LAAR, MMDR, among other key issues to be discussed in post-budget session

The Dollar Business Bureau Financial issues pertaining to Railway and General Budgets for 2015-16, Consideration and Passing of the Bills to replace the Ordinances will be the main focus issues that are expected to be discussed in the post-Budget session on March 9, 2015. Besides a general discussion and voting on Railway and General Budgets, the session is also expected to witness discussions on Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement(LAAR) Amendment Bill, demands for grants on account for the next fiscal and excess grants for 2012-13, among others. Two Bills for replacement of Ordinances like the Mines and Minerals Development & Regulation (MMDR) Amendment Bill, 2015 and Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill, 2015, both as passed by Lok Sabha have been listed for consideration and passing on Monday session. Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill is one of the three bills pending in Rajya Sabha, for the withdrawal of which the government has moved Motions. The other two key bills are related to hiking of FDI limit in insurance sector and allocation of coal blocks through open bidding.  During the first weeks of the current Budget session of the Parliament, Lok Sabha has passed five bills seeking the replacement of five respective Ordinances which include allocation of coal blocks through open bidding, hiking of FDI limit in insurance sector and allocation of non-coal mineral resources through auction. Meanwhile the government wants the Bills replacing the six Ordinances to be passed by both the Houses before March 20, 2015, post which the Parliament has been planned to be adjourned, for allowing the Parliamentary Standing Committees scrutinize the Demands for Grants of various ministries and by the time the Parliament reconvenes on April 20, 2015, the Bills period will remain lapse, as their period lasts till April 5, 2015. Here it is important to note that the Prime Minister on Thursday had said that the amendment of the existing Land Acquisition Act is essential to enable creation of rural infrastructure including roads, houses for poor, schools, hospitals and irrigation projects. In the light of this background, the upcoming session on Monday that is expected to have eight hours exclusively for LARR in the Lok Sabha holds key importance and the House is also expected to take up discussion on the agricultural situation of the country.

This article was published on March 07, 2015.