New Delhi: After running the previous two sessions with different time slots for both houses due to Covid-19 pandemic, Parliament will return to its usual functioning from 11 a.m. during its Monsoon Session taking place between from July 19 to August 13.
Seating arrangements for the Members of Parliament have also been made in the same chamber, unlike during the previous two sessions when a group of MPs were sitting in Lok Sabha and the others in Rajya Sabha.
In the previous two sessions, the Rajya Sabha functioned between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Lok Sabha from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and the parliamentarians used to sit in both the chambers to avoid the spread of Covid-19 virus.
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Noting that this will be the sixth session of the 17th Lok Sabha, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday said that the Monsoon Session will take place from July 19 to August 13 with 19 days of business.
The timings of the session will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for both the Houses, he added.
With the coronavirus pandemic still raging, the session will be held in both the Houses of Parliament with all necessary protocols and arrangements are being made to accommodate members on a social distancing basis.
Birla said all members and media will be allowed in accordance with Covid-19 rules. "RTPCR test is not mandatory. We will request those who have not undergone vaccination to undergo tests," he said.
He said the sitting of the House during the Monsoon Session will start at 11 a.m.
According to the health safety protocol, he said that the arrangements have been made for the parliamentarians to sit in the house with social distancing. "As many as 280 members will be able to participate in the proceedings of the house by sitting in the Lok Sabha chamber and 259 in the galleries of the assembly."
During the monsoon session, all subjects including Question Hour, Zero Hour, matters falling under Rule 377, government legislative business, and private member's business will be taken up.
Birla said that RT-PCR test will not be mandatory for members, media persons, and officials of various ministries who have got Covid vaccination done, and "if there is no vaccination, RT-PCR test will have to be done".
"As before, the entry of other persons in the Parliament House complex will be restricted."
He further mentioned that the tenure of the 17th Lok Sabha so far has been historic in many ways like the work productivity stood at 122 per cent during the five sessions held in the last two years. "Around 167 per cent work productivity of the fourth session is a remarkable achievement. During the five sessions, 114 sittings were held which is more than the 14th, 15th and 16th Lok Sabha."
"The special achievement of the 17th Lok Sabha was to provide maximum opportunities to the members to bring to the notice of the government matters of urgent public importance during the Zero Hour. So far 3,389 subjects (on an average 29 subjects per day) were raised during Zero Hour, which is more than the previous Lok Sabha," Birla said.
"Timely replies are also being received from the Ministries on the matters raised by the members under Rule 377. About 90 percent of the topics raised so far under this rule have been answered within a time limit of one month. This is also more than the previous Lok Sabhas."
The Speaker said that information technology is being used more and more to modernise the day-to-day functioning of the Lok Sabha. "All types of notices are being received from members through electronic means. Parliamentary papers are also being sent to them through the electronic medium."