PRESS RELEASE

The Winter Session, 2005 of Parliament (Sixth Session of Fourteenth Lok Sabha and the 206^th Session of the Rajya Sabha) is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, the 23^rd of November, 2005 and subject to exigencies of Government Business, the Session will conclude on Friday, the 23^rd December, 2005. The Session will provide a total of 23 sittings spread over a period of 31 days.

2. The Session will mainly be devoted to essential Government legislative and other business, including financial business relating to Railway and General Budgets for 2005-2006.

3. The Hon’ble Minister of Parliamentary Affairs held a meeting on Monday, the 14^th November, 2005 with the Secretaries/Senior Officers of the various Ministries/Departments to finalise the Government Legislative and other Business for the Winter Session, 2005. During the meeting, various items of legislative, financial and other business were identified for being taken up during the Session. Some important items are indicated below:-

A. Legislative Business

Ministry	S.No.	Title of the Bill	Purport
Home Affairs	1.	The Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2005.	To withdraw the restriction to use National Flag on costumes, dress material etc. with certain safeguards.

Home Affairs	2.	The State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Bill, 2004	To prohibit improper use of the State Emblem of India.
	3.	The Disaster Management Bill, 2005	To provide for the effective management of disasters and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
	4.	The Communal Violence (Prevention, Control & Rehabilitation of Victims) Bill, 2005	To enact a model comprehensive law to contain communal violence in the country and instill a sense of safety and security in the minds of minority communities.
Small Scale Industry	5.	The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Bill, 2005	To provide for facilitating the promotion and, development and enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Personnel P.G & Pensions

The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes (Reservation in Posts and Services) Bill, 2004

To provide reservation of posts in civil services for members of the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and the Other Backward Classes in Establishment and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Agriculture

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2005

Bills seeks to:

(i) minimize the Government control over and interference in the working of cooperative societies so as to give them a genuine democratic and autonomous character;

(ii) ensure timely conduct of elections, General body meetings and audit of cooperative societies; and

(iii)professionalise the management of these institutions.

Human Resource Development	8.	The Commissions for the Protection of Child Rights Bill, 2005	To set up a National Commission for Protection of Child Rights at National level and to set up State Commission at State level.
Human Resource Development	9.	The Manipur University Bill, 2005 (Ordinance)	To establish and incorporate a teaching and affiliating University in the State of Manipur and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. To establish and incorporate a teaching and affiliating University in the State of Manipur and to provide for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.
Petroleum & Natural Gas	10.	The Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board Bill, 2005	To set up a Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board to oversee and regulate the downstream petroleum sector subsequent to dismantling of Administered Price Mechanism w.e.f. 1.4.2002.
Tribal Affairs	11.	The Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Forest Rights) Bill, 2005	To redress the historical injustice by recognizing and vesting the forest rights and occupation in forest land in forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes who have been residing in such forest for generations but whose rights could not be recorded.

B. Financial Business

1. Discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demands for Grants (General) (Second) for the year 2005-06; and

2. Discussion and Voting on Supplementary Demand for Grants (Railways) for 2005-06.

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To redress the historical injustice by recognizing and vesting the forest rights and occupation in forest land in forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes who have been residing in such forest for generations but whose rights could not be recorded.