Latest news with #IndianParliament
Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Monsoon Session of Parliament to commence today
The Monsoon Session of the Indian Parliament will begin in New Delhi today, 21 July 2025. The session will run from July 21 to August 21, 2025, with parliamentary proceedings scheduled over 21 sittings across 32 days. Lawmakers will observe a brief recess between August 12 and August 18 before resuming for the final phase of the session. This years Monsoon Session carries a packed legislative agenda, as the government prepares to introduce and discuss several significant pieces of legislation. Among the bills listed for consideration are proposed amendments to taxation laws, updates to shipping regulations, adjustments to regional taxation frameworks, and reforms related to educational institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Management. Debates are expected to extend beyond legislative matters, with both ruling and opposition parties preparing to address recent developments in national security and foreign policy. Incidents such as the recent attack in Pahalgam and ongoing government operations abroad have heightened expectations of detailed discussion on internal and external security measures. Additionally, issues related to the digital transformation of parliamentary functioning and broader policy changes are likely to feature prominently in floor debates.
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
We have identified 8 issues: Cong MP Pramod Tiwari ahead of Monsoon Session
The Monsoon Session of the Indian Parliament is scheduled to begin on July 21 and conclude on August 21. During this session, the govt plans to push its legislative agenda, which includes new bills ANI Congress MP Pramod Tiwari on Sunday gave an inside in the INDIA alliance meeting held on July 19, and said that the INDIA Alliance has finalised its strategy ahead of Monsoon Session of Parliament, which centres around the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor, and statements made by US President Donald Trump. MP Tiwari, while talking to ANI, said, "Yesterday, a detailed discussion on formulating strategy for the upcoming session regarding the crisis in which the nation has been pushed into by the BJP-NDA Government. It was a joint effort held in a conducive environment. I am happy to tell you that keeping national interest as supreme, it has been decided against the BJP's activities that are weakening the country, its democracy and economy." MP Tiwari said that the US President Trump's statement about the five fighter jets being shot down is disturbing and added, "It has been decided to raise issues, the most important being the Pahalgam attack. To date, the traces of terrorists have not been found. Regarding Operation Sindoor, US President Donald Trump stated for the 24th time that he secured the ceasefire. A shocking statement was made that five fighter jets were shot down. The defence attache also said the same. CDS too said the same. This disturbs us." He also mentioned that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) happening in Bihar is killing democracy and said, "In Bihar, democracy is being murdered with SIR. The manner in which India has been isolated in its foreign policy is also an issue. Even now, heinous massacres are occurring - Israel is doing this in Gaza is also an issue. The issue is also about the oppression of SC, ST, women and minorities and crimes against them. We have especially identified 8 issues. We are confident that all 24 parties (in the INDIA Alliance) will support us; even the parties who are not a part of this will support us." The Monsoon Session of the Indian Parliament is scheduled to begin on July 21 and conclude on August 21. During the monsoon session of Parliament, the government plans to push its legislative agenda, which includes some new bills. The bills on the agenda of the government include Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill of 2025, Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill of 2025, Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill 2025, the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) bill 2025, the Geoheritage Sites and Geo-relics (Preservation and Maintenance) bill 2025, the Mines and Mines (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2025, the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 and the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025. The government's agenda also includes the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024, the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, the Indian Ports Bill, 2025, and the Income Tax Bill, 2025. The monsoon session of Parliament will continue till August 21.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Why thousands of crores by governments remain unspent and what must change
