opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 269 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Indo-Chinese Stapled Visa Issue
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: HUKUM SINGH

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.269

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015

INDO-CHINESE STAPLED VISA ISSUE

269.		SHRI HUKUM SINGH:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)	whether it is a fact that stapled visa issue with China is still unresolved; and

(b) 	if so, the details thereof and the present status thereof along with steps being taken to amicably solve this issue?

#### 1 ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) & (b)	The issuance of visas by India and China is guided by the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding on Simplifying Visa Procedures between the two governments signed in June 2003. It has been conveyed to the Chinese side on several occasions, including at the highest level, that all Indian passport holders should be treated equally on the basis of reciprocity.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 268 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Increase in RTI Applications
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: RAM CHARITRA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS

DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL AND TRAINING

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 268**

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015)

**INCREASE IN RTI APPLICATIONS**

**268. 	SHRI RAM CHARITRA NISHAD:**

Will the **PRIME MINISTER** be pleased to state:

(a) 	whether a countrywide study on the functioning of the Central Information Commission and State Information Commissions had revealed that the number of RTI cases has increased exponentially; and

(b) 	if so, the details thereof and the action taken in this regard?

**ANSWER**

Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office. (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a) & (b):  A study, conducted by RTI Assessment and Advocacy Group (RAAG) and Samya – Centre for Equity Studies (CES), titled ‘Peoples’ Monitoring of the RTI Regime in India’  reported amongst other things that there are huge and growing delays in the disposal of cases in many of the Information Commissions, with pendency of cases growing every month. According to this report, the main reasons behind the delays seem to be the paucity of Commissioners in some of the Commissions and the low productivity of some of the other Commissioners, mainly due to inadequate support.

However, in absence of information regarding objectivity of the surveying organization, research methodology and survey design and scheme for data collection and its verification, it is not considered prudent to comment on their findings.

The Government has, however, taken several steps like capacity building through training and issue of guidelines for Public Information Officers and First Appellate Authorities, so as to enable them to supply information/dispose of first appeal effectively, resulting into less number of appeals to the Information Commission. The Government apart from a number of clarificatory orders has also issued an OM No. 1/18/2007-IR dated 21 st September, 2007 and 1/6/2011-IR dated 15 th April, 2013 impressing upon the public authorities to disclose maximum information proactively so that citizens need not resort to filing of RTI applications to access information available with the public authorities.  The Central Information Commission has been granted autonomy in recruitment of staff. Further, Chief Information Commissioner and an Information Commissioner have been appointed in the Central Information Commission in June 2015.

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Lok Sabha Question No. 267 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Access to Education
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RAGHAV LAKHANPAL

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION**

### 

### LOK SABHA

### UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 267

### TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015

**Access to Education**

267. SHRI RAGHAV LAKHANPAL:

Will the Minister of  HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) the percentage of rural and urban students who have access to education beyond higher secondary schooling in the country, State/UT-wise;

(b) the reasons for huge disparity in access to education beyond higher secondary schooling between urban and rural areas; and

(c) the measures being taken by the Government to address the issues?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**( SMT. SMRITI  ZUBIN  IRANI )**

(a) to (c): Rural-urban differential in terms of access to education beyond higher secondary schooling in the country is not available. However, in order to expand educational opportunities in 374 Educationally Backward Districts (EBDs), the Central Government had, in 2009, launched the scheme of setting up of 374 Model Degree Colleges (MDCs) in districts having Gross Enrolment Ratio for higher education less than the national average. The scheme of setting up MDCs has since been subsumed in the Twelfth Five Year Plan under a new scheme called the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) which aims to achieve equity, access and excellence in state higher education system. The scheme supports components such as upgrading autonomous colleges to universities, clustering colleges to establish a university, setting up of new professional colleges in un-served and underserved areas as well as providing infrastructure grant to universities and colleges to scale up capacity.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 266 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Allocation of Spectrum
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: K. MARAGATHAM

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.266**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 22** **ND** **JULY, 2015**

**ALLOCATION OF SPECTRUM**

**266. SHRIMATI K. MARAGATHAM:**

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

(a) 	Whether the Government has issued the Letter of Intent to mobile service providers for spectrum they acquired in March auctions in different telecom circles across various bands;

(b) 	if so, the details thereof;

(c) 	Whether Government proposes to allocate spectrum through auction route in near future as vacated from different agencies; and

(d) 	if so, the details thereof along with  the likely date for the same?

ANSWER

**THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY**

**(SHRI RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD)**

(a) 	Yes, Madam.

