Parliament Budget Session Day 8 Highlights: Rajya Sabha to continue debate on Union Budget on February 13

Upper House will convene at 11 AM, February 13

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday (February 11, 2025) said he would give his ruling during this session on the conduct of members giving their speeches in the House and then leaving without listening to others and “showing their back”.

He said this after BJP member Ghanshyam Tiwari pointed out that a member left the House immediately after delivering his speech in Parliament. Independent MP Kapil Sibal was speaking in the House on the Union Budget before he left.

Condemning the Centre for ignoring Kerala, MPs demand that Govt release a white paper regarding effects, implementation and misuse of the multitude schemes and missions announced by it

AAP MP Raghav Chadha says, “Centre thinks middle class is a golden goose which can be strangled and be extorted by taxes”. Welcoming the income tax rebate, he says that it was not a deduction or a relief. Adding that middle class has become poor as seen by the falling consumption, he adds that the income tax rebate will not affect much. To boost demand, he adds that there must be reduction in GST as all citizens pay this ranging from farmers to wealthy businessmen. 

The Opposition rose in disagreement after finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman concluded her speech. 

Unrelatedly, Speaker Om Birla called to adjourn the house for the day. The house will reconvene on Thursday, February 13th at 11 a.m. 

At conclusion of her speech, the finance minister observing that the growth rate touched 5.4% or below in only two of the last twelve quarters, the finance minister held that a “speedy rebound” was underway. She told the house that the treasury would take appropriate measures to ensure the Indian economy is growing fastest as in the last years. 

Ms. Sitharaman indicated private final consumption expenditure is expected to grow 7.3% in 2024-25 driven by good rural demand. Thus, she observed, the private final consumption expenditure is estimated to be 61.8% of nominal GDP – highest since 2002-03. 

She put forth that West Bengal’s per capita lags the national average for twenty years now. 

Earlier, she had indicated that the ruling party in West Bengal symbolised harassment and denial of rights to common people. Ms. Sitharaman particularly pointed to there being reported 25 lakh fake job cards for MNREGA. The finance minister accused the state govt of letting “ration mafia” thrive in the state. 

“There is no factory, no jobs and no vision in the state. That is Trinamool for you,” she said in the house. 

Sreerampur MP Kalyan Banerjee launched a loud protest against the finance minister whilst she was explaining the Union’s contribution to the state’s social infrastructure. He sought the finance minister instead address their concerns about pending allocations to MNREGA and PM Awaas Yojna (Gramin). 

The finance minster responded pointing to alleged complaints of irregularities entailing selection of ineligible households, removal of eligible households and branding violations. Similar complaints were reported about MNREGA and are being investigated about by the rural ministry, she held. 

CPI(M) MP Dr. John Brittas questions why Centre has doubled imports from China, quoting the trade deficit. “Trump is making mayhem. Import duties on steel have gone up which will affect our industries. We are importing most of our steel needs, only 2% is generated. We must decide our foreign policy and what should be our path going forward,” he says.

Responding to members’ concerns about the reduced allocation in the realm, she apprised the house that the budget for the Minority increased from ₹3,183 crore in 2024-25 to ₹3,350 crore in 2025-26. 

Further, she enumerated that there was no reduction in allocation for food and fertiliser subsidy. 

Reflecting on the state of expenditures for Food Security Act, she observed that money lying in S&A, treasury and/or escrow accounts for States – which is yet to be utilised. “Money is lying in the accounts. If you show the utilisation of the same with bills, it is your money. Would you like to use it?”. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi raises the eight years of FM Sitharaman’s Union Budget saying, “It was the reducing to 240 which compelled FM to give income tax relief upto ₹12 lakhs”. Highlighting how only ₹7 given to Maharashtra for every ₹100 it pays in taxes, she questions why Marathwada and Vidarbha do not get canal projects.

“Ajit Pawar used to raise this discrepancy in the GST council. But now that he has gone to the other side, he has stopped raising it,” she adds.

Reacting to Opposition members’ concerns about depreciating rupee, the finance minister also responded to former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan’s recent interview in this context. She pointed to Mr. Rajan having stated, “The trade deficit for the US...that will strengthen the dollar. There’s also some potential safe haven buying at this point into dollar assets. So given all that, I wouldn’t be overly worried.” 

Objecting to the loud disagreement from the Opposition benches, Ms. Sitharaman remarked, “We (the Opposition) won’t accept it, because it does not suit us.” 

