MPs approve Senate’s version of bill on agricultural fund

AMMAN — The Lower House on Tuesday approved the Senate’s amendments to the 2015 law on the agricultural risk-management fund, confining compensation paid to farmers in case of natural disaster only to frost.

Before sending the law to the Upper House, MPs had widened the scope of compensations the government pays to farmers at times of natural disasters to include, in addition to frost, wind, floods, blizzards and sporadic diseases.

But the Senate decided to limit compensations to cases of frost.

Having been endorsed by the two Houses of Parliament, the law, constitutionally, will be referred now to the King for ratification.

Also on Tuesday, MPs passed the draft law on the ratification of the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage.

The convention, along with its amending protocol, define nuclear damage, and extends the period during which claims may be brought for loss of life and personal injury. 

It also provides for jurisdiction of coastal states over actions incurring nuclear damage during transport, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

As put in the validating reasons, the convention is in line with Article 17 of the Constitution, which reads: “Any concession granting a right for the exploitation of mines, minerals or public utilities shall be sanctioned by law.”

The Lower House also endorsed the 2015 draft law on the transfer of the revenues of government departments and units.