(b)	Letters of Intent to Telecom Service Providers for the spectrum they acquired in March auctions in different telecom service areas for the frequency bands 1800 MHz, 900 MHz and 2100 MHz have been issued on 27 th May, 2015 and for spectrum acquired in 800 MHz band on 28 th May, 2015.

(c) & (d) Available access spectrum for telecom services in different frequency bands is being put for auction from time to time. As of now, no date has been fixed up for auction.

***********************
Lok Sabha Question No. 265 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Schemes under Implementation in Punjab
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: RAVNEET SINGH

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 265**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 22/07/2015**

**SCHEMES UNDER IMPLEMENTATION IN PUNJAB**

265. Shri RAVNEET SINGH:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND

TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) the details of Schemes/Projects implemented or under implementation by the Department of Bio-technology during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise including Punjab;

(b) the quantum of funds allocated/disbursed in this regard during the above period;

(c) whether the department contemplates starting any new Scheme/project; and

(d)  if so, the details thereof, State-wise including Punjab?

**ANSWER**

MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES

(Y.S. CHOWDARY)

1. & (b) Department of Biotechnology has no special schemes or centrally sponsored schemes state-wise. The Department supports the projects to individual scientists/faculties or institutions/universities through competitive grant system based on scientific merit and techno-economic feasibility.  The details of the projects are give below:
| **Year**   | **Total number of**  **new projects**  **supported in**  **different states**   | **Punjab**                      |                                         |
|------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|
|            |                                                                                 | **New projects**  **supported** | **Funds allocated**  **(Rs. In Crore)** |
| 2012-13    | 551                                                                             | 13                              | 9.2                                     |
| 2013-14    | 599                                                                             | 15                              | 4.8                                     |
| 2014-15    | 561                                                                             | 9                               | 4.2                                     |
| 2015-16    | 67                                                                              | 0                               | 0                                       |

(c)  No new schemes are contemplated.

(d)  Does not arise

*********
Lok Sabha Question No. 264 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Welfare of WorkersAbroad
Ministry: OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: JAYADEV GALLA

Government of India

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 264**

To be answered on 22 nd July, 2015

**Welfare of Workers Abroad**

**264. SHRI JAYADEV GALLA:**

Will the Minister of OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

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(a) the details of welfare measures taken for Indians working in Gulf countries;

(b) whether Indian Workers Resource Centres have been opened in all the countries of Gulf;

(c) if not, the details of countries where IWRC has not been opened and the reasons therefor;

(d) the manner in which the Ministry is bringing awareness to workers who are intending to go abroad before they leave the country; and

(e) the percentage share of Andhra Pradesh in terms of presence of Indian workers in Gulf countries?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE FOR OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS**

**GENERAL V.K. SINGH (RETD.)**

(a): The welfare measures undertaken for Indian workers in Gulf countries are:

(i) Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is providing funds for meeting the contingency expenditure incurred by the Indian Missions for carrying out welfare activities for overseas Indian Citizens who are in distress.

(ii) The Indian Workers Resource Center has been started at Dubai to provide information and assistance to overseas workers.

(iii) Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Suraksha Yojana (MGPSY) is under implementation.  It encourages and enables overseas Indian workers having Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports going to ECR countries to (a) save for their return and resettlement and (b) save for their pension.

Contd/....2

-2-

(iv) Pravasi Bhartiya Bima Yojana (PBBY) is a compulsory insurance scheme for overseas Indian workers having Emigration Check Required (ECR) passport going to ECR countries for employment to provide death and hospitalization coverage.

(b): Indian Workers Resource Center (IWRC) has been opened only in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

(C): ECR Countries of the Gulf where IWRC has not been opened are Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq. This Ministry has recently requested our Missions in these countries and in Malaysia to ascertain the possibility of setting up such centers, as per local laws of host country. Their responses are awaited.

(d) Ministry has been publishing advertisements in print and electronic media to increase awareness about safe and legal migration. The Ministry’s website also provides information about these matters. Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has also established an Overseas Workers Resource Center (OWRC) at Gurgaon to disseminate information on matters relating to migration through toll free No. 1800-11-3090.

(e) The percentage share of Andhra Pradesh of Indian workers going to Gulf countries with emigration clearance during 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 is 12.11%, 13.12%, 13.22% and 6.68% respectively.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 261 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Grant to Gujarat
Ministry: URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: JAYSHREEBEN  PATEL

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPOMENT

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.** 261

TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 22, 2015

**GRANT TO GUJARAT**