Lok Sabha Question No. 5909 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-03
Subject: All India Conference of Whips
Ministry: PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
Asked by: ANJU BALA, HEMANT TUKARAM GODSE, B. SREERAMULU, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

5909.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5909

TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 3RD APRIL, 2018

## ALL INDIA CONFERENCE OF WHIPS

SMT.ANJU BALA,SHRI GODSE HEMANT   TUKARAM, SHRI B. SRIRAMULU AND SHRI TEJPRATAP SINGH YADAV:

Will the Minister of PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the AlI India Conference of Whips was held recently at Udaipur;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the agenda and the recommendations made in the conference;
- (c ) the follow up action taken thereon;
- d) whether the existing mechanism to monitor: the implementation of recommendation of the Whips' Conference is not adequate and requires improvement to make it more effective and if s0, the details thereof;
- 'e) whether the Government has implemented e-sansad in Parliament and e-Vidhan Sabha in the State Legislatures   with the aim to digitize  and make the functioning of Parliament and  State Legislatures paperless and if the details there of; and SO,
- (f) the steps taken by the Government to strengthen the Parliamentary democracy including raising the level of debates, minimising interruptions, simplifications of rules and procedures ?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT AND GANGA REJUVENATION (SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)

- (a) & (b): Madam. The 18 th Udaipur on 8 th \_9 January, 2018. 71 delegates comprising Ministers of Parliamentary Affairs/Legislative Affairs; Chief Whips/ Whips of important political parties and Groups in the Houses of Parliament and in the Legislative Assemblies/Legislative Councils of the States attended the conference. Agenda of the Yes;

Conference and recommendations adopted in the conference are attached at Annex-I ad Annex-II respectively

(c) & (d):The recommendations of the Whips Conference are circulated to all the StatelUT Governments, Legislatures in the States/ UTs, both Houses of Parliament and the   concerned Ministries/ Departments of the Government of India for taking necessary action: Thereafter, the follow up action is taken Up to monitor the implementation of the recommendation of the whips conference. The existing mechanism has been found adequate to monitor the implementation of the recommendation in an effective manner:

(e):- e-Sansad and e-Vidhan are two Mission Mode Projects of the Government of India: Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs is the nodal Ministry for implementation of both the These two Mission Mode Projects stand for digitization and to make the functioning of Parliament and State Legislatures projects. paperless.

The platform of the Whips Conference is a useful forum wherein the leaders/whips of various political ruling as well a8 opposition, at the Centre aS well as in the States sit together; exchange their views; thoughts and experiences, discuss  difficulties conftonted by them in the discharge of their parliamentary well considered norms  for  efficient working of the parliamentary system in the country: This helps in achieving the desired result of strengthening the parliamentary democracy including  raising the level of debates, minimising interruptions during the debates; simplification ofrules and procedures etc: parties

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## 18th All India Whips' Conference, 2018, Udaipur (8-9 January, 2018)

## AGENDA ITEMS

1. Acton taken report (ATR) received from the States/UTs 0n the recommendation of the 16th India Whips' Conferences (AIWC) held at Goa Visakhapatnam respectively: 17th
2. Efficient Functioning of Legislatures- Interactive Session
3. Rolling out e-Sansadle-Vidhan in Parliament and State Legislatures to digitize and make their functioning paperless.

## AIL India Whips' Conference, 2018, Udaipur (8-9 January; 2018) 8th

## RECOMMENDATIONS

Following are the recommendations of the 18" All India Whips' Conference:

| SN.   | Recommendations                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       | overwhelming response from 21 States to the recommendations of the AIWC The Conference acknowledged Conference took note that some of the States are yet and 7 States to the recommendations of the AIWC. The after on the recommendations of the previous AIWC The Conference to submit their Action Taken Reports the Action Taken   Report on the taking   stock of the   situation the   remaining States to recommendations. Of late this 17th expedite urged                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 2     | to raise Inatters of urgent importance. Zero Hour is the designated Hour in Legislatures important item of business is not being taken seriously by the Ministries/] and ATR The reform of the Zero Hour is the need of the hour for more prompt reply summary reply thereon from concerned Ministry for examining Bills and other documents of public                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| 3_    | The existing committee of Parliament is an effective oversight the committees are not Government. The experience of the Conference was that the reports submitted by the selective recommendations_ In order to discussed in the Legislature and the Government sometimes only accepts be evolved wherein the situations the Conference was overwhelming in its response that & system mafe mitigate and to in the Houses   Keeping that in view the Conference that these reports may be discussed can be suitably worked out the concept of Committee Hour could be developed whose frequency in the Houses: It has been system suggested replied |
|       | At present the week, the attendance of the Members is thin In order to give impetus noticed that Friday being the last of reforms in the structure of Private Members to this important item of business, the Conference took a view that Business needs to be carried out their interactions day                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 5     | to with the citizens of their constituency: The Conference after deliberations suggested that a the cconceptualizeand implement the process of providing institutional and indrpstlictueal support to constituted to functioning_better coordination of Legislatures and Parliament Chief Whips and_Whips for effective States . The Conference felt that this has led to                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|       | There has been a trend of declining sittings %f Legislatures across citizens. The Conference opined for less time at the disposal of Legislators to highlight the problem faced by ofa establishment suitable mechanism for enhancing participation of people representatives                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 7.    | evolve The Conference to and   monitoring State and Central Government specially MPs and MLAs in formulating;   implementing programmes and The Conference mooted opined projects.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 8     | for upgrading of skills of Legislators. The Conference felt the to provide national academy for training of Legislators developing Bureau of Parliamentary Studies and Training (BPST) as and Parliamentarians:_ project was welcomed by all the regular need                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
| 9_    | Legislatures and Assemblies as Digitization of the Secretariats of the State of Parliamentary Affairs to roll out participants. The conference appreciated the initiative taken by the Ministry conference expressed more desire to embrace e- its transparent; the Conference resolves that all political parties in Legislatures will try to                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 10    | to the wellof the Houses during their proceedings reach a consensus that no Member_ go                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |