opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 58 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Drop out Rate
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 58 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.11.2019 Drop out Rate

58. SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state: (a) the details of admissions made under 'Economically Weaker Section' category in private unaided schools under Section 12(1) (c) of the Right to Education Act during the last three years; (b) whether the drop-out rate is higher in the above group as compared to children enrolled in Government schools; (c) if so, the details thereof during the last three years, State-wise; (d) whether any guidelines have been formulated to promote social inclusion in such schools to reduce drop-out rate; and (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the steps taken by the Government to ensure

- inclusion and non-discrimination in such schools?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a): States and Union Territories (UTs) have reported admission of 24.22 lakh, 29.25 lakh and 33.84 lakh children in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively in private unaided schools under Section 12(1)(c) of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory

Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

- (b) and (c): No such data is maintained centrally.

(d)  to  (e):  Clause  (c)  of  section  8  &  9  of  the  RTE  Act  2009  casts  a  duty  on  the appropriate  Government and local authority  to  ensure  that  the  child  belonging  to weaker  section  and  disadvantaged  groups  are  not  discriminated  against  and prevented from pursuing and completing elementary education on any ground. Further, Ministry  of  Human  Resource  Development  has  also  issued  detailed guidelines in 2012 in order to enable State Governments and school managements to fulfil  responsibilities  for  creating  a  non-discriminatory  school  environment.  The guidelines stipulates that the school shall prescribe the procedures and mechanism to deal with and decide any complaint made or submitted by any child belonging to the weaker section or the disadvantaged group and it shall be obligatory on the part of the school to decide such complaints.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 57 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Foreign Debt
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Malook Nagar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE

## DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 57 TO BE ANSWERED ON NOVEMBER 18, 2019 FOREIGN DEBT

† 57. SHRI MALOOK NAGAR:

Will the Minister of Finance be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of burden of foreign debt on India during the last five years and the present year;
- (b) whether India's burden of foreign debt has registered maximum increase after 2014; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof

## ANSWER

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

- (a) the details of India's External Debt during last five years and the present year is as under
- (b) & (c) At end-June 2019 India's external debt was US$ 557.4 billion as compared to US$ 446.2 at end-March 2014. The ratio of external debt to GDP at end-June 2019 was 19.8 per cent as against 23.9 per cent at end-March 2014.

| Year            |   External Debt (US$ billion) |   Ratio of External Debt to GDP (in percentage) |   Debt Service Ratio (in percentage) |   Ratio of Foreign Exchange Reserve to Total Debt (in percentage) |
|-----------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2015            |                         474.7 |                                            23.8 |                                  7.6 |                                                              72   |
| 2016            |                         484.8 |                                            23.4 |                                  8.8 |                                                              74.3 |
| 2017            |                         471   |                                            19.9 |                                  8.3 |                                                              78.5 |
| 2018 *          |                         529.3 |                                            20.1 |                                  7.5 |                                                              80.2 |
| 2019 *          |                         543.3 |                                            19.8 |                                  6.4 |                                                              76   |
| End-June 2019 # |                         557.4 |                                            19.8 |                                  5.8 |                                                              77.1 |

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 56 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Observation of National Library Day
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Dhanush M Kumar, Ganesan Selvam

## 56.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.56 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.11.2019

## OBSERVATION OF NATIONAL LIBRARY DAY

- SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR: SHRI SELVAM G.:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government observed 'National Library Day' to focus on the importance of books and if so, the details thereof along with aims and objectives behind it;
- (b) the total number of libraries currently running in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has created awareness to popularize book reading habits and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has set up libraries in rural areas where people cannot afford to buy books and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps proposed by the Government to promote book reading habit in children?

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

## (SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

## ANSWER

- (a)  No Sir.
- (b)  & (c) There are six libraries under administrative control of Ministry of Culture namely:
- i. National Library, Kolkata
- ii. Central Secretariat Library, New Delhi
- iii. Central Reference Library, Kolkata
- iv. Delhi Public Library, Delhi
- v. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna
- vi. Rampur Raza Library, Rampur

These libraries conduct various activities to popularize book reading habits such as Membership Drive, Book Exhibitions, Lectures, Workshops, Seminar etc.

