Winter session begins today; eyes on Insurance Bill, GST

The winter session of Parliament is scheduled to begin on Monday. The government will be keen on getting parliamentary approval for the recent ordinances that were promulgated, especially the coal mines special provisions ordinance.The new law will set in motion the process of auctioning coal blocks in line with the Supreme Court order.The Insurance Amendment Bill and the GST Act are also a part of government economic reforms agenda. The Insurance Bill was referred to the select committee in the last session. The Trinamool Congress is likely to oppose it this time too. The party also intends to take on the Centre on the issue of black money. TMC leader Derek O Brian said, "The Trinamool will be raising many issues in the forthcoming winter session of the Parliament. But the primary issue we will be raising, both in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is of black money."The Opposition wants to embarrass the ruling combine by raising issues like the sterilization deaths in Chhattisgarh. Non-Congress opposition parties are trying to get Congress on board to oppose the FDI in insurance sector.Janata Dal United leader KC Tyagi said, "JDU, CPI-M, BSP, SP to oppose FDI hike in insurance sector and are seeking Congress's support for greater opposition unity."The government on its part has assured cooperation to the opposition.Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said that the government is ready to meet the suggestions of the opposition parties.Parties like TMC have already set the mood for the upcoming session by boycotting both the all-party meetings called by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.