opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 3946 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Key Features of ELI Scheme
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Mr Pathan Yusuf

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3946

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## KEY FEATURES OF ELI SCHEME

## 3946. MR PATHAN YUSUF:

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

- (a)whether it is a fact that  the  Government  has  approved  the Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme of Rs. 1 Lakh Crore on 1st July, 2025 and if so, the key features of the said Scheme;
- (b)whether it is also a fact that many Central Trade Unions are opposing the implementation  of  such  an  employment  incentive  scheme,  which directly impacts on labour rights and employment standards and if so,
- this Scheme as they have not been consulted before the details thereof;
- (c)whether  it  is  a  fact  that  many  trade  unions  alleged  that  the  ELI scheme encourage informal and precarious employment; and
- (d)if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to address the said concerns and ensure the promotion of formal and dignified jobs?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): The  Government  on  01.07.2025  approved  the  Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme named as Prime Minister Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojna to support employment generation, enhance employability and  social  security,  across  all  sectors,  with  special  focus  on  the manufacturing sector. The scheme has a registration period of two years from 01.08.2025 to 31.07.2027 and a budgetary outlay of ₹ 99,446 Crore for the period FY 2025-26 to FY 2031-32. The scheme comprises of two parts i.e. Part A and Part B and focuses on providing support to both employees and employers by way of incentives. The scheme provides for  incentives  for  1.92  crore  First  Timers  under  Part  A.  Incentive  for creation of approx. 2.59 crore additional jobs to employers is provided for under Part B of the scheme.

The scheme has been formulated after extensive consultations with all stakeholders including labour intensive Ministries, Trade Unions, Industry Associations and Experts.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3945 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Ancient Tamil Inscriptions in South India
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Dr. T Sumathy Alias Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Thiru D M Kathir Anand

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3945

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOK SABHA ANSWERED ON-18.08.2025

## ANCIENT TAMIL INSCRIPTIONS IN SOUTH INDIA

## 3945. THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND: DR. T SUMATHY ALIAS THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

(a)  Whether  some  historically  important  Copper  Plate  Inscriptions  of  ancient  dynastic  rulers found  in  Tamil  Nadu  by  Archaeological  Survey  of  India  (ASI)  and  the  State  Department  of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu are kept in Museums abroad and if so, the details thereof and the total number of Copper Plate Inscriptions found in South India, Dynasty-wise and the museums where they are protected;

(b) whether it is a fact that out of the total of 1.5 Lakh ancient inscriptions found in South India more than 1 Lakh inscriptions are in Tamil Language dating back to 200 BC to AD 1800, if so, the details thereof including the historical inscriptions found in Vellore Lok Sabha Constituency; and

(c) whether the Epigraphy Branch of ASI has published several volumes of Epigraphica Indica and  series  of  South  Indian  Inscriptions  before  and  after  Independence  and  if  so,  the  details thereof  and  the  date  of  publishing  of  the  last  volume  of  Epigraphica  Indica  and  South  Indian Inscriptions by the ASI?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  No copper plate inscriptions found by Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in Tamil Nadu is kept in museums abroad.

(b) Total number of inscriptions copied by the ASI is around 73,732 out of them 26,416 are in Tamil  script.  These  inscriptions,  including  historical  inscriptions  found  in  Vellore  Lok  Sabha Constituency, are deciphered and published in the Annual Reports on Indian Epigraphy.

(c)  The  ASI  has  published  several  volumes  of  Epigraphia  Indica  and  the  South  Indian Inscriptions.  The  latest  volume  of  Epigraphia  Indica  was  published  in  2012  and  South  Indian Inscriptions  in  2025.  Out  of  the  45  volumes  of  South  Indian  Inscriptions,  18  were  published before independence and the remaining 27 are published since independence.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3937 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Coverage of Informal Workers under ESIC and EPFO in Odisha
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Smt. Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3937

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## COVERAGE OF INFORMAL WORKERS UNDER ESIC AND EPFO IN

ODISHA

3937. SMT. SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

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

- (a)whether the Government has undertaken any review to assess the coverage gap of Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Employees'  Provident  Fund  Organisation  (EPFO)  among  inform al workers in Odisha, especially in districts like Balangir, Bargarh, and Subarnapur;
- (b)if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  increase  awareness, simplify enrollment procedure and improve accessibility in semi-urban and rural industrial areas;
- (c)whether  the  Government  plans  to  expand  the  ESIC  dispensary  or hospital network in labour-intensive zones of Western Odisha and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)if not, whether the Government proposes a targeted campaign in the said  areas  for  ESIC  and  EPFO  onboarding  through  digital  and grassroots channels?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to(d): Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) provide social security coverage to organized sector workers across various sectors through statutory schemes. As such, informal workers do not come under the purview of ESIC and EPFO.

Presently, medical services to ESI beneficiaries in Odisha are provided through 06 ESI hospitals and 53 ESI dispensaries including 03 hospitals and 18 dispensaries in Western Odisha. Besides, ESI Corporation has also sanctioned 100 bedded hospital in Jharsuguda and one 5 doctors dispensary in Sambalpur in Western Odisha, in order to expand  hospital  /  dispensary  network  and  improve  accessibility  in Odisha.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3936 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Bid to host 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympic
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shri Dhairyasheel Sambhajirao Mane, Shri Sudheer Gupta, Shri Manish Jaiswal, Shri Chavan Ravindra Vasantrao

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3936 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## BID TO HOST 2030 COMMONWEALTH GAMES AND 2036 OLYMPIC

3936.Shri Chavan Ravindra Vasantrao:

Shri Manish Jaiswal:

Shri Sudheer Gupta:

Shri Dhairyasheel Sambhajirao Mane:

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

- a) whether  the  Indian  Olympic  Association  (IOA)  has  called  a Special General Meeting (SGM) to seek approval for India's bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympics recently in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- b) whether  the  IOA  delegation  met  the  Commonwealth  Sports officials in London to discuss the bidding process of holding the 2030 Commonwealth Games;
- c) if so, the details thereof and cities under consideration and the timeline for the bidding process; and
- d) the manner in which athletes from across the country are likely to  be  benefited  and  push  sports  infrastructure  development  in  the country by hosting the said Games?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

(a) to (c) Bidding to host the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games in India is the responsibility of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) through a detailed host selection process. The Indian Olympic Association  (IOA),  is  also    member  of  Commonwealth  Games Federation (CGF) and is known as Commonwealth Games Association of India (CGAI).

The host selection process for 2036 Olympic Games is available in public domain on International Olympic Committee (IOC) website at https://www.olympics.com/ioc/becoming-an-olympic-games-host/theprocess-to-elect-olympic-hosts. IOA has submitted a letter of intent to IOC. The bid is now in the 'Continuous Dialogue' phase with the Future Host Commission of IOC. As regards allotment of hosting rights for the Commonwealth Games 2030, the same is under process and the decision on the host country of  the  2030  Commonwealth  Games  will  be  announced  by  the Commonwealth Sports at the CGF General Assembly scheduled from 23-27 November, 2025 at Glasgow, Scotland. (d) Hosting  of  mega  sports  events  offers  several  benefits  for athletes  such  as  increased  exposure,  opportunity  to  compete  on home soil, availability of state-of-art sports infrastructure /facilities and inspiration for new generation of athletes.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3934 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Inequitable Tax Devolution
Ministry: FINANCE
Asked by: Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE

## DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 3934

TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE 18 th  AUGUST, 2025 SRAVANA 27, 1947 (SAKA)

## 'INEQUITABLE TAX DEVOLUTION'

## 3934. Dr. Kalanidhi Veeraswamy:

Will the Minister of FINANCE be pleased to state:

- a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  note  of  the  concerns  raised  by  States  like  Tamil  Nadu regarding inequitable tax devolution;
- b) the total direct and indirect tax revenue collected from Tamil Nadu and total amount devolved to the  State  under  the  Finance  Commission's  recommendations  during  the  last  five  years,  yearwise;
- c) whether  the  Government  recognises  that  the  current  devolution  formula  appears  to  penalise fiscally disciplined and high-performing States and if so, the justification for continuing such a framework; and
- d) the steps taken/to be taken by the Government to review the existing tax devolution mechanism to ensure fairness, equity and recognition of States' contribution to national economic output?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b): States including Tamil Nadu receive a share of the net proceeds of direct and indirect tax revenue collected in the entire country and not within a State. The share of the net proceeds that is  to  be  devolved to each State is recommended by the Finance Commission constituted under Article  280  of  the  Constitution.  The  amount  of  direct  and  indirect  tax  (only  GST)  revenue collections in Tamil Nadu and the total amount devolved to Tamil Nadu during the past five years is given in the table below. (₹ crore)
- (c) & (d):  The  current  devolution formula  and the  existing tax  devolution  mechanism adopted  by the Government is based on recommendations of the 15 th Finance Commission. Parliament was informed  of  the  devolution  formula  and  existing  tax  devolution  mechanism  through  the Explanatory  Memorandum  as  to  the  Action  Taken  on  the  Recommendations  made  by  the Fifteenth Finance Commission and placed in Parliament on 1 st February, 2021.

