opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 684 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: New Coffee and Pepper Policy
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Bhagwanth Khuba

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 684 TO BE ANSWERED ON  26 th  JUNE, 2019

## NEW COFFEE AND PEPPER POLICY

## 684. SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािण᭔य एवं उ᳒ोग मंᮢी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  planning  a  new  coffee  and  pepper  policy  which  will  ensure remunerative prices for genuine coffee and pepper growers;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has prepared any draft of the proposal and has invited comments from the States concerned;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the coffee and pepper prices were fixed to the satisfaction of the farmers in the said policy; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANWSER

## okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h ( Jh ih;w'k xks;y )

## THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to  (c):    While  reform  and  promotion  of  the  coffee  and  pepper  sector  is  an  ongoing  and constant  endeavour  of  the  government,  at  this  time  there  is  no  proposal  related  to  a  new policy.
- (d) to (e):  Does not arise.
Lok Sabha Question No. 683 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: New Train from Banka to Deoghar
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Giridhari Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 683 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.06.2019

## NEW TRAIN FROM BANKA TO DEOGHAR

† 683.  SHRI GIRIDHARI YADAV:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  start  any  passenger  train service on the 60 kms. broad gauge railway line ready between Banka and Deoghar;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

## ANSWER (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a)  to  (c)  At  present,  Banka-Deoghar  section  is  being  served  by  two pairs of train services including 15625/15626 Deoghar-Agartala Express  (Weekly)  introduced  w.e.f.  06.07.2018.  However,  at  present, there is no proposal to introduce new train service between Banka and Deoghar due to operational and resource constraints.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 682 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Strengthening of BSNL and MTNL
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 682 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 TH  JUNE, 2019

## STRENGTHENING OF BSNL AND MTNL

## †682. SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  scheme/plan  to  strengthen  Bharat  Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL); and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS, LAW & JUSTICE AND ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a) & (b) Indian  Institute  of  Management,  Ahmedabad and M/s Deloitte were engaged to facilitate  the  preparation  of  the  revival/restructuring  plan  of  Bharat  Sanchar  Nigam  Limited (BSNL)  and  Mahanagar  Telephone  Nigam  Limited  (MTNL) respectively.  Pursuant  to  their recommendations and approval of respective Boards, a comprehensive  revival plan for BSNL and MTNL is under preparation.

*************
Lok Sabha Question No. 680 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Doubling of Railway Tracks
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 680 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.06.2019

## DOUBLING OF RAILWAY TRACKS

680.  SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the present status of doubling of railway track in Surendranagar-Daladi and Daladi-Rajkot section;
- (b) whether the Railways have fixed any targets for completion of the above sections; and
- (c) the time by which both sections are likely to be completed?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

## (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (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.  680  BY  SHRI  MOHANBHAI  KALYANJI KUNDARIYA  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK    SABHA  ON  26.06.2019 REGARDING DOUBLING OF RAILWAY TRACKS

(a):  Doubling  of  Surendranagar-Rajkot  section  (116.17  Km)  was included in the Budget 2015-16 and the detailed estimate has been sanctioned in June, 2016 at a cost of ` 1,002.39 crore.

In  Surendranagar-Daladi-Rajkot  section  (116.17  Km),  7.04  Km long doubling from Surendranagar to  Chamaraj has been completed and commissioned on 09.01.2019.

In  balance  section  from  Chamaraj-Daladi-Rajkot,  construction works are in different stages of execution, wherever land is available. Balance  land  acquisition  has  been  taken  up  and  all  necessary documents have been submitted to State Revenue Authorities.

(b) & (c): Completion of the project is dependent upon many factors such as land acquisition, statutory clearances like forestry and wild life clearances, shifting of services, cutting of trees, construction of road  over  bridges  and  road  under  bridges  by  road  maintaining agencies.

Since  action  for  balance  land  acquisition  has  been  taken  up, therefore, fixing the timeline for completion of project at this stage is not feasible.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 676 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: e-Commerce Policy
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Sukanta Majumdar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 676. TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 26 TH  JUNE, 2019.

