PM, Chidambaram seek extended session to pass key bills

With the critical Pensions and Insurance Bills, seeking to liberalise foreign investment in these key sectors, expected to come up for discussion in Parliament today, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and finance minister P Chidambraram are reportedly pressing for an extension of the ongoing monsoon session till 6 September so that the bills can be passed.

According to a CNN-IBN report citing unnamed sources, both the Prime Minister and the finance minister have been pushing for the two economic reform bills. Chidamabaram is said to have opined that if the Pensions Bill is not passed, the corporate sector and global investors will conclude that the government as not doing enough to stem the current economic rot.

Other bills that are likely to come up for discussion over the next couple of days are an amendment to the Right to Information Act, a bill seeking to allow jailed politicians to contest elections, and the Manual Scavengers and Street Vendors Bill.

The Food Security Bill that was passed in the Lok Sabha last week is also slated for discussion in the Rajya Sabha on Monday.