The White Paper, which was tabled by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha, also did not provide government's estimate of black money, within and outside the country, though it quoted various estimates of other agencies on the issue.
"Because when we disrupt the House then it serves no purpose. We cannot hear. We cannot speak. Only a handful of members completely throttle the desire of a silent majority to speak," Pranab Mukherjee said, initiating the debate to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the first sitting of Parliament.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday slammed the government on the issue of the cartoon of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar in school text books and accused the Congress of "insulting" Gujjar, Jat, Sikh and Jain communities.
Lok Sabha passes Finance Bill; Will introduce a white paper on black money in current session: FM
Amid vociferous protests by the Opposition on the plight of farmers due to lack of storage for record production of foodgrains, government on Monday admitted a mismatch between procurement and storage and said efforts were on to ease pressure on godowns by encouraging exports and providing foodgrain to MNREGA workers as part of wages.
News agencies, which fulfill certain criteria, are to be exempted from payment of service tax, Finance Minister Pranab Mukerjee said on Friday.
The government on Monday asserted that India was not worried by the decision of G-8 nations to curb the transfer of some sensitive nuclear technology to nations which have not signed the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty. The statement from Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee came after Left parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party were seen on the same side in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, demanding a discussion on the key issue.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict for December 5 as to whether the plea of former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, challenging the election of Pranab Mukherjee as president, deserves a "regular hearing" or not.
Accusing the Opposition of not allowing the government to put forth its views in Parliament on Anna Hazare's detention, two senior ministers on Tuesday said such an attitude was "not fair" in a parliamentary system. Leader of the Lok Sabha and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said the Opposition created a pandemonium in Parliament forcing its adjournment.
The government on Friday said that India is the fifth most indebted country among the 20 developing nations but its debt is within manageable limits.
With passenger cars consuming about 15 per cent of the diesel, the government on Thursday indicated that it might do away with the subsidy enjoyed by such vehicle owners.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, an influential Congress leader from West Bengal's Murshidabad district and known to be close to President Pranab Mukherjee, is a three-time Lok Sabha MP.
"The life of a Finance Minister is not easy. Various players, including policy makers, politicians, agriculturists and business houses, participate in the making of the economy."
The government on Monday proposed removing the sectoral restriction on venture capital funds, a move that will allow more startups beyond the current nine sectors to get access to growth-stage capital.
The government said it will provide capital support of Rs 15,888 crore (Rs 158.88 billion) to public sector banks and financial institutions during the next fiscal to strengthen their capital base.
"Our traditional stand has been that we have never supported any country-specific resolution at the UNHCHR," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee told the Lok Sabha as DMK, AIADMK and CPI members rushed to the Well raising slogans on the issue.
Abjijit Mukherjee, son of President Pranab Mukherjee and Congress candidate on Saturday won the Jangipur Lok Sabha by-election by 2,536 votes defeating his nearest Communist Party of India-Marxist rival Muzaffar Hussain.
'We are confident that you, with your vast experience, will conduct the proceedings in accordance with highest traditions of democracy,' Dr Manmohan Singh.
The Left on Tuesday accused the government of asking central public sector enterprises to raise capital from a sinking stock market and saw a game to hand over their shares to private sector at throwaway prices.
Mukherjee said Fernandes approved the visits, which the commission claimed was for inspecting weapons systems under probe, on December 22, 2003, when it was inquiring into 14 major defence deals.
The Sena leader further said the RSS's agenda behind inviting Mukherjee as the chief guest to one of its event, held in Nagpur on June 7, would only be clear after the 2019 general elections.
The monsoon session of Parliament has been further delayed, indicating that the session may be convened on August 7 instead of earlier planned July 30.
Former speaker of Lok Sabha P A Sangma, who is in the fray for the Presidential poll, on Wednesday resigned from the Nationalist Congress Party.NCP chief Sharad Pawar had urged Sangma to withdraw from the contest, after the ruling United Progressive Alliance unanimously nominated senior Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee as it its candidate for the President's post.
It will be ready for field trials by the end of December, the government told the Lok Sabha.
The win in UP is especially significant because UP assembly members carry the maximum value of votes in a Presidential election, given the fact that the state is India's most populous.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi has convened a meeting of the party's strategy group on September 8, the sources said. Opposition leaders are keen that various like-minded parties should work closely with each other to take on the government in Parliament.
The White Paper, which was tabled by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha, also did not provide government's estimate of black money, within and outside the country, though it quoted various estimates of other agencies on the issue.
The standoff over Women's Reservation Bill ended on Thursday with the government announcing that the proposed legislation would be brought in the Lok Sabha only after consultations with all sections.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said government will soon come out with a draft Food Security Bill.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said the agreement signed with Switzerland for sharing banking information on demand is likely to come into force by September.
The Government on Wednesday virtually turned own demands of two Tamil parties, including United Progressive Alliance constituent Patali Makkal Katchi, for India's intervention to stop military offensive in Sri Lanka, saying it cannot force a sovereign government of another country to take a particular line.
One thing is clear from watching MPs on the Lok Sabha's biggest day: the only thing that unites them is the words "outlay was doubled".
Tax collection at source on purchase, in cash, of bullion or jewellery in excess of Rs 2 lakh is one step announced.
'If the Congress gets to form the government in 2024, then Sonia Gandhi by virtue of being CPP chairperson will have the authority to decide who will be the prime minister and not Kharge.'
Former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma who is now out of the Nationalist Congress Party has formed Nationalist People's Party, a new political party in Meghalaya to contest the next round of Assembly elections in the northeastern hill State in early 2013.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's historic Lok Sabha election success in Uttar Pradesh has influenced its two main rivals in the state, the Samajwadi Party and Congress, to field fewer Muslim candidates for the 11 assembly seats that go to the by-polls on Saturday.
Budget session will begin on February 23 and conclude on May 8
The United Progressive Alliance government is working towards re-introducing the Land Acquisition Bill in Parliament in the Winter Session to ensure the protection of farmers' interests who play an important positive role in food security, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
BJP-led NDA has said it will strongly demand that the Telangana Bill be brought in the Winter Session of Parliament and press for debates on issues like internal security, violence against women and subversion of constitutional bodies like JPC on 2G scam.
