The Government today reached out to the top brass of the key opposition party BJP, including its senior leader Mr L.K. Advani, to muster support for the smooth passage of pending legislations.

This move comes in the backdrop of no substantive legislative business being transacted so far since the the monsoon session of Parliament began on August 1.

For the monsoon session, scheduled to conclude on September 8, the Government had lined up 72 items including two Bills for replacing ordinances, 35 Bills for consideration and passing and 33 new Bills for introduction.

As against this, the Government has till now managed to get only the Lokpal Bill introduced in Lok Sabha, while obtaining passage of the first batch of supplementary demand for grants for 2011-12, the SBI (subsidiary banks laws) Amendment Bill and the Coinage Bill.

The Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, today called on senior BJP leader Mr L.K. Advani at the latter's office in Parliament House. He is understood to have requested the BJP to support the passage of pending Bills, many of which related to the ideas and initial efforts of the NDA Government.

The leaders of Opposition of both the Houses were also present at the meeting that lasted over 30 minutes.

From the Government side, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal, was also present.

Industry growth ‘encouraging'

Later, reacting to the 8.8 per cent year-on-year increase in industrial output in June, Mr Mukherjee told reporters that this was “encouraging”.

If this trend continues, it will give a boost to growth, he noted.

> krsrivats@thehindu.co.in

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