019, AAP MP Sanjay Singh asks the Government which State asked it to interfere in dam management. You are going against the Constitution, he says.”We were expecting that you will get a bill to ensure MSP, but you are bringing a bill that will create friction between the States,” Mr. Singh says.Rajya Sabha | 4:12 pmMDMK MP Vaiko says if the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 is adopted, it will be disastrous for Tamil Nadu.Lok Sabha | 4:03 pmSamajwadi Party MP Dr. S.T. Hasan cites independent reports to demand from the Government correct data on deaths due to COVID-19.Rajya Sabha | 3:58 pmRJD’s Manoj Kumar Jha says it is always a temptation to encroach on a State’s subject but the BJP Government forgets it will not be in power forever.Lok Sabha | 3:56 pmBSP MP Ram Shiromani Verma pulls the Centre for not having any data of the deaths caused due to shortage of medical oxygen in the country. He demands a high-level inquiry in the matter.Mr. Verma raises the issue of digital-divide and says children from poor household could not afford mobile phones to attend online classes when the schools were shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Rajya Sabha | 3:53 pmJD (U) MP Ram Nath Thakur asks the Government to take a time bound decision to build a dam in Bihar and save 12 crore people.Lok Sabha | 3:38 pmThe Chair interrupts Mr. Samanta saying he was only talking about Odisha.To this, the MP responds that the Speaker had said that members should cite the works done in their State or by any individual MP.”I appreciate all that but you also talk about the nation,” the Chiair says. “Yes sir, I will,” Mr. Samanta says, adding, Odisha is a poor State and has dealt with two cyclones while dealing with the pandemic and one more is on the way.Lok Sabha | 3:33 pmBJP MP Achyutananda Samata praises Odisha Government’s response to COVID-19 outbreak. He lists CM Naveen Patnaik-led Government’s welfare initiatives for the poor who were hit economically due to the pandemic.Rajya Sabha | 3:23 pmCPI-M MP V. Sivadasan says the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 is against democracy and will take away the powers of the States.Lok Sabha | 3:08 pmAITC MP Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar says I salute to the researchers and doctors who devised vaccines for COVID-19 within 8-10 months.She questions the Government on the less numbers of second dose of the COVID-19 administered. “We advertised completions of 100 crore doses, but what about the second dose? Why can’t we complete the second dose (vaccination) which we were supposed to finish by December or January end?” she asks.The only answer to the disease is not vaccination, two doses of vaccination to the entire population, she says.Dr. Ghosh Dastidar also advocates the need for a booster dose for senior citizens. “Immediately high-risk groups should be given boosters.”The Government should tell us the status of ventilators, beds and other necessary equipments available in the country. “…we’ve seen the PM CARES Fund fail drastically,” she says.Rajya Sabha | 3:02 pmV Vijaysai Reddy, YSR Congress, says there is an urgency for the Dam Safety Bill. Dam owners are responsible for safe construction and maintence. There should be a dam safety unit for each dam, he says.Rajya Sabha | 2:55 pm DMK MP T.K.S. Elangovan says the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 is a violation of the Constitution. The Centre has not taken the consent of the States, he alleges.Lok Sabha | 2:54 pmDMK MP D.N.V. Senthilkumar S. says the Centre’s response to COVID-19 has been active and not proactive.He slams Prime Minister Narendra Modi for imposing a national lockdown with just four-hour notice. We saw migrant workers walking 100s of kilometres without any help from the government, he says.Mr. Senthilkumar lists the measures taken by the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, including free vaccination in both government and private medical facilities.I sincerely urge upon the Central Government to give compensation to the families of 700+ farmers who died during the farmers agitation, he says. “The lesson learnt is that the people’s protest is stronger than the government’s autocracy. And we have to succumb to people’s voice, this is the spirit of the Indian democracy.”Rajya Sabha | 2:48 pmTrinamool Congress MP Nadimul Haque says there are 5,334 large dams in the country and 293 dams are more than 100 years old. The way the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 has been framed needs scrutiny, he says.Union government has been legislating on subjects outside its jurisdiction, Mr Haque says whiel adding, this was seen in the recently repealed farm laws.Rajya Sabha | 2:42 pmBJP MP K.J. Alphons, who hails from Kerala, says we are completely obliged to Tamil Nadu for our culture and existence. Kerala should release water to Tamil Nadu, he demands.Even for liquor we depend on Tamil Nadu, the MP says.Lok Sabha | 2:40 pmMr. Gogoi criticises Centre for hiked prices of LPG