opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 766 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Commercial Use of Vegan Leather Alternatives
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Dr. Anand Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 766 (ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026)

## COMMERCIAL USE OF VEGAN LEATHER ALTERNATIVES

## 766.  DR ANAND KUMAR:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- a. the number of industries/enterprises granted technology transfer or license for commercial use of vegetarian/vegan leather-like materials developed from mango peels, rice-wheat residue etc. by the Central Leather  Research  Institute  (CLRI)  and  the  products  being  develoed from them so far;
- b. whether  the  CLRI  conducted  any  comparative  study  of  products made  from  vegan  leather  alternatives  with  conventional  leather products  in  terms  of  cost,  durability  performance,  environmental impact and consumer utility; and
- c. if  so,  the  major  findings  of  the  study  and  the  steps  proposed  for further research and commercialization based on these?

## ANSWER

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

(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- a. CSIR-Central  Leather  Research  Institute  (CSIR-CLRI),  Chennai  -  A constituent laboratory of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has granted license to seven (07) industries/enterprises for commercial use of vegetarian/vegan leather-like  materials  developed  from  mango  peels,  rice-wheat

residue etc. The products prepared so far by the licensee industries/enterprises are as follows:

-  Lifestyle products, including wallets, handbags, accessories, and allied consumer goods
-  Sheet  materials  for  use  in  Lifestyle  products  and  footwear applications.
- (b)&(c) Yes. CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI), Chennai has conducted characterization studies on the leather-like materials produced from wheat and rice straw and mango pulp. The studies covered:
-  Cost aspects, such as capital and production cost, particularly at  pilot  and  industrial-scale  production  environments.  The studies  indicate  that  the  production  cost  of  the  developed materials is approximately 50% lower than that of conventional leather; and
-  Physical  and  mechanical  characteristics,  including  strength, flexibility, and suitability for different lifestyle product applications. The durability & performance of vegan materials are nearly comparable to leather. However, leather possesses superior  strength  and  durability  properties. The  developed leather-like  materials  are  easily  biodegradable  compared  to synthetic and conventional leathers.

The institute is committed to advancing high-end product development through a duel focus on application-oriented  testing and ongoing rigorous regulatory compliance. This strategic approach provides the necessary framework for realizing sophisticated, market-ready products.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 764 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: CSR Policy in Mining Areas
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Dr. Sambit Patra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †764

ANSWERED ON THE 04.02.2026

## CSR POLICY IN MINING AREAS

†764. DR. SAMBIT PATRA:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

whether the Public Sector Undertakings under the Ministry of Mines have formulated any Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy to contribute to the development of rural  areas  and  areas  with  significant  Scheduled  Caste  and  Scheduled  Tribe populations in the country and if so, the details  thereof?'

## ANSWER

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

Yes.  There  are  three  PSUs  under  the  administrative  control  of  Ministry  of  Mines namely National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL)  and  Mineral  Exploration  and  Consultancy  Limited  (MECL).  All  three  PSUs have their CSR policies,  in  line  with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and the guidelines issued by the Department of Public Enterprises.

Under their CSR policies, the PSUs undertake various initiatives in the  fields of rural development, education, healthcare, sanitation, safe drinking water, livelihood & skill development,  environmental  sustainability  etc.  These  initiatives  are  designed  to ensure inclusive growth and sustainable development of communities in and around their  operational  areas,  with  special  emphasis  on  development  of  rural  areas  and areas with significant Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribe population.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 760 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Universal Broadband Coverage
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Ravindra Shukla Alias Ravi Kishan, Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 760 TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## UNIVERSAL BROADBAND COVERAGE

## 760. DR. KAKOLI GHOSH DASTIDAR: SHRI RAVINDRA SHUKLA ALIAS RAVI KISHAN:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the percentage of Gram Panchayats connected under BharatNet as of January 2026, and the average bandwidth available per village;
- (b) the details of the actions taken/being taken by the Government to achieve universal broadband coverage along with expected timeline thereof;
- (c) the number of Gram Panchayats connected to the optical fiber network under the BharatNet project in Gorakhpur district so far;
- (d) the number of Gram Panchayats in which broadband services are fully functional; and
- (e) the time limit set for providing connectivity in the remaining Gram Panchayats in the said district?

