Pravash Pradhan
Post News Network
Productivity of Lok Sabha in the first half of the session was 122 per cent while in Rajya Sabha, it was 107 per cent, a study by PRS Legislative Research said.
New Delhi, March 24: The first half of budget session went well for the BJP-led NDA government. Amidst protests by the Opposition, bills like the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill 2015, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill 2015 and the Mines and Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill 2015 were passed by both Houses of Parliament.
Productivity of Lok Sabha in the first half of the session was 122 per cent while in Rajya Sabha, it was 107 per cent, a study by PRS Legislative Research said.
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had functioned for 130.5 hours and 108.8 hours respectively. From Orissa perspective, the session was important. With the passage of the bills, Mines and Minerals and the Coal Mines, the state might witness a spurt in its central revenue share from mines and coal sector.
The state seemed to have got its share in Railway Budget. While BJD MPs did not have much to complain about the rail budget, they upped the ante against the BJP-led government for its apathy toward the state government in general budget.
BJD’s initial opposition to the land acquisition bill, the Mines and Minerals and the Coal Mines bills and the vitriolic attack by party MPs unnerved the BJP government. BJD’s leader of house Bhartruhari Mahatab and chief whip Tathagata Satpathy spearheaded the attack against the government. Terming the budget as ‘for super rich’ and ‘anti-poor’, both BJD leaders criticised the government vehemently.
However, Kendrapada MP and party spokesperson Baijayant Panda and Puri MP Pinaki Mishra hailed the budget. It had surprised many.
Likewise, Bhartuhari and Tathagata Satpathy had participated in the discussion on land acquisition bill, opposed the ordinance tooth and nail. Satapathy had termed the bill as ‘anti-farmer’. But, BJD in a volte-face voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha and helped pass it.
In defence, party MPs justified the move saying it was done in the best interest of the state. It is, however, believed that BJD chief Naveen Patnaik’s presence in the national capital during this period, his conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his meeting with Power Minister Piyush Goel brought a change in the party’s stand. Mahatab and Kalikesh Singh Deo spoke in Oriya March 11 in the Lok Sabha on the occasion of classical Oriya language day.
Among the first-timers, Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena and Jagatsinghpur MP Kulamani Samal had actively participated in the Lok Sabha debates.
The Cuttack MP had participated in the highest number of discussions, while Bhadrak MP Arjun Charan Sethi had the lowest number of participation. While Sambalpur MP Nagendra Pradhan had the highest number of written questions, Dhenkanal MP Tathagata Satpathy, Berhampur MP Siddhanta Mohapatra and Kandhamal MP Pratyusha Rajeshwari Singh did not have any written question. Bhartruhari and Tathagata participated in maximum number of important debates and discussions.
MPs who had full attendance in the lower house include Tathagata Satpathy, Bhartruhari Mahatab, Ladu Kishore Swain, Pratyusha Rajeshwari, Rita Tarai, Kulamani Samal and Prabhas Singh. MPs who had lowest attendance were Jhina Hikaka and Sakuntala Laguri.