This booklet contains general information for Members. The information contained in the booklet is, inter alia, based on relevant provisions of the Constitution, the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954 and the Rules made thereunder, the Members of Rajya Sabha (Declaration of Assets and Liabilities) Rules, 2004 made under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Declaration of Pecuniary Interests under Rule 293 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States.
This booklet is intended to serve as a handy guide, particularly to new Members. For full and authentic information on matters mentioned in the booklet, original sources may be referred to and relied upon.
April, 2008. Secretary-General.
The term of office of a Member elected/nominated to Rajya Sabha is six years. However, a Member elected/nominated to fill a casual vacancy holds office for the remainder of the term of his predecessor. The term of office of a Member begins:—
(i) In case of a Member elected/nominated to fill a regular vacancy, from the date on which his name is notified by the Government of India in the Gazette.
(ii) In the case of a Member elected/nominated to fill a casual vacancy, from the date of publication in the official Gazette of the declaration of his election or of the notification of his nomination, as the case may be.
After being elected/nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the newly elected/nominated Member is to first contact or come to the Notice Office (Room No.26, P.H., Tel.23034616; 23017205) and is required to fill in a set of Forms meant for him/her to complete certain formalities.
3.1 The Notice Office acts as a liaison between Members of the Rajya Sabha and the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. It also serves as the Reception Office for the Members.
3.2 The main function of this office is to receive from the Members Notices for raising matters with permission, notices for suspension of Question Hour, notices of Bills, Calling Attentions, Special Mentions, Questions, Short Duration Discussions, Half-an-Hour Discussions, Motions, Resolutions and Amendments to Bills, etc., as well as application forms for Visitors’ Gallery passes, Central Hall passes, Parking Labels, arrival/departure and intermediate journey reports of Members, letters addressed to the Ministers of the Government of India and also other dak from Members intended for disposal in the Secretariat.
4. IMPORTANT PLACES IN PARLIAMENT HOUSE AND PARLIAMENT HOUSE ANNEXE
A new Member visiting Parliament House and its Annexe should know and make himself/herself familiar with different rooms, gangways and corridors. He/She should particularly know the locations of the following: —
PARLIAMENT HOUSE —
Rajya Sabha Chamber
Lok Sabha Chamber
Chairman’s Chamber (Room No.30)
Deputy Chairman’s Chamber (Room No.31)
Speaker’s Chamber (Room No.17)
Room of Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha (Room No.29)
Room of Secretary-General, Lok Sabha (Room No.18)
Ministers’ Rooms
Central Hall
First Aid Post (between the Rajya Sabha Chamber and the Central Hall)
Telephone Booths in Lobby
Common Lounges for Members
Party Offices
Members’ Waiting Hall
Committee Rooms
Refreshment Rooms (Room No.70)
Notice Office (Room No.26)
Table Office (Room No.33)
Sales Counter
Publications Counter (Room No.28-A)
Stenographers’ Pool (Room No.34-A)
Posts and Telegraphs Office
Railway Booking and Reservation Office
Air Booking Office
Pay
Office of the State Bank of
Press Rooms
*Parliament Library
PARLIAMENT HOUSE ANNEXE
Basement
Medical Centre
Post Office
Telecom Centre
Ground floor
Committee Rooms
State Bank of
Banquet Hall
Auditorium
Private Dining Room
Income Tax Cell
Second floor
Pay and Accounts Office (Room No.203)
Members’ Amenities Section (Room No.227)
Members’ Salaries and Allowances Section (Room No.228)
Questions Branch (Room No.229 and 233)
Computer Cell (Room No.213)
Third floor
Liaison Officer (NDMC) (Room No.314)
Fifth floor
Liaison Officer (Telephones) (Room No.520)
Accommodation and Rent Branch (Room No.602)
5. DECLARATION OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES BY MEMBERS
5.1 Under sub-rule (1) of rule 3 of the Members of Rajya Sabha (Declaration of Assets and Liabilities) Rules, 2004, every elected Member of Rajya Sabha is required to furnish declaration regarding his Assets and Liabilities and Assets of his/her spouse and dependent children within 90 days from the date on which he/she makes and subscribes an oath or affirmation for taking his/her seat in the Council. Sub-rule (2) of Rule 3 lays down that every Member shall notify changes, if any, in the information so furnished by him/her under sub-rule (1) as on the 31st March every year by the 30th June of that year.
