Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda moved ‘The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2022’ on Tuesday.

Following two adjournments after Opposition benches sloganeering on the recent fuel price hikes, the Lower House took up for discussion, the situation in Ukraine under Rule 193.

Here are the updates:

12-00 p.m.

Question Hour concludes

11-23 a.m.

Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urge members to work and reduce the cost of ROWs to expand availability of fibre network

Chennai Central MP Dayanidhi Maran asked the Communications Minister on the absence of a uniform and viable policy to facilitate laying of fibre cables by internet providers. In response, Mr Vaishnaw urged the house to reduce the cost of ROW, which is as high as ₹ 25 lakh for every kilometre in some states.

The Communications Minster pointed to state-owned operator BSNL’s program of providing resources to local entrepreneurs willing to lay fibre networks in their areas. According to him, the program has been able to introduce 1 lakh new connections, on an average, each month.

11-20 a.m.

Proliferation of 5G services in the country would facilitate introduction on internet on trains: Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

In response to a question of introducing internet in trains, Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is also the Rail Minister, said for plying with a speed of greater than 100 km/h 5G is essential. He told the house that 4G would cause network disruptions. The Communications Minister told the house that as and when 5G is introduced and proliferates in the country, it would subsequently be made available in trains too.

11-10 a.m.

House has taken up discussion on use of Geospatial information

Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari pointing to the increased use of geospatial applications such as Google Maps and Earth bearing minutest information about streets and locations of the country, asked if the existing guidelines are compatible with the present use case. Further, he asked the Science & Technology Minister to clarify if the Govt of India is considering to bring about additional guidelines to validate or invalidate the use of such applications.

In response, Minister of State for Science & Technology Jitendra Singh stated that the use of geospatial data has been restricted to domestic users. Additionally, a restricted scientific resolution is made available to non-Indian companies. On the question of policy, the Minister of State informed the house that the Govt is working on a new holistic policy outlining the approach and strategy on the use of geospatial data, keeping in mind the evolving technology. The policy work in progress would replace the existing policy formulated in 2005.

11-00 a.m.

Proceedings commence at Lok Sabha. In the ongoing question hour, Minister of Railways is taking questions with respect to ROBs/RUBs/LHSs

10-15 am

List of Business

1. Question Hour
2. Papers, statements, reports of the parliamentary standing committee to be laid on the table
3. Secretary-General to report two messages from Rajya Sabha regarding the Chartered Accountants, the Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill, 2022 and the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022
4. Dr S. Jaishankar to move the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022
5. Further discussion on the situation in Ukraine raised by N.K. Premachandran on April 5, 2022
6. Further discussion on the need to promote sports in India and steps taken by the Government in this regard raised by Gaurav Gogoi on the March 31, 2022

10 am

Day 16 recap

Amid sloganeering by opposition benches over rising fuel prices, the House was adjourned for a brief period.

Minutes after the House reconvened, it got adjourned again following recurrent sloganeering and display of banners by members of the opposition.

The situation in Ukraine was discussed after the House resumed. RSP MP N.K. Premchandran, whilst congratulating the Govt for Operation Ganga stated to make the entire evacuation process better, it should have taken “early cautious steps”.

On the rising fuel prices, the Union Petroleum Minister said, “India has not increased petrol prices as much as other countries. While the U.S. and others have increased by 50%, we have increased only by 5%.”

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur told the Lok Sabha that over 600 social media accounts of the central government were hacked in the last five years.

Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda moved The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2022, for consideration and passing