Left forces govt to let pension edict die

BJP criticises govt for casual approach

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Ordinance is likely to be allowed to lapse, with the PFRDA Bill, introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, is set to be referred to a standing committee.

According to government sources, the government appears to have no stomach left to take on the Left so soon after the intense bargaining over the Patents Bill.

The Patents Bill and the PFRDA Bill were introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday, and while the PFRDA was listed in legislative business till yesterday, Lok Sabha members were surprised to see no mention of it today, a day before Parliament goes into recess.

In fact, the government had yesterday itself hinted that after the rough passage of the Petents Bill the PFRDA Bill was to be referred to a standing committee.

When the PFRDA Bill was introduced, the Left leaders had threatened to vote against it.

"The Left leaders made it clear that although the Patents Bill is part of an international commitment there is no such compulsion to clear the PFRDA Bill," said a senior minister.

The minister also pointed out that a pension regulator had already been constituted through an executive order and was functioning since January 1, 2004. "This would have only accorded it statutory powers," the minister said.

Tomorrow is the last day for the government to try to get the Bill cleared before Parliament goes into a recess. "There is little scope that it will be cleared tomorrow, considering the Left's attitude," said the minister.

In fact, when the PFRDA Bill "went missing" from the day's business, Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) raised the matter during zero hour. "Where is the PFRDA Bill? It was listed for business yesterday. Is it being referred to standing committee?" he asked. Outside Parliament, he said the Left would consign the Bill, "to the dustbin".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) while opposing the Patents Bill had come out openly in support of the PFRDA Bill.

The party appeared disappointed that the government had decided to let the Ordinance lapse. "This is typical of this government, to bring out Ordinances where the urgency for it does not exist and then back out at the last minute due to internal pressure," said BJP parliamentary party spokesperson VK Malhotra.

"Out of the three Ordinances created by the government, the Patents, the PFRDA and the Ordinance to charge tax from ITC on a retrospective basis, the government has managed to pass only the Patents Bill," he said.

"This reflects the government's inaction. This shows how casually the government is taking such matters", he said.

Referring to the passage of the Patent Bill, he said, "it showed how the Left was contented with the small mercies it got from the government".

"If they are invited for a breakfast or meeting once in a month and if some ordinance like the one on pension is promulgated, they sacrifice their concerns. There are 30-40 grey areas about which they are silent. They are celebrating false victory and betraying people and workers," he said.

The inability of the government to convert these Ordinances into Bills is sure to be a big embarrassment to the government.