The government has decided to go into overdrive in pushing critical pieces of legislation and the clearance of important policy measures in the next two months. It wants to counter the perception of a policy paralysis and prepare itself for the next round of Assembly polls.
The message emanating from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is loud and clear on this count, according to senior officials in the know. A cabinet minister confirmed the development to Business Standard.
“We have little time left. The Winter session of Parliament is the only window open. The Budget session will be devoted to financial business. From the Monsoon session (2012) onwards, the government will go into election mode. A lot hinges on the Winter session,” said the minister.
The measures on the legislative front include electoral reforms to bring changes in the law to ensure the right to reject (the right to recall, as demanded by some NGOs, is not feasible legally). An initiative to counter black money through the legislative process was on the cards, said the minister but declined to give details. The creation of a separate body for public grievance redressal with statutory backing has already been announced by the government.
On the economic legislation front, the Companies Bill and the Stamp Act will be introduced in the Winter session.
Finding ways for liberalisation of FDI in the retail sector is likely by the end of the year. Officials said the benefits of the move (cheaper products, especially fruits and vegetables) would outweigh the downside: anger among the trading communities.
The ministries have been told to showcase their achievements in governance and reforms to counter the apprehensions raised by corporate personalities, including Wipro chief Azim Premji.
For instance, while the health ministry will highlight its efforts in cleaning up the Medical Council of India, the ministry of human resource development would focus on cleaning up the administration of privately run colleges.