opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 2183 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Improvement of Road Connectivity in Telangana
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shri Eatala Rajender

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2183 ANSWERED ON 12 th  February, 2026

Improvement of Road Connectivity in Telangana

2183. Shri Eatala Rajender:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government of Telangana has sent proposals to the  Union  Government  for  improving  road  connectivity  in  the backward regions of the successor State of Telangana; (b) whether the proposal includes upgradation of 16 State roads connecting  district  headquarters,  industrial  corridors,  tourism  and pilgrim centres, neighbouring States and places of  economic importance by declaring them as new National Highways (NHs); (c) whether proposals have also been submitted for sanction of a four-lane  elevated  corridor  on  the  Hyderabad-Srisailam  section  of NH-765 and six-laning of the Hyderabad-Vijayawada section of NH65; and if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  action  taken  by  the  Union Government  thereon  and  the  funds  sanctioned  and  spend  for  the
- (d) projects in Telangana?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a)&(b) The  Government  in  the  Ministry  of  Road  Transport  & Highways  receives  proposals  from  various  State  Governments/ Union  Territories (UTs), from  time  to time, for declaration / upgradation  of  State  Roads,  including  backward  region,  as  New National  Highways  (NHs).  Decisions  are  taken  to  notify  State Roads as NHs from time to time based on the broad principles of declaration of NHs, requirement of connectivity, traffic density and synergy with PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (NMP). Government  has  already  declared  about  2500  km  length  as  new NHs since 2014 in Telangana. (c)&(d) A  Consultant has been engaged for preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for construction of a four-lane on the Hyderabad-Srisailam section of NH-765. The State Government has agreed to contribute to the cost of the project besides exempting from levy of seigniorage and reimbursement of SGST component of the Project. Consultant  for  preparation  of  DPR  for  6-laning  of  Hyderabad  to The

Vijayawada section of NH-65 has also been engaged. alignment has been approved for total length of about 230 Km.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2182 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Safety Infrastructure under UDAN
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri K C Venugopal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2182

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12th February 2026 )

## SAFETY INFRASTRUCTURE UNDER UDAN

2182.    SHRI K C VENUGOPAL Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the rapid expansion of UDAN airports has outpaced safety infrastructure and emergency preparedness and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the number of regional airports lacking full firefighting, rescue and medical response capabilities;
- (c) whether safety audits of Tier-II and Tier-III airports are conducted with the same rigour as metro airports and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the steps taken to address manpower and equipment shortages at newly operational aerodromes; and
- (e) whether further expansion under the UDAN scheme would be paused until identified safety gaps are addressed and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION            (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a) to (e): The operationalisation of airports under the Regional Connectivity SchemeUde Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) Scheme is undertaken only after ensuring compliance  with all safety, security and emergency  preparedness  requirements prescribed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

Safety  audits  of  all  licensed  airports,  including  Tier-II  and  Tier-III  airports,  and  Air Navigation Services (ANS) centres managed by AAI are conducted with the same rigour as metro airports. These are carried out as per the standard audit checklist prescribed in the Safety Management System (SMS) Manual approved by DGCA.

AAI has taken several steps to address manpower and equipment shortages at newly operational  aerodromes,  including  expediting  recruitment,  redeployment  of  staff  at operationally  sensitive  airports,  regular  safety  inspections,  refresher  training,  strict compliance with DGCA and ICAO norms, implementation of contingency arrangements and system redundancies, and increased use of automation and centralized monitoring systems.

Further, AAI has carried out multiple recruitments in disciplines such as ATC, CNS, Finance and HR to ensure optimal staffing.
Lok Sabha Question No. 2176 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Raw Material Assistance Scheme for MSMEs
Ministry: MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2176 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.02.2026

## RAW MATERIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME FOR MSMEs

2176. SHRI MADDILA GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  several  eligible  Micro,  Small  and  Medium  Enterprises (MSMEs) in Tirupati District have not been able to effectively access benefits under the Raw Material Assistance Scheme meant for financing procurement of indigenous and imported raw materials;
- (b) if so, the reasons for low coverage, delays or rejection of applications in the district;
- (c) the  number  of  applications  received,  sanctioned,  pending  and  rejected  from  Tirupati  District during the last three years;
- (d) the measures taken and proposed to simplify procedures, ensure timely financial assistance and prevent exclusion of genuine MSMEs; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  proposes  any  compensation,  interest  relief  or  special  assistance  to MSMEs in Tirupati District that suffered production losses due to delay or denial of assistance under the Scheme and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MICRO, SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SUSHRI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE)

(a) to (e): The National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC), a Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) under its Raw Material Assistance (RMA) Scheme, facilitates  MSMEs  to  meet  their  raw  material  requirement  by  making  arrangements with  bulk  manufacturers  for  procuring  the  materials  and  supplying  the  same  to  MSMEs.  NSIC  has established its branch Office at Chennai which is nearest to Tirupati. All business proposals of Tirupati district are looked after by its Chennai branch office.

