Winter session of Parliament to conclude today

The winter session of the Parliament is set to conclude on Tuesday, with several important bills, including the Insurance Bill and the Coal Bill yet to be passed.

During the winter session, the Lok Sabha passed 18 bills, whereas the Rajya Sabha passed 11 bills.

The Insurance Bill, which proposes the increase of foreign direct investment (FDI) cap from 26 percent to 49 percent in the insurance sector, could not be taken up in the Rajya Sabha due to frequent disruptions in the Parliament proceedings.

The Coal Bill, which will pave the way for the auctioning of mines de-allocated by the Supreme Court, also remains pending in the House.

The proceedings of the House have been stalled by the opposition this past week, who demand Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make a statement on the issue of religious conversions.

The Constitution Amendment Bill on Goods and Services Tax (GST), which is termed the single biggest indirect tax reforms since independence, was introduced in the Lok Sabha and reportedly will be considered for passing in the Budget session.