Legislation on pvt detectives cleared

NEW DELHI: The government has approved enactment of a new law to regulate private detectives, cleared ITDC's plan to set up a joint venture with Spanish Aldeasa company for the duty-free business, establish an Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), and enhance powers of certain public sector companies.

Decisions to this effect were approved at a meeting of the Union Cabient here on Thursday. The Cabinet also approved enactment of a new law on collectin of statistics, Information and Broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi said after the cabinet meeting.

Briefing mediapersons here, the minister said two new bills would be introduced in Parliament during the current session. While the Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill of 2007 seeks to regulate the business of private detectives, the Collection of Statistics Bill of 2007 seeks to enable better management of data.

The Cabinet has also approved repeal of the Collection of Statistics Act, 1953. The new law is also expected to improve data collection so that planning and policy formulation could be improved. Mr Dasmunsi said the cabinet approved a proposal to pursue the Warehousing (Development and Regulation) Bill of 2005 which was pending in the Lok Sabha and to move certain amendments to the Bill based on the recommendations of the department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee.

Mr Dasmunsi said an Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) would be set up within two years in Thiruvananthapuram with an initial investment of Rs 270 crore.