opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 2070 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: NRDWP
Ministry: DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
Asked by: SONA RAM CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2070 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2017

## NRDWP

## †2070. COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the  funds allocated/ released and spent by Rajasthan under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) during each of the last three years and the current year;
- (b) whether additional funds have been sought by Rajasthan for rural drinking water schemes and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  allocate  additional  funds  to  Rajasthan  as  special assistance;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION (SHRI RAMESH CHANDAPPA JIGAJINAGI)

(a)  The  details  of  the  fund  allocated,  released  and  spent  by  Rajasthan  under  National  Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) during each of the last three years and the current year is as under:

| (Amount in Rs. crore)     | (Amount in Rs. crore)   | (Amount in Rs. crore)   | (Amount in Rs. crore)   |
|---------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
| Year                      | Allocation              | Release                 | Expenditure             |
| 2014-15                   | 1194.46                 | 1304.64                 | 1386.79                 |
| 2015-16                   | 547.17                  | 526.75                  | 480.21                  |
| 2016-17                   | 1074.15                 | 1072.92                 | 681.21                  |
| 2017-18 (till 23.07.2017) | 591.67                  | 135.08                  | 15.56                   |

(b) This Ministry had received requests which includes request for special assistance package of Rs.  11000 crore per  year  for  the next  10  years  and  assistance  of  Rs.  28881  crore  for 37  water supply project. Funding of such huge amount is not feasible from NRDWP. However, the detail plan / project report and how the state has arrived to such an amount have not yet been received from the state.

(c)to (e)Under NRDWP guidelines, there is no provision for granting special assistance to a State. However, States may get additional instalment of funds which is released to them at the end of the financial year from the available unspent funds under the programme based on the performance&spending  capacity of  the  State.  In  addition  to  this,  the  funds  may  be  released  to Rajasthan  under  National  Water  Quality  Sub-mission  (NWQSM)  as  per  its  guidelines  for  the schemes to coverFluoride affected habitations.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 2069 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Shortage of Fuel
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: GOPALAKRISHNAN CHINNARAJ

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF POWER

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2069 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2017

## SHORTAGE OF FUEL

2069. DR. C. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

(a) whether many power projects in the country are stranded because of nonavailability  of coal or less supply of coal as fuel;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the total number of such stranded power projects in the country, project and State-wise; and

(d) the action taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to function these stranded power projects?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

( SHRI  PIYUSH GOYAL )

(a) to (d): No power utility has reported being stranded due to non-availability or less supply of coal. However,  non-availability of regular Fuel Supply Arrangements  has  been  identified  as  a  reason  for  stress  among  coal  based power  plants.  For  grant  of  regular  coal  linkages,  Govt.  of  India  has  approved New coal allocation policy,  2017  for  Power  sector  on  17.05.2017  viz.  SHAKTI (Scheme  for  Harnessing  and  Allocating  Koyala  Transparently  in  India)  under which inter-alia, coal is made available to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) against long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and medium-term PPAs to be concluded in future in a transparent bidding process.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 2067 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Review of Wages Paid under MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH, RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY, DUSHYANT CHAUTALA, ADVOCATE NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2067

TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 7.0 7.2017

## REVIEW OF WAGES PAID UNDER MGNREGS

## 2067. DR. PRABHAS KUMAR SINGH: SHRI MULLAPPALLY RAMACHANDRAN: SHRI DUSHYANT CHAUTALA: ADV. NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR:

W ill the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a committee has been constituted by the Government to review the wages under  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS) and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the committee has submitted its report to the Government and if so, the thereof;
- (c) whether  the  wages  under  MGNREGS  are  subs tantially  low  as  compared  to  minimum wages for agriculture and construction works in many States and if so, the com details of MGNREGS and minimum wages in different States;
- (d) whether revision of wages under MGNREGS is under consideration of the Government; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT ( SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV )

- (a)& (b): Yes, Madam. The Ministry of Rural Development has constituted a Committee revisit  the  norms  of  wages  under Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) . The Committee has held two meetings in this regard . The recommendation of the Committee is awaited.
- (c): Under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, States/UTs may fix different minimum rates wages  payable  to  employees  employed  in  different  categories of  employment  and  these  rates may be fixed for a part of t he State or for any specified class or classes of such employme the whole State or part thereof. Hence, there is no single wage rate fixed for unski labourers common to all categories of employment. In view of this, no comparison can b e with notified wage rates under MGNREGS.
- (d)& (e): Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) wage rate is linked to state - wise Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourer (CPI- AL) which is revised on yearly basis and implement ed during the Financial Year in States/UTs. Wage rates f workers under the MGNREGA are notified and revised annually by the Central Government accordance with the provisions of Section 6(1) of the Act.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2064 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Speed Governors
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE, R.P. MARUTHARAJAA, K. MARAGATHAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2064

ANSWERED ON 27  TH JULY, 2017

## SPEED GOVERNORS

2064.   SHRI ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE: SHRI R.P. MARUTHARAJAA: SHRIMATI K. MARAGATHAM:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## lM+d ifjogu vkSj jktekxZ ea=h

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that the Government has urged the State Governments to refrain from putting restrictive conditions while inviting bids for Government vehicles and State transport buses for speed governors;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether it is also true that the Government has said that private vehicles owner could fit any speed governor that had got test certification from Government approved agencies;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  proposed  mandatory  speed  governors  in  all  the  Public Transport Vehicles, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

- (a) to (d) Yes madam. The Government has issued an advisory dated 10.02.2017 to all the States/UTs clarifying that there are no requirements for the registration/empanelment and/or selection of vendors by the State Governments for the fitment of speed limiting device. The only requirement is that the speed limiting device should be type approved by the authorised testing agencies as per the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The State Governments may, however,  choose  to  impose  eligibility  and  price  criteria  while  selecting  the  vendors  for fitment  of  SLDs  on  their  vehicles  owned  by  it  or  any  SRTUs,  corporations  or  a  local authority under their control.
- (e)   The Central Government has notified G.S.R. 290(E) dated 15.04.2015 mandating fitment of speed limiting devices/speed governors in certain categories of transport vehicles having maximum pre-set speed of 80 kilometre per hour conforming to the Standard AIS 018/2001 and for vehicles used as dumpers, tankers, school buses, those carrying hazardous goods shall be  quipped  or  fitted  with  speed  limiting  device  having  maximum  pre-set  speed  of  60 kilometre  per  hour  conforming  to  the  Standard  AIS  018/2001.  Further  vide  G.S.R  424(E) dated 1 st May, 2017, the exemption from mandatory fitment of speed limiting devices/speed governors in M1 category of vehicles was removed.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2063 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Purchase of New Aircraft for Air India
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: ANWHAR RAAJHAA, DEVUSINH JESINGBHAI CHAUHAN, PARESH RAWAL

2063.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2063 (To be answered on the July 2017) 27th`

## PURCHASE OF NEW AIRCRAFT FOR AIR INDIA

SHRI A. ANWHAR RAAJHAA SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN SHRI PARESH RAVAL

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

- (b) if so, the details thereof;

be pleased to state: -

- (a) whether Air India is operating many aircraft that are old and need to be grounded;
- (c) the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to replace these aircraft; being
- (e whether the Government proposes to new passenger planes for Air India buy
- d) the time by which it is likely to be done; and

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Jayant Sinha)

- (a) & (b): As per the existing civil aviation regulations, an aircraft can fly as long as it is technicaliy fit to fly and there is no maximum age bar: Air India is flying with B747s and A320 (Classics) some Of which are over 20 years of age
- (c) & (d): For the purpose 0f replacerent of old A-320 and for growth; Air India already been received and remaining deliveries will be completed by February, 2019

For the replacement of B747s, Air India is inducting B777 and B787 aircraft for which Air India had signed the agreement with in 2005. The deliveries of these aircraft will be completed by March, 2018. Boeing

- (e): Madam.
Lok Sabha Question No. 2062 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Flight Services
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: RAKSHA NIKHIL KHADSE, CHINTAMAN NAVSHA WANAGA, GOPALAKRISHNAN CHINNARAJ

2062.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: : 2062 (To be answered on the July 2017)

## FLIGHT SERVICES

SHRIMATI RAKSHATAI KHADSE ADV. CHINTAMAN NAVASHA WANAGA DR C GOPALAKRISHNAN

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

.` .

