Parliament Budget session highlights: Lok Sabha passes Supplementary Demand for Grants, Nirmala Sitharaman highlights Economic Stabilisation Fund

Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for the day, and will resume on Monday (March 16, 2026).

Jebi Mather Hisham, INC, Kerala, urged the government to enhance allocation for subsidised LPG and kerosene, and promote solar-powered fishing boats, to benefit fishermen in Kerala.

The Secretary General said that the Lok Sabha had passed the Appropriation Bill, 2026 -- a Money Bill. The Bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha.

Climate Resilient Agriculture and Farmers’ Protection Bill 2025, introduced by Renuka Chowdhury, proposes a Board of Climate-Resilient Agriculture with the coordinated effort of the State and Central Government. 

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, introduced by Ms Chowdhury, seeks to enforce stricter controls on land acquisition on fertile irrigated lands to protect food security.

Lok Sabha, after passing the Appropriation Bill 2026 and Supplementary Demand for Grants, has adjourned till 11 a.m. on 16th March 2026.

Nirmala Sitharaman introduces the Appropriation Bill 2026 in the Lok Sabha.

The Bill seeks to authorise the payment and appropriation of certain further sums from the Consolidated Fund of India for the services of the financial year 2025-26.

After a voice of vote, the Supplementary Demands for Grants was passed in the Lok Sabha. 

Speaking on the pressures faced by children who are victims of sexual violence, she said that the child hesitates to tell their parents and teachers. She said that the child needs a safe space, created by teachers, parents and counsellors, for victims to speak out. She flagged the lack of counsellors in schools. 

Rajya Sabha MPs discuss Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Ammendment) Bill.

“Jal Jeevan Mission would have received ₹8.69 lakh crores by the end of the mission in 2028, in which Central government’s contribution is ₹3.59 lakh crores,” the Finance Minister said. 

97.87% tap water coverage has been provided to Nagina by Jal Jeevan mission, she said in response to Chandrasekhar Azad’s criticisms.

“Whatever is brought in the Supplementary Demand for Grants does not go beyond the Budget Estimates,” she said. 

She highlighted what the Supplementary Demands are for: Fertilisers, Ladakh, Manipur package, Ministry of External Affairs, Defence spectrum, food subsidy, and more.

“In times of unforeseen challenges, can’t the government create a fiscal buffer?” Nirmala Sitharaman responded to the criticism over the introduction of Supplementary Demand for Grants. “By the way of Supplementary Demand for Grants, we are helping farmers. [The Opposition] is against the farmers.”

She outlined the details in the Supplementary Demand for Grants regarding meeting the fertiliser demands of farmers. 

“₹9,000 crores is transferred to the States,” she said, for various reasons such as elections and healthcare.

She also outlined the allocation for Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme.

She slammed the Opposition for their allegations of lack of funds for MGNREGA. She said that ₹95,000 crores has been allocated for VB-G RAM G from April 2026. 

“The Economic Stabilisation Fund will give fiscal headroom to allow India to respond to global headwinds,” she said, like the recent crisis, the unanticipated supply chain crisis, and any crisis in the future. 

As the Opposition protested, she said that despite addressing how the government will tackle the current crisis, including the LPG crisis, the Opposition is not willing to hear the reply. “They want to have their own agenda,” she said. “This is our Opposition.” 

Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government has confined itself to only two demands for grants this time to not unnecessarily use the instrument while meeting the demands of State. 

The Supplementary Demands entail a gross expenditure of ₹2.81 lakh crore, with 61 grant requests under it.

She reiterates that the supplementary demands are within the fiscal deficit number mentioned in the Budget. She said that about ₹57,300 Crore has been allocated for the economic stabilisation fund.

In amendments to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, introduced in Lok Sabha on Friday, the government has proposed to do away with the principal that recognises transgender people’s right to a “self-perceived gender identity”, and has introduced a definition of “transgender persons” that restricts it to people who have “socio-cultural identities as kinner, hijra, aravani, and jogta” and people who have physiological markers or “congenital variations” in sex characteristics.

The amendment Bill notes that the “existing vague definition” for transgender persons had created many implementation hurdles. It added the purpose of the Bill was never to protect all persons “with various gender identities, selfperceived sex/gender identities or gender fluidities”.

- Abhinay Lakshman

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha reconvene after a break.

The INDIA bloc MPs submit the notice seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. This is the first time such a notice has been submitted to the Parliament.

130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs signed the notice. 

Seven charges are listed against the CEC in the notice, ranging from “partisan and discriminatory conduct in office” to “deliberate obstruction of investigation of electoral fraud” and “mass disenfranchisement.”

Article 324(5) of the Indian Constitution states: “Provided that the Chief Election Commissioner shall not be removed from his office except in like manner and on the like grounds as a Judge of the Supreme Court, and the conditions of service of the Chief Election Commissioner shall not be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment...”

- Sobhana K. Nair

Rajya Sabha adjourns till 2 p.m. after the MPs discussed railway projects in Kerala and Odisha.

John Brittas, CPI(M), Kerala, alleged that Kerala has been left out of the high-speed corridor projects in the Budget.

Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, quoting E. Sreedharan’s report, said that the State government has “no expertise in railways.” Mr. Sreedharan’s estimate is ₹54,000 crore for the elevated line in Kerala.

