Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday urged MPs to ensure smooth functioning and a productive budget session and said they should conduct themselves in a manner befitting the trust the citizens still have in India's parliamentary democracy.
The country's 5,000 MPs, MLAs and MLCs should resolve in this historic year to return to the people the favour they have been doing by relentlessly nurturing democracy over the last 70 years, he said.
"The only way of doing so is to conduct themselves (the 5,000) in a manner befitting the trust the citizens still have in our parliamentary democracy," Naidu said in his introductory remarks soon after the listed papers were tabled.
He described the disruptions in the House during the last two sessions as highly disturbing and hoped members would help productivity in the current session which is being held at the confluence of the historic 75th year of Independence and 70 years of electoral journey of free India.
"I refer to the same with fervent hope that we all reflect on the same and conduct in a manner befitting the historic time that we are passing through," said Naidu.
The chairman pointed out that Rajya Sabha had lost 52.10 per cent of the valuable sitting time due to disruptions and forced adjournments in the last winter session. During the preceding monsoon session last year, the loss of functional time of the House was as high as 70.40 per cent.
"This trend of disruptions is highly disturbing. I refer to the same with fervent hope that we all reflect on the same and conduct in a manner befitting the historic time that we are passing through, Naidu said.
"I fervently appeal to all of you to ensure a safe and productive Budget session keeping in mind the spirit of the occasion," he said.
The monsoon session and the winter session of Parliament saw frequent disruptions in the house due to the Pegasus snooping row and then over the suspension of some members.
Naidu sought to dispel the perception that the special allowance of 25 per cent of airfare allowed to MPs (till April 1, 2018 and discontinued thereafter), had a bearing on their participation in the meetings of the department related parliamentary standing committees.
Citing findings of the research undertaken by the Secretariat on the impact of this allowance on attendance in the meetings of the 8 committees of Rajya Sabha, he informed the House that the average attendance during 2016-17 when this allowance was available to MPs was 47.64 per cent and it increased to 48.79 per cent during 2019-20.
The average attendance of 47 per cent in the 255 meetings during the two- year period of 2019-21, marked by Covid pandemic and attendant restrictions was on par with that of 2016-17.
Naidu asserted that "this is a very welcome improvement showing the deep commitment of each one of you to your parliamentary duties."
He also referred to the substantial increase in the average duration of meetings from 1 hour 48 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes in 2019-20.
"Such substantial increase in the duration of meetings meant that the resources being spent on the meetings of these committees are being better utilized. I compliment the Chairmen and members of these committees for their efforts in this regard."
He also commended the achievement regarding COVID vaccination in the country and fervently appealed to all sections of the House to ensure a safe and productive budget session keeping in mind the spirit of the occasion.
The budget session began on January 31 with the President's address to the joint sitting of both houses. The upper house functioned briefly during the first two days for the laying of the Economic Survey and the Union Budget.
Earlier in the day, the House observed silence as mark of respect on the death of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu of South Africa in December, and David Sassoli, serving president of the European Parliament, earlier this month.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Tutu passed away on December 26 at the age of 90. He was awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize in 2005 in recognition of his invaluable contribution towards social and political transformation in South Africa and thereby contributing to the World Peace.
Sassoli died on January 11.
"The House joins the bereaved families, the government and people of South Africa and the European Parliament in mourning the passing away of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Mpilo Tutu and His Excellency Mr. David Sassoli and conveys its heartlfelt condolences to them," the chairman said.
The House also observed silence as a mark of respect to the memory of those who lost their lives in the December floods in Malaysia, and the underwater volcanic eruption near the Tongan capital of Nuku'alofa in January.
Naidu urged the members to follow social distancing norms related to the COVID pandemic.
