opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 2814 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Consumer Price Index
Ministry: STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
Asked by: Thiru Thanga Tamilselvan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2814 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

## CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

## 2814. THIRU THANGA TAMILSELVAN:

Will the Minister of STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that the Government has floated a discussion paper and  invited views  from  experts,  academicians,  Government  bodies,  State Governments, financial institutions and other stakeholders on treatment of items distributed free of cost through Public Distribution System (PDS) in the Consumer  Price  Index  (CPI)  compilation  framework  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b) the  details  of  response/views  received  from  experts,  academicians, Government  bodies,  States  Governments,  financial  institutions  and  other stakeholders as on date;
- (c) whether it is also true that the Government is currently undertaking a revision of the CPI and also kicked off the exercise to revise the CPI base year from 2012 to 2024; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the timeline to revise the CPI likely to be completed?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  OF  THE  MINISTRY  OF STATISTICS  AND  PROGRAMME  IMPLEMENTATION;  MINISTER  OF  STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE [RAO INDERJIT SINGH]

- (a)  and  (b):  A  discussion  paper  on  the  treatment  of  free  PDS  (Public Distribution  System)  items  in  Consumer  Price  Index  (CPI)  compilation  was published on 4 th  October, 2025 to seek comments and feedback of the experts, academicians and users. The comments covering the methodology, international practices, implication on monetary policy, economic rationale etc have been received.
- (c) and (d):  Ministry has undertaken the Base Revision of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from the existing base year 2012 to the new base year 2024=100 to  enhance  the  coverage  in  terms  of  markets  and  items,  refinement  in methodology, adoption of Classification of Individual Consumption to Purpose (COICOP) 2018 and inclusion of administrative and online data in CPI.  First release  of  the  new  CPI  series  with  base  2024=100  is  to  be  made  on  12 th February, 2026.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 2812 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Omprakash Bhupalsinh Alias Pavan Rajenimbalkar, Shri Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2812 ANSWERED ON 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## PRODUCTION LINKED INCENTIVE (PLI) SCHEME

## †2812. SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR: SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details  of  the  Production  Linked  Incentive (PLI)  Scheme  for  telecom and  networking products in the country:
- (b) whether the PLI Scheme for telecom and networking products has generated employment opportunities in the State of Maharashtra and if so, the details of direct and indirect employment generated in the State;
- (c) the details of employment generated particularly in the rural areas under the said Scheme; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  extend  PLI  support  for  fibre  optic  cable  and  5G component manufacturing in the State of Maharashtra and if so, the role of the State Government in providing industrial land and infrastructure for these projects?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

- (a) The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Telecom and Networking Products was launched in April 2021 to strengthen domestic manufacturing of telecom equipments with a total outlay of Rs. 12,195 Cr. Under the scheme, 42 companies have been approved as beneficiaries. As on 31.10.2025, PLI beneficiary companies have collectively invested Rs 4,667 crores, generating sales worth Rs 98,596 crores including exports of Rs 20,069 Cr.
- (b) & (c) The  scheme  has  generated  a  total  of  28,946  employments  including  2,514  in Maharashtra. The employments are created in 4 units across Maharashtra.
- (d) No such proposal is under consideration.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2810 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Operational Status of e-Sankhyiki Portal
Ministry: STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION
Asked by: Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2810 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17-12-2025

## OPERATIONAL STATUS OF e-SANKHYIKI PORTAL

## 2810.    SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH:

Will the Minister of STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the current volume and categories of statistical datasets hosted on the e-Sankhyiki portal as on date, including the number of Ministries and Departments that have integrated their data with the platform;
- (b) whether  any  assessment  has  been  undertaken  regarding  the usage of the portal including the number of registered users, Application Programing Interface (API) calls made and dataset downloads or views and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the extent to which the portal has been integrated with external platforms such as the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP); and
- (d) whether  any  gaps  have  been  identified  in  standardisation  or compliance and if so, the corrective measures taken thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  OF  THE  MINISTRY  OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION; MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  CULTURE  [RAO  INDERJIT SINGH]

- (a):  The e-Sankhyiki portal is a comprehensive data platform that hosts more  than  136  million  records,  772  indicators,  18  statistical  products across 9 themes in its database. Currently, datasets from 3 Ministries/

Departments  viz.  Department  for  Promotion  of  Industry  and  Internal Trade  (DPIIT),  M/o  Labour  and  Employment  and  M/o  Health  and  Family Welfare have been onboarded, along with datasets from Reserve Bank of India. (b)&(c):  The eSankhyiki portal has been launched in June, 2024. It is in evolving  phase,  and  has  not  reached  its  finality  in  terms  of  scope. Accordingly,  no  formal assessment has been undertaken regarding usage of the  portal.  However  as  on  date,  25,261  visitors  have  been  recorded  on  the portal  from  March,  2025.  The  e-Sankhyiki  portal  draws  from  global  best practices.  Data  is  available  through  Application  Programming  Interface  (APIs) for  dissemination.  Any  other  portal,  including  National  Data  and  Analytics Platform (NDAP), can access data using API. (d) e-Sankhyiki is built using global best practices, including open-source software and cybersecurity guidelines of the Government of India. The portal has been periodically audited and passed Vulnerability Assessment tests before the same is placed on public domain. Further, it follows the standard practices of data dissemination through Application Programming Interface (APIs), along with metadata. As of now, no such gap has been reported.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2808 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Linking of Railway Line from Devgarh Madariya to Bilara
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2808

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

LINKING OF RAILWAY LINE FROM DEVGARH MADARIYA TO BILARA †2808.     SMT. MAHIMA KUMARI MEWAR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any proposal is  under consideration with the Government for  linking  Devgarh  Madariya  via  Baar  (Haripur)  to  Bilara  so  that without  land  acquisition  in  the  wildlife  sanctuary  area  and  the complexities of the mountainous ghat section, direct railway connectivity  between  Udaipur  and  Jodhpur  may  be  re-established after 28 years and Rajsamand, Nathdwara and Jaitaran may also be directly connected with major metropolitan cities of the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (b) whether any proposal regarding this link railway line has been sent to  the  Government  by  the  North  Western  Railway  and  if  so,  the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND

## ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

- (a)  and  (b):  Mavli-  Nathdwara-  Devgarh  Madariya-  Phulad-  Marwar section ( 152 km)  was a MG (Meter Gauge) section. The work of Gauge Conversion (GC) of Mavli-Nathdwara-Devgarh Madariya has been sanctioned  and the work has been taken up.

Remaining Devgarh Madariya-Phulad-Marwar MG section passes through  hilly  region  with  sharp  curves,  steep  gradient    and  through wildlife sanctuary,  due  to which  GC  is  not  feasible on  existing alignment. Therefore, in order to provide Broad Gauge connectivity, a survey of Devgarh Madariya-Phulad- Marwar (72 Km) new line has been sanctioned  for preparation of DPR.

Jaitaran  is  served  presently  by  Bilara  station  about  30  Km  away. However,  to  provide  direct  connectivity  to  Jaitaran,  survey  of  RasJaitaran-Bilara new line (53 Km) has been sanctioned for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR). The field survey work  has been completed.

Feasibility  Study  for  Bar-Bilara  New  line  (47  Km)  and  Survey  for Devgarh  Madariya-Bar  new  line  (92  Km)  were  conducted  but  these Projects have low traffic projections.

Further, sanction of any railway project depends upon many parameters/factors which include the following:

-  Anticipated traffic projections and Remunerativeness  of the proposed route
-  First and last mile connectivity provided by the project
- 
- Connection of missing links and providing additional route
-  Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
-  Demands  raised  by  State  Governments/Central  Ministries/Public representatives,
-  Railway's operational requirements
-  Socio-economic considerations
-  Overall availability of funds

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2802 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Price Reporting Centres
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy

## Government of India Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

## Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2802

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

## PRICE REPORTING CENTRES

## 2802.  SHRI RAMASAHAYAM RAGHURAM REDDY:

## Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the objectives of the Price Reporting Centres (PRCs) under the Price Monitoring Division;
- (b) whether these objectives have been achieved as per the targets;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the details of the number of price reporting centres in the Country;
- (e) whether it  is  a  fact  that  some  States  do  not  even  have  one  price  reporting  centre,  if  so,  the  details thereof and the steps taken by the Government to address this; and
- (f) the time when the PRCs were last surveyed and expanded by the Government?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI B.L.VERMA)

(a) to (f) :  Department of Consumer Affairs monitors daily prices of 38 food commodities reported by Price Reporting  Centres  (PRCs)  that  have  been  set  up  with  Central  assistance  by  State  Governments  and  UT Administrations across the country. The objective of PRCs is to report the daily prices to the Price Monitoring Division of Department of Consumer Affairs. The daily report of prices are collated and the indicative price trends  are  duly  analysed  for  taking  appropriate  decisions  regarding  release  of  stocks  from  the  buffer, rationalisation  of  export-import  policy  etc.  to  maintain  availability  and  affordability  of  essential  food commodities to the consumers. The objectives of PRCs are achieved as per the targets.

As on date, there  are 575 Price Reporting Centres covering 35 States/UTs. The Union Territory of Lakshadweep has not set up a Price Reporting Centre. In order to further improve the representativeness of prices data, the Department of Consumer Affairs had, in 2022-23, requested all the States and UTs to set up Price Reporting Centres in districts wherever feasible. As a result, the number of Price Reporting Centres has increased from 178 in December, 2021 to 575 in November, 2025.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2801 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: e-Auction Norms of Selling Coal
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2801 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025

## e-Auction Norms of Selling Coal

## 2801.  Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has changed the e-auction norms of selling coal during the last five years;

(b) if so, the reasons for such changes;

(c) whether the changes have facilitated participation of more buyers and more income to the Government; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

- (a) & (b): Government has approved in March, 2022, a new mechanism for e-auction of coal by the coal companies. The erstwhile sectoral e-auction windows of coal companies have been done away with and all the non-linkage coal of the coal companies is now sold through one eauction window  [Single  Window  Mode  Agnostic  (SWMA)  e-auction]  of  Coal India Limited / Singareni Collieries Company Limited. This single window mode agnostic e-auction (SWMA e-auction) caters to all the Sectors viz. Power & Non-Regulated Sector including traders. The changes in the e-auction scheme were made in order to remove market distortions and to enhance fair competition amongst the coal consumers.

(c)  &  (d): SWMA e-auction of coal  facilitates  easy  availability  of  coal  through  a  simple, transparent  and  consumer  friendly  online  system  to  all  sections  of  coal  buyers  across  the country. Any Indian Buyer (viz. individual, partnership firm, companies etc.) can participate in e-auction for procurement of coal. Coal booking through the e-auction mechanism is based on market-linked variables, including sectoral demand fluctuations and commercial strategy by participating consumers.

With the launch of SWMA e-auction by CIL in January, 2023, the booked quantity in the eauctions has increased from 53.37 Million Tonne (MT) in the FY 2022-23 to 89.38 MT in FY 2024-25, with a growth of about 67.5%.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2800 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Akashwani Kendras in the Country
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Shri Damodar Agrawal, Dr. Manna Lal Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2800

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025)

AKASHWANI KENDRAS IN THE COUNTRY 2800.  SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:

## DR. MANNA LAL RAWAT:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

- a) the details of Akashwani Kendras established acorss the country at present, State-wise;
- b) the  details  of  Akashwani  Kendras  currently  established  across the  country  producing  and  broadcasting  original  programme, State-wise;
- c) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  at  present  several Akashwani Kendras are relaying programmes of other Akashwani Kendras instead of broadcasting original programme;
- d) if so, the details thereof along with the reasons therefor;
5. the  reasons  for  relaying  of  progammes  of  other  Akashwani Kendras from Akashwani Kendras established five years ago in
- e) Bhilwara and Udaipur districts of Rajasthan; and
- f) whether the Government has any plan to produce and broadcast original programmes of Bhilwara and Udaipur Akashwani Kendras and if so, the time limit fixed in this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS

(DR. L. MURUGAN)

(a)  to  (f):  Presently,  591  broadcasting  stations  of  Akashvani  are operational  across  the  country.  Out  of  these,  230  stations  have  a studio facility for producing and broadcasting original programmes.

Remaining, 361 stations relay programmes of other Akashvani Kendras for enhancing the outreach of the broadcasts.

State-wise details of these broadcasting stations are available on the website https://prasarbharati.gov.in

One 100W FM Relay Station at Bhilwara (commissioned on 28.04.2023 as a relay station) relays Vividh Bharati Service.

