The Cabinet on Wednesday decided to import lentils to control the rising price of pulses, and co-ordinate with States to prevent hoarding. Also, while it decided to bring an Ordinance to amend the Negotiable Instruments Act to provide relief to complainants in cheque bounce cases, it gave its nod to amend the Merchant Shipping Act and International labour Organisations (IlO) Convention No 185 on Seafarers Identity Document.
Briefing the media after the Cabinet meet, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said, “Cabinet discussed about rising pulses prices and expressed concern about the same. Prime Minister has directed to import pulses in large quantity to keep domestic prices under check.” Pulses prices have risen by up to 64 per cent in the last one year as the domestic production fell by nearly two million tonnes in 2014-15 crop year due to unfavourable weather conditions. “The Government is very serious on rising pulses prices. There has been less production of pulses. We will import pulses whatever quantity is required,” Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan told media. “We have asked State Governments to take action against hoarders,” he added.
The proposed Ordinance on Negotiable Instruments Act will enable filing of cheque bounce cases in place where the cheque was presented for clearance or payment. “As you are aware of the Negotiable Instrument Amendment Ordinance, the Supreme Court had passed a judgement that if you receive a cheque from someone and the cheque gets bounced, then the jurisdiction for initiating action lies in the state where it was issued,” Gadkari said, adding that the ordinance will benefit around 18 lakh people, the parties in the cheque bouncing cases in various courts.
The approval to a proposal for India’s accession to an international convention will ensure compensation for damage caused by ship bunker oil spills. And the nod to amend the Merchant Shipping Act will pave the way for the protection of Indian waters from wreck hazards. Benefitting seafarers, the government approved the ratification of an IlO convention on the Seafarers Identity Document to ensure a foolproof security system to ward off possible terrorist attacks and bring better job opportunities for Indian sailors in global markets. Around 1.8 lakh seafarers will benefit from the ratification of this Convention.