cylinder, petroleum products amid the ongoing pandemic.Increase the tax on corporates houses instead of the poor when many people have lost the bread-earners of their families, he says.We salute the frontline workers for their fight against the virus, especially ASHA workers who continue to work for the vaccination drive despite non-payment of their salaries for two months, Mr. Gogoi says. He also raises the issue of alleged beating up of ASHA workers at a rally of U.P. CM Yogi Adityanath in Shahjahanpur.Lok Sabha | 2:23 pmEvery Indian felt COVID-19’s impact: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi says every citizen of India has felt the impact of COVID-19 in one way or another in their lives. He asks is the government has any data of the grievance calls they received on their helpline numbers and how many of them were resolved.Mr. Gogoi says the government is giving a wrong message by implying that India has defeated coronavirus. This gives a wrong impression to citizens that they can lower their guard.He slams the government for exporting the vaccines as well as on the shortage of medical oxygen and ventilators during the second wave of COVID-19.Lok Sabha | 2:20 pmProceedings in the Lok Sabha resume.Rajya Sabha | 2:19 pmCongress leader Shaktisinh Gohil says the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 is against the Constitution of India.He says, “I know they will say that the bill first came in 2010, when Congress was in power, but the preamble of the Bill mentioned that it will be applicable only if 2/3 majority of the State assembly accepts it.”Rajya Sabha | 2:15 pmCongress leader Anand Sharma raises the issue of suspension of 12 MPsCongress leader Anand Sharma says this House is the council of States and it can never be dissolved as per the Constitution.Mr. Sharma asks on what grounds were the MPs suspended on the first day of the Winter session on November 29, when the Monsoon session was adjourned on August 11.Rajya Sabha | 2:11 pmDMK MP Tiruchi Siva moves an amendment to the billDMK MP Tiruchi Siva says most of the bills brought by the current government are transgressing into the rights of the States. This bill too takes away the rights of the States, he adds.While saying that the States’ powers cannot be encroached upon, Mr. Siva moves an amendment to move the bill to select committee.Rajya Sabha | 2:06 pmUnion Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat speaks on the Dam Safety Bill, 2019He says the country did not have a policy on safety of dams for 40 years. This bill was passed by Lok Sabha in 2019, he adds.Rajya Sabha | 2:02 pmDiscussion on Dam Safety Bill, 2019 startsOpposition members try to raise point of order regarding suspension of 12 MPs. However, the Deputy Chair disallows the point of order. “Point of order should be on matters immediately before the house not in matters discussed earlier,” Deputy Chair Harivansh Narayan Singh.Discussion on the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 starts.Rajya Sabha | 2:00 pmProceedings resume in the Rajya Sabha.Lok Sabha | 1:17 p.m.Lok Sabha adjourned till 2:20 p.m.Lok Sabha is adjourned till 2:20 p.m.Lok Sabha | 1:16 p.m.Rattan Lal Kataria informs of the house of the various relief activities undertaken by the Bharatiya Janata Party during COVID-19.Opposition has its role in democracy and they should fulfil that role, but when it comes to serving humanity, don’t politicise it,Mr. Kataria says.Lok Sabha | 1:05 p.m.We saw a protest for over a year, but despite that, Indian farmers ensured production such that not a single person died of hunger, Mr. Kataria claims in the Lok SabhaRajya Sabha | 1:00 p.m.Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2:00 p.m.Question Hour is over. Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2:00 p.m.Lok Sabha | 1:00 p.m.”For the last 10 months, our GST collection is exceeding 1 lakh crore,” Rattan Lal Kataria says, speaking on the economic status of the country in the wake of COVID-19.Lok Sabha | 12:54 p.m.Rattan Lal Kataria of BJP informs the house of COVID-19 related data, including vaccination milestones, hospital and lab testing infrastructure in the country.Even U.S. President Biden and Kamala Harris have appreciated our country’s efforts, Mr. Kataria claims.Rajya Sabha | 12:52 p.m.Responding to a question on Tourism sector affected because of COVID-19, the MoS for Tourism said that the government has a lot of plans for the tourism sector to bring it back to how it was during pre-COVID timesLok Sabha | 12:44 p.m.Vinayak Raut is currently speaking on the compensation received by the families of individuals who died of COVID-19.He requests that the government specify guidelines on the new Omicron variant.Rajya Sabha | 12:41 p.m.Rajya Sabha commences discussion on COVID-19The House is now discussing COVID-19. Many Members are asking about the pensions paid to the artists who have been affected because of COVID-19.Lok Sabha | 12:39 p.m.Only a third of Indians have received both doses of the vaccinationOnly a