opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 4571 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Automatic Signalling System
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: N.K. Premachandran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4571 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

## AUTOMATIC SIGNALLING SYSTEM

4571. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to utilise the existing railway lines to its maximum utility;
- (b) if so, the details of action taken thereon;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to introduce automatic signalling system in coordination with the State Government;
- (d) if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  the  Railways  is  considering  the  implementation  of automatic  signalling  system  in  Thiruvananthapuram  railway  division and if so, the details thereof;
- (f) whether the Railways has prepared any estimate for automatic signalling system in Thiruvananthapuram Railway division;
- (g) if  so,  the  details  of  estimated  amount  and  the  advantage  of implementation of automatic signalling system;
- (h) whether  any  proposal  is  pending  with  Railways  in  this  regard; and

--2/-

- (i) if so, the details thereof and the role of State Government in this proposal?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) & (b) Yes, Sir.  Indian Railways have undertaken a larger number of infrastructure works like doubling, multi-tracking, Automatic Signalling  and  various  traffic  facility  works  to  enhance  the  capacity over  Indian  Railways.    Moreover  Indian  Railways  has  prepared  a National  Rail  Plan  (NRP)  which  aims  to  create  capacities  ahead  of demand  to  meet  not  only  the  periodical  demand  but  also  annual growth in traffic.
- (c) No, Sir.
- (d) Does not arise.
- (e) to (i) No, Sir. At present Automatic Signalling System in Thiruvananthapuram Division is not under consideration.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4570 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Declining Quality of BSNL Services
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4570 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 TH  MARCH, 2022

## DECLINING QUALITY OF BSNL SERVICES

## 4570.   SHRI SHRINIWAS PATIL:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware of increasing customer complaints related to gradual decline in the quality of service and coverage of BSNL especially in rural areas;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the measures taken/being taken by the Government to improve the BSNL services?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS (SHRI DEVUSINH CHAUHAN)

(a) & (b) Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) monitors the performance of the Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) against the benchmarks for various Quality of Service (QoS) parameters laid down by TRAI by way of QoS regulations issued from time to time, through Quarterly Performance Monitoring Reports (PMRs). As per PMR for quarter ending December 2021, BSNL is meeting, in general, most of the QoS parameters for its cellular and basic services in its areas of operation including rural areas.

- (c)    BSNL  augments  its  network  to  improve  its  services  based  on  techno-commercial considerations.

Further, in order to strengthen BSNL, the Government approved a revival plan for BSNL on 23.10.2019. The revival plan inter-alia includes measures to reduce the Staff cost through a Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) for employees of age 50 years and above, administrative allotment  of  spectrum  for  providing  4G  services  with  funding  through  budgetary  allocation, monetisation of non-core and core assets to generate resources to retire debt, meet CAPEX and other requirement and debt restructuring by raising of Sovereign Guarantee Bonds.

****

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4567 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Land Owned by Railways
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Sunil Kumar Pintu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4567 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

## LAND OWNED BY RAILWAYS

4567.   SHRI SUNIL KUMAR PINTU: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) the total land in possession of Railways in India, State-wise as on date; and the details of the total land area of Railways encroached upon by
2. (b) slums, State and city-wise as on date?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a) and (b) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  AND  (b)  OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4567 BY SHRI SUNIL KUMAR PINTU TO BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  30.03.2022  REGARDING  LAND OWNED BY RAILWAYS

(a) and (b):   As on 31.03.2021, the total land in possession of Indian Railways is about 4.84 lakh hectares. The Railways do not maintain State-wise details of vacant Railway land. However, only zone-wise details/data  are  maintained  by  Railways.  Similarly,  State  and  Citywise details of encroachment by slums are not maintained. However, the zone-wise details of Railway's land under encroachment/illegal occupation which includes slums are maintained and the same are as under:-

