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Lok Sabha recorded a productivity of 111%, while Rajya Sabha surpassed expectations at 121%, reflecting brisk legislative functioning in just 19 sitting days.
During the session, five bills were passed into law and one was referred to a parliamentary panel. At least three of these laws were reform-oriented, involving nuclear energy, insurance, and capital markets. A new rural employment guarantee law as well as legislation supporting changes to the goods and services tax structure were also approved, sparking heated political debate.
The most controversial legislation of the session was the Guarantee for a Grown India-Employment and Livelihood Mission (Rural) (VB-G RAMG) Bill, which replaces the 20-year-old Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The new law increases the annual employment guarantee for rural households from 100 days to 125 days, but puts 40% of the burden of funding the scheme on state governments, whereas previously there was full central funding.
The decision to change the name of the scheme and change its funding structure was strongly criticized by the opposition. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi questioned the urgency and intention of the move, saying the government’s focus on renaming schemes was wrong and the bill should not have been passed through Parliament without wider consultation. Activists also warned that the revised cost-sharing formula could weaken employment guarantees for rural workers during the economic crisis.
Despite the opposition, the government moved the bill forward with limited debate, leading many during the session to describe it as a moot legislative approach.
Along with rural employment, the government unveiled major changes to India’s foreign investment regime through amendments to insurance and nuclear energy laws. Sabka Bima Sabka Raksha Bill allows up to 100% foreign direct investment in insurance, a move aimed at attracting global insurers without the need for Indian joint venture partners. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said easing ownership norms will remove a key hurdle faced by foreign investors looking to enter the Indian market.
The Peace Bill marked a historic shift for the nuclear sector, allowing up to 49% FDI and allowing private players, through joint ventures, to build, own and operate nuclear power plants, while the government retained control over core strategic functions.
Capital market reforms also featured prominently. The Securities Market Code Bill, introduced during the session, seeks to strengthen the Securities and Exchange Board of India by improving governance, enhancing investor protection and setting clear timelines for investigations. The Bill mandates closure of SEBI investigation within 180 days and introduces a limitation period of eight years for initiating enforcement action with limited exceptions. The proposed legislation is currently under examination by the Standing Committee on Finance.
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In a move with wide-ranging implications for India’s workforce, the Center also notified four labor codes effective from November 21. The new framework makes appointment letters mandatory for all workers, makes minimum wage a statutory right, reduces the gratuity eligibility period for fixed-term workers to one year and doubles overtime wages. Gig and platform workers are among those expected to benefit from clearer employment protections.
Overall, the winter session capped a year of intense legislative activity for the government. While 2025 will be remembered for the quantity and breadth of reforms pushed through Parliament, the focus in 2026 is expected to shift towards implementation, as well as scrutiny of bills currently before parliamentary committees – including the new Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which sparked some of the sharpest debates of the session.