Lok Sabha to vote on Goa ST representation, maritime law today
Ministerial statements on COVID-19 report recommendations and private members’ business are also scheduled
New Delhi: The Indian Parliament is poised for a busy Friday, with a packed agenda featuring key legislative considerations and ministerial updates across both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The day’s proceedings highlight the government’s focus on electoral representation, maritime law reform, and accountability on parliamentary committee recommendations.
In the Lok Sabha, two significant pieces of legislation are slated for consideration and passage. The first is ‘The Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of the State of Goa Bill, 2024’. Introduced by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on December 17, 2024, this Bill aims to ensure robust democratic participation for Scheduled Tribe members in Goa by enabling seat reservations as per Article 332 of the Constitution. Its provisions will facilitate the readjustment of assembly seats to accommodate communities recently included in Goa’s Scheduled Tribes list. The second major legislation, ‘The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024’, will be moved by the Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal. This comprehensive Bill seeks to modernise and unify existing maritime law, ensuring alignment with international treaties. It is designed to promote integrated port development, enhance the ease of doing business, optimise India’s vast coastline, and establish robust State Maritime Boards and a Maritime State Development Council. Furthermore, the Bill addresses critical aspects like pollution management, disaster response, security, safety, navigation, and data at ports, while also ensuring compliance with India’s international obligations and providing mechanisms for dispute resolution. Both bills signify crucial steps in their respective domains.
Beyond legislation, the Lok Sabha’s agenda also includes significant ministerial accountability. Minister Prataprao Jadhav is scheduled to make a statement detailing the implementation status of recommendations from the 137th and 150th reports of the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare. These reports specifically concern Vaccine Development, Distribution Management, and Mitigation of the COVID-19 Pandemic, falling under the purview of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The House will also dedicate time to private members’ business, allowing non-ministerial MPs to present their legislative proposals or resolutions.
Concurrently, the Rajya Sabha will also engage in its own set of important proceedings. Seven Union Ministers are listed to lay various official papers on the table related to their respective ministries. Additionally, two Union Ministers of State will provide crucial updates on the status of implementation of recommendations from Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees. Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Union Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, will present statements concerning the 2nd and 6th Reports of the Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (18th Lok Sabha), specifically addressing Demands for Grants for 2024-25 and 2025-26 related to the Department of Land Resources. Similarly, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu will deliver a statement on the implementation status of recommendations from the 3rd Report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railways (18th Lok Sabha) pertaining to the Ministry of Railways’ Demands for Grants for 2025-26.
With inputs from IANS
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