Winter session of Parliament to begin today; Farm Laws Repeal, other key bills on agenda

Winter session of the Parliament is all set to begin today. The winter session is expected to conclude on December 23. Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Rajya Sabha is slated to be held at 10 am today. Lok Sabha's Business Advisory Committee (BAC) is scheduled to meet at 10:30 am today.

This will be a busy session as 26 bills are on the legislators' agenda. Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021 will be taken up on priority. The bill aims to repeal the three farm laws -- Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Farmers have been agitating against these laws on Delhi’s borders since November 2020.

Government’s agenda includes the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021. This bill “seeks to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India, however, it allows for certain exceptions to promote the underlying technology and its uses.” It will also allow a facilitative framework for “creation of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India.”

Meanwhile, the Congress has issued a whip to its MPs to be present in both the Houses on November 29 while the BJP has asked all its Rajya Sabha MPs to be present in the House on November 29. Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge has also called on a meeting of all Opposition parties to create consensus over the issues to be raised in the Parliament. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will not attend this meeting, news agency ANI reported.

KEY BILLS FOR WINTER SESSION OF PARLIAMENT

1. Farm Laws Repeal Bill, 2021
2. Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021
3. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy (Second Amendment) Bill
4. Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill
5. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (Amendment) Bill
6. Metro Rail (Construction, Operation and Maintenance) Bill
7. The Chartered Accountants, Cost and Works Accountants and the Company Secretaries (Amendment) Bill
8. Electricity (Amendment) Bill
9. The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2021
10. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021
11. The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019
12. The High Court and Supreme Court (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill
13. Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill
14. The Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill, 2020
15. Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill
16. Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill
17. Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill
18. Narcotics Drug and Psychotic Substances Bill
19. The Cantonment Bill, 2021
20. Personal Data Protection Bill
21.National Anti-Doping and Mediation Bill
22. National Transport University Bill
23. Indian Antarctica Bill
24. Indian Maritime Fisheries Bill
25. National Dental Commission Bill
26. National Midwifery Commission Bill

(With agency inputs)

Also read: Facebook executives likely to depose before parliamentary panel on Monday

Also read: Winter Session of Parliament to begin on Monday