opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 1585 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Salt Pans
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: D. Ravikumar

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1585. TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, THE 28 TH  JULY, 2021.

## SALT PANS

## 1585.  SHRI RAVIKUMAR D.:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

## वाणिज्य  एवं उद्योग मंत्री

- (a) whether the Ministry has any plans to lease 17000 acres of salt pan owned by Union Government for other commercial purposes in Tamilnadu and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Ministry  has  any  plans  to  close  salt  pans  in  Marakkanam  of Viluppuram District, Tamilnadu and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government  has any plans to setup iodisation plant at Marakkanam and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Ministry has any plans to resume medical camps for workers and educational  aid,  as  well  as  financial  grants  for  meritorious  students  of  their families; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज्य  एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री सोम प्रकाश) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI SOM PARKASH)

- (a): No  Sir,  The  salt  pan  land  owned  by  the  Union  Government  is transferred to central government departments/ state governments and their agencies for public purpose only.
- (b) & (c): No Sir.
- (d)  & (e): As  informed by the Salt  Commissioner  Organization  (SCO),  an attached office under Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the implementation of the two activities, namely, organization of health & eye  camps  for  salt  workers;  and   providing  financial  assistance  to meritorious students of salt workers, have been adversely affected in financial  year  2020-21  due  to  Covid-19  pandemic.  However,  the activities  will  resume  in  current  financial  year  and  Government  will organize two Health camps at Tuticorin, and Markanam, Tamil Nadu. Also the applications for grant of rewards to the meritorious students of salt workers during current financial year 2021-22 have been called for.

******

## be pleased to state:
Lok Sabha Question No. 1584 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Increase in Fare
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1584 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2021

## INCREASE IN FARE

†1584.     SHRI RAJENDRA DHEDYA GAVIT:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  reasons  for  operating  special  trains  by  changing  the  name and fare of the trains that used to be operated earlier in the very important train service of the country;

(b) whether there has been  a big increase in the fare of the trains being operated presently as compared to the trains operated earlier; and

(c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) to (c):  To contain spread of COVID-19 pandemic, Indian Railways have  discontinued  all  passenger  carrying  trains  w.e.f.  23 rd   March, 2020.  In view of the prevailing situation, only special trains, with limited stoppages, keeping in view the suggestions and concerns of State Governments and health advisories issued are being operated.

No  new  fare  structure  has  been  introduced  post  COVID-19. Only  categorisation  of  services  have  been  rationalised  to  ensure social distancing, check overcrowding in trains as per guidelines / health  advisories  owing  to  the  situation  arising  due  to  COVID-19 pandemic.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 1583 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Supply of Coal to Power Plants
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Anumula Revanth Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1583 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2021

## Supply of Coal to Power Plants

## 1583. SHRI ANUMULA REVANTH REDDY:

## Will the Minister of COAL pleased to state:

- (a) the year-wise details of quantum of coal supplied by the Government to thermal power stations of Telangana;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any  proposal  from  the  State Governments regarding shortage of coal supply and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the States have surplus quantity of coal for thermal power and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the details of quantum of coal supplied to industries and private sector in Telangana?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a): The supplies made to thermal power stations of Telangana by Singareni Collieries  Company  Limited  (SCCL)  during  the  last  three  years  are  as below:

(In Million Tonnes)

| Name of the Power Plant/Year            |   2020-21 |   2019-20 | 2018-19   |
|-----------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| TSGENCO-KTPS                            |     6.499 |     8.63  | 10.322    |
| TSGENCO-RDM-B                           |     0.205 |     0.286 | 0.296     |
| Bhadradri Thermal Power Station(BTPS)   |     1.2   |     0.041 | -         |
| Kakatiya Thermal Power Project, Stage-I |     1.31  |     1.582 | 2.342     |
| Kakatiya TPP, Stage II                  |     0     |     0.988 | 1.216     |
| NTPC Limited                            |    10.114 |    10.542 | 11.944    |
| Singareni Thermal Power Project         |     4.225 |     5.91  | 5.096     |
| Total                                   |    23.552 |    27.979 | 31.215    |

(b): No Sir. No such proposal has been received from the State Government of Telangana.

