On the first day of the second part of the Budget session, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented a ₹1.42-lakh-crore budget, along with proposals for supplementary demands of grants for Jammu and Kashmir. This was followed by members of the Lower House taking up the bill for discussion.

In today’s session, the House is discussing the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways for 2022-23.

Union Ministers Rajnath Singh has made a statement on the issue of the inadvertent missile firing.

Here are the latest updates:

3.30 p.m.

Railways is directionless, says Trinamool Congress MP Aparupa Poddar.

In her address, Ms. Poddar has said that things have changed since Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to sell tea at a railway station platform. Using wordplay, the MP has added that people travelling in Railways in the present are not doing safar (Hindi for travel), they are “suffering”.

“This is not Modi government, this is Amazon government because they are selling all PSUs of the country,” says the MP.

Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party MP Midhun Reddy is chairing the proceedings.

3.00 p.m.

Hindi names for central government schemes a blessing in disguise, says DMK MP Senthilkumar S.

“Please tell us the English name of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Since people don’t understand the true meaning, the credit does not go to you,” he said during Question Hour.

Replying to the MP, Minister of State for Rural Development Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said that the scheme is not named after an individual, and if he can understand the meaning of the Indira Awas Yojana, then he can understand the meaning of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana too. – PTI

2.40 p.m.

The value of the Railways Budget has been diluted, says Jaunpur MP Shyam Singh Yadav.

The fact that the Railways Budget has been made a part of the Union Budget is an indication of how much the sector has been diluted, says Mr. Yadav.

The Bahujan Samaj Party MP has said that Railways will not remain the preferred mode of travel for the poorer people of the society if the fares keep increasing amid the process of privatisation of the sector.

“No matter how much you praise yourselves, no one will forget how you stopped all trains during the 2020 lockdown and migrants across the country were forced to walk back to their homes,” says Mr. Yadav.

The MP has also invoked a statement by MP Manoj Tiwari where he claimed that his request was fulfilled through a WhatsApp message. “We have been running to your office for years but haven’t received similar treatment,” says the MP.

1-15 p.m.

DMK MP Kanimozhi on disparity between North and South India in Railways

DMK MP Kanimozhi during the question hour stated there was a disparity in the quality of coaches in Northern and Southern India. She also said that people from Southern Indian do not get adequate jobs in the railways.

The minister put forth figures suggesting that budgetary allocation to North India was 101 times more than that of Southern India.

Separately, she also raised concerns on privatisation of Indian Railways. She sought clarification on why the Govt was opting to privatise the profitable air-conditioned operations and retaining the loss-making non-AC operations.

12-10 p.m.

Formal high-level investigation to ascertain cause of missile incident: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed the house that an official high-level investigation has been initiated to ascertain the cause on the accidental firing of a missile on March 9. He informed that no damage had been caused by the accidental firing.

He said the incident was ‘unfortunate’, adding the investigation would also review standard operating procedures with respect to operations, maintenance,

The Defence Minister stated the country’s missile systems were safe and dependable. He added the armed forces are well-trained, disciplined and possess experience in operating the same.

12-00 p.m.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla informed the House that Aam Admi Party member, Bhagwant Mann has resigned from the House.

11-20 a.m.

Discussion on regulation of Television content

Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Dr. L Murugan stated the Ministry will not compromise on national security. He added that the I&B Ministry follows due process before initiating any action against a network. He suggested the Ministry depends on recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs with regards to concerns on national security.

He was responding to questions raised by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi.

On being asked about action taken by the ministry against TV broadcasters during the election phase, he stated that the ministry had taken action in 159 cases.

11-10 a.m.

216 courses being taught from 600 centres under PM Daksh: MoS Social Justice and Empowerment

Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Pratima Bhoumik informed the house that 600 courses are being taught from 600 centres across the country under the PM Daksh Yojna. According to the Minister, in the year 2020-21, 32,097 people received training with 14,097 being placed.

The Ministry aspires to reach out to 2.71 lakh people between between calendar year 2021-22 and 2025-26.

PM Daksh is a National Action Plan for skilling of marginalised people covering SCs, OBCs, EBCs, DNTs and sanitation workers.

11 a.m.

Proceedings begin at Lok Sabha

10.30 a.m.

List of Business

1. Discussion and Voting on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways for 2022-23.

2. Minister of Defence Rajnath Singh to make a statement regarding ‘Inadvertent firing of Missile’ on March 9, 2022. 

3. Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar to make a statement regarding ‘the situation in Ukraine’. 

4. Arjun Munda to move the The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2022.

5. Papers and Reports to be laid on the Table

6. Question Hour

10.00 a.m.

Day 1 recap

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented a ₹1.42-lakh-crore budget for Jammu and Kashmir for the year 2022-23, along with proposals for supplementary demands of grants to the Union Territory.

Ms. Sitharaman also moved a motion seeking to suspend certain rules to allow the House to take up discussion and debates on the issue on the same day. After Lok Sabha members debated the J&K budget in the second half of the session, Ms. Sitharaman responded to questions raised by them.