Proceedings in both houses of Parliament adjourned several times

Proceedings in both the houses of Parliament were adjourned several times on Tuesday following Opposition uproar against three farm laws. In the Rajya Sabha, members belonging to Congress, Trinamool Congress, RJD, DMK and Left parties forced repeated adjournments of the house. The house was adjourned thrice before adjourning finally for the day. The first adjournment came after 43 minutes leading to cutting short of the Question Hour. Opposition parties staged a walk-out after their adjournment notices to discuss the farmers' issue were turned down by Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu. He asserted that the three farm bills were thoroughly discussed in the house and suggested to members to discuss the farmers' issue tomorrow during debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.Proceedings in the Lok Sabha also began on a stormy note with the Opposition disrupting the house over the ongoing agitation by farmers protesting against the three farm laws. 

-International students from over 200 universities across China have again demanded a clear date for their return to their universities who have been stuck outside the country for the last one year. Venting out their frustration and despair in another open letter, they argued that they can not keep paying school fees for online degrees which will not be recognized in their countries. They said, students are planning a demonstration on NO RETURN, NO SCHOOL FEES without giving any further details about it. The letter posted on Twitter, part of their campaign for their phase-wise return, appealed to Chinese authorities to allow them as epidemic control measures for travelling are already in place.They said, it is beyond comprehension that China is showing its inability to include a small number of international students compared to the massive efforts it has shown in tackling the pandemic. A similar letter posted last month had demanded that their case may be treated like an education emergency and they be allowed to come back like other international travelers and business people as their future is already in jeopardy.

-Union Government on Tuesday said, there is no proposal as of now to provide reservation to transgender people in education or jobs. In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot said that the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 provides for formulation of a scheme for transgender persons including generation of livelihood opportunities for them. The Act mandates the Central and State governments to take up schemes that address the issues of access of transgender persons to health, education, welfare, shelter and economic support for livelihoods. Mr Gehlot said, a scheme is being formulated for addressing these issues which includes skill upgradation of transgenders.

-The national Covid19 recovery rate has touched 97.05 per cent, as 13 thousand 4 hundred 23 people were discharged in the last 24 hours. In the same period 8 thousand 6 hundred 55 new COVID-19 cases have also been reported. With this, total cases have reached 1 crore 7 lakh 66 thousand 245.The Health Ministry said, till now 1 crore 4 lakh 48 thousand 406 people have been discharged. In the last 24 hours, 94 deaths were reported and the death toll has reached 1 lakh 54 thousand 4 hundred 86.  Active cases now stand at 1 lakh 63 thousand 353.In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ministry, Ashwini Kumar Choubey said, the subject expert committee of Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, CDSCO noted that the inactivated whole virion corona virus has the potential to target mutated corona virus strains. CDSCO has granted permission to manufacture of Covid-19 vaccines in the country to Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech International for restricted use in emergency situations.

-The government of Bangladesh signed an agreement with the World Bank for the upgradation of rural  roads and connectivity in the western region. The project is expected to benefit over 20 million people in the western region of Bangladesh.The project will help upgrade the 48 kilometre two-lane Jashore-Jhenaidah road to a modern 4-lane highway. It will also help improve 600 kilometre of connecting rural roads and build or develop new rural markets. The project will finance installation of  fiber-optic cables along the highway to ensure fast and reliable internet service, said the World  Bank Press release.World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Mercy Tembon said that better connectivity and logistics will help farmers reach new and existing markets quickly and at less cost.The project envisages  setting up of separate lanes for slow moving vehicles to reduce accidents along highways. It will also install road crash barriers, signage and safe crossing facilities for pedestrians.