|                                           |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |   2022-23 |   2023-24 |   2024-25 |
|-------------------------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Direct &Indirect Tax Revenue collections* |  130243   |  173931   |  211441   |  248396   |  263633   |
| Tax Devolved                              |   24924.5 |   37458.6 |   38731.2 |   46072.3 |   52491.9 |
Lok Sabha Question No. 3929 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Derogatory Statement against Mahatma Gandhi
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri M K Raghavan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-3929 ANSWERED ON-18/08/2025

## Derogatory Statement against Mahatma Gandhi

## 3929.   Shri M K Raghavan:

Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of derogatory statement made against Mahatma Gandhi by a professor of NIT, Calicut in social media;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the action taken thereon; and
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a)  to  (c):  National  Institute  of  Technology,  Calicut  (Kerala)  is  an  autonomous  Institute  of National Importance governed by the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (NITSER) Act, 2007 (29 of 2007) and the Statutes (2009) framed under the Act and the action  in  the  matter  has  been  taken  by  the  Institute  as  per  its  established  procedures  and  the Statutes.

*-*-*-*-*
Lok Sabha Question No. 3926 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: COEs in Healthcare and Agriculture Sectors
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Bastipati Nagaraju, Shri Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Shri B K Parthasarathi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3926 ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

COEs in Healthcare and Agriculture Sectors

3926.  Shri B K Parthasarathi:

Shri Bastipati Nagaraju:

Shri Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION

be pleased to state:

- (a) the names of the three AI Centres of Excellence (CoEs) that have been selected by the Government in the field of healthcare, agriculture and sustainable cities;
- (b) the funds allocated, released and utilized for each of these CoEs;
- (c) the initiatives taken/to be taken by these CoEs along with their impact and result;
- (d) whether these CoEs can collaborate with other institutions for upscaling the projects that are being implemented; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (e): The Government has framed the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which aims to promote research and innovation in higher education. It envisages an active role for  higher  education  institutions  in  conducting  research  on  disruptive  technologies, including  Artificial  Intelligence,  to  deploy  application-based  research  which  addresses challenges in areas such as healthcare and agriculture.

In line with this vision, the Government of India has established three Centres of Excellence  (CoEs)  in  Artificial  Intelligence  (AI);  one  each  in  the  areas  of  healthcare, sustainable cities and agriculture . These AI-CoEs are led by the premier institutions of the nation such as IIT Kanpur, IIT Ropar, and IISc Bangalore. The total budget outlay for the three AI-CoEs is 990 crores.

Each AI-CoE is a consortium of leading academic, research institutions along with industry partners and startups etc. AI-CoEs represent a collaborative effort between the lead institute and other academic institutions such as AIIMS Delhi and Patna, IITs at Delhi, Madras, Bombay, Guwahati, Hyderabad, and Gandhinagar; NITs at Calicut, Meghalaya, and Hamirpur; IIIT Hyderabad; etc.

These CoEs have undertaken strategic initiatives aligned with their sectoral focus. ANNAM  Foundation  has  been  launched  which  aims  to  utilise  AI  to  boost  agriculture productivity through technologies such as crop monitoring, disease detection etc. In the healthcare  sector,  projects  have  been  initiated  to  develop  AI  tools  on  the  detection  of various  chronic  diseases  like  oral  and  breast  cancer,  retinal  disease  and  diabetes. AIRWAT Research Foundation for Sustainable Cities provides AI-powered energy demand forecasting, indigenous air quality monitoring system etc.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 3924 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Companies Struck-off through C-PACE
Ministry: CORPORATE AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Mahendra Singh Solanky

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3924 ANSWERED ON MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2025

