Big Economic Push in Winter Session: Insurance, Tobacco, Pan Masala Bills and More on Parliament’s Agenda
Parliament’s Winter Session 2025 begins with major economic reforms on the agenda, including the Insurance Laws Amendment, cess on tobacco and pan masala, securities code, and other key bills. Get the full updates and analysis.
Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, and Kiren Rijiju at the all-party meeting ahead of Parliament’s Winter Session 2025 discussing key economic reforms and bills.
As Parliament’s Winter Session kicks off today, December 1, the central government is gearing up to push several key economic reforms. Among the bills scheduled for discussion are proposals to amend insurance laws, levy taxes and cess on “sin goods” such as tobacco and pan masala, and streamline financial regulations. The session will continue until December 19.
Ahead of the session, an all-party meeting saw participation from 50 leaders across 36 political parties, including Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, Kiren Rijiju, and their deputies Arjun Ram Meghwal and L Murugan, in New Delhi on Sunday.
Major Bills to Watch
Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025
This bill seeks to increase the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cap in the insurance sector from 74% to 100%, marking a significant step in financial reforms. The sector has already attracted ₹82,000 crore in FDI, and the government hopes this amendment will boost investment further.
Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025 & Health Security–National Security Cess Bill, 2025
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will introduce these bills to replace the GST compensation cess on tobacco products and pan masala with a new excise and security-oriented cess. The move aims to augment resources for public health and national security. Currently, a 28% GST applies to tobacco and pan masala, with an additional compensation cess at varying rates.
Securities Markets Code Bill, 2025
The government plans to unify India’s securities laws under a single framework, merging the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992, the Depositories Act, 1996, and the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956. This consolidation is intended to simplify regulations and promote ease of doing business.
Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025
This bill aims to decriminalize certain minor offences to improve business operations and citizen convenience. Previously introduced in the Lok Sabha, it was referred to a Select Committee, which is expected to submit its report by the start of the Winter Session.
Other economy-related bills on the agenda include the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill, 2025, the National Highways (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
Key Issues Likely to Dominate the Session
Winter session promises not only the discussion of economic reforms but also among issues the debates on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, national security issues after the Delhi blast, and matters relating to the new labour code. These burning issues came out during the all-party meeting showing that the session is going to be filled with very intense discussions.
During the course of the session, the Parliament will be under the spotlight for being the source of updates on these economic and national policies that are toppicushuoy on the agenda.
