R E S U M E of the Business Transacted by the Rajya Sabha During the Two Hundred and Fifty Third (253Rd) Session
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PARLIAMENT OF INDIA RAJYA SABHA R E S U M E OF THE BUSINESS TRANSACTED BY THE RAJYA SABHA DURING THE TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THIRD (253RD) SESSION (29thJanuary to 12th February, 2021 And 8th March to 25th March, 2021) Rajya Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi (Website –http://rajyasabha.nic.in) P R E F A C E This publication contains a brief resume of the business transacted by the Rajya Sabha during its Two Hundred and Fifty Third Session. NEW DELHI; DESH DEEPAK VERMA —————— Secretary-General. July 2, 2021 C O N T E N T S PAGES 1. Summons 1 2. Duration of the Session 1 3. National Anthem 2 4. President's Address to both Houses of Parliament —Laid on 2 the Table 5. Opening Remarks by the Chairman 3 6. Oath or Affirmation 4 7. Obituary References 5-8 8. References by the Chair 9-10 9. Tributes to Martyrs Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukhdev 11 10. Felicitations by the Chair 11 11. Farewell to the Retiring Members 12 12. Papers Laid on the Table 13-17 13. Reports/Statements of the Committees Presented/Laid on the 18-22 Table 14. Motions for Election of Members to various 22-23 Committees/Bodies 15. Messages from the Lok Sabha-Reported/Government Bills 23 Laid on the Table 16. Resignation by Members 23-24 17. Leave of Absence 24-25 18. Recommendations of the Business Advisory Committee 25 19. Statements regarding Government Business 26 20. Announcement s by the Chair 26-27 21. Observations by the Chair 28-30 22. Withdrawal of Members 30 23. Information to the House regarding time of sitting 30 24. Matters raised with permission 30-45 25. Dispensing with Zero Hour and Question Hour 45 PAGES 26. Questions 45 27. Statements by Ministers Correcting Answers to Questions 46 28. Statements by Ministers 47-53 29. Special Mentions 54-68 30. Motion of Thanks on the President's Address 69 31. Supplementary Demands for Grants — Laid on the Table 70 32. Budgets — Laid on the Table 71 33. Union Budget — General Discussion 72 34. Statements regarding Ordinances 73 35. Discussion on the working of the Ministries 74 36. Statutory Resolutions 75-76 37. Government Legislative Business 77-85 38. Division 86-87 39. Valedictory Remarks 88 40. National Song 88 41. Statement s howing the break-up of the time taken by the 89-90 Rajya Sabha on various items of business during the Session 42. Statement showing the time taken and time lost due 91 - 94 to adjournments of the House following interruptions during the Session 43. Highlights o f work transacted during the Session – At a 95-96 Glance BRIEF RESUME' OF THE BUSINESS TRANSACTED BY THE RAJYA SABHA DURING ITS TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THIRD SESSION (29-01-2021 to 12-02-2021 and 08-03-2021 to 25-03-2021) SUMMONS Summons for the Two Hundred and Fifty Third Session of the Rajya Sabha was issued to the Members on the 14th of January, 2021.@ DURATION OF THE SESSION The Two Hundred and Fifty Third Session of the Rajya Sabha was scheduled to be held in two parts, i.e. from the 29th of January, 2021 to the 15th of February, 2021 and from 8th of March, 2021 to 8th of April, 2021. However, the sitting scheduled for 15th February, 2021, was cancelled and instead a sitting was fixed for Saturday, the 13th February, 2021. Subsequently, that sitting was also cancelled and the House was adjourned on the 12th February, 2021, till 8th March, 2021, to enable the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees to examine and report on the Demands for Grants of various Ministries/Departments. The House re-assembled on the 8th of March, 2021 for the second part of the Session. However, the second part of the Session which was scheduled to conclude on 8th April, 2021 came to an early end on 25th March, 2021, on account of the increase in the cases of COVID-19 in the country. The sitting of the House was *cancelled for one day on 12th March, 2021, during the second part of the Session. The time of sittings of the Rajya Sabha during the first part of the Session was from 9.00 A.M. to 2.00 P.M. except on 29th January, 2021 and 1st February, 2021 when the House sat from 3-00 P.M. and 1-55 P.M. respectively. The time of sittings of the Rajya Sabha for the opening day of the second part of the Session i.e. 8th March, 2021 was as that was for first part of the Session, i.e. 9.00 A.M. to 2.00 P.M. and from next day onwards, i.e. 9th March, 2021, the House resumed the **usual timing of sittings i.e. 11.00 A.M. to 6.00 P.M. for rest of the sittings during second part of