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. 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.