## e-COMMERCE POLICY

## 676. DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

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

## वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री

- (a) whether the Government has introduced some changes in the e-Commerce Policy  to  protect  the  indigenous  traders  and  business  houses  from  being taken  undue  advantage of  by  the  e-Commerce  giants  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) whether the policy changes have not gone down well with the US traders and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  as  per  some  media  reports  these  changes  would  scale  down  the quantum of e-Commerce and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the other steps being taken by the Government for regulation and growth of e-Commerce industry in the country?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज् य एवं उद्योग मंत्री (श्री पीयूष गोयल) THE MINISTER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI  PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) & (d): A draft National e-Commerce policy has been prepared and placed in public domain. This policy addresses six broad areas of the e-commerce ecosystem viz. data; infrastructure development; e-commerce  marketplaces;  regulatory  issues;  stimulating  domestic digital economy and export promotion through e-commerce. The Policy takes  into  account  interests  of  all  stakeholders,  be  they  investors, manufacturers, MSMEs, traders, retailers, startups and consumers.

However, FDI Policy on e-commerce, first pronounced through Press Note  2  of  2000,  permitted  100%  FDI  in  B2B  e-commerce  activities. With a view to clarify already existing policy framework, after extensive stakeholder consultations, Press Note 3 was issued by DIPP in 2016. B2C  e-commerce,  that  is  multi-brand  retail  through  inventory  based model, has all  along  remained  prohibited for  FDI.  Through the  Press Note  2  (2018)  issued  on  26  December,  2018  Government  has  only reiterated the policy provisions to ensure better implementation of the policy in letter and spirit, without making any change in the underlying principle.

- (b): In  response  to  the  draft  Policy,  comments  of  a  number  of  foreign governments  have  been  received, including  the  US  government flagging issues of US businesses.
- (c): No such reports are available.
- *****
Lok Sabha Question No. 675 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Indigenous GPS
Ministry: SPACE
Asked by: Rajan Baburao  Vichare

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## DEPARTMENT OF SPACE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.675

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26, 2019 INDIGENOUS GPS

675. SHRI RAJAN VICHARE:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the country is likely to get its own GPS soon and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether ISRO has completed all the necessary preparation in this direction and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether ISRO has launched seven satellites for this indigenous GPS, the existence of which will obviate India's dependence of navigation on America and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

- MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH):
- (a) India's  own  regional  navigation  satellite  system  named  as 'Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC)' is already established by ISRO and is functional from April 2018 onwards.
- (b) & (c)

ISRO has completed all the necessary preparations with regard to  establishment  of  Space  Segment  (currently  Eight  IRNSS satellites are in orbit) and Ground Segment (spread across India). The Seven satellites in  the system are providing

Positioning,  Navigation  and  Timing  (PNT)  services  and  one satellite (IRNSS-1A) is providing messaging services. The potential of this indigenous system is being demonstrated in  various  application  sectors  viz.  vehicle  tracking  system, mobiles,  timing  &  power  synchronization,  fisheries,  surveying etc.  For  example,  all  commercial  vehicles  registered  from 1 st  April 2019 onwards are mandated to have vehicle trackers, which  are  also  NavIC-enabled.  More  than  30  companies  are manufacturing Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) or International  Centre  for  Automotive  Technology (ICAT) approved NavIC-enabled vehicle trackers in India. Through  the  provision  of  these  services,  the  dependence  on the American-owned GPS could be obviated. *****
Lok Sabha Question No. 674 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Monitoring the Performance of Judges
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 674

## TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 26 TH  JUNE, 2019.

## Monitoring the Performance of Judges

## 674. SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY:

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

- (a) whether there is any mechanism available to monitor the work performance of Judges and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  is  considering  the  setting  up  of  work  performance commission to monitor the performance of Judges and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to involve a scientific method of performance appraisal of judicial officers by setting a measurable performance standard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF LAW AND JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a)  to  (c):  The  performance  evaluation  of  Judges  in  the  Supreme  Court  and  the  High Courts  is  a  matter  in  the  domain  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  the  High  Courts.    The administrative  control  over  District  and  Subordinate  Judiciary  vests  with  the  concerned High Court as per provisions  contained  in  the  Constitution  of  India.    As  per  information available, various High Courts have framed their own rules and guidelines for giving credit to  judicial  officer  for  disposal  of  various  categories  of  cases  which  are  included  in  the performance appraisal of judges of subordinate judiciary.