(c): Central Electricity Authority (CEA) monitors 134 Thermal Power Plants (TPPs) including the TPP of the State Gencos having coal linkage from Coal India Limited (CIL) & SCCL on daily basis. As on 19.07.2021, the total coal stock available in these plants is 24.06 Million Tonnes (MT) and no plant is critical/super-critical due to shortage of coal.

(d): The coal supplies made to Captive power plants, Cement, Sponge Iron and other industries and private sector by SCCL and CIL in Telangana for the last 3 years is given below:

(In Million Tonnes)

| Coal company   |   2020-21 |   2019-20 |   2018-19 |
|----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| SCCL           |     4.168 |     5.049 |    6.515  |
| CIL            |     0.388 |     0.315 |    0.0078 |

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 1580 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Tribunal Courts
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sunil Kumar Soni

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## Lok SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1580 To BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2021

## TRIBUNAL GOURTS

t1580. SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SONI:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of railway zones 0f the country where tribunal courts have been set up;
- (b) the rulesleriteria to set up the said tribunal courts; and
- (c) whether the setting court under South East Central railway zone is under process?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF RAILWAYS; COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a): At present, 23 Railway Claims Tribunal (RCT) Benches have been set up in 20 Cities in India covering territorial Jurisdiction of all the states and Zonal Railways:
- (b): New Trlbunal Bench is set per the provisions laid down in Railway Claims Tribunal Act, 1987 (54 of 1987)"

(c): No,
Lok Sabha Question No. 1579 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: SDGs Report
Ministry: PLANNING
Asked by: Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PLANNING

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1579 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2021

## SDGS REPORT

## 1579. SHRI RAJIV RANJAN SINGH ALIAS LALAN SINGH:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

- (a) whether NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) report 2020-21 that Bihar is the most backward State in the country;
- (b) if so, the reasons for the backwardness of Bihar State;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  considering  to  give  special  status  to  Bihar,  which  is  a  long pending demand of the State; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS & PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

## (RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

- (a) According  to  NITI  Aayog's  Sustainable  Development  Goals  (SDG)  India  Index  Report 2020-21,  Bihar's  composite  score  (52  out  of  100)  on  the  SDGs  is  the  lowest  among  all States. The Index has been constructed using 115 indicators across 16 SDGs.
- (b) Some of the reasons for the lowest score of Bihar in the SDG India Index are as follows. A high proportion (33.74 per cent) of the population lives below the poverty line, and as high as 52.5 per cent suffers from multidimensional poverty. Only 12.3 per cent of households have any usual member covered by a health insurance. As high as 42 per cent of children under five years of age are stunted, which is the highest in the country.  It has the lowest literacy (64.7 per cent) in the age group of 15 years and above. The State has the highest Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) at secondary level (class 9-10) at 58, while the India average is at 21. It has the lowest Gross Value Added (constant prices) in agriculture per worker (in Lakhs/worker) at  0.29.  The  State  also  has  the  lowest  mobile  tele-density  (50.65  per  100 people) and lowest number of internet subscribers (30.99 per 100 people).
- (c) &  (d)  The  Fourteenth  Finance  Commission,  in  its  recommendations,  has  not  made  any distinction  between  General  Category  States  and  Special  Category  States  in  the  horizontal distribution of shareable taxes among the States. After acceptance of the Fourteenth Finance Commission  recommendations,  the  State's  share  in  divisible  pool  of  central  taxes  has increased from 32 per cent as it used to be earlier to 42 per cent for the period 2015-20. This provides for more fiscal space to the States for implementation of projects.
Lok Sabha Question No. 1578 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Coal Mining
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Bache Gowda B.N.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 1578

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2021

## COAL MINING

## 1578. SHRI B.N. BACHE GOWDA:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has opened commercial coal mining to the private sector;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the time since when it has been opened;

(c) whether currently the Coal India Limited (CIL) is the world's largest miner being allowed to sell coal to end-users and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether CIL has not been able to fulfil its responsibility due to which the commercial coal mining has been allowed/opened to the private sector and, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(e) the percentage of Coal that is being imported to India from various countries; and

(f) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure that the opening of coal mines to the private sector is transparent?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a): Yes, Sir.

