'Public representatives should clear any misconceptions about vaccine'

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday emphasised that public representatives should make persistent efforts to clear any misconceptions or confusions that the people may have about the vaccine.

Birla was addressing a virtual meeting of All India Presiding Officers Conference and discussed the working of state legislatures with their Presiding Officers.

Speaking in the meeting, the Lok Sabha Speaker said that the central government has started free vaccination programmes across the nation for all persons above the age of 18 years, beginning with International Yoga Day on June 21.

He urged the Presiding Officers to sensitize the Members of all the democratic institutions in their states like the Vidhan Sabha, Vidhan Parishad, Panchayat, Municipality to conduct public awareness campaigns about Covid so that citizens can be protected against the pandemic.

He also apprised the Presiding Officers of the initiatives taken by the coaching institutes in Kota under which free coaching has been arranged for the children who lost their parents during Covid-19.

In the meeting Lok Sabha Speaker stressed that public representatives should make persistent efforts to clear any misconceptions or confusions that the public may have about the vaccine.

Birla, who has completed two years in the office of Lok Sabha Speaker, said that it has been his endeavour to enable Members to participate in House proceedings more effectively and to improve the quality of discussions in the House.

"In the first two years of the 17th Lok Sabha, the productivity of the House has been more than 122 per cent. Changes have been made in rules with respect to matters under Rule 377, due to which the Members now get answers to more than 90 per cent of matters raised," the Lok Sabha Speaker said.

He added that conducting parliamentary sessions has been a major challenge during the time of the Covid.

The fourth and fifth sessions of the 17th Lok Sabha were held amid the pandemic.

He pointed out that with the cooperation and commitment of the Members, the productivity of the House stood at 167 per cent and 114 per cent in these sessions too.

Birla expressed satisfaction that a lot of progress has been made in the Parliament towards adopting digital media.

"It is a matter of satisfaction that live proceedings in the Legislative Assemblies and Legislative Councils of all the States are now being telecast through social media and other digital means," he said.

About 31 Presiding Officers of state legislatures participated in this virtual meeting, who discussed several matters, including legislative response to tackle the Covid.