Parliament's Monsoon Session 2020 begins: Know Key Agenda!

The Parliament's Monsoon Session 2020 began today while adhering to COVID-19 safety protocols. This is the first Parliament session being held amid the COVID-19 pandemic and hence, all safety measures have been taken to conduct the session as per guidelines issued for COVID-19.

The two houses of the Parliament will be sitting in two separate shifts. The monsoon session began with the Lok Sabha convening for the morning shift from 9 am to 1 pm. The Rajya Sabha will convene in the evening today from 3 pm to 7 pm. On all other days till October 1, the Rajya Sabha will sit in the morning shift, while the Lok Sabha will convene in the evening.

#MonsoonSession of the Parliament begins. pic.twitter.com/d3CfaQT9v1

— ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2020

Speaking before the Monsoon Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the session is beginning in distinct times. He stated "There's Corona & there's duty. MPs chose the path to duty. I congratulate & express gratitude to them."

Parliament session is beginning in distinct times. There's Corona & there's duty. MPs chose the path to duty. I congratulate & express gratitude to them. This time RS-LS will be held at different times in a day. It'll be held on Saturday-Sunday too. All MPs accepted this: PM Modi pic.twitter.com/BbqgPhFb5a

— ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2020

The Prime Minister further stated that we want that a vaccine be developed at the earliest from any corner of the world, our scientists succeed and we succeed in bringing everyone out of this problem. PM Modi also spoke about showing solidarity with the armed forces, saying that he believes that all MPs will give an unequivocal message that the country stands with our soldiers.

Jab tak dawai nahi tab tak koi dhilai nahi. We want that a vaccine be developed at the earliest from any corner of the world, our scientists succeed and we succeed in bringing everyone out of this problem: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of #MonsoonSession of Parliament pic.twitter.com/0epCvMpCb9

— ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2020

#WATCH: I believe that all members of the Parliament will give an unequivocal message that the country stands with our soldiers: Prime Minister Narendra Modi #MonsoonSession pic.twitter.com/GubB0uHkUg

— ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2020

Significance

This is the first time in the history of Indian Parliament that both chambers have been integrated for holding a session.

Key Agenda

As per the press release from the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, the Parliament session will include a total of 18 sittings spread across 18 days. The sessions will be held on all the days including Saturdays and Sundays till October 1st. 

A total of 47 items have been identified for being taken up during the Monsoon Session 2020, which include 45 Bills and two financial items.

The session is expected to take up eleven bills to replace the ordinances and some of them include:

•  Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020

•  The Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2020

•  The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2020

•  The Banking Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020

•  The Epidemic Diseases (Amendment) Bill, 2020

•  The Salary and Allowances of Ministers (Amendment) Bill, 2020.

Few other bills that are likely to be placed before the houses for consideration and passing include:

•  The Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020

•  The Pension Fund Regulatory And Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2020

•  The National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions Bill, 2020

•  The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2020

•  The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2020

•  The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill, 2020

•  The Jammu and Kashmir Official Language, Bill, 2020

COVID-19 safety measures

All necessary safety measures have been undertaken to conduct the session as per guidelines issued for COVID-19. Some of the measures are as follows:

• Entry into the Parliament premises will be allowed only on the production of a COVID-19 negative report.

• The seating of MPs has been done in a staggered way by integrating the main chambers of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well as the galleries to maintain social distancing norms.

• All MPs have been seated with plastic sheet separators and microphones have been placed on podiums in visitors' galleries where individual seats do not have mikes.

• The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha main chambers will have a "proportionate" representation of political parties, including their leaders.

• In a first-of-its-kind initiative, an 'Attendance Register' mobile app has been introduced for registering of the attendance of the Members of the Parliament.

In a first-of-its-kind initiative, MPs register their attendance using the 'Attendance Register' App: Lok Sabha Secretariat pic.twitter.com/6RTzqdZFOk

— ANI (@ANI) September 14, 2020

• The question hour round has been dropped. Only zero hour will be there and the un-starred questions will be laid on the table. Besides, Private Members' Bills will also not be taken up in the ongoing Session.

• Further, the MPs will be given packed food in the canteen during the Monsoon session.