Bill to provide immunity to carriers soon

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to introduce a bill to amend a law to provide immunity to carriers to disembark passengers without valid entry documents in the country due to unforeseen circumstances.

The proposed amendment to the Immigration (Carriers'' Liability) Act 2000 would confer powers on the Central government to exempt certain class of persons from the application of the Act, Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

A Bill to insert a new clause in the Act would be introduced in Parliament, he said adding a proposal from the Home Ministry in this regard was approved by the Cabinet.

The Bill would enable the government in specified cases to exempt any carrier or clause of carriers from the operations of all or certain provisions of the Act, without prejudice to the provisions of the Passport (Entry into India) Act 1920.

The Cabinet also approved an agreement between Indian Space Research Organisation and Agenzia Spaziale Italiana of Italy on cooperation in space science, technology and applications, initialed in February this year.

The agreement identifies three main areas for joint programmes -- earth observation, space science and aeronautics.

The Cabinet also approved signing of another agreement with Croatia in the field of health and medicine for a period of five years. The agreement would enhance cooperation in the fields of family planning, communicable diseases, medicine research and hospitable management.