Parliament Budget Session highlights: Railway Ministry moving forward under leadership of Modi, Vaishnaw, says BJP MP

The Railway Ministry is moving forward under the leadership of Ashwini Vaishnaw, says BJP MP Bharati Paradhi.

She lists the developments made in the railway sector, saying ‘Modi hei toh Munkin hai’ (Anything is important with Modi).

She claims that when Indira Gandhi visited Balaghat in 1982 for an Inauguration, the latter asked “why do the people living in jungles need trains”

She says that the policies change with leadership.

She says that the Railway Ministry is evolving under the leadership of Narendra Modi.

Congress MP from Uttar Pradesh, Ujjwal Raman Singh, says that many passenger trains have been stopped after COVID-19, despite many assurances by the Railway Ministry.

He says that the railway is the lifeline of commoners, as crores of people use trains for their day-to-day purposes like work, education, business, etc.

He says that the government has to take more care in containers and e-commerce logistics.

He asks what is the condition of the stations built by the great people who were in power.

He says that if the government had allotted a bullet train from Ahmedabad to Mumbai, Delhi to Hawda or Prayagraj, the people would have been happy. He says that the Ministry avoided Prayagraj when a high-speed train was allotted from Delhi to Banaras.

MDMK MP from Tamil Nadu, Durai Vaiko, thanks the Railway Minister for granting a no-objection certificate for constructing an overbridge above the railway lines at the G Corner junction in the Tiruchi-Chennai National Highway.

He says that this is a remedy for a 16-year-old problem, as more than 100 people died in the G Corner junction, which is a blind spot.

He requests to take care of the further demands which are pending.

He also says that Tamil Nadu has not received its “fair share of funds” in terms of railway projects.

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha MP, Indra Hang Subba, says that the Northeastern region is the one that has been granted the least number of railway networks in the last 10 years.

He also thanks the government for the betterment of the railway infrastructure in the region.

He says that there is no railway connectivity in Sikkim yet, adding that he believes that Sikkim will get better railway connectivity after seeing the development of railway connectivity from Sevoke to Rangpo.

He thanks the Railway Ministry for the high-speed train allotted from Varanasi to Siliguri, in the recent Budget.

Independent MP from Bihar, Pappu Yadav, asks to increase the reservation for women in the railways.

Mr. Yadav bats for 33% reservation for women in railways.

He says that reservation is important for women irrespective of caste and class.

Independent MP from Bihar, Pappu Yadav, requests the broadening of the railway platforms.

He says waiting for a ticket has been increasing, without confirmation.

He asks why the railway is encouraging the monopoly of shops on the railway platforms. He is asking to open a tender for vendors on the platform to “increase the quality and quantity” of food.

He claims that the RPF and GRPF are not solving even 1.2% of the cases filed, adding that both these agencies are the reason for the increasing crime on the railways.

RLD MP from Uttar Pradesh, Chandan Chauhan, says the Railway Budget for 2026-27 is a symbol of the fast-moving development in India.

He says Uttar Pradesh is the State with the maximum number of people utilising the service of the railway.

He thanks the Ministry for “wonderful railway stations in Bijnor, Meerut and Muzaffarnagar.”

He says that the Railway Ministry has been working for the passengers’ journey to be comfortable and peaceful. He lists the achievements of the Railway Ministry made by utilising the money allotted in the 2025 budget.

Lok Sabha is extended till 8 p.m. as several speakers are left to speak.

Congress MP from Kerala speaks about the strike of health workers in Kerala. She says that the health care system in Kerala is facing a “severe standstill” due to thousands of nurses participating in a protest demanding fair wages and humane working conditions.

“Surgeries are postponed, admissions are restricted, and patients are forced to move from hospital to hospital in search of care,” she says.

“Basic salary of most of the private hospitals remains RS 20,000 since 2018.”

She urges the central government to intervene and ensure a fair national framework for nurses’ salaries and working conditions.