He said that there are three options to enhance connectivity in Kerala. He accused the Communist Party and Congress, which he calls the “CCP (Communist-Congress Party)”, of stopping all developmental projects in Kerala. He said that the State government is not cooperating in land acquisition for projects, despite receiving the funds. 

Digvijaya Singh, INC, Madhya Pradesh, requested the Minister of Textiles to prioritise handloom and khadi products for government procurement, like uniforms. 

Ranjeet Ranjan, INC, Chhattisgarh, alerted the House to the dying art of silk shawl and carpet weaving in Jammu and Kashmir due to the promotion of machine-made goods. Mr. Singh said that silk identification labs are created by the Modi government to support innovation. 

Javed Ali Khan, SP, Uttar Pradesh, questioned the impact of the India-U.S. trade deal on the handloom sector, especially the target of handloom exports. 

Giriraj Singh answered that the $100 billion target is for the entire textile sector, not just for handlooms. 

He said that students and artisans are trained to use AI in the design, weaving and pattern making stages. He said that the market viability of this is being looked into. 

Rajya Sabha’s question hour begins with the Rajya Sabha MPs discussing the impact of cheap imports on the handloom industry. 

Giriraj Singh, Minister of Textiles, said that 70% of the people involved in the handloom sector are women. He highlighted the Samarth scheme for upskilling the youth in the textile sector. He dismissed the imports in the handloom sector as “negligible”.

Lok Sabha adjourned for the second time today amidst protests from the Opposition.

Kiren Rijiju criticised the Opposition’s conduct in the Parliament after the members raised slogans about the LPG crisis. “If the Leader [of the Opposition] does not work properly, neither will the member,” he said. 

Derek O’Brien, AITC, West Bengal, said that in January 2014, an LPG cylinder cost ₹420. Now, it is ₹914. He also pointed to the low manufacturing growth in the country, despite the Make in India slogan. He criticised the government for making slogans without reflecting reality. “We are lions, tigers in India, please stop being guided by irrelevant Donald Duck,” he said.

Lok Sabha begins session after immediate adjournment, as Opposition shouts slogans about the LPG crisis.

Priyanka Chaturvedi, SS-UBT, Maharashtra, criticised the Judiciary’s decisions in the NCERT textbook issue. She said that the Judiciary becomes sensitive whenever corruption allegations are raised against it. She requested the Law Minister to ensure there is no such judicial dictatorship and judicial overreach. 

Gulam Ali, BJP, brought the House’s attention to the deteriorating quality of rural roads constructed under PM-Gram Sadak Yojana. The Opposition members called out in protest when Mr. Ali alleged an oversight by the current CM, Omar Abdullah. 

Imran Pratapgarhi, INC, Maharashtra, said that media houses are biased in their coverage, and pointed to multiple ways in which the media paints an enmity towards Muslims in India. 

I. S. Inbadurai, AIADMK, Tamil Nadu, alerted to the rape cases and the lack of safety for women in Tamil Nadu. Comparing the situation to that of Manipur, he urged the Centre to take special action in the State.

Dr. Manoj Kumar Jha, RJD, Bihar, alerted the Rajya Sabha about the decline of libraries in India, saying that “intellectual cleanliness” is just as important as general cleanliness. He said that the library movement must be strengthened in the country.

Ramji, BSP, Uttar Pradesh, raised the issue of harmful chemicals in food, especially packaged food, which makes it addictive and unhealthy. Even fruits and vegetables are tainted with these harmful chemicals, he said.

Sadanand Mhalu Shet, BJP MP, flagged the struggles faced by farmers due to intrusion by wildlife into agricultural land. “There must be a balance between wildlife protection and farmers’ survival,” he said. “At present, farmers are paying the price.” He requested the government to provide clearer guidelines for the State Forest Department to provide permanent protection and fencing in vulnerable clusters. 

Swati Maliwal, AAP MP from NCR, raised the issue of exploitative practices in the health insurance industry and private hospitals. She said that the government must regulate private hospitals and improve government hospitals.

Lok Sabha Speaker Birla announced that the House will be adjourned till 12 p.m. after Opposition members’ sloganeering. 

Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings begin for the day. Opposition members of the Lok Sabha raise slogans and protests. 

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh on Friday (March 13, 2026) submitted a notice of motion under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha, seeking to suspend the day’s business to discuss the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) shortage, rising prices of commercial gas and the impact on the hospitality sector.

Citing the “ongoing war and geopolitical tensions in West Asia”, specifically around the Strait of Hormuz, Mr. Singh argued that India’s energy security is facing major disruptions.

In the notice, he wrote, “India is facing serious disruptions in LPG supply due to increasing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately 85-90% of India’s LPG imports pass through this route. India is the world’s second-largest importer of LPG, with an annual consumption of over 31 million metric tonnes, of which about 67% of the demand is met through imports.”

- ANI

A total of 130 Lok Sabha MPs and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs have signed notices seeking the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, a source has said.

According to the source, the notice is likely to be submitted in at least one House on Friday, not clear which. An Opposition leader, meanwhile, said MPs have shown great enthusiasm in signing the notice, and several lawmakers came forward to sign the notice on Thursday (March 12, 2026) as well, even as the requisite numbers had already been achieved.

- PTI