New Delhi, February 10: Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned sine die after the conclusion of the budget session.
This was the last day of the ongoing budget session of the 17th Lok Sabha before the general polls.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, in his valedictory remarks, said that the House had passed several significant legislations including Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bill, triple talaq bill and women’s reservation bill.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the past five years of BJP-led government were about “reform, perform and transform” in the country. PM Modi greeted the members and lauded the role of Speaker Om Birla in running the House.
“These five years were about reform, perform and transform in the country. It is very rare that both reform and perform take place and we can see transformation right in front of our eyes…The country is experiencing this through the 17th Lok Sabha and I firmly believe that the country will continue to bless the 17th Lok Sabha,” he said.
Meanwhile, Vice President and Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, in his valedictory remarks, highlighted that the country is making phenomenal progress in all walks of life.
“As highlighted by the Hon’ble President in her address, Bharat is making phenomenal progress in all walks of life. We are in Amrit Kaal of our republic. As members of the Upper House, we have to ensure exemplary standards of conduct. We need to be a source of inspiration as Bharat steadfastly surges towards a Viksit Rashtra and a global leader. We are in an era of immense possibilities. Let us vigorously contribute to the continual, incremental rise of Bharat. I have no doubt that this sentiment is shared by every member of this House and the people at large,” Dhankhar said.
The RS Chairman also mentioned the bills that received a nod from the House.
“It is noteworthy that during this session Hon’ble Members spoke in 15 regional languages with simultaneous interpretation in Hindi and English. In addition to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to President’s Address and interim Union Budget, this House also passed 7 Bills including Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill, Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill and Constitution Amendment Bills related to inclusion of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. I would also like to mention that 22 Private Members’ Bills have been introduced in this Session,” he said.
Jagdeep Dhankhar also expressed gratitude towards the retiring members of the House.
“Hon’ble Members, the House also bade farewell to 68 Members. Out of this, 3 members retired in the month of January and the remaining 65 would be retiring between February and July this year. Let me express our profound appreciation for the distinguished service rendered by each one of our esteemed retiring colleagues”, Dhankhar said.
“I extend my heartfelt appreciation to the Hon’ble Deputy Chairperson , Shri Harivansh Ji and Members on the Panel of Vice-Chairpersons for assisting me in conducting the proceedings of the House. I also thank the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, the Leaders of various Parties and the Hon’ble Members for their cooperation,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha chairman also extended greetings to the members ahead of the coming Lok Sabha polls.
“I acknowledge the untiring efforts of the Secretary-General and his team of dedicated officers and staff in ensuring that the session runs smoothly. Before I conclude, I would like to extend my good wishes to all of you for the forthcoming festivals and for the general election,” he said.
Speaking about the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president JP Nadda said in Rajya Sabha that the ‘Pran Pratishtha Day’ was a day of resurgence of the country’s spiritual and cultural conscience.
“When we speak of the 500-year-old history, it was that of slavery and oppression. When we talk of January 22, 2024, we consider that day to be that of the resurgence of spiritual and cultural conscience. This day will be memorable for several thousands of years,” Nadda said during a discussion on the Ram Mandir on the last day of the budget session.
Lok Sabha elections are slated to be held in April-May.