09:44 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: Cong Leaders Recall ‘Groundbreaking’ 1991 Budget, Says There’s Pressing Need for Meaningful Reforms
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday (July 24) said his party takes immense pride in the groundbreaking achievement of the Liberalisation Budget of 1991 and stressed that there is a pressing need once again for meaningful and robust second-generation reforms. In a post on X, he said July 1991 marked a watershed moment in India’s history as the Liberalisation Budget, spearheaded by then prime minister PV Narasimha Rao and finance minister Manmohan Singh, ushered in a new era of economic reforms. “The Congress party takes immense pride in this groundbreaking achievement, which catalysed India’s growth trajectory and continues to inspire progress and prosperity,” he said. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Manmohan Singh unveiled the New Industrial Policy 33 years ago today. “Today, 33 years ago, Finance Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh presented his first Budget that took India into a whole new world. Today, 33 years ago, was also the day when the New Industrial Policy was unveiled, which catalysed the economic transformation of India anchored in the philosophy of Continuity with Change. I have written of the events of July 24th 1991 and the background to them in To the Brink and Back: India’s 1991 Story,” he said in a post on X.
09:19 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: Budget Ignored Telangana, NDA Govt Biased, Says CM Revanth Reddy
Stating that the Union Budget has completely ignored Telangana, chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday alleged that the NDA government at the Centre was not just discriminating against the state but exhibited “bias”. He came down heavily on the government, described the budget as “kursi bachao budget (budget to save chair)” as it sought to please NDA partners TDP and JD(U). NDA means “Naidu-Nitish Dependent Alliance”, he said, addressing a press conference. The CM also demanded that Union Coal Minister G Kishan Reddy, who is the state BJP president, quit his post over the “injustice” done to the state. He said after assuming power, he as CM had welcomed PM Narendra Modi when he visited the state and even referred to him as elder brother as his government intended to maintain cordial relations with the Centre. The state government had submitted several requests for funds for development projects to the Centre, he said and added that the eight Congress Lok Sabha members from Telangana would protest over the “raw deal” given to the state in the budget. PTI
09:09 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: Budget Betrayed Delhi Again, Says AAP Leader Atishi
The Union Budget has once again “betrayed” the people of the national capital, Delhi finance minister Atishi said on Tuesday (July 23), stressing that despite paying over Rs 2 lakh crore in taxes to the BJP-led Centre, the city government did not get even a single penny as its share in central taxes. Addressing a press conference, she said Delhi had demanded a budgetary allocation for both the city government and the MCD but it did not get even a single rupee from the Centre in lieu of its tax contribution. “Today’s budget presented by the BJP’s Central government in Parliament proved to be a betrayal for the people of Delhi. This is a budget that dashes the hopes and aspirations of the people of Delhi,” Atishi said. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva hailed the Budget, calling it “holistic” and “development-oriented” benefiting all sections, particularly youth and women. PTI
09:05 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: Karnataka To Boycott NITI Aayog Meeting Over ‘Neglect’ of State in Budget
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday (July 23) said his government had decided to boycott the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi on July 27, as a mark of protest against the “neglect” of the state’s demands in the Union Budget. He said there is no point in attending the meeting, as Kannadigas are not heard. “Despite my earnest efforts in calling for an all-party MPs meeting in New Delhi to discuss Karnataka’s essential needs, the Union Budget has neglected our state’s demands,” he said. “Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also attended the meeting, has ignored the concerns of the people of Karnataka. We don’t feel that Kannadigas are heard, and hence there is no point in attending the NITI Aayog meeting,” he posted on X. PTI
09:02 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: BJP Leaders Hail Budget for Focus on All-round, Inclusive Development
Senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and JP Nadda, heaped praise on the budget on Tuesday (July 23), lauding its vision and focus on all-round and inclusive development. Shah said the Union Budget 2024-25 will fuel India’s pace to emerge as a developed country by ushering in a new era of employment and opportunities. Singh said the budget is unique in many ways and by clearly outlining the NDA government’s nine key priorities for all-round and inclusive development, it has successfully elevated India’s growth trajectory. Nadda lauded the budget as a testament to the government’s commitment to inclusive growth, sustainable development and economic resilience. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for 2024-25 in Parliament, her seventh straight one. This was the first budget during PM Narendra Modi-led government’s third term in office. PTI
