opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 5419 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Cess on Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5419 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## Cess on Coal

## 5419. SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) Whether the Government had increased the clean environment cess on coal per tone in 2015, when the royalty of coal was due for revision;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the last revision in rate of royalty of coal;
- (c) whether coal bearing States like Odisha had requested for a larger share in the coal cess as they have to bear environmental cost of the same;
- (d) if so, the response of the centre to this request;
- (e) whether entire proceeds of coal cess will be used for GST compensation fund meant for all States and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) whether  coal  bearing  States  like  Odisha  had  opposed  the  move  to  give  entire proceeds of coal cess to GST compensation funds; and
- (g) if so, whether coal bearing States have been given any additional share in the same and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF COAL AND RAILWAYS ( SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL )

- (a): The Government had increased the Clean Energy Cess from Rs. 100 per tonne to Rs. 200 per tonne in the Finance Act 2015-16.

(b): The  royalty  of  coal  was  last  revised  on  10.05.2012  vide  Notification  No.  GSR-349  dt. 10.05.2012  to  14%  ad-valorem  on  price  of  coal,  as  reflected  in  the  invoice,  excluding  taxes, levies and other charges.

- (c) to (g): Information is being collected and will be laid on the table of the house.
Lok Sabha Question No. 5418 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Patents Secured by DAE
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: JANAK RAM

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5418

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## PATENTS SECURED BY DAE

## 5418.  SHRI JANAK RAM:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of research papers published in the journals and the number of patents secured by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) during the last three years; and
- (b) the  position  held  by  the  country  in  the  matters  of  research  and  patent  as compared to the equivalent departments of America, Britain and China?

## ANSWER

THE  MINISTER  OF  STATE  FOR  PERSONNEL,  PUBLIC  GRIEVANCES  & PENSIONS AND PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR.JITENDRA SINGH):

- (a) Department  of  Atomic  Energy  (DAE)  is  a  broad-based  multi-disciplinary organisation incorporating basic research, applied research, technology development and its translation into industrial applications. During the three years period 2015-2018, different DAE institutions published a total of 6214 papers. The Department obtained 31 patents during this period.
- (b) Following  is  the  position  of  India  in  the  matters  of  research  papers  and patents as compared to U.S.A, Britain and China for the last three years.

Research  papers  as  per  International  Nuclear  Information  System  (INIS) database

|   India (DAE) |   China |   UK |   USA |
|---------------|---------|------|-------|
|          6214 |     660 |  564 |  3550 |

Authentic data pertaining patents obtained by USA, Britain and China are not available with the Department.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 5414 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Delay in Issuance of Passport
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5414 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## DELAY IN ISSUANCE OF PASSPORT

- † 5414 . SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether unnecessary delay is being caused in issuance of passports from Ranchi Passport Office in Jharkhand and the time limit is not being followed in this regard;
- (b) if so, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the number of applications received seeking issuance of passports and the number of passports issued in the prescribed time frame during last one year;
- (d) the number of such applications at present which are pending for more than three months;
- (e) whether the Government has taken action against any officials in this regard; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof for the last three years?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V.K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) & (b) There has been no delay in the issuance of passports by the
- Passport Office (PO) at Ranchi, Jharkhand during the calendar year 2017. (c) As on 31 December 2017, the total number of applications received by PO, Ranchi for passports was 93,213 out of which 87,098 passports were issued within 30 days [excluding Police Verification (PV) time] as stipulated in the Citizens' Charter of the Ministry for Issuance and Delivery of Passport Services. (d) The number of applications pending as on 12 th  March, 2018 for more than 90 days with PO, Ranchi is 115 of which 80 were pending with the applicants and 35 pending for police verification report. (e) & (f) As the passports have been issued within the stipulated time by the Passport Office at Ranchi, Jharkhand and no application is pending for more than 90 days with them, there is no cause for any action.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 5413 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Promotion of Tourism
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: K. C. VENUGOPAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5413 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## PROMOTION OF TOURISM