third of Indians have received both doses of the vaccination, Vinayak Raut informs the house.There is an apprehension that BJP ruled states were supplied well with vaccinations, not so much states ruled by other parties, says Mr. Raut, questioning the difference between the amount of vaccine doses supplied to different States, which according to him is not commensurate to the respective population of those States.If government had ramped up production of Covaxin which has a gap of only 28 days between doses, India would have seen faster, higher rates of vaccinations, Mr. Raut adds.Lok Sabha | 12:34 p.m.In the first wave the private doctors ran away, but in the second wave they all opened their shops, and depending on insurance coverage billed poor patients usuriously, says Vinayak Raut.We have to ensure this doesn’t happen again and we need a law barring this kind of thing, he adds.Lok Sabha | 12:30 p.m.Out of 1500 PSA plants only 363 plants are operationalVinayak Raut of Shiv Sena raises the issue of PSA plants:Under PMCARES funds , we needed PSA plants, ventilators and drugs, but at that time the 60% ventilators under the scheme were not workable.It’s not the fault of the PM but the companies supplying these ventilators refused to send technicians to set them up.These companies and agencies should be acted on. Out of 1500 PSA plants only 363 plants are operational. The companies responsible for this too should be punished as they are breaking the trust between government and people.Rajya Sabha | 12:24 p.m.Jitendra Singh, MoS , Prime Minister’s Office says that there will be a nuclear plant in Gorakhpur, Haryana , in response to a question from K.J. Alphons, Rajasthan MP on if the government has any plans of setting up new nuclear power plants.He further says nuclear energy is set to become one of the major forms of alternative energy in future. There is a plan to increase budget allocations in this regard.Dr Singh admits there was a shortfall in budgetary allocations because of COVID-19 in his department. He says that they have been able to cope up with it and he will make sure the problems are solved.Lok Sabha | 12:23 p.m.Dharavi showed the world how to fight CoronaVinayak Raut of Shiv Sena addresses the Parliament:Ideally politics should not have entered the arena but it unfortunately did, like some people saying that Mumbai will see huge casualties. But fortunately, public health interventions went on well , with the guidance of PM and CM, even Dharavi was cleared of Corona.The people of Dharavi took it up as a challenge and showed the world how to fight CoronaLok Sabha | 12:20 p.m.Vinayak Raut (Shiv Sena) thanks the Prime Minister, Health Minister, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, all CMs for dealing with the pandemic.Due to their work we are moving to “Corona mukt bharat”, he says adding, “Hopefully Omicron should not hit us”Lok Sabha | 12:16 p.m.Lok Sabha starts discussion on COVID-19Discussion on COVID19 under Rule 193 begins in the Lok Sabha.Speaker Birla says the discussion when there is an emergence of a new variant is timely . “I hope it will be a healthy and constructive,” he says.The Speaker commends MPs who did innovative things to deal with the Pandemic in their respective constituencies.Rajya Sabha | 12:14 p.m.Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge starts speaking. He says that the House should discuss Inflation, but he is cut off in between.Mallikarjun Kharge says: Inflation is an issue concerning our and all, the government should give permission to hold a debate on this. Deputy Chairman Harivansh rejected the demand, following which the Congress MPs staged a walkoutLok SabhaN. K. Premachandran of RSP raises the issue of Mullaiperiyar Dam in Lok Sabha, however the Speaker asks the member to stick to the list of questions submitted.Rajya Sabha | 12:10 p.m.Opposition continues protest in Rajya SabhaThe Chair again appeals for calm as the protesting voices grow louderRajya Sabha | 12:09 p.m.Bhupender Yadav, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is responding to a question on thermal power plants, and emissions.Bhupender Yadav says that wherever trees are being cut for highway expansion puposes, compensatory afforestation is being done. He further says that many cities are being monitored to track air pollution, through the air pollution index.Rajya Sabha | 12:01 p.m.Rajya Sabha resumesRajya Sabha resumes and Question Hour begins, with protesting members in the well of the HouseDeputy Chairman Harivansh Singh is in the chair. The Chair is appealing the Members to be calm, and he is asking them to go back to their seats.Lok Sabha | 11:52 a.m.”Omicron is certainly a setback…therefore several countries have put different yardsticks, I think the yardstick put in place by our government with putting 11 countries marked as at risk and testing them completely is the right way to go,” Mr. Scindia responds to a question”We have 10 proposals pending for air bubbles which we have forwarded to those countries, Saudi