08:54 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: Bengal CM Mamata Dubs Union Budget Politically Biased, Anti-Poor
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday (July 23) dubbed the Union Budget “anti-poor and politically biased” and accused the Centre of neglecting the state’s interests. Banerjee expressed disappointment with what she perceived as a budget designed to please NDA allies rather than prioritise the welfare of the masses. She pledged that the people of Bengal will protest if the government continued to ignore the state’s demands. The chief minister, who is scheduled to attend the meeting of NITI Aayog, said she has been asked by the agency to share the details of her speech but “she will raise the issue of Bengal’s deprivation and dues at the meeting”. PTI
08:42 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: Chandrababu Naidu Taken For Right Royal Ride, Says Congress
The Congress on Tuesday (July 23) took a swipe at Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu, saying he quit the NDA in 2018 due to the Centre’s failure to grant special category status to his state and six years later when the government is reliant on his MPs, all he has managed to get is a “special financial support” for Amaravati. The Centre announced a series of measures for the southern state, including arranging Rs 15,000 crore this fiscal and in future years for the development of its capital city. Reacting to the development, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “In 2018, Chandrababu Naidu garu quit the NDA because of the non-biological PM’s failure to grant Andhra Pradesh Special Category Status. Six years after the drama, at a time when the Government is reliant on his MPs for support, all he has managed to get is ‘special financial support’ for Amravati.” The TDP is a key ally of the BJP in the Centre. Political parties from Andhra Pradesh have protested time and again since 2014 demanding special category status for the state. PTI
08:39 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: Tanzanian Delegation Meets Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla
A delegation led by Tulia Ackson, the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and Speaker of the National Assembly of Tanzania, met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday (July 23). The visiting delegation was also present in the special box in the Lok Sabha when finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2024-25. During the meeting with Ackson, Birla said the session was one of the most critical of India’s Parliament, where the government’s financial proposals are meticulously reviewed, debated and approved by the House. He also apprised the visiting dignitaries that the new Parliament building presented a microcosm of India, encapsulating the arts, crafts, culture, music and history of the country. He also proposed establishment of zonal training centres for parliamentary studies, training, and capacity building to support democratic institutions globally on the lines of Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) of the Lok Sabha. PTI
08:33 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: 20-Hour Discussion On Budget To Begin Today
The 20-hour discussion on the Union Budget, presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will begin on Wednesday (July 24). Nishikant Dubey, Biplab Deb, Anurag Thakur and Bhartuhari Mahtab will be the first few speakers for the BJP in the Lok Sabha. Senior leader Shashi Tharoor will speak first from the Congress, while MP Abhishek Banerjee will speak from the TMC.
08:19 IST
Parliament Session LIVE: Opposition Leaders Slam Budget, Says Centre ‘Blacked Out’ States
After the INDIA bloc held a floor meeting on the Union Budget 2024-25, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal called it “discriminatory and dangerous” on social media. The budget, presented by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, focused on sops to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh — two key partners of the NDA government — that led to the opposition slamming it as “sarkar bachao budget”. “The Union Budget presented today was extremely discriminatory and dangerous, which completely goes against the principles of federalism and fairness that the Union Government must follow,” Venugopal said in a post on X. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari alleged that the budget had “blacked out” states where there are non-BJP governments. “We will hold a protest tomorrow in the Parliament regarding this. We will raise our voice inside Parliament and outside also…This is not the budget of the BJP, it is the budget of the whole country, but they have presented it as if it is BJP’s budget…This budget is againt the federal structure of the country,” he alleged. PTI
