Rajya Sabha Chairman unhappy over Winter Session, calls for collective reflection and individual introspection
Dec 22, 2021
New Delhi [India], December 22 : Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednessed expressed his unhappiness over the functioning of the Upper House during the Winter Session that concluded today.
In his brief valedictory remarks, Naidu urged the members to "collectively reflect and individual introspect on the way the session has gone by".
"The Winter Session of the august House concludes today. I am not happy to share with you that the House functioned much below its potential. I urged all of you to collectively and individually reflect and introspect if this Session could have been different and better," he said.
"I don't want to speak elaborately on the course of this Session as it would lead me to take a very critical view. Statistics regarding various aspects of the functioning of the House during this Session will be released to media for wider dissemination," Naidu added.
Rajya Sabha has clocked productivity of 47.90 per cent during the 18 sittings of the Winter Session that concluded on Wednesday with the announcement of the Chairman.
Out of the total scheduled sitting time of 95 hours six minutes, the Upper House could discharge business only for 45 hours 34 minutes.
This Session's productivity of 47.90 per cent is the fifth lowest among that of the 12 Sessions presided over by Naidu over the last four years.
A total time of 49 hours 32 minutes has been lost due to persistent disruptions and forced adjournments, mentions a data prepared by Rajya Sabha Secretariat, adding "the time lost amounts to 52.08 per cent of the available time".
The Question Hour has been the worst hit with 60.60 per cent of the total Question Hour time available having been lost as forfeited on account of disruptions. Question Hour could not be taken up at all on 7 of the 18 sittings.
A total of 10 Bills were passed by the Rajya Sabha during the Winter Session while the discussion on the Appropriation Bill scheduled to be concluded on the last day today was not taken up. A total time of 21 hours seven minutes was spent on discussing the government Bills including the Appropriation Bill accounting for 46.50 per cent of the functional time of the House. 127 interventions were made by the Members in these debates.
"Members could avail only about 30 per cent of the time available for Zero Hour during the Winter Session and only 82 Zero Hour submissions could be made during the 18 sittings. 64 Special Mentions were made by the Members," the data mentions.
During the Winter Session period, seven Department Related Standing Committees of Rajya Sabha have held a total of 19 meetings over a total duration of 28 hours 36 minutes. These Committees have clocked an average duration of 1 hour 32 minutes and an average attendance of about 51 per cent in these meetings.
The Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture held the highest of seven meetings with the highest average duration of 2 hours five minutes per meeting. The Committees on Health and Family Welfare, Commerce and Home Affairs reported good attendance of about 60 per cent or more.