Further,  NSIC  endeavors  to  enhance  awareness  of  the  scheme  through  outreach  programmes. NSIC offices as well as District Industries Centres are also providing handholding support to MSMEs to address operational issues faced by MSMEs during availing benefits of the scheme.

No rejection or delay in processing of application has been reported. 03 applications under RMA scheme from Tirupati districts were received by NSIC from 2023-24 to 2025-26 (as on 31.01.2026), out of which 01 applicant received sanction and 02 applications are under documentation process.

NSIC has taken several measures to facilitate coverage of maximum number of MSMEs under its RMA Scheme which include creation of awareness through various outreach programmes; procedural simplifications and strengthening of application process from time to time; handhold support to address operational issues during availing of RMA, etc.

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2174 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Jindal Vijayanagar Airport under UDAN Scheme
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri E Tukaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2174

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12th February 2026 )

## JINDAL VIJAYANAGAR AIRPORT UNDER UDAN SCHEME

2174.    SHRI E TUKARAM Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  consider  Jindal  Vijayanagar  Airport  in Bellary district of Karnataka under the UDAN Scheme and if so, the details thereof; and
- (b)  whether  the  flights  from  Jindal  Vijayanagar  Airport  to  Hyderabad,  Goa  and Mumbai are being actively considered under the UDAN Scheme and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION         (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a) & (b): Regional Connectivity Scheme-Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (RCS-UDAN) is a  market-driven  scheme  under  which  airline  operators  assess  the  feasibility  of operating on specific routes and participate in the scheme through periodic bidding rounds. The selection of airlines is carried out through a transparent bidding process. If any airline submits a valid bid for the requested routes in a future bidding round, the same will be considered in accordance with the provisions of the UDAN Scheme. However,  airlines  are  also  free  to  operate  flights  on  these  routes  independently, subject to airport feasibility and their commercial viability.

Currently,  M/s  Star  Air  is  operating  commercial  flights  between  Vidyanagar  and Bangalore.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2168 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Passenger Assistance Control Room
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shri Balabhadra Majhi, Shri Bharatsinhji Shankarji Dabhi, Shri Khagen Murmu, Shri Vishnu Dayal Ram, Shri Trivendra Singh Rawat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2168

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12th February 2026 )

## PASSENGER ASSISTANCE CONTROL ROOM

2168.    SHRI BALABHADRA MAJHI SHRI BHARATSINHJI SHANKARJI DABHI SHRI KHAGEN MURMU SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM SHRI TRIVENDRA SINGH RAWAT Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) the number of complaints received through the Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) since December 2025, category-wise;
- (b) whether repeated complaints against specific airlines or airports have been flagged and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the technology features available such as omni-channel dashboards, stakeholder convergence and Passenger Charter compliance enhancing redressal speed; and
- (d)  whether  future  measures  have  been  identified  to  further  strengthen  manpower deployment,  technological  upgradation  and  scalability  of  PACRs  with  a  view  to prioritising a passenger-first ecosystem and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION           (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

- (a) to (d): A 24x7 Passenger Assistance Control Room (PACR) has been established by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for real-time monitoring and resolution of grievances of air travellers, in coordination with airlines, airports and other relevant stakeholders for prompt resolution.

The details of the complaints received till 09.02.2026, category-wise, are mentioned as under

A. Social Media & Calls

Refunds related - 1153

Cancellation related - 547

Baggage related - 373

Delays related - 157

B. Air Sewa Portal Ticketing & Fare - 16634 Baggage - 5102 Flight Delays - 8498

Airline-wise category-wise reports are also being generated and followed up for quick resolution.

PACR monitors the passenger grievances through a secure omni-channel dashboard integrating calls, emails, social media and complaints received through AirSewa. The passenger grievances are handled on a priority basis to ensure compliance with DGCA Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) and Passenger Charter.

The PACR is upgradable and scalable to handle large-scale passenger grievances on a priority basis, keeping in view any major disruption affecting passengers.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2167 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Airline Transport Pilot Licences
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Dr. Sharmila Sarkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2167

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12th February 2026 )

## AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT LICENSES

2167.    DR. SHARMILA SARKAR Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

- (a) the details of the total number of active pilots in the country;
- (b) the details of the total number of pilots holding Commercial Pilot Licences who are unemployed or not in active service;
- (c) the details of the total number of Airline Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL) issued in the country since 2014, year-wise;
- (d) the details of the total number of ATPL licence holders currently in active service; and
- (e) the details of the number of pilots holding ATPL licences who are unemployed or not in active service?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION         (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

- (a) to (e): Details of Pilots who are below the age of 65 years and holding various categories of licenses issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are attached at Annexure A.

