Shimla, Sept. 2 -- The Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Assembly, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, on Tuesday said the just-concluded monsoon session was the longest in several years and recorded a productivity rate of 98 per cent higher than many other state assemblies and even the Lok Sabha.

Speaking to reporters on the final day of the 12-day sitting, Pathania said the session had 60 hours of allotted time, of which the House utilised 59 hours. "The Himachal Pradesh Assembly is known for the depth and seriousness of its debates. This monsoon session again proved that both the ruling and opposition benches engaged constructively," he said.

The Speaker said 690 questions, both starred and unstarred, were answered during the session. Under various ru...