Bill to make education a right cleared

In a bid to demonstrate its commitment to social sector as well as financial reforms, with elections now just months away, the UPA government late Thursday night cleared a long-delayed bill making education for children up to the age of 14 a fundamental right, and also decided to raise the cap on foreign direct investment in private insurance firms to 49 per cent.

Announcing these decisions on Friday, finance minister P. Chidambram said the Cabinet had cleared the Right to Education Bill, which promises free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14. “The bill has been considered at several levels by the Group of Ministers. The Cabinet has approved the text of the bill,” Mr Chidambram said, adding that the HRD ministry would release the text after consulting the Election Commission in view of imminent Assembly elections in some states.

On insurance, Mr Chidambram said a comprehensive bill amending various laws in this sector would be introduced. It would, among other things, seek an upward revision of the FDI cap from the existing 26 per cent to 49 per cent in case of private insurance companies.

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