Headlines
Government reaches out to opposition ahead of budget session
New Delhi, Feb 22
The NDA government Sunday
reached out to the opposition ahead of the budget session with
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu meeting Congress
president Sonia Gandhi over its agenda that includes the contentious
ordinance on land acquisition.
The government agenda for the
session beginning Monday includes 44 items of financial, legislative and
non-legislative business.
Naidu met Sonia Gandhi in the
morning and later met leaders of opposition parties over lunch to seek
their cooperation, but they all conveyed their concern on the land
ordinance. Though the government has not spoken of making changes in it
so far, there now appears to be a rethink on the issue.
Home
Minister Rajnath Singh, who Saturday met some farmers' representatives
on the issue, was told by them that the government had brought the
measure without proper consultations, said sources. The representatives
also asked him to ensure that their views are taken into account before
bringing the bill replacing the ordinance in parliament.
The
Bharatiya Janata Party is apparently concerned about activist Anna
Hazare's protest against the ordinance and any perception of the party
being viewed as anti-farmer. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi is
also expected to lead a protest on the issue.
Naidu told Sonia
Gandhi that the land ordinance was brought after consultations with
various states and stakeholders but she said that her party had its
concerns.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was
present at the all-party meeting, said it was the collective
responsibility of all parties to run the house.
After the meeting, Naidu told reporters that it was "very successful".
"The
general view expressed was that parliament should function smoothly.
Focus should be on financial matters since this is the budget session,"
he said.
Naidu said there was broad consensus on "four-five
ordinances" of the six that need to be replaced by bills in the first
half of the session ending March 20 but the opposition parties raised
objections to the one on land acquisition and the government conveyed
its willingness to address any issue.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi
Azad said the party will support the government on bills and ordinances
which benefit the common man but not those which are "anti-people".
The
opposition parties are expected to raise a number of issues including
attacks on churches, ceasefire violations by Pakistan and concerns of
Tamil fishermen.
Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has also called a meeting of leaders of parties in the house to ensure its smooth functioning.
The session will begin with President Pranab Mukherjee's address to members of both houses of parliament.
The
financial business (11 items) include presentation of and discussion on
general and railway budget, voting on demands for grants, supplementary
demands for grants for 2014-15 and excess demands, if any, for 2013-14.
The rail budget will be presented Feb 26, Economic Survey Feb 27 and general budget Feb 28.
While
10 new bills are slated to be introduced, the agenda includes passing
of three bills pending in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha.
Those pending in the Lok Sabha include the Constitution (122nd
Amendment) bill relating to introduction of GST, and the Lokpal and Lok
Ayukta bill.
Bills pending in the Rajya Sabha include four bills
already passed by the Lok Sabha including the Companies Bill, and
amendments to the Public Premises Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants
Act, and the Regional Rural Banks Act.
Other pending bills include a bill amending the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The
new bills pertain to the National Cooperative Development Corporation,
the Warehousing Corporation, Andhra Pradesh's reorganisation,
arbitration and conciliation, repeal of appropriation acts, registration
of births and deaths, whistle-blowers protection, Indian Institutes of
Management, National Academic Depository and Identification of Scheduled
Castes.
The second part of budget session will commence April 20 and conclude May 8.
New Delhi, Feb 22
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said it was the collective responsibility of all parties to run the house.
At
an all party meeting here ahead of the parliament session that begins
Monday, a source quoted Modi as saying that it was the collective
responsibility of all parties to run the house.
Modi assured all
parties that issues raised would be discussed according to their
importance, adding that the budget session was very important.
Modi also said that the country looks up to the parliament, the source said.