## ANSWER

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

(a) & (b) As  on  19.01.2026,  2,14,905  out  of  2,22,341  Gram  Panchayats  have  been  made service-ready under BharatNet Phase-I and Phase-II for providing high-speed broadband internet up to 1 Gbps. Further, the Cabinet approved the Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) on 04.08.2023, which envisage to connect all GPs through ring architecture and providing high speed broadband connectivity to ~3.8 Lakhs non-GP Villages on-demand basis.

- (c) & (d) As of December 2025, out of 1355 GPs planned in Gorakhpur District, 1305 GPs (1301 GPs on OFC and 4 GPs on Satellite) have been made service ready.
- (e) Amended BharatNet  Program  (ABP)  has  been  approved  under  Design,  Built,  Operate  & Maintain (DBOM) model for up-gradation of existing network of BharatNet Phase-I and Phase-II, creation of network in balance GPs, Operation & Maintenance for 10 years and utilization.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 758 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Jharia Coalfields Master Plan
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri Rajpalsinh Mahendrasinh Jadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 758 ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## Jharia Coalfields Master Plan

†758.  Shri Rajpalsinh Mahendrasinh Jadav:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

(a) the current status of the implementation of the Jharia Master Plan for fire control, land rehabilitation and rehabilitation of affected families;

(b) the number of the families relocated and awaiting for rehabilitation so far along with the timelines set for completing the remaining rehabilitation work;

(c)  the  number  of  underground  coal  fires  extinguished  or  controlled  since  the  last review;

(d)  whether  the  Government  propose  any  additional  fund  or  revised  strategies  to expedite the mitigation of subsidence risks and safety hazards in the Jharia coalfields; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a), (b) and (c): Revised Jharia Master Plan (JMP) has been approved by the Central Government on 25.06.2025. Under the Revised JMP, 81 high-risk sites have been identified to be dealt with in the initial phase. Revised JMP envisages rehabilitation of 15,080 affected families from these 81 sites and dealing with fire & subsidence.

The details of families identified for shifting, shifted and balance to be shifted are as follows:-

|                         |   BCCL Families |   Non-BCCL Families | Total   |
|-------------------------|-----------------|---------------------|---------|
| Identified for shifting |             649 |               14431 | 15,080  |
| Shifted                 |             649 |                 744 | 1,393   |
| Balance to be shifted   |               0 |               13687 | 13,687  |

The timeline for shifting the balance families under Revised JMP is December 2028.

As per the NRSC (National Remote Sensing Centre) survey report of 2017-18, the surface fire area was 3.26 sq km (in 27 fire locations), which was reduced to 1.80 sq km in 2020-21 and further reduced to 1.53 sq km in the year 2024-25. Out of 27 fire locations in 2017-18, a total of 17 fire locations have been dealt with as on December 2025.

(d) & (e): The Revised JMP has been approved with a total outlay of Rs. 5940.47 crore. In addition to this, Coal India Limited (CIL) is required to provide Rs. 500 crore per year and interest earned thereof. Also, funding from the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) is utilised by DC Dhanbad, whenever required.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 757 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Development of Narukuru as Digital Village
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Prabhakar Reddy Vemireddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 757

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 04.02.2026

## DEVELOPMENT OF NARUKURU AS DIGITAL VILLAGE

## 757. SHRI PRABHAKAR REDDY VEMIREDDY:

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that Narukuru village in Gudur block in Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh has been identified to be developed as digital village;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the services which are going to be provided once this becomes a digital village;
- (c) the time by which the project is going to be completed in the above village; and
- (d) whether there are any plans to take up other villages in Nellore district to be made as digital village and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) to (d): 'Digital Village Pilot Project' was initiated to provide education services, health services, skill  development  services,  solar  powered  streetlights  and  financial  inclusion  services  along  with government-to-citizen services and business-to-citizen services in 700 villages (one village from each district of States and Union Territories (UTs)) across the country.

