Parliament roundup - Day 9: Rajnath's statement on chopper tragedy, Opposition calls off strike & more

New Delhi, Dec 9: The Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on Thursday mourned the death of Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 others in a helicopter crash, with the Deputy Chairman describing India's first Chief of Defence Staff as an exceptional and distinguished military leader.

Also, the Opposition leaders called off their ongoing sit-in dharna against the suspension of the 12 Rajya Sabha MPs for the day as a mark of respect. Also, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave his statement over the helicopter tragedy.

Several issues and bills were discussed during the session. Here is the round-up of day six:

Tri-services inquiry already underway, all efforts being made to save Captain Varun Singh: Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament that a tri-services inquiry led by Air Marshal Manavendra Singh has started an investigation into the helicopter crash that killed Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and 12 others.

Briefing both houses of Parliament on the crash, Singh said that all efforts were being made to save IAF Group Captain Varun Singh, the lone survivor of the crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, who was on life support at the military hospital in Wellington.

"A tri-services inquiry headed by Air Marshal Manavendra Singh has been ordered by the Indian Air Force. A team of investigators had reached Wellington yesterday (Wednesday) itself and started their work," Singh said.

He said the last rites of the other military personnel who died in the crash will also be conducted with appropriate military honours.

The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha paid tributes to the departed souls by observing a moment of silence. Giving details about the incident in the Lok Sabha, Singh said Gen Rawat was on a scheduled visit to the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington to interact with students officers.

LS passes bills to extend CBI, ED directors' tenures up to max 5 years

Two bills were passed by Lok Sabha on Thursday to extend the tenures of directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate up to a maximum of five years from the present two years. The Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021 were passed separately by voice vote after the House rejected various amendments moved by Opposition members on the two bills.

Congress MPs walked out of the House, saying they were not satisfied with the reply of Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh. These bills sesk to replace two ordinances issued last month. The Opposition and the BJP sparred over the government's move to extend the tenures of the directors of the CBI and the ED up to a maximum of five years, with the Opposition alleging that it would completely undermine the autonomy of these institutions, and the ruling party defending the step as being necessary to fight large scale corruption.

Bill to enhance status of six institutes of pharma education, research gets Parliament nod

Parliament on Thursday passed a bill which seeks to accord institute of national importance status to six more institutions of pharmaceutical education and research, start new courses and also set up an advisory council for them. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021, passed by the Lok Sabha on December 6, was cleared in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday with a voice vote.

Replying to a discussion on the Bill, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said it will strengthen the National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) and give priority to research. The Bill has come with four amendments which includes qualifying six NIPERs as institutes of national importance and introducing undergraduate and diploma courses, he said. It seeks to amend the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998. Through the 1998 legislation, a NIPER was established in Mohali, Punjab.

Two unmanned missions to be launched before flying Gaganyaan by end of 2022: Minister

India will launch two unmanned missions next year before the human spaceflight programme 'Gaganyaan' by the end of 2022, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday. Sharing the status of other space projects, Singh -- during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha -- said the Venus mission is planned for 2022, while the Solar Mission for 2022-23 and that of the Space Station by 2030.

Singh, the Minister of State in the Department of Space, said space projects have been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "In the next year, we are going to have two unmanned missions before flying the Gaganyaan. That is also in the planning. That is usually the SoP (Standard Operating Procedure) which is followed. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it got delayed," he said.

In the beginning of next year possibly, India will first launch unmanned missions ahead of Gaganyaan towards the end of 2022, he said, adding that it would be accompanied with robots that have been named as 'Vayumitra'. "Following that, we will possibly in 2023 have Gaganyaan which will undoubtedly place India in the elite club of nations being the fourth one after the US, China and Russia," he added.

The minister further said the Gaganyaan programme will be different from other human missions undertaken by other countries in the sense that this will be more cost-effective and inclusive.
This programme will place India as a frontline nation and will also improve the country's capabilities as far as its robotic missions are concerned, he said and added that this will also inspire youngsters and start-ups.