(b): Methodology  for  auction  of  coal  and  lignite  mines/blocks  for  sale  of  coal/lignite  on revenue sharing basis was approved by CCEA on 20.05.2020 and the order was issued on 28.05.2020. Salient features of the Methodology are as under:

-  Based on Revenue sharing mechanism. Floor percentage at 4%.
-  Applicable to fully explored as well as partially explored coal blocks.
-  Upfront amount is based on value of estimated geological reserves.
-  Successful Bidder to pay monthly revenue share based on percentage of revenue share quoted, total quantity of coal and notional or actual price whichever is higher.
-  Incentives for early production, gasification and liquefaction of coal.
-  Exploitation of CBM is allowed.
-  No restriction on the sale and/or utilisation of coal. More flexibility in coal production schedule.

(c)  &  (d): Coal  India  Limited  (CIL)  is  the  largest  company  in  the  world  in  terms  of  coal production.  CIL  sells  coal  to  its  linked  Power  and  non-Power  consumers  through  bilateral Fuel Supply Agreements and Memorandums of Understanding. CIL also sells coal to the end consumers including traders through various e-auction schemes.

(e): Imported coal constituted 23.7% of the actual demand of coal during the year 2020-21. (f): As per the provisions of the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 [CMSP Act] and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 [MMDR Act], coal mines are allocated to private sector companies by way of auction. Auction of coal mines is done on e-platform after conducting security audit of the e-platform. Further, any prior allottee who is convicted of an offence relating to coal block allocation and sentenced with imprisonment for more than three years is not eligible to participate in the auction.

***
Lok Sabha Question No. 1576 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Improvement in Financial Status
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: Sudarshan Bhagat

## Government of India Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- †1576

To be answered on Wednesday, 28 th

July, 2021/Saravana 6,1943(Saka)

## QUESTION

## Improvement in Financial Status

†1576.  SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT:

- Will the Minister of DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION be pleased to state: (a) whether there has been qualitative improvement in the financial condition of the people living in North Eastern States of the country during the last five years; (b) if so, the State-wise details thereof; and if  not,  the  details  of  development  works  carried  out  by  the  Government  in
- (c) these States?

## ANSWER Minister of Development of North Eastern Region [Shri  G. Kishan Reddy]

- (a) to  (c)    As  per  latest  data  available  with  National  Statistical  Office,  the  per capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) at current prices (base year 2011-12)in the North Eastern States has increased in last five years. The details of State-wise per capita net State Domestic Product at current prices from 2015-16 to 2019-20 is given in the table below:

Table: Per capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) at current prices(base year 201112) (in Rs.)

| State             |   2015-16 |   2016-17 |   2017-18 |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |
|-------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Arunachal Pradesh |    116985 |    123744 |    139029 |    149634 |    164615 |
| Assam             |     60817 |     66330 |     75151 |     82837 |     90758 |
| Manipur           |     55447 |     59345 |     71507 |     75229 |     84746 |
| Meghalaya         |     68836 |     73753 |     77504 |     84725 |     92175 |
| Mizoram           |    114055 |    127107 |    155222 |    176620 |    204018 |
| Nagaland          |     82466 |     91347 |    102003 |    117691 |    130230 |
| Sikkim            |    245987 |    280729 |    349163 |    380926 |    425656 |
| Tripura           |     84267 |     91596 |    100444 |    112849 |    125191 |

Source: National Statistical Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, GoI

Further, Government has implemented various schemes and projects in the North  Eastern  Region  to  strengthen  infrastructure  in  rail,  roads,  air  connectivity, telecommunication, power and inland waterways. Ministry of Development of North Eastern  Region  has  also  implemented  a  number  of  projects  in  the  physical infrastructure  relating  to  water  supply,  power,  connectivity,  specially  the  projects promoting  tourism  and  social  sector  for  creation  of  infrastructure  in  the  areas  of primary and secondary sectors of education and health.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 1575 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Promotion of Tea Industry
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Pallab Lochan Das

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

## LOKSABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1575 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th JULY,2021

## PROMOTION OF TEA INDUSTRY

## 1575.  SHRI PALLAB LOCHAN DAS:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािण�य एवं उ�ोग मं�ी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Government has taken several initiatives for the promotion of tea industry;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken special initiatives for the promotion of orthodox tea; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jherh vuqfiz;k iVsy½