- (d) Library is a State subject.  It functions under the administrative control of the respective State/UT  library  authorities.    Therefore,  setting  up  libraries  in  rural  area  comes  under  the jurisdiction of State/UT library authorities.

(e) Raja  Rammohun  Roy  Library  Foundation,  Kolkata,  an  autonomous  organization  of Ministry of Culture provides financial assistance for establishment of Children Corner in public libraries to inculcate the book reading habit in children.
Lok Sabha Question No. 55 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Functioning of LIC
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Rameshbhai Lavjibhai Dhaduk

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †55

ANSWERED ON 18.11.2019

## FUNCTIONING OF LIC

## †55. SHRI RAMESHBHAI LAVJIBHAI DHADUK:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the functioning of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is regularly assessed and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is regularly assessing the investment made by the LIC as our countrymen have utmost faith in it;
- (c) the details of the amount invested by LIC which has not yielded any profit; and
- (d) the corrective steps taken by LIC to make such investments fruitful/ profitable?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE

(SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

(a): Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) reviews the performance of all the insurance companies through off-site/on-site monitoring mechanism and by seeking periodical returns. The performance of LIC is also assessed against the parameters as agreed by LIC while furnishing the Statement of Intent (SOI) every year to the Government. Periodic Review of LIC is also undertaken at the Ministry level. Further, Annual Report of the activities of the Corporation is laid before both the Houses of Parliament.

(b): Investments of the Corporation are governed by the provisions of Insurance Act, 1938, Life Insurance Act, 1956 and IRDAI (Investment) Regulations, 2016. As per LIC, investment decisions are being taken as per advice of Investment Committee constituted by the Board of LIC under section 19(2) of Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956 and the Investment Committee is guided by the extant legal provisions and board approved investment policy.

(c) and (d): LIC has realised a profit of Rs.19,302.87 crore, Rs.25,464.59 crore and Rs.23,657.00 crore on its equity portfolio in the years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively besides earning dividend income of Rs.9419 crore, Rs.10,565 crore and Rs.11,163 crore during the financial years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively.

The investments of LIC are as per their duly approved investment policy, standard operating procedure and systems. Operating Procedures & internal norms are reviewed by LIC as per the need & revisions and changes are incorporated after seeking approval from their investment committee.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 54 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Status of Sabarimala Master Plan
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Rajmohan Unnithan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.54 ANSWERED ON 18.11.2019

## STATUS OF SABARIMALA MASTER PLAN

## 54.   SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the  present  status  of  Sabarimala Master  Plan  in  the  State  of Kerala;
- (b)
- the amount of fund allocated and utilized for the purpose;
- (c) whether the Government has received any representation/request  in  this  regard  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (d)
- the action taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

- (a): The Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala has informed  that  they  have  not  prepared  any  masterplan  for  the Development of Sabrimala.
- (b) to (d): The  Ministry  of  Tourism  under  the  Swadesh  Darshan Scheme- Integrated  Development of  Theme  Based  Tourist  circuits provides  central  financial  assistance  to  State  Governments/UT Administrations for the development of tourism infrastructure in the country. The projects under the scheme are identified for development in consultation with the State Governments/UT Administrations and are sanctioned subject to availability of funds, submission of suitable detailed project reports, adherence  to scheme guidelines and utilization  of  funds  released  earlier.  Based on above criteria ministry has sanctioned following two projects for development of Sabrimala in Kerala:

1.

2.

