Rajya Sabha records a productivity of 84 pc during ongoing winter session

NEW DELHI, Nov 30: The Rajya Sabha has recorded a productivity of 84 per cent during the just concluded second week of the ongoing winter session, with the passage of The Transgender (Protection of Rights) Bill and The Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill.
“The Upper House turned out important business during the week leading Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and the Members of the House complimenting each other for the good work during the other four working days of the week. In the second week, the RS passed two Bills viz, The Transgender (Protection of Rights) Bill and The Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill. Discussion on the Bill seeking to replace the Ordinance banning e-cigarettes remained inconclusive,”an release from the Rajya Sabha secretariat said.
“The House discussed the economic situation in the country for four and a half hours, though, as per Rules only two and a half hour discussion is allowed under the instrument of Short Duration Discussion. Keeping in view the importance of the issue and request of opposition leaders for more time, the Chairman allowed more time. In a meeting of leaders, Mr Naidu complimented the spirited discussion and the reply by the Finance Minister even as he urged the opposition not to disturb any Minister during the reply. The House also took up the Pegasus spyware issue under Calling Attention Notice,” it said.
During the second week of the Winter session, members of RS availed a total of 22 hours and 15 minutes transacting business of different kind. Of the scheduled available time of 26 hours 29 minutes, 5 hours and 45 minutes was lost due to disruption on the first working day of the second week further to Maharashtra developments. The Members however, made up 1.31 hrs by sitting beyond scheduled time,” it said.
“During the second week of the ongoing winter session, all the listed 15 starred questions were orally answered twice setting up a new record. Of the total 60 starred questions listed for four working days, a total of 43 accounting for 71.66 per cent of the total were orally answered. The Question Hour on the first day of the week could not be taken up as the House had to be adjourned by the Chairman with the opposition insisting on a discussion on the Maharashtra Governor’s role even as Chairman Mr Naidu gave a detailed ruling on Rules and earlier rulings of the Chair not permitting the same. Question Hour was not scheduled on the second day of the week on account of a Joint Sitting of Members of both Houses to commemorate 70th anniversary of adoption of the Constitution of India,” it said.
“Members of RS also made a record 51 Zero Hour submissions and 30 Special Mentions on various issues of public importance. All the admitted Zero Hour and Special Mentions were made on the last working day of the week with the Members complimenting the Chairman for the same,” the statement said. (PTI)
“The Upper House is likely to take up next week the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Merger Bill and the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies Bills, all passed by the Lok Sabha,” it said.
“At the end of the first half of the ongoing winter session, RS has reported productivity of 89 per cent for the first two weeks combined. Of the total available time of 55 hours and 06 minutes, the House availed a total time of 49.15 minutes. Three Bills including the Jalianwala Bagh National Memorial (Amendment) Bills were passed during the first half of the winter session,” it added.
(UNI)