Parliament Monsoon Session Ends with 19% Lok Sabha Productivity

The Monsoon Session of Parliament concluded on August 13, with both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha adjourning sine die. According to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, the productivity in Lok Sabha was 19%, while that of Rajya Sabha was 39%.

The session was marked by repeated Opposition protests over the police action on student protesters against the NEET paper leak. Despite the low productivity, the session saw the passage of 12 bills.

Rijiju stated that the session was viewed from two perspectives - in terms of business, it was successful, but from the perspective of debate and discussion, it was not as successful. The low productivity was due to the repeated disruptions and adjournments caused by the Opposition protests.

The data on Parliament sessions since 2009 shows that there have been sessions with even bigger washouts. The 2010 Winter Session remains the most washed-out session, with the Lok Sabha functioning for only 5% of its scheduled time and the Rajya Sabha just 2%.

The reason behind the complete washout session in 2010 was the deadlock between the government and the Opposition over corruption allegations in the allocation of the 2G spectrum. The BJP, then the prime Opposition, demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), while the Centre said the Public Accounts Committee could do the same.

In the Modi era, the 2016 Winter Session was a virtual washout amid Opposition protests over demonetisation, with the Lok Sabha functioning for just 15% of its scheduled time and the Rajya Sabha 18%. The 2015 Monsoon Session was the least productive session for Rajya Sabha in the Modi era, with just 9% productivity.

The low productivity of the Monsoon Session is a concern, as it affects the functioning of the Parliament and the passage of important bills. The repeated disruptions and adjournments caused by the Opposition protests have become a regular feature of the Parliament sessions, leading to a decrease in productivity.

The passage of 12 bills during the session is a significant achievement, but the low productivity and repeated disruptions are a matter of concern. The government and the Opposition need to work together to ensure the smooth functioning of the Parliament and to increase productivity.

In conclusion, the Monsoon Session of Parliament ended with a low productivity of 19% in the Lok Sabha and 39% in the Rajya Sabha. The session was marked by repeated Opposition protests and disruptions, leading to a decrease in productivity. The government and the Opposition need to work together to ensure the smooth functioning of the Parliament and to increase productivity.