Pioneer in short

LS discusses Bill to replace MNREGA

A Bill seeking to replace the 20-year-old MNREGA and guarantee 125 days of rural employment annually was taken up for discussion in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, triggering sharp political debate. Introducing the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the legislation aims to make villages self-reliant, poverty-free and aligned with Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of rural empowerment. He asserted that the new law would drive comprehensive village development while ensuring employment security. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said the debate would continue on Wednesday, with the minister set to respond on Thursday before the Bill is put to vote. Leading the Opposition response, Congress MP Jai Prakash criticised the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the scheme, calling it a serious betrayal. He argued that the Bill weakens States’ financial autonomy and curtails the powers of gram sabhas in deciding local works. Branding it “anti-poor” and “anti-Dalit”, he accused the Government of favouring the wealthy.

insurance FDI bill debated in RS

The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, aimed at raising FDI in India’s insurance sector from 74 per cent to 100 per cent, sparked heated debate in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Non-NDA members opposed the Bill, demanding referral to a Parliamentary panel for scrutiny and raising concerns over its bilingual title. Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil warned that sharing personal data like Aadhaar and PAN with foreign insurers could increase digital fraud risks, while citing potential monopolistic outcomes similar to aviation privatisation. Trinamool’s Saket Gokhale and DMK’s Kanimozhi NVN Somu argued the Bill favours foreign players over public sector insurers, potentially harming LIC and rural insurance coverage.

Belgium rejects Choksi appeal

Belgium’s Court of Cassation has rejected fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi’s appeal against India’s extradition request, upholding the Antwerp Court of Appeal’s finding that his claims of torture, inhuman treatment, or denial of justice in India are unsubstantiated. The court imposed costs of €104 on Choksi and endorsed the lower courts’ view that the documentation he submitted did not demonstrate a concrete risk to his rights. Choksi had cited an alleged kidnapping attempt in Antigua, media reports, and concerns over a fair trial in India. The Indictment Chamber of Antwerp Court had previously upheld arrest warrants issued by a Mumbai special court in May 2018 and June 2021, terming them enforceable, except for one order related to disappearance of evidence. India issued its extradition request in August 2024.