Thank you for joining our coverage of the Monsoon Session. We will now wrap the blog. Do tune in to our LIVE blog tomorrow. Good night.

Jul 25, 2022 8:48 PM

Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day

The Rajya Sabha proceedings have been adjourned for the day amid ruckus created by opposition MPs over price rise. The House will meet at 11am tomorrow.

Jul 25, 2022 8:42 PM

Rs 494 crore FDI received in defence sector since revising policy, says government

India has received around Rs 494 crore of foreign direct investment in the defence sector since revising the policy relating the same in September 2020, the government said in the Lok Sabha on Monday. In the last few years, the government has taken a series of measures to boost domestic defence manufacturing. Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt said the total FDI inflow into the defence sector was approximately Rs 494 crore since the notification on the revised policy was issued.

Jul 25, 2022 8:39 PM

Government says there has been consistent improvement in Delhi's air quality

There has been a "consistent improvement" in Delhi's air quality and the annual PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in the capital have reduced by 22 and 27 percent, respectively, between 2016 and 2021, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Monday. The number of 'good', 'satisfactory' and 'moderate' days in Delhi has increased to 197 in 2021 as against 108 in 2016. The number of 'poor', 'very poor' and 'severe' days have decreased to 168 in 2021 as against 246 in 2016, the minister told the Lok Sabha.

Jul 25, 2022 8:23 PM

Congress MPs' suspension 'appropriate'; govt ready to discuss price rise: BJP minister

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi on Monday defended the suspension of Congress MPs from Lok Sabha saying the government is ready for discussion on price rise, but the MPs did not respect the chair and created ruckus by violating the laws. Four Congress MPs — Manickam Tagore, TN Prathapan, Jothimani, and Ramya Haridas — were suspended from Lok Sabha for the rest of the session for displaying placards and disrupting proceedings despite a warning by Speaker Om Birla.

Jul 25, 2022 7:54 PM

Rs 14,820 crore tax demand raised under black money law on foreign income: Govt

The government on Monday said it has raised a tax demand of Rs 14,820 crore after completing assessment in 368 cases under the black money law dealing with undisclosed foreign income. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in the cases related to deposits made in unreported foreign bank accounts in HSBC, undisclosed income of more than Rs 8,468 crore have been brought to tax and penalty of over Rs 1,294 crore has been levied. She said 648 disclosures involving undisclosed foreign assets worth Rs 4,164 crore were made in the one-time three months compliance window, which closed on September 30, 2015, under the Black Money (Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets) and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015. The amount collected by way of tax and penalty in such cases was about Rs 2,476 crore, she added. The data provided by the Finance Minister is up to May 31, 2022

Jul 25, 2022 7:46 PM

MoS Defence gives details of construction of all weather roads in border areas

MoS Defence Ajay Bhatt in a written reply to Rajya Sabha gives details on the border-wise length of new roads constructed in the last five years to facilitate all-weather access to the borders of the country and financial expenditure incurred on these projects by BRO. Earlier in the day, the Rajya Sabha had been adjourned for the third time till 5pm after unrelenting protests by Opposition members seeking a discussion on price rise with display of placard.

Jul 25, 2022 7:24 PM

Government shying away from discussion on price rise issue: Congress MP

"The opposition is together on the issue of price rise. But the government is shying away from a discussion on it. Instead of discussing the issue, the government has resorted to the brutal measure of suspending our (four) MPs only to threaten the voice of the opposition," says Congress MP AR Chowdhury

Jul 25, 2022 6:52 PM

Big day for our democracy today, says PM Modi

"Today is a very big day for our democracy as the new President has been sworn in. For the first time after independence, a woman from the tribal community is going to lead our country," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while addressing a programme marking the 10th death anniversary of late Harmohan Singh Yadav

Jul 25, 2022 5:58 PM

Govt refutes opposition's allegations of not giving appropriate seat to Mallikarjun Kharge during President's swearing-in ceremony

The government on Monday refuted the opposition's allegations of not giving an appropriate seat to Mallikarjun Kharge during the swearing-in ceremony of President Droupadi Murmu, saying that the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha was given seat in front row at par with Cabinet ministers. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted a letter written to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, saying that Kharge was made to sit in a seat not commensurate with the position he holds. Rejecting the allegations, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi said there was no violation of protocol in the oath-taking ceremony of the President. "In the order of precedence, leader of opposition is after all Cabinet ministers. Strictly going by that his seat comes in third row. But to respect seniority of Kharge ji, he was provided a seat in the first row itself," Joshi said.

Jul 25, 2022 5:47 PM

Govt trying to intimidate us by suspending our MPs: Congress

Soon after four of its MPs were suspended for rest of the session for disrupting proceedings in Lok Sabha, the Congress on Monday said the government was trying to "intimidate" it, and asserted that the party would not be cowed down. The party's deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said, "The government is trying to intimidate us by suspending our MPs. What was their fault? They were trying to raise the issues which matter to people." The Congress party will not be cowed down like this, he asserted. "The MPs were holding placards raising the issues of rise in prices of gas cylinder, imposition of GST on items such as flour and buttermilk. We moved an adjournment motion demanding a discussion on these issues, but no discussion was held," he said.

Jul 25, 2022 5:25 PM

Suspended because we raised the voice of the people, says Cong MP Manickam Tagore

"We've been suspended from the House for raising the voice of the people in Parliament. We will continue to fight for the people of the country. A hundred things are not allowed in Parliament, only cheering Modi ji and Amit Shah ji is allowed," says suspended Congress MP, Manickam Tagore

Jul 25, 2022 4:51 PM

26,126 rural habitations have contaminants in drinking water sources, says govt

There are 26,126 rural habitations with contaminants in drinking water sources, the Jal Shakti Ministry said on Monday. Responding to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Jal Shakti Prahlad Singh Patel cited data showing 26,279 rural habitations were identified to have contaminants in water sources as of April 1 this year. The corresponding number for both April 1 last year and April 1, 2020 was 36,054, the data showed. As of July 20, 2022, there are 26,126 rural habitations with contaminants in drinking water sources, it said.

Jul 25, 2022 4:31 PM

All Opposition Parties submit a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman stating that the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge was made to sit in a seat "not commensurate with the position he holds", at the swearing-in ceremony of President Droupadi Murmu today.

Jul 25, 2022 4:22 PM

Four Congress MPs were suspended for creating ruckus in the Lok Sabha.

These MPs are Manickam Tagore, Jothimani Sennimalai, Ramya Haridas, and TN Prathapan

They were sloganeering and holding placards against price rise

Jul 25, 2022 4:00 PM

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