opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 4272 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Banks Merger
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Dr. T. Sumathy (a) Thamizhachi Thangapandian

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF FINANCE

## DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4272

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND  MARCH 2021/ CHAITRA 1, 1943 (SAKA)

## Banks Merger

## 4272. DR. T. SUMATHY (a) THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether by the end of 2023-24 most of the Public Sector Banks(PSBs) would be merged or disinvested to private banks;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  current  condition  of  PSBs  in  the  country,  turn  over,  profit/loss, share  holding  pattern,  NPAs  and  bad  debts,  total  permanent  employees  and  value  of immovable assets by way of security and collaterals; and
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  extend  the  quality  services  to  common  people particularly in rural areas?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

(a): The Finance Minister, in her speech on the Union Budget for the year 2021-22, announced the Government's  intent  to  take  up  the  privatisation  of  two  Public  Sector  Banks  (PSBs)  and  the approval of a policy of strategic disinvestment of Public Sector Enterprises (PSE). As per the New PSE policy  for  Atmanirbhar  Bharat  issued  by  the  Department  of  Investment  and  Public  Asset Management, recommendations shall be made by NITI Aayog with regard to Central PSEs under Strategic  Sectors,  which  includes  the  Banking,  Insurance  and  Financial  Services  Sector,  and recommendations  shall be considered and Central PSEs  to be, inter alia , retained under Government  control  or  considered  for  privatisation  or  merger  or  subsidiarisation  with  another PSE shall be approved by an Alternative Mechanism that has been approved by the Government. No proposal  on  merger  or  disinvestment  of  PSBs  is  currently  under  consideration  of  the  said mechanism.

(b): Does not arise.

(c):  A  number  of  steps  have  been  taken  to  extend  quality  banking  services  to  common  people particularly in rural areas, including, inter-alia , the following:

(i)  Engagement of over 4.79 lakh Banking Correspondents (BCs), by scheduled commercial banks (including 1.55 lakh by PSBs) to provide customers easy access to services including in rural/backward and remote areas of the country, with 75% of total transactions performed through BC channels being in rural areas in FY 2019-20 and 64% in current FY (till date);

(ii) Issuance of RuPay cards to over 30 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojna customers for improved digital access; and

(iii) 1.93 crore Kisan Credit Cards outstanding as on Mar-2020 for enabling farmers to meet their production credit requirements in a timely and hassle-free manner.
Lok Sabha Question No. 4271 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Sustainable Development Goal for Education
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, M.K. Vishnu Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4271

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

## Sustainable Development Goal for Education

## 4271. SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:

DR. VISHNU PRASAD M.K.:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has approved/implemented the new National Education Policy (NEP) with the Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all in the next 20 years; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof and targets set/achieved so far, State-wise?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a) The Government of India has approved the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) which aims to address the many growing developmental imperatives of our country. This Policy proposes the revision and revamping of all aspects of the education structure, including its regulation and governance, to create a new system that is aligned with the aspirational goals of 21st century education, including SDG4, while building upon India's traditions and value systems.
- (b) Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution. The National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) itself provides the different timelines as well as principles and methodology for its implementation by the Centre and all States/UTs towards achievement of SDG Goals.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4269 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Privatisation of Steel Plant
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Sanjeev Kumar Singari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF INVESTMENT AND PUBLIC ASSET MANAGEMENT (DIPAM)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.4269

## TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021 CHAITRA 1, 1943 (SAKA)

## PRIVATISATION OF STEEL PLANT

4269. DR. SANJEEV KUMAR SINGARI: Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  sell  off  the  lands  and  machinery  of Visakhapatnam  Steel  Plant,  separately  as  part  of  privatisation  and  if  so,  the expected  revenue generation from sale of lands and revenue generation from sale of machinery; (b) whether the Government plans to allot captive iron ore mines to Visakhapatnam Steel Plant; (c) whether the Government plans to reinvest the Visakhapatnam sale proceeds in the state of Andhra Pradesh; and (d)  whether  it  is  mandatory  for  the  Union  Government  to  take  No  Objection Certificate  from  the  State  Government  for  the  purpose  of  sale  of  land  in Visakhapatnam Steel Plant?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE

## (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

- (a) The Government has accorded 'in-principle' approval for 100% disinvestment of Government of India (GOI) shareholding in Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL)  (also  called  Visakhapatnam  Steel  Plant  or  Vizag  Steel)  along  with RINL's stake in its Subsidiaries/Joint Ventures through strategic disinvestment  by  way  of  privatisation.  An  Inter-Ministerial  Group  has  been formed to work out the modalities.
- (b) RINL has participated in the auctions conducted for iron-ore mines but has not  been  successful  so  far.  Further  its  efforts  to  get  allotments  of  iron-ore mines from State Governments under Section 17A of MMDR Act, 1957 have also not been fruitful.
- (c) The receipts from strategic disinvestment of the CPSEs are used to finance the  social  sector/developmental  programmes  of  the  Government  benefiting the people of the country.
- (d) The ownership of the land acquired/transferred for the  RINL  vests with  the Union of India. While finalising the structure of transaction, due consideration is  made  for  hiving  off  of  surplus  non-core  land  &  assets.  The  State Government is consulted in specific matters as and when needed and their support is also solicited in the matters that require their intervention.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4267 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Stressed Assets of NBFCs
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: S. Gnanathiraviam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4267

ANSWERED ON- 22/03/2021

## STRESSED ASSETS OF NBFCs

4267. SHRI GNANATHIRAVIAM S

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state: - whether it is a fact that the stressed assets of the Non-Banking Financial Companies (BFCs) are likely to touch Rs.1.5 to 2.8 lakh crore of theit assets under management by the

whether it is also true that the Reserve Bank of India'$ one time Covid-19 restructuting window and the micro; small and medium enterprises restructuring scheme will limit their reported gross non performance assets and if the details thereof; SO, whether it is also true that the asset quality of NBFCs is expected to deteriorate further due to disruption of business operations caused by the Covid pandemic, especially in the industry sector; and

(d) if the details thereof? SO,

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE

## (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

() to (d): The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the supervisor of the system and releases a Financial Stability Report (FSR), which contains, inter its projections of gross non-performing assets (NPAs) based on macro stress tests  While the latest FSR, of Januaty 2021, does not contain projections in respect of overall stressed advances of NBFCs, a8 per the report; RBI has conducted system level stress tests for the NBFC sector s credit risk for a sample of 200 NBFCs with asset size of more than Rs 1,000 crore a8 on 31.3.2020 and under a high risk scenario, system level GNPA of the sector may increase by 1.6% to 8.4%. banking alia,

As per RBI inputs, the said GNPA ratio has been arrived at without factoring in the impact of the policy actions under way, viz RBIs resolution framework for COVID-19-related stress and one-time restructuring of loans to micro, small and medium enterprises, which aim to facilitate revival of real sector activities and mitigate the pandemic s impact on borrowers accounts are permitted without asset classification downgrade Therefore; the actual movement of GNPA ratio of NBFCs will depend on the extent to which the benefit of the said framework/ scheme is availed of by the eligible borrowers and facilitates revival and mitigates the pandemic's impact on borrowers.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 4266 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Petroleum Depots
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Annpurna Devi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4266 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 ND  MARCH, 2021

## Petroleum Depots

4266. SHRIMATI ANNPURNA DEVI:

पेोिलयम और ाकृितक गैस मंी

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  considering  any  proposal  to  open  new petroleum depots in Jharkhand;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

पेोलयम और ाक ृतक गैस मंी ( ी धम धान )

## MINISTER OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a)  to  (c)  Bharat  Petroleum  Corporation  Limited  (BPCL)  is  constructing  a  new petroleum depot in 70 acres of acquired land with a tankage of 27000 KL at Radhagaon, Bokaro, Jharkhand.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4265 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: JNV in Aspirational Districts
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Gajendra Singh Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOKSABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4265 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.3.2021

