Giving in to a combative Opposition, the government agreed in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday to refer two crucial bills — the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015, and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2015 — to select committees of Parliament. The Ordinances, which these Bills will replace, will lapse by April 5.
The government’s decision is being perceived as an attempt to broker peace with the Opposition parties, ahead of the tabling of the important land Bill. So far, the government has been able to get the Opposition to give its consent only to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2011, and the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
After Tuesday’s ruckus, an outnumbered government had agreed to a united Opposition demand to send the Mines Bill to a select committee, perhaps hoping it will pave the way for the smooth passage of the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2015 — that is likely to be moved in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday — and subsequently the land Bill.
On Wednesday, soon after the Opposition agreed to allow the passage of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015 by a voice vote, deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha P.J. Kurien announced that the House had agreed to send the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015, and the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Bill, 2015, to separate select committees.
The government failed in its efforts to convince the Opposition to pass these Bills. The argument that a delay would result in lakhs of workers being rendered jobless from April 1 did not cut ice with the Opposition.
The select committees have been asked to submit their reports by March 18, two days before Parliament goes into a month-long recess. “Once the reports come, they will have to be tabled in both Houses. There are two working days to do that and, if the need arises, the recess can be deferred,” said a government functionary.
The select committee to look into the Mines Bill will be chaired by Bhupender Yadav of the BJP and will have 18 other members from various parties.
The committee to look into the Coal Bill will be headed by Anil Madhav Dave of the BJP. It too will have 18 other members from various parties.