(Figures in hectares)

| Zonal Railway      |   Total Land |   Encroached Land |
|--------------------|--------------|-------------------|
| Central            |     29421.9  |             55.83 |
| Eastern            |     20950.3  |             22.6  |
| East Central       |     37210.4  |              1.37 |
| East Coast         |     23059.3  |             13.15 |
| Northern           |     44005.5  |            175.99 |
| North Central      |     19353    |             41.44 |
| North Eastern      |     25648.2  |             23.31 |
| Northeast Frontier |     48357.5  |             93.86 |
| North Western      |     25741.6  |             18.34 |
| Southern           |     26952.7  |             55.15 |
| South Central      |     32450.5  |             15.72 |
| South Eastern      |     42850.9  |            140.93 |
| South East Central |     23115.2  |             41.58 |
| South Western      |     19253.3  |             16.26 |
| Western            |     38273.6  |             52.52 |
| West Central       |     23585.1  |             36.56 |
| Metro              |       147.2  |              0.27 |
| Production Units   |      3993.53 |              5.43 |
| Total              |    484370    |            810.31 |

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 4565 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Genome Testing Project
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Rajashree Mallick

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4565 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

Genome Testing Project

## 4565. SHRIMATI RAJASHREE MALLICK:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ͪव£ान और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ मंğी

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Department of Biotechnology is proposing to launch world's biggest genome testing project in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  the  strategy  in  place  to  successfully  implement  the  genome  testing  programme  across  the  country, including the state of Odisha; and
- (c) whether establishments/institutions of private sector are also proposed to be included for genome testing and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES

## (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

## ͪव£ान और Ĥौɮयोͬगकȧ तथा पृØ  वी ͪव£ान क े  राÏ य मंğी (è वतंğ Ĥभार) (डॉ. िजतेÛ ġ ͧसंह)

- (a)  &  (b) No  Madam,  no  genome  testing  project  is  proposed  in  the  country.  The  Department  of Biotechnology however has launched the 'GenomeIndia: Cataloguing the Genetic Variations in Indians' project on 16.01.2020 for a period of 3 years involving 20 institutions from varied disciplines across the country,for  wholegenome  sequencing  and  subsequent  data  analysis  of  targeted  10,000  individuals representing the country's diverse population. The proposed target of Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) is to execute for total 10000 individuals in 3 years.
- (c) The project is being implemented through public institutions.

********
Lok Sabha Question No. 4563 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Transfer of employees from Dongargarh
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Santosh Pandey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4563 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

## TRANSFER OF EMPLOYEES FROM DONGARGARH †4563. SHRI SANTOSH PANDEY:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the railway projects in operation in Dongargarh under South East Central  Railway  along  with  the  total  number  of  employees  posted therein;
- (b) whether guards, driver's lobby, loco pilots and assistant loco pilots are  being  transferred  to  other  places  from  Dongargarh  and  if  so,  the reasons  therefor  and  the  places  where  the  said  employees  are  being posted;
- (c) whether more than 300 railway employees have been transferred from Dongargarh to other places and transfer options have been sought from the remaining employees in the last one year and if so, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the  schemes  envisaged  for  the  expansion  of  railway  projects  in Dongargarh that are being considered by the Railways?

## ANSWER

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

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a) : Rajnandgaon - Nagpur 3 rd  line project via Dongargarh is in progress under South East Central Railway. Further, Chhattisgarh Railway Corporation Limited (CRCL), a Joint Venture Company between Government of Chhattisgarh (51%) and Ministry of Railways (49%)  has taken  up  sanctioned  Katghora  -  Dongargarh  New  BG  Electrified  Line Project  (294.53  km,  cost-₹ 5950  Cr.)  for  execution.  The  project  is standstill and not in the operation stage.

No staff has been posted at Dongargarh for these projects.

(b)  :  68  (Sixty  Eight)  Assistant  Loco  Pilots  (ALP)  and  Loco  Pilots  (LP) and  44  Goods  Guard  and  Senior  Goods  Guard  are  transferred  from Dongargarh to other places on Inter- divisional own request basis and on administrative ground. (c) No, Sir. (d) Railway projects are sanctioned Zonal Railway wise, not state wise as Indian Railways' projects may span across state boundaries.  However, as on 01.04.2021, 17 Projects of total length 2748 km costing ₹ 38,216 Cr. falling  fully/partly  in  the  State  of  Chhattisgarh are  under  different  stage  of  planning/approval/execution,  out  of  which 566 km length has been commissioned and an expenditure of ₹ 10,239 Cr. has been incurred upto March 2021. For  Financial  Year  2021-22  budget  outlay  of ₹ 3730  Cr.  has  been provided for these works which is 1099% more than the average annual budget outlay of 2009-14 ( ₹ 311 Cr/Yr). During  2014-21,  637  Km  sections  (132  km  of  New  line  and  505  km  of Doubling) falling fully/partly in Chhattisgarh have been commissioned at an average rate 91 km per year, which is 1322% more than commissioning during 2009-14 (6.4 Km/Yr.)