5.2 Information furnished by
Member should include the assets and liabilities within
5.3 Copies of the prescribed Forms are available in the Notice Office and can also be downloaded from the Rajya Sabha Website (rajyasabha.nic.in) under the link ‘Downloads’.
6. DECLARATION OF INTERESTS BY MEMBERS OF RAJYA SABHA
6.1 Under Rule 293 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States, Members of Rajya Sabha are required to furnish declaration regarding five pecuniary Interests as per following details: —
PECUNIARY INTERESTS
I. REMUNERATIVE DIRECTORSHIP
(i) Name and address of the Company
(ii) Nature of Business of the Company
(iii) Salary/fees/allowance/benefits or any other receipts which are taxable (per annum)
II. REGULAR REMUNERATED ACTIVITY
(i) Name and address of the Establishment
(ii) Nature of Business
(iii) Position held
(iv) Amount of Remuneration received (per annum)
III. SHAREHOLDING OF CONTROLLING NATURE
(i) Name and address of the Company
(ii) Nature of Business of the Company
(iii) Percentage of shares held
IV. PAID CONSULTANCY
(i) Nature of consultancy
(ii) Business activity of the organisation where engaged as Consultant
(iii) Total value of benefits derived from the Consultancy
V. PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT
(i) Description
(ii) Fees/Remuneration earned therefrom (per annum)
6.2 Every Member shall notify the changes, if any, in the information so furnished by him/her as on the 31st March every year, within ninety days from the date.
6.3 Information furnished by Members has to be with respect to their pecuniary interests whether held within the country or outside it.
6.4 Copies of the prescribed ‘Forms’ for Declaration of Interests are available in the Notice Office and can also be down loaded from the Rajya Sabha Website (rajyasabha.nic.in) under the link ‘Downloads’.
7. SUBMISSION OF CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION
A Member is required to visit the Table Office in Parliament House (Room No.33, G.F., Tel. 23034697 & 23034581) for submitting his/her Certificate of Election, Notification nominating him/her as a Member and for filling in Form III under the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution. The Member may also indicate the choice of language as specified in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution in which he/she wants to make and subscribe oath/affirmation. A Member is not entitled to sit, participate and vote in the House/Committees unless he/she has made and subscribed oath/affirmation.
8. MEMBERS EMOLUMENTS AND AMENITIES
8.1 Members also become entitled to certain emoluments/amenities, which are provided with a view to enabling them to function effectively as Members of Parliament. Broadly speaking, the emoluments/amenities provided to the Members relate to salary and allowances, travelling facilities, accommodation, telephones, etc. These are governed by the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954 and the rules made thereunder.
The amenities, etc. are briefly explained below in succeeding paragraphs.
Every Member is entitled to a salary of Rupees 16,000/- per month during the term of his/her office and a daily allowance at the rate of Rupees 1,000/- for each day during any period of residence of duty (for attending a Session of a House of Parliament or a sitting of a Committee thereof or any other Parliamentary business) for which the Member has to sign the Register maintained for this purpose by the Secretariat on all days (except intervening holidays) of the Session of the House. For entitlement of daily allowance (DA) for intervening holiday(s) a Member has to sign the attendance register on the day immediately preceding and succeeding the holiday(s). A Member is also entitled to daily allowance for a period of such residence, not exceeding 3 days immediately preceding and succeeding the Session of the House and not exceeding two days preceding and succeeding the sitting of a Committee. Besides, a Member is entitled to daily allowance for the purpose of attending to any other business connected with his/her duties as a Member of Parliament.
