MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS IMPORTANT WORK DONE /ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MINISTRY DURING LAST ONE YEAR (2019 – 2020) Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Cabinet Minister Shri Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi Minister of State Minister of State Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal Shri V. Muraleedharan MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARYAFFAIRS ****** A: Brief of Important Works done by Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs 1. Legislative Business.................................................................................................. 2. Other Legislative information.................................................... …………………. 3. Training Courses in Parliamentary Procedure and Practice....................................... 4. Visit of Members of Parliament to foreign countries................................................ 5. Welfare of Members of Parliament............................................................................ 6. Liaison with Leaders of various parties/groups in Parliament 7. Assurances (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha)................................................................. 8. Research related activities........................................................................................ 9. Youth Parliament...................................................................................................... 10. Covid 19 Action …………………………………………………………………. 11. Consultative Committees…………………………………………………………. 12. National E-Vidhan Application……………………………………………………. 13. Activities under Swachh Bharat Mission ………………………………………… BRIEF OF IMPORTANT WORKS DONE/ACHIEVEMENTS OF MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS DURING LAST ONE YEAR. The task of efficiently handling diverse parliamentary work on behalf of the Government, in the Parliament has been assigned to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. As such, the Ministry serves as an important link between the two Houses of Parliament and the Government with some additional responsibilities and functions. 1. POLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF THE MINISTRY The Ministry has the benefit of being guided by one Cabinet Minister and two Ministers of State under whose leadership and guidance all work has been done: Shri Pralhad Venkatesh Joshi (30.05.2020 onwards) MOS in Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs LOK SABHA RAJYA SABHA Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal Shri V. Muraleedharan (30.05.2020 onwards) (30.05.2020 onwards) 2. LEGISLATIVE BUSINESS (a) During the period under report 3 Sessions of Parliament were held as under: SESSION Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha FIRST/249th 17.06.2019 to 06.08.2019 20.06.2019 to 07.08.2019 First Session SECOND/250th 18.11.2019 to 13.12.2019 18.11.2019 to 13.12.2019 Winter Session THIRD/251st 31.01.2020 to 23.03.2020 31.01.2020 to 23.03.2020 Budget Session (b) The session wise information of Legislative Business transacted during the period is as under: SESSION Nos. of Nos. of Nos. of Nos. of Nos. of Nos. of Nos. of Bills Bills Bills Bills Bills Bills Bills Introduced Introduced Passed Passed Passed withdrawn withdrawn in Lok in Rajya by Lok by Rajya by both in Lok in Rajya Sabha Sabha Sabha Sabha Houses Sabha Sabha 2019 FIRST/249th 33 07 35 32 30 - - First Session SECOND/25th 18 - 14 15 15 - 04 Winter Session 2020 THIRD/251st 18 01 15 13 12 - 02 Budget Session TOTAL 69 08 64 60 57* - 06 *List of Bills as passed by Both Houses of Parliament is attached at Annexure. (c) During the period under report approximately 23%, 30% and 18% more Bills were passed by both the Houses in comparison to the corresponding periods of 14th, 15th and 16th Lok Sabha. (d) After the interim Budget Session 2019, (Last session of 16th Lok Sabha) 20 Ordinances were promulgated. Out of these 14 Ordinances have been replaced by Acts of Parliament during this period. Bills replacing these Ordinances have been marked with asterisk in the list of Bills passed by Both Houses attached at Annexure. (e) Many path breaking important legislations were got passed through consensus by better floor coordination despite of not having clear majority in Rajya Sabha. (f) The First Session of 17th Lok Sabha was historic as 30 Bills were passed by both the Houses of Parliament in this Session which is a record in single first/effective Session after constitution of new Lok Sabha. (g) The most important business transacted during this first Session was the abrogation of certain provisions from Article 370 and Presidential Orders thereunder. This will ensure equal opportunities to all sections of Society in Jammu & Kashmir particularly with the restoration of applicability of the provisions of the Constitution of India and all socio- economic legislations thereby ensuring rule of law and equity. Further for ensuring better administration and for curbing terrorism, the State of Jammu & Kashmir has been reorganized with the formation of two Union Territories - Jammu &Kashmir and Ladakh. (h) During the Second Session a special function was held in the Central Hall of Parliament on 26th November, 2019 for Members of both Houses of Parliament to commemorate the 70 years of adoption of the Constitution. (i) In the sessions held during the first year of the 17th Lok Sabha legislations relating to almost all sectors were passed. Sector wise details of some of the important Legislations passed during this period are as under :- (i) Health Sector Reforms During this period, Four Bills relating to this sector namely the National Medical Commission Bill, 2019, the Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Dentist (Amendment) Bill, 2019 were passed by both the Houses. The National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 is a revolutionary reform in medical field which provides for constitution of a National Medical Commission for development and regulation of all aspects relating to medical education, medical profession and medical institutions and a Medical Advisory Council to advise and make recommendations to the Commission. (ii) Social and Gender Justice Reforms - Certain Bills to further strengthen Social and Gender justice system in India were passed during the period The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 which declares the triple talaq/talaq-e-biddat void is a major step towards grant of gender justice to the Muslim women. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 defines a transgender person and provides for protection of rights of Transgender persons and their welfare. The Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Bill, 2019 to prohibit the Production, manufacture, import, export, transport, sale, distribution, storage and advertisement of e-cigarettes and like devices, considering the highly addictive nature of nicotine. This legislation will go a long way in achieving the targets envisaged under sustainable Development Goals, National Monitoring Framework for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases and National Health Policy, 2017. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship which and entitle them to a dignified life in India. (iii) National/Internal Security In this sector, to strengthen National Security apparatus and striking a balance between National Security aspects and Human Rights the National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2019 and Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2019 were passed. The Arms Act (Amendment) Bill, 2019 to effectively curb crimes related to or committed by using illegal firearms and to provide effective deterrence against violation of law. (iv) Labour Reforms A much awaited labour reform to facilitate the ease of compliance of labour laws thereby widening the scope of minimum wages to all workers - a big step for equity promotion and setting up of more enterprises thus catalyzing the creation of employment opportunities was enacted through the passing of the Code on Wages Bill, 2019 after amalgamating the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 and the Equal Remuneration Act, 1976. (v) Transport Sector Reforms - Some important Legislations enacted in this Sector are (i) The Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2019 to address the issues relating to road safety, citizen facilitation, strengthening public transport, automation and computerisation besides increasing the fines and penalties for violation of provisions of the Act and to make a provision for protection of good Samaritans. (ii) The Airport Economic Regulatory Authority of India (Amendment) Bill, 2019 to enable adoption of tariff based bidding system for engaging private partners in infrastructure projects at airports besides amending the definition of major airport - having annual passengers throughput in excess of three and a half million. (vi) Administrative Sector Reforms With a view to recognise the property rights of residents of certain unauthorised colonies in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the government enacted the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Recognition of Property Rights of Residents in Unauthorised Colonies) Bill, 2019 to address an important need of the residents. The Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 2019, provides that SPG will be responsible for security to the Prime Minister, and members of his immediate family residing with him at his official