New Delhi, April 7 : Rajya Sabha recorded 99.80 per cent productivity during the Budget Session that concluded on Thursday missing the 100 per cent landmark by just 10 minutes. This has been the third best productivity of the House during the last 14 Sessions since the Monsoon Session of 2017. As against the scheduled 29 sittings, Rajya Sabha held 27 sittings including 10 during the first part of the Budget Session and 17 during the second part that just concluded. Two sittings were given up ahead of Holi and Ram Navami on the suggestions from leaders of various parties in the House. “This Budget Session started on a positive note without disruptions and forced adjournments during the first 12 full sittings, the best such a stretch during the last about 3 years. The House witnessed forced adjournments on six days, all during the second part of the Session. The Members sat beyond the scheduled hours on 11 days. In all, 21 of the 27 sittings were free of forced adjournments,” a statement by Rajya Sabha Secretariat said. As against the scheduled sitting time of 127 hours 54 minutes, the House functioned for 127 hours 44 minutes. While functional time of 9 hours 26 minutes was lost due to disruptions and forced adjournments, the House gained 9 hours 16 minutes with Members sitting beyond the scheduled hours, it said. The Members discussed four ministries- Railways, Development of North-Eastern Region, Tribal Affairs and Labour and Employment for a total time of 22 hours 34 minutes. This was the best performance in this regard in the last 12 years, after five ministries were discussed in 2010, the statement added. “Of the total functional time, 37% was spent on debates on Motion of Thanks to the President for his Address to both the Members of Houses, on Budget for 2022-23 and the working of four ministries. 23% of the time was spent on the government’s Bills and 10% on raising issues of public importance through Zero Hour and Special Mentions. During this Budget Session, Rajya Sabha passed 11 Bills including the six on Appropriation and Finance Bills that were returned. One Bill, the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Amendment Bill, 2022 was introduced in the House on Thursday. 135 Starred Questions, accounting for 37.50% of the total 360 listed were orally answered in the House. Members raised issues of public importance through 248 Zero Hour and 168 Special Mentions. During the second part of the Budget Session, the 8 Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committees of Rajya Sabha held a total of 16 meetings for a total duration of 19 hours 30 minutes. The average attendance in these meetings has been 50.10 per cent. The average duration of these 16 meetings has been one hour 13 minutes. These Committees submitted 36 Reports during the second part of the Session including 30 on the Demands for Grants of various ministries and departments. The productivity of Rajya Sabha during this Session has improved from 94 per cent of the Budget Session last year. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu was not able to make the customary valedictory remarks on the last day of the Session as some sections of the House kept shouting. ASU RKM