New Delhi, March 10: The second half of Parliament’s budget session begins on Monday, with papers being laid on the table by several ministers. Various standing committee reports and bills will also be presented in both Houses — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

In the Lok Sabha, members Biplab Kumar Debshri and Jai Prakash will present the First Report of the Committee on Absence of Members from the sittings of the House.

Congress member Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and BJP MP Saumitra Khan will lay on the table the following reports of the Standing Committee on Home Affairs:- “(1) 251st Report on Action Taken by government on the Recommendations/ Observations contained in the T245th Report of the Committee on ‘Prison – Conditions, Infrastructure and Reforms’. (2) 252nd Report on Demands for Grants (2025-26) of the Ministry of Home Affairs. (3) 253rd Report on Demands for Grants (2025-26) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER)”.

Similar reports will be presented in the Rajya Sabha by Dr Radha Mohan Agrawal and Ajay Makan.

In the Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present a statement showing Supplementary Demands for Grants – Second Batch for 2024-25.

She will also present statements on estimated receipts and expenditures of the State of Manipur for the year 2025 and the Supplementary Demands for Grants in respect of the state for the year 2024-25.

Home Minister Amit Shah will move that the Bill to establish the Institute of Rural Management Anand, as a University, be known as the “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University and declare the same as an institution of national importance.

The university will impart technical and management education and training in co-operative sector; promote co-operative research and development and attain standards of global excellence therein to realise the vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” and to strengthen the co-operative movement in the country through anetwork of institutions, and also to declare the Institute as one of the Schools of the University.

The Bill will be moved for consideration and passage.

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will move “that the Bill to make provisions for the transfer of rights of suit and all liabilities to the consignee named in a bill of lading and every endorsee of a bill of lading, to whom the property in the goods mentioned in the bill of lading shall pass, upon or by reason of a consignment or an endorsement and formatters connected therewith or related thereto, be taken into consideration.”

Ahmedabad, March 8: Leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, addressed Congress party workers and former candidates of local body elections in Ahmedabad on Saturday during Samvaad programme. In his speech, he emphasized the need for the Congress party to reconnect with the people of Gujarat and strengthen its presence in the state’s political landscape.

During his address, Gandhi expressed his commitment to understanding the concerns of party workers and the people of Gujarat. “I came here to listen to what is in your hearts, to understand your pain,” he said.

He acknowledged the challenges faced by the party in Gujarat, where it has been out of power for nearly 30 years, and stressed that merely focusing on elections would not be enough to regain public trust. “Until we fulfill our responsibilities, the people of Gujarat will not elect us. We must first earn their trust,” he asserted.

Highlighting the historical contributions of Gujarat to the Congress party, Gandhi reminded the audience about Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, both of whom played a pivotal role in India’s independence movement.

He urged the party to once again become a guiding force for the people of Gujarat, just as it had done in the past.

Gandhi pointed out internal challenges within the party, stating that there are two types of leaders within the Gujarat Congress — those who are genuinely connected to the people and those who remain distant. He stressed the need to differentiate between the two and take decisive action against those who are not aligned with the party’s core values.

“If we have to remove 10, 15, 20, or even 40 people who secretly work for the BJP, then we must do it,” he declared.

He also criticized the current leadership in Gujarat, stating that the state’s small and medium businesses, farmers, and industries were struggling and in need of a new vision. “The current model of governance has failed. The people of Gujarat are calling for change, and Congress can provide that vision,” he said.

However, he emphasized that this transformation could only happen if the party re-establishes its connection with the people.

Drawing from his experience in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi highlighted how the Congress party successfully connected with the people across India. He urged party leaders and workers in Gujarat to engage directly with citizens, listen to their problems, and build a relationship based on trust.

Encouraging confidence among party workers, Gandhi reminded them that the opposition already holds 40 per cent of the vote in Gujarat. “If we can increase our vote share by just 5 per cent, the entire political equation will change,” he said, citing Telangana as an example where Congress increased its vote share significantly.

Towards the end of his speech, he lightened the mood with a humorous remark about Gujarat’s hospitality. “Every time I come here, no matter how much I try to control my weight, you take me to restaurants and serve delicious snacks, and I end up gaining a kilo!” he joked, drawing laughter from the audience.

Gandhi concluded his address with a message of determination and unity, vowing to strengthen the party in Gujarat and reconnect with its people. “It is my responsibility to bring back the confidence of our party workers, and I will fulfill that responsibility,” he said.

New Delhi, March 8: Fulfilling the ruling BJP’s flagship Assembly election promise, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday approved a scheme for providing Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to eligible women.

The scheme was approved by a Cabinet meeting chaired by CM Gupta, who had called it “Modi ki Guarantee”.

The scheme is estimated to benefit 15-20 lakh women between 18-60 years from families with an annual income of up to Rs 3 lakh, with a special focus on Below Poverty Line (BPL) sections.

As per the draft eligibility criterion, a beneficiary should be a resident of Delhi for the past five years and have a bank account linked to a Aadhaar number.

The beneficiaries will be able to register online and the software will have multi-level antecedent verification to keep out “bogus or fake” beneficiaries like the Union government’s Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme.

On Wednesday, CM Gupta held a dialogue with women at Delhi Assembly to get their opinion on the women’s financial assistance scheme and other issues, including security, sanitation, education and women’s increased participation in governance.

She said the BJP government is committed to deliver the monthly Rs 2,500 each to women and slammed the AAP for its failed attempt to build pressure on the scheme’s timeline. “We will work as per our agenda, they do not need to dictate anything,” she said after the meeting.

The suggestions given by women are likely to be incorporated in Delhi Budget 2025-26, scheduled to be presented from March 24-26.

The Chief Minister also launched a WhatsApp number 9999962025 for crowd sourcing ideas for the Budget which will be a first by a BJP government in Delhi after 27 years.

CM Gupta said the objective of public dialogue on the Budget is to develop ‘Viksit Delhi’ with public cooperation.

Earlier, BJP National General Secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam hit out at AAP leaders for doubting the BJP government’s commitment to launch the women financial assistance scheme.

“The AAP leaders should tell us when will Arvind Kejriwal fulfil his three-year-old promise to Punjab women of giving them monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000,” Gautam said.