Overcoming a sluggish start due to protests by Opposition and frequent adjournments over the three contentious farm laws, the Lok Sabha managed to hit almost 100% in its productivity by working extra in the second week of the Budget session. The first part of the Budget session ended on Saturday, with the second part scheduled to start on March 8.
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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s office said that while productivity between February 2 and 5 was only around 10%, it shot up to 164% between February 8 and 11. On an average, the business productivity was 99.5%.
Mr. Birla said the Lok Sabha sat for 49 hours and 17 minutes against the stipulated time of 50 hours, adding that the first part of the Budget session was productive with business being transacted even beyond midnight.
“The Motion of Thanks to the President, 130 MPs participated in the discussion which went on for 16 hours and 39 minutes,” he said. The discussion had been allotted 10 hours by the business advisory committee of the Lok Sabha but time was extended to give ample opportunity for all members to speak. The Union Budget saw a discussion that went on for 14 hours and 40 minutes, with 117 MPs participating. Speaker Om Birla expressed particular satisfaction over the fact that 26 women members participated in the Motion of Thanks to the President and 23 during the discussion over the Union Budget. Around 173 members of Parliament had participated in Zero Hour discussions.
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“The time lost due to disruptions has been compensated by the House by sitting beyond schedule time,” said Mr. Birla.
He said that the “ultimate objective is to strengthen democracy” adding, “So it is the responsibility of all members to ensure that democratic and ethical standards are maintained in the House and rules are followed scrupulously.”
