New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Parliamentary approval was Tuesday accorded to the Copyright (Amendment) Bill, 2010 which will provide royalty to lyricists, remove operational difficulties and address newer issues related to the digital world and internet.
The lok Sabha Tuesday passed the bill which was passed by the Rajya Sabha May 17.
Moving the bill in the lower house, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said it will do justice to those professionals who had been creating songs for the Hindi films.
He said various recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee had been incorporated in the bill.
leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj supported the bill and said it was long overdue.
"It is a step in the right direction in protecting the interest of the lyricists, who create wonderful songs," she said.
Sushma Swaraj said film producers had lobbied with her to oppose the bill but she decided to support it when well-known director and music composer Vishal Bhardwaj said the amendments were for the good of the lyricists.
Earlier, participating in the discussion on the bill in the upper house, noted lyricist and nominated member Javed Akhtar had complained that companies have right over songs and the writers and singers do not get much from the commercial success.
"Music companies dictate terms to even noted musicians like A.R. Rahman and others," he had said.
The bill also seeks to bring Indian laws enacted in 1957 in conformity with international norms and World Intellectual Property Organisation guidelines.