JOIN USNaidu asks Rajya Sabha MPs to 'reflect' on 47.90% productivity
Rajya Sabha had just 47.90% productivity during the 18 sittings of the Winter Session, managing to conduct business for 45:34 hours and losing 49:32 hours to disruption with Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expressing concern and unhappiness and saying there is a need to reflect and introspect.
Announcing the adjournment of the Winter Session sine die on Wednesday, Naidu said that he "not happy" to share that the House functioned "much below its potential", as Opposition protests demanding revocation of suspension of 12 MPs rocked the House since its beginning on November 29.
The last day of the Winter Session was not devoid of protest as Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge attempted to raise allegations of MLAs, Mayor, officials and their relatives buying land in Ayodhya after Supreme Court judgement allowing construction of Ram Temple.
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However, Naidu did not allow it saying Kharge cannot raise a media report and went on to read his brief concluding remarks.
"I urge all of you to collectively and individually reflect and introspect if this Session could have been different and better. I don't want to speak elaborately on the course of this Session as it would lead me to take a very critical view...What has happened is wrong," Naidu said amid Opposition demanding to take up the issue raised by Kharge.
The suspension of 12 MPs and demand for the sacking of Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra for his reported links in Lakhimpur Kheri killings dominated the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha during the session.
According to the Session statistics provided by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the House was to sit for 95:06 hours but could function only 47.90%, which was the fifth lowest among the 12 Sessions presided over by Naidu over the last four years.
The Question Hour has been the worst hit with 60.60% of the total Question Hour time available having been lost on account of disruptions. Question Hour could not be taken up at all on 7 of the 18 sittings.
Also Read | Winter Session ends, Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die
During the 18 days, 10 Bills were passed by the Rajya Sabha while the discussion on the Appropriation Bill scheduled to be concluded on the last day today was not taken up.
On discussing Bills, 21:07 hours was spent, accounting for 46.50% of the functional time of the House and 127 interventions were made by MPs during these debates.
Zero Hour could function for only 30% of the time available with just 82 submissions being made. Sixty-four Special Mentions were also made.
During the Winter Session, seven Standing Committees under Rajya Sabha held 19 meetings over a total duration of 28:36 hours. These committees have clocked an average duration of 1:31 hours and an average attendance of about 51%.
The Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture held the highest number of seven meetings with the highest average duration of 2:05 hours per meeting. The Committees on Health and Family Welfare, Commerce and Home Affairs reported good attendance of around 60%.
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