17. CONFERENCE & PROTOCOL SECTION 17.1 Responsibilities: As in the previous years, Conference & Protocol Section dealt with the following items of work in 2010:- (i) Visits of Indian Parliamentary Delegations to foreign countries. (ii) Visits of Foreign Parliamentary Delegations/Dignitaries to India. (iii) Formation of Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs) with other countries. (iv) Issue of Diplomatic Passports/Visa Notes/Surrender Certificates etc. to the Members of Rajya Sabha and their Spouses and officers of Rajya Sabha Secretariat. (v) Acceptance of Foreign Hospitality by the Members of Rajya Sabha. (vi) Itineraries of Members going abroad. (vii) Republic Day/ Independence Day Celebrations. (viii) Association of Secretaries-General of Parliaments (ASGP) and the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table in Commonwealth Parliaments (SCAT). (ix) Functions/events held in Parliament House Complex under the auspices of IPG. (x) Purchase of Gifts/Bouquets and settlement of bills thereof. (xi) Miscellaneous. 17.2 Visits of Indian Parliamentary Delegations to Foreign Countries: This Section dealt with the work relating to nomination of Members of Rajya Sabha for inclusion in the Indian Parliamentary Delegations which went abroad and provided all assistance to them, as also to the Secretary-General and other Officers of the Secretariat, who accompanied the Delegations. Financial Sanctions were issued from time to time in connection with such visits. In all 16 visits of Indian Parliamentary Delegations (4 Goodwill Delegations and 12 Delegations to International Conferences/Meetings) were handled during the year 2010. In the year 2009, 6 visits of Indian Parliamentary Delegations were handled. Chart showing the visits of Indian Parliamentary Delegations to foreign countries during the year 2010 is at Annexure-17.1 17.3 Visits of Foreign Parliamentary Delegations/Dignitaries to India: A close liaison was kept with the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Ministry of External Affairs and foreign Missions in Delhi, in connection with the visits of the Foreign Parliamentary Delegations/Dignitaries to India. Arrangements were also made for the meetings of the visiting delegations/dignitaries with Hon’ble Chairman/Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha and their witnessing the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha. In all 15 visits of Foreign Parliamentary Delegations/Dignitaries were handled during the year 2010. In comparison, 18 visits of Foreign Parliamentary Delegations/Dignitaries were handled during the year 2009. Chart showing the visits of Foreign Parliamentary Delegations to India during the year 2010 is at Annexure-17.2 17.4 Conferences held in India: This Section was associated with 5 Conferences held in India during the year, 2010. During the year 2009 no Conference was held in India. Chart showing the Conferences held in India during the year 2010 is at Annexure-17.3 17.5 Formation of Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs) with other countries: Consolidated proposal, for nomination of Rajya Sabha Members on 71 Parliamentary Friendship Groups (PFGs) proposed to be constituted/re-constituted with other countries, was initiated. The names of Members from the Leaders of all Parties/Groups(except BJP) were received for inclusion in various Parliamentary Friendship Groups. Proposal was pending due to non-receipt of names of BJP Members for inclusion in the 71 Friendship Groups. 127 17.6 Issue of Diplomatic Passports/Visa Notes/Surrender Certificates etc. to the Members of Rajya Sabha and their spouses: - 211 applications of the Members of Rajya Sabha and their spouses and also officers of this Secretariat, for issue of diplomatic/official passports/Visa Notes/Surrender Certificates etc. were forwarded to the Ministry of External Affairs, received back therefrom and delivered to the Members and Officers concerned. In comparison, 252 such cases were handled during the year 2009. 17.7 Acceptance of Foreign Hospitality by Members of Rajya Sabha: - 24 applications received from Members were forwarded to the Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs for prior permission to accept foreign hospitality, under Section 9 of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 and for political clearance, respectively. Permissions received therefrom were communicated to the Members concerned. In comparison, 28 such cases were handled during the year 2009. 17.8 Itineraries of Members going abroad: 142 itineraries received from the Members of Rajya Sabha regarding their private visits abroad were faxed /emailed to the concerned Indian Missions and co-ordinated with them over phone for extending usual courtesies and assistance. In comparison, 110 cases were handled during the year 2009. 17.9 Republic Day/ Independence Day Celebrations: - The Section maintained close liaison with the Ministry of Defence in connection with the Republic Day/Independence Day Celebrations. The names of officers of the rank of Deputy Director and above were forwarded to the Ministry of Defence for issue of invitation cards for these ceremonies. Other miscellaneous work relating to these ceremonies such as deployment of Parliament Security Service Officials of Rajya Sabha Secretariat for ushering duties and payment of honorarium to them was also handled during the year under review. 