(Rs. in crore)

|   S. No. | Circuit / Year of Sanction   | Name of the project                                    |   Amount Sanctioned |   Amount Released |
|----------|------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|---------------------|-------------------|
|        1 | Spiritual Circuit 2016-17    | Development of Sabarimala - Erumeli-Pampa- Sannidhanam |               99.99 |             20    |
|        2 | Spiritual Circuit 2016-17    | Development of Sree Padmanabha Arnamula- Sabrimala     |               92.22 |             72.42 |

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 53 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Gold Amnesty Scheme
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Nalin Kumar Kateel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 53

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY 18 TH  NOVEMBER, 2019 KARTIKA 27, 1941 (SAKA)

## GOLD AMNESTY SCHEME

53.  SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:
2. Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has any proposal to introduce the amnesty scheme for gold hoarders; (b) if so, whether the Government has set any objectives for implementation of the scheme; (c) if so, the details thereof; (d) whether the Government has set any timeline to implement the amnesty scheme for gold; and (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) No Sir. No such proposal is under consideration. (b) to (e) Does not arise in view of the (a) above.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 51 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Public Education System
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 51

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.11.2019

## Public Education System

## 51. SHRIMATI KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

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

- (a)   whether it is a fact that there is paucity of latest official data about the public education system and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (b)    whether  any  latest  reports/  surveys  have  been  conducted  to  evaluate  the effectiveness  of  Right  to  Education  post  2015-16  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (c)    whether  the  Government  proposes  to  analyze  and  assess  the  latest  data before going forth with the implementation of the draft New education Policy and if so, the details of the timeline of the release of such official data?

## A N S W E R MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a) No Sir, the Central Government has taken several initiatives to address the issue  of  timely  and  accurate  data  dissemination  on  public  education system.    To  collect  timely  and  accurate  data,  a  well-functioning  and sustainable Educational Management Information System called UDISE+ (UDISE plus) has been launched in 2018-19. It covers 1.54 million schools and 8.9 million teachers of 36 States and UTs.
- (b) &  (c) For post 2015-16 period, the report titled 'School Education in India, U-DISE  Flash  Statistics  2016-17'  provides  information,  inter  alia,  on students'  access,  availability  of  infrastructure  and  teachers  in  schools across all 36 states and UTs.  MHRD has designed a 70 indicators based matrix Performance Grading Index (PGI) to grade the States/UTs. Report on PGI for 2017-18 is available in public domain.

Analysing  and  assessing  the  quality  of  education  across  all  levels  from primary to  university  level  is  a  continuous and  ongoing  process. Several initiatives are currently being undertaken in this direction. Since 2011-12, the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), which was an  annual  census  of  schools  and  teacher,  had  been  instrumental  in aligning  the  'supply  of  data'  to  the  'information  demand'  in  the  school education sector. Since 2018-19, the UDISE+ has been launched by the MHRD adding value to the system namely  UDISE. Further, the National Achievement  Survey  (NAS)  was  conducted  throughout  the  country  on November  13, 2017 for Classes 3, 5 and 8 in  Government  and Government aided schools across the country to assess Learning Outcomes of students. The District Report Cards generated through NAS 2017  has  also  been  released  by  the  MHRD  and  is  available  in  public domain.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 50 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Appointment of Independent Directors
Ministry: CORPORATE AFFAIRS
Asked by: Annasaheb Shankar Jolle

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 50

ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE 18th NOVEMBER, 2019 KARTIKA 27, 1941 (SAKA)

## APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS QUESTION

50.  SHRI ANNASAHEB SHANKAR JOLLE:

Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

कारपोरेट कार्य मंत्री

- (a) whether there is a uniform law in appointing the independent directors or whole time directors to reputed companies in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is monitoring all these appointments;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE               (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR) AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS

वित्त एवं कॉपोरेट कार्य मंत्रालर् में राज्र् मंत्री

(a) to (e):- The Companies Act, 2013 (Act) provides for appointment of independent directors [IDs] or whole time directors in certain companies incorporated under the Act.

The provisions of Section 149(4) of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 4  of  the  Companies  (Appointment  and  Qualification  of  Directors)  Rules  2014 provide for the appointment of independent directors in companies. As per Section 149(4),  every  listed  public  company  shall  have  at  least  one-third  of  the  total number of directors as Independent Directors and the Central Government vide Rule 4 of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules 2014, has prescribed that the following class or classes of companies shall have at least two directors as independent directors:-

- (i) the public companies having paid-up share capital of ten crore rupees or more; or
- (ii) the public companies having turnover of one hundred crore rupees or more ; or
- (iii)  the  public  companies  which  have,  in  aggregate,  outstanding  loans, debentures and deposits, exceeding fifty crore rupees.