Yadul Krishna is a policy economist and a legal fellow at Governance Innovation Labs. As the Parliamentary Secretary to a Rajya Sabha MP, he drafted "The Bhagat Singh National Urban Employment Guarantee Bill, 2022," successfully introduced in the 2022 Monsoon Session of Indian Parliament. He previously worked as a finance professional in an investment services company and was briefly a columnist with the British Herald. Krishna's writings on the economy and governance have appeared across the globe, with multiple translations into other languages and have been referenced in research papers and newspaper editorials. An alumnus of SRCC, he is currently pursuing law at the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi. He tweets @Yadul_Krishna LESS ... MORE Despite rising allocations, India's development goals are being quietly derailed by an alarming pattern of unspent government funds across critical sectors. For the first time in India, the Union Budget 2025-2026 has disclosed the amount of total unspent funds available with the states and Union Territories, allocated to them under various centrally sponsored schemes (CSS). As of December 31, 2024, an estimated Rs 1.6 trillion allocated for these schemes was lying with the states. This is not a small amount, accounting for over 40 per cent of the annual expenditure under CSS. India's federal development model is built on the timely and efficient transfer of funds from the Centre to the states. These transfers, often tied to centrally sponsored schemes, are critical for ensuring uniform access to health, education, and infrastructure across a diverse and unequal federal landscape. However, the persistent underutilisation and lapse of centrally-allocated funds have become a recurring and deeply worrying pattern. Far from being a matter of bureaucratic oversight, these lapses represent a deeper malaise afflicting India's fiscal federalism—a combination of procedural rigidity, administrative inertia, and political friction between the Union and the states. The scale of unutilized funds over the past decade is staggering. Between 2014 and 2019, over Rs1.5 lakh-crore remained unspent. The Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) alone saw an unspent balance of Rs 1,734.42 crore during the 16th Lok Sabha—over twice the figure from the previous term. Despite a dip in allocation during the 17th Lok Sabha, largely due to the pandemic, utilisation rates have remained uneven and unpredictable. The core issue lies not merely in how funds are allocated, but in how they are absorbed. Utilisation Certificates (UCs), which are mandatory for the release of further tranches, are frequently delayed or inadequately furnished. As of March 2024, over Rs 5 lakh crore was locked due to pending UCs. Flagship schemes have not been immune. The National Health Mission (NHM), one of the most ambitious public health initiatives by the Centre, saw an average fund utilisation of only 55% across 29 states in 2023–2024. The total unspent central share balances under the Samagra Shiksha scheme from 2018–19 to 2022–23 amounted to approximately Rs 11,000 crore, even as schools across India lacked basic infrastructure. The reasons are manifold and blame lies on both sides. The Union government has, over the years, layered its funding protocols with increasingly complex guidelines. In the name of accountability, ministries insist on exhaustive documentation, multiple layers of approval, and compliance-heavy reporting, all of which delay the actual flow of funds. For example, over Rs 8,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in 2019-2020 remained unutilised, largely due to delayed approvals and procedural roadblocks. States, too, are complicit. Many lack the administrative capacity to absorb funds efficiently. Planning departments are understaffed, procurement processes are slow, and project implementation often lags due to corruption, red tape, and political indifference. In Madhya Pradesh, Rs 3,116 crore out of Rs 12,419 crore allocated under NHM between 2017 and 2022 was left unspent, severely impacting health service delivery. Similar patterns have been observed in schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), where delays in land acquisition and contracting have held up rural road projects, and in the Clean Ganga Mission, where a CAG report revealed that Rs 2,500 crore remained unutilised as of 2017. This persistent failure has disproportionately hurt critical sectors. The health sector, especially post-COVID-19, is in urgent need of capital infusion, yet fund lapses continue to delay infrastructure creation and human resource recruitment. In education, unspent allocations have led to inadequate classrooms, high pupil-teacher ratios, and poor learning outcomes. Rural development schemes like MGNREGA, which act as lifelines in economically fragile states, have seen funds lying idle even as wage payments remain delayed. Correctives must begin with transparency and real-time monitoring. There is an urgent need for digital public dashboards, AI-driven fund-tracking mechanisms, and automated alerts that flag potential underutilisation. States must be empowered, not merely held accountable. The Centre should invest in building administrative and financial planning capacities at the state level. Rather than punishing states for delays, it should create an enabling environment through technical support, capacity-building programmes, and streamlined fund release procedures. Equally important is the recalibration of incentives. States that demonstrate e fficient and timely fund usage should