opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 2437 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Tax-free Gratuity
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: VINOD KUMAR BOIANAPALLI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2437 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2017

## TAX-FREE GRATUITY

2437. SHRI B. VINOD KUMAR:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)whether the Government proposes to double the ceiling of tax-free gratuity to Rs 20 lakh under the Payment of Gratuity Act and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)whether there is also a proposal to remove the conditions of having at least 10 employees in an establishment and minimum five years of service for payment of gratuity and if so, the details thereof; (c)whether  the  Government  proposes  to  raise  the  rate  of  15  days'
- wages for each completed year of service to 30 days' wages; and (d)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

(a): The proposal to amend the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 to  facilitate  enhancement  of  gratuity  ceiling  is  at  inter-ministerial consultation stage.

(b): No, Madam.

(c) & (d): There is no proposal at present to raise from the existing rate  of  15  days'  wages  to  30  days'  wages  as  gratuity  for  each completed year of service.

- *******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2434 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: IISCO Employees
Ministry: STEEL
Asked by: SHARAD BANSODE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2434 FOR ANSWER ON 31/07/2017

## IISCO EMPLOYEES

## 2434.  ADV. SHARADKUMAR MARUTI BANSODE:

Will the Minister of STEEL be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of contractual workers working in IISCO steel plant and the mode of payment of their wages;
- (b) the  details  of  social  securities  including  PF,  Medical  facilities,  leave,  etc. provided to them; and
- (c) the details of other welfare facilities being provided to them?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR STEEL

(SHRI VISHNU DEO SAI)

- (a) The  number  of  contractual  workers  engaged  in  IISCO  Steel  Plant  (ISP), Burnpur is 5950.  The wages to the contractual workers engaged by the contractors in ISP is paid through their respective bank accounts by the contractors.

(b)&(c):  The  social  security  benefits  like  PF,  medical  facilities,  leave,  etc.  to  the contractual workers engaged at ISP are provided by their respective contractors in terms  of  the  Employees'  Provident  Fund  &  Miscellaneous  Provisions  Act,  1952, Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948, Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970,  etc.  SAIL,  as  Principal  Employer,  ensures  that  the  applicable  statutory provisions  related  to  amenities  and  service  conditions  of  contractual  workers  are adhered to by the respective contractors.

********
Lok Sabha Question No. 2431 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Expenditure on Education
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: MALLIKARJUN  KHARGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2431 TO BE ANSWERED ON. 31.07.2017

## Expenditure on Education

## 2431. SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the expenditure on education in the country as percentage of Gross Domestic Product(GDP) at present;
- (b)  whether the Government proposes to raise public spending in education to the desired  level of percentage of GDP;
- (c) if so, the details thereof including the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this  regard;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  urged  the  State  Governments  to  increase  fund  allocation  for education in the country; and
- (e)  if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF   STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

(a)  to  (c):    As  per  publication  'Analysis  of  Budgeted  Expenditure  on  Education'    of  Ministry  of Human Resource Development, public expenditure on education as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the year 2014-15 is 4.04%.

To  increase  investments  in  the  infrastructure  of  higher  educational  institutions,  the  Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) has been started with an initial capital base of Rs. 300 crores. The HEFA has been incorporated under Company Act, 2013 and would mobilize debt/Bond funds from  the  market  to  finance  improvement  in  infrastructure  and  research  facilities  in  the  higher educational  institutions.  The  loans  would  be  serviced  through  the  internal  accruals  of  the institutions.

(d)  &  (e):  With  the  devolution  of  more  funds  to  States  as  recommended  by  the  14 th Finance Commission, States have been advised to prioritize allocations of funds to Education Sector.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2430 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Proposal to make Tourist Spot
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: SADHU SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2430 ANSWERED ON 31.07.2017

## PROPOSAL TO MAKE TOURIST SPOT

2430. PROF. SADHU SINGH:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  make  the  place  where the Prime Minister used to sell tea a tourist place; (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  being  taken  by  the Government in this regard; and (c) the fund earmarked for the purpose?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a): No, Madam.

