BAC meeting inconclusive, says Adhir Ranjan; Speaker to convene another meeting on Sept 15

On Sunday, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury apprised about the inconclusive Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting and said that Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will convene another BAC meeting on September 15. A day before the start of the session, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla chaired the meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC) of the lower house.

Speaking at the press conference after the meeting, Chowdhury said that the leaders proposed the issues of unemployment, the status of migrant labourers and the economic scenario in the country, to be discussed in the upcoming session.

"In today's BAC meeting, we did not come to conclusion on what issues will be raised by the opposition. The Speaker will convene another meeting of the BAC on September 15 and it will be decided on what issues will be allowed to raise," said Chowdhury at a press conference here.

Furthermore, he demanded discussions on COVID-19, NEP, environment policy, floods, border tension with China.

"We have proposed the issues of unemployment, the status of migrant labourers and the economic scenario in the country, to be discussed in the upcoming session. We urged the government that our voices should be heard in Parliament. We want to have discussions on COVID-19, NEP, environment policy, floods, border tension with China. We will continue to raise people's problem in the Parliament," he added.

READ: No all-party meeting ahead of Monsoon Session of Parliament amid COVID-19 pandemic

READ: Speaker Om Birla meets party leaders ahead of Monsoon Session; visits Parliament complex

Monsoon session from September 14; Govt lists new bills 

Meanwhile, the government has listed 23 new bills, including 11 which seek to replace ordinances, for introduction in Parliament's Monsoon session beginning Monday. One of the ordinances the government plans to pass as a bill during the 18-day-long session relates to providing preventive measures against violence on healthcare personnel.

The ordinance makes acts of violence and harassment against healthcare personnel deployed in combating COVID-19 a non-bailable offence with a maximum punishment of seven years imprisonment and Rs 5 lakh fine. It also protects the healthcare fraternity, including doctors, nurses and ASHA workers. Another ordinance to be replaced by a bill relates to a reduction in the salary of MPs by 30 percent for a period of one year beginning April 1, 2020. The amount will be utilised in the fight against coronavirus.

READ: Parliament: 18 day monsoon session to take up 11 Bills to replace ordinances

READ: AIIMS issues statement; says Amit Shah admitted for checkup before Parliament for 1-2 days