As many as 31 Bills, including two related to finance, are likely to be taken up by the Centre during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that will commence from Monday.
Of these, the government has proposed to bring 29 Bills, including six on Ordinances which were passed after the Budget Session, and two legislations related to finance during this session, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi informed during an all-party meeting held on Sunday.
The Opposition has demanded discussions on a host of issues including the Covid situation and threat of a third wave, farmers' protest, alleged threat to cooperative federalism, relations with Afghanistan and China.
This session will see the newly inducted ministers in action. Prime Minister Modi has directed them to spend more time in the House to learn.
All-party meet by PM Modi
PM Modi on Sunday told an all-party meeting that the government was ready for a healthy and meaningful discussion on various issues in Parliament, according to Joshi.
Emphasising that the Parliamentarians should try to make it a peaceful session, the Prime Minister said that all issues should be discussed democratically and that all parties cooperate in running the House.
"The Prime Minister also assured that the government is ready to discuss on each issue under process," Joshi added.
Opposition parties held a separate meeting after an all-party meet convened by the government on Sunday to discuss their floor strategy.
Many opposition parties will give adjournment notices on the farmers' issue in both Houses of Parliament, RSP leader NK Premachandran said after the meeting which was attended by leaders of the Congress, TMC, NCP, CPI(M), CPI, IUML, RSP, Shiv Sena and the AAP.
Opposition ready with strategy
The Monsoon Session is set to be stormy with the opposition ready with strategy to corner the government over several issues that include rising petrol and diesel prices and the infrastructure lapses during the second wave of Covid.
The Opposition is likely to raise objections to the formation of the ministry of cooperation on the grounds that cooperatives is a state subject, and this move is an infringement of the rights of states. The Congress and NCP have raised this issue and the matter is likely to be raised in the House.
Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha timings
Both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha will function from 11 am to 6 pm from Monday and there are 19 sittings scheduled for this session. The session will end on August 13.
With the coronavirus pandemic still raging, the session will be held in both the Houses of Parliament with all the necessary protocols and arrangements being made to accommodate the MPs on a social distancing basis.
Parliament Sessions have been affected ever since the pandemic hit the country last year forcing early closure of last year`s Budget and Monsoon Sessions and this year's Budget Session. The 2020 Winter Session was skipped completely due to the public health crisis.
