Parliament LIVE | Pradhan: Repeatedly wrote to TN CM to join NEP

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan replying to discussion on the working of the Education Ministry in RS

Sitharaman, Gogoi spar in Parliament

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman sparred in Lok Sabha on Tuesday over the opposition member's remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Initiating a discussion on the supplementary demands for grants, excess grants and the Manipur budget, Gogoi said the prime minister "disappears" whenever an important issue comes up in the country.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla interjected Gogoi and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had informed him about his foreign visit and pointed out that previous prime ministers too have undertaken visits abroad during Parliament sessions. Modi is on an official visit to Mauritius.

Gogoi said he has utmost respect for the prime minister, but it was the tendency of the Treasury benches to insult former prime ministers time and again and their utterances were always part of parliamentary record.

At this point, Sitharaman said Gogoi had made some "profound" remarks and added there were a number of occasions when the prime minister was not allowed to speak in the House.

"It was music to my ears to hear a leading member of the opposition say that he respects the PM only to add quickly - when the treasury talks about the previous prime ministers, it is not in a respectable language," Sitharaman said, and wondered whether Gogoi would also apologise for abusing the prime minister on previous occasions.

The finance minister said the opposition has abused Modi and he was even not allowed to speak in the House.

"They stood in the Well and shouted. Will the honourable member Gogoi apologise for the number of times they have abused the prime minister. Today, he is whitewashing all that. That is not allowed. He should have the grace to admit that they have abused the prime minister, it was wrong and they would not do it again," she said.

Gogoi hit back at Sitharaman and asked her to refer to the prime minister's speech in Lok Sabha last month.

"His entire speech was abusive of former prime ministers. Before pointing fingers, look within, introspect," the Congress leader said.

BJP member Nishikant Dubey also cited rules to claim that Gogoi was not speaking on the supplementary demands for grants which were listed for discussion in the House.

Dubey also had a heated exchange with the opposition members and asserted that he cannot be shouted down by them.

The Lok Sabha Speaker advised Gogoi to speak on the topic listed for discussion and not deviate into other issues.

Gogoi, however, contended that he was speaking on Manipur and wanted to understand why the budget was not presented in the state assembly. PTI 

VCP MP condemns Pradhan for his remarks against Tamil people

On Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks against the Tamil Nadu govt over NEP, VCP MP Thol. Thirumavalavan says: "Dharmendra Pradhan made a statement in the Lok Sabha yesterday against Tamil people, it's really very shameful. Being the Union Minister, he has reply to the questions raised by the members responsibly, but he abused Tamil Nadu people's sentiments..."

3.56 lakh claims worth Rs 643 cr rejected for frauds under Ayushman Bharat scheme

Union Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday that suitable actions including rejection of 3.56 lakh claims worth Rs 643 crore and de-empanelment of 1,114 hospitals have been taken against fraudulent entities as reported by the states and UTs under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.

He said in a written reply that 1,504 errant hospitals have been penalised Rs 122 crore and 549 hospitals have been suspended.

The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is a flagship scheme of the government which provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to approximately 55 crore beneficiaries corresponding to 12.37 crore families constituting economically vulnerable bottom 40 per cent of India's population.

On October 29, 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced expansion of AB-PMJAY to include all senior citizens aged 70 years and above. Under the expansion, all senior citizen aged 70 years and above are receiving 'Ayushman Vay Vandana Card' which will help them avail healthcare benefits.

Ayushman Vay Vandana Card provides Rs 5 lakh free health cover to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of their socio-economic status. The senior citizens belonging to families already covered under AB-PMJAY get an additional top-up cover up to Rs 5 lakh per year for themselves.

The scheme was expanded to cover six crore senior citizens belonging to 4.5 crore families.

The AB-PMJAY is governed by a zero-tolerance policy towards misuse and abuse and various steps are taken for the prevention, detection and deterrence of different kinds of irregularities that could occur in the scheme at different stages of its implementation, Jadhav said.

A robust anti-fraud mechanism has been put in place and National Anti-Fraud Unit (NAFU) has been set up with the primary responsibility for prevention, detection and deterrence of misuse and abuse under AB-PMJAY, Jadhav stated. PTI

Communal agenda meant to divert focus from real issues: Shatrughan Sinha

 On Holi and 'Jumma' falling on the same day, TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha says, "Our Constitution teaches us that India is a secular nation. Everyone is equal here. The minorities are also our own. Everyone belonging to this nation is our brother and sister... It is our responsibility to protect them... All these issues are being raised to divert from the main issues like poverty, and the governments are not able to fulfil their promises..."

