NEW DELHI: Cracking the whip against absentee ministers in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has warned that he would check for their names each evening during the ongoing Budget session.
Speaking at the weekly Parliamentary party meeting, Modi said he would be asking for a list of names of absentee ministers on roster duty in Parliament, sources said.
The Prime Minister reportedly stated that some of the Opposition MPs had complained that ministers aren’t present in either of the two Houses of Parliament when important issues concerning their ministries come up for discussions.
Modi had, in the first Parliamentary party meeting after the Lok Sabha election verdict, stressed that the MPs should attend Parliament sessions and actively take part in proceedings.
The PM also asked the BJP MPs to broaden their sphere of work and engage with the people in their respective constituencies to find innovative solutions for the water crisis.
The first impression is often the last impression, he told the party MPs, a large number of them first-timers, as he asked them to work passionately for the development of their areas.
Modi told the MPs that they should work for the eradication of tuberculosis and leprosy on a war footing by engaging with local administration and concerned stakeholders, sources added.
During the meeting, Modi also said the ongoing Parliament session could be extended, if required, to pass the government’s legislative agenda, sources added.
Rough road ahead for Bill in Rajya Sabha
The opposition is likely to seek changes in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the Rajya Sabha as the regional parties feel the government has failed to address their concerns and that the Bill impinges upon the rights of the states.
They will rake up the issue when it’s tabled.
The Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha July 15 and is expected to come up in the RS this week. Among other provisions, the Bill seeks to increase punishment for violations.