8.3.1 In order to meet the needs of residential accommodation of the Members, a separate pool of residences for Members has been established. The allotment of residences to Members from this Pool is made by the House Committee, Rajya Sabha. Arrangements for accommodation are made according to criteria laid down by the House Committee. Details are available with the M.A. Section (Room No. 227, PHA., Tel. 23034227).
8.3.2 In the case of newly elected/nominated Members, Secretariat also makes temporary arrangements for accommodation in the concerned State Bhavan/Guest House by writing to the Chief Secretary of that State.
8.3.3 Each Member is entitled to a flat or hostel accommodation, without payment of license fee, throughout his/her term of office. Where a Member is allotted a housing accommodation from the Rajya Sabha pool in the form of a bungalow at his/her request, normal license fee is charged.
8.3.4 Every Member is entitled without payment of charges to the supply of maximum of 50000 units of electricity (25000 units each of light/power meters or pooled together) and 4000 Kilolitres of water per annum, beginning 1st January of every year at the residence allotted to him/her. Other facilities enjoyed by Members include 25 per cent remission in the rent on account of supply of furniture.
8.4.1 A Member of the Rajya Sabha is entitled to have three telephones, one at his/her local Delhi address, one at his/her usual place of residence or a place selected by him/her within the State he/she represents or resides and one telephone for the Internet connectivity, to be installed at his/her office/residence situated at Delhi or at his/her usual place of residence or at a place selected by him/her within his/her constituency or State or within the State in which he/she resides.
8.4.2 A Member, on his/her request, is entitled to avail one mobile phone connection of the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) with national roaming facility and another mobile phone connection of the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited or the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) with national roaming facility for utilization in his constituency.
8.4.3 Member may also avail broadband facility from MTNL or BSNL on any one telephone available to him/her and shall not be liable to make payment upto a maximum of one thousand five hundred rupees per mensem which shall be paid directly to MTNL or BSNL.
8.4.4 As per the Housing and Telephone Facilities (Members of Parliament) Rules, 1956 as amended upto date, a Member is not required to make any payment in respect of installation charges, monthly rental and local call charges to the extent of 1,50,000 local calls pooled in respect of the three telephones and two mobile phones.
8.4.5 The Chairman of a Parliamentary Committee shall be exempted from payment of any charges for local calls made from the telephone installed at his/her residence in Delhi/New Delhi (for further details, please contact M.A. Section, Room No. 227, PHA, Tel. 23034227).
8.5 Advance For The Purchase Of Conveyance
A Member is entitled to an advance, not exceeding Rupees one lakh or the actual price of the conveyance, which is intended to be purchased, whichever is less. Advance granted, together with simple interest at prevailing rates as applicable to Central Government servants, is recoverable from the salary bill of the Member concerned in not more than 60 equal monthly installments, which shall not extend beyond the tenure of his/her Membership. While drawing the conveyance advance, Member shall execute an Agreement in Form-I and after purchase of conveyance he/she shall further execute a mortgage bond in Form-II hypothecating the conveyance to the Central Government as security for the advance. The conveyance purchased from the advance shall also be insured against full loss by fire, theft and accident as per Form-III, by which the Insurance Company agrees to pay to the Central Government in respect of loss or damage to the conveyance. (All forms are available with MS&A Section, Room No.228, PHA, Tel. 23034224/23034228.)
A Member is entitled to a Constituency Allowance at the rate of Rupees 20,000/- per month.
A Member is entitled to an office expense allowance of Rupees 20,000/- per month. Out of this, Rupees 4,000/- is for meeting expenses on stationary items, etc. and Rupees 2,000/- is for franking of letters and Rupees 14,000/- may be paid by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat as salary to the person(s) engaged by the Member for obtaining secretarial assistance, for which Member has to intimate in the prescribed form available with the MS&A Section.