the Session. The House adjourned sine-die on the 25th of March, 2021. The House sat for 23 days and the actual hours of sittings were 104 hours and 26 minutes (excluding recess intervals). The House was prorogued by the President on the 29th of March, 2021. @ As informed to Members through Parliamentary Bulletin Part-II No. 60342, Summons were issued electronically only through Members' Portal. * Members were informed about the cancellation of sitting of the House through Parliamentary Bulletin Part-II No. 60656 on the 9th of March, 2021 ** Members were informed about the time of sittings of Rajya Sabha during the remaining part of the 253rd Session through Parliamentary Bulletin Part-II No. 60645 on the 8th of March, 2021. 1 NATIONAL ANTHEM On the 29th of January, 2021, the Session commenced with the playing of the National Anthem. (Time taken: 01 Minute) *PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT — LAID ON THE TABLE The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, addressed Members of both Houses of Parliament assembled together in the Central Hall on the 29th of January, 2021. Secretary-General laid on the Table, a copy (in English and Hindi) of the President's Address on the same day. (Time taken: 01 Minute) ________________________________________________________________ *For Reference and Record. The sitting of the Rajya Sabha for transaction of Government Business commenced at 3-00 P.M. on 29th of January, 2021 (Parliamentary Bulletin Part- II No.60446, dtd. 28/1/2021) instead of one hour after the conclusion of the sitting of the Lok Sabha on that day (Parliamentary Bulletin Part-II No. 60344, dtd. 14/1/2021). 2 OPENING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN On the 2nd of February, 2021, the Chairman while making opening remarks inter-alia touched upon the landmark completion of 100 years of representative democracy in our country and suggested that on the occasion, the House may resolve to enhance its dignity through the conduct of proceedings as per rules and conventions. He also highlighted that the eight Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees of Rajya Sabha had worked very effectively, holding a total of 55 sittings during the inter-session period and discussed important issues including various aspects of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and its management in a bipartisan manner. He drew the attention of the House to the increase in use of regional languages by the Members, specially Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani and Santhali which were used for the first time in the House since its inception in 1952. The Chairman, also stressed upon the importance of the Budget Session and requested to ensure smooth and effective functioning of the House and utilization of all available Parliamentary devices by the Members. 3 (Time taken: 10 Mts.) OATH OR AFFIRMATION 4 newly elected Members made and subscribed oath and took their seats in the House, as detailed below:— Sl. No. Date Name of the Member State Time Taken 1. 08-02-2021 Shri Subrata Bakshi West Bengal 0-02 2. 08-03-2021 Shri Biswajit Daimary Assam 3. -do- Shri Dineshchandra Jemalbhai Anavadiya Gujarat 0-05 4. -do- Shri Rambhai Harjibhai Mokariya -do- Total: 0-07 4 OBITUARY REFERENCES 26 Obituary References were made in the House during the Session, as detailed below: — Sl. Date of Person in respect of whom Date of Time taken Remarks No. Obituary Reference was made demise Hrs. Mts. Reference 1. 29-01-2021 Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, 08-10-2020 The Chairman made references and sitting-Member the House observed silence, all Members standing, as a mark of 2. -do- Shri Ahmed Patel, 25-11-2020 sitting-Member respect to the memory of the departed. (For Sl. Nos. 1 to 17) 5 3. -do- Shri Abhay Bharadwaj, 01 - 12 -2020 sitting-Member 4. -do- Shri Jaswant Singh, 27-09-2020 0-20 ex-Member 5. -do- Shrimati Syeda Anwara 28-09-2020 Taimur, ex-Member 6. -do- Shri Rasheed Masood, 05 - 10 - 2020 ex-Member 7. -do- Shri Keshubhai S. Patel, 29 - 10 - 2020 ex-Member Sl. Date of Person in respect of whom Date of Time taken Remarks No. Obituary Reference was made demise Hrs. Mts. Reference 8. 29-01-2021 Shri Bhagirathi Majhi, 02 - 11 - 2020 ex-Member 9. -do- Shri Kailash Narain Sarang, 14 - 11 - 2020 ex-Member 10. -do- Shri Motilal Vora, 21-12-2020 ex-Member 11. -do- Shri Madhavsinh Solanki, 09 - 01 - 2021 6 ex-Member — 12. -do Shri Kamal Morarka, 15 - 01 - 2021 ex-Member 13. -do Shri B. S. Gnanadesikan, 15 - 01 - 2021 ex-Member 14. -do Shri Ramji Lal, 15 - 01 - 2021 ex-Member 15. -do- Shri S. P. 25-09-2020 Balasubrahmanyam (renowned playback singer and music director) 16.