Government is likely to seek passage of four bills related to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in Lok Sabha on July 31, sources informed.
The bills namely the J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill 2023, The Constitution (J&K) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill 2023, The Constitution (J&K) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the J&K Reservation (Amendment) Bill 2023.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to insert new sections 15A and 15B in the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, so as to nominate not more than two members, one of whom shall be a woman, from the community of “Kashmiri Migrants” and one member from “Displaced Persons from Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir”, to the legislative assembly of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
It also seeks to amend sub-sections (3) and (10) of section 14 of the original Act which are of consequential in view of completion of delimitation process in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Castes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 proposes to amend the Schedule of the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir)
Scheduled Castes Order, 1956 for inclusion of Valmiki (in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir only) in entry 5.
The Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023 proposes to amend the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled
Tribes Order, 1989, to include the communities of “Gadda Brahmin”, “Koli”, “Paddari Tribe” and “Pahari Ethnic Group” in the list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2023 aims to amend section 2 of the Reservation Act, so as to change the nomenclature of “weak and under privileged classes (social castes)” occurring in sub-clause (iii) of clause (o), to “other backward classes” and to make consequential amendment in clause (q), of section 2 of the said Act.
The above amendments have been proposed on the recommendations of the Jammu and Kashmir Socially and Educationally Backward Classes Commission (SEBCC), so as to remove the confusion amongst the general public as well as the competent authorities issuing certificates to eligible persons due to difference in such nomenclature. The proposed amendment will also enable implementation of the Constitution (One Hundred and Fifth Amendment) Act, 2021, in letter and spirit.
Meanwhile, the sources also informed that the government is also likely to seek passage of Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 which aims to allow auction of minerals mined in the sea bed, on the same day.
The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2023 seeks to provide for grant of production lease to private sector only through auction by competitive bidding.
It also seeks to provide for grant of operating rights without competitive bidding to a government or a government company or a corporation in the mineral bearing areas reserved by the central government.
The bill plans to introduce a composite license, which would be a two stage operating right granted for the purpose of undertaking exploration followed by production operation. This license shall also be granted only through auction by competitive bidding to the private sector
However, according to the provisions of the bill, in case of atomic minerals, grant of exploration license or production lease shall be made only to a government or a government company or a corporation.
The proposed legislation also seeks to remove the provision for renewal of production lease and provide a fixed period of 50 years for production lease, which is similar to the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
It also seeks to limit the area, a person can acquire in respect of any mineral or a group of associated minerals, as may be specified by rules.
The bill also aims to set up an offshore areas mineral trust, to maintain a non-lapsable fund under the public account of India to ensure availability of funds for exploration, mitigation of adverse impact of offshore mining, disaster relief, research and other related activities.
The proposed legislation also aims to raise the amount of fine for illegal mining and other offences.
Despite objections from the Congress-led opposition, the government has got a slew of bills passed in Lok Sabha this week.
On Friday, it got three bills cleared in half an hour, even as the opposition said that when the no-confidence motion against the government has been admitted in the House, business related to policy matters cannot be undertaken.
The opposition termed the passage of bills today as “illegal” and “a fraud on the Constitution.”
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