PRESS RELEASE

         

The Budget Session, 2005 of Parliament which commenced on Friday, 25 February, 2005 has been adjourned sine die on Friday, the 13  May, 2005. 

 

2.                The Session was held in two parts.  The  first part of the Session was held from 25 February, 2005 to 24 March, 2005 and the second part of the Session was held from 19 April, 2005  to 13 May, 2005.  The Houses were in recess from 25 March, 2005 to 18 April, 2005 to enable the Department related Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants relating to various Ministries/Departments and make their reports to the Houses.  The Session yielded a total of 38 sittings – 20 sittings during the first part and 18 sittings during the second part.

 

3.      The Budget Session, 2005 being the first Session of the year, the President addressed both  Houses of Parliament assembled together in terms of Article 87(1) of the Constitution on 25 February, 2005 and informed the Parliament  of the causes of its summons. Motion of Thanks on the President Address, moved by Shri Pawan Kumar Bansal and seconded by Shri Ajay Maken in the Lok Sabha; and moved by Dr. Karan Singh and seconded by Shri Vayalar Ravi in the Rajya Sabha, was discussed and adopted by the two Houses during first part of the Session.

 

4.      The Session was mainly devoted to transaction of Financial Business relating to Railways, General Budgets and Budgets relating to the States of Goa and Bihar for 2005-06.  During the first part of the Session, the Railway Budget for 2005-06 was presented to Parliament on Saturday, 26 February, 2005, the Economic Survey of the Government  on Saturday, 26 February, 2005, the General Budget for 2005-06  on Monday, 28 February, 2005 and the Budgets in respect of States of Goa and Bihar for 2005-06 on Thursday, 17 March, 2005.  General discussions on the Railways and General Budgets were held in both the Houses. The Lok Sabha also discussed and voted the Demands for Grants on Accounts relating to Railways and General Budgets and considered and passed the Appropriation Bills relating thereto during this period.  These Appropriation Bills were considered and returned by the Rajya Sabha.   General discussion on Goa and Bihar Budgets was held in the Lok Sabha. The Demands for Grants on Accounts in respect of these Budgets and the related Appropriation Bills were also considered and passed by the Lok Sabha. In Rajya Sabha, the Goa and Bihar Budgets and the Appropriation Bills relating to their Demands for Grants on Accounts were passed without discussion.

 

5.          During the first part of the Session, the two Houses  considered and adopted the Statutory Resolutions regarding Proclamations issued by the President under Article 356 of the Constitution in relation to the States of Goa and Bihar.  The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha also passed during this period a Resolution regarding recommendation of  the Railway Convention Committee relating to rate of dividend to be payable to the Central Revenues.

 

6.                During the Second Part of the Session, Demands for Grants relating to the Railways were discussed and voted and the related Appropriation Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha and subsequently returned by the Rajya Sabha. Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministries of Agriculture, Rural Development, Home Affairs and Science and Technology were discussed and voted by the Lok Sabha. The Demands for Grants of the  remaining Ministries/Departments  which could not be discussed were put to the vote of the House and were voted in full on 27 April, 2005. The Appropriation Bill relating to the Demands for Grants (General) for 2005-06 was also introduced, considered and passed and subsequently returned by the Rajya Sabha. During this period, the Rajya Sabha discussed the working of Ministries of Water Resources, Social Justice and Empowerment, Tribal Affairs, Defence, Power, Non-Convention Energy Sources, Environment and Forests and Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. The two Houses also considered and  passed/returned the Finance  Bill, 2005.

 

7.                In the Lok Sabha,  Short Duration Discussions under Rule 193  were held on (i) statement made by the Minister of State for External Affairs on Development in Nepal and visits of the Minister of External Affairs to Afghanistan and Pakistan; (ii) natural calamities in the country; (iii) Electoral Reforms; (iv) increasing population the country; (v) statement made by the Hon’ble Prime Minister regarding visits of Chinese Premier and the President of Pakistan to India. In the Rajya Sabha, Short Duration Discussions under Rule 176 were held on (i) suicide by farmers in various parts of the country; (ii) situation arising out of the large-scale devastation caused by Tsunami on 26 December, 2004 and the relief and rehabilitation measures initiated for the affected people; (iii) Report of the V.S. Malimath Committee on reforms of criminal justice system; and (iv)  recently reconstituted North-Eastern Council.

 

8.              During the Session 35 Bills (26 in Lok Sabha and 9 in Rajya Sabha) were introduced. Total number of Bills passed by both Houses of Parliament during the Session is 26. Some of the important Bills passed by Parliament are (i) the Patents (Amendment) Bill, 2005; (ii) the Prevention of Money – Laundering (Amendment) Bill, 2005; (iii) the Right to Information Bill, 2005 ; (iv) Coastal Aquaculture Authority Bill, 2005; (v) the Special Economic Zones Bill, 2005; and (vi) the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Bill, 2005. A statement showing the Facts at Glance in respect of Business transacted during the  Budget Session, 2005 vis-a-vis the Budget Sessions held during the last four years is  enclosed (Annex-I). A list of Bills introduced/ passed/ withdrawn is also enclosed (Annex-II).

 

9.     With a view to ensure fast communication of messages relating to Parliamentary Business to Hon’ble Members, a system of sending group SMS has been put into operation.  This is being done through MTNL.  One nodal officer in the Minister’s Office has been designated to coordinate with MTNL and to issue the messages on behalf of the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs as and when required.

 

ANNEX-I

 

 

FACTS  AT A GLANCE – BUDGET SESSION, 2005 VIS-A-VIS BUDGET SESSIONS HELD DURING 2001-2005

 

 Fourth Session of Fourteenth Lok Sabha and 204^th Session of Rajya Sabha

( First Part From 25-02-2005 to 24-03-2005)

( Second Part From 19-04-2005 to 13-05-2005)