8.8 Pension To Members
8.8.1 A person who has served for any period as Member of the Provisional Parliament or either House of Parliament is entitled to a minimum pension of Rupees 8000/- per month and for the period exceeding five years, the Member shall be entitled to an additional pension of Rupees 800/- per month for every year in excess of five years. The period more than 9 months will be rounded off to a complete year for the purpose of receiving additional pension of Rupees 800/- per month.
8.8.2 Spouse or dependant of a deceased Member/Ex-Member who is neither a sitting Member nor drawing pension under Section 8A of the MSA Act, 1954 is entitled for the remaining period of life of spouse or dependant, who so long continues to be a dependant, a Family Pension equivalent to 50% of the Pension otherwise admissible to such deceased Member/Ex-Member.
8.9 Free Rail Travel Facility To Former Members
Former Members of Parliament, along with a companion, are entitled to travel in any railway in India in air-conditioned two-tier class or entitled to travel alone in any train by any railway in India in air-conditioned first class without payment of any charges on the basis of an authorization issued for this purpose by the Secretariat of either House of Parliament, as the case may be.
8.10 Stenographic Assistance To Members
The Services of English and Hindi stenographers are made available to Members to assist them in typing out their notices of Amendments, Questions, Resolutions, Motions and other allied matters of public importance pertaining to the business of the House. The assistance is available in the Stenographers’ Pool (located in Room No.34-A, P.H., Tel. 23034842) near the Rajya Sabha Chamber.
8.11 Reprographic Service For Members
Photocopies of documents on Xerox Machine can be got done from the Reprographic Service which is available at Room No.26-C, situated in Outer Lobby (Tel. 23034827). This service is available on payment basis.
8.12 Medical Facilities
8.12.1 Under the Central Government Health Scheme
(CGHS), as extended to Members, a Member and his/her family are entitled to
free medical treatment on monthly contribution of Rupees 150/-. Dispensaries
for providing treatment mainly to Members exist in
8.12.2 Members and their dependent family Members are also issued referral letters for treatment in CGHS recognised hospitals/diagnostic centres. List of such recognised hospitals/diagnostic centres are published in the bulletin from time to time. (for further details, please contact M.A. Section, Room No. 227, PHA, Tel. 23034227.)
8.13 Travel Facilities
8.13.1 A Member is entitled to travelling allowances for the journeys performed from his/her usual place of residence for attending a Session of the House or a sitting of a Committee or for the purpose of attending to any other business connected with his/her duties as a Member, and for the return journey from such place to his/her usual place of residence as follows:—
(a) If the journey is performed by rail, an amount equal to one First Class fare plus one Second Class fare irrespective of the class in which the Member actually travels;
(b) If the journey is performed by Air, an amount equal to one and ¼ th of the air fare for each such journey;
(c) If the journey or any part thereof cannot be performed by rail or air-
(i) where the journey or any part thereof is performed by steamer an amount equal to one and three-fifths of the fare (without diet) for the highest class in the steamer;
(ii) where the journey or any part thereof is performed by road, a road mileage at the rate of Rupees 13/- per kilometer for each such journey or part thereof.
8.13.2 Members residing
within a distance of 300 kms. from
8.13.3 For the purpose of claiming travelling allowance for attending a Session of Parliament or a sitting of a Committee, Members are required to travel only after the issue of summons for attending a Session or after the issue of Notice of meeting for attending the meeting of a Committee.
8.13.4 Where a Member performs a journey for the purpose of attending a Session of a House of Parliament or a meeting of a Committee or for the purpose of attending to any other business connected with his duties as a Member from a place, other than his/her usual place of residence or returns to such place, he/she may draw travelling allowance for the actual journey performed or the journey from or to his/her usual place of residence, whichever is less.
8.13.5 A Member is entitled to travel by any other route to reach his/her destination on the same day to avoid inconvenience when connecting flights are not available by the shortest route, subject to the permission of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.
