By IANS,
New Delhi: The Communal Violence Bill, Women’s Reservation Bill, Seeds Bill and Insurance Laws amendment bill were among the significant legislations likely to be taken up by parliament in the ongoing budget session, an independent parliamentary research organisation said Tuesday.
An official of PRS Legislative Research, which works to strengthen the legislative process and tracks functioning of parliament, said that the four bills were among the legislations held up in the past due to lack of political consensus.
Giving a background briefing at the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) on the budget session, the research section’s chief M.R. Madhvan said the Insurance Laws and Life Insurance Corporation (amendment) bills proposed an increase in foreign holding in insurance companies to 49 per cent. He said another significant aspect of the legislations, which has “not been much debated”, was to reduce the government guarantee on LIC policies.
Madhvan said that the Left parties were opposed to increasing FDI limit in the insurance companies.
Referring to the Seeds Bill, 2004, he said it regulates manufacture, distribution and sale of seeds.
Madhvan said that most of the seeds in the country were sold through intra-farmer sale. “The main issue is inter-farmer sale of seeds requiring the same level of quality control as commercial seeds.”
He said there was opposition to certain provisions of Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005 as it involved law and order which is a state subject.
Referring to the Women’s Reservation Bill, 2008, which seeks to reserve one third of the seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women, he said some parties wanted a sub-quota for other backward classes.
Madhvan said the Green Tribunal Bill and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Bill were also among the “likely bills for consideration (of parliament).”
Making a presentation about budget documents, he said they provide expenditure information under broad heads as also separately for each ministry.