Ms. Sitharaman held that when the NDA came to power in April 2014, 45% of Indian households did not have access to clean cooking fuels. In contrast, she told the house that LPG coverage reached “near saturation”. This was citing active LPG domestic customers more than doubled between April 2014 and December 2024. 

She held this was reflective of “better management of global price volatility” under NDA. 

NCP MP Dr. Fauzia Khan condemns the Union Budget for favouring a chosen few industrialists. She recommends a 25% tax on wealth tax, allocate 6% for education and 3% for healthcare. 

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat responds to Dr. Khan’s allegations on low allocation on water. He highlights the expanded budget for the Jal Jeevan mission, its utilization and its implementation.

Ms. Sitharaman told the house that since 2021, the government has been taking measures to reduce debt – thus ensuring that public money is utilised for “productive asset building activities”. “We commenced financing of capital outlay of railways and highways from the Union Budget,” she stated, explaining, “This allowed for debt consolidation and helped lower costs of borrowing.” She further placed the prerogative that entailed moving away from borrowing from agencies, which is more expensive, to borrowing from government. Thus, ensuring “efficient use of money”. 

Pointing to allocations endowed for agriculture and allied activities, rural development, urban development and transport, health and education and defence, she assured the house, “Money is not being denied to any capital expenditure accounts.” 

She underlined that employment-led development, spurring domestic consumption and boosting manufacturing were among the major objective of the budget. Ms. Sitharaman thus held that the budget endeavoured to balance national development priorities with fiscal imperatives. 

She enumerated the four goals entailed accelerating growth, securing inclusive development, integrating private sector investment and uplifting household investment. 

Ms. Sitharaman further stated that the focus of the budget is on “ garib (poor), youth, annadaata and naari (women)”. The premise was to reveal new schemes and reforms for promotion of agriculture, MSMEs and exports, as engines for growth alongside provisioning growth and rural prosperity and resilience. 

The finance minister pointed to four particular concerns that have emerged as major challenges in the making of the recent budget. These entailed, continuation of the global conflict in Middle East, the tension between Russia and Ukraine, “sticky” inflation in emerging markets and stagnation in global GDP. She held that the four currents have been of bother to the atmosphere in global economies. 

The BJP MP further pointed to the declining revenue expenditure and rising capital expenditure for “greater clarity”. He noted that whilst capital expenditure rose 10.1% year-over-year in the upcoming financial year, revenue expenditure would decline by 6.1%. Mr. Pal further enumerated whilst capital expenditure increased more than four times since 2014, revenue expenditure has increased less than three times. 

He further sought acknowledgement about revenue deficit being brought down to 1.5% with the latest budget. 

Reflecting on the stated arguments, Mr. Pal sought, “What else could be the parameters to evaluate fiscal discipline of a government?”. 

“What Kerala thinks today, India thinks tomorrow,” says CPI(M) MP A.A. Rahim, condemning the Union Budget for ignoring Kerala. He highlights Kerala’s achievements - 100% literacy in 1991, eradicating extreme poverty, most start-ups in India.

The RLP MP held that the present farmers’ debt of ₹32 lakh crore was twenty times the present agriculture budget. 

The Nagaur (Rajasthan) MP held the budget did not address the major concerns of the farmer community that entailed lowered insurance coverage, compensating costs and legal guarantee for MSP on crops. 

Mr. Beniwal further sought that the region-specific crops be also included for coverage in the PM Fisal Bima. Additionally, the RLP MP urged that farming grants be extended to farms of up to 5 hectares from the present 2 hectares. 

Sudha Murthy raises the need for value-education among children. “We can use AI to educate children but that does not make them good citizens,” says the renowned author. She adds,”To attract children to schools, they should teach them with stories based on our famous epics like Krishna-Kuchela etc. We have a great culture of story telling in India but we ape the West. This does not reflect our culture”. Lauding the new National Education Policy, she urges the need to establish story-telling hours in the curriculum and later an institution for same. 

Relating to her own experience, she says, “We need a big hall in primary buildings to attract children along with indoor activities and air-conditioning facilities. I have learnt from the stories I heard in my childhood that I can imagine. Please release more funds for primary and middle school education”. 

BJD MP Niranjan Bishi critiques the Budget for not doing enough for the working class. “This Budget does not have enough for mill workers, farmers, labourers and salaried people,” he says, adding the need for a cotton mill in Odisha. 

The Independent MP from Purnia expressed concerns about 28% GST being levied on ultrasound, MRI and CT scan, among other things. Furthermore, he also placed his apprehension about access to education and avenues, when even stationery and education was being subjected to GST. Earlier in his address, the Independent MP had held that GST was a bane for the middle class. 