The Supreme Court has constituted National Court Management System (NCMS) Committee.    A  Sub  Committee  of  the  NCMS  Committee  has  looked  into  the  issue  of developing  a  National  Framework  of  Court  Excellence  to  set  measurable  standards  of performance  for  courts  and  a  monitoring  mechanism  to  measure  these  performance parameters.    The  Sub-Committee  has  submitted  its  report  to  the  NCMS.    There  is  no proposal at present to set up a Performance Appraisal Commission by the Government.

****************
Lok Sabha Question No. 670 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Aircraft Crashes
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: Prataprao  Jadhav, Suresh Kodikunnil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.670

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 26 TH  JUNE, 2019

## AIRCRAFT CRASHES

## 670. SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

## SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of aircrafts of the Air Force which have crashed during the last three years and as on date, year-wise;
- (b) the quantum of loss incurred due to it;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any investigation regarding the said aircraft accidents; and
- (d) if so, the details and the outcome thereof along with the action taken in this regard?

A    N    S    W    E    R MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK) IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE रक्षा राज्य मंत्री ( श्री श्रीपाद नाईक )

- (a) & (b): The details of aircraft crashes during last three years are as follows:

| Year                      | Fighter   | Helicopter   | Transport   | Trainer   |
|---------------------------|-----------|--------------|-------------|-----------|
| 2016-17                   | 06        | 02           | 01          | 01        |
| 2017-18                   | 02        | -            | -           | 03        |
| 2018-19                   | 07        | 02           | -           | 02        |
| 2019-20 (till 20.06.2019) | -         | -            | 01          | -         |

The current quantum of provisional loss for the last three years is approximately Rs.524.64 crore in respect of 11 crash cases which have been closed.

- (c) & (d):  Every aircraft accident in the IAF is investigated by Court of Inquiry (CoI) to ascertain  the  cause  of  accident  and  the  recommendations  of  the  completed  Court  of Inquiry are implemented.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 667 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Coal Mining
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Vincent H Pala

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 667 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.06.2019

## Coal Mining

## 667.        SHRI VINCENT H. PALA:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a)   whether the Government is aware that the NGT has banned coal mining in Meghalaya and the same matter is in Supreme Court and if so, the details thereof; and
- (b)   whether the Government has filed affidavit for the same and if so the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES

## (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

- (a):     The National Green Tribunal (NGT), vide Order dated 17.04.2014 in OA No.73/2014, had banned rat hole mining of coal in the State of Meghalaya.  The NGT, vide Order dated 31.08.2018, inter-alia, directed that the orders of ban on rat hole mining will continue, subject to further orders of Hon'ble Supreme Court of India.
- (b):     The Government has filed a Status Note by way of affidavit before Hon'ble Supreme Court  of  India  on  24.07.2018  in  Civil  Appeal  Dy.  No.  3067/2018,  filed  by  Lber  Laloo, challenging  the  interlocutory  orders  of  NGT  in  OA  No,  73/2014.  Subsequently,  on  the direction of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, vide its Order dated 19.02.2019, to take a decision  on  the  proposal  of  the  Government  of  Meghalaya  for  exempting  the  State  of Meghalaya  from  certain  provisions  of  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation) Act 1957 by way of issuance of Presidential Notification, another affidavit has been filed on 28.03.2019 conveying the decision of the Government.

* * * **
Lok Sabha Question No. 666 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Issuance of Aadhaar Cards
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Sunil Kumar Mondal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 666

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.06.2019

## ISSUANCE OF AADHAAR CARDS

## 666. SHRI SUNIL KUMAR MONDAL:

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  separate  details  of  Aadhaar  cards  issued  to  all  women, children, senior citizens, persons with disability, unskilled and unorganised workers, nomadic tribes and such other persons who do not have any permanent dwelling house; and

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  FOR   ELECTRONICS AND  INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a) and (b): Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) only collects name, gender, date of  birth,  address  and  other  relevant  information  at  the  time  of  enrolment  for  Aadhaar  of  an individual  in  accordance  with  Section  2  (k)  of  Aadhaar  (Targeted  Delivery  of  Financial  and other  Subsidies,  Benefits  and  Services)  Act,  2016  and  the  Aadhaar  (Enrolment  &  Update) Regulations 3-6 thereunder. UIDAI do not collect information regarding race, religion, caste, tribe etc.

The information in respect of age group-wise /gender-wise Aadhaar generation is  available at link https://uidai.gov.in/aadhaar\_dashboard/india.php .

