Lok Sabha Question No. 2755 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-05
Subject: Scheme for Grant of Rewards to the Children of Salt Labourers
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Smt. Kanimozhi Karunanidhi

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2755.

TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 05 TH  AUGUST, 2025.

## SCHEME FOR GRANT OF REWARDS TO THE CHILDREN OF SALT LABOURERS

## 2755.  SMT. KANIMOZHI KARUNANIDHI:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:

## वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री

- (a) the  estimated population of salt labourers in each State, particularly  in  saltproducing regions;
- (b) the  number of beneficiaries  under the  Scheme for  Grant  of  Rewards  to  the Children of Salt Labourers during the last five years, State and year-wise;
- (c) whether the Government has conducted any review of the adequacy of financial support under the said scheme in light of rising costs of education and inflation; and
- (d) if so, whether there is any proposal to enhance the grant amount or expand the scheme's coverage, and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री ( श्री णिणिन प्रसाद ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

- (a): The  estimated  population  of  salt  labourers  in  salt  producing  States  are  as under:

|   S. No. | State          | Estimated number of Salt Labourers   |       |
|----------|----------------|--------------------------------------|-------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh |                                      |  5500 |
|        2 | West Bengal    |                                      |   800 |
|        3 | Odisha         |                                      |   500 |
|        4 | Tamilnadu      |                                      | 15500 |
|        5 | Rajasthan      |                                      | 15000 |
|        6 | Gujarat        |                                      | 20500 |
|        7 | Maharashtra    |                                      |  2200 |
|        8 | Karnataka      |                                      |   225 |

(b): The number of beneficiaries under the Scheme for 'Grant of Rewards to the Children of Salt Labourers' during the last five years, State-wise and year-wise, are as under:

| State          | 2020-21        |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |
|----------------|----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Andhra Pradesh | No award       |       193 |       142 |       321 |       303 |
| West Bengal    | was sanctioned |        08 |        10 |        20 |        08 |
| Odisha         | and disbursed  |        22 |        52 |        63 |        83 |
| Tamilnadu      | during 2020-21 |       290 |       373 |       623 |       438 |
| Rajasthan      | due to COVID   |       516 |       493 |       385 |       304 |
| Gujarat        |                |       942 |       556 |       458 |       420 |
| Maharashtra    |                |        22 |         9 |        16 |         7 |
| Karnataka      |                |        16 |        22 |        10 |        10 |
| TOTAL          |                |      2009 |      1657 |      1896 |      1573 |

(c): No.

- (d): Does not arise.

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