Parliament Diary

Discussions continued in Rajya Sabha on the National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 and the National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019. 

The Indian System of Medicine includes practices of healthcare such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa. The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine Bill, 2019 establishes a Central Council of Indian Medicine with four autonomous boards with a purpose to reform medical education of these four practices. The National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019 repeals the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973 to set up the National Commission for Homoeopathy.

Both the Bills were previously examined by the Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare. 

Members who participated in the debate asked naturopathy and yoga to be included within the scope of the Bill and pointed out the need for traditional practices to have a basis in clinical documentation. One Member also urged that the Bill should have provisions to regulate fees in private colleges. 

After the Bills were passed, one Member noted that some amendments went beyond the recommendations of the Standing Committee. 

Earlier in the day, some Members in Rajya Sabha raised concerns regarding the continued functioning of the Parliament at the time of Coronavirus outbreak. One Member asked that the session be adjourned or postponed. 

In the Lok Sabha, during the Zero Hour, a Member raised a demand to expand the list of Scheduled Languages by recognising Rajasthani, Bhoti and Bhojpuri. He pointed out the 19 Private Members’ Bills have been presented on the subject. The Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs assured the Member that the government was considering this demand among the 38 languages which have been proposed to be added to the 8th Schedule.

The Second Batch of Supplementary Demand for Grants for 2019-20 were discussed together with Supplementary Demands for Jammu and Kashmir for 2019-20 in the afternoon.