8.13.6 The spouse of a Member is entitled to travel by railways in First Class AC or Executive Class in any train or by air from the usual place of the residence of the Member to Delhi and back once during every Session and twice in Budget Session of Parliament, provided that total number of such journeys either to Delhi or back shall not exceed eight in a year.
8.13.7 The spouse of a
Member residing within a distance of
300 kms. from
8.13.8 Every Member is entitled to 34 free single air
journeys in a year from any place in
8.13.9 Exchange order facility is available to Members for purchasing Air tickets. Members may obtain Exchange Order(s) from MS&A Section by making a request in the prescribed requisition form. Only eight (8) Exchange Orders at a time shall be issued to Members for performing air journeys by themselves and their spouses. No Exchange Order would be issued for a companion except in the case of widows, widowers, spinsters, bachelors or single MPs.
8.13.10 For the purpose of claiming TA/DA, the Member is required to tender claim to the MS&A Section in the prescribed form (Arrival/Departure Report/Intermediate journey form) with complete details of their journeys and used original air-tickets and in the case of e-ticket, electronic ticket duly countersigned by the Member along with boarding pass.
8.13.11 In the cases where the air ticket is lost, the Member is required to produce a certificate from the concerned airlines for having performed the journey by air.
8.13.12 The forms for claiming TA/DA are available with MS&A Section (Room No. 228, PHA, Tel.23034224/23034228) and Notice Office (Room No. 26, PH, Tel.23034616).
8.14 Railway Passes
8.14.1 Every Member is provided with an Identity Card, which entitles him/her and spouse to travel in First Class Air-conditioned or Executive Class at any time, by any railway in India, along with a companion in AC two-tier. Such pass is valid for the term of his/her office. On the expiration of the term, the pass is required to be surrendered to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
8.14.2 For the travel of the spouse by rail from the usual place of residence of the Member to Delhi and back once during every Session and twice in Budget Session of Parliament not exceeding eight such journeys in a year, a separate First Class Air-conditioned or Executive Class non-transferable railway pass is issued to the Member, on request. The spouse railway pass is returnable to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on the expiration of Membership. (Please contact M.S.&A. Section for details.)
9. LOSS OF IDENTITY CARD/RAILWAY PASS
The loss of
10. RAILWAYS AND AIR BOOKING AND RESERVATION
A combined Railway Booking and Reservation Office (Tel. 23034741, 23017369, 23034364, 23034365) and Air India Booking and Reservation Office (Tel. 23034735, 23017670, 23034867) function in Parliament House throughout the year for the convenience of Members.
11.1
Members of Parliament and their spouses are entitled to Diplomatic
Passports, which are issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House,
11.2 Members or their spouses who have been issued any other passport in their names may also enclose the same with their application forms to be kept in safe custody.
12.1 For private visits of Members and their spouses to
such foreign countries where visas are required, visa notes are issued by the
Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House,
12.2 Members desirous of having visa notes issued for private visits may send their requisitions (in the name of the Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha) to the Conference & Protocol Section, along with their Diplomatic Passports.
12.3 Visa endorsements on the Diplomatic Passports of Members/spouses from the concerned foreign Embassy/High Commission may also be arranged by the Members themselves.
13.1
Many a time it has been observed that when Members decide to go abroad, either
on official or private visit, intimation of their itineraries is received late
in the Secretariat and, in some cases, on the date of journey itself and, on
few occasions, after the journey has commenced. Such late receipt of
itineraries coupled with the time difference
between
13.2 In order, therefore, to avoid inconvenience being caused to the Members, it is requested that whenever a Member decides to undertake a journey to a foreign country, he/she should send the itinerary to the Secretary-General at least 4-5 days in advance so that proper coordination could be done with our Missions and Posts abroad. Members are also requested to fax their itineraries, no sooner those are finalized, to the Joint Secretary, In-charge of Conference & Protocol Section at Fax No. 23012007 or to Conference and Protocol Section of the Secretariat at Fax No. 23017548.
