In the Lok Sabha, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw introduced a bill, which was then followed by the Deputy Speaker adjourning the House until 2 pm due to opposition MPs creating a disturbance.
The Minister of State for Finance, Bhagwat Karad, informed the Lok Sabha that by the end of the fiscal year 2022-23, almost 99.34 percent of non-performing bank loans were less than or equal to Rs 5 crore. Indian commercial banks had a total of 2.06 crore accounts marked as NPAs, with 2.04 crore accounts having bad loans of less than Rs 5 crore. He also mentioned the government’s likelihood of achieving the fiscal deficit target of 5.9 percent of GDP for the current financial year.
Another Minister of State for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, clarified in the Lok Sabha that the exchange rate of the Bharatiye currency is determined by the market, with no specific target or band. He highlighted that the Reserve Bank of India regulates the foreign exchange market to ensure its orderly functioning, avoiding undue volatility.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed concerns about fraudulent loan apps, stating that the government is actively engaged with the RBI and other regulators to control such activities.
In the Rajya Sabha, DMK MP T Siva submitted a notice to discuss the security breach incident that occurred on Dec 13. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla emphasized in a letter to all MPs that there is no connection between the security breach and the recent suspension of 13 MPs from the Lower House.
Suspended MPs, including those from the Congress Party, sat on the stairs of Parliament’s Makar Dwar. Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi met with them upon entering the House.
DMK MP T Siva stressed the importance of the government providing information on the security breach incident in Parliament. He emphasized that their intention is not to disturb proceedings but to seek a response from the government.
In the Lok Sabha, discussions continued on the Post Office Bill, 2023. Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, amid uproar by Opposition MPs over the security breach in the Lok Sabha, bills such as the J&K Reorganisation (Second Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill were passed. The Rajya Sabha was then adjourned until 4 pm.
Comments