Political and Social Issues:

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday night passed a historic Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011, but defeated a parallel Constitution (116th Amendment) Bill, which would have given the Lokpal constitutional status.
- The government did not have the requisite two-thirds majority to get the Constitution Amendment adopted.
In the next step, the Bill will have to get the nod from the Rajya Sabha before it goes to the President for her assent.
- The UPA government does not have a majority in the Upper House and so the fate of the anti-graft Bill will be at the mercy of the Opposition.
The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill also saw a number of amendments, moved by the government. One of the key amendments accepted was keeping the defence forces and coast guard personnel out of the purview of the anti-graft ombudsman and increasing the exemption time of former MPs from five to seven years.

Defending the Bill introduced in the House last Thursday, he said it also reflected the August 27 “sense of the House” resolution that called for bringing a citizen's charter, introducing a single piece of legislation for establishing the Lokpal and the Lokayuktas and bringing the lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal.
Mr. Mukherjee said the government had written to 25 Chief Ministers and leaders of all political parties, urging them to give their suggestions. As for Bharatiya Janata Party president Nitin Gadkari's communication, he said Mr. Gadkari said parties were “decision-makers and not suggestion-givers.”
Citing the example of the Chief Election Commissioner and the Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG), Mr. Mukherjee said these functionaries were working independently. “We have an independent judiciary. We have to respect institutions in a parliamentary democracy,” he said, warning that parliamentary democracy had collapsed in several countries where such institutions came under attack.
Bill was described by the Opposition and other parties in the Lok Sabha as being “weak, deficient and inadequate” even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said it contained a “judicious blend of functional autonomy and accountability of the Central Bureau of Investigation.”

At the fag end of the year, the UPA government tabled the landmark National Food Security Bill, 2011 as the agriculture sector performed exceedingly well in 2011
Farmers' long-standing demand for crop loans at a 4 per cent rate of interest was met during the year, although with a rider that the facility would be available to only those farmers that pay their crop loans on time.
A sharp rise in the farm credit target by Rs 1,00,000 crore to Rs 4,75,000 crore and the launch of new schemes with a total outlay of Rs 1,500 crore to raise production of nutri-cereals, fodder, palm oil, vegetables and protein supplements were the other major highlights of the year.
These items -- and not wheat and rice -- were the major contributors to food inflation, which remained high almost throughout the year before falling sharply to nearly a four-year low of 1.81 per cent for the week ended December 10.
Record foodgrains production, coupled with overflowing stocks in FCI godowns, prompted the government to allow exports of wheat and non-basmati rice under Open General Licences (OGL)
While wheat exports were banned in early 2007, overseas rice shipments were restricted in April, 2008, as part of the Centre's measures to tame high inflation.
The proposed Act seeks to give a legal right to cheaper foodgrains to 63.5 per cent of the population -- up to 75 per cent of rural citizens and up to 50 per cent of urban dwellers.

The Central Govt. has tabled The Electronic Delivery of Services Bill, 2011 in the Lok Sabha that seeks to provide for electronic delivery of public services by the government to all persons to ensure transparency efficiency, accountability, accessibility and reliability in delivery of such services.
As per the provisions of the Bill, the Centre, the States and all public authorities under them shall deliver all public services by electronic mode, except such services which cannot be delivered electronically, within five years from the date of coming into force of the Act.
The Bill allows for “delivery of public services through electronic mode, including the receipt of forms and applications, issue or grant of licence, permit, certificate, sanction or approval and the receipt and payment of money.”

In a statement, the Commission said if an organisation or individual campaigned in favour of any particular political party or candidate, the spending so incurred was liable to be included in the expenditure account of the party or candidate concerned.
Everyone had a right to canvass for or against any party or candidate.
- The Commission's concern was limited to ensuring that no inflammatory speeches or slogans were raised which might cause ill-will or disharmony among different sections of citizens, disturbing law and order or the level-playing field between the parties that would seriously impact the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections.