opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 482 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Period (Menstruation) Friendly Campuses
Ministry: Education
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No-482

ANSWERED ON- 06/02/2023

## PERIOD (MENSTRUATION) FRIENDLY CAMPUSES

482. SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has directed all higher educational institutions in the country to mandatorily  ensure  period  (menstruation)  friendly  campuses  by  facilitating  hygienic  toilets, clean common rooms, sanitary napkin vending machines with affordable costs, sanitary napkin disposal system and menstrual benefit leave in every semester and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  whether  the  Government  has  any  ongoing  agenda  and  programme  to  ensure  period friendly campuses in the country and if so, the details thereof; and

(c)  whether  the  Government  will  bring  legislation  to  ensure  menstruation  benefit  leave  in educational institutions and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

(a) & (b): The University Grants Commission (UGC) has informed that it has  developed the "Guidelines  for  Basic  facilities  and  amenities  for  safe,  secure  environment  for  Women  and Women Cell (for sensitization, policy implementation, monitoring and grievance redressal) in HEIs"  which inter alia provides that 'The HEIs should ensure easy access to basic sanitation and hygiene facilities for women such as clean, well maintained and fully functioning separate restrooms  equipped  with  24  hours  tap  water  supply,  soap,  covered  dustbins,  sanitary  pad disposal bins and vending machines in all its buildings. There should be proper sanitary staff deployed to keep the facilities clean and usable at all times.'

Further under 'Swachh Bharat and Swasth Bharat', UGC  has issued an advisory dated 21.06.2017  to  promote  menstrual  sanitation  and  proper  disposal  of  menstrual  waste  by creating awareness, encouraging every woman to use eco-friendly incinerators and promoting research for a biodegradable alternative.

The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)  vide letter dated 21.08.2017 has issued an advisory to all the Council's approved institutions on promoting menstrual health of adolescent girls  by  ensuring  availability  of  quality  sanitary  napkins  through  sanitary  napkins vending  machines  and  ensuring  safe  and  environment  friendly  disposal  of  used  sanitary napkin through sanitary napkins incinerators.

Further,  the  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  is  implementing  the  scheme  for Promotion of Menstrual Hygiene since 2011 to promote Menstrual Hygiene among adolescent girls  in  the  age  group  of  10-19  years  as  a  component  of  Rashtriya  Kishor  Swasthya Karyakram.

(c): No such proposal is under consideration in the Ministry.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 481 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Emission of Green House Gases
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 481

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2023

## Emission of Green House Gases

## 481. SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether greenhouse gases are being emitted from crops and their residues;
- (b) if so, whether the Government has assessed the damage being caused by these greenhouse gases; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) Yes Sir.

(b) & (c) India, while home to more than one-sixth of humanity, has contributed only about 4% of the global cumulative greenhouse gas emissions between 1850 and 2019, and its per capita emissions are about one-third of the world average. The total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of the country in 2016 were around 2838 million tonnes of CO2 out of which agriculture sector emissions were only 14%.

Apart from ensuring food security at national level, India continues to serve the rest of the  world  with  its  food  exports.    India's  agricultural  emissions  must  be  considered  in  the background of being globallyhome to the largest cattle population, the largest producer of milk, the largest rice exporter and tenth largest exporter of wheat.Despite its scale, Indian agriculture shows little or no incidence of large-scale industrial agriculture. In this light, India's agriculture sector emissions must be considered significantly low.

It is also to be noted that agriculture emissions are survival emissions, emissions arising from  productive  activity  for  essential  commodities,  and  not  luxury  emissions,  the  buildup  of which  is  causing  the  damage  to  the  world  through  global  warming.  Such  emissions  are attributable,  in  the main,tothe profligate lifestyles and production and consumption patterns of the  developed  world.  It  may  also  be  emphasized  that  if  the  entire  world's  per  capita  annual emissions were to match India's then there would be no climate crisis at all.