be rewarded with additional allocations or flexible spending norms. Public-private partnerships must be leveraged not just for financing, but also for improving last-mile delivery. In the long run, a transparent and participatory mechanism for monitoring fund utilisation—one that includes local bodies, civil society, and citizens—can help hold both Union and state governments accountable. India's development aspirations cannot afford to be hostage to bureaucratic gridlock and intergovernmental blame games. The cost of inaction is paid by the most vulnerable: those denied healthcare, children without access to schools, and workers left jobless due to stalled projects. Fixing the fund utilisation crisis is not just about financial efficiency, it is a moral imperative for a nation committed to inclusive growth. The time to act is now. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
NDTV
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Smriti Irani Returns To Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Reboot, First Look As Tulsi Out
New Delhi: Smriti Irani is all set to return to the television screens with the much-awaited reboot of the iconic television show Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. What's Happening Ahead of the premiere, the first look of Smriti Irani as Tulsi Virwani is out. The first-look shows Smriti dressed in maroon saree adorned with golden butis and a rich zari border. The look is completed with her signature big red bindi, traditional temple jewelry layered with black-beaded mangalsutra, and stacked bangles, an ode to early-2000s TV fashion. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi originally aired from 2000 to 2008 and held the number one spot on television for seven consecutive years. Smriti Irani On Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi Delay Smriti Irani, who played the central role in the original, spoke about the project during a conversation with Barkha Dutt and Karan Johar on an episode of We The Women. "If you look at the Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi journey in totality, the most well-kept secret about it was I had a contract to do it again in 2014, and I walked away from it because I had to serve in the Indian Parliament as a cabinet minister. The set was ready, but there was a phone call from the Prime Minister's office that you have to take an oath," she said. She also spoke about an opportunity she had turned down at the time. "I remember Rishi Kapoor telling me to leave now because to serve your country is a greater service than just doing a movie or doing television," Irani added. Background Meanwhile, Amar Upadhyay, who returns as Mihir Virani, confirmed that the premiere of the show has been delayed. A source quoted by Hindustan Times said the delay was due to changes being made to the set. Speaking about the delay, Upadhyay said, "Yes, it's true. The set had to be reworked. Apparently, the colour combination on the screen wasn't translating the way it should. Ektaa knows exactly what she wants, she's a perfectionist. And this is Kyunki. It's not just another show. It's a legacy and she wants to do everything what's best for the show."
New Indian Express
03-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
18th Lok Sabha sees rise in productivity, fewer disruptions: Speaker Om Birla
MANESAR: Ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Thursday claimed that the 18th Lok Sabha has seen a rise in productivity and more meaningful debate due to a noticeable reduction in disruptions. He stated that democracy thrives through "dialogue, patience, and depth of discussion." Speaking at a first-of-its-kind national conference of Chairpersons of Urban Local Bodies, organised by the Lok Sabha in collaboration with the Haryana Legislative Assembly, Birla, who also inaugurated the event as chief guest, remarked that frequent disruptions — once a recurring feature — have significantly reduced in the Indian Parliament, thereby enhancing productivity and the quality of debate on the House floor. He further noted that the Lok Sabha has increasingly conducted late-night sessions and held long-duration debates, reflecting a more mature and responsible democratic culture. 'The members used to get placards to disrupt the proceedings of the House. The 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024) was no different, but change was visible in the 18th Lok Sabha,' he said, urging all political parties to strive for fewer disruptions during House proceedings. Birla also cautioned that the public would "teach a lesson" to political parties that persist in disrupting proceedings. Stressing the role of urban local bodies (ULBs) in reinforcing democracy at the grassroots, Birla urged them to adopt structured procedures, including regular sittings, robust committee systems, and citizen engagement mechanisms, to bolster participatory governance in Indian cities. The two-day national conference, which commenced on July 3 at the International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), marked a landmark initiative aimed at exploring how urban local bodies can contribute to constitutional democracy and nation-building through participatory governance frameworks.
