opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 1446 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: MSP for Cotton
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Mahendrabhai Kalubhai Munjpara

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1446

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## MSP FOR COTTON

1446.    DR. MUNJPARA MAHENDRABHAI KALUBHAI:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has decided that the Commission for Agricultural Costs and  Prices  (CACP)  can  consider  the  declaration  of  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSP)  for Organic Cotton and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken/proposes  to  take  any  decision/steps  in  this regard; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (c): There is no proposal for fixing separate Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Organic Cotton. However, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare fixes the MSP for two basic varieties of Cotton viz. Medium Staple Cotton and Long staple Cotton on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP), after considering the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments concerned and other relevant factors. Further, on the basis of support prices of these two basic classes of seed cotton  and taking  into  account  the  quality  differential,  normal  price  differential  and  other relevant factors, the support price for other classes of seed cotton of Fair Average Quality (FAQ) are fixed by the Ministry of Textiles.  These classes of seed cotton are defined on the basis of Basic Staple Length and the Micronaire value.

All  varieties  of  Cotton  for  which  MSP  is  announced  are  procured  by  the  Cotton Corporation  of  India  (CCI),  the  nodal  agency  for  the  procurement  of  cotton,  subject  to meeting  FAQ  norms.    However,  farmers  have  the  option  to  sell  their  produce  to  the government agencies or in the open market if that is beneficial to them.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1445 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Strengthening of MGNREGS
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: K. Subbarayan

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1445

ANSWERED ON 20/09/2020

## STRENGTHENING OF MGNREGS

## 1445.   SHRI SUBBARAYAN K.:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  strengthen  the  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS)  by  providing  job  cards  to  the  migrant workers  who  have  returned  to  their  villages  during  the  COVID-19  lockdown  period, increasing  funds  allocated  to  the  scheme  and  expanding  the  scope  of  the  work  as  the target for providing free foodgrains to the migrant workers has not been successful;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (c)  Mahatma Gandhi NREGS is a demand driven wage employment scheme. Every adult member of a household in a rural area, having job card (as per Mahatma Gandhi NREG Act), is eligible  for  a  job  on  demand  under  the  scheme.   There  is  no  provision  to  register  a  Job  card holder categorised as migrant labourers/ family in the job card in the scheme.  A job card can be issued to a migrant labour/family as per the provision of the Act against a demand by the migrant labour/family. A total of 86,81,928 new job card during the current FY so far, has been issued as compared to 36,64,368 new job card issued during the same period of the FY 2019-20.

During the Financial Year 2020-21, the Budget Estimates is of Rs. 61,500 crore for Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. In order to meet additional demand for work due to  return of workers  from urban  areas  to  rural  areas,  Government  has  made  an  additional  provision  of  Rs.  40,000  crore under  Mahatma  Gandhi  NREGS  under  the Atma  Nirbhar  Bharat package  as  announced  by Hon'ble Union Finance Minister during the current FY 2020-21. The Ministry seeks additional fund for Mahatma Gandhi NREGS as and when required for meeting the demand for work on the ground.

Inclusion  of  new  works  under  the  Scheme  is  a  regular  exercise  to  expand  the  ambit  of  work offered under the Scheme. In this direction, recently on 2.7.2020, the permissible works under the  Scheme  has  been  enhanced  to  262  numbers  by  adding  unskilled  wage  component  of  230 persondays  for  construction  of  Community  Sanitary  Complexes  in  convergence  with  Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen).

The Ministry also issues convergence guidelines with other Ministries/ Departments from time to time to enhance the creation of durable asset by creating more opportunities in rural areas.
Lok Sabha Question No. 1443 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Monitoring fo Terror Outfits
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Gangasandra Siddappa Basavaraj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1443