Congress opposes Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025

On the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025, Congress MP Manish Tewari says, "It violates the fundamental tenants or fundamental rights going across the spectrum...There are serious problems with this bill, and that is why I had said that either the government should withdraw this bill, which they didn't, or it should be referred to a committee."

Will invite memorandums from all stakeholders: ONOE JPC chief

BJP MP and 'One Nation One Election' JPC Chairperson, PP Chaudhary, says, "There is a meeting for 'One Nation One Election'. All the members are coming. There is a discussion with the experts... We are launching a website and all the members will be given a presentation. We will invite memorandums from all stakeholders from all over the nation... The government and the committee are working with transparency..."

Tamil Nadu govt hypocrite, refusing to implement NEP as political agenda: Sukanta Majumdar

Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar on Tuesday called Tamil Nadu government "hypocrite" and accused it of refusing to implement new National Education Policy 2020 to create a political agenda as elections are approaching in the state.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Majumdar said the claims of any differential treatment with Tamil Nadu are false.

"They (TN government) are doing this only because elections are near in the state. The claims of differential treatment with Tamil Nadu are false. We are advocating for teaching and learning in mother tongue for students till class 5. In Tamil Nadu the mother tongue is Tamil, where is the problem then?" Majumdar told PTI Videos.

They are just trying to create a political agenda by refusing to implement the NEP and three-language formula, he said, targeting the M K Stalin government. "They are hypocrites." The row over implementing the NEP in Tamil Nadu echoed in Parliament on Monday as well.

Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for about 30 minutes after DMK members protested over Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's remarks that the state government was "dishonest" on the issue of implementing the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.

Replying to a question on the PM SHRI scheme, Pradhan said the Tamil Nadu government has changed its stand on implementing the centrally-sponsored scheme which envisaged strengthening the schools managed by central, state or local bodies.

The state concerned has to sign an MoU with the central government that it would implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and in return the central government provides the fund.

The Tamil Nadu government and the Centre have been at loggerheads over implementation of the new National Education Policy and three-language formula proposed in the policy. PTI 

Govt will consider uniform norms, registration process for study of Naturopathy: Health Ministry

Naturopathy education systems run by state governments follow different syllabi as well as course durations and there is a need to bring uniformity, the Centre told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Responding to supplementaries during the Question Hour, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav admitted the anomalies and said candidates in states with five-year course duration get doctor's titles, but those who do their course in states with four-year duration do not get the title.

Jadhav said there is a need for uniform rules and regulations as well as registration for the Naturopathy course, and the ministry will consider it.

On the shortage of Ayush medicines, Jadhav also admitted that the majority of Ayush doctors are offering their services in rural areas where there is a shortage of Ayush medicines, forcing doctors to prescribe allopathic alternatives.

The government is taking steps to enhance the availability and affordability of Ayush medicines in the country, he said.

According to the Minister, the Ayush Ministry has collaborated with 24 countries for research and 51 such collaborations have been done at institution level.

Besides, the minister said to strengthen the educational background for Ayush internationally, Ayush Chair has been established in 15 countries such as Australia and Malaysia.

"We are committed to publicising and disseminating Ayush at the international level. The Ayush Ministry is ready to contribute to the mission of Viksit Bharat by 2047," Jadhav said, adding that the WHO has set up a global traditional medicine centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar.

Jadhav also said the government has also taken the initiative to offer Ayush visa.

Talking about five research councils under the Ministry of Ayush, Jadhav said that these are: Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Yoga and Naturopathy (CCRYN), Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH). PTI 

Govt to open 200 day cancer care centres in country in 2025-26: Nadda in RS

The government aims to open 200 day cancer care centres in the country in 2025-26 where basic facilities to patients would be provided and such centres would be established in all districts in the next three years, Health Minister J P Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Replying to supplementary queries during Question Hour, the minister said the government is trying to make healthcare affordable, accessible and equitable by giving technical and financial support to states.

"As per the recent Lancet report, the Ayushman Bharat has made a big contribution and cancer treatment has started within 30 days of screening under this programme," the health minister said, amid thumping of desks by treasury benches.

Nadda said the Union Budget has announced the opening of day cancer care centres in every district.

"In 2025-26, we are going to open 200 day cancer care centres and will open such centres in all the districts of the country in the next three years," he said on the steps taken by the government in providing treatment to cancer patients.

The minister also announced that there are 22 AIIMS with full-fledged oncology departments and all central hospitals have oncology departments for the treatment of cancer.

"Our Jhajjar AIIMS has the country's biggest 700-bed cancer centre, where all treatments for cancer are available," he said.

To another question, Nadda said the Gorakhpur All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is functioning and its OPD and IPD are operating in full swing.

The Union Health Ministry has signed an MoU with BHU to convert its medical college to AIIMS-like institution and their budgeting is also being done. "We will take it forward," he said. PTI