Rajya Saba stops the discussion on the Appropriation Bill 2026. Raya Sabha take a special mention.

BJP MP from Rajasthan, Ghanashyam Tiwari, asks what India should do when the U.S. and Iran are fighting a war. He asks what India’s interest is in the war between the two nations.

He says, “India’s stand is to answer all the issues through dialogue and diplomacy,” adding that that is what India did during the war between Russia and Ukraine, too.

He says “India is the mother of democracy.”

He says 50 lakhs of gas cylinders had been booked in India on a daily basis, adding that no 70 lakhs booking has been made every day. He says that people are doing this to cause difficulty for the government.

BJP MP from Rajasthan, Ghanashyam Tiwari, says that an MP said the government has made people wait in lines, adding that the government hasn’t made people wait in line, but countries queued in front of India to buy coronavirus vaccines.

He says that India supplied vaccines to 130 countries. He says that the world realised the capability of India for the first time.

BJD MP from Odisha, Sulta Deo, says that the government has made people wait in line since 2014.

She says that “the government made us wait in line during demonetisation, during COVID time, and for fertilisers, and now they are making us wait in line for gas.”

“How long will we wait in line,” she asks, referring to the gas shortage in India.

She asks the government “to teach the people of Odisha how to produce gas from the gutter and cook with it.”

She asks why the government has given 5,000 tonnes of diesel.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said four Special Lok Adalats have been planned for the year 2026 to dispose of pending cases before the DRTs and Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT).

Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, she said among the pending cases before the debt recovery tribunals (DRTs) and DRATs, most are high-value cases, primarily those involving amounts of Rs 100 crore and above.

First, specific DRTs have been designated to hear only high-value cases, that is, cases involving ₹100 crore and above.

Second, banks and financial institutions are being encouraged to dispose of cases through Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, such as Lok Adalats and similar platforms.

-PTI

The Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister knew about the crisis on the Strait of Hormuz, AAP Sanjay Singh said, during a discussion on The Appropriation Bill, 2026 in the Upper House. 

The Prime Minister, despite knowing about the crisis, did not maintain the country’s relations with Iran, which has now resulted in the shortage of LPG cylinders in the country and the fear of a fuel crisis. India imports 60% of its crude oil needs from West Asia through the Strait of Hormuz. 

Up until 2019, India maintained its friendly relationship with Iran and invested crores in Chabahar port. However, the government stayed silent when more than 160 kids were killed in Iran, when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an airstrike by the U.S. and Israel, and more importantly, the Prime Minister stayed silent when 100 of Iran Navy’s personnel -- who were in India to take part in a naval exercise and were returning to their country -- were killed by airstrikes too. The current fuel and LPG shortage crisis has been bought to the country by the Prime Minister, Mr. Singh alleged. It’s not a crisis India just had, he said. 

People of Uttar Pradesh unhappy with the current Railway Budget, SP MP Dhamendra Yadav said in the Lok Sabha. 

The budget for Uttar Pradesh has been cut year-on-year, Mr. Yadav said. He highlighted the the matter of railway underpasses being rendered unusable for the three monsoon months due to water accumulation. He urged the government to instead construct flyovers in these regions for passenger safety and convenience. 

CPI(M) MP John Brittas made a submission in the Upper House during the discussion on The Appropriation Bill, 2026, urging the Union Minister of Petroleum Hardeep Singh Puri to resolve the crisis due to shortage of LPG cylinders in the country in the wake of West Asia conflict and the closure of Strait of Hormuz. 

“There is a COVID-like crisis emerging in the country, and banging our plates will not resolve the crisis,” Mr. Brittas said. 

Two ships have sailed to our shore and it has been publicised as if we have broken this conundrum, Mr. Brittas added, referring to the two ships carrying LPG that crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. 

Mr. Brittas urged the government to underscore the impact this LPG shortage will create on the other sectors in the country as well. 