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4562 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Ticketing Service
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Riti Pathak

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4562 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

## TICKETING SERVICE

## †4562. SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the ticketing of unreserved tickets is performed by the halt  agents  and  persons  under  Station  Ticket  Booking  Sewaks (STBS) at small Railway Stations;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Railways  is  economically  benefitted  by  ticketing through halt agents and STBS and if so, the details in this regard;
- (d) whether the halt agents and STBS are appointed for three years or five years;
- (e) if  so,  whether  the  Government  is  contemplating  to  extend  the period by fifteen or twenty years; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATION AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  &  (b)  Yes,  Sir.  Halt  agents  are  deputed  at  small  way  side  stations where they undertake unreserved ticketing activities. The halt agents are  authorized  to  issue  tickets  till  terminating  station  on  the  section. Further,  considering  the  safety  related  responsibilities  of  Assistant Station Masters (ASMs) and other functional constraints, Station Ticket

Booking  Agents  (STBA)  are  being  engaged  at  certain  identified NSG-5 (Non-suburban grade-5) and NSG-6 category stations for issuing unreserved  tickets.  Recently,  instructions  have  also  been  issued  for engaging  STBA  at  NSG-4  and  SG-3  (suburban  grade)  stations  on  pilot basis.

(c): In view of the meagre earnings and low volume of passenger traffic at halt stations, posting of railway staff for sale of tickets and creating full-fledged  railway  infrastructure  like  station  buildings/  staff  quarters etc. at such stations would be unremunerative. Therefore, to minimise cost  of  operating  such  halt  stations,  Railways  appoint  contractual agents who are paid commission based on the ticket sales turnover at the station. Further, STBA are generally engaged at relatively smaller category stations for issuing unreserved tickets as a financially and operationally prudent option. (d)  to  (f):  The  initial  period  of  contract  of  halt  contractors  is  5  years. However, an extension of another 5 years in two spells of two and half years may also be given subject to the halt contractor's working being satisfactory and Railways dues being paid in time. Further, if the halt contractors also maintain the infrastructure of the station at their own cost including provision of water, electricity etc., another final extension of 5 years may also be given. STBA are engaged for a period of three (03) years. At  present,  there  is  no  proposal  under  consideration  to  increase the tenure for which these agents are engaged.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4559 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Private Investment in Coal Sector
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Dayakar Pasunoori, Kavitha Malothu, Gaddam Ranjith Reddy, Venkatesh Netha Borlakunta

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 4559 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

## PRIVATE INVESTMENT IN COAL SECTOR

## 4559.   SHRI PASUNOORI DAYAKAR:

SHRIMATI KAVITHA MALOTHU:

DR. G. RANJITH REDDY:

SHRI VENKATESH NETHA BORLAKUNTA:

Will the Minister of Coal be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  there  is  any  proposal  before  the  Ministry  to  have  revenue  sharing  mechanism instead of rupee/per ton mechanism to attract private investment into coal sector;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of entry norms liberalized in coal sector?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b): Methodology for auction of coal and lignite mines / blocks for sale of coal / lignite on  revenue  sharing  basis  has  been  issued  on  28.05.2020  and  modified  vide  order  dated 24.11.2021. 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 % 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 Coal Bed Methane (CBM) is allowed.
-  No restriction on the sale and/or utilisation of coal. More flexibility in coal production schedule.

(c): Amendments have been made in the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015 [CMSP Act]  and  the  Mines  and  Minerals  (Development  and  Regulation)  Act,  1957  [MMDR  Act] through Mineral Laws Amendment Act, 2020 enacted on 13.03.2020. Sections 4(2) and 5(1) of the CMSP Act and Section 11A of the MMDR Act have been amended clarifying that any company  selected  through  auction/  allotment  can  carry  on  coal  mining  operation  for  own consumption, sale or for any other purposes, as may be specified by the Central Government, allowing wider participation and competition in auction. Thus, the companies which do not possess  any  prior  coal  mining  experience  in  India can  now  participate  in  auction  of  coal blocks.
Lok Sabha Question No. 4557 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Construction of ROBs/RUBs
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Krishna Pal Singh Yadav, Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, Rajendra Dhedya  Gavit, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit, Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhepatil, Aparupa  Poddar, Shrikant Eknath Shinde