14. ACCEPTANCE OF FOREIGN HOSPITALITY
14.1 Members are required to obtain prior permission of the Central Government for accepting any foreign hospitality during their private visits abroad under Section 9 of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976.
14.2 All invitations from any foreign source, namely, Government of any country, foreign organisations, etc. are expected to be routed through the Ministry of External Affairs. However, even if any such invitation is received directly, Members are advised to bring it to the notice of the Ministry of External Affairs and necessary clearance of that Ministry should also be obtained for the purpose.
14.3 The procedure to be followed in this regard is as under:—
(i) A copy of the invitation letter along with a letter from the concerned Member, giving full details of the hospitality proposed to be accepted, should be sent to the Ministry of External Affairs, either directly or through the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
(ii) Application with complete details in the prescribed form (FC.2), available in the Notice Office/Conference and Protocol Section, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, along with a copy of the invitation letter referred to in (i) above, should be sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, FCRA Division, Jaisalmer House, New Delhi, either directly or through the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.
(iii) A copy of the application form (FC.2) as well as of the invitation letter may also be sent to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
14.4 To avoid any delay, Members are advised that their applications should reach the Ministry of Home Affairs at least ten clear days in advance of the date from which the foreign hospitality is proposed to be accepted.
14.5 Members should ensure that before proceeding abroad the requisite permission of the Ministry of Home Affairs has been obtained, as mere sending of the application will not amount to grant of the statutory permission. Members should also ensure receipt of political clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs before proceeding abroad.
Lockers have been provided for Members in the Outer Lobby of the Rajya Sabha Chamber, subject to availability, on first come first served basis. (Please contact Lobby Office, Tel. 23034729.)
16. SUPPLY OF PAPERS AND PUBLICATIONS
16.1 All Parliamentary papers meant for the Members are distributed to them at their residences so as to reach them on the same day. (Distribution Branch, Tel. 23034598, 23034461.)
16.2 The publications received from the various Ministries
and Departments of the Government of India for distribution are made available
to Members from the Publications Counter, Room No.26-A, Parliament House,
17.1 Catering Facilities
Canteens for providing wholesome Indian style food to Members have been set up in North and South Avenues for the benefit of the Members. Catering arrangements also exist in the Western Court Hostel. Refreshment facilities are available to the Members in Parliament House and Parliament House Annexe. Recently, diet food and tetra-pack juices in Parliament House complex have been introduced.
17.2 Clubs and Common Halls
Common Halls have been provided for relaxation and recreation of Members in North and South Avenues. There is also the Constitution Club on Rafi Marg, which all Members can join on payment of the prescribed subscription fee of Rupees 1,000/- annually or Rupees 5,000/- for life Membership.
17.3 Bank and Post Office
For the
convenience of Members, a Pay Office of the State Bank of
17.4 Transport Facilities
During Session and inter-Session periods, arrangements have been made for running air-conditioned vehicles by the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Secretariats (five Toyota Qualis and three Toyota Innova vehicles by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and two Toyota Qualis and eight Maruti Versa by the Lok Sabha Secretariat) to enable Members to travel from their places of residence to Parliament House/Parliament House Annexe and vice versa on payment of Rupees 5/- per trip. Besides these vehicles, Maruti vans and Matadors of the Delhi Transport Corporation also ply for the convenience of Members. For availing these transport facilities, Members may call Transport Desk, Parliament House at Telephone Nos. 23034859, 23035139 and 23035183.
17.5 Issue of Ration Cards to Members
A Sub-Office of the Civil Supplies Department of Delhi Administration functions at the Reception Office, Parliament House, for the convenience of Members during Session period only (Tel. 23034726).
17.6 Filing of Tax Returns
An official of Income Tax Department has been deputed during Session period at a Counter near the Auditorium, Ground Floor, Opposite S.B.I., Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi (Tel. 23034062), to attend to the queries of the Members regarding filing of their tax returns and other matters.
