Rajya Sabha clocks 100 pc productivity in first week, replies from PM, FM next week

New Delhi [India]: Rajya Sabha this week clocked 100 per cent productivity, with the Upper House making full use of the available time in the ongoing Budget session in the absence of any adjournments.

Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu appreciated the Members for the smooth functioning of the House. He urged upon the Members to continue with this spirit for the remainder of the Budget session and also for the future. During the first week, after the President's Address to the joint session of the Parliament and the Budget presentation, Rajya Sabha has held discussions on the Motion of Thanks to the President for 7 hours 41 minutes with 26 Members taking part in the proceedings.

The Rajya Sabha is slated for a 12-hour discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address to the joint session of the two Houses of Parliament, which also includes the reply by the Prime Minister, which is likely next Tuesday. The Union Budget-2022-23 will be discussed for 11 hours. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to reply to the Budget discussions on Friday. The Upper House will spend about 23 hours for discussions on Motion of Thanks to President's address and the Union Budget, which are the two major items of businesses for the first week of the Budget session. Private Members' Business on next Friday has been dispensed with to allow the House to conclude the Budget discussion.

According to the Rajya Sabha secretariat 25 of the starred questions have been replied orally during the three days of Question Hour in the first week, while 31 Zero Hour and 14 Special Mentions were made by the Members during the Zero Hour, reduced by half an hour per sitting.

As many as 15 Private Members' Bills were introduced during the week. Two pending Bills were also discussed in the House. The Companies (Amendment Bill), 2019 was withdrawn after the completion of discussion by the BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe with the approval of the House. Discussion on the Population Regulation Bill, 2019, moved by the BJP MP Rakesh Sinha is to be concluded.
Rajya Sabha witnessed functioning for three consecutive days during the week without forced adjournments after a year, the last time being March 15-17, 2021, during the Budget session last year.

The productivity of the Rajya Sabha has been 100 per cent or more for the fourth consecutive Budget session of 2014 to 2017 and of the regular Budget session in 2019. It was 28.90 per cent in 2018 and 6.80 per cent during 2019 (Interim Budget session). Productivity was 76.10 per cent in 2020 and 93.50 per cent during the Budget session last year. (ANI)