The Parliament will reconvene today after the Holi break.

On March 16, 2022, its fourth day in session, the Railway Minister responded to suggestions raised by MPs on the Railway Budget for 2022-23. Ashwini Vaishnaw in his reply said that there no talks of privatisation, and apprised the Lower House on status of recruitment for posts in Railways.

The Lok Sabha also passed the Demands for Grants under the Control of the Ministry of Railways for 2022-23

Today, the House will take up discussion and voting on Demands for Grants from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Here are the latest updates:

4-12

No trees cut in Delhi for development projects in 2021-20, over 30 lakh cut pan-India

Answering a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, said, “about 31 lakh trees were cut across India in 2020-21 for construction and development of public infrastructure projects, but not a single tree was felled in the national capital.

He said that the trees were felled with approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act and Rs 359 crore was spent on compensatory afforestation in 2020-21.

He also said that under the Forest (Conservation) Act, approval of diversion proposals is a continuous process, adding that the states and Union Territories are supposed to carry out compensatory afforestation when a forest area is diverted for non-forestry use.

The minister said no tree was cut down for developmental projects in Delhi during 2020-21. He added that over 53,000 seedlings were planted under the compensatory afforestation scheme in Delhi for which Rs 97 lakh was spent.- PTI

4-05

BJP Lok Sabha member Dr. Kirit Premjibhai Solanki in the chair

3-40

Labour Minister on sexual harassment probe committees at workplaces

Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav said in Lok Sabha today that every employer and organisation with 10 or more employees, whether in public or private sector, must set up an internal committee for receiving complaints of sexual harassment.

Mr. Yadav said the government has enacted the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 with the aim to provide safe and secure work environment to women irrespective of their work status.

While addressing the House during Question Hour, he said: “The Act casts an obligation upon every employer and organisation whether in private or public sector employing 10 or more persons, to constitute an internal committee for receiving complaints of sexual harassment.”

The Labour Minister added that the state government is authorised to set up a local committee in every district to receive complaints from organisations having less than 10 workers or if the complaint is against the employers. – PTI

3-00

Kerala MP on the functioning of NHAI

RSP MP from Kerala, N.K. Premachandran said, in the case of national highway roads, the quality of work needs to be re-looked and reviewed, calling for accountiblity.

“Immediately after the repair and maintenance, within three months is being dilapidated, we have so many examples as far as national highways are concerned.

Raising the issue of delay in the completion of projects by the National Highway Authority of India, Mr. Premachandran said “very minimal” people are employed in NHAI.

“Everything is being outsourced, they have no manpower or people with expertise,” he said, also mentioning the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) indictment of the NHAI, which flagged procedural inefficiencies of the Authority

2-50

Stop funds if DISHA committee does not hold regular meetings- Congress MP

During the question hour today, Congress Lok Sabha member from West Bengal Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked the government to bring in a provision to withhold the funds of district development coordination and monitoring committees (DISHA), if they do not regularly hold meetings in states.

Mr. Chowdhary complained that the meeting of the DISHA committee in his district in West Bengal has not been held for past several years.

The MP said Lok Sabha members are empowered to seek all information from DISHA committee and ask questions about the implementation of various schemes and programmes in their respective district. “But, I am sorry to say that despite pleading for it in this House again and again, no meeting of the DISHA committee has been called in my district for last 12-13 years, even as I am its chairman,” Chowdhury said.

“I want to say this to the government, this House and the Speaker that make it mandatory. Stop releasing funds if DISHA committee meeting is not held properly in any district.” – PTI

The union government had constituted District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committees or DISHAs to check the implementation of infrastructure and social development schemes the Ministry of Rural Development and other ministries on the district level to ensure efficiency and coordination. The Chairperson of such a committee is the Lok Sabha MP elected from the district, nominated by the Union Ministry of Rural Development. The Committee is supposed to meet at least once in every quarter to discuss the implementation of projects.

1-20 p.m.

MP Suresh Kodikunnil in the chair. MP talk about road projects undertaken in their respective consitutencies. They also asked the Govt to consider undertaking certain specific projects in the region as well as expedite ongoing projects.

12-10 p.m.

Kollam MP N.K. Premchandaran in the chair

12-05 p.m.

Internet connectivity for tribal population

On being asked about steps being taken to ensure access to internet connectivity for the tribal population in India, Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda IT Ministry recently initiated a scheme with an outlay of approx. ₹ 6,500 crore to enable broadband and 4G connectivity to 7,000 villages in the country.

11-50 a.m.

House discusses issues relevant to tribal population in India

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury asked the Govt must consider not releasing funds to districts not convening meeting as per provision of the DISHA Committee.

Seperately, BJD MP Anubhav Mohanty raised his concerns on sickle disease that prominently affects tribals. He asked if there the Govt had received any representation pertaining to methodologies that would permanently eradicate the disease. Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda stated his Ministry is working with Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and the Health Ministry on the same. He added that they are working out a methodology on two fronts, namely, research and creation of a data base. He informed the house that counselling and raising awareness was important with regards to the disease. He added the Govt is also working on making treatments easily accessible.

11-40 a.m.

Congress MP Tarun Gogoi suggests Govt should consider ensuring representations from students with disabilities for facilitating policies under the National Education Policy

Mr. Gogai suggested the Govt should consider representation of students with special needs in the National Policy Education Task Force. This would ensure better understanding of the problems and thereby, better policies.

Education Minister Dharamendra Pradhan replied the house is witnessing a healthy discussion and has seen consensus on related issues. He assured the Govt is working on the same and all suggestions by the MP would be noted.

11-35 a.m.

MP S.S. Ahluwalia asks Govt if they would consider setting up camps in the schools itself to provide disability certificates

11-30 a.m.

MP E.T. Mohammed Basheer asks Govt about the implementation of technology and sign-language for students with disabilities

IUML MP from Ponnani (Kerala) asked the Education Minister about the implementation of sign language and technology to better facilitate education for students with disabilities. In response, Education Minister Dharamendra Pradhan stated that both the suggestions were good advice and the Govt, already working on the front, will take care of the same.

11-10 a.m.

MP Manish Tiwari asks Govt to do away with MP Quota for admission to Kendriya Vidyalya and Navodaya Vidyalaya

INC MP from Anandpur Sahib asked the Govt to either do away with the MP facilitated recommendation for admission to Kendriya Vidyalaya and Navodya Vidyalaya. Each MP is permitted to recommend 10 children for admission to the central schools. The policy is particularly beneficial for Central Govt employees transferred during service. Alternately, he suggested that the Govt could consider increasing the quota from the present 10 to 50.

TMC MP from Krishnanagar Mahua Moitra told the house that she represented a constituency with a population serving in the Border Security Force (BSF). She suggested the Govt could consider establishing a dedicated cell to facilitate demands for further admission quota. Previously, she stated that removing the quota altogether would make things difficult.

11-00 a.m.

House commences after Holi break. Question Hour in progress.

10.30 a.m.

List of Business

1. Discussion and Voting on:

• Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for 2022-23.
•  Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation for 2022-23. 
• Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways for 2022-23.

2. Papers and Reports to be laid on the Table

3. Question Hour

10.00 a.m.

Day 4 recap

On March 16, 2022, the Lower House passed the Demands for Grants under the Control of the Ministry of Railways for 2022-23 through a voice vote.

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw replied to suggestions from Members of Parliament on the Railway Budget, and said that there are “no talks of privatisation”.

Sonia Gandhi spoke during the Zero Hour, and raised the issue of Facebook and other social media platforms being abused to target those who are speaking against the Government.