Punjab AAP MP Raghav Chadha, during the discussion on The Appropriation Bill, 2026, raises the issue of separate filing of income tax returns. Mr. Chadha urged the government to allow married couples to file a joint income tax return since the couple shares responsibilities and household expenses. 

Mr. Chadha highlighted that joint filing of Income Tax returns will help families save money, which could ease their financial burden. The AAP MP, submitted to the Upper House that married couples should be given an option to file ITR either separately or jointly. 

Mr. Chadha made a second submission to the House urging the government to remove taxation on disability pension of armed forces. The AAP MP highlighted that the Finance Minister in the current budget withdrew the tax rebate on disability pension for the armed forces. 

A soldier has served the nation and has lost a part of his/her body and will now live a reduced quality of life due to their service to the nation, Mr. Chadha said. Taxing their disability pension is penalising the courage of the armed forces and a soldier’s sacrifice, he said. 

The Punjab MP, making a third submission to the Upper House, asked the government to withdraw the charges banks levy on their customers for not maintaining a minimum amount in their accounts. 

Mr. Chadha highlighted that banks have in three Financial Years -- 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 -- collected ₹19,000 crore as minimum amount penalty from customers. 

Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu informed the Rajya Sabha that Indian airlines have cancelled 4,335 flights and foreign carriers 1,187 flights so far in the wake of the West Asia conflict.

Replying to a supplementary query during Question Hour, the Minister asserted that the safety of airline operations is the topmost priority.

“Regarding the cancellations that have happened because of airspace closure in West Asia, almost till now, in a cumulative, Indian carriers have cancelled up to 4,335 flights, and foreign carriers have cancelled up to 1,187 flights,” Mr. Naidu said.

-PTI

The Rajya Sabha will function on the weekend on March 28-29 as the government has accepted the request of some members not to hold sittings on March 19-20 on account of festivals, Chairman C P Radhakrishnan informed members. 

During a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee held on March 11, 2026, certain members had suggested that in view of several festivals such as Navaratri, Gudipadwa, Ramadan etc, starting from March 19, it would be inappropriate to hold sittings of the House.

“I wish to inform the members that the request made in this regard has been considered favourably by the government. Accordingly, the sittings of the Council scheduled for Thursday, 19 March 2026, and Friday, 20 March 2026, stands cancelled.

-PTI

BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, during the discussion and voting on demands for grants under control of Ministry of Railways, praised Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the arrangement during the 2025 Mahakumbh festival in Uttar Pradesh, that helped facilitate crores of people safe travel. 

Uttar Pradesh SP MP Devesh Sakhya urged the Railway Ministry to speed up the process of Etah–Kasganj broad-gauge rail line, for which a tender has been issued. While the line is projected to start by 2028, Mr. Sakhya urged Mr. Vaishnaw to speed up the construction process. 

Gujarat Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil raises the issue of LPG supply in the country in the wake of West Asia war the closing of the Strait of Hormuz. 

“Let me show you the line of people queueing up to buy LPG cylinders in Ahmedabad,” Mr. Gohil said, urging the government to resolve the shortage in LPG cylinders. 

Mr. Gohil, during the discussion on The Appropriation Bill, 2026, also raised the issue of ‘mandatory use’ of nano urea, where farmers are forced by dealers to buy nano urea along with fertilizers and insisted the Finance Ministry look into the matter. 

Rajya Sabha MP Sudha Murty urged the Centre to establish an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Raichur district of Karnataka, citing decades of underdevelopment and poor healthcare infrastructure in north Karnataka.

Raising the matter during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Ms. Murty said while the Centre had set up AIIMS in several states, Karnataka was yet to get one.

“I am not asking for it to be set up in Huballi or Bengaluru but in Raichur district,” she said.

Ms. Murty said Raichur was among the most backward districts identified by NITI Aayog and that north Karnataka had remained neglected for over 260 years, in contrast to southern Karnataka which developed under the Mysore Wadiyars.

