RS: EAM's maiden speech on foreign policy this week

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will deliver his maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha in this week. As decided in the Business Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha, four demands of grants will be discussed in the house and among them are External Affairs, Home, MSME and Ayush.

While replying to the debate on the allocation of funds in the Budget of 2019-20, EAM is expected to elaborate on India's foreign policy to be pursued in the years to come. In this issue, much has been talked about the reduced allocation in this year budget.

The government has allocated just Rs 45 crore for India's one of the dream connectivity Chabahar port in Iran. Questions are being raised in diplomatic circles whether India is under pressure from the US to abandon the project or rising tension between Iran and the US has played a role to determine the quantum. MPs are expecting that accomplished diplomat like Jaishankar would perhaps clear all the doubts.

This year Lok Sabha will discuss the demands of grants for the roads and transport, railways, rural development and agriculture and youth affairs and sports. All other demands of grants will be guillotined on July 17 at 6 PM due to the paucity of time and finance bill for the year 2019-20 will be discussed and passed. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman may give her reply on the budget on Tuesday.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday has distributed the division number of the newly elected MPs. By Tuesday seat allocation of the MPs will be finalised and this time curiosity is about the front benches of the Lok Sabha and who would be getting chances to seat in the front row.

It's almost decided that one of the leader of the opposition party will be allocated a seat in the front row, so in this way, it's clear that Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will be sitting on the front benches. Other leaders who may get front benches include Mulayam Sing Yadav, Dayanidhi Maran and one leader of other parties.