Finance Minister P. Chidambaram today said that he has discussed five key economic reforms legislations with BJP leaders and expects them to be passed by Parliament in the current session.
“I have discussed all five economic reforms bills with the two leaders of Opposition (Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley).
They understand there is an urgent need. I have offered to meet them again. I sincerely hope that the principal Opposition party would cooperate,” he told reporters here.
“I hope all of them (economic reforms bills) will be passed,” he said, adding, that whosoever is in the government has to get these legislations enacted.
The key economic reforms bills which are pending before Parliament include Banking Laws Amendment Bill, Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, Micro Finance Institutions (Development and Regulation) Bill, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill.
Two bills — Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill, 2011, and Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2011 — have already been passed in the Lok Sabha this session.
“I have got two passed in the Lok Sabha. One has gone to the Rajya Sabha. There are three more,” Chidambaram said.
The discussion on Banking Reforms Bill could not be taken up in the Lok Sabha following protest by the Opposition which wanted the bill to be referred back to the Standing Committee saying a significant clause has been added to it.
The Minister ruled out the possibility of referring it to the Standing Committee on Finance again saying, “No. There is only one clause. I have used Rule 80.’’