opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 3380 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Protection of Historical Sites
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri Omprakash Bhupalsinh Alias Pavan Rajenimbalkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO. †3380 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024

## PROTECTION OF HISTORICAL SITES

## †3380. SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  current  status  of  the  historical  sites  and  the  manner  in  which these sites are being maintained in the country;
- (b) whether the Government  has  received any proposal regarding protection  of  historical  sites  like  Buddhist,  Jain  and  Hindu  caves  in Osmanabad Parliamentary Constituency;
- (c) if so, the details along with the present status of the proposal thereof;
- (d) the specific measures taken by the Government for protection of the said  historical  sites  including  the  Kharosa  Caves  located  in  Ausa tehsil of Latur district;
- (e) the  details  of  funds  allocated  by  the  Government  especially  for conservation of Trivikram Temple, the Budh Vihar relics found in the excavation  and  Ramalinga  Appa  Lamture  Museum  located  in  Ter (Tagar) city, the ancient Commercial Centre of Maharashtra; and
- (f) the rank of historical sites of Osmanabad district in the list of tourist places?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

-2

- (a) There are 3698 Centrally Protected Monuments/sites under the care and maintenance of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Conservation and maintenance of centrally protected monuments/sites are undertaken by ASI as per the need of monument/site  and  availability  of  resources  and  they  are  in  good state of preservation.
- (b) No such proposal has been received by ASI .

&

(c)

- (d) There are 286 Centrally Protected Monuments/sites under the protection  of  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  (ASI)  in  the  State  of Maharashtra.  However,  the  said  caves  including  Kharosa  Caves located in Ausa tehsil of Latur District are not under the protection of ASI.
- (e) Trivikram Temple, the Budh Vihar relics found in the excavation and Ramalinga Appa Lamture Museum located in Ter (Tagar) city are not Centrally Protected Monuments (CPMs) of ASI. However, the funds allocated  for    the  conservation,  preservation  and  development  of CPMs of ASI in the State of Maharashtra during last three years are given as under:

(Rs. in Crore)

|   Sl. No. | Financial Year   |   Allocation |
|-----------|------------------|--------------|
|         1 | 2021-22          |        24.5  |
|         2 | 2022-23          |        39.05 |
|         3 | 2023-24          |        52.54 |

- (f) There  are  no  monuments/sites  in  Osmanabad  district  under  the jurisdiction of ASI.

-----
Lok Sabha Question No. 3379 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Revenue Expenditure
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Shri Rao Rajendra Singh

## Government of India Ministry of Finance Department of Economic Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3379

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2024/AGRAHAYANA 25, 1946 (SAKA)

## REVENUE EXPENDITURE

## 3379. Shri Rao Rajendra Singh:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  any  data  regarding  the  total  Revenue  Expenditure  from  the Consolidated Fund of India as a percentage of the total expenditure and the various contributing factors to it, if so, the details thereof; and
- (b) whether the Revenue Expenditure in the country has seen an increasing trend, if so, the various steps being taken by the Government to reduce the same?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

- (a) Yes Sir. The Government has the data regarding the total Revenue Expenditure. The required details are as follows:

(₹ in crore)

|   Sr. No. | Description                                            | FY 2020-21   | FY 2021-22   | FY 2022-23   |
|-----------|--------------------------------------------------------|--------------|--------------|--------------|
|         1 | General Services                                       | 12,28,160    | 14,29,783    | 16,15,729    |
|         2 | Social Services                                        | 1,60,539     | 2,54,697     | 1,99,992     |
|         3 | Economic Services                                      | 10,98,109    | 8,79,389     | 9,66,073     |
|         4 | Grant in Aid &Contributions                            | 5,96,711     | 6,37,058     | 6,71,338     |
|         5 | Revenue Expenditure (1 to 4)                           | 30,83,519    | 32,00,926    | 34,53,132    |
|         6 | Total Expenditure                                      | 35,09,836    | 37,93,801    | 41,93,157    |
|         7 | Revenue Expenditure as percentage of Total Expenditure | 87.9%        | 84.4%        | 82.4%        |

Note: Numbers have been rounded off.

- (b) No Sir. The Revenue Expenditure as a percentage of Total Expenditure has been on a declining trend since FY 2020-21 (Sr.No. 7 of the table above).

