>
Title: Mr. Speaker made the Valedictory Reference on the conclusion of the 9th session of the 14th Lok Sabha.
MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members, the Ninth Session of the Fourteenth Lok Sabha which commenced on 22 November, 2006 is coming to a close today. In all, as many as 20 sittings lasting for about 117 hours 27 minutes were held.
During the Session, the House transacted important items of legislative, financial and other business.
The Demands for Excess Grants, 2004-05 and Supplementary Demands for Grants, 2006-07, General as well as Railways, were voted by the House and the related Appropriation Bills passed after discussions lasting for over 4 hours and 43 minutes and 5 hours and 19 minutes respectively.[a75]
[R76] One Adjournment Motion regarding the “failure of the Government to maintain internal security and in particular to deal with the alarming growth of terrorist menace in the country” was discussed in the House. The Motion was negatived after a debate lasting over 5 hours and 27 minutes.
During the Session, the House passed 20 Bills. Some of the more important Bills passed were the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, 2006; the Uttaranchal (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2006; the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Bill, 2006; the English and Foreign Languages University Bill, 2006; the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2006; the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill, 2006 and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2006 and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill, 2006.
The House also had long and structured debates lasting over 24 hours and 48 minutes on six important matters of urgent public importance under Rule 193. These debates were on (i) situation arising out of the ongoing sealing drive in Delhi, (ii) Rise in the prices of essential commodities, (iii) Report on the state of Panchayats – a Mid-Term Review and Appraisal-2006, (iv) problems being faced by the unorganiszed labour in the country; and (v) Statement made by the Minister of External Affairs on 12.12.2006 regarding the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation. The discussion regarding Draft Approach Paper to the Eleventh Five Year Plan has started and remained inconclusive.
During the Session, 12 important matters were raised by way of Calling Attention in response to which the concerned Ministers made Statements. In addition, as many as 38 Statements were made by the Ministers on various other important subjects.
As regards Private Members’ Business, as many as 22 Private Members’ Bills were introduced during the Session. One Bill, namely, the Abolition of Capital Punishment Bill, 2004 was discussed before being withdrawn by leave of the House. The Agricultural Workers Welfare Bill, 2005 remained part-discussed.
A Private Member’s Resolution urging the Government to recommend for taking steps for balanced and equitable development of all parts of the country was discussed and withdrawn by leave of the House.
Another Resolution urging the Government for formulation and implementation of comprehensive food and nutrition security scheme remained part-discussed.
During the Session, 401 Starred Questions were listed, out of which 64 Questions could be answered orally. Thus, on an average, about 3.2 Questions could be answered per day. Written replies to 3949 Unstarred Questions were laid on the Table. One Half-an-Hour discussion was also taken up.
In this Session, the Departmentally-Related Standing Committees presented 43 reports.
About 313 matters of urgent public importance were raised by the Members after the Question Hour and by sitting late in the night. Hon. Members also raised 264 matters under Rule 377. It has always been my endeavour to provide ample opportunities to the hon. Members for raising matters of urgent public concern subject to the availability of time and within the procedural framework.
In this Session, we lost over 25 hours and 33 minutes of time due to interruptions and adjournments. To compensate the loss of time due to interruptions and adjournments, the House sat late for 25 hours and 47 minutes.
I take this opportunity to reiterate that for effective functioning of a parliamentary democracy, the participation of the Opposition is imperative. While conceding a Member’s right to ventilate his views on any particular issue, I would like to emphasize that there is no better alternative or substitute other than a structured discussion on the floor of the House within the parameters of the Rules of Procedure.
Finally, I would like to thank the hon. Deputy-Speaker and my colleagues in the Panel of Chairmen for their cooperation in the completion of business of the House. I am extremely grateful to the hon. Prime Minister, the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, leaders of various parties and groups as well as the Chief Whips apart from the hon. Members for their cooperation. I would also like to thank, on behalf of all of you, our friends in the Press and the Media. I take this opportunity to thank the Secretary-General and the officers and staff of the Lok Sabha Secretariat for their dedicated and prompt service to the House. I also thank the allied agencies for their able assistance in the conduct of the proceedings of the House.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
16.45 hrs NATIONAL SONG
MR. SPEAKER: Hon. Members may now stand up as Vande Mataram would be played.[R77]
The National Song was played
MR. SPEAKER :The House now stands adjourned sine die.
16.46 hrs
The Lok Sabha then adjourned sine die.