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

- (a) & (b): Yes, Sir.  The  Central Government, through the Tea Board, is implementing the 'Tea  Development  and  Promotion  Scheme  (TDPS)''  for  promotion  of  the Tea  Sector. The scheme, inter alia, includes activities for improvement in tea production, productivity,  quality  up-gradation,  research  and  extension,  promotion  of  exports  and value  addition  by  providing  financial  and  technical  assistance  to  growers  and  other stakeholders of the tea industry.  A total amount of Rs.356.67 Crore has been spent from 2017-18  to  2021-22  (till  June  2021).  Besides an  online  application,  e-Governance Initiative for Citizen Centric Services (eGICCS),has been launched to provide an end to end IT platform to the stakeholders. Further, an alternative e-auction platform has been set up at Jorhat, Assam.
- (c)& (d)  Yes,  Sir.  During  the  period  from  2017 -18  to  2020-21,  financial  assistance  was provided for production of orthodox tea@ Rs.3 per kg. and for setting up of specialty tea units including the Orthodox tea factory@ 40% of the actual cost of plant and machinery (except land cost) subject to a ceiling of Rs.200 lakhs/factory, under the Tea Development and Promotion Scheme (TDPS). In addition, focused and sustained initiatives are taken up which, inter alia,  include  buyer-seller  meets, participation  in  international trade fairs and brand promotion of Indian teas in international markets.

*******
Lok Sabha Question No. 1574 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Defective Ammunition to Army
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: S. Ramalingam

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE PRODUCTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1574

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th  July, 2021

## DEFECTIVE AMMUNITION TO ARMY

1574. SHRI RAMALINGAM S.:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  fact  that  around  Rs.62.10  crore  has  been reported as loss on replacement of defective ammunition to Army by Ordnance Factory, Badmal;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  any  proposal  to  constitute  a  committee  to  inquire  the reasons for such loss;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(SHRI AJAY BHATT)

- (a) & (b):  Yes, Sir.  Comptroller and Auditor General of India through its Report No.15 of 2019 [Audit Para 3.5] has reported loss of Rs.62.10 crore on replacement of defective ammunition to Army by Ordnance Factory Badmal.
- (c)  & (d):  Yes, Sir.  DGQA carried out preliminary defect investigation in August, 2016. Further, a Task Force was constituted by DGQA on 07.10.2017.  The reason for loss was attributed to lack of homogeneity in TNT.
- (e)  Does not arise.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 1573 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-28
Subject: Coal off-take
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Bhartruhari Mahtab

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1573

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 28.07.2021

## Coal off-take

## 1573.  SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

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

- (a) whether Coal off-take in last quarter has grown in comparison to the previous three terms;
- (b) if so, the details thereto;
- (c) whether coal-based power generation is in a steady rhythm and coalfired electricity generation has slowed down during this quarters; and
- (d) if so, the details and the reasons thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, COAL AND MINES

## (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a)&(b) The Total coal  off-take in the country in the last quarter (4 th  quarter of financial year 2020-21) was more than the previous three quarters. The details of total coal dispatch/ off-take during the last 4 quarters of 2020-21 are as under:

| Quarter (Financial year 2020- 2021)   |   Offtake (In Million Tonnes) |
|---------------------------------------|-------------------------------|
| 1 st (April-June)                     |                       144.343 |
| 2 nd (July-September)                 |                       158.466 |
| 3 rd (October-December)               |                       186.821 |
| 4 th (January-March)                  |                       201.258 |

- (c)  &  (d): As  per  Central  Electricity  Authority  (CEA),  the  quarter-wise generation from coal based power plants during the last year 2020-21 and current year 2021-22 (Apr'21-Jun'21) are as under:

| Year    | Quarter                 |   Coal based generation (in BU)* |
|---------|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 2020-21 | 1 st (April-June)       |                            198.9 |
| 2020-21 | 2 nd (July-September)   |                            230.3 |
| 2020-21 | 3 rd (October-December) |                            244.4 |
| 2020-21 | 4 th (January-March)    |                            277.3 |
| 2021-22 | 1 st (April-June) (*)   |                            256.7 |

(*) Provisional based on actual- cum-assessment)

The Coal based power generation has shown a steady increase during each quarter of 2020-21. Further, during 1 st  quarter of 2021-22, coal based generation has increased by about 29% vis-à-vis same period last year (i.e. 1 st  quarter of 2020-21).

****