Both Houses of Parliament will adjourn for a recess in the ongoing budget session to reassemble on 9th of next month. The budget session is being held in two phases, the first phase began on 28th January with the address of President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of both Houses. The second phase will be held till 2nd April.
Yesterday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman replied to a discussion on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha. She said, the government is focused on building a resilient and self-reliant India by boosting economic growth and ensuring inclusive development. Ms Sitharaman added that high growth has been maintained while keeping inflation low.
Citing estimates from the National Statistics Office, the Finance Minister said, India’s GDP is projected to grow at 7.4 per cent in 2025-26. She added that retail inflation has eased to 2 per cent, reflecting strong economic fundamentals.
The Finance Minister countered the opposition charge of expenditure curtailment in many welfare schemes. She said adequate budget allocations have been made for social schemes. She also dismissed allegations of pressure on the middle class, stating that reforms under the NDA government have led to its expansion.
Ms Sitharaman said unemployment has declined from 5.6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2023-24, indicating that the economy is generating jobs. The Minister announced plans to rejuvenate 200 legacy industrial clusters.
On the other hand in the Lok Sabha, noisy scenes between the treasury bench and opposition bench members were witnessed, following which the house was adjourned for the day.
Amid the din, the House took up the matters of urgent public importance, after passing the Industrial Relations Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026. BJP MP Nishikant Dubey raised the issue of a motion against the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
Mr. Dubey alleged that Mr. Gandhi has links with the Soros Foundation and the Ford Foundation. He further claimed that Mr. Gandhi frequently levels allegations against constitutional institutions, including the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
Demanding a discussion on Mr. Gandhi’s conduct, Mr. Dubey said, membership of Rahul Gandhi should be cancelled and he should be barred from contesting elections in the future. The remarks led to strong protests from opposition members.
