The central government on Tuesday introduced the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill-2016 in the Lok Sabha, despite objections from opposition parties.
The bill is aimed at improving road safety in the country and proposes to increase penalties against traffic violations as a deterrent measure.
Soon after Lok Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to introduce the bill, the opposition members from Congress and Trinamool Congress objected, saying it has not been circulated to members.
They demanded that the bill be sent to a parliamentary standing committee for wider consultation.
Gadkari, however, told the agitating members that the bill needs to passed at the earliest as it is related to road accidents.
"The bill is very important as several people are losing their lives due to road accidents every day. It has been brought after wide consultations with state Transport Ministers," he said.
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The Speaker told members that the bill is merely being introduced and when discussions are held they can raise their concerns.
After Mahajan's intervention, Gadkari introduced the bill.
The union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its nod to the bill on August 3.
Every year 5 lakh road accidents are reported in the country in which 1.5 lakh people lose their lives.
Government has said it is committed to reduce the accidents and fatalities by 50 per cent in five years.
To address the issue of road safety, a draft Road Transport and Safety bill was prepared soon after the NDA government came to power.
In the present Motor Vehicle Act, there are 223 Sections out of which the bill aims to amend 68 sections.
--IANS
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