-PTI

IUML MP Harish Beeran urged the government to introduce legislation on end-of-life care for terminally ill patients, pointing out that Parliament has failed to act on the issue despite multiple Law Commission reports and Supreme Court directives spanning two decades.

Mr. Beeran raised the matter during Zero Hour and called on the government to introduce the Medical Treatment of terminally ill patients (End-of-Life Care) Act, as recommended by the Law Commission, and to mandate palliative care infrastructure at every district hospital and primary health centre.

BJP Rajya Sabha member K. Laxman urged the government to include 27 castes from Telangana and five castes from Andhra Pradesh in the central Other Backward Classes (OBC) list, so they can avail reservation benefits in public appointments, employment and educational institutions under the Union government.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Mr. Laxman said there has been a long-standing demand for the inclusion of several OBC communities from Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra in the central OBC list.

He said the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has already recommended the inclusion of 27 castes from Telangana and five from Andhra Pradesh in the central list.

The Rajya Sabha resumed proceedings at 2 p.m. with Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman rising to move a motion to call a vote on the Business Bill (Bill for consideration and return) - The Appropriation Bill, 2026. 

The Lok Sabha continued its discussion on the Union Budget on the demands for grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways. 

Andhra Pradesh TDP MP Harish Balayogi, Madhya Pradesh BJP MP Ganesh Singh, and Bihar INC MP Tariq Anwar made their statements in the Lower House on Monday (March 16, 2026).

Replying to questions by MPs during the Question Hour, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Rammohan Naidu told the House that the Brazilian multinational aerospace corporation Embraer has signed a contract with an Indian aerospace company and India will soon start an airplane assembly line. 

Mr. Naidu also told the House that additionally Russian Sukhoi company has signed an MoU with India’s HAL to manufacture its SJ 100 super jet in India. 

The Minister also replied to a question by Manoj Kumar Jha on pilot fatigue and FTDL rules. 

The Rajya Sabha, after winding up Zero Hour, has taken up Question Hour. 

Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Patil, replied to questions by MPs on ground inspection of JJM works. 

Union Minister for Civil Aviation Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu answered questions by MPs during the Question Hour on the installation of advanced weather forecasting and air traffic management systems. 

The Lok Sabha took up a discussion on the Union Budget on the demands for grants under the control of the Ministry of Railways. 

West Bengal’s ruling party, Trinamool Congress, staged a day-long walkout from the Rajya Sabha, protesting the Election Commission’s decision to remove the state’s top bureaucrats, including Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty, barely hours after announcing the assembly poll schedule.

Raising the issue just before Zero Hour in the Upper House, AITC (All India Trinamool Congress) member Derek O’Brien condemned the poll panel’s midnight move to reshuffle the state’s top administrative hierarchy.

“In the dead of night, the chief secretary, the principal secretary and the home secretary have been removed by the EC. They have all the power to do it,” Mr. O’Brien said, adding that his party was walking out for the day in protest.

LoP Mallikarjun Kharge, during the Zero Hour, spoke about the issue of LPG supply in the country amid the West Asia conflict. 

“This is affecting the middle class, restaurants, hostels and commercial users. During this current situation, the availability of LPG and price stability have become serious issues....Speaking in Lok Sabha, Union Petroleum Minister claimed that there is no shortage of LPG, but the ground reality proves the govt claims wrong...,” Mr. Kharge said. 

Union Minister J.P. Nadda, in response, said, “The LoP should know this is Zero Hour, and one has to conclude speaking within 3 minutes. This rule is for everyone.”

“A Congress leader has been caught hoarding cylinders. They are inciting the peaceful people of the country...,” Mr. Nadda said. 

Highlighting the suspension of eight MPs from the remainder of the Budget Session from the Lok Sabha, Congress MP K.C. Venugopal urged Speaker Om Birla to take a decision on their suspension. 

The Speaker, in reply, told Mr. Venugopal, that decisions by the Chair are never discussed in the House. 