The details of the total number of Airline Transport Pilot Licenses (ATPL) issued in the country since 2014 are attached at Annexure B.

No such detail of unemployment of pilots holding Commercial Pilot License (CPL) or Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) is maintained.

******

be pleased to state:-

Annexure A

Details of Pilots who are below the age of 65 years and holding various categories of licenses issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are as under:-

| S.No.   | License Category      |   Total |
|---------|-----------------------|---------|
| 1       | ATPL Aeroplane        |   10051 |
| 2       | ATPL Helicopter       |     210 |
| 3       | CPL Aeroplane (Only)  |   12480 |
| 4       | CPL Helicopter (Only) |     777 |
| 5       | PPL Aeroplane (Only)  |    1477 |
| 6       | PPL Helicopter (Only) |       6 |
|         | Total                 |   25001 |

Annexure B Details of the total number of Airline Transport Pilot Licenses (ATPL) issued in the country since 2014 are as under:-

|   S. No. |   Year |   ATPL issued |
|----------|--------|---------------|
|        1 |   2014 |           559 |
|        2 |   2015 |           421 |
|        3 |   2016 |           482 |
|        4 |   2017 |           501 |
|        5 |   2018 |           599 |
|        6 |   2019 |           752 |
|        7 |   2020 |           398 |
|        8 |   2021 |           472 |
|        9 |   2022 |           720 |
|       10 |   2023 |           664 |
|       11 |   2024 |           561 |
|       12 |   2025 |           646 |
Lok Sabha Question No. 2166 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Safety Audit of NH-66
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Shri Shafi Parambil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2166 ANSWERED ON 12 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026

## SAFETY AUDIT OF NH-66

2166.  SHRI SHAFI PARAMBIL:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a)       the  current  status  of  the  safety  audit  announced  by  the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for the entire stretch of National Highway (NH)-66 from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram;
- (b)     whether the Government proposes to issue directions to NHAI to construct elevated highways instead of embankments, which are prone to collapse;
- (c)     if so, the details thereof; and
- (d)     if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) to (d) In  NH-66,  National  Highways  Authority  of  India  (NHAI) had  constituted  an  Independent  Expert  Committee  comprising  of former/  present  Chief  Scientists,  Central  Road  Research  Institute (CRRI),  Director,  Geological  Survey  of  India,  Professor  &  Head  of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Palakkad, who visited  all  vulnerable  locations  of  Reinforced  Soil  (RS)  Walls  and Slope Protection Works in the ongoing projects on NH-66 in Kerala.

Expert  Committee  submitted  their  report  on  04.08.2025.  NHAI  is taking actions as per recommendations of the above Committee. In  view  of  two  incidents  at  Kooriyad  and  Mylakkadu,  it  has been  decided  to  verify  bearing  capacity  beneath  RS  walls  and  to address this, NHAI has deployed about 10 Geotechnical Investigation Agencies to carry out soil and ground assessments at every  RS  Wall  location  across  17  projects  on  NH-66  (total  351 structures).  This  work  is  being  supervised  by  the  former  IIT-Delhi Professor and Associate Professor & Head of Civil Engineering, IIT Palakkad. Based on the results, each RS Wall will be re-evaluated, and necessary corrective actions will be taken up.

- *****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2163 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Petrol Pumps and CNG Stations in Delhi
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Manoj Tiwari

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2163 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 th

February, 2026

## Petrol Pumps and CNG Stations in Delhi

## 2163. SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:

## पेĚोͧलयम एवं Ĥाक ृ Ǔतक गैस मंğी

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of new petrol pumps and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations established by  Oil  Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  in  the  North-East  Delhi  Parliamentary  Constituency since the year 2014; and

(b) whether these projects have resulted in the creation of employment opportunities for local youth, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

पेट Ō ोिलयम और Ůाक ृ ितक गैस मंũालय मŐ राǛमंũी ( ŵी सुरे श गोपी )

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI)

(a)  &  (b)  Expansion  of  Retail  Outlet  (RO)  network  (in  urban/rural)  by  Public  Sector  Oil Marketing  Companies  (OMCs)  is  a  continuous  process  to  ensure  adequate  availability  of motor fuels such as petrol & diesel throughout the country. ROs are set up by Public Sector OMCs at identified locations based on field survey and feasibility studies. Locations having sufficient potential and which are economically viable are rostered in the Marketing Plans for setting up ROs. During the period April, 2014 to January, 2026, 07 ROs have been set up in  Delhi  by  Public  Sector  OMCs  including  01  RO  in  North  East  Delhi  Parliamentary Constituency. Around 10 employment opportunities have been created for operating RO set up in North East Delhi Parliamentary Constituency.