Separately, Mr. Yadav sought that the treasury must evaluate three important paradigms. First, that of funding and revenues of religious places. “Does the finance ministry supervise this paradigm?” he quizzed. Secondly, he sought supervision on the same for godmen and their organisations registered as NGOs. And finally, about the flow of funds meant for corporate social responsibility. 

Condemning the controversial comment by YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia, BJD MP Sasmit Patra says, “I am a member of the standing committee, we will be raising this issue. We will be demanding there should be strict guidelines and punitive action should be taken to make sure any random person should not be making such statements which are vulgar, cheap, and it is extremely condemnable.”

The Kalyan MP putting forth that the government had to spend ₹42,223 crore to repay the principal amount relating to oil bonds, between 2014 and 2022, for purchases made during the erstwhile regime. He further told the house that ₹92,000 crore and ₹22,000 crore had to be paid in interest payment for the same during 2022-26. “The common man is now footing the bill for the Congress’ ‘big-heartedness’ of the past,” he contended. 

Earlier in his address, in a response to NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule’s observations about prevailing debt among citizens of the country, Mr. Shinde alleged that emanated because the erstwhile UPA regime “had thought of the people as their bank and stole from them for ten years”. He held that though banks were nationalised in 1971, it was only during 2014 that they were strengthened and lifted off from the NPA positions. “It is from these banks only that the public at large are being accorded varied facilities,” he held. 

The Upper House rose in uproar as a BJP MP interrupted SP MP Jaya Bachchan as she spoke on rising food prices. Accusing the Centre of neglecting the film industry, she says, “You have levied such heavy entertainment tax. All single screens are shut now. Are you trying to end the film industry? We are the one industry which connects all of India and urge FM to reduce the entertainment tax”. An enraged Ms. Bachchan tells people to stop interrupting her.

BJP’s UP MP RPN Singh highlights Union Budget’s focus on farmers. He says, “₹21,000 crore was allocated for farmers in 2013-14 and in 2025, the budget allocation has risen to ₹1.7 lakh crores”. He accused Bengal govt of falsifying farmer deaths as domestic fights, malnutrition etc. Taking a potshot at the recent poll debacle in Delhi, he adds, “The election loss was because Delhi was one such government that did not implement Centre’s schemes”.

The Mathura MP held that people in her constituency were elated with prospect about Yamuna being cleansed. Emphasising that the Yamuna River held cultural and spiritual importance, her constituency had to block passage of the river citing cleanliness issues. Pointing to the PM Modi’s address following the electoral victory in Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections and emphasis on cleaning the holy river, she held, “This is Modi ki guarantee, therefore, a sure guarantee”. 

The Mathura MP held lakhs of devotees from across the globe have congregated at Prayagraj for the holy festival. Congratulating Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for the arrangements, she told the house, “I have witnessed that everything is alright there.” 

Later in her address, Ms. Malini, reflecting on the budget, held that the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman notwithstanding the tough global scenario had been able to ensure that India continues to be the world’s fastest growing economy. The Mathura MP further emphasised about the emphasis accorded to women participation in the economy in the budget. 

She has deputed Harsh Malhotra as her representative to be present during the Budget discussion, Mr. Dhankhar says.

The issue came up when INC MP Pramod Tiwari mentioned that Ms. Sitharaman is not in the House for the Budget discussion.

“How will you compete with the rest of the world?” he says, speaking on the Union Budget 2025-26.

We want India to move forward, and we will all support you, if you give us a dream Budget, he adds.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju appreciates Mr. Sibal’s inputs but also asks him to “be present in the House more often” to listen to the government’s point of view.

True progress is that which eliminates discrimination, and the budget should be a democratic one, says SP MP Akhilesh Yadav. The Budget should have a humanitarian aspect and be compassionate towards the weak, the objective of the Budget shouldn’t be to benefit some people but should be full of humanity, he says, adding that if it strengthens the weak, then it is a successful budget. 

After 10 budgets, the 11th budget was introduced so that the world could see the sight of Indians returning to their country in handcuffs, says SP MP Akhilesh Yadav. He says that the Prime Minister should bring back some people from U.S with dignity on his aircraft, referring to Mr. Modi’s upcoming visit to the U.S for bilateral talks with President Donald Trump. 

Mr. Yadav brings up issues with the Maha Kumbh Mela, to which BJP MP Nishikant Dubey objects, saying that his words are anti-Hindu and against the provisions of the Constitution which protect religion. 