Eight MPs -- Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Hibi Eden, C Kiran Kumar Reddy, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Manickam Tagore, Prashant Padole and Dean Kuriakose from the Congress and S Ventakesan from the CPI(M) -- were suspended from the Lok Sabha on February 3 for the remainder of the Budget Session over unruly conduct. 

The MPs were suspended amid a logjam between the government and the Opposition over the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi not being allowed to speak on former Army chief General (Retired) Manoj Naravane’s unpublished memoir. 

MoS Jayant Chaudhary for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, replied to questions by Members of Parliament, during the Question Hour in the Lower House on Skill Centres of Excellence.

Haryana BJP MP Rekha Sharma, during the Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, raised the issue of drug use in Punjab, a long-standing issue in the country. 

Highlight youth overdosing on drugs, the use of banned substances by kids in schools, Ms. Sharma, while sloganeering by Aam Aadmi Party, insisted the State government to take action to control the use of drugs in Punjab. 

SP MP Anand Bhadauria, during the Question Hour, expressed his displeasure on Opposition party MPs not being invited to the sports events organised in Uttar Pradesh under the Sansad Khel Mahotsav. Mr. Bhadauria questioned the Ministry on whether it had the knowledge about this matter, and if not, will the government investigate the matter. 

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya, replying to Mr. Bhadauria that if the Samajwadi Party wants to organise Sansad Khel Mahotsav in the State, then why will the Ministry investigate it? Amid sloganeering from Opposition MPs, Mr. Mandaviya replied to Mr. Bhadauria that the Sansad Khel Mahotsav was organised by the NDA to connect with the youth and the government or the Ministry of Sports had no role to play in its organisation. 

Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Rakhsha Nikhil Khadse also answered questions by MPs on Progress and impact of Khelo India Mission. 

Lok Sabha on Monday (March 16, 2026) took up the Question Hour without any disruptions for the first time in the second leg of the Budget session, which has been witnessing repeated protests by opposition members.

As soon as the House met for the day, some opposition members demanded raising their concerns immediately. However, Speaker Om Birla said he will allow them to speak after the Question Hour at 12 noon.

The lower house has witnessed sloganeering and repeated disruptions over opposition’s demand for a debate on West Asia crisis which has led to the LPG situation.

During the first week of the second leg of the Budget session which began on March 9, the House has not been able to complete the Question Hour between 11 a.m. and 12 noon due to opposition protests.

-PTI

Union Minister of Labour and Employment Mansukh Mandaviya, during the Question Hour in the Lowe House of the Parliament, answered questions by MPs on Trends in real wages and job quality. 

Maharashtra BJP MP Medha Kulkarni raised the matter to make Right to Education more effective in the country. Ms. Kulkarni talked about students unable to afford uniforms and books due to its cost, kids dropping out since the schools are too far from their homes, and also because government schools do not have good as good as an infrastructure as private schools. The MP asked the government to resolve these issue to ensure Right to Education is effectively implemented in the country. 

AAP MP Sandeep Kumar Pathak raised the issue with Indian Railways and the need to make the body an independent one. From consumers paying a full amount for a sleeper seat but only able to book RAC, to the installation of KAVACH system on trains, Mr. Pathak insisted the Railways should be an independent body to run it efficiently. 

Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman, replying to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor during the Question Hour, said that the Stand-up India scheme was launched because the Start-up India scheme was largely restricting and befitting people in urban areas. 

The government, therefore, launched the Stand-up India scheme, which has benefitted people from the SC/ST communities and women, Ms. Sitharaman said. 

Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman replied to questions asked by Members of Parliaments during the Question Hour on New enterprises under Stand-up India scheme. 

Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat replied to questions by the MPs in Lok Sabha during the Question Hour on projects for conservation and restoration at protected monuments. 

The Rajya Sabha began its day’s proceedings with Union Minister of State Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi making a statement regarding the action taken on recommendations contained in the 357th report of the Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture concerning the development of niche tourism, including spiritual tourism, theme-based tourist circuits and potential tourist destinations under the Ministry of Tourism.