Arabia is one of them,” Mr. Scindia responds to a question on entering into an air bubble with Saudi Arabia.Lok Sabha | 11:39 a.m.On status of air bubble flightsJyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of Civil Aviation informs the Lok Sabha, “At present we have air bubble agreement with 31 countries and have a proposal with 10 other nations to start air bubble agreement” in response to a question regarding the current situation of Air bubbles, travel during COVID-19.Mr. Scindia informs that currently11 countries have been placed ‘at-risk’ including all European nations including U.K., South Africa, Brazil, Botswana, China, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Israel.Lok Sabha | 11:30 a.m.Question Hour in the Lok Sabha continues amidst constant sloganeering by the Opposition members.Minister of Road, Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, is answering questions regarding various road and highway infrastructure projects, and addresses the house on Gatishakti and Bharat Mala project11:20 a.m.Rahul Gandhi leading the Congress protest in support of the suspended opposition MPs at Gandhi statue in Parliament HouseLok Sabha | 11: 15 a.m.On allocating Shirdi the status of Smart City”Smart City may not be the only way the infrastructure of a city may be attended to. Scheme of 100 smart cities was closed. Regretablly Shirdi was never included in the proposal. We would be very happy whenever Smart Ciity 2 comes up and if at that time Maharashtra government were to recommend it as one of the cities” responds Hardeep Singh Puri to a question regarding the allocation of Shirdi as a Smart City.”In 2011 census, it was put under Amrut as a holy city, all steps we take for holy cities are being taken. If additional steps are needed, we are happy to consider them,” he adds.Rajya Sabha | 11:10 a.m.Rajya Sabha adjournedRajya Sabha adjourned till 12:00 noonRajya SabhaAppealing the house to talk out the issue, and proceed, Mr. Naidu says:Suspensions, either in the past or now, are only the expression of disapproval of the acts of misconduct of some members by the House. Disapproval of undemocratic conduct in the House  can’t be decried as undemocratic, for sure.Rajya Sabha | 11:09 a.m.Venkaiah Naidu addresses the Rajya Sabha on Opposition protesting the suspension of 12 MPsMr. Naidu addresses the Rajya Sabha:Since I can’t go public with my anguish in any other way , the only platform to share my anguish and thoughts is to speak in the House.Some of the respected leaders and 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.While calling this suspension as undemocratic both within and outside the House, not even a word is being said about the reasons given for the suspension, the disdainful conduct of some members during the last session, which I have categorically called as ‘acts of sacrilege’ on the last day of last session.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.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?Rajya Sabha | 11:07 a.m.Manmohan Singh wrote a letter that he is not able to attend the winter session citing illnessThe permission to remain absent is granted.The Chairman says that from the past three days, nothing productive happened in Rajya Sabha because of the protests from the Opposition MPs, calling it undemocratic.Rajya Sabha | 11:04 a.m.Rajya Sabha proceedings begin with Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill being laid on the table.Lok Sabha | 11:03 a.m.Proceedings in the Lok Sabha commence.Question Hour begins with Vishnu Datt Sharma asking about the current status of the Ken-Betwa Link Project, and the impact of the project on Panna Tiger Reserve10:50 a.m.Opposition continues protest over suspended Rajya Sabha MPsJairam Ramesh being tied black ribbon during a demonstration against suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs at the Parliament Housei on Thursday. Suspended MPs and Opposition Party MPs staging a demonstration at the Parliament house on Thursday.   | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy 10:46 a.m.Kerala MPs stage a demonstration regarding the Mullaiperiyar Dam Issue at the Parliament House in New Delhi, on Thursday 10:30 a.m.Legislative Business for December 2, 2021 is as follows:Lok Sabha:Mansukh Mandaviya to move that the Bill further to amend the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998, be taken into consideration.Vinayak Bhaurao Raut,  Rattan Lal Kataria to raise a discussion on COVID-19 pandemic and various aspects related to itRajya Sabha:Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to move the Dam Protection Bill to be passed.10:12 a.m.Day 3 recapLok Sabha passed the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2020, with Opposition members flagging certain concerns.A parliamentary panel from Mongolia was present in Lok Sabha’ s gallery, to observe the proceedings.In Rajya Sabha, opposition’s protest over suspension of 12 members continued, resulting in the house adjourning for four times on December 1.