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3377 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) for Tribals of Assam
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Shri Amarsing Tisso

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3377

ANSWERED ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2024/AGRAHAYANA 25, 1946 (SAKA)

Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) for Tribals of Assam

## 3377. Shri Amarsing Tisso:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) the percentage of tribal households in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts of Assam that have been covered under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY);
- (b) the benefits that tribal communities have derived from PMJDY;
- (c) whether any specific challenges faced/are being faced in implementing PMJDY in these regions; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof along with the way by which these are addressed?

## Answer

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (d) Total number of accounts opened by Banks under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) along with the deposits in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao Districts of Assam are as under:

| Districts                                | Karbi Anglong   | Dima Hasao   |
|------------------------------------------|-----------------|--------------|
| Total no of PMJDY accounts               | 3,00,711        | 60,718       |
| Deposit in PMJDY Accounts (in Rs. Crore) | 97.5            | 37.89        |

PMJDY has played a pivotal role in integrating unbanked population, including tribals into the national financial landscape. PMJDY account holders enjoy a wide range of benefits which, inter-alia, are as under:

- i. One Basic Savings Bank Deposit (BSBD) account is opened for an unbanked person without any minimum balance requirement;
- ii. Account can be opened at any Bank branch or banking outlet manned by a Business Correspondent (BC);
- iii. There is no charge for opening these accounts;
- iv. A free RuPay debit card with an inbuilt accident insurance cover of Rs. 2 lakh (1 lakh for accounts opened before 28.8.2018) is given to the PMJDY account holders;
- v. Eligible PMJDY account holders can avail overdraft facility upto Rs.10,000;
- vi. Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under different Government schemes can be received by eligible beneficiaries in their Jan-Dhan accounts.

The Government strives to overcome challenges faced in implementation of PMJDY by strengthening the banking infrastructure and addressing other issues through various measures which, inter-alia , include the following:

- i. Discussions on ongoing issues, including regional ones, in the Quarterly SLBC meetings;
- ii. Setting up of brick and mortar bank branches in unbanked villages with population more than 3000;
- iii. Deployment of Business Correspondents (BCs) in villages with no banking outlet within the radius of 5 KM;
- iv. Financial  Literacy  Programmes  are  being  conducted  by  Financial  Literacy  Counsellors  and organisations working as Centres for Financial literacy (CFL).

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3375 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: EPS 95
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Daroga Prasad Saroj, Shri Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3375 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024

## EPS 95

†3375. SHRI DAROGA PRASAD SAROJ: SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

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

- (a)the  policy  and  criteria  to  award  pension  to  EPS  95  pensioners  and whether any decision to revise the same has been taken;
- (b)whether any investigation or review of the cases of EPS 95 pensioners
- has been carried out by the Government in the country;
- (c)if so, the details thereof along with the total number of such cases;
- (d)the date since when the revised pension is likely to be issued to EPS 95 pensioners  and  the  number  of  pensioners  likely  to  be  benefitted therefrom in  all  the  States  of  country  particularly  in  Maharashtra  and Uttar Pradesh; and
- (e)the details of the other benefits likely to be extended to the beneficiaries of revised EPS 95 scheme with reference to health services?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

EPS  95  provides  comprehensive  benefits  covering  a  broad spectrum of contingencies, which ensures social security protection during

(a) to (e): old age of the Members and their families.

A  member  of  the  EPS  becomes  eligible  for  superannuation under the EPS on fulfilling the following criteria:

- (i) Minimum 10 years of eligible service; and
- (ii) Attaining age of 58 years.

On  cessation  of  employment  before  completing  58  years  a member can opt for early pension. Such early pension can be availed only after completing 50 years of age subject to a pension being reduced at the rate of 4% for every year falling short of 58 years.

However, no such age or minimum eligibility  service  criteria apply for pension entitlement in case of disablement or death of the member with at least one month contribution will suffice.

