New Delhi, Jul 30 (Agency) The Rajya Sabha on Friday cleared the Coconut Development Board (Amendment) Bill 2021 making the post of Chairman non-executive. The amendment also seeks to raise the number of members of the Board to six from four. Accordingly, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat will be able to nominate their representatives to the Board. Listing out the benefits of the amendment, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar said that the amendment is aimed at benefitting coconut growers, providing sales facilities to them and further developing the coconut cultivation region.
While participating in the discussion, Biju Janta Dal (BJD) MP Mujibulla Khan said that Odisha having a long coastline of 780 kms should be given priority and demanded a seat on the Coconut Board for the state. No other member participated in the discussion and the bill was passed in the House amid Opposition uproar. As some of the members continued to protest over the issue of alleged snooping, the House was adjourned by Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh to meet on Monday (August 2, 2021). Earlier in the day, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu had made an earnest appeal to the members to maintain the dignity of the House and expressed concern over continued disruption. He took strong exception to members displaying placards or whistling in the House. “I feel really sorry to say this from this podium. I never expected my Members to go to that level,” he had said. The plea, however, fell on deaf ears of Opposition members. As uproar ensued as soon as Zero Hour began, the House was adjourned till 12 PM.
Members of the Congress Party, TMC, CPI and others want discussion on Pegasus issue in presence of the Prime Minister or Home Minister. Some of them had earlier given notice for suspending the business and hold the discussion on priority under Rule 267. As the deadlock has continued over the controversial issue, the first two weeks of the session have been a virtual wash-out. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Rao Inderjit Singh introduced the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2021 in the House. Days after the amendments cleared by the Cabinet, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad introduced the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 in the House.