Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 04: The Speaker, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Mubarak Gul today expressed his gratitude to the members of the House for lending their cooperation in ensuring smooth conduct of Assembly proceedings.
Speaking at the conclusion of the Budget Session here this afternoon, Gul extended his thanks to the print and electronic media especially Information Department for providing adequate coverage to the Assembly proceedings.
He also lauded the role of Assembly staff and regretted the slapping of an employee of the House by an Opposition MLA recently. He said the MLA apologized for his conduct later otherwise the House would have taken action against him.
He also appreciated the efforts put in by the staff of the Assembly Secretariat during the session for working day in and out preparing replies as well as responses to the questions of the members. He made a special mention of the regular presence of the Chief Secretary, Financial Commissioners, Commissioner Secretaries, Secretaries, concerned Heads of the Departments during the proceedings of the House.
Giving details of the business conducted during the session, Mubarak Gul said the session consisted of 18 working days, 31 hours and 38 minutes. He said that out of the total time NC was allotted 6 hours and 21 minutes, Indian National Congress 4 hour and 30 minutes, PDP 7 hours and 51 minutes, BJP 4 hours and 35 minutes, JK NPP 3 hours and 48 minutes, CPIM 1 hour and 23 minutes, PDF 53 minutes and others including Independents 3 hours and 17 minutes.
He said out of 973 questions 537 were Starred, 436 Un-starred Questions, 101were taken up and 299 supplementary questions raised during the session.
He said during Zero Hour 163 points of public importance were raised, 14 Government bills including pending bills out of which 12 were introduced and 13 passed and one bill referred to Joint Select Committee. 26 Private Members Bills were taken up and 9 introduced, 78 Calling Attention Notices received out of which 45 taken up. He said total number of private members resolutions received was 80 out of which 66 stood admitted, 14 balloted for being taken up in the House, one adopted by the House, three taken up in the House and 16 disallowed, he added.
He further said that 1814 Cut Motions were received out of which 1800 listed and 14 disallowed. He said 10 papers were tabled in the House and 9 reports were presented in the House by the Assembly Secretariat.
In his speech, Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather described Legislature as the highest seat of democracy which provides an opportunity to the people’s representatives to highlight problems confronted by the people of their respective areas.
Rather appreciated the role played by Speaker in giving ample opportunities to the members for enabling them to highlight and project the problems of the people of their respective areas.
He expressed his gratitude to the press and electronic media for unbiased coverage of the proceeding of the House, adding that they performed their job in most professional manner. He said, in-fact media is a bridge between people and the Government and their contribution in this regard is worth appreciation.
Rather said though duration of budget session was less, the members tried to raise maximum issues. On members complaint that the assurances given by Government were not fulfilled later, he appealed for strengthening the assurance committees of both the Houses and good thought be given while constituting these committees.
The Minster regretted that question Hour was wasted many times and it is the only Question Hour where one can corner the Government, adding “it is a secret that ministers are always afraid of Question Hour.
He said in Zero Hour other important issues can be raised and during it issues of public importance should be raised and there should be no repeating of the issue.
He said as per Parliamentary conventions there should be walkout two to three times by a member during a session and if a member resorts to daily walkouts no body takes cognizance of that. The legislators are role models and they are being watched seriously by people so every step should be taken with utmost care, he added.
Prof. Chaman Lal Gupta, Harsh Dev Singh, Ashok Khajuria, G.M. Saroori, Ashwani Kumar Sharma, Jagdish Raj Spolia and Engineer Abdul Rashid were among others who thanked the Speaker for smooth conduct of business during the session.
Ashok Khajuria also regretted the slapping of the Watch and Ward Member of the House and condemned it.
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