The  Central  Government  is  providing  a  minimum  pension  of Rs.1,000/- per month to member / disabled member / widow(er) /  nominee/ dependent parent pensioners; Rs.750/- per month for orphan pensioners and Rs.250/- per month for children pensioners w.e.f. 01.09.2014.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3374 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Non deposit of EPF Contribution by Tea Garden Owners
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Shri Manoj Tigga

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

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3374 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024

## NON DEPOSIT OF EPF CONTRIBUTION BY TEA GARDEN OWNERS

†3374. SHRI MANOJ TIGGA:

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

- (a)whether there is a large workforce of tea plantation workers in West Bengal;
- (b)if so, the number of workers registered with Employees' Provident Fund;
- (c)whether the Government has received complaints regarding nondeposit  of  the  Employees'  Provident  Fund  contribution  of  the workers already deducted from their salaries by the owners of the tea plantations;
- (d)if so, the details thereof along with the action taken in this regard; (e)the details of the provisions for taking action  against the institutions  and  companies  not  depositing  Employees'  Provident Fund contribution of the workers;
- (f)the  details  of  the  mechanism  in  place  for  investigating  such matters; and
- (g)the manner in which the affected workers are likely to be given relief?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

- (a) & (b): The  number  of  tea  plantation  workers  registered  with Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) is given below:

|   Number of Establishment | Number of Employees   |
|---------------------------|-----------------------|
|                       940 | 6,79,230              |

Contd..2/-

(c) & (d): The details of actions taken in the last 3  years against establishments regarding non deposit of contribution is as follows:

|   Assessment made under section 7A |   Prosecution cases filed |   FIR filed under IPC section 406/409 and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 |
|------------------------------------|---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                 45 |                        11 |                                                                      33 |

- (e): Action is taken against institutions and companies for not depositing  EPF  contributions  of  workers  as  per  provisions  under various  sections  of  Employees'  Provident  Fund  &  Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (EPF & MP Act) and schemes framed thereunder.
- (f): Inspector (Enforcement Officer) appointed under Section 13 of EPF & MP Act investigates the cases and if default is found, inquiry under Section 7A is initiated for deciding the applicability of the Act or assessment of dues, as the case may be.
- (g): Due share of the social security benefit to the employees when recovered from the employer in case of the default as per the provisions of the EPF & MP Act is credited to members' account.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3373 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Revisions of Employee Pension Scheme, 1995
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Dr. Kalyan Vaijinathrao Kale

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3373 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024

## REVISIONS OF EMPLOYEE PENSION SCHEME, 1995

3373. DR. KALYAN VAIJINATHRAO KALE:

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

- (a)whether it is fact that the Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) 1995 is  a  social  security  scheme  that  provides  pension  benefits  to eligible  employees  in  the  organized  sector,  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (b)whether the Government has received any proposal to increase the pension during the last ten years, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether the Government is aware that the demand to increase the pension is raised by several unions and they are agitating, if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d)whether any Committee has been formed or is being formed by the Government in order to resolve the issues pertaining to this issue, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (d): The Employees' Pension Scheme (EPS), 1995 is a 'Defined ContributionDefined Benefit' Social Security Scheme. The corpus of the Employees' Pension Fund is made up of (i) contribution by the employer @ 8.33 per cent of wages; and (ii) contribution from Central Government through budgetary support @ 1.16 per cent of wages, up to an amount of Rs.15,000/- per month. The fund is valued annually as mandated under paragraph 32 of the EPS, 1995.

The  Government,  for  the  first  time,  in  the  year  2014, provided a minimum pension of Rs. 1000 per month to the pensioners under the EPS, 1995 by providing budgetary support, which was in addition  to  the  budgetary  support  of  1.16%  of  wages  provided annually  towards  EPS  to  Employees'  Provident  Fund  Organisation (EPFO).

A monthly initiative at the district level all over the country is taken up every month under Nidhi Apke Nikat 2.0 program where the benefits of the scheme are explained to the stakeholders through direct interactions.

EPFO has also started an initiative termed as PRAYAAS with an aim of handling over PPOs to members of EPS, 1995 on the day of superannuation. Informative messages through audio visual means are regularly posted in the social media including YouTube, X and Facebook for easy understanding of benefits of the scheme.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3372 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Diversifying the Business of Cooperative Sector Banks
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Shri Shankar Lalwani

## Government of India Ministry of Finance Department of Financial Services

## LOK SABHA

## Unstarred Question No. 3372

Answered on Monday,16 December, 2024/ 25 Agrahayana, 1946 (Saka)

## Diversifying the business of Cooperative Sector Banks

†3372. Shri Shankar Lalwani:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken to diversify the business of cooperative sector banks;
- (b) whether the said banks have been granted the permission to offer commercial real estate and residential housing loans;
- (c) if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the benefits likely to accrue to the cooperative sector banks as a result thereof?

