Centre to present Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2022 for passage in Lok Sabha today

The contentious bill aims to amend the Biological Diversity Act of 2002 with the primary goal of streamlining compliance obligations for domestic companies.

New Delhi: The Central government will try to get the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2022, passed in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

The controversial bill amends the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 to simplify compliance requirements for domestic companies. It also removes research and bio-survey activities from the purview of benefit sharing requirements.

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The bill also decriminalises all offences under the Act.  It was sent to a joint Parliamentary panel after it was introduced in the Lok Sabha in December 2021. The panel has already submitted its report on the proposed legislation.

Another bill titled ‘The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2023′, which seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 to modify the list of Scheduled Castes in Chhattisgarh, will also be introduced in the Lower House.

Apart from this, the government will also introduce the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha. Also the National Dental Commission Bill, 2023 will be introduced in the Lower House, which will regulate the profession of dentistry in the country, to provide for quality and affordable dental education, and to make high quality oral healthcare.

Quite a few reports of the Parliamentary standing committees will also be presented in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

Standing committee on defence will present its report on the ‘Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill, 2023’.

Apart from this, the Parliamentary panel on agriculture and animal husbandry and food processing will present two reports in the Lower House. Also five reports of the standing committee on labour will be laid in the Lok Sabha.