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4557

TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.03.2022

CONSTRUCTION OF ROBS/RUBS

4557. DR. KRISHNA PAL SINGH YADAV:

SHRI UNMESH BHAIYYASAHEB PATIL:

SHRI RAJENDRA DHEDYA GAVIT:

DR. HEENA GAVIT:

DR. SUJAY RADHAKRISHNA VIKHE PATIL:

SHRIMATI APARUPA PODDAR:

DR. SHRIKANT EKNATH SHINDE:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the construction work of many ROBs/ RUBs are pending in Maharashtra, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh;
- (b) if  so,  the  route/location-wise  details  of  these  pending  railway works;
- (c)
- the main reasons for delay in completing the above works; and
- (d) the time by which the aforesaid pending railway works are likely to be completed, route-wise?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (d):  The  details  of  sanctioned  Road  over  Bridges  (ROBs)  and Road under Bridges (RUBs) in the State of  Maharashtra,  West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh are as under:

| State          |   ROB |   RUB |
|----------------|-------|-------|
| Maharashtra    |   156 |   244 |
| West Bengal    |    94 |   100 |
| Madhya Pradesh |   107 |   176 |

These sanctioned works are at various stages of planning, design and development in consultation with State Government. Generally,  there  is  no  problem  of  construction  of  ROBs/  RUBs  in Railway  portion.    However,  the  problem  is  faced  in  construction  of approaches because of many factors such as fixing the alignment of approaches,  land  acquisition,  removal  of  encroachments,  finalization of  General  Arrangement  Drawing  (GAD),  acceptance  and  sanction  of estimate,  allocation  of  requisite  funds  and  decided  the  executing agency in State portion by State Government etc. Therefore, it is not feasible to fix definite timelines for completion of these ROB/RUBs. *****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4554 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Ration Cards to Poor
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Rama Devi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4554 To BE ANSWERED ON 30TH MARCH, 2022

## RATION CARDS TO POOR

t4554. SHRIMATI RAMA DEVI:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC

- whether many poor persons below the poverty line have not ration cards because of which have been  deprived ofpublic living got they
- (a) distribution schemes of the Government;
- (b)
- if so, the response of the Government thereto;
- (c) whether the ration cards provided to the persons living below the poverty line are being misused by persons who are not entitled for such cards for availing the benefit of public distribution scheme in connivance with corrupt officers; and
- (d) the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard and the outcome thereof?

## ANSWE R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

(a) & (b): Under National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA), the criteria for identification of eligible beneficiarieslhouseholds has been de-linked from the erstwhile poverty estimates, BPLIAPL categories and is linked to the population estimates as per the census of 2011 up to seventy-five percent of the rural population and up to fifty percent of the urban population of the country:   Accordingly; under NFSA, highly subsidized foodgrains are distributed to around eighty crores eligible NFSA beneficiaries under the categories of Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) and Priority Households (PHH) categories, identified by the concerned State/ut Governments. i.e ,

(c)&(d): To prevent any kind diversion or leakages of the highly subsidized NFSA foodgrains, this Department in association with all StateslUTs under TPDS reforms implemented a scheme 'End to End Computerization TPDS Operations' which mainly comprised digitization of all rations cardslbeneficiaries' data under NFSA, computerization of supply chain management, installation of electronic Point of Sale (ePos) devices at all Fair Price Shops (FPSs), online grievance redressal and toll free helpline facilities, etc: for bringing higher transparency and efficiency in the distribution of foodgrains to all NFSA beneficiaries in Further, review for inclusion of eligible beneficiarieslhouseholds and exclusion of ineligible beneficiarieslhouseholds is a regular process by the StatelUt Governments by taking into account, interalia, migration, birth, death, marriage, change in social and economic status etc. Through this continuous process of review, StatesIUTs exclude ineligible beneficiarieslhouseholds from their respective lists and include other genuinely eligible and left out beneficiarieslhouseholds up to their respective ceiling limits of NFSA coverage: A total of about 4.28 Crore such ineligiblelbogus rations cards have been deleted by the States/UTs during the period 2014 to 2021\_