The second part of the Parliament’s budget session begins on Monday with the Opposition set to corner the government on a range of issues, including rising unemployment, a reduction in the interest rate on employees’ provident funds and the evacuation of Indians stranded in war-hit Ukraine.

Top on the government’s agenda would be getting Parliament’s approval to the budgetary proposals and presentation of the budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The first part of the budget session had begun on January 29 with President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in the Central Hall of Parliament, which was followed by the presentation of the Economic Survey.

Ms. Sitharaman presented the Union Budget on February 1, which was followed by discussions on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address and the Union Budget.

Here are the latest updates:

3.30 p.m.

“Will Congress commit to bringing back Article 370 if they return to power,” asks MP Dr. Jitendra Singh. 

Dr. Singh is the BJP MP from Udhampur constituency in Jammu and Kashmir and also the Minister of State for Prime Minister’s office.

2.50 p.m.

Jugal Kishor Sharma defends BJP’s actions regarding special status of Jammu and Kashmir

Mr. Sharma praises Prime Minister Narendra Modi for scrapping Article 370 of the Constitution and says that development in the Union Territory has increased manifolds since August 2019. He has also complimented Mr. Modi for his handling of the Covid-19 crisis in Jammu and the rest of India.

The BJP member is responding to Congress MP Manish Tewari’s allegations that the indutrial development recorded in Jammu and Kashmir since Article 370 was scrapped has been negligible.

N.K. Premachandran is now chairing the discussion in the Lower House.

2.20 p.m.

Congress MP Manish Tewari questions the discussion

Mr. Tewari, the MP from Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, questions why the Budget of Jammu and Kashmir is being discussed in the Parliament when similar discussions were not adopted for other Union Territories.

Opposition MPs have claimed that they have not been given enough time to go through the Budget documents in order to constructively contribute to the discussion.

2.15 p.m.

Lok Sabha resumes discussion

The Lower House of the Parliament is discussing the supplementary demands for grants for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for the financial year 2021-22. Bhartruhari Mahtab is chairing the discussion. 

1.05 p.m.

Lok Sabha adjourns till 2pm

Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm after the Zero Hour.

During the Zero Hour, members raised questions about several issues such as the education of students who returned from Ukraine.

12.20 p.m.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presents budget for Jammu & Kashmir

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget for the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir along with the supplementary demands for grants, demands for grants and demands for excess grants.

The budget was presented amid opposition some members, including Congress MP Manish Tewari, who demanded for more time to discuss the budget.

11.55 a.m.

DMK’s T.R. Baalu asks Centre’s plan for medical students evacuated from Ukraine

DMK’s T.R. Baalu asked if the Indian students who were evacuated from war-hit Ukraine could continue their studies in Russia.

“Whether the students hailing from India who has gone for further studies to Ukraine could be taken to Russia using Modi’s clout with Russian government. Is it possible to have them admitted in Russian universities and continue their studies ?” he asked.

Speaker Om Birla said that the matter was about medical education and would come under the ministry of health.

11.35 a.m.

Shashi Tharoor urges govt to help Indians working in tourism industry affected by Covid

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said that the government should pay attention to the well being of the people in India who run services that the tourists use.

He also said that neither the Kerala state government or the central government helped the Contract Carriages Association in the state who run tourists buses. He said that the body has been repeatedly asking to reduce their taxes but it was not reduced due to which he claimed that they were selling their tourist buses below price.

In response, Union tourism minister said that the matter was a subject of states and said that the Centre had extended its cooperation wherever possible.

11.28 a.m.

Opposition questions govt on data about child labour

Several opposition MPs questioned the Union government regarding data about child labour in the country. Congress’ Manickam Tagore said that it was “unfortunate” the government has no data about child labour. He also said that the government has not released funds for the National Child Labour Project (NCLP), especially for the state of Tamil Nadu.

Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee said that “One in 10 children now in child labour in India and it is rising for the first time in 20 years. Nine million more children are at risk of being pushed into child labour by the end of 2022 as a result of the pandemic. The closure of 1.5 million schools due to the pandemic and lockdowns in India has impacted 247 million children enrolled in elementary and secondary schools and added to the risk of them slipping into child labour.”

10.00 a.m.

List of business in Lok Sabha

1. Obit references
2. Question Hour
3. Papers to be laid on the table
4. Report of Business Advisory Committee
5. Reports on Standing Committee on Railways, Social Justice and Empowerment, Home Affairs, Transport, Tourism and Culture
6. Motion for Election of two members to the court of University of Delhi
7. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to present the budget for Jammu and Kashmir
8. Demands for Grants
9. Arjun Munda to move The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2022