Monsoon Session: Discussion on Covid management, price rise likely

The government may consider a discussions on the country's Covid management and price rise in the upcoming Monsoon Session to ensure smooth functioning of both Houses of parliament, sources said in New Delhi on Friday.

Opposition is expected to raise these issues in the session beginning July 19. It will be the first session of parliament after the outbreak of the devastating second wave of Covid.

The government has started doing its homework to prepare the ground for smooth functioning of the Houses with newly appointed Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal meeting several prominent Opposition leaders including former prime minister and Congress veteran Manmohan Singh and Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar.

Sources said it has also been suggested that the ministers of state, especially the newly-appointed ones, spend more time in Rajya Sabha to get equipped with parliamentary procedures, rules and presentation of speeches.

They can go to Lok Sabha when there is any roster duty or their respective legislative business is listed, they said.

Talking about the legislative business for the session, the sources said, around 17 new bills are listed, while four are pending in Lok Sabha and three in Rajya Sabha.

Three of the bills seek to replace corresponding ordinances issued recently.

An ordinance has to be laid before both Houses of parliament and shall cease to operate at the expiration of six weeks or 42 days from the reassembly of Parliament.

One of the ordinances was issued on June 30 prohibiting any agitation and strike by anyone engaged in the essential defence services.

The Essential Defence Services Ordinance 2021 came in the backdrop of the announcement by major federations of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to go on indefinite strike from the later part of July to protest the government's decision to corporatise the OFB.

The Essential Defence Service Bill, 2021 has been listed to replace the ordinance, according to a Lok Sabha bulletin issued on July 12.

The Commission for Air Quality Management in National Capital Region and Adjoining Areas Bill, 2021 is another bill that seeks to replace an ordinance.

According to the government, the ordinance was brought to provide a permanent solution and establish a self-regulated, democratically monitored mechanism for tackling air pollution in the NCR and adjoining areas, rather than limited ad hoc measures.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2021 also seeks to replace an ordinance issued recently.

The proposed bill seeks to provide speedier, cost-effective, semi-formal and less disruptive framework for insolvency resolution of corporate debtors in distress.