More sparring on cards in Parliament on GST Bill, agrarian crisis
New Delhi: The government and the opposition could be set for another round of intense sparring in Parliament beginning on April 27, with issues like the GST Bill and agrarian crisis set to dominate Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, respectively. The Narendra Modi-led NDA government has a packed agenda to push through this week when both Houses will function only for four days. Apart from the GST Bill and financial business, reports of the Standing Committees of nine ministries, including Urban Development, Agriculture and Energy, are to be submitted in Parliament during this period.
The GST Bill (The Constitution 122nd Amendment Bill, 2014) has been listed for further consideration and passage in Lok Sabha on April 27. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had moved the Bill in the House last week explaining its objectives and the benefits that would flow from it by way of economic integration of the country. However, opposition Congress has accused the government of "changing its stand" on the issue and has demanded that the Bill, which it claims has been "altered" from the version brought in by the previous UPA dispensation, should be sent to a Standing Committee.
Rajya Sabha will resume the second week by taking forward the discussion on agrarian crisis and suicides by farmers in the different parts of the country. The issue would come up against the backdrop of the suicide by a farmer at a rally in the national capital that has fuelled a huge political controversy. Government sources said that after the eventful first week of the second part of the ongoing Budget session, financial business will continue to be the main agenda of both the
Houses during the second week, which has only four working days. There will be no sitting of Parliament on Friday on account of Labour Day. Reports of the Parliamentary Standing Committees pertaining to Demands for Grants for 2015-16 in respect of the ministries of Agriculture, Defence, Energy, Environment and Forests and Climate Change, Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Industry, Science and Technology, Water Resources and Urban Development will be submitted in both Houses tomorrow.
Lok Sabha is also scheduled to take up the Demands for Grants of the ministries of Human Resource Development, which has already been partially discussed, Home Affairs, Environment and Forests, Climate Change and Health and Family Welfare. The Lower House is to conclude the financial business with the passage of the Finance Bill during the second week.