Companies Struck-off through C-PACE

## QUESTION

3924. Shri Mahendra Singh Solank:

Will the Minister of CORPORATE AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  raise  awareness  about  the  Centre  for Processing  Accelerated  Corporate  Exit  (C-PACE)  among  MSMEs,  LLPs  and  private companies operating in Dewas -Shajapur of Madhya Pradesh; (b)  whether  any  applications  for  voluntary  exit  or  strike-off  of  companies  from  the  above constituency have been processed through C-PACE; and (c) if so, the number of such applications and the average time taken for completion?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs; Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways

(Shri Harsh Malhotra)

(a) to (c): The Ministry has established  the Centre for Processing Accelerated Corporate Exit (C-PACE) to facilitate and speed up the voluntary winding-up of companies having pan India jurisdiction  which  is  operational  from  01.05.2023.  Further,  to  facilitate  and  speed  up  the voluntary winding-up of LLPs having pan India jurisdiction has also been brought under the C-PACE  from  27.08.2024.  Dewas-Shajapur  district  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of  ROC, Gwaliorand the number of applications and the average time taken for strike off is as under:

| Financial Year           | District   |   Number of CompaniesClosed | Average Time Taken for Completion   |
|--------------------------|------------|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------|
| 01-05-2023 to 31-03-2024 | Dewas      |                          02 | 75.40 Days                          |
| 01-05-2023 to 31-03-2024 | Shajapur   |                          03 | 75.40 Days                          |
| 04-04-2024 to 31-03-2025 | Dewas      |                          02 | 60.67 Days                          |
| 04-04-2024 to 31-03-2025 | Shajapur   |                          01 | 60.67 Days                          |
| 01-04-2025 to 31-07.2025 | Dewas      |                          03 | 51 Days                             |
| 01-04-2025 to 31-07.2025 | Shajapur   |                          02 | 51 Days                             |
| Total                    |            |                          13 | 62.3 days                           |

*******
Lok Sabha Question No. 3915 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Construction of Barrage in Karnataka
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Kota Srinivasa Poojary

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3915

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## Construction of Barrage in Karnataka

## 3915.  SHRI KOTA SRINIVASA POOJARY:

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

- (a)   whether the State Government of Karnataka has submitted a proposal through Parivesh Portal bearing No. IA/KA/CRZ/517728/2025, for Construction of barrage/SWED across Swarna River at Uppuru, Parari and Havanje to recharge groundwater and implementation  of  LIS  to  provide  irrigation  facilities  to  1000  Ha.  of  land  by  feeding tanks in Udupi Taluk (Phase-1); and
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  of  the  proposal  and  the  action  taken/being  taken  on  the  proposal  for issuing Coastal Regulation Zone clearance?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) & (b) The proposal (IA/KA/CRZ/517728/2025) was received in the Ministry through the PARIVESH  portal  on  12/03/2025.  The  proposal  was  considered  by  the  Expert  Appraisal Committee  (EAC)  in  its  407 th meeting  held  on  08/07/2025. The  Committee  carried  out detailed  examination  and  deliberation  on  the  proposal  and  noted  certain  gaps  in  the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and data. Thereafter, the Committee referred the  matter  to  the  Karnataka  State  Coastal  Zone  Management  Authority  (KSCZMA)  for comprehensive re-examination of the proposal.

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 332 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-12
Subject: Gram Urja Swaraj Programme
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Shri Manickam Tagore B, Shri Suresh Kumar Shetkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 332 ANSWERED ON 12/08/2025

## GRAM URJA SWARAJ PROGRAMME

- *332. Shri Manickam Tagore B: Shri Suresh Kumar Shetkar:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) the present status of rural electrification using solar and wind energy under the Gram Urja Swaraj programme across States;
- (b) the  total  number  of  villages  achieved  energy  self-sufficiency through  renewable  sources  since  the  launch  of  Gram  Urja Swaraj;
- (c) the  incentives  offered  to  panchayats  and  rural  households  to adopt solar rooftops and biogas systems;
- (d) whether the Government collaborated with NGOs or cooperatives  to  implement  decentralized  renewable  energy projects in rural areas, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the  details  of  budgetary  allocation  for  the  Gram  Urja  Swaraj initiative during the last three financial years;
- (f) the manner in which the Government plan to make renewable energy affordable and accessible for poor rural households; and
- (g) the  details  of  progress  on  setting  up  solar  mini-grids  and community-based power plants in off-grid villages?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

(a) to (g): The  question  does  not  pertain  to  the  Ministry  of  Rural Development.

*****