Mr. Yadav continues with his speech, saying that two Chief Ministers were required to clear a 300 km jam caused due to the crowds. He questions the poor traffic mangement at an event where the President, Prime Minister, Vice-President and other dignitaries took a dip. Is this the picture of Viksit Bharat that we want to show the world, he asks. He points out that figures about how many people died during the stampede in the Mela are yet to be revealed. 

What is the point of reaching the moon, if we can’t solve the problems on the ground, he asks. 

Other MPs have claimed that Bihar received favours in the Union Budget 2025-26.

“Same schemes have been announced since 2015,” Mr. Yadav says. “Announcements for Bihar start and end in Parliament.”

Bihar featured prominently in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget speech on Saturday (February 1, 2025) as she announced a slew of schemes for the state. A new Makhana Board, National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management were announced. Apart from these, greenfield airports will be added in addition to the expansion of Patna airport and the West Kosi canal project in Mithilanchal was also announced. Read more ​here​

Chaos in the House. Mr. Gokhale refuses to yield.

“The honourable Leader of the House is understandably insecure of the 2026 election in West Bengal -- frustration is coming up,” Mr. Gokhale retorts, saying that his party AITC will win again.

“Our economy is very shaky today, just like this shaky coalition that came to power in June 2024,” he says.

Mr. Gokhale raises topics like demonetisation, corporate taxes, COVID-19 pandemic etc. to support his argument that PM Modi’s government destroyed India’s economy.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said today is the last day for a constitutionally mandated sitting of the Manipur Legislative Assembly’s session.

Read more here

Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi raises concerns about China’s decision to build the world’s largest dam on the Bramhaputra, and urges that this be made a component of India’s diplomatic engagement with China. 

Congress MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla raises the issue of people dying due to kite string imported from China. BJP MP Parshottambhai Rupala speaks about how the workers in Surat’s diamond industry are suffering due to recession and asks that the children of such workers not be deprived of education and access to health. 

Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan speaks about rising instances of human-wildlife conflict in Kasarogod, asking for measures such as digging of deep trenches, biofencing, solar fences and tracking and sterilisation of animals. 

Congress MP Manish Tewari questions why illegal immigrants were sent back to India from the U.S in handcuffs, when they were not criminals, but merely earning their livelihood. He also highlights that Venezuelan immigrants were being sent to Guantanamo Bay, where terrorists are housed.

Congress MP B. Manickram Tagore brings up the horrific incident of a pregnant women being thrown out of a train while attempting to resist rape. He questions that if a woman can’t be safe on a train, what is the use of campaigns such as Beti bachao, beti padhao. 

Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy speaks about the decision made to disengage with the National Institute for Rural Development Panchayati Raj in Hyderabad, with no allocation in the Union budget 2025-26. This move was taken without consulting any employees, he says. He requests that the move be reconsidered as the institute has contributed greatly to rural development. 

Responding to the query, Health Minister J.P. Nadda says that the government takes steps for early stage detection of cervical cancer, among other things. He does not comment on the roadmap for vaccination against cervical cancer, which the MP asked in his question.

Speaker Om Birla announces that he has not admitted any of the notices received by him requesting that the business of the House be adjourned to discuss matters of national importance. 

BJP MP Dr. K Sudhakar asks about the setting up of a floriculture board along the lines of the horticulture and sericulture boards. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat says that there is no such plan in the near future. 

BJP MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy asks about whether there is any research about multi-feedstock biogas plants and whether anything is being done for its promotion. 

The copy of the Constitution available on my computer in Parliament must be the wrong one too because there are no illustrations on it, says AITC MP Derek O’Brien.

BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Agrawal raises the issue of 22 illustrations missing in most copies of the Constitution sold today. Chairman Dhankhar asks the Leader of the House to ensure that only the authentic version of the Constitution is available. “Any violation of this should be taken seriously by the government, and severe action (should be) taken,” Chairman says.

This is unnecessary, says Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. “They are trying to create a controversy around the Constitution signed by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar,” he says. Chairman Dhankhar objects. “I have seen and studied the Constitution, there are no photos of Lord Krishna (as mentioned by BJP MP Agrawal) in it.”

BJP MP Rajiv Pratap Rudy outlines the importance of fishermen in Bihar, and asks why they have not been given any incentives over the past couple of years. 

Replying to the question, Union Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh shares that the country is now second in the world in fish production. He shares that during the lean three month period, where fishing is banned to ensure reproduction of fish, the government has a scheme to give a total of Rs. 4500 to the fishermen, where Rs. 1500 is contributed by the State, Centre and the beneficiary. 

Speaker Om Birla is presiding. He informs the members the representatives from the Parliament of the Maldives are present in the House.