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020/ BHADRAPADA 29, 1942 (SAKA) MONITORING FO TERROR OUTFITS

1443. SHRI G.S. BASAVARAJ: SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  any  increase  in  the  presence  of ISIS/Daesh, IS Khorasan, Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists in the country recently;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is also aware of the United Nations report titled, 'The 26th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIS,  Al-Qaeda  and  associated  individuals  and  entities'  stating  that  there  are 'significant numbers' of ISIS terrorists in Kerala and Karnataka;
- (d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken upon the acknowledgement of the report by the Government;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  has  sought  academic  or  strategic  opinion  on  the matter with reference to the regional specific character of such increase reported by an international agency; and,
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) and (b) : The Government is aware of the presence of the terrorist outfits in the country including ISIS/Daesh, IS Khorasan, Lashkar-e-Toiba etc. National Investigation Agency (NIA) has so far registered and investigated 34 cases related to presence of Islamic State (IS) and 20 cases related to presence of Lashkar-eToiba across the country and arrested 160 and 80 accused persons respectively.

## LS.US.Q.NO.1443 FOR 20-09-2020

(c)  to  (f):    Yes,  Sir.    However,  the  said  report  claiming  presence  of  'significant numbers' of ISIS terrorists in Kerala and Karnataka, is factually not correct.  The Government  continuously  takes  necessary  measures  to  put  forth  India's  correct position through established mechanism in unequivocal and categorical terms at various international, multilateral  and  bilateral  for  a  and  also  through  diplomatic channels.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1434 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Fake Methanol-based Hand Sanitisers
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Hibi Eden

## 1434.

## GOVERNMEilT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1434 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 2oth SEPTEMBER,2O2O

## FIAKE METHANOL-BASED HAND SANITISERS

## SHRI HI!B! EDEN:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DtsTRlBUTtoN 3lr$}fdl arri, urr-a sil'{ grffi6, frfloI d*  be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government has received a warning against fake methanot-based  hand sanitisers flooding  the market from the CBI;
- (b)
- if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government after receiving the repoil of GBI along with the source fiom which GBI received relevant inputs; and
- (d)  whether the lnterpol has issued aleit that they had found instances in some countries where cases of use of methanol in spurious hand sanitiserc have been reported  and if so, the details thereofit

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR IUIINISTRY  OF CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD &

## ANSWER PUBLIG DISTRIBUTIOI{

(SHRI DANVE RAOSA}IEB DADARAO)

- (a) to (d) tt was informed by GBt on the basis of input received from II{TERPOL that in Gambodia, in March 2O2O, an inter'agency team seized itlicat methanol from a urarehouse located at Phnom Penh. The methanol was used for counterfeiting  hand sanitizers, due to the hlgh demand caused by the GOVID-19  outbreak.

ln the Phillippines, in the areas of Quezon and Laguna, during 2O{8 and end of 2o19, several persons counterfeited  (preparing, mixing, blendingt brewing, distributing  to locat stores) an indigenous traditional beverage called  ..Lambanogtt  (coconut wine), using methanol, which resulted in 34 deaths. tn lran, in severat regions, during March 2O2O, based on the false perception that alcohol consumption would prevent and protect against covlD-1g,  more than 3ooo persons were harmed by consuming counterfeit atcohol containing methanolr of which at least 32O lost their lives'

The input received  has been brought to knowledge of all the State/uT DGPs/lGPs and atl tnterpol  Liaison Oflicers on O5.O6.2O20 by the GBI'
Lok Sabha Question No. 1433 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Financial and Technical Assistance to Dairy Farmers
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Harish Dwivedi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1433 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## FINANCIAL AND TECCHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO DAIRY FARMERS

1433 Shri HARISH DWIVEDI:

## Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

मत्स्यपाऱन , पशुपाऱन और डेयरी मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of schemes being run by the Government to provide financial and technical assistance to the farmers in animal husbandry to increase milk production in the country; and
- (b) the number of farmers who have benefited from these schemes in Uttar Pradesh during the last five years and the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY & DAIRYING (DR. SANJEEV KUMAR BALYAN)

