Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned briefly during the day for the swearing in of the new President, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind.
However, after reconvening, the lower house could not take up take up scheduled business of the day due to disruptions.
The Upper House began discussion on the farmers’ distress leading to rise in their suicides in the country. Members participating in the debate emphasised on a number of key issues of the farming sector such as unavailability of rural credit, high dependence on rain by farmers, inadequate access to irrigation and unviable size of landholdings among other things. Members urged the government to waive off farm loans in states with high farmer distress. Solutions such as drip irrigation, strengthening of National Agriculture Markets through eNAM, establishing credit institutions, creating a debt-relief commission, among other things were discussed.