Ahead of monsoon session VP Venkaiah Naidu undergoes COVID test, all MPs to test

Delhi: Ahead of the Parliament’s monsoon session, Chairman, Rajya Sabha Venkaiah Naidu has undergone COVID-19 test on Friday.

For precautionary measures all the MPs have been asked to get their COVID test done within 72 hours before the commencement of the Session at any hospital/laboratory authorized by the Government or at Parliament House Complex.

An advisory has been issued to all the members that the COVID negative report is a must for every Member to take part in the proceedings of the House. The members have also been requested to ensure that their test report is sent in advance to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat via a designated e-mail so as to avoid any inconvenience at the time of their entry into the Parliament House during the Session.

Also Read: Nagaland, Sikkim, Assam and Mizoram figure among top states in Startup India Rankings

Likewise, an RT-PCR test for the employees of Parliament Secretariats and other agencies deployed in Parliament House Complex has been made mandatory. Arrangements have been put in place from Friday to conduct Rapid Antigen Test for the personal staff and drivers of MPs at the Reception Office, Parliament House.

To be extra cautious the Chairman has asked all the members to make full use of the e-Notice facility and serve notices in electronic mode, instead of physically giving them. The various Parliamentary papers including List of Business, Bulletins, Bills/ and ordinances will be sent to members only through electronic mechanism. Members can access their portal accounts. Accordingly, the circulation of hard copies of these papers is being discontinued. The Chairman has added that the members can bring their e-Reader devices to the House to refer to the Parliamentary papers or carry print-outs of the same for their use.

Also Read: Arunachal CM treks for 11 hours at 14,500 ft height through mountains to meet villagers

DRDO will also provide multi utility Covid kits to all MPs. Each kit will contain disposable Three ply masks (40), N-95 masks without wall (5), 20 bottles of sanitizers of 50 ml each, Face shields made of polypropelene (5), gloves (40), touch free hook (to open and close doors without touching them) , Sea Buck Thorn tea bags which enhance immunity and herbal sanitation wipes (variant of tissue papers).

Seeking the cooperation of the members, the Chairman has urged them to strictly observe all the health protocols relating to COVID-19 as specified by different agencies.