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New Delhi: A bill to expand the eligibility criteria for ownership of the merchant shipping vessels and provide for investigation and enquiries on marine casualties was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024 empowers the central government to take charge and detain vessels within India or in coastal waters as a vessel without nationality, if such vessel is not legally entitled to fly the flag of a state or has lost such right.
The bill seeks to repeal the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 and provides for contemporaneous, futuristic and dynamic legislation to meet the requirements of India as an emerging economy.
As per the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, the proposed legislation would provide for maritime liability and compensation in claims arising out of collision of vessels and accident at sea leading to damage or loss of vessel, cargo or property.
It also provides for limitation of liability for damages in respect of certain claims; and constitution of limitation fund.
Besides, the bill, which was tabled in the Lower House by Union Shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal seeks "expanding the eligibility criteria for ownership of the vessels and increasing tonnage under the Indian flag".
It also provides for marine incident and emergency response in order to provide time-effective and efficient emergency responses to a marine incident and provides for "investigation and inquiries on marine casualties".
There was a brief lull in the din created by the opposition over Adani and other issues when the Merchant Shipping Bill was being introduced by Sonowal.
Opposing the bill at the introductory stage, Manish Tewari (Cong) said the government lacked legislative competence to legislate on merchant shipping as the subject has no direct entry in the central or concurrent list on which the Union (central government) can bring laws.
Saugata Roy of the TMC said the proposed legislation will only help hand over more powers to the bureaucracy.
He said it will only hinder and not develop merchant shipping in the country.
After the opposition members had spoken on the bill, the House saw renewed sloganeering by opposition.
Sonowal asserted that the bill has been brought as per constitutional provisions and has been vetted by two law ministry departments -- legal affairs and legislative.
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