NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill that will allow the use of birth certificates as a single document for admission to schools, marriage, jobs, etc. The bill will apply only to those born after it turns law.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday also passed the Offshore Areas Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Bill that will provide a 50-year production lease for offshore minerals. This bill was passed amidst clamors from the opposition who were sloganeering Manipur.

According to the registration of birth and deaths law, the place of birth of the child should be reported along with the Aadhaar number of the parents to the registrar of birth. (That is if the child is born inside a jail, the location should be reported as jail). The information on the birth certificate is essential for admission to educational institutions, preparation of voter lists, appointment to a government post, and other purposes determined by the central government.

The Offshore Areas Bill provides an opportunity for the private sector by ensuring competitive bidding for offshore mining. Preliminary surveys, exploration, and extraction of minerals for locating mineral resources are covered by the bill. Mining without a permit or license is an offense punishable with imprisonment of five to ten years or a fine that can go up to Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh.