Parliament highlights: Houses adjourned to reconvene at 11 am on April 4

In Rajya Sabha, Piyush Goyal said over the last 6 years, India has broken all previous records in FDI. The Rajya Sabha on Thursday bid farewell to its 72 retiring members with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging them to take the experience gained in the House across India in the best interests of the people and help inspire the coming generations. Both Houses discussed private members' bills.

Both houses adjourned to reconvene on Monday, April 4.

Only 258 rural courts set up so far: MoS Law in LS

Union Minister S P Singh Baghel lamented in the Lok Sabha on Friday that only few states have come forward to set up courts in rural areas under the Gram Nyayalaya Act to provide access to justice to people at their doorsteps.

Replying to a question by a BJP member, the Minister of State for Law and Justice said a total of 15 states had expressed their willingness to set up rural rural courts after enactment of the Gram Nyayalaya Act, 2008.

Russia-Ukraine conflict impacting Indian shipping companies: Govt

Shipping companies are facing crisis as northern Black Sea is closed due to the Russia-Ukraine war, leading to congestion as containers bound for Ukraine and Russia lying at different transshipment ports, the Parliament was told on Friday.

Rajya Sabha adjourned till 11 am on April 4, 2022.

The Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022passed in Lok Sabha

Fighting elections and arguing with political parties is okay and it is your right and our right, too. Do that, but why are you using violence against the Delhi CM? Just because you lost an election? We all share the grief of what happened with the Kashmiri Pandits, but that is no reason for the BJP to use violence against Arvind Kejriwal and his family: Sanjay Singh, AAP MP, in RS

Crimes against Adivasis must be reigned in, they have increased by over 9 per cent over the past year: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in LS

Education is most important to uplift a downtrodden people. More Eklavya schools must be set up in tribal belts to increase education facilities: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Lok Sabha

India is a kaleidoscope of tribal populations, but today, tribal belts only show poverty, illiteracy and hunger. There need to be improvements to the ground reality of the tribal populaiton: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury in Lok Sabha

Re-orient training programme for young civil servants: Par panel to LBSNAA

A Parliamentary Committee has asked the Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) to re-orient its training programme to make young civil servants sensitive to the needs of the public, especially the marginalised and the vulnerable.

In its recent report, the panel recommended LBSNAA shifts its approach from 'one-size-fits-all training' to 'need-based customized training'.

Survey of India asked to conduct joint inspection of Assam-Meghalaya border to redraw map: Conrad

The Survey of India has been asked to coordinate with Assam and Meghalaya for conducting a joint inspection of the inter-state boundary to redraw the map before a Bill is introduced in the Parliament, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said.

The two northeastern states have recently inked a historic agreement to end their 50-year-old dispute and resolve differences in six of 12 areas.

"The Survey of India has been asked to do a joint inspection with both state governments. Once that process is completed, we expect the Centre to introduce in Parliament a Bill to redraw the border," Sangma told reporters here on Thursday night.

Irani wonders why woman MP cannot be addressed as a lady

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday wondered why a woman member of Parliament cannot be addressed as a lady.

Her remarks came after Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary and Saugata Roy of TMC objected to Irani referring to Geetha Viswanath Vanga of the YSRCP as a lady member during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha.(PTI)

MP raises issue of safe drinking water in Assam

Amit Kumar Bhuyan, a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam, on Friday raised the issue of safe drinking water in the state, especially in Guwahati city.

During Zero Hour, Bhuyan said that there was a chronic lack of safe drinking water in Assam. People were suffering despite the fact that the river Brahmaputra flows through the state, he said.(IANS)

Teach 'fundamental duties' in primary, mid-level schools, urge MPs in RS

Elders in the Rajya Sabha on Friday urged the government to introduce 'Fundamental Duties' in primary and middle level schools syllabus to inculcate spirit of nationalism and patriotism among the students.

Raising this issue during the Zero Hour, BJP MP Lt. Gen DP Vats (Retd) said that at the primary and middle level, the children are at an impressionable age. Therefore, they should be taught about the 'Fundamental Duties' to enable them to understand the duties of a citizen and the importance of nationalism. They would also learn to respect the national anthem and national flag and protect the public property.(IANS)

Proceedings in Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm.

Over the last 6 years, India has broken all previous records in FDI, says Piyush Goyal in Rajya Sabha

TMC MP Chhetri demands minority status for Hindus in Meghalaya

Citing the Centre's assertion in the Supreme Court that states can consider granting Hindus minority status if they deem so, Trinamool Congress MP Shanta Chhetri on Friday demanded in the Rajya Sabha that the community be granted minority status in Meghalaya.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the House, Chhetri said the Centre has told the Supreme Court that states can consider granting Hindus the minority status if the community is not in a majority within their jurisdiction.(PTI)

"It was under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guidance that India saw best Covid management and largest vaccination drive... While Omicron caused numerous deaths in other countries, India sailed through the Omicron wave because of vaccination," Mandaviya said during the Question Hour.

India sailed through Omicron wave because of vaccination: Mandaviya

India effectively handled the Omicron wave, which caused numerous deaths in other countries, because of better Covid management and a massive vaccination drive, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday.

Replying to a supplementary question in the Lok Sabha, Mandaviya said the ICMR has from time to time guided the country and helped in vaccine-related research leading to India having its own indigenous vaccine.(PTI)

ICMR has published over 250 researches. The international journals published ICMR studies, said Dr Bharati Pawar, MoS, Health and Welfare Minister in Lok Sabha.

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya lauds ICMR in Lok Sabha for its role during the pandemic.

Proceedings begin in both Houses

In Lok Sabha, the Question Hour is under way on Siddha System of medicine. In Rajya Sabha, MPs are making statement regarding the government business.

A meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of Rajya Sabha is scheduled to be held on at 4 pm today.

BJP tally crosses 100-mark in Rajya Sabha

For the first time the BJP tally in the Rajya Sabha has crossed the 100-mark. The BJP also became the first party to achieve the feat after 1988. After the recent round of election for the Upper House of Parliament held on Thursday, the saffron party tally now stands at 101.

The BJP achieved this feat after winning four seats out of 13 for which polls were held on Thursday. The saffron party alliance partner United People's Party Liberal (UPPL) won one Rajya Sabha seat from Assam. The BJP won four Rajya Sabha seats from three Northeastern states -- Assam, Tripura and Nagaland. The BJP has also increased its members' tally in the Upper House from the region.(IANS)

India carefully monitors all hydropower projects on Brahmaputra in China

The government is carefully monitoring all hydropower projects on Brahmaputra river in China, theParliamentwas informed on Thursday.

Around 40-50 Indians still in Ukraine, of which only few willing to return: Centre

As many as 22,500 nationals have returned to India from Ukraine since February and around 40-50 Indians are still in the war-torn country, of which only a few are willing to return, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.

Rajya Sabha bids farewell to 72 retiring members

Rajya Sabha on Thursday bid farewell to 72 MPs, who are retiring in the next three months, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging them to share the experience gained within the four walls of the Upper House in all four directions so that the country benefits and to inspire coming generations.