(b) to (c): Does not arise.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2427 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Sports and Physical Education in Schools
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: NIHAL CHAND CHAUHAN, RANJANBEN BHATT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2427 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2017

## Sports and Physical Education in Schools

- † 2427. SHRI NIHAL CHAND:

SHRIMATI RANJANBEN BHATT:

Will  the  Minister  of  HUMAN  RESOURCE  DEVELOPMENT  be  pleased  to state:

(a) whether the Government proposes to make sports/physical education a compulsory subject at school level and to set up sports infrastructure in all the schools in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government also proposes to introduce scholarships scheme to promote sports persons at school level and if so, the details thereof; and

(c)  the  other  steps  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to promote sports/physical  education  in  all  the  educational  institutions  in  the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a) The  National  Curriculum  Framework-2005  has  recommended  Health and Physical Education, which includes sports, as a compulsory subject area from class I to X and optional subject at Senior Secondary stage. Education, being a  subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, and the majority of the schools being under the jurisdiction of the State/Union Territory (UT) Governments,  it  is  for  the  respective  State/UT  Governments  to  provide sports infrastructure in schools.

- (b) There  is  no  proposal  to  introduce  scholarships  scheme  to  promote sports persons at school level for the present.

(c) Education, being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, it is  for  the  State/UT  Governments  to  take  appropriate  steps  to  promote sports/physical  education  in  the  educational  institutions  in  their  respective State/UT.  The  Rashtriya  Madhyamik  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (RMSA)  framework recognizes the importance of sports in providing quality secondary education in the country to ensure holistic development of the students. The scheme encourages  the  States/UTs  to  focus  on  sports,  culture  activities,  activity based learning, exposure to life skills with respect to health, nutrition etc. Under RMSA, Rs. 50,000/- per school (School Annual Grant) is given as part of  recurring  grant  for  miscellaneous  activities  including  purchase  of  sport equipment and other sports related activities. Also, there is a provision for approving an amount of Rs. 20,000/- per school (maximum of 100 schools per year per State/UT) is for purchase of sport equipment for Government Secondary  Schools.  Further,  the  proposals  for  organizing  school  sports tournament (@ 50,000 per district) are approved based on receipt of viable proposals from the States.

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2425 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: NCERT Books
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: M. UDHAYAKUMAR

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2425 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2017

## NCERT Books

## 2425 . ADV. M. UDHAYAKUMAR:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  it  is  true  that  the  Government  proposes  to  make  the  classrooms  inclusive  through NCERT books;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether it is also true that the trial run in this regard with 40 booklets has been concluded; and

(d) if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

- (a) & (b)     National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has already taken initiatives focusing on making classroom inclusive through inclusive learning material. NCERT has  developed  Barkhaa:  A  Reading  Series  for  'All'  which  is  an  exemplary  inclusive  learning material in the form of a supplementary reading series consisting of 40 story booklets based on children's experiences.  The reading series goes beyond providing only audio material to visually challenged  learners  and  has  special  features  like  Braille  and  text  on  the  same  page,  high resolution  colours,  window  flash  cards  of  difficult  words  and  tactile  and  textured  illustration rendering  it  accessible  to  all  children.    NCERT  has  also  developed  exemplar  materials  for primary and upper primary level teachers on curricular adaptations, inclusive teaching and how to adopt flexibility in evaluation of children with special needs in inclusive classrooms.
- (c) & (d)    During the process of developing ' Barkha: A Reading Series for All', try out of the books was undertaken in inclusive and special schools in four major Hindi speaking states in the country.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2424 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Shortage of Funds for Preservation of Ajanta Caves
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2424 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.7.2017 SHRAVANA 9, 1939 (SAKA)

## SHORTAGE OF FUNDS FOR PRESERVATION OF AJANTA CAVES

## +2424. SHRI KAPIL MORESHWAR PATIL:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of archaeological monuments declared as protected monuments in Maharashtra during the last three years;
- (b) whether  there  is  shortage  of  funds  for  the  proper  maintenance  of  the  said monuments;
- (c) whether  there  is  shortage  of  funds  for  the  maintenance  of  Ajanta  caves  in Maharashtra; and
- (d) if so, the funds allocated against the requisite amount?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE, CULTURE AND TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

(DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

- (a) Archaeological  Survey  of  India  has  not  protected  any  new  monument  in Maharashtra during the last three years.
- (b) No, Madam.
- (c)&(d) No, Madam.  The expenditure incurred for maintenance and preservation of Ajanta Caves during the last three years is as follows:

2014-15 Rs.3.06 crore

2015-16 Rs.1.20 crore

- 2016-17 Rs.1.09 crore
Lok Sabha Question No. 2422 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Arbitrary Hike of School Fee
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: MANOJ KUMAR TIWARI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.2422 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2017

## Arbitrary Hike of School Fee

2422. SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that private school in the country increase the school fees without any prior notice to the parents;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, schoolwise;
- (c) the action taken/being taken by the Government in this regard to control such arbitrary fee-hike by schools and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the increased amount of fee so collected is likely to be returned to parents and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

- (a) and (b): The Government and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) do receive sporadic complaints against its affiliated Independent unaided schools with regard to fee hike and donation. The state-wise details of such complaints during the previous year and in the current year are as under:-

|   S.No. | State          |   No. of schools against which complaint received |
|---------|----------------|---------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Orissa         |                                                01 |
|       2 | Madhya Pradesh |                                                02 |
|       3 | Rajasthan      |                                                02 |
|       4 | Karnataka      |                                                03 |
|       5 | Tamil Nadu     |                                                07 |
|       6 | Maharashtra    |                                                03 |

|   7 | Uttar Pradesh   |   17 |
|-----|-----------------|------|
|   8 | Uttarakhand     |   02 |
|   9 | Haryana         |   17 |
|  10 | Punjab          |   06 |
|  11 | Chandigarh      |   02 |
|  12 | Delhi           |   02 |
|  13 | Jharkhand       |   01 |

(c) and (d): Whenever the CBSE receives any complaint against unaided private school affiliated to it regarding charging of fees in arbitrary manner, the Board as per  existing  guidelines  immediately  seeks  reports  from  the  concerned  affiliated school  and  thereafter  on  receipt  of  reply,  necessary  action  initiated  as  per Affiliation Bye laws. In case of established violations, the Board takes action that may  lead  to  disaffiliation  of  the  erring  school.  Regarding  schools  affiliated  to various State Education Boards it is the responsibility of these Boards and State Governments to take necessary action under relevant Statutes.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2421 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Land Acquisition for DMIC
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: JITENDRA CHAUDHURY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY & PROMOTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2421.

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE  31 ST  JULY, 2017.

## LAND ACQUISITION FOR DMIC

## 2421.  SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:

## वाणिज् यवव द्यग ं ्री

- (a) the  details  of  the  total  land  being  acquired  for  the  Delhi-Mumbai  Industrial Corridor (DMIC) in various States across the country;
- (b) whether  the  Land  Acquisition,  Rehabilitation  and  Resettlement  Act,  2013  is being applied in all the States wherein the said land is being acquired, if so, the  details  thereof  including  the  specific  policy  guidelines  for  the  industrial corridors, State/ UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has put in place any mechanism to resolve disputes on the industrial corridors between SPVs  and  local self  Government Institutions, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether  the  Dighi  port  industrial  area  under  the  DMIC  was  asked  to  be excluded  from  the  DMIC  in  2013  due  to  farmers'  resistance  for  their  land acquisition, if so, the reasons for land acquisition being carried out therein?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज् यवव द्यग ााज् यं ्रीस् वतं ््रभााा(स्रींतंरीिरंमलााीरीतंाांि( THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRIMATI NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