For developing countries, India included, agriculture is predominantly a site of adaptation, with mitigation co-benefits. In this regard, government is undertaking and promotingresearch regarding GHG emissions from the agriculture sector. Among the scientific and  technological  initiatives  being  focused  on  are  neem  coated  urea,  slow  release/coated fertilizers,  soil  test-based  fertilizer  application,  leaf  colour  chart-based  N  application,  direct seeded rice, system of rice intensification, aerobic rice, sprinkler irrigation and drip fertigation. These initiatives of the Government are directed at encouraging the rational use of all inputs to promote savings in input costs for farmers, while providing beneficial environmental and climate outcomes as co-benefits.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 478 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Promotion of Forestry on Fallow Land
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTIO N NO. 478

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2023

## Promotion of Forestry on Fallow Land

## 478. SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state;

- (a)   whether the Government has thought of any policy to promote forestry on the fallow land, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; (b)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  combat  desertification  through increasing the forest cover, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c)   whether the Government has taken any steps to conserve the mangroves from coastal erosion, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

- (a) to (b) The  National  Forest  Policy  (NFP)  1988  envisages  the  national  goal  to  have  a minimum of one- third of the total land area under forest or tree cover and twothird  of  the  area  under  such  cover  in  the  hill  and  mountainous  regions  of  the country.  In  consonance  with  NFP,  1988,  the  Ministry  has  been  taking  several initiatives  forpromoting  forestry  including  fallow  lands  under  different  schemes like plantation from CAMPA funds, different plantation done under MGNREGA, Agroforestry schemes etc.National Mission for a Green India (GIM) on landscape approach also covers fallow lands in which appropriate interventions as applicable are taken up by the concerned implementing agencies. It has resulted in increase in forest cover by 12,116sqkm in last seven years (ISFR 2015-2021).
- (c) Mangroves  are  the  first  line  of  defence  for  coastal  communities.  They  stabilize shorelines  by  slowing  erosion  and  provide  natural  barriers  protecting  coastal communities from increased storm surge, flooding, and hurricanes. The Government  of  India  has  taken  steps  to  protect  sustain,  conserve  and  augment forests  in  the  country  through  promotional  as  well  as  regulatory  measures.  The promotional  measures  are  being  implemented  through  a  Central  Sector  Scheme under National Coastal Mission Programme on 'Conservation and Management of Mangroves and Coral Reefs'. Under this programme, annual Management Action Plan (MAP) for conservation and management of mangroves are formulated and implemented in all the coastal States and Union Territories.

The Government under Centrally sponsored scheme for conservation & Management of Mangroves, extend assistance to Coastal State/UTs for implementation of action plans including survey and demarcation, alternation and supplementary  livelihood,  protection  measures  and  education  and  awareness activities.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 470 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Pension for Paramilitary Forces
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Asaduddin Owaisi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 470

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 th  FEBRUARY, 2023 (MONDAY)/ 17 MAGHA, 1944 (SAKA) PENSION FOR PARAMILITARY FORCES

470. Shri Asaduddin Owaisi

Will the Minister of Finance be pleased to state:

- (a) whether armed forces were marked as exception to New Pension Scheme (NPS) and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether Article 246 of the Schedule VII of the Constitution says armed forces of the Union of India include Naval, Military and Air Force and any other armed forces of the Union;
- (c) if so, whether Hon. High Court of Delhi has asked the Union Government to issue orders for Old Pension Scheme to Central Armed Police Forces like CRPF, ITBP, CISF etc.;
- (d) if so, whether the Government has since issued orders in this regard; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (DR. BHAGWAT KARAD)

(a)  to  (e)  As  per  Gazette  Notification  No.  5/7/2003-ECB  &  PR  dated  22.12.2003  issued  by Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, the Government introduced a new restructured defined contribution  pension  scheme  for new  entrants  to  Central  Government  service,  except  the armed forces, in the first stage, replacing the existing system of defined benefit pension system. The system is mandatory for all new recruits to the Central Government service from 01.01.2004.

The Hon'ble High Court of Delhi vide order dated 11.01.2023 in WP (C) No. 12712/2021 titled Pawan Kumar & Ors of CRPF Vs UoI & Ors and other connected matters, has directed for grant of Old Pension Scheme to the personnel of para-military forces. This is a policy matter under the domain of Ministry of Home Affairs.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 467 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Central Pension to Artists in Karnataka
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Mangal Suresh Angadi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.467 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2023

## Central Pension to Artists in Karnataka

## 467. SHRIMATI ANGADI MANGAL SURESH:

## Will the MINISTER OF CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  measures  contemplated  for  the  early  sanction  of  Central  Pension  to  the artists in indigent  circumstances;  and
- (b) the  total  number  of  artists  who  have  received  the  Central  Artist  Pension  in Karnataka?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE,

## TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) It has been the constant endeavor of the Government to make efforts to release the financial assistance to the selected beneficiaries at the earliest upon receipt of requisite documents from them. To simplify the procedure, the requirement of submission  of  annual  income  certificate  every  year  has  been  done  away  with effect from June, 2022. It is now required to be submitted only once in five years by the selected beneficiaries.
- (b) During the last five years from 2018- 2019 to 2022- 2023, total number of 632 artists from Karnataka have received financial assistance under the 'Scheme for Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists'.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 464 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Discriminatory Guidelines
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: S. Venkatesan, Balubhau (Alias Suresh Narayan) Dhanorkar, P.R. Natarajan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 464

TO BE ANSWERED ON 6 TH  FEBRUARY, 2023 / MAGHA 17, 1944 (SAKA)

## Discriminatory Guidelines

464.   SHRI S. VENKATESAN:

SHRI BALUBHAU ALIAS SURESH NARAYAN DHANORKAR: SHRI NATARAJAN P.R.:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that discriminatory guidelines have been issued by Indian Bank which deemed pregnant women with over three months pregnancy as 'temporarily unfit' to join the bank;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether the Government has taken any action against the bank in light of  the discriminatory guidelines;

- (d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the corrective steps being taken by the Government to address this issue?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (DR. BHAGWAT KARAD)

(a) to (e): Indian Bank has informed that no discriminatory guidelines have been issued by the Bank, which deemed pregnant women with over three months pregnancy as 'temporarily unfit' to join the bank. It has also been informed by the bank that so far no female candidate has been denied employment on the ground of pregnancy and the bank is not engaged in any gender discriminatory practices.

Bank has further informed that while giving mandate to Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) for recruitment in bank, it has not set any such criteria that pregnant woman, more than three months, would be considered temporarily unfit for the job.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 462 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Beedi Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Y. S. Avinash Reddy, Manne Srinivas Reddy, Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 462 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2023

## BEEDI WORKERS

462.  SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY: SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY:

SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY:

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

- (a)whether a group of researchers has urged the Government to declare beedi  rolling  a  hazardous  process  and  recommended  alternative sources of livelihood for them, if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon; and
- (b)whether  the  studies  suggest  around  87  percent  of  workers  reported symptoms  such  as  pain  in  the  back,  shoulder,  neck,  knee,  joints, spondylitis,  tiredness  and  body-ache  and  most  of  the  workers  had musculoskeletal,  gastrointestinal,  skin,  cardiovascular,  oral  and  eye diseases and the women  workers had more miscarriages and abortions,  lower  fertility  rate,  and  higher  uterine  problems  and  also newborns of mothers involved in the work were at 1.9 times higher risk for  low  birth  weight  and  1.7  times  at  higher  risk  for  smaller  for gestational  age,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  corrective  steps  being taken to protect such beedi rolling workers?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a) & (b): Few  studies  have  been  conducted  by  researchers  on  the health  problems  faced  by  Beedi  Workers.  The  Ministry  of  Labour  & Employment (MoL&E) in collaboration with Ministry of Skill Development and  Entrepreneurship  has  been  providing  Skill  Development  training  to the  Beedi  Workers  and  their  dependents  to  engage  them  in  alternative jobs.  The  MoL&E  is  also  providing  the  Health  care  facility  to  Beedi workers  and  their  family  members  with  a  network  of  276  Dispensaries and 10 Hospitals located across the Country and also reimbursement of expenditure for specialized treatment under the Government recognized Hospitals  in  case  of  critical  diseases  i.e.  Cancer,  Tuberculosis,  Heart Diseases, Kidney Transplantation, Hernia, Appendectomy, Ulcer Gynecological diseases and Prostrate diseases to the beneficiaries.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 461 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-02-06
Subject: Pedagogical Training for Teachers
Ministry: Education
Asked by: K. Shanmuga Sundaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO:- 461 ANSWERED ON-06/02/2023

