Besides, the Coastal Shipping Bill and the Indian Ports Bill have also been listed for introduction and eventual passage. Last month, the Union Cabinet approved the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024. If the Bill becomes a law, it will remove the requirement for Indian-flagged vessels to acquire a general trading licence to operate on coastal water.The Indian Ports Bill is aimed at putting in place measures to secure conservation of ports, security and pollution control at the ports in line with India’s international obligations and statutory compliance. The Bill has been prepared to empower and establish State Maritime Boards for effective administration, control and management of non-major ports in India; provide for adjudicatory mechanisms for redressal of port related disputes and to establish a national council for fostering structured growth and development of the port sectorAs many as eight bills, including the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and the Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill are pending in Lok Sabha. Two others are with Rajya Sabha. Some of the pending Bills in the Lok Sabha, apart from the Waqf Amendment Bill, are the Disaster Management (Amendment) Bill, the Readjustment of Representation of Scheduled Tribes in Assembly Constituencies of Goa Bill, the Carriage of Goods by Sea Bill 2024, the Railways (Amendment) Bill, and the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill.
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