Winter session: Rajya Sabha shows signs of return to normal functioning

Rajya Sabha showed signs of a return to normal functioning as the productivity remained above 95% on the last two days of the first week of the winter session

After several days of the ongoing winter session of Parliament being washed away due to "disruptions and forced adjournments" amid Opposition ruckus, Rajya Sabha showed signs of a return to normal functioning as the productivity remained above 95 per cent on the last two days of the first week of the winter session.

The best productivity of 100 per cent was reported on Friday and 95 per cent on the previous day last week showing signs of a return of the House to normal functioning.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu on Friday met with some opposition leaders and ministers and urged both sides to further discuss their views on the suspension of 12 members of the House in the wake of the Opposition's demand for its revocation.

During the first week of the current monsoon session, two Bills-- the Farm Laws Repeal Bill and the Dam Safety Bills-- were passed by the House. As many as 27 Zero Hour and 15 Special Mentions were made in the House. 23 of the listed 67 Starred Questions were orally answered. 8 listed Questions had to be deleted further to suspension members who raised those questions.

Rajya Sabha has taken up the Private Members' Business for the full scheduled time of two and half hours on Friday, doing so after one year nine months and 24 days and after 66 sittings. The last time it happened was on February 7, 2020, during the Budget session, the 251st session of the House.

The Upper House has lost 52.30 per cent of the scheduled sitting time during the first week of the ongoing winter session that concluded Friday on account of disruptions and forced adjournments.

The productivity of the House during the last week has been 47.70 per cent of the scheduled time. However, with the House sitting for 33 minutes beyond the scheduled time on Thursday last, the overall productivity for the first week against the scheduled time has improved to 49.70 per cent.

On Friday last week, 22 Private Members' Bills were introduced in Rajya Sabha and one was discussed. The introduction of one such bill seeking to amend the Preamble of the Constitution was put on hold.

Private Members' Business was not scheduled during the 252nd session, the first full session held under Covid protocol. It was dispensed with during the 252nd to take up other business. No business could be transacted during the 254th session on Fridays, meant for Private Members' Business due to disruptions.