LS took just 13 minutes to pass 3 bills

NEW DELHI: Amid opposition uproar over price rise, Lok Sabha passed three bills within just 15 minutes by voice vote. While opposition parties shouted anti-government slogans, the treasury benches shouted “ayes” to legislations on further extending protection given to unauthorised construction in Delhi, renaming the NREGA scheme after Mahatma Gandhi and amending the Payment of Gratuity Act for covering teachers in private institutions.

When the House, which was adjourned twice during question hour over the price rise issue, met at noon, the furore continued, but Speaker Meira Kumar took up the legislations and put them to vote. After their passage, she adjourned the House for the day.

The Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second Bill, 2009, seeks to provide protection to encroachment or unauthorised development in the form of encroachment by slum dwellers and ‘jhuggi-jhopri’ clusters, hawkers and urban street vendors, unauthorised colonies, village area and its extension. It extends relief from sealing and demolition of unauthorised colonies in Delhi till December 2010. The previous bill was enacted in March 2009 and gave protection to encroachment or unauthorised development in various categories till December 2009.

The Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2007, entitles teachers for gratuity benefits under the Act, which is a central statute. It seeks to amend the definition of “employee” under the existing Act to bring ‘teachers’ under the coverage of that definition. NREG (Amendment) Bill seeks to rename the scheme after Mahatma Gandhi.