PU dispute resolution bill likely in upcoming session: Finance ministry

New Delhi: The government is likely to introduce a bill for dispute resolution in PPP projects and public utility contracts in the upcoming Parliament session, Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das said today.

The Budget 2016-17 had proposed a Public Utility (Resolution of Disputes) Bill to streamline institutional arrangements for resolution of disputes in infrastructure related construction contracts, PPP and public utility contracts. "We are working on that public utility dispute resolution bill.

We are trying best to introduce in..Budget Session, but we need to complete a lot of work. The draft is ready. It's is our endeavour to introduce it in Budget session, but if not then it will be certainly introduced in monsoon session of Parliament," Das said at an event here.

The second leg of the Budget session will begin later this month during which the demands for grants and Finance Bill 2016 will be taken up for consideration and passage.

The enactment of the public utility bill would provide a legal framework for speedier resolution of disputes in PPP projects. The new law will deal with construction contracts, PPP contracts or any other contract which involves a public utility authority and a private contractor.