Monday, August 2, 2010

Indian parliament freed from deadlock

India's parliament got back to work Monday after a week of disruption and deadlock over price rises that had threatened to hold up the government's reform programme.

Protests by opposition MPs, who wanted a debate and vote on the government's handling of rising food and fuel prices, had halted all parliamentary business since the beginning of the current monsoon session on July 26.

The time lost had raised concerns that the government would be unable to push through key legislation, including a civil nuclear liability bill that is key to allowing US companies to sell reactors to energy-hungry India.

Another major bill on the agenda of the short, month-long session is one that reserves a third of all seats in parliament for women.

At a breakfast meeting chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, opposition leaders agreed to allow parliament to function normally in exchange for a symbolic resolution expressing concern about inflationary pressures.

The ruling Congress Party-led coalition also agreed to a discussion on price rises on Tuesday.

The government has been under relentless attack from opposition parties for its inability to protect the poorest from surging food prices and for raising fuel prices in June.

India's annual wholesale price index, the main cost-of-living measure, stood at 10.55 percent in June, well above the central bank's preferred 5.5-percent level.

Source http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gJWDxM43kwspWhJ7dKW4Ks6Na07w

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