Nine MPs to be conferred with Sansad Ratna awards

Nine Members of Parliament -- six from the Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha members -- will be honoured with the 'Sansad Ratna Awards 2017' here on Saturday.

"The awards will be presented to the parliamentarians by Justice (retd) P.Sathasivam, Governor of Kerala," K. Srinivasan, chairman, Prime Point Foundation, told reporters here on Friday.

"These awards were instituted by Prime Point Foundation and eMagazine PreSense based on the suggestion given by late President Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This is the eighth edition of the award. This is the only award on behalf of the civil society to honour achievers in Parliament," Srinivasan said.

The MPs' performance is measured based on the number of debates they participate in, the number of questions raised, the number of private members' bills introduced, attendance and usage of funds under the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme.

Shrirang Appa Barne (Shiv Sena, Mavel, Maharashtra), Rajeev Shankarrao Satav (Indian National Congress, Hingoli, Maharashtra) and Dhananjay Bhimrao Mahadik (Nationalist Congress Party, Kolhapur, Maharashtra) have been nominated by the Jury Committee for awards under different categories.

Bhartruhari Mahtab (Biju Janata Dal, Cuttack, Odisha) and N.K. Premachandran (Revolutionary Socialist Party, Kollam, Kerala) have been nominated for Special Awards by the Jury Committee for their excellence in quality of debates and other Parliamentary proceedings.

Heena Vijayakumar Gavit (Bharatiya Janata Party, Nandurbar, Maharaashtra) is nominated for the award under Women MP category, Srinivasan said.

Srinivasan said since last year outstanding Rajya Sabha Members, who had retired the previous year after completing the full six-year term were also awarded.

In 2016, 58 MPs retired after completing the full term of six years.

Sanjay Raut (Shiv Sena, Maharashtra), K N Balagopal (CPI-M, Kerala) and Dr T N Seema (CPI-M, Kerala) have been nominated among the Rajya Sabha MPs who had retired in 2016 for their outstanding performance.

A Jury committee headed by Anandrao Adsul (fifth time MP), along with Hansraj G Ahir (Minister of State - Home and fourth time MP) and Arjun Ram Meghwal (Minister of State - Finance and Corporate Affairs) and second time MP) selected the winners.

The Jury members, who are outstanding Parliamentarians themselves in terms of their performance in the house, were honoured with the 'Sansad Maha Ratna' Awards for their sustained performance in the 15th Lok Sabha.

--IANS

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