17.10 Association of Secretaries-General of Parliaments (ASGP) and the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table in Commonwealth Parliaments (SCAT): - The annual subscriptions to the Association of Secretaries-General of Parliaments, Geneva and the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table in Commonwealth Parliaments, London, were remitted. Replies to various questionnaires and briefs/presentations/communications/papers etc. on the points on the agenda of the meetings of the ASGP and the SCAT were got prepared/processed for use of Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha, who attended these meetings during the year under review. 17.11 Functions/events held in Parliament House Complex: - A close liaison was kept with the Lok Sabha Secretariat in connection with various functions/events etc. held in Parliament House Complex under the auspices of IPG. 36 Bulletins Part-II were issued from time to time relating to such functions/events, for information of Members of Rajya Sabha. In comparison, 40 such Bulletin Part-II were issued during the year 2009. 17.12 Computerization: All items of work like notes, letters, bulletins, tour programmes, financial sanctions etc. relating to this Section are being done on computers. Parliamentary Bulletins Part-II issued from time to time are sent to the Table Office through email for uploading on the Internet. Internet is also being utilized to gather information. Messages are also being received and sent through email regarding the visits of Members of Rajya Sabha to foreign countries etc. Photographs pertaining to various functions/events/calls on dignitaries of Rajya Sabha by visiting Delegations are being put on “Picture Gallery” through Computer Cell/NIC. 128 17.13 Budget: - The details of budget allocations under different heads for the financial year 2010-11 are given below:- Sr. No. Head Budget allocation 1. “01 104 02 00 12 B.E. Rs.2.00 Crore IPDGA” R.E. Rs.1.75 Crore 2. “02 00 20 Members- B.E. Rs. 10 Lakh/R.E. Rs.15 Lakh Other Administrative Expenses” 3. “01 105 Rajya Sabha B.E Rs.1.5 Lakh./R.E. Rs.0.50 Lakh Secretariat 00 00 13- Office Expenses”. Shortfalls: - The main shortfall of the working of the Section was that the Section could not achieve the target of getting the Members of Rajya Sabha nominated on various Parliamentary Friendship Groups proposed to be re-constituted/constituted with other countries. The reason for this was non-receipt of names of Members from the BJP in time despite several reminders. Achievements: - The Conference & Protocol Section, basically, is a Members’ Service Section. The main responsibility of the Section is to provide prompt and quick service to Members of Rajya Sabha relating to issuance of their Diplomatic Passports/visa endorsement/visa notes and foreign visits (both official and private visits) etc. The other role of the Section is to liaise with Lok Sabha Secretariat, Ministry of External Affairs, foreign Missions and Offices of HC, HDC and SG, Rajya Sabha for arranging meetings of the visiting foreign parliamentary delegations/dignitaries with Hon’ble Chairman, Hon’ble Deputy Chairman and Secretary- General, Rajya Sabha. The main achievement during the year 2010 was that the Section handled an exclusive Rajya Sabha delegation (independent of Lok Sabha) to the G-20 Speakers’ Consultation - Presiding Officers of the Upper and Unicameral Houses of the G-20 held in Ottawa, Canada from 2-5 September, 2010. 129 ANNEXURE- 17.1 VISITS OF INDIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES DURING THE YEAR 2010 (i) GOODWILL DELEGATIONS Sl Country Dates of visits No. of delegates Rajya Sabha Members Leader Officers No. LS RS 1. Mauritius 17-22 January, 04 02 (i) Shri Tiruchi Siva Smt. Meira Kumar, Shri P. D. T. Achary, SG(LS) 2010 Hon’ble Speaker, Shri A. Mukhopadhyay, (ii) Shri Shivanand Tiwari Lok Sabha JS (LSS) - Secy. to Del. Shri Deepak Goyal Director(RSS) Shri S. Chatterjee, Addl. Dir(LSS) 2. Bhutan 26-29 May, 2010 04 02 * (i) Shri Ranjitsinh Vijaysinh Smt. Meira Kumar, Shri P. D. T. Achary, SG(LS) Mohite-Patil Hon’ble Speaker, Shri S. Bal Shekar, JS (LSS) Lok Sabha - Secy. to Delegation * (ii) Shri Pyarimohan Mohapatra Shri S. Chatterjee, Addl. Dir * Shri Arun Sharma, JD(RSS) Shri T. Jaya Kumar, DS(LSS) 3. Hungary and 7-13 June, 2010 04 02 (i) Shri Naresh Gujral Smt. Meira Kumar, Shri P. D. T. Achary, SG(LS) Luxemburg Hon’ble Speaker, Shri U.S.Saxena, JS(LSS) (ii) Shri Mohammad Shafi Lok Sabha - Secy. to Del. Shri Rakesh Prasad, JD(RSS) Shri Lalkithang, DS(LSS) 4. Mongolia 26-30 June, 2010 04 02 (i) Shri Raashid Alvi Smt. Meira Kumar, Shri P. D. T. Achary, SG(LS) Hon’ble Speaker, Shri Devender Singh, JS(LSS) (ii) Shri Bharatkumar Raut Lok Sabha - Secy. to Del. Shri Cyril John, Director(LSS) Shri Arun Sharma, JD(RSS) * Did not go 130 (ii) INDIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS TO INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES/MEETINGS DURING THE YEAR 2010 Sl Country Dates of No.