(श्री अनुराग स ंह ठाक ु र)

Further, the provisions of section 196 of the Companies Act, 2013 and Schedule V to the said Act contain provisions regarding appointment of managerial personnel [including whole time directors] in companies.   As per Section 196, no company shall appoint or reappoint any person as its managing director, whole-time director or  manager  for  a  term  exceeding  five  years  at  a  time.    The  said  Section  also provides the eligibility criteria and manner in which a managing director, wholetime director or manager shall be appointed.  Further, Rule 8 of the Companies (Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014 provides that every listed company and every other public company having a paid up share capital  of  ten  crore  rupees  or  more  shall  have  whole  time  key  managerial personnel (including whole time directors in the absence of managing director or Chief Executive Officer or manager).

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Lok Sabha Question No. 49 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Indian Institute of Skills
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 49 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.11.2019

## INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SKILLS

## 49. SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA :

## Will  the  Minister  of  SKILL  DEVELOPMENT  AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state :

- (a) whether the Government is planning to set up skill institutes in the name of Indian Institute of Skills across the country with a view to give a boost to 'Skill India' Mission;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of such institutes proposed to be established in the State of Gujarat?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OFSKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP (SHRI R.K. SINGH)

(a) to (c) The  National  Policy  on  Skill  Development  and  Skill  India  Mission  was announced in 2015 with the aim to tackle the skill challenges of India by addressing, inadequate  overall  capacity  for  skilling  and  acute  shortages  in  critical  areas;on  an average poor quality and employability of the skilling eco-system;low aspirational value associated with skill acquisition; and lack of vertical progression pathways for vocational education.

The  Indian  Institute  of  Skills  (IISs)  was  conceptualized  to  address  above mentioned issues and to develop state of art skill institutions. The vision behind setting up IIS  is  to  build  world-class  skill  training  centres  by  learning  from  and  imbibing  best practices from internationally renowned existing skill institutions. IISs are envisaged to have  the  unique  features  that  would  make  them  different  from  the  existing  setup  of Industrial  Training  Institutes  (ITIs),  Polytechnics,  Advanced  Training  Institutes  (ATIs) (which are now known as National Skill Training Institutes).

The  Union  Cabinet  has  approved  the  proposal  of  setting  up  of  IISs  at  three locations  in  the  country  at  Kanpur  (Uttar  Pradesh),  Mumbai  (Maharashtra)  and Ahmedabad  (Gujarat).  This  Ministry  has  requested  the  Government  of  Gujarat  for locating/ identifying the landfor setting up of IIS at Ahmedabad.

*********
Lok Sabha Question No. 47 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: Review of GST
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 47

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, 18 th  November, 2019/ Kartika 27, 1941 (Saka)

## Review of GST

47. ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH: Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:
2. (a)  whether the Government is considering to review the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in view of falling State revenues;
3. (b) if so, the details thereof;
4. (c) whether the Government has received any demands from the States in this regard;
5. (d) if so, the details thereof; and
6. (e) whether GST collection was lowest in September this year and if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SH. ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

- (a) & (b) A Group of Ministers (GoM) on Analysis of Revenue from GST has been constituted on the recommendation of GST Council to suggest suitable measures/policy intervention for course correction for  revenue  augmentation, particularly for the States suffering high revenue shortfall. It is further submitted that the Government has also constituted a Committee of Officers(CoO) in October, 2019 to suggest measures to augment GST revenue. The Committee will look into issues such as systemic changes in GST to prevent misuse, measures to expand tax base, improved  compliance  monitoring  and  anti-evasion  measures  using  better  data analytics and better administrative coordination.
- (c) & (d): No Sir.
- (e) Gross GST collection in September, 2019 was ₹91,916 crores, showing a Month on Month decline of 2.67%. The GST collection in any particular month would depend upon the total taxable  value  of  goods  or  services  or  both  supplied  in  that  month. However, it can be seen that the average GST collection in the FY 2019-20 (April to October) has been Rs. 1,00,239 cr which is higher than the average GST collection of Rs. 96,945 cr in FY 2018-19(April to October).

*****