- (a) to (d): As  per the institutional and  financial structure approved  by  the Government of India, State Governments are to make land available as their  equity  to  the  Industrial  Corridor  Projects.    Accordingly,  the  land Acquisition/ pooling/ procurement is the responsibility of the concerned State  Government.    The  status  of  land  acquisition  for  following  four locations under DMIC Project is as under:-
- i) Dholera  Special  Investment  Region,  Gujarat: Approximately 1706  Ha  of  land  has  been  transferred  by  Govt.  of  Gujarat  through Dholera Special Investment Regional Development Authority (DSIRDA)

to Dholera Industrial City Development Limited (DICDL), the node level SPV for the project. ii) Shendra Bidkin Industrial Area, Maharashtra: 1855 Ha of  land has  been  transferred  by  Govt.  of  Maharashtra  through  Maharashtra Industrial  Development  Corporation  (MIDC)  to  Aurangabad  Industrial Township Limited (AITL), the node level SPV for the project. (iii) Integrated  Industrial  Township  'Vikram  Udyogpuri'  near Ujjain,  Madhya  Pradesh: Approximately 415  Ha  of  land  has  been transferred  by  Govt.  of  Madhya  Pradesh  through  Madhya  Pradesh Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (MPAKVN) to DMIC Vikram Udyogpuri Limited, the project SPV. (iv) Integrated Industrial Township Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh: 302.5  Ha  of  land  has  been  transferred  by  Govt.  of  Uttar Pradesh  through Greater Noida  Industrial Development  Authority (GNIDA)  to DMIC  Integrated Industrial Township Greater Noida Limited, the project SPV.

- ******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2419 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: Saraswati River Exploration
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: SONA RAM CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. ϯ 2419 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2017

## SARASWATI RIVER EXPLORATION

## ϯ 2419. COL. SONARAM CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any research has been conducted by Central Groundwater Board to trace the disappeared river Saraswati;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any proposal for budget provision for Sarawati River exploration Project is under consideration;
- (d) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (e) whether the Government is contemplating budget provision for the above mentioned proposals/schemes keeping in view the water crisis for drinking/irrigation in Haryana and Rajasthan States;
- (f) if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE, CULTURE AND TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)

## (DR.  MAHESH SHARMA )

- (a) to Central  Ground Water Board (CGWB) has not conducted any specific research to trace  the  disappeared  river  Saraswati.  However,  CGWB,  as  a  part  of  its  ongoing
- (g) aquifer mapping and management programme has taken up site specific studies in parts  of  Haryana,  Rajasthan  and  Gujarat.  Studies  carried  out  so  far  and  earlier studies indicate presence of traces of palaeochannels in these states. Further, the Ministry of Water Resources, RD & GR constituted an Expert Committee to Review available information on Palaeo-channels. The Expert Committee based on Remote Sensing, Geological, Hydrogeological and Archaeological evidences has concluded that  a  large  Himalayan  born  river  flowed  through  the  wide  channel  of  GhaggarHakara-Nara from Himalayas to Rann of Kachh.

There  is  no  proposal,  under  consideration  in  CGWB  for  budget  provision  for Saraswati river exploration project.
Lok Sabha Question No. 2415 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-31
Subject: OBC Students in Delhi
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RAJ KUMAR SAINI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2415 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31.07.2017

## OBC Students in Delhi

## †2415. SHRI RAJKUMAR SAINI:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  it  is  mandatory  for  the  Other  Backward Classes(OBCs)  applicants  from  other  States  to  submit  Delhi  resident  certificate  for getting admission in Delhi University under OBC quota;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the provision for categorisation of OBC quota in admission; and
- (d) the details regarding the creamy layer and OBC quota in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. MAHENDRA NATH PANDEY)

(a) to (d) University of Delhi has informed that it is not mandatory for OBC applicants to submit Delhi resident certificate. According to the Statutory provision 27% seats are reserved for  the  applicants  belonging  to  OBC.  The  OBC  applicants  who  belong  to  the  'Non-Creamy Layer' and whose caste appears in the Central List of the OBCs only, shall be eligible to be considered for admission under the OBC category. The necessary details have been given in the Bulletin  of  Information  (2017-18)  for  Undergraduate  Programmes  as  also  available  on  the website of University of Delhi (https://ug.du.ac.in/app/Supports/UG\_Bulletin2017.pdf).

*****