Lok Sabha- Deliberations and Accessibility
Posted : July 31, 2009 at 5:48 pm [IST]
I have been watching Lok Sabha channel for some time these days. I certainly find some welcome change, though my expectations are sky high. One can’t expect the proceedings to be entertaining. However, some members do provide some entertainment too. I expected it to be interesting and informative. But hardly few MPs are good speakers and debaters, because the membership doesn’t require any minimum qualification. However, the nation expects the members to discuss the real national issues, though it can’t do anything if the members don’t do it.
Many a times I wonder if the members know that at least some countrymen are watching their performances and if they are at all conscious about it. If one watches them carefully, they can judge how serious they are about their people. It is unfortunate that with all the facilities available, only some really prepare for the participation in proceedings.
The most questionable is the thin attendance of the members in the house. Many a time, the galleries appear totally vacant. It must be demoralizing for the speakers. Some may be asking the friendly lot to be in the house when their turn to speak comes. Why can’t the leaders set example? Why should the country keep paying absenting members?
I couldn’t understand why the members of the ruling party were thumping the desks when the prime minister was making statement on his recent Indo-Pak discussion without any reason for it. Was it only to show the strength or appreciate the points made? Why should not the leaders of the parties train their members to take up the participation more seriously?
It is really unfortunate that the subjects of national interest are not getting discussed at the length it is required. How much time does the discussion on the development projects get? How serious and detailed are the debates on the executions of infrastructure projects that can push up the GDP growth rate to keep the country moving forward towards the goal of becoming a developed country? How can the government afford to have so many of clearances taking so much of time for so called safe way of operations for starting a business? How can the effectiveness of NREG or PDS be improved? How can Mulayam get the house adjourn a number of times to press the case of his industrialist friend? Why should not the members discuss the outcomes of the allocations of funds and how long it will take to complete the various programmes? Why should not it take up administrative reforms to enhance the efficiency of the bureaucrats?
However, I did like Jaswant Singh’s thoroughly enjoyable speech on the finance bill 2009. The House kept on thumping their desks in appreciation. Mr Jaswant Singh came out with some new ideas and sought a review of the system of presentation of annual Budgets. According to him, this was an “unproductive and inefficient way to manage the country”. “The ritual that we go through every year is unnecessary. It is time consuming and not productive. You are multiplying inefficiency by having this system of Finance Bill. We don’t need a Finance Bill at all. We need a wholesale departure from imperial legacy. I don’t see any sense in annual budgets.” Interestingly, the speaker after him, Congress Sandeep Dikshit, congratulated him for the speech which made “a drab subject like finance bill” lively and was an inspiration for younger members like him. It was surprisingly pleasant experience.
I observe the print media hardly covering the useful information coming out of parliament. Why can’t it reserve a page for the parliament when it is in session? Unfortunately, I found that it is very difficult to catch up with important speeches and deliberations such as the reply by the prime minister to Indo-Pak statement issue, as the timing doesn’t appear in media. The channel must give the programme of the next day. And the media must publish it as mandatory.
I have till date failed to find a website that publishes the proceedings of the parliament so that it can be assessed. If it is still not there, it must be done for the benefit of the ‘aam aaadami’ like me.
- Indra
Category: Indian politics |
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