- (a) In  order  to  complement  and  supplement  the  efforts  made  by  the  States and Union Territories  to  provide  financial  assistance  to  the  farmers  in  animal husbandry for dairy development Government has been implementing Rashtriya Gokul Mission to enhance milk production and productivity of bovines. Under the scheme  technical  and  financial  assistance  is  made  available  to  farmers  for extension of artificial insemination coverage, implementation of modern reproductive biotechniques including In vitro fertilization, genomics, sex sorted semen  etc.  To  provide  direct  benefit  to  the  farmers  Nationwide  Artificial Insemination programme has been initiated under Rashtriya Gokul Mission for delivery of Artificial Insemination services free of cost at farmers' doorstep.
- (b) Under  Nationwide  Artificial  Insemination  Programme  Phase-I  (from  15 th September 2019 to 31 st  May 2020) 10.22 lakh animals have been covered and 1.57  lakh  farmers  benefited  in  Uttar  Pradesh.  Under  Dairy  Entrepreneurship Development  Scheme  (DEDS)  17,455  dairy  units  have  been  establishment  in Uttar Pradesh during the last five years. The scheme continued upto 2019-20.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1432 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Implementation of GKRA
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dushyant Singh

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1432

ANSWERED ON 20/09/2020

## IMPLEMENTATION OF GKRA

## 1432.   SHRI DUSHYANT SINGH:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  skill  based  mapping  has  been  done  for  the  selected  districts  under  the  Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan (GKRA);
- (b) if so, the details regarding the number of workers available for each of the 25 activities designated under the scheme, district-wise;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the composition of the district and State level committees apart from the chairman under the scheme;
- (e) the details of the number of jobs in each of the 25 activities designated under the scheme in the 116 selected districts, district-wise;
- (f) the details of the number of jobs provided so far under the scheme, district-wise; and
- (g) whether training has been conducted for migrant workers, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to  (f):  Government of  India has not done skilled based mapping for the selected Districts under the Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan (GKRA).

The Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyaan (GKRA) has been launched on 20th June, 2020.  The Abhiyaan  adopts  a  multipronged  strategy  of  providing  immediate  employment  &  livelihood opportunities to the distressed, to saturate the villages with public infrastructure and creation of livelihood  assets  to  boost  the  income  generation  activities  and  enhance  long  term  livelihood opportunities  by  giving  focus  on  25  works  in  116  selected  districts  across  6  States  of  Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.  At State Level, each State, under the Abhiyaan, has appointed the Additional Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary/ Secretary Incharge  of  State  Rural  Development  Department  as  the  State  Nodal  Officer  (SNO)  for  the Abhiyaan, who is responsible for coordination, implementation, monitoring, and overall outcome of  the  Abhiyaan  within  the  State  at  District  Level.  A  committee  of  all  stakeholders  is  formed under  the  Chairpersonship  of  District  Collector/  District  Magistrate  /Deputy  Commissioner  of the Abhiyaan District for implementation and monitoring. A similar structure has been created at the State Level under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary thereof.

The Abhiyaan is continuing. A total of Rs.27.76 crore persondays generated so far under GKRA.  The  requisite  State/District  wise  information/data  is  being  collected.   Training  being conducted through Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) under GKRA. A total of 1230 trainings have been conducted and 43,487 Person trained so far.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1429 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Agricultural Colleges
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Devji Mansingram Patel, Ranjeetsingh Naik Nimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1429 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20/09/2020

## AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES

1429.  SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL: SHRI RANJEETSINGH HINDURAO NAIK NIMBALKAR:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  number  of  agriculture  colleges  in  the  country  is  less  than  that  of engineering and medical colleges of the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) the details of the agriculture colleges set up and likely to be set up in the next year in the country, State/ UT-wise;
- (d) whether the Government has received any proposal from various States including Uttar Pradesh for setting up agriculture universities/colleges;
- (e) if  so,  the  number  of  such  proposals  received  during  the  last  three  years  and  the current year, State/ UT-wise; and
- (f) the action taken by the Government thereon?

## A N S W E R

## THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

d`f"k vkSj fdlku dY;k.k ea=h

(a) to (c): Agriculture including Agricultural Education  is state subject, therefore maintaining comparative records of agricultural/medical/engineering colleges are in purview of concerned states. Being an apex body in the field of Agricultural Research and Education, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) aids, supports and strengthens agricultural education in the country through various schemes.

