Talking to opposition for bills passage in Rajya Sabha: Naqvi

The government is talking to the opposition for a smooth passage of crucial bills in the Rajya Sabha where it is short of the required numbers, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said here on Sunday.

"We are talking to opposition parties for the passage of several bills. These bills are for larger national interest," Naqvi told IANS.

"These bills will bring transparency and stop loot of public money. For example, the coal bill. So we are confident that we will convince the opposition," he added.

The minister's comments came as two bills seeking to replace ordinances -- The Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2015 and Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2015 (both passed by the Lok Sabha) -- have been listed for consideration and passing on Monday in the Rajya Sabha.

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2014 is one of the three Bills already pending in the Rajya Sabha, for the withdrawal of which the government had moved motions which were deferred following the opposition's protest.

The other two pending bills relate to hiking the FDI limit in the insurance sector and allocation of coal blocks through open bidding.

Naqvi, however, said the new bills are different from old ones and the government had the right to bring them for passage in the upper house.

"The bills that the Lok Sabha has passed are new ones. The government is constitutionally right in bringing these bills," he said.

During the first two weeks of the current Budget session of parliament, the Lok Sabha has passed five bills seeking to replace five ordinances, respectively relating to amending the Citizenship Act, introduction of e-rickshaws, allocation of coal mines through open bidding, hiking FDI in insurance sector and allocation of non-coal mineral resources through auction.

The Rajya Sabha has passed three bills including the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill replacing the related ordinance, The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Orders (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Persons) Amendment Bill, 2014, earlier passed by the Lok Sabha.