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government proposes to start flight services to Tel Aviv in Israel from airports in the country;
- (b) if the details thereof; SO,
- (c) the time by which it is likely to be done;
- (d) whether the Ministry has received any request from the Ministry of External Affairs to operate more flights from Doha, Qatar to bring the Indians living in Qatar following the political crisis there, if $0, the details thereof; and
- (e) the action taken by the Ministry on this request?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

- (a): No Madam:
- (b)&(c): Do not arise.
- (d): (e): No Madam. However, this Ministry has granted permission to 2017.

(Shri Jayant Sinha)
Lok Sabha Question No. 2061 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Auctioning of Road Projects
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: JOSE K. MANI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2061

ANSWERED ON 27 TH  JULY, 2017

## AUCTIONING OF ROAD PROJECTS

2061.   SHRI JOSE K. MANI:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) proposes to switch over to a new mechanism for auctioning road projects, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the new mechanism to be adopted for auctioning of highway projects will focus on the internal rate of return (IRR), if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether depending on the slab of IRR, the projects are classified for new biddings as BOT with 15% IRR and at lower slabs under Hybrid Annuity Model and EPC; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

(a) to (b) Yes  Madam.  NHAI  is  in  the  process  of  monetization  of  operational  public funded NH assets through the Toll-Operate-Transfer (ToT) Model based on CCEA approval of August 2016. As per the Model, the right of collection of Toll Fees for such projects is to be assigned for a pre-determined 30 year concession period to concessionaires (developers/investors) against upfront payment of a lump-sum amount. O&M obligations of such  projects  shall  be  with  the  concessionaire  till  the  completion  of  concession  period. Initially,  75  Public  funded  NH  projects  with  aggregate  length  of  4,500  km  and  annual  toll revenue  collection  of  around  Rs.  2,700  crores  have  been  identified  under  the  Model. Preparatory  activities  including  finalization  of  the  Model  Concession  Agreement  and  RFP document has been completed and the first round of bidding for ToT projects is to be held shortly.

on

(c) to (d) A  standardized  process  of  determining  the  mode  of  delivery  of  individual projects  is  followed  at  MoRTH/NHAI  which  is  based  on  a  waterfall  mechanism  as  per recommendations of the B.K. Chaturvedi Committee dated 2009. BOT (Toll) mode continues to be the preferred delivery mode. Currently, projects requiring up to 20%  of Total Project Cost (TPC) as VGF for maintaining 15% EIRR are bid out first BOT  (Toll)  mode,  those  requiring  up  to  40%  are  bid  out  on  Hybrid  Annuity  Mode  and projects not viable on PPP and requiring VGF above 40% of  TPC  are taken up under public funded EPC mode.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2054 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Electrification in Jharkhand
Ministry: POWER
Asked by: JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA, VISHNU DAYAL RAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF POWER

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2054 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2017

## ELECTRIFICATION IN JHARKHAND

†2054.  SHRI JUGAL KISHORE: SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

Will the Minister of POWER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  any  steps  are  being  taken  for  electrification  of  4650 villages  of  Palamu,  Garhwa,  Latehar,  Eastern  and  Western  Singhbhum district of Jharkhand; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the time frame therefor?

## A N S W E R

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR POWER, COAL, NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINES

( SHRI  PIYUSH GOYAL )

(a) & (b): Based  on  the  information  provided  by  the  State,  there  were 1,136 un-electrified census villages in Palamu, Garhwa, Latehar, East and West  Singhbhum  districts  of  Jharkhand,  as  on  01.04.2015;  of  these,  713 villages  have  been  electrified  upto  30.06.2017.  Details  of  the  same  are hereunder:

| Sl. No.   | Name of the district   |   Number of un-electrified census villages as on 01.04.2015 |   Number of villages electrified up to 30.06.2017 |
|-----------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | Palamu                 |                                                         409 |                                               368 |
| 2.        | Garhwa                 |                                                         158 |                                               131 |
| 3.        | Latehar                |                                                         200 |                                               124 |
| 4.        | East Singhbhum         |                                                          22 |                                                 0 |
| 5.        | West Singhbhum         |                                                         347 |                                                90 |
|           | Total                  |                                                        1136 |                                               713 |

