New Delhi, Aug 5: The Budget Session of the Parliament is set to resume on Monday, featuring several key bills on the agenda following a week of intense debates between the opposition and ruling parties.
In the Lok Sabha, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce the Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill, while Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal is slated to present legislation concerning the readjustment of Scheduled Tribes representation in Goa's Assembly constituencies.
In the Rajya Sabha, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will introduce the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Bill on Tuesday. Furthermore, reports suggest that the government may propose amendments to the Waqf Act, potentially curtailing the Waqf Board’s authority in designating properties. These proposed changes include mandatory verification for property claims. However, there has been no official confirmation from the government, and no updates have been made to the legislative agenda since the session began.
Unnamed government officials cited in reports on Sunday indicated that these amendments are in response to demands from the Muslim community. The Congress government had previously expanded the powers of the Waqf Boards in 2013 through amendments to the Waqf Act, 1995, which regulates assets designated for religious or charitable purposes under Muslim law.
The new amendments are designed to increase women's representation on the Central Waqf Council and state boards, introduce measures for monitoring properties with district magistrates, and address delays in property surveying.
Meanwhile, in the Rajya Sabha, opposition members plan to focus on discussions regarding the functioning of several ministries, including Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, New and Renewable Energy, and Cooperation.
