Parliament meets for sufficient time every year: Vice President

NEW DELHI: As many as 95 MPs did not attend a single meeting of the eight department-related parliamentary standing committees ( DRSCs ) that reviewed allocations for 18 ministries after the presentation of the Budget on February 1, Rajya Sabha chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday.Reviewing the functioning of the eight DRSCs handled by the RS secretariat, which have 244 members (166 from the Lok Sabha and 78 from the Rajya Sabha), Naidu said they held 20 meetings during the three-week parliamentary recess. The highest attendance was recorded in the meetings of the committee on health and family welfare (65.5%), while the lowest attendance was in the DRSC dealing in commerce (32.3%). The DRSC on home was a close second with an attendance of 54.8%, while the DRSC on industry saw attendance of 43.55%.BJP, with a strength of 110 MPs out of the 244 who constitute members of the department-related parliamentary standing committees (DRSCs), had a total attendance of 58% against Congress’ 62% attendance with just 32 MPs. Smaller regional parties, which account for the remainder members, had a cumulative attendance of 40%.The RS has DRSCs dealing with commerce, health & family welfare, home affairs, HRD, industry, personnel, public grievances and law & justice, S&T and environment, and transport, tourism and culture. RS chairperson M Venkaiah Naidu said, “In all, the work put in by the 24 DRSCs in examining the demands for grants of all ministries equals 30 days of functioning of Parliament, which is quite significant. This alone takes the total sittings of Parliament during a year to over 100 days. I would like to assure people and all stakeholders that Parliament is meeting for sufficient time every year in discharge of its functions.”But Naidu expressed disappointment that 95 (78 from the LS and 23 from the RS) of the 244 members in the eight DRSCs with the Upper House had “zero attendance” this time as compared to only 28 last time.