MP report card:Opposition MPs must get more time during key debates, says MP Channi
As the 18th Lok Sabha completes its first year, Hindustan Times takes a look at the report card of Members of Parliament from Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. MP report card:Opposition MPs must get more time during key debates, says MP Channi
How would you describe your first-year experience ?
Being a first-timer in the Lok Sabha, it has been an enriching experience for me as I managed to represent not only my constituency but also raised the issues concerning Punjab. I got a chance to get insights and gather knowledge on other key issues pertaining to the country. It's a very different experience than representing the constituency in the assembly.
What was the high point of the year for you personally and your party in the House?
It's a matter of pride for me that I have been nominated as chairperson of the standing committee on agriculture, animal husbandry and food processing. I was also among 17 MPs to be honoured with the prestigious Sansad Ratna Award- 2025 for my contributions to parliamentary work, including participation in debates, raising questions and involvement in legislative activities.
Are you satisfied with the number of sittings of the Lok Sabha?
The working days during the sessions in the past one year remained satisfactory but more sittings should be added in the years to come so that every MP gets ample time to raise the issues concerning their respective constituencies. Moreover, I feel more time should be given to the opposition during debates and discussions. Also, there should be more transparency and accountability among the treasury benches in answering questions raised by Opposition MPs.
What is the most effective way to raise issues of public importance in the House?
Clarity is the key here. An MP gets a very limited time to voice their (constituency's) issues, therefore it is imperative that the parliamentarians participating in the debates or raising questions must be equipped with knowledge and facts.
What constituency-specific issues were raised by you and what are you plans ahead?
I have taken up the problems faced by the leather industry which is on the verge of extinction due to the poor industrial policy. Also, I have pushed for more funds for Jalandhar under the smart city project. Under Members of Parliament Local Area Development scheme, more than 70 developmental projects, estimating ₹ 2.20 crore, have been recommended and the funds for the same will be released at the earliest.
Next: Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Congress MP from Amritsar
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
32 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
UK to purchase 12 US-made F-35 jets capable of carrying nuclear bombs: PM Keir Starmer
Jun 25, 2025 03:47 PM IST The United Kingdom will buy 12 U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear bombs and will join NATO's shared airborne nuclear mission, in a major expansion of its nuclear deterrent, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Wednesday. Only three NATO members – the U.S., Britain and France – are nuclear powers, while seven nations contribute to the alliance's nuclear mission by contributing jets. (Pic used for representation)(AP) The government called it 'the biggest strengthening of the U.K.'s nuclear posture in a generation.' Starmer made the announcement while attending a NATO summit in the Netherlands. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte welcomed the decision, calling it 'yet another robust British contribution to NATO.' The U.K. phased out air-dropped atomic weapons in the 1990s after the end of the Cold War. Its nuclear arsenal now consists of submarine-based missiles. Only three NATO members – the U.S., Britain and France – are nuclear powers, while seven nations contribute to the alliance's nuclear mission by contributing jets that can carry either conventional or weapons or American B61 bombs stockpiled in Europe. The use of nuclear weapons by the U.K. as part of the mission would require the authorization of the alliance's nuclear planning group as well as the U.S. president and British prime minister. Starmer also announced that the U.K. will provide 350 air defense missiles to Ukraine, funded by 70 million pounds ($95 million) raised from interest on seized Russian assets. The announcements come as the U.K. and other NATO members pledge to increase spending on security to 5% of gross domestic product by 2035. The total includes 3.5% on defense and another 1.5% on broader security and resilience efforts. The U.K. currently spends 2.3% of national income on defense and says that will rise to 2.6% by 2027. Get the latest headlines from US news and global updates from Pakistan, UK, Bangladesh, and Russia get all the latest headlines in one place with including Vance Luther Boelteron Hindustan Times.
Scroll.in
an hour ago
- Scroll.in
Election Commission to conduct special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar
The Election Commission on Tuesday announced a special intensive revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar, ahead of the Assembly elections scheduled to be held at the end of the year. The review was necessitated by factors such as rapid urbanisation, frequent migration, fresh voters, non-reported deaths and the 'inclusion of the names of foreign illegal immigrants,' the poll panel state in a press note. This is the first time that the Election Commission has talked about undocumented migrants being part of the electoral roll in the state where the last special intensive revision was done in 2003, the Hindustan Times reported. As of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Bihar had 7.72 crore registered electors. A fundamental pre-condition under Article 326 of the Constitution requires individuals to be Indian citizens for voter registration, Deputy Election Commissioner Sanjay Kumar said in correspondence with Bihar chief electoral officer, the newspaper reported. 'The commission has a constitutional obligation to ensure that only persons who are citizens [are enrolled in the electoral roll],' Kumar reportedly added. 'The commission has now decided to begin the SIR [special intensive revision] in the entire country for the discharge of its constitutional mandate to protect the integrity of the electoral rolls,' the poll officer was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times. Bihar will be the first state to undergo the special intensive revision of the electoral rolls. The announcement came on the day Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that ' vote theft ' had taken place in the Maharashtra Assembly elections held in November. Gandhi demanded the immediate release of machine-readable digital voter rolls and CCTV footage of the election.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
'Hindi should be taught from Class 5, not Class 1 in Maharashtra schools': Ajit Pawar
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has opposed the move to introduce Hindi as a third language from Class 1 in the schools of the state, and said it should instead be taught from Class 5. NCP chief and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar (Hindustan Times/File) Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Tuesday, Pawar also said students should learn Marathi from Class 1 so that they are able to read and write it well. The state government last week issued an amended order, stating Hindi will generally be taught as the third language to students in Marathi and English medium schools from Classes 1 to 5, which triggered a controversy. The government maintained that Hindi would not be compulsory, but mandated the consent of at least 20 students per grade in a school for studying any Indian language other than Hindi. Speaking on the issue, Pawar said, "The chief minister convened a meeting on the issue yesterday (Monday). I believe Hindi should not be introduced from Class 1 to 4. It should begin from Class 5. Students should learn Marathi from Class 1 and be able to read and write it fluently." He added that while no one is against the teaching of any particular language, it is inappropriate to burden young students with an additional language at an early stage. Following the meeting in Mumbai, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said a final decision on the three-language formula would be taken only after consultations with all stakeholders, including litterateurs, language experts and political leaders. Meanwhile, actor Sayaji Shinde also voiced his opposition to teaching Hindi from Class 1. "Students should be allowed to learn Marathi, which is a very rich language. They should become well-versed in Marathi at an early age, and not be burdened with another language. If at all it is to be made compulsory, let it be after Class 5," he said. Shinde, who has acted in several Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and other regional language films, also demanded that the decision on introducing a third language be withdrawn.