## Answer

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY)

(a): The Government has taken various initiatives to diversify the business of Cooperative Sector Banks which, inter-alia, include: (i) Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE) has notified State Cooperative  Banks  (StCBs)  and  District  Central  Cooperative  Banks  (DCCBs)  as  Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) on 03rd February 2022 which has encouraged Cooperative Sector Banks to increase their lending to MSME sector. (ii)  An upward revision of the limit of housing loan to be extended by StCBs, DCCBs, and Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) has been done by RBI vide notification dated 08 June 2022. (iii)  StCBs  and  DCCBs  have  been  made  eligible  financial  institutions  under  various Government Schemes viz Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), PM Vishwakarma Scheme, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, PM Formalisation of Micro food processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme for increased credit penetration to underserved sectors. (iv)  Model  Byelaws  have  been  framed  to  enable  Primary  Agriculture  Cooperative  Society (PACS) to diversify their business activities by undertaking more than 25 business activities, fishery,  floriculture,  setting  up  godowns,  procurement  of  foodgrains, including  dairy, fertilizers, seeds, etc.

(b)  to  (d):  Both  primary  (urban)  co-operative  banks  and  rural  cooperative  banks  (state cooperative banks) have been permitted to extend commercial real-estate residential housing (CRE-RH) loans within the overall housing finance limits. This has increased the scope of Cooperative Sector Banks for lending towards the housing segment by providing affordable housing to the people through its vast branch network.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 3371 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Tourist Centres in Himachal Pradesh
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Dr. Rajeev Bharadwaj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.+3371

## ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024

## TOURIST CENTRES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH

## +3371. DR. RAJEEV BHARADWAJ:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is contemplating to formulate any plan to build tourist centres in Himachal Pradesh;
- (b)     if so, the details thereof;
- (c)    whether  the  Government  proposes  to  release  funds  to  promote tourism related activities in the State of Himachal Pradesh; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (d):   Development and promotion  of tourism in the country is primarily  undertaken  by  the  concerned  State  Governments  (SGs)/Union Territory Administrations (UTs). However, Ministry of Tourism complements  the  efforts  of  SGs/UTs  by  providing  financial  assistance under  its  'Swadesh  Darshan'  and  'Pilgrimage  Rejuvenation  and  Spiritual, Heritage  Augmentation  Drive  (PRASHAD)'  for  development  of  tourism amenities on receipt of project proposals in line with the relevant scheme guidelines,  availability  of  funds  under  relevant  schemes  etc.    Under  the Swadesh  Darshan  Scheme,  the  Ministry  had  sanctioned  1  project  in  the State of Himachal Pradesh, as per the details given below:

|   S. No. | Circuit / Sanction Year   | Name of the Project                                                                                              |   Amount Sanctioned (₹ in Crore) |
|----------|---------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|        1 | Himalayan Circuit 2016-17 | Development of Himalayan Circuit: Kiarighat, Shimla, Hatkoti, Manali, Kangra, Dharamshala, Bir, Palampur, Chamba |                            68.34 |

The  Ministry  has  now  revamped  the  Swadesh  Darshan  Scheme  as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0),  with  the  objective  to  develop  sustainable and  responsible  tourism  destinations  in  the  country  and  has  identified 'Pong  Dam'  as  a  destination  for  development  in  the  State  of  Himachal Pradesh  under  SD2.0.    Further  the  Ministry  of  Tourism  under  'Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD) has selected 'Kaza' in Culture and Heritage category and 'Rakchham, Chhitkul' in Vibrant Village Category as destinations for development.

- ********
Lok Sabha Question No. 3370 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-16
Subject: Implementation of Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shri Chavda Vinod Lakhamshi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3370 TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.12.2024

Implementation of Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan

†3370 . SHRI CHAVDA VINOD LAKHAMSHI:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  is  implementing  Panchayat  Yuva  Krida  Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) as a flagship programme;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)  whether the Government has identified villages or panchayats in Bhuj, Abdasa,  Gandhidham,  Rapar,  Mandvi  and  Anjar  districts  under  Kutch Parliamentary  Constituency  to  provide  basic  sports  infrastructure  and sports equipments; and

(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS { DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA }

(a) No, Sir. The Scheme of Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA) was in operation from 2008-09 to 2013-14.

(b) to (d) Do not arise.

*****