In the state of Andhra Pradesh, 13 villages were covered under this scheme including Narukuru village in Gudur block in Nellore district, which has since been renamed as Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore District.

The project has been successfully closed w.e.f 31st March, 2024.

The services provided under the said project are as follows:

- i. Education  Services:  Courses  provided  under  this  project-  Basic  Computer  Course  (BCC), Course  on  Computer  Concept  (CCC),  Tally-  Kaushal  Praman  Patra,  Basic  Course  in Information Technology (BCIT).
- ii. Additional  Education:  Competitive  exam  training,  fundamental  of  CAD  (Computer  Aided Design)
- iii. Health Services: Tele-health and Tele-Veterinary consultation
- iv. Financial inclusion awareness programme
- v. Solar streetlights
- vi. Skill development in (a) Automotive technician, (b) Handset repair, (c) Field technician -Home appliance, (d) Electrical technician
7. ******
Lok Sabha Question No. 753 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: PDS in Assam
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Md. Rakibul Hussain

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 753

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 4TH FEBRUARY, 2026

## PDS IN ASSAM

## 753. MD. RAKIBUL  HUSSAIN:

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

- (a): whether the Government has reviewed the functioning  of the Public Distribution  System (PDS) in Assam;
- (b): the number of fair  price  shops currently  operating in Assam;
- (c) : whether any irregularities  have been reported in the functioning  of  these shops; and
- (d): if  so, the details thereof and the corrective steps taken by the Government to address such irregularities?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): Yes, the Government has reviewed the functioning  of the Public Distribution  System  (PDS) in Assam.
- (b): Total number of operational FPSs in the state (as of January, 2026) is 33,014.
- (c)  and  (d):  No  irregularities in  the  functioning of  FPSs have been reported by  the  State Government of Assam. In order to maintain transparency and ensure that food grains reach only verified  beneficiaries, all  Fair  Price  Shops (FPSs) are equipped with  e-PoS machines. These devices authenticate beneficiaries through biometric verification before any distribution. Any stock that remains undistributed is carried forward  as the Closing Balance for the following  month. The allocation  as well  as distribution  is done through online process  leaving no scope for the Fair Price Shop to  misappropriate the  allocated food grains through  unfair means. The  SMART-PDS  Portal supports this  entire process with  online  allocation generated  through  Integrated Aadhaar enabled Supply Chain Management (IAESCM)  and deliveries recorded through the Aadhaar enabled Public Distribution System  (AePDS)  platform. All relevant  information are  available in  the  respective portals

kScSeRScSe
Lok Sabha Question No. 749 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Vapi-Valsad Industrial Cluster
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: Shri Dhaval Laxmanbhai Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF ATOMIC ENERGY

## LOKSABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO -   749 ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## VAPI-VALSAD INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER

## 749. SHRI DHAVAL LAXMANBHAI PATEL

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government has identified the Vapi-Valsad industrial cluster as a potential site for the deployment of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs); and
- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) & (b) As of now, a proposal like this is not under immediate consideration.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 748 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Schemes for Minority Students
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri P V Midhun Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 748 ANSWERED ON 04/02/2026

## PRE-MATRIC, POST-MATRIC AND MERIT-CUM-MEANS SCHOLARSHIP SCHEMES FOR MINORITY STUDENTS

748.  SHRI P V MIDHUN REDDY:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government is implementing the Pre-Matric, Post-Matric and Merit-cumMeans Scholarship Schemes for minority students and if so, the details thereof; (b) the total number of beneficiaries under each scheme during the last three years, State and yearwise; (c) whether there has been any delay in the disbursement of scholarships; and (d) if so, the reasons therefor and the steps taken by the Government to ensure timely distribution
- of scholarships?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) to (d): Ministry of Minority Affairs implemented various schemes, including PreMatric,  Post  Matric  and  Merit-cum-Means  Scholarship  schemes,  across  the  country  for  socioeconomic and educational empowerment of the six notified minority communities. However, the schemes have not been approved for implementation beyond 2021-22.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 742 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: National Mapping Data
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri M K Raghavan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 742 ANSWERED ON 04/02/2026