17.7 NDMC Liaison Office
Throughout the year an NDMC Liaison Office functions in Room No.314, Parliament House Annexe, for the convenience of the Members with regard to connection/disconnection, and preparation of bills in respect of water and electricity consumption and allied matters pertaining to their residences.
17.8 Supply of D.O. Stationery
Standardized D.O. stationery is sold to Members on a no-profit no-loss basis through the Sales Counter, adjacent to the Publications Counter at Room No. 26-A, Parliament House.
17.9 Car Park Labels
To enable Members to have unhindered entry of the vehicles owned by them into the precincts of Parliament House Complex, Car Park labels are issued by the Notice Office for each financial year on receipt of an application in the prescribed form available in the Notice Office.
17.10 Computer, Handheld and Internet
17.10.1 A Committee on Provision of Computer Equipment to Members of Rajya Sabha functions under the Chairmanship of Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, to decide on the areas and activities to be computerized for the benefit of the Members; to formulate norms for providing computer hardware and software to Members; and lay down guidelines in relation to computerization and information technology.
17.10.2 The facility of Computer equipment is made available to Members, to assist them in discharging their functions/duties effectively, through a Scheme of Financial Entitlement whereby each Member who is elected/ nominated to Rajya Sabha after the 1st April, 2008 is entitled to purchase computer equipment and software worth Rs. 1,50,000 during his whole term. However, in case the term of a Member, who has been elected/nominated on a casual vacancy, is for three years or less, his entitlement shall be Rs. 1,00,000/-. This Scheme is also applicable to Members who have already been supplied computer equipment by the Secretariat. However, their entitlement is calculated @ Rs. 25,000/- per year for the period of term left, minus the depreciated cost towards the computer equipment supplied; the depreciation shall be calculated @30% per annum on the written down value. Such Members cannot avail of the benefit of the scheme, if they are left with a term of one year or less.
17.10.3 The computer equipment that can be purchased by a Member under this Scheme is as follows:
(i) Desktop computer
(ii) Laptop Computer
(iii) Pen drive
(iv) Printer (DeskJet/ LaserJet/Multi-function/portable)
(v) UPS (with desktop only)
(vi) Handheld communicator/computer
(vii) Data internet cards
(viii) MS Office suite
17.10.4 A Member can avail of the Scheme by adopting one of the following two procedures:
(a) He/she may purchase the computer equipment from an authorized vendor and pass on the proof of payment to the IT Section for reimbursement. On certification by the IT Section, the MS&A Section shall make the reimbursement to the Member; or
(b) He/she may purchase the computer equipment from an authorized vendor on credit and pass on the bill to the IT Section for payment. On certification by the IT Section, the MS&A Section shall make the payment directly to the vendor.
17.10.5 Member may contact IT Section (Room No. 213, PHA, Tel.23034246) for details and assistance relating to the said Scheme.
17.10.6 Training programmes are organized from time to time to assist and familiarize the Members with the operational techniques of computers and with various softwares.
17.10.7 Internet and e-mail facilities are also provided to the Members by National Informatics Center (NIC) free of charge. For availing these facilities, a form which is available both with the IT Section and Notice Office is required to be filled by the Member mentioning the place where facilities are required. The forms for availing Internet and e-mail facility can also be downloaded from the Rajya Sabha Website (http://rajyasabha.nic.in).
17.10.8 The Rajya Sabha Website (http://rajyasabha.nic.in), is bilingual, and contains a wealth of information on the business listed and transacted in the House; it comprises List of Business, Debates held in the House, Parliament Questions and their Answers, Assurances, status of various Legislations, information relating to various Committees of the House, Who’s Who (Rajya Sabha), Members’ local, permanent and e-mail addresses, Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha, etc. Live proceedings of Rajya Sabha can be viewed during Session periods on the Rajya Sabha website. In addition to this, information regarding Rajya Sabha Secretariat is also available on this site. Additionally, links have been provided through the site of Parliament of India and the Central and State Governments (http://parliamentofindia.nic.in). Several search engines have also been embedded in the Rajya Sabha Website.
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