- (d) No, Sir.
- (e) Question does not arise.
- (f) Question does not arise.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1428 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Crop Loss due to Floods in Uttar Pradesh
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Keshari Devi Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1428

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## CROP LOSS DUE TO FLOODS IN UTTAR PRADESH

## 1428.     SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) the  names and numbers of various districts of Uttar Pradesh which have suffered loss of crops due to floods this year;
- (b) whether the Government has provided financial assistance to the farmers of these districts;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether any assessment has been made as to the kinds of crops damaged along with the quantum of loss incurred on the said crops;
- (e) if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the  steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to compensate this loss and  to  provide  economic  assistance  and  fertilizers,  seeds  etc.  to  the  farmers  for  the plantation of the next crop?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): State Government of Uttar Pradesh has reported that 20 districts of the State suffered loss of crops due to floods during 2020-21. The names of the districts are as under:

Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Sitapur, Behraich, Ambedkar Nagar, Ayodhya, Barabanki, Basti, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, Mau, Maharajganj, Kushi Nagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Ballia, Azamgarh, Farrukhabad and Shahjahanpur.

(b) to (f): The primary responsibility for disaster management rests with the State Governments. The concerned State Governments undertake relief measures in the wake of natural disasters from the  State  Disaster  Response  Fund  (SDRF)  already  placed  at  their  disposal  in  accordance  with Government of India approved items and norms. Additional assistance is extended from the National Disaster  Response  Fund  (NDRF)  as  per  established  procedure.  The  assistance  approved  under SDRF/NDRF norms is provided in the form of relief.

Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  intimated  that  Inter-Ministerial  Central  Team  has  been constituted  for  visiting  the  flood  affected  area  in  Uttar  Pradesh  in  advance,  without  waiting  for Memorandum. Further, in order to support the affected people of the State, the Central Government has  released  the  Central  Share  of  State  Disaster  Risk  Management  Fund  amounting  to  Rs.966.50 Crore,  in  advance,  to  Uttar  Pradesh  for  management  of  relief  necessitated  by  notified  natural disasters for the year 2020-21.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 1427 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-20
Subject: Involvement of NGOs in Religious Conversion
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Jyotirmay Singh Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1427

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020/BHADRAPADA 29, 1942 (SAKA) INVOLVEMENT OF NGOs IN RELIGIOUS CONVERSION

1427. SHRI JYOTIRMAY SINGH MAHATO:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  certain  Non-Governmental  Organisations  (NGOs) working in the country are involved in religious conversion;
- (b) if so, whether these organisations are financed from abroad;
- (c) if so, whether the Government is taking any steps to check it; and

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

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a)  to  (d)  Those  NGOs/associations  who  want  to  receive  and  utilize    'Foreign Contribution' from a 'Foreign Source' have to get registered under The Foreign Contribution  (Regulation)  Act  (FCRA),  2010  or  seek  Prior  Permission  of  Central Government.    Such  NGOs  can  receive  and  utilize  Foreign  Contribution  for  a definite  cultural,  economic,  educational,  religious  or  social  programme.    The FCRA, 2010 further provides that Foreign Contribution shall be utilized exclusively for the purposes for which it has been received.  Therefore, each FCRA NGO has to utilise such Foreign Contribution for the purpose for it has been registered or granted Prior Permission by the Central Government.

## LS.US.Q.NO.1427 FOR 20.09.2020

However, some reports have been received from time to time that some NGOs were  allegedly  involved  in  activities  which  violated  various  provisions  of  The FCRA,  2010.    The  FCRA,  2010  provides  a  legal  mechanism  to  deal  with  such violations.  Such mechanism includes audit of accounts of such NGO, inspection of  their  accounts and records, verification of their on-field activities and so on. The FCRA certificate of such NGOs may be suspended depending upon the facts and circumstances of the case.  Such violations may also lead to cancellation of the certificate leading to blacklisting of the NGO for a period of three years.  In some cases where violations of the FCRA, 2010 so warrant, the matter may be investigated as provided under Section 43 of the FCRA, 2010.

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