## JNV in Aspirational Districts

## †4265. SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH PATEL:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any new scheme for opening Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas in the aspirational districts is under consideration and if so, the details thereof; and
- (b) whether any new scheme is likely to be launched to improve the educational standard in the aspirational districts?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a): The Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme is an ongoing scheme which envisages opening of one JNV in each district of the country under which 116 JNVs have been sanctioned in 112 aspirational districts including second JNV in 07 aspirational districts.
- (b): Improving the educational standard in the aspirational districts is a constant endeavour of the Government. Under Samagra Shiksha Scheme, an amount of Rs. 1890.55 Crore has been approved for aspirational districts during the last 3 years for the purpose of establishment of new/upgrading of school buildings including Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and strengthening existing schools by providing requisite infrastructural facilities as well for strengthening teacher education infrastructure. Further, the following educational indicators are closely monitored:
-  Transition Rate- primary to upper primary and upper primary to secondary;
-  Mathematics and language performance in Class 3, 5 and 8;
-  Percentage of schools with functional girl's toilets;
-  Percentage of schools with functional drinking water facility;
-  Percentage of schools with functional electricity facility at secondary level;
-  Percentage of elementary schools complying with RTE specified Pupil Teacher; Ratio (PTR) Female Literacy Rate (15+ age group).

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4264 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Investigation Related to Hotel Classification
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Ramya  Haridas

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4264 ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

## INVESTIGATION RELATED TO HOTEL CLASSIFICATION

## 4264. MS. RAMYA HARIDAS:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether cases are currently under investigation against officials on charges of corruption related to hotel Classification;
- (b) if so, the action taken against such officials posted in Chennai charge-sheeted  in  the  recent  hotel  Classification  scam  in Kerala;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  considering  any  other  system  to bring transparency into the classification process; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a) & (b): The  CBI,  Anti  Corruption  Bureau,  Madurai  registered FIRs in the month of November and December, 2020 against some officers of Indiatourism  Office,  Chennai. The  said  officers  are presently under suspension.

(c) & (d): The  Ministry  of  Tourism  is  in  the  process  of  revamping the  current  system  by  end  to  end  digitization  of  the  system, streamlining of the processes regarding classification and making it more objective, transparent and time bound.

*******
Lok Sabha Question No. 4263 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Unemployment Rate
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: M.K. Vishnu Prasad

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4263 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

## UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

## 4263. DR. VISHNU PRASAD M.K.:

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

- (a)whether  the  Government  has  conducted  a  survey  on  the  number  of people who have dropped out of the workforce of the country between March 2020 and January 2021;
- (b)if so, the details thereof, including that of migrant labour; and
- (c)the estimation of the unemployment rate in the country between the said months due to the Covid-19 pandemic?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) to (c): National  Statistical  Office  (NSO),  Ministry  of  Statistics  and Programme Implementation, has been conducting Periodic Labour Force Survey  (PLFS)  since  2017.  As  per  the  second  Annual  Report    of  PLFS (July 2018-June 2019) released in June,2020, the Labour force participation Rate(LFPR), Worker Population Ratio(WPR) and Unemployment Rate(UR) according to usual status for persons of age 15 years and above at all India level (rural+urban) is 37.5%, 35.3% and 5.8% respectively.

Under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana (ABRY) Scheme, being implemented to incentivize creation of new employment along with social security benefits and restoration of loss of employment during  COVID-19  pandemic,      approximately  16.5  lakhs  beneficiaries have  registered  themselves  with  the  Scheme  w.e.f  01.10.2020.  Out  of this, approximately 13.64 lakhs are new joinees with UAN generated on or  after  01.10.2020  and  approximately  2.86  lakhs  are  re-joinees  who were rendered un-employed during covid pandemic from 01.03.2020 to 30.09.2020 & rejoined from 01.10.2020 onwards.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 4262 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Budget for Education Sector
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4262 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

## Budget for Education Sector

## †4262. SHRI MOHANBHAI KALYANJI KUNDARIYA:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- a. whether  any  steps  have  been  taken  for  the  effective  implementation  of  the  budget announced for the education sector;
- b. if so, the details thereof;
- c. whether any effort has been made to connect education with employment entrepreneurship in the budget; and
- d. if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a)  &  (b):  Yes,  Sir.  Budget  Announcements  have  been  shared  with  all  the  stakeholder Departments.  Monitoring  of  progress  of  their  implementation  is  done  continuously.  A webinar  was  organized  to  bring  together  all  Ministries/Departments  concerned  with  the education sector, industry representatives and sectoral experts to brainstorm on way for fast and co-ordinated effort for implementation of budget announcements.
- (c) & (d): In Budget 2021-22, in order to further enhancing apprenticeship opportunities for our youth, Government has allocated Rs.3000 crores in the budget, for next five years, for the existing  scheme  of  National  Apprenticeship  Training  Scheme  (NATS)  for  providing  posteducation apprenticeship, training of graduates and diploma holders in Engineering.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4261 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Fund for taking up Technical and Medical Education in Regional Language
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Margani Bharat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4261

