New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS): Ahead of the beginning of the Monsoon Session on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that major decisions will be taken during Parliament proceedings with discussions on various subjects in both the houses.
The Prime Minister expressed his firm belief that all lawmakers will do a value edition during the discussion.
The Monsoon Session will continue till October 1.
Mentioning that the period of the Budget session of Parliament was curtailed in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister said this Monsoon Session is being organized in a specific environment with all necessary health precautions to contain the spread of the disease which so far has infected 47,54,357 people across the country.
"No relaxations until the Covid-19 vaccine comes," Modi said. Speaking to the media before the Lok Sabha started, the Prime Minister congratulated all lawmakers for participating in the Monsoon Session amid the COVID crisis and advised them to take precautions until the vaccine comes.
He also said that the Indian government is trying to get vaccines from all across the world from wherever it can be managed.
The Prime Minister also lauded the efforts of the Army on the border, saying "the whole country is behind them", as the country continues to be on a stand-off with China.
"In the Monsoon Session, all MPs will give a message through Parliament that they are with the brave soldiers of our forces."
Of the two Houses, the Lok Sabha will hold its first-day proceedings on Monday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. while the Rajya Sabha will sit from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Obituary references to 15 members begin the session
Its first session began with obituary references to 15 parliamentarians who passed away this year.
Soon after the lower House assembled for the day, Speaker Om Birla read out the obituary references in memory of the departed lawmakers that included former President Pranab Mukherjee, who passed away here on August 31 after undergoing treatment for nearly three weeks.
The House, which began at 9 a.m., also remembered sitting MP H. Vasanthakumar, eminent vocalist Pandit Jasraj; Gurdas Singh Badal (Member, 5th Lok Sabha); Nepal Singh (MP, 16th Lok Sabha); Ajit Jogi (MP, 12th and 14th Lok Sabhas); P. Namgyal (7th, 8th, 11th); and Paras Nath Yadav (MP, 12th and 14th).
Besides, Madhav Rao Patil (12 Lok Sabha member); Haribhau Madhav Jawale (14th and 15th); Saroj Dubey (10th); Lalji Tandon (15th); Kamal Rani (11 and 12th); Chetan Chauhan (10 and 12th); and Surendra Prakash Goel (14th) were also remembered by all parliamentarians.
The Lok Sabha observed a 2-minute silence to honour the parliamentarians, following which the Speaker adjourned the house for an hour.
There will be 36 Parliamentary sittings -- 18 each for both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha -- in the Monsoon Session which will continue till October 1.