Venus Mission

Besides the Gaganyaan programme, the minister said, "We are going to have a number of other missions. We will have a Venus mission by 2023. Soon, we will have solar missions called 'Aditya Solar mission' planned for 2022-23." Chandrayana got delayed due to the pandemic and maybe it will be launched by next year, he said. "By 2030, we will possibly be able to set up a space station, which will be unique of its kind," he noted, adding that the journey of India's ascent to the top has already begun through the space route.

Replying to a supplementary query if ISRO has identified 17 technologies at lower cost from start-ups for use in Gaganyaan mission, the minister said, "There are going to be several research modules accompanying the Gaganyaan and it will involve start-ups and more than 500 industries". For the first time since the country's Independence, private industry will be involved in space technology, he said.

"As a result of which, we now are going to have a number of partnerships for nano satellites trying to put in their mission in collaboration with ISRO," he said. Host technologies can be innovated in a wide range of areas involving the industry, which pave the way for the newer economy getting generated through the medium of space technology, he added. The minister also informed the Upper House that India has so far launched 42 foreign satellites from 34 countries and generated a revenue of USD 56 million (one million is equal to 10 lakhs).

LS Passes Bill Related to Pension of Higher Judiciary

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to bring clarity concerning the date of eligibility of additional quantum of pension to a retired judge. Replying to the debate on the bill which concluded on Tuesday, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said that it is not written in the memorandum of procedure "that you have to make an appointment in so many days" and expressed reservations over the judgement of Supreme Court made earlier this year.

"It is a larger question which is not part of the Memorandum of Procedure but if the Supreme Court gives a direction, then we have to take a call. That is why I am indulging the House. You cannot question how long you want to keep it pending... I agree with whatever emotion the member is generating. But it is not wise to stick to a timeline for particular names of the judges. It will not send a right signal," he said. The minister referred to the judgment delivered by a bench headed by then Chief Justice of India SA Bobde and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Surya Kant and said in the Mahanadi case it was stated that if there is a second reiteration, then it is mandatory for the government to make an appointment in three-four weeks.

"It was made mandatory that the Government has to appoint judges whose names are there in the reiterated cases. I do not want to comment but if such judgements come from Supreme Court or High courts, we are not challenging the judiciary but we may need to revisit the provisions of the constitution," he said. "My words and my statement should not be construed as a challenge to the independence of the Judiciary, but I also believe that when there is the independence of the judiciary, then there is the independence of the executive also and there is the independence of the legislature also because it has been defined by the Constitution of India," he added.

Opposition leaders call off ongoing sit-in dharna for today

The Opposition leaders have called off their ongoing sit-in dharna against the suspension of the 12 Rajya Sabha MPs for the day as a mark of respect towards Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and 12 others who lost their lives in a chopper crash. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Upper House, Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday told ANI, "We have decided not to protest, against the suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs, today in honour of CDS Bipin Rawat and the soldiers who died in the chopper crash and to pay tribute to them. We will also attend Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's address."

Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "On the solidarity of CDS and others who lost their lives in the crash, we have called off the protest today." "As a mark of respect to late CDS and other jawans who lost their lives in chopper crashed we have suspended our dharma for today and will resume tomorrow," a statement issued by Congress read.

Nearly 48,000 people died in accidents on national highways in 2020

A total of 47,984 people died due to road accidents on National Highways, including on expressways, during calendar year 2020, Parliament was informed on Thursday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said as many as 53,872 persons died due to road accidents on National Highways, including on expressways, in 2019.

Gadkari said the major causes of accidents on the National Highways (NHs) are vehicle design and condition, road engineering, over-speeding, drunken driving/ consumption of alcohol & drug, driving on wrong side, jumping the red light, use of mobile phone, etc.

He also said the ministry has issued guidelines for improving the road safety through road safety audits at all stages (design stage, construction stage and O&M stage) by engaging independent road safety experts. Replying to a separate question, Gadkari said during the oxygen crisis in March-April 2021, shortage of technically qualified trained drivers to handle Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) Tankers was reported.

"Taking into account the continuous rise in requirement for transportation of liquid oxygen (LOX), extended period of oxygen management, addition to the inventory of cryogenic tankers and high fatigue/ attrition rate due to 24X7 operations, the Ministry issued advisory to states to create a pool of trained drivers for transporting hazardous cargo," he said.