PM hopes Monsoon Session will rain ‘good decisions’

Our Bureau Updated - January 17, 2018 at 09:56 PM.

GST Bill may not come up this week

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing mediapersons outside Parliament on the first day of Monsoon session at Parliament House on Monday. Photo: Kamal Narang

With 16 crucial Bills lined up for consideration during this short Monsoon Session of Parliament, including one on Constitution Amendment to enable Goods & Services Tax regime, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for the session on Monday by once again calling for the need to take “good decisions” to take the country forward.

He expressed hoped that all parties would work “shoulder to shoulder” to take important decisions that will give a new direction to the country.

Addressing the media before the session began, Modi mentioned the country’s 70th Independence Day this August 15 and invoked the memory of all those who had laid down their lives.

“Everyone should work together, shoulder to shoulder to take the journey of the last 70 years to greater heights, to give a new pace to the country, to have discussion of highest standard, to take important decisions and to ensure Indian moves ahead with great speed,” he said.

“I believe that all the parties and the leaders over the past few days, whether individually or collectively, have shared the sentiments that we are committed to take best of the decisions for the benefit of the country and to carry the nation forward on a fast track,” he said.

Even as the Opposition is gearing up to corner the Centre on Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh and price-rise issues, the government is hopeful of a breakthrough on GST following a recent meeting between senior Ministers and Congress leaders.

However, the Bill to enable GST is not likely to come up for consideration this week, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, SS Ahluwalia told reporters, as any Constitution amendment Bill requires the presence of all political parties.

“With some Congress members busy this week, and Trinamool members celebrating their party’s foundation day on July 21, it will most likely not come up for consideration this week,” he said.

Lok Sabha adjourned On Monday, the Prime Minister introduced the new Ministers in his Cabinet to the House, after which the House was adjourned for the day as a mark of respect for Dalpat Singh Paraste, a sitting Lok Sabha MP from Shahdol (Madhya Pradesh), who passed away recently.

The House also paid homage to six other former MPs who had passed away.

Earlier, Conrad Kongkal Sangma, who won the Tura seat from Meghalaya, took oath as a new member of the House.

Published on July 18, 2016 05:42