Establishment  of  Compressed  Natural  Gas  (CNG)  Stations  is  part  of  development  of  City Gas Distribution (CGD) Network and the same is carried out by the entities authorised by Petroleum and Natural  Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB). Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL), authorized  for  development  of  CGD  Network  in  NCT  of  Delhi  Geographical  Area,  has established  15  CNG  Stations  in  North  East  Delhi  Parliamentary  Constituency  since  2014. More than 250 individuals have been provided employment through these 15 CNG stations.

****
Lok Sabha Question No. 2161 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Air Connectivity in West Sighbhum
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Smt. Joba Majhi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2161

( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  12th February 2026 )

## AIR CONNECTIVITY IN WEST SIGHBHUM

2161.    SMT JOBA MAJHI Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government is aware that West Singhbhum (Chaibasa) is deprived of direct  air  connectivity  despite  being  a  major  revenue-generating hub due  to iron  ore mining and the presence of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), forcing residents to travel about 200 km to Ranchi by treacherous routes and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government has any proposal under the UDAN scheme to upgrade and operationalise the existing airstrip at Chaibasa as a regional airport which could promote industrial activities and tourism in the Saranda forest area and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) whether any feasibility study has been commissioned for this purpose and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION             (Shri Murlidhar Mohol)

(a)  to  (c):  Chaibasa  airstrip  owned  by  the  State  Government,  located  in  the  West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand is presently being used as a helipad and does not have an operational runway. However, the airstrip is available in the list of unserved airstrips in  the  UDAN  document.  No  airline  bidder  has  submitted  proposals  to  operate  RCS flights  from  Chaibasa  airstrip  till  date.  As  per  the  provisions  of  the  scheme,  revival /upgradation of unserved and underserved airports is undertaken upon its identification through valid bid and award to the Selected Airline Operator.

In case any airline submits a valid proposal for the operation of RCS flights connecting Chaibasa airstrip in future bidding rounds, the same may be considered as per Scheme provisions.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 2156 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-12
Subject: Production and Sufficiency of Ethanol from Non-Sugarcane Sources
Ministry: PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS
Asked by: Shri Eswarasamy K

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2156

TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 th  February, 2026

## PRODUCTION AND SUFFICIENCY OF ETHANOL FROM NON-SUGARCANE SOURCES

## 2156. SHRI ESWARASAMY K:

## पेᮝोिलयम और ᮧाकृ ितक गैस मंᮢी

Will the Minister of PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS be pleased to state:

- (a) the expected production of ethanol from non-sugarcane sources, source-wise; and
- (b) whether the expected production is sufficient to meet the country's ethanol blending target and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## पेᮝोिलयम और ᮧाकृ ितक गैस मंᮢालय मᱶ रा᭔यमंᮢी ( ᮰ी सुरेश गोपी )

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM & NATURAL GAS (SHRI SURESH GOPI)

(a)  &  (b):  Government  has  promoted blending of ethanol in petrol under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme. The National Policy on Biofuels - 2018, as amended in 2022, inter-alia, advanced  the  target  of  20%  blending  of  ethanol  in  petrol  from  2030  to  Ethanol  Supply  Year (ESY)  2025-26  (1st  November,  2025  to  31st  October,  2026).  This  target  of  20%  has  been achieved  in  December,  2025  due  to  the  concerted  efforts  of  Government  that  have  led  to increased ethanol blending with petrol from 38 crore litres in ESY 2013-14 to over 1000 crore litres in ESY 2024-25.

As  per  the  Roadmap  for  Ethanol  Blending  in  India  2020-25  prepared  by  the  InterMinisterial Committee led by NITI Aayog, the requirement of ethanol for 20% blending in ESY 2025-26 was estimated at about 1016 crore litres, of which around 466 crore litres was projected from non-sugar based sources.

However, the actual offer from non-sugar based ethanol producers has been significantly higher than the projections made in the Roadmap. For the ongoing ESY 2025-26, Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) floated tenders for procurement of approximately 1050 crore litres of ethanol for  blending  in  petrol.  Against  this,  eligible  offers  received  aggregated  to  1759  crore  litres, indicating substantial surplus.

Out of the total ethanol allocated so far by OMCs, about 760 crore litre has been allocated from non-sugar based sources. This reflects the rapid expansion of grain-based ethanol capacity in the country and the overall ethanol production capacity in the country is sufficient to achieve and sustain the target of 20% ethanol blending in petrol.

*****