Sitharaman accuses Oppn of creating 'false narrative' in Rajya Sabha; Lok Sabha passes arbitration amendment bill
FirstpostThe Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 8 March with Chairman Venkaiah Naidu saying that the Upper House clocked 99 percent productivity during the two-week-long sitting of the two-phased Budget session Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Opposition of creating a “ false narrative ” about the Centre favouring businessmen and industrialists, in her reply to the debate on the Union Budget in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. Sitharaman replies to debate on Budget in Rajya Sabha The Union Finance Minister said that the Union Budget 2021 “fiscal has provided stimulus to the economy for a sustainable high growth rate”. Taking on Chidambaram, who in his speech had called the numbers in the Budget “suspect”, Sitharaman said the former finance minister during his term in 2007-08 showed Rs 40,000 crore fiscally neutral transaction of acquiring the RBI’s stake in SBI under capital expenditure to show a 62 percent growth in spending. All members of BJP in Lok Sabha are, therefore, requested to be positively present in the House throughout the day from 10 am onwards on Saturday and support the government’s stand.” Lok Sabha passes Arbitration and Conciliation Bill, 2021 The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a bill to amend the arbitration law with Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad saying foreign arbitrators are welcome in India.