## Pedagogical Training for Teachers

## 461. SHRI SHANMUGA SUNDARAM K.:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has observed that the country's dysfunctional teacher education system leaves  our  teachers  ill-prepared  as  they  are  neither  adequately  equipped  with  the  pedagogical capacities nor they learnt how to effectively handle children;

(b) if so, the remedial steps proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard and if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  use  state  of  the  art  AI  based  softwares  to  educate teachers about pedagogical methods and to benefit the students and the details thereof; and (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) & (b) The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, empowers teachers and places them at the heart of the learning process through quality teacher education, recruitment, continuous professional development and positive working environment while ensuring accountability. As per NEP, 2020, National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) has introduced four year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), on pilot basis, to equip teachers with enhanced curriculum and  pedagogical  knowledge.  Similarly,  National  Professional  Standard  for  Teachers  (NPST)  for enhancing  capabilities  of  teachers  and  National  Mentoring  Mission  (NMM)  for  individual mentoring of school teachers by senior and retired teachers are at pilot study stage.

(c)  &  (d)  The  Department  of  School  Education and  Literacy  has  launched  an  integrated  Teacher Training Programme called NISHTHA - National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement, on the DIKSHA platform, to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level. The NISHTHA programme has been further expanded to NISHTHA 2.0 for secondary/senior secondary level teachers and NISHTHA 3.0 - Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) for teachers and school heads from pre-primary to class V.

The  National  Education  Policy,  2020  has  recommended  introduction  of  contemporary  subjects including  Artificial  Intelligence  (AI)  at  relevant  stages  as  a  part  of  curricular  and  pedagogical initiatives. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has introduced Artificial Intelligence as a subject in Class IX from the session 2019-2020 and in Class XI from the session 2020-2021 in their affiliated schools.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 36 (STARRED), answered on 2023-02-03
Subject: AYUSH Medical College and Hospital
Ministry: AYURVEDA,YOGA & NATUROPATHY,UNANI,SIDDHA AND HOMEOPATHY (AYUSH)
Asked by: Badruddin Ajmal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY (AYUSH)

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 36 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 3 RD  FEBRUARY, 2023

## AYUSH MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL

## *36. SHRI M. BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  received  any  request/proposal  for  establishment  of AYUSH medical college and hospital in Dhubri district of Assam;
- (b) if so, whether the Government is positively considering this long pending demand of the people in that area;
- (c) if so, the details thereof along with the initiatives taken/to be taken in this regard; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF AYURVEDA, YOGA & NATUROPATHY, UNANI, SIDDHA AND HOMOEOPATHY(AYUSH)

## (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 36* FOR 3 RD  FEBRUARY, 2023

(a)  to  (d)  At  present,  no  proposal  for  establishment  of  Ayush  Medical  College  & Hospital  in  Dhubri  District  of  Assam  has  been  received  for  the  Academic  Session 2023-24.

Further,  Public  Health  being  a  State  subject,  establishment  of  Ayush  Medical College  and  Hospital  comes  under  purview  of  respective  State/UT  Governments. However,  under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  National  AYUSH  Mission (NAM), there is provision of  financial  assistance  for  establishment  of  new  AYUSH Colleges in the States where availability of AYUSH teaching institutions is inadequate in Government Sector and setting up of 50/30/10 bedded integrated AYUSH hospitals. State  Government  may  avail  eligible  financial  assistance  by  projecting  the  same through State Annual Action Plan (SAAP) as per the provisions of NAM guidelines. Further, no such request/proposal for establishment of AYUSH Medical College and Hospital in Dhubri district of Assam has been received through SAAP.

However, as per the proposal submitted by the State Govt. of Assam, through State Annual Action Plan (SAAP),  Ministry of Ayush, has sanctioned Rs.8 crore for establishment of one new Education Institute at Dudhnoi, Assam during the year 202223.

As  per  the  information  obtained  from  the  State  Government,  Government  of Assam  announced  for  setting  up  another  Ayurveda  College  at  Palasbari  under  the flagship scheme 'Su-Swasthyae Samriddhi' in the Budget speech 2022-23.

In addition to this, it is also informed that at present there are 01 Government Ayurved  Medical  College  and  03  Government  Homeopathic  Medical  Colleges functioning in the Assam.

*****