Akashvani Udaipur has studio facilities for production and broadcasting  of  programmes.  It  produces  programmes  in  a  local window on Vividh Bharati Service (FM).

The relay stations of Prasar Bharati including Akashvani Bhilwara have been set up throughout the country with the mandate to rebroadcast programmes produced by other Akashvani stations. This ensures optimal utilisation of technical and human resources and wider public reach of public broadcasting, thereby maintaining programme quality. *****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2797 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Mobile & Internet Infrastructure - Darjeeling & Kalimpong Districts
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2797 ANSWERED ON 17 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## MOBILE & INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE - DARJEELING & KALIMPONG DISTRICTS

## 2797.   SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of telecom infrastructure works completed or sanctioned since 2019 (towers, fibre kms, BharatNet, PM-WANI) in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts;
- (b) the number of USOF-funded towers sanctioned/installed in each district since 2019; and
- (c) the timeline and plan for achieving full 5G coverage in these districts?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (DR. PEMMASANI CHANDRA SEKHAR)

- (a) Details of telecom towers installed in Darjeeling & Kalimpong districts, is as below: -

|   S.no | District   |   As on 30.11.2025 |   As on 31.03.2019 |
|--------|------------|--------------------|--------------------|
|      1 | Darjeeling |               1152 |                915 |
|      2 | Kalimpong  |                224 |                 93 |

Under BharatNet project, in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, 92 Gram Panchayats (GPs) & 41 GPs have been planned respectively for providing broadband connectivity and 22GPs have been made service ready in Darjeeling so far.

Under  PMWANI  scheme  (approved  in  December  2020),  as  on  30.11.2025,  122  Wi-Fi hotspots are installed in Darjeeling and 01 Wi-Fi hotspot is installed in Kalimpong.

- (b) As on 30.11.2025, Digital Bharat Nidhi (Erstwhile USOF) funded mobile Towers made OnAir under 4G Saturation scheme in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts of West Bengal are as under:

| District   |   Tower Planned | Tower on Air   |
|------------|-----------------|----------------|
| DARJEELING |               3 | -              |
| KALIMPONG  |              13 | 5              |
| Total      |              16 | 5              |

## (c) The  total  number  of  5G  BTSs  installed  in Darjeeling  &  Kalimpong districts, as  on 30.11.2025 is as below:

|   S.no | District   |   Count of 5G BTSs |
|--------|------------|--------------------|
|      1 | Darjeeling |                699 |
|      2 | Kalimpong  |                 85 |

Deployment of 5G BTS by telecom service providers, in any specified geographical location, depends on number of factors including techno-commercial feasibility, penetration of 5G compatible devices and availability of necessary RoW permissions.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2795 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-17
Subject: Response to Official Communications by Member of Parliament
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: Dr. Bachhav Shobha Dinesh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS & PUBLIC GRIEVANCES)

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2795 (ANSWERED ON 17.12.2025)

## RESPONSE TO OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS BY MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

## 2795. DR. BACHHAV SHOBHA DINESH:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the expected timeline or mandated period within which Government authorities are required to reply to an official communication from a Member of Parliament (such as, response is expected within 30, 60, or 90 days) for Zila Parishad, Municipalities, departments under the State Government and Ministries under the Union Government ; and (b) the norms,  rules or  procedures  governing  coordination  and  communication  between Government departments and Lok Sabha Members of Parliament?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) and (b): The Government has laid down the procedure and guidelines as contained in Central Secretariat Manual  of  Office  Procedure  (CSMOP)  for,  inter-  alia, dealing with official communications received from the Members of Parliament,  State Governments and Ministries under the Union Government. It is laid down in CSMOP that such communications should be attended to promptly. Where a communication is addressed to the Minister, the Minister himself should  as  far  as  practicable,  reply  to  it.  Each  communication  received  from  the  Members  of Parliament will be acknowledged within 15 days, followed by a reply within the next 15 days of acknowledgement sent. Where any delay is anticipated in sending a final reply, or information has to be obtained from another Ministry or another office, an interim reply will be sent within 15 days (from the date of receipt) indicating the possible date by which a final reply can be given. The guidelines are available at https://darpg.gov.in/relatedlinks/csmop .

*******