Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Reviews Pending Questions in High-Level Meeting with Senior Government Officials

Jaipur/Udaipur: Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Shri Vasudev Devnani convened a high-level meeting in the Assembly with the Chief Secretary of the State Government and senior secretaries to address pending questions, attention notices, and special mentions in the legislature.

Shri Devnani emphasized that the Rajasthan Assembly serves as a strong platform to resolve issues faced by over eight crore citizens of the state, and it is the responsibility of both elected representatives and government officials to ensure timely responses. He instructed all principal secretaries of the state to submit answers to all pending questions, attention notices, and special mentions by January 15, ahead of the upcoming budget session.

“Future meetings should not be required if zero pendency is achieved,” Shri Devnani said, urging officials to prioritize addressing pending questions through special camps. He directed that all officials remain seated in the Assembly gallery throughout question hour and discussions to monitor proceedings effectively.

Shri Devnani reviewed the reasons behind delays in responses and noted that even after the conclusion of the fourth session of the 16th Legislative Assembly, 35% of questions—around 2,031—remain unanswered. He stressed that although improvements have been made, the pace must increase. “It is concerning that some departments are not taking the timely submission of answers seriously. Any further negligence will not be tolerated,” he said.

The Speaker also addressed the issue of incorrect responses, instructing officials to ensure this does not recur. He reminded them that implementing assurances given by ministers in the Assembly is the responsibility of the respective departmental secretaries and must be carried out without lapses.

Shri Devnani highlighted that fulfilling public expectations is a shared responsibility of both the legislature and the executive, particularly for state secretaries. He urged all departmental secretaries to work collaboratively with the government and the Assembly to ensure timely resolution of public grievances.

Officials were instructed to coordinate with their ministers and subordinate officers to monitor all Assembly-related matters so that future high-level meetings on pending questions would not be necessary. “Departments should set up camps and work at a war footing to clear pending questions. Any practical difficulties should be openly communicated along with suggested solutions,” Shri Devnani added.

At the meeting, Chief Secretary Shri V. Srinivas assured the Assembly Speaker that all departments would follow instructions and make every effort to resolve pending questions within the stipulated timeline. He added that departments would continue to take Assembly directives seriously and fulfill their responsibilities promptly.

The meeting included a department-wise presentation of pending cases from the 15th and 16th Rajasthan Legislative Assemblies. Attendees included Chief Secretary Shri V. Srinivas, Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, and the Assembly Secretary Shri Bharat Bhushan Sharma, along with other senior officials.