Coal, mines bill may clear RS hurdle

Two reforms legislations to introduce auction for allocation of minerals may clear the Rajya Sabha hurdle with majority in the two Select Committees that went into the Bills making no changes in them though some members have dissented.
"The Committee recommends enactment of the legislation without any modification," said the 19-member Select Committee to examine the Coal Mines (Special Provision) Bill, 2015, headed by Anil Madhav Dave (BJP) in its report tabled in Rajya Sabha today.
Similarly, the Committee on Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 also recommended no change in any of the clauses.
The two Bills, which have already been cleared by the Lok Sabha, are awaiting assent from the Upper House where the BJP-led NDA does not have adequate numbers.

But the fact that only some members of the Opposition including Congress, CPI-M and DMK have given dissent notes is perhaps an indication that other opposition parties including TMC, SP, BJD, AIADMK and BSP may not be strongly opposed to it unlike the Land Bill which many of them are dead set against.
Observers see the possibility of the two bills being passed by Rajya Sabha before Parliament breaks for recess on March 20. However, protectively the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs (CCPA) today decided to have two extra sittings on March 23 and 24, if necessary, for considering the the bills come back from Rajya Sabha with amendments.

The two bills seek to replace the Ordinances promulgated in December which would lapse if not enacted before April 5.