Law to check electricity theft to become stringent: Cabinet

New Delhi, Dec 18 (UNI) The Union Cabinet today gave its approval for making necessary official amendments in the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2005 for more effective controlling of theft of electricity.

The decision was taken on the recommendations of the Standing Committee, the Group of Ministers and the advice of Department of Legal Affairs.

The Bill is already pending in the Lok Sabha since December 23, 2005, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi told reporters.

The Cabinet approved introduction of the Indian Maritime University Bill, 2006 in the current session of Parliament for formation of Indian Maritime University (IMU) with headquarters at Chennai and regional campuses at Kolkata, Mumbai, and Visakhapatnam.

It also approved transfer to the IMU of the assets and employees of the Training Ship Chanakya, Mumbai, the Marine Engineering and Research Institute, Mumbai, the Marine Engineering and Research Institute, Kolkata, the Lal Bahadur Shastri College of Advanced Maritime Studies and Research, Mumbai and National Maritime Academy (NMA), Chennai.

Appropriate options would be given to the employees. NMA, Chennai and Indian Institute of Maritime Studies (IIMS), Mumbai, would be wound up.

Formation of IMU will facilitate and promote maritime studies research and extension work with focus on emerging areas like oceanography, environmental studies and other related fields.

The Cabinet also gave its approval for making certain consequential amendments to the National Institutes of Technology Bill, 2006, based on the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development. The amendments to the National Institutes of Technology Bill, 2006 would be moved in the Rajya Sabha.

Further, it gave approval for making necessary amendments to the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998 to empower Central Government to set up similar institutes or its centers in any part of the country. The National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2006 would be introduced in the Parliament.

The decision will confer power on the Central Government to set up new Institutes or its centers in other parts of the country.

UNI SN RL GC2127