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

## Fund for taking up Technical and Medical Education in Regional Language

## 4261. SHRI MARGANI BHARAT:

## Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that the 15th Finance Commission has recommended for identifying two colleges each in every State to fund for taking up technical and medical education in regional languages;
- (b) whether is it feasible to impart technical and medical education in regional language;
- (c) whether this will helps in bridging rural-urban divide;
- (d) whether the above recommendation is part of terms of reference given to the Commission; and
- (e) if so, the reasons behind such recommendation?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION

## ( SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK' )

(a) to (e): The Fifteenth Finance Commission, inter-alia, recommends development of professional courses in regional languages. This is in line with the National Education Policy 2020 which envisages imparting programmes in higher education, using mother tongue/local language as a medium of instruction, and/or offer programmes bilingually, in order to increase access and Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and also to promote the strength, usage, and vibrancy of all Indian languages. Drawing upon the NEP 2020 the Ministry of Education has constituted a Task Force, for suggesting modalities for imparting technical education in regional languages, with the objective to nurture the talent among students who have pursued their education in local language for their smooth transition into technical education.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4260 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Establishment of Bad Banks
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE

ANSWERED ON- 22/03/2021

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4260

## ESTABLISHMENT OF BAD BANKS

4260. SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government has received any submission from CII for establishment of Bad Banks in view of the accumulating NPAs in the banking sector;
- (6) if the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto; and SO,
- (c) the stand of the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

(a) to (c): Suggestions /proposals are received from vatious stakeholders; including the Confederation of Indian Industry (CID), from time to time and these include, inter-alia, submissions for establishment of bad banks

In this  connection, the Finance Minister; in her speech on the budget for the financial year 2021-22,made the following announcement:

(TThe high level of provisioning by sector banks of their stressed assets calls for measures to clean up the bank books. An Asset Reconstruction Company Limited and Asset Management Company would be set up to consolidate and take over the existing stressed debt and then manage and dispose of the assets to Alternate Investment Funds and other potential investors fof eventual value realization public
Lok Sabha Question No. 4259 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-22
Subject: Interest Payments of EPFO
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: K. Subbarayan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4259 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.03.2021

## INTEREST PAYMENTS OF EPFO

4259. SHRI SUBBARAYAN K.:

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

- (a)whether it is a fact that there has been delay in the interest payments to around four million people registered with the Employees Provident Fund
- Organization (EPFO) for 2019-20; and
- (b)if so, the details thereof; and
- (c)the action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) to (c): As  per  Para  60(1)  of  the  Employees'  Provident  Funds  Scheme, 1952, the Commissioner shall credit to the account of each member interest at such rate as may  be determined by the Central Government in consultation with the Central Board. The Central Board of Trustees' (CBT), Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) in its 226th meeting held on 05.03.2020 had recommended the rate of interest at 8.50 per cent for the financial year 201920. However, this was later on reaffirmed by the CBT in its 227th meeting held on    09.09.2020  on  account  of  certain  procedural  adjustments  necessitated due to prevalence of Covid-19 pandemic. The rate of interest recommended by the CBT was approved by Government of India on 31.12.2020. Accordingly, the  rate  of  interest  for  2019-20  @  8.5  per  cent  was  notified  and  credit  of interest to the members' accounts was made.

The interest is credited to the members' account on the monthly running balance basis w.e.f. the last day in each year as provided under Para 60(2) of the EPF Scheme, 1952. Accordingly, the interest for the year 2019-20 gets credited to the members' account as on 31.03.2020. Therefore, no loss will be caused to the PF members due to delay in the credit of interest.

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