RIP Manmohan Singh | A look at notable laws passed under the former PM's tenure

The crowning jewels of Singh's achievements are the reforms he ushered in to liberalise the Indian economy, but some of the other legislations passed under his regime had long-lasting and profound impacts on the Indian economy and its people.

Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is credited with liberalising the Indian economy, but the several landmark legislations passed during his tenure often get buried in discussions on his legacy.

Of course, the crowning jewel of Singh's achievements are the reforms he ushered in to liberalise the Indian economy, but some of the other legislations passed under his regime had long-lasting and profound impacts on the Indian economy and its people.

Dr Singh breathed his last on Thursday at AIIMS, Delhi. He was 92.

Here, we take a look at some of the notable legislations passed during Singh's tenure.

Employment guarantee

Labourers under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) work at a site in Rajasthan.

A year after Singh came to power, the UPA government enacted the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in 2005, recognising high unemployment and poverty in rural India, especially among underprivileged sections.

The scheme aims to enhance livelihood security of rural households by providing at least 100 days of guaranteed wage employment in a financial year to every household whose adult members volunteer to do unskilled manual work.

Since then, MGNREGA has been a cornerstone of Indian social welfare programmes.

Healthcare and education

Students appear for an exam at a Gurugram school.

In addition to continuing the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan launched by former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the UPA government under PM Singh also enacted the Right to Education (RTE) Act in 2009, a legislation for the provision of free and compulsory education for all children between the ages of six and 14 years. In 2011, the upper age limit was extended to 11 years to bring Class X students under its purview.

While not an 'act' in the strict sense of the word, the UPA government under Singh also launched the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) in 2005 to address needs of under-served areas in the country.

Right to Information

Illustration for representational purposes.

The Right to Information (RTI) Act was also passed by the Singh-led UPA government in 2005, which remains a cornerstone for transparency in government functioning in India.

While deficiencies remain in implementation, it nonetheless grants the public the power to demand transparency from the government.

Land acquisition

Image showing a rice mill and farm lands. For representational purpose.

The UPA government led by Manmohan Singh also passed the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (also known as the Land Acquisition Act, 2013) in a bid to provide fair compensation to those whose lands are taken away for public purposes.

The Act also sought to bring greater transparency in the process of land aquisition.

Notably, the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 replaced a colonial era code—the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

Food security

PDS beneficiaries stand in a queue before a ration depot in Delhi.

Another notable legislation passed by the Singh-led UPA was the National Food Security Act, 2013 (also known as the Right to Food Act).

The act converted existing food security programmes in India into legal entitlements for people in the form of a right.

The Act subsumed under it several programmes—including the Mid-day Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme, and the Public Distribution System (PDS)—in addition to having several provisions for improving food security of citizens.