*******
Lok Sabha Question No. 665 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Triple Talaq Bill
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Prasun Banerjee

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT

## LOK    S A B H A

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 665 TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, 26 TH  JUNE, 2019. TRIPLE TALAQ BILL

665. SHRI PRASUN BANERJEE

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

- (a) the present status of the Triple Talaq Bill;
- (b) whether the Government propose to reintroduce  the bill and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Government has any plan to bring a bill against Nikah Halala and polygamy and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF LAW & JUSTICE, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)

- (a)  The  Muslim  Women  (Protection  of  Rights  on  Marriage)  Bill,  2017  and  Muslim Women (Protection  of  Rights  on  Marriage)  Bill,  2018  pending  in  Rajya  Sabha lapsed due to dissolution of the Sixteenth Lok Sabha.
- (b) The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019, to replace the Muslim  Women  (Protection  of  Rights  on  Marriage)  Second  Ordinance,  2019 (Ord. 4 of 2019), which would inter alia ,  protect the rights of married Muslim women and children and to prohibit divorce by pronouncing triple talaq by their husbands has been introduced in Lok Sabha on the 21 st June, 2019.
- (c)  The matter is sub judice before the Supreme Court.
Lok Sabha Question No. 664 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: Child Care Allowance for Divyang Women
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: Lallu Singh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 664

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 26.06.2019)

## CHILD CARE ALLOWANCE FOR DIVYANG WOMEN

## †664. SHRI LALLU SINGH:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has doubled the child care allowance for divyang women;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including allowance provided in Uttar Pradesh;
- (c) the time by which the said scheme is likely to be implemented; and
- (d) the burden likely to be on the Government exchequer as a result thereof?

## 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)  to  (c):      Consequent  upon  implementation  of  the  recommendations  of  the  7 th Central  Pay Commission,  the  rates  of  special  allowance  for  women  with  disabilities  have  been  increased from Rs.1500 per month to Rs.3000 per month for child care which shall be payable from the time of child's birth till the child is two years old. This special allowance shall be payable for a maximum of two eldest surviving children and would be automatically raised by 25% every time the  Dearness Allowance on the revised pay structure  goes up by 50%. It is effective from 1 st July, 2017 and applicable to all Central Government disabled woman employees, irrespective of their place of posting, including in Uttar Pradesh.
- (d):    No specific information regarding the financial burden on Government exchequer in this regard is available.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 663 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-26
Subject: New National Rubber Policy
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Anto  Antony

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 663 TO BE ANSWERED ON  26 th  JUNE, 2019

## NEW NATIONAL RUBBER POLICY

663. SHRI ANTO ANTONY: be

Will  the  Minister  of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािण᭔य एवं उ᳒ोग मंᮢी ) pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is formulating a new National Rubber Policy in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the salient features of the policy;
- (c) whether the Government has taken into consideration the opinion of all stakeholders in this regard;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether the new policy will help the natural rubber growers in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  welfare  of  natural  rubber growers?

## ANWSER

## okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h ( Jh ih;w'k xks;y )

## THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a)& (b):The  Department  of  Commerce  already  brought  out  the  National  Rubber  Policy  in  March 2019.   The  National Rubber  Policy  includes  several  provisions  to  support  the  natural  rubber  (NR) production sector and the  entire rubber industry value  chain.  The Policy  covers new planting and replanting  of  rubber,  support  for  growers,  processing  and  marketing  of  natural  rubber,  labour shortage, grower forums, external trade, Centre-State integrated strategies, research, training, rubber product manufacturing and export, climate change concerns, carbon market etc.

(c) to (e):National Rubber Policy is based on the short term and long term strategies identified by the Task Force constituted on the rubber sector for mitigating problems faced by rubber growers in the country.  The  Task  Force  held  extensive  consultations  with  various  stakeholders  of  rubber  sector. Prior to the notification of the National Rubber Policy, stakeholder views were obtained.  The policy is expected to benefit natural rubber growers and promote the natural rubber production sector.

- (f): Developmental and research activities for supporting NR sector for the welfare of growers are carried  out  through  Rubber  Board  by  implementing the scheme  'Sustainable and Inclusive Development of Natural Rubber Sector' in the Medium Term Framework(MTF)(2017-18 to 201920).  The Developmental activities include financial and technical assistance for planting, supply of quality planting materials, support for grower forums, training and skill development programme.

****