## NATIONAL MAPPING DATA

## 742.  SHRI M K RAGHAVAN:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  to  improve  the accuracy, reliability, and real-time updating of national mapping data in collaboration with agencies such as Survey of India, ISRO, and private map service providers and if so, the details thereof; and
- (b) whether the Government proposes to establish a national framework or  policy  for  setting  up  sensor  networks  and  advanced  data-collection infrastructure similar to those adopted in developed economies to ensure precise mapping and navigation services and if so, the timeline for its implementation?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

- (a) A  network  of  1145  Continuously  Operating  Reference  Stations (CORS), which is capable of providing real-time positioning service with centimetre  level  accuracy,  has  been  established  in  collaboration  with Survey  of  India.  High  accuracy  Geoid  model  for  10  states  has  been developed.  A  single  authoritative  Administrative  Boundary  Data  Base (ABDB)  has  been  developed  in  collaboration  with  Survey  of  India  and Office of the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner.
- (b) The existing data acquisition, processing and dissemination infrastructure within the country is aligned with internationally accepted standards and best practices, such as those notified by Bureau of India Standards (BIS) and prescribed by International Organization for Standardization  (ISO)  and  other  global  standard-setting  bodies.  This infrastructure  is  under  continuous  upgradation  in  accordance  with evolving technologies and standards. In this context, National Geospatial Mission has been announced in the Union Budget (2025-26) to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and datasets.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 726 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Support for Independent and Regional Music in the Digital Environment
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Shri Pradyut Bordoloi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 726 TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## SUPPORT  FOR  INDEPENDENT  AND  REGIONAL  MUSIC  IN  THE  DIGITAL ENVIRONMENT

## 726:   SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI

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

- a) whether  the  Government  has  introduced  or  plans  to  introduce  schemes  aimed  at supporting independent and regional music creators in the digital environment;
- b) if so, the details, tentative timelines and modes of implementation of such initiatives and if not, the reason therefor; and
- c) the details of the measures being taken by the Government to promote fair opportunities for creators in the online music economy?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS. (DR. L. MURUGAN)

(a)  to (c):

To empower independent and regional creators, Government launched 'Create in India' (CIC) Challenges during the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025. These include Resonate: The EDM Challenge, Wah Ustad, Battle of the Bands, and Symphony of India,  etc.  These  events  saw  participation  of  86  creators  from  13  states.  These  initiatives, complemented by the launch of the 'Waves of India' album and showcases featuring regional artists  like  the  Tetseo  Sisters  (Nagaland),  are  aimed  at  promoting  India's  diverse  musical heritage and create new economic opportunities for creators. Government has also established the  Live  Events  Development  Cell  (LEDC)  to  facilitate  the  structured  growth  of  creative economy.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 724 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: e-Bill System
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Basavaraj Bommai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 724

ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## E-BILL SYSTEM

## 724. SHRI BASAVARAJ BOMMAI:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the e-bill system been implemented for all financial transactions within the Ministry, if so, the details thereof along with the specific categories of payments that

are currently excluded from the system; (b)  the details of safeguards in place to ensure that the e-Bill system is secured and prevents fraudulent billing practices; and (c)  whether the introduction of the e-bill system results in any cost savings for the Government  particularly  in  reducing  administrative  expenses  and  if  so,  the details

- thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a): Yes, e-Bill system has been implemented for the financial transactions through PFMS  for  payment  of  professional  services,  office  expenses,  training  expenses, printing and publications etc. except for certain categories of payments like NPS Bill Payment to NSDL, GPF Bills, GST Challan bill etc. as there is no provision to process these in EIS (Employee Information System) module of PFMS.

(b):  Office  of  the  Controller  General  of  Accounts,  Ministry  of  Finance,  Department issues guidelines from time to time for adopting security measures which are followed strictly.

(c):  The  introduction  of  the  e-bill  system  has  resulted  in  significant  reduction  in administrative expenses related to paper, printing, postage stamps and conveyance charges.

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