February 20, 2002

    Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Communications and Information Technology, Shri Pramod Mahajan today convened a meeting with Secretaries and senior officials of various Government Departments to discuss and identify the Government business during the Budget Session of Parliament which is commencing on 25^th February, 2002 and will conclude on 17^th May 2002. During this period, the two Houses will adjourn for a short recess of 23 days on Friday, the 22^nd March, 2002 to reassemble on Monday, the 15^th April, 2002 to enable the Department related Parliamentary Standing Committees to examine the Demands for Grants of various Ministries/Departments. The Session will provide 41 sittings spread over a period of 82 days. There will be 18 sittings during the first part of the Session and 23 sittings during the second part of the Session.

    The meeting identified legislative Bills which will be given top priority during the forthcoming session. Prime importance will be given to the Union General Budget and Railway Budget. Discussion and voting on Demand for Grants on Account (General) for 2002-03, Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) for 2001-02(3^rd Batch), Demands for Excess Grants (General) for 1998-99 and Demands for Grants (General) for 2002-03 will be taken up during the session. Financial business will also include Demands for Grants on Account (Railways) for 2002-03, Supplementary Demands for Grants (Railways) for 2001-02, Demands for Grants (Railways) for 2002-03 and Excess Demands for Grants (Railways).

    The meeting also identified important bills which will be accorded priority during the session for being passed. The Bills are as follows:- The National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 1995, The Patents (Second Amendment) Bill, 1999, The Haj Committee Bill, 2000, The Passports (Amendment) Bill, 2001 (to replace Ordinance), The Finance Bill, 2002, The Constitution (Scheduled Castes& Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Prevention of Money Laundering Bill, 1999, The Central Excise Tariff (Amendment) Bill, 2002( to replace Ordinance), The Repatriation of Prisoners Bill, 2002, The Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2002(to replace Ordinance), The Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2001(to replace Ordinance), The Constitution (93^rd Amendment) Bill, 2001, The Companies (Second Amendment) Bill, 2001, The Companies (Amendment) Bill, 2001, The Constitution (85^th Amendment) Bill, 1999, The Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill, 2000, The Central Vigilance Commission Bill, 1999 (as reported by Joint Committee), The Freedom of Information Bill, 2000, The Lok Pal Bill, 2001, The Administrative Tribunals (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Petroleum (Berar Extension) Repeal Bill, 2002, The Jute Manufacturers Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2001, The Aircraft (Exemption from Taxes and Duties on fuel and lubricants) Bill, 2000, The Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation Amendment) Bill, 2001, The Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2001, The Sugar Development Fund (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Indian Medicine Central Council (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Protection from Domestic Violence Bill, 2002, The Salaries and Allowances of Officers of Parliament and Leaders of Opposition in Parliament (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Vice-President Pension (Amendment) Bill, 2002 and the Indian Succession (Amendment) Bill, 2001.

    The Meeting also identified the list of Bills likely to be introduced during the Session. The Bills are: The Indian Post Office (Amendment) Bill, 1986 (to be withdrawn and a fresh Bill to be introduced), The Petroleum Regulatory Board Bill, 2002, The Processed Food Development Bill, 2002, The Pre-natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Bill, 2002, The Industrial Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Election and other related Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Bill, 2002, The Admirality Bill, 2002, The Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2002 and The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2002.