Budget-session: LS worked for 1% of allotted time, RS 6%
What's the story
The Budget session which concluded on Friday was, as per PRS legislative research, least productive since 2000. Lok Sabha spent just 1% of its allotted time on legislative business, while Rajya Sabha spent 6%.
Further, the actual hours that the Houses sat against the allotted time were just 21% for LS and 27% for RS.
Overall, about 250 hours were wasted.
Here's more.
Productive hours
So, for how many hours did the Parliament function?
Overall, during the Budget session, LS functioned for about 34 hours and RS for 44hours.
Time lost due to disruptions was a whopping 127 hours for LS and 121 hours for RS.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar pegged LS and RS productivity at 134% and 96%, respectively, for the brief first half. This nosedived to 4% for LS and 8% for RS in the second half.
Bills
Finance bill, government bills were passed without discussions
Distressingly, LS spent only 19mins on legislative business, of which 14mins were used to pass two government bills, without discussion.
For RS, of the 2.5hrs of legislative business, it spent just 3mins on government bills.
Not only government bills, but LS passed the Finance Bill in 18mins. Normally, Finance Bill contains tax proposals, but this year, it included 18 Acts unrelated to taxation.
Reason for washout
Why was the Budget session a complete washout?
The ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress have blamed each other for the impasse. The Budget session has been marred by protests over the PNB scam, the AIADMK-led Cauvery Management Board issue and special status to Andhra issue steered by TDP and YSR Congress.
Several MPs also gave notices to move no-confidence motions against the government. However, none were taken up due to disruptions.
Threat
What's more, Opposition threatens to continue stalemate in monsoon session
Opposition parties told government that if it fails to address the issues concerning Andhra and TN, the monsoon session, which begins in July, will meet the same fate.
This threat underlines what is wrong with our political system. The main responsibility of lawmakers is to discuss and debate. By blocking business, they are letting down their constituencies. They should find other ways to protest.