Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired an all-party meet ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament and said that the Centre stands by its offer made to farmers in connection with the farm laws, reported the
Hindustan Times.
The government had on January 20 offered to suspend the implementation of the farm laws for one-and-a-half-years. The farmers, however, had remained adamant in their demand for a complete repeal of the legislations. Later on January 22, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the negotiations on the laws can continue only if the farmers agreed to the Centre’s proposal.
During Saturday’s all-party meeting, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the Centre was approaching the farm laws matter with an open mind, NDTV reported. “He [the Prime Minister] reiterated what [Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh] Tomarji said – that he is phone call away for talks,” Joshi said.
New Delhi [India], January 30 (ANI): Citing ill health, Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan will skip the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) meeting on Saturday.
The Centre has lined up an intensive legislative agenda with over 20 bills for the Budget Session of Parliament which began on January 29. A major portion of the legislative agenda would include introduction and passage of several economic bills that aim at carrying the reform agenda of the government. Among the bills lined up for consideration during the Budget session of Parliament include legislation s covering delicensing of country s electricity distribution sector, amendments to Competition Commission of India and PFRDA legislations, creation of new development financial institution, ban on private cryptocurrencies. These would be besides the Finance Bill 2021-22 that would form part of bulk of budget proposals made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday appealed to the government to withdraw the three contentious farm laws at an all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the smooth conduct of the Budget Session of Parliament. According to sources, TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay told the meeting that the prime minister must convene an all-party meeting for a threadbare discussion on the farmer issue. This will send a good message that the government is democratic. Twenty opposition parties boycotted the President s address (to the joint sitting of Parliament) which sent out a strong message for the government to withdraw the farm laws. Majoritarianism cannot let farmers suffer, a source quoted the TMC MP as having told the meeting.
Regulate instead of banning cryptocurrencies in India, say entrepreneurs
The Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021 is likely to be introduced in the Budget Session of Parliament. The bill, if passed, will prohibit the use of cryptocurrency as legal tender and currency. January 30, 2021 / 10:52 PM IST
Entrepreneurs are crying foul calling the government s proposal to ban cryptocurrencies in India arbitrary. Instead, the industry is asking for proper regulation by government authorities which can boost a common man s trust in the digital currency.
While there will be some exceptions, the move is still expected to end ambiguity on cryptocurrency which is neither banned nor legalised in India.