Discussion on the Union Budget 2024-25 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23 continued in both the Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas, both the Houses of Parliament on Friday paid tribute to the bravehearts who made the supreme sacrifice for the country and remembered their valor. Amid the opposition’s protest against the budget, the government is constantly urging the opposition not to disrupt parliamentary proceedings. Even today, there was a tussle between the ruling party and the opposition in both the houses regarding the budget. The uproar of the opposition continued in both the houses. There was also a tussle between the members of the ruling party and the opposition on the issue of Mandal Commission.
proceedings of the Lok Sabha
– The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said the Union Budget presented by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government will prove useful in building a developed India. BJP MP Jugal Kishore Sharma said Prime Minister Modi has worked with a spirit of service in the last 10 years and dedicated such schemes to the country which have benefited the people of the country. MP and actress Kangana Ranaut on Friday claimed that her home state Himachal Pradesh has not seen as much development in the last 60 years as it has seen in the ten-year tenure of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government.
– The Lok Sabha on Friday had to be adjourned for about 25 minutes due to uproar by Trinamool Congress members on an issue related to Bengal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members on an issue related to alleged corruption in Karnataka.
– Congress MP Jaiprakash on Friday alleged in the Lok Sabha that the budget presented by the central government is ‘anti-youth and anti-farmer’ and has been prepared keeping the rich in mind. While participating in the discussion on the Union Budget, he also asked, “What was the fault of Haryana that it was ignored in this budget?” Jaiprakash said, “There is nothing in this budget for farmers, youth and the Constitution. It has been prepared only for the rich.”
– Health Minister JP Nadda on Friday said the government is making all efforts to ensure that cancer patients have access to affordable and accessible treatment amid a rise in cancer cases in India. Replying to supplementary questions during Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Nadda said, “The number of cancer cases is increasing, it is increasing by about 2.5 per cent every year.”
– Senior Janata Dal (United) leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh on Friday hit back at the Opposition for terming the Union Budget as a “save government budget” and said his party’s pre-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was “sticked with Fevicol”.
– Members of opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party (SP) and MDMK, accused the government of ignoring the states in the Union Budget and demanded the abolition of GST on agricultural equipment, while many MPs demanded special status or special package for their respective states. Participating in the discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, SP MP Harendra Singh Malik said that farmers did not get any subsidy on fertilizers in the budget and no provision was made for financial assistance to the families of farmers who were ‘martyred’ during the movement.
Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha
– Accusing the opposition of only doing politics on farmers’ issues, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday that the welfare of farmers is the top priority of the government and for this it will continue to work tirelessly with full responsibility. Expressing displeasure over the uproar created by the opposition members over the answer of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan during a question asked about farmers, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said, “Respect the food provider, serve him, do not insult him by creating a ruckus.”
– In the Rajya Sabha on Friday, members of opposition parties accused the central government of doing a ‘surgical strike’ on the aspirations of the common people through the budget. Along with this, they stressed the need to address issues like eliminating unemployment and inequality, more budgetary provisions for education and health, more focus on the states of the south, increasing private investment. Participating in the discussion on the General Budget 2024-25 and the budget of Jammu and Kashmir simultaneously in the Upper House, Sandosh Kumar P of the Communist Party of India said that this budget is like a burden for the people living in different parts of the country.
– Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday said India has the highest trade deficit with China in terms of goods, but during 2014-15 to 2023-24, this gap will increase at a slower pace than in the previous 10 years.
