Himachal Assembly Winter Session Sets Benchmark with 106% Productivity
The Winter Session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly concluded on Saturday, making history with a remarkable productivity rate of 106%. This performance far surpassed the average productivity of the Lok Sabha (55%) and Rajya Sabha (40%). Speaker Kuldeep Pathania hailed the four-day session as a historic milestone, underscoring its achievements and efficiency.
The session clocked 21 hours and 30 minutes of deliberations, allocating 9.5 hours to treasury bench members and 8.5 hours to the opposition. A major highlight was the launch of the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), which transitioned the Assembly into paperless proceedings, marking a significant step towards modernization.
Key legislative and procedural highlights included:
Question Hour: A total of 188 starred and 55 unstarred questions were raised, with comprehensive oral and written replies provided.
Zero Hour Introduction: For the first time, Zero Hour was introduced, enabling members to address 26 pressing issues over two days, all of which were promptly addressed by ministers.
Legislations Passed: The Assembly introduced, debated, and passed 14 crucial bills, including the HP Land Ceiling Amendment Act, 2024, the HP Employees Recruitment and Service Conditions Regulation Bill, 2024, and the HP Panchayati Raj Amendment Act, 2024.
Committee Reports: A total of 26 reports were presented, including those from the Public Accounts Committee and two from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).
The session also witnessed the discussion of critical issues under various procedural rules:
Two and three issues under Rules 61 and 62, respectively.
Six and two issues under Rules 324 and 130, respectively.
A government resolution on Post-Disaster Need Assessment was passed under Rule 102.
On Private Members’ Day, three resolutions were introduced, with one discussed, one deferred, and one withdrawn.
Speaker Pathania emphasized the session’s groundbreaking achievements, particularly the adoption of NeVA software and the introduction of Zero Hour, which are expected to enhance the Assembly’s transparency and operational efficiency. The session concluded sine die, setting a new benchmark for productivity and legislative effectiveness in Himachal Pradesh’s legislative history.
