Government wants Parliament to discuss causes and consequences of recent events and suggest way forward

All Party Meet favours disruption free Budget session beginning tomorrow

Government committed to development ; Peace, Unity and Integrity are operational principles, says Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu

Shri Naidu seeks cooperation for early passage of long pending GST and Real Estate Bills

The Government today asserted that it was as much concerned by recent incidents in different universities as any other party and urged the Parliament to thoroughly discuss their causes and consequences and show the war forward. Addressing the Leaders of different Parties in both the Houses of Parliament ahead of the Budget session beginning tomorrow, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu assured the leaders that the Government would enable discussion on all issues including the incidents in Jawaharlal Nehru University, Hyderabad Central University, demands for reservation etc.

Shri Naidu further said that the Government is committed to uphold the Constitution in letter and spirit and firmly believes in peace, unity and integration of the Nation as the key operational principles for delivering on the development promised to the people.

The Minister said “Parliament is the forum for expression of collective wisdom of the country and showing the way forward in the larger interest of the Nation”.

Stating that time has come for taking forward long pending major Bills related to introduction of GST and Real Estate Regulator, Shri Naidu appealed for cooperation in passing these Bills during this Budget session.

About 40 Leaders of 26 parties in both the Houses of Parliament attended today’s meeting convened by Shri Venkaiah Naidu and they have overwhelmingly sought smooth functioning of Parliament during the Budget session.

Several leaders expressed concern over declining image of the Parliament among the public and insisted on its smooth functioning since the Government was ready for discussion on issues to be raised by different parties. Some of them said that with Parliament not functioning properly, other organs of the Constitution are tending to enter the domain of the Legislature and this needs to be addressed.

Shri Mallikarjuna Kharge, MP (LS) said that his party would cooperate in passing the Bills if the issues sought to be raised by the opposition are enabled to be discussed thoroughly. He further said that Bills on which there was a broad consensus could be taken up for consideration and passing in the first phase of the Session during February 23-March 16, 2016 and others during the second phase of the session between April 25 and May 13, 2016.

Issues suggested to be discussed by different parties include : incidents in JNU and Hyderabad Central University, demands for reservation, terror attacks in Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, passing on the benefits of reduction in crude prices to the common man, unemployment, arrest of Tamil fishermen by Sri Lankan forces, North-East issues, implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act etc.

Shri Venkaiah Naidu informed the Leaders that the Government has prioritised 32 Business items for the Budget session beginning tomorrow which include 11 Bills pending in Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha.

Details of the agenda proposed by the Government for the Budget session are :

I – Bills for Introduction, Consideration and Passing

1. The Finance Bill, 2016.

2. The Enemy Property (Amendment & Validation) Bill, 2016- To replace an Ordinance

3. The Regional Centre for Bio-technology Bill, 2016

4. The Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2016

II - Bills for Consideration and Passing

(A) Bill pending in Lok Sabha

1. The Lokpal and Lokayuktas and Other related Law (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

(B) Bills as passed by Lok Sabha pending in Rajya Sabha

1. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty Second Amendment) Bill, 2014 – relating to GST as reported by Select Committee of Rajya Sabha.

2. The Bureau of Indian Standard Bill, 2015

3. The Industries (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015.

4. The Appropriation Acts (Repeal) Bill, 2015.

5. The Repealing and Amending (Third) Bill, 2015.

6. The National Waterways Bill, 2015.

7. The Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, 2015

8. The Whistle Blowers Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2015 .

9. The High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2015.

1. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill, 2013 as reported by Select Committee of Rajya Sabha.

2. The Anti-Hijacking Bill, 2014

III – Bills for Introduction

1. The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2016

2. The Indian Institute of Management Bill, 2016

IV – Bills for withdrawal

1. The Railways (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

2. The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015

V - Financial Business

Budget (Railways) for 2016-17

1. Presentation of Budget (Railways) for 2016-17 in the Lok Sabha immediately after Question Hour on Thursday, the 25^thFebruary, 2016. Laying in Rajya Sabha at 2.00 p.m.

2. General Discussion on Budget (Railways) for 2016-17

3. Discussion and Voting on Demands for Grant on Account (Railways) for 2016-17

4. Discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) for 2015-16

5. Discussion and Voting on Demands for Grants (Railways) for 2016-17

Budget (General) for 2016-17

6. Presentation of Budget (General) for 2016-17 in Lok Sabha at 11.00 a.m. on Monday, the 29^th February, 2016. Laying in Rajya Sabha at 1.30 p.m.

7. General Discussion on Budget (General) for 2016-17

8. Discussion and Voting on Demands for Grants on Account (General) for 2016-17

9. Discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2015-16, if any

10. Discussion and Voting on Demands for Excess Grants (General) for 2014-15, if any.

11. Discussion and Voting on Demands for Grants (General) for 2016-17

VI – Non Legislative Business