The  timeframe  for  electrification  of  remaining  un-electrified census villages is May, 2018.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 2051 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Six Laning of NHs
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: B.N. CHANDRAPPA, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL, RAMSINH PATALYABHAI RATHWA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2051

ANSWERED ON 27 TH  JULY, 2017

## SIX LANING OF NHS

2051.  SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA: SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL: SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सडक परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken up any project for development/six laning of national highways (NHs) in the country;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof,  State-wise  along  with  the  present  status  of  six  laning  of Ahmedabad-Vadodara national highway;
- (c) the total number of stretches on which six laning of national highway was completed during the last three years, State-wise;
- (d) the funds allocated and spent till date under the said projects; and
- (e) the time by which the said projects are likely to be completed?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

(a) to (b) 71 nos. of projects amounting to Rs. 68338.12 Crore having length 4955.42 km have been finalized  for  6  laning  of  National  Highways  in  the  country.  Six  laning  of  Ahmedabad-Vadodara section of NH 8 consists six laning of Ahmedabad Vadodara section of NH-8 and improvement of Ahmedabad Vadodara Expressway (NE- 1) which was awarded to M/s IRB Ahmedabad Vadodara Super Express Tollway Private Limited on 28.04.2011. The present status of project is as under:

Length of project

= 102.30 km

Total project Cost

= 2125.24 Crores

Concession period

= 25 years (till 31.12.2037)

Appointed date

= 01.01.2013

Present status          = Total length (102.300 km) completed except Narol flyover (at   start point of the Highway) which is likely to be completed by 31.08.2017.

(c) to (e) 7 numbers of projects amounting to Rs 3989.66 Crores for six laning have been completed during the last three years and current year. And all the ongoing six laning projects are expected to be completed by July 2019

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2049 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Serving of Meals to Passengers on Flights
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, BALKA SUMAN, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, VIJAYSINH MOHITE PATIL, K. ASHOK KUMAR, P.R. SUNDARAM, ANBUMANI RAMADOSS, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, (ADV.) JOICE GEORGE

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVL AVIATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: : 2049 (To be answered on the July 2017) 27th-

## SERVING OF MEALS TO PASSENGERS ON FLIGHTS

2049.

DR J. JAYAVARDHAN SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE SHRI SUMAN BALKA SHRI SATAV RAJEEV SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK SHRI MOHITE PATIL VIJA YSINH SHANKARRAO SHRI K ASHOK KUMAR SHRI PR SUNDARAM DR ANBUMANI RAMADOSS DR: HEENA VIJA YKUMAR GAVIT ADV. JOICE GEORGE

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- Air [ndia has stopped serving non-vegetarian meals to economy class passengers on its domestic flights;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the estimated quantum 0f amount to be saved on this account annually;
- (c) whether the views of air passengers were solicited before taking this decision, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the present move will wean away passengers to other private airliners, if so, the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (e) the other measures taken by the Government to cut cost in Air India and avoid further debt?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Jayant Sinha)

(a) & (b): Yes;, Madam: This was started to Save costs, reduce wastage, improved service and also avoid any chances of mix-up of meals. The annual saving is expected to be around Rs.8-10 crores per annum:

- (c): Yes, Madam. Passenger feedback through cabin crew was received:
- (d): No; Madam:
- (e): Government had approved a Turnaround Plan  (TAP) 1 Financial Restructuring Plan (FRP) for operational and financial turnaround of Air India. As a of the Turnaround Pian, Air India has initiated a number 0f steps in order t0 cut costs and losses. These steps, inter-alia, include the following: part
- i. Route rationalization of erstwhile Al & IA route and elimination of route network involving parallel operations:
- iii.Enhanced utilization of new fleet resulting in production of higher Available Seat Kilometers (ASKMs):
- iiRationalization Of certain loss making routes

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