## 5413. SHRI K.C. VENUGOPAL:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  connecting  various tourist places across the country by rail; and
- (b) the action taken by the Government to connect tourist destinations like Guruvayur, Tirupati and Sabarimala which are already connected by rail excluding the latter one, by operating more direct trains from different parts of the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a):  Indian  Railways,  in  addition  to  regular  passenger  trains  across its  network,  in  association  with  the  Indian  Railway  Catering  and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and select State Tourism Development Luxury  tourist trains,  Buddhist  special  trains,  Semi-luxury  trains,  Bharat  Darshan trains,  Aastha  Circuits  trains,  State  Special  Tourists  trains,  Steam train, Charter trains etc. connecting various tourist places across the

Corporations,  operates  special  tourist  trains like country.

(b): IRCTC has operated State Special Tourist Trains, Bharat Darshan Trains and Rail Tour packages to pilgrim destinations like Guruvayur, Tirupati and Sabarimala from various cities across the country. Besides,  operation  of  additional  train  services  for  tourist  to connect  various  destinations  including  pilgrim  places  Guruvayur, Tirupati  and  Sabrimala  is  an  ongoing  process  on  Indian  Railways subject  to  traffic  justification,  operational  feasibility,  availability  of resources, competing demands etc. *****
Lok Sabha Question No. 5412 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Independent Religion Status to Lingayat Community
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5412 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28-03-2018

## Independent Religion Status to Lingayat Community

## 5412. SHRI  NALIN  KUMAR  KATEEL:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS  be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has received any representation from the Government of Karnataka for granting separate/independent religion status to Lingayat community in the State;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is contemplating to consider the said proposal from the State of Karnataka; and
- (d) if  so,  the  time  by  which  the  separate/independent  religion  status  to  the  Lingayat community of the State is likely to be granted?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

(a) to    (d): This  Ministry  has  so  far  not  received  any  representation  from  the Government  of  Karnataka  for  granting  of  separate/independent  religion  status  to  the Lingayat  Community  in  the  State.    However,  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  had communicated the comments dated 14.11.2013 of Registrar General of India (RGI) to the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) that Veerashaiva Lingayat is a Sect of Hindus and not an independent religion and that RGI did not assign a separate code to Veerashaiva Lingayat during Census-2011.  It also stated that if Veerashaiva Lingayat is treated  as  a  separate  religion  by  providing  a  separate  code  other  than  Hindu,  all scheduled  Castes  (SCs)  professing  the  Veerashaiva  Lingayat  Sect  will  lose  their constitutional  status.    However,  this  Ministry  has  recently  received  a  proposal  of Karnataka  Govt.  on  26.03.2018  regarding  recognition  of  Lingayat  as  a  religious minority.

***
Lok Sabha Question No. 5410 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Electrification of Railway Lines under NF Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Partha Pratim Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5410 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY LINES UNDER NF RAILWAYS

5410.  SHRI PARTHA PRATIM RAY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)     the details of the railway lines to be electrified in the next year along with the details of the railway lines electrified during the last three years under the North Frontier (NF) railway;
- (b)    whether the Railways has taken any steps to speed up the electrification works of railway lines; and
- (c)      if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (c):    A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

******

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.    5410  BY  SHRI  PARTHA  PRATIM RAY TO BE ANSWERED IN LOK SABHA ON 28.03.2018 REGARDING  ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY LINES UNDER NF RAILWAYS

(a):  (i)   The Ministry of Railways have decided to electrify the remaining 38000 Broad Gauge (BG) Route Kilometer (RKM) for achieving  100%  electrification.  This  includes  all  BG  routes under Northeast Frontier Railway.

Out of balance 38000 Broad Gauge (BG) Route Kilometer for 100% electrification, un-sanctioned work of 13675 RKM (including  2536  RKM  of  Northeast  Frontier  Railway)  has been  included  in  Budget  2018-19,  which  will  be  taken  up  for execution subject to statutory and mandatory approvals.

- (ii)    During last three years,  including current year (up to  February,  2018),  Kaithar-Kumedpur-Singhabad  section  (113 Route  Kilometer)  under  Northeast  Frontier  Railway  has  been electrified.
- (b) & (c):   In order to expedite electrification of railway lines in the  country,  various  steps  have  been  taken,  which  inter-alia include  award  of  Engineering  Procurement  and  Construction (EPC) contracts, better project monitoring mechanism,  ensuring availability of funds through extra Budgetary Resources ( Institution Finance) enhancing power of field units for award of contracts  including  sanction  of  estimates  and  increasing  the number  of  executing  agencies  from  existing  three  to  six  by entrusting  electrification  works  to  new  agencies  viz.  IRCON International Limited, Rail India Technical and Economic Services  (RITES)  and  Power  Grid  Corporation  of  India  Limited (PGCIL).

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 5409 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Section 30 of Advocates Act
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: RADHESHYAM BISWAS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AFFAIRS

*****

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-5409 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

Section 30 of Advocates Act

## 5409 . SHRI RADHESHYAM  BISWAS

## Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government  has  notified  section 30 of  the  Advocate  Act,  1961 recently,  enabling  the  lawyers  to  practice  in  courts  across  the  country    irrespective of their enrolment in any bar council without the need to transfer their licences to desired States;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;  and
- (c) the date from which this section will come into force ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## (SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (c) : Yes Madam.  Section 30 of the Advocates Act, 1961 has been notified on June, 9, 2011 and has come into force on June 15, 2011.
Lok Sabha Question No. 5407 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Shortage of Passport Office in Uttar Pradesh
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: JAGDAMBIKA PAL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5407

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## SHORTAGE OF PASSPORT OFFICE IN UTTAR PRADESH

5407.     SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the people of Uttar Pradesh face serious difficulties due to shortage of passport offices in the State;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any remedial measures to set up regional passport offices at district level; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) & (b) There are no serious difficulties being faced by the people of Uttar Pradesh due to shortage of passport offices in the State. There are three Passport Offices in Uttar Pradesh (UP) at Bareilly, Ghaziabad and Lucknow. There   are   six   Passport   Seva   Kendras   (PSK)   in   UP   at   Bareilly,   Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Kanpur, Lucknow and Varanasi. (c) & (d) The Ministry   of   External   Affairs   and   the   Department   of   Posts (DOP) have decided to utilize the Head Post Offices (HPO)/ Post Offices in the various States as Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK) for delivering passport related services to the citizens of the country. Under this scheme, there are 15 POPSK functional in Uttar Pradesh as on 22 March, 2018 at Agra, Allahabad,   Ayodhya/Faizabad,   Azamgarh,   Ballia,   Bijnaur,   Deoria,   Ghazipur, Jhansi, Meerut, Moradabad, Pilibhit,  Pratapgarh,  Sultanpur and Unnao. These PSK and POPSK function as extended arms of the Passport Offices

for providing passport related services to the people of Uttar Pradesh. There are plans to open 17 more POPSK in Uttar Pradesh in the future taking the total number of  POPSK   to   32.   The   Ministry   intends   to   complete   the   requisite formalities for the operationalization of these POPSK by 31 March, 2018.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 5405 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Electrification of Railway Network
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5405 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY NETWORK

† 5405. SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Railways has prepared a scheme amounting  of  Rs.  35  thousand  crore  for  complete electrification of rail network of the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)      whether  the  Railways  has  identified  any  sectors  in Maharashtra to include them into railway electrification scheme; and
- (c)      if  so,  the  time  by  which  this  project  is  likely  to  be implemented?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

(SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a) to (c):    A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

******

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.  5405  ASKED  BY  SHRI  SANJAY HARIBHAU  JADHAV  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON 28.03.2018 REGARDING ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY NETWORK.

(a) to (c):  Yes, Madam.   Ministry of Railways have decided to electrify  balance  38000  Broad  Gauge  (BG)  Route  Kilometer (RKM) for achieving 100% electrification including all BG routes in the State of Maharashtra.

Year  wise  details  of  balance  BG  rail  routes  planned  for electrification are as under:

| Year    |   Route Kilometer planned for electrication. |
|---------|----------------------------------------------|
| 2017-18 |                                         4000 |
| 2018-19 |                                         6000 |
| 2019-20 |                                         7000 |
| 2020-21 |                                        10500 |
| 2021-22 |                                        10500 |
| Total   |                                        38000 |

Out of balance 38000 Broad Gauge (BG) Route Kilometer for 100% electrification, un-sanctioned work of 13675 RKM (including  615  RKM  of  State  of  Maharashtra)  has    been included in Budget 2018-19, which will be taken up for execution subject to statutory and mandatory approvals.

The expenditure of ` 32591 crore is planned for commissioning  of 38000  Route  Kilometers  of sections on electric traction.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 5404 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: New Rail Line between Pune-Nashik
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: HARISHCHANDRA DEORAM CHAVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5404 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## NEW RAIL LINE BETWEEN PUNE - NASHIK

## †5404. SHRI HARISHCHANDRA CHAVAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  Detailed  Project  Report  (DPR)  regarding  Pune-Nashik new railway  line  mentioned  in  the  budget  of  the  year  2016-17 has been prepared;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

(a)  to  (c):        Pune-Nashik  (265  km)  new  line  project  was  included  in Railway Budget 2016-17 subject to requisite Government approvals at an estimated cost of ` 2425 crore.  Detailed Project Report (DPR) of this project has been prepared and sent by Central Railway and received in August, 2017.  As per DPR, cost of the project assessed is ` 5341.68 crore with Rate of Return (-)1.86% and length is 313.50 km. Government of  Maharashtra  has  identified  this  project  to  be  developed  through Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Limited (MRIDL), a Joint Venture  Company  of  Government  of  Maharashtra  and  Ministry  of Railways.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 5403 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: Delhi-Mumbai-Chennai Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: T.G. VENKATESH BABU

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5403 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018

## DELHI-MUMBAI-CHENNAI RAILWAY LINE

## 5403.   SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G. :

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  track  in  kilometres  laid  by  the  Railways  on  daily  basis during the last three years;
- (b) whether the Railways has fixed any per day target for laying of track during 2018-19 and also to treble the Delhi-Mumbai and DelhiChennai railway line;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to achieve the targets; and
- (d)  if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN)

- (a) to (d):  Targets and achievements of tracks laid are monitored on yearly basis.  However, average track kilometer laid by Indian Railways  on  per  day  basis  during  the  last  three  years  (2014-15, 2015-16 & 2016-17) is 7.0 km / day.

Further, Indian Railways has fixed the target of 4100 km for New Line / Gauge Conversion / Doubling for  2018-19 including tripling of few sections of Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai routes which work out to be 11.23 km /day.  Railway is closely monitoring the progress of work to achieve the targets alongwith assured funding.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 5402 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-28
Subject: CVC Investigation
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING)

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5402

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.03.2018)

## CVC INVESTIGATION

## 5402. SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  advisories  based  on  investigation  which  have  been  referred  by  the Central  Vigilance  Commission  (CVC)  to  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers Welfare during the last one year, case-wise;
- (b) whether CVC has obtained action taken report from the Ministry of Agriculture in this regard; and
- (c) if so, the case-wise details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a):    As  per  information  available  with  the  Central  Vigilance  Commission  (CVC),  07 references / investigation reports were received in the Central Vigilance Commission  from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoAFW) from January 2017 upto 9 th  March, 2018. Out of the 07 references received, CVC advised initiation of disciplinary proceedings and imposition of penalty in respect of 05 cases and closure of the case in respect of 02 cases.
- (b)  &  (c):      In  respect  of  all  the  above  05  cases  in  which  advisories  were  issued  by  CVC, action related to initiation of disciplinary proceedings has been initiated by MoAFW. In one case, major penalty has been imposed and other four cases are at various stages.

*******