Day 20 of Budget Session

Parliament met for the twentieth sitting of the Budget Session today with Lok Sabha reconvening after its month long recess.

The Land Ordinance was tabled in the lower house today amongst protests from the opposition benches. You can watch our video to know more about the ordinance here. The Land Acquisition Ordinance must be approved by both the houses within six weeks of its reassembly i.e. before 4 June, such that it does not expire.

The discussion on the agrarian crisis from the first half of the Session concluded today. The Minister of Agriculture replied to the debate after a number of members spoke on the issue. Previously, 131 members have spoken on the issue as it was discussed for more than nine hours, as of March 20, 2015.

Lok Sabha is scheduled to be in session till 8 May, 2015. While Rajya Sabha is currently prorogued it is scheduled to reconvene on Thursday 23 April and sit till 13 May, 2015. There are thus 13 sittings scheduled for both the Houses in the Session ahead.

Financial business will be the focus of the second half of the session as discussion on demand for grants and working of ministries constitute the main agenda of business to be undertaken.

The Demands for Grants of Ministries of Home, Health and Family Welfare, Environment and Forests & Climate Change, Chemicals and Fertilizers and Drinking Water & Sanitation are to be discussed in Lok Sabha.

The upper house is likely to take up the working of the Ministries of Law & Justice, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Social Justice & Empowerment and External Affairs for discussion in the coming days.

In terms of legislation, a number of have been listed to be moved by the government as suggested by the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. The Constitutional Amendment (GST) Bill, Disclosure of Foreign Income and Assets Bill (Black Money Bill) and the Real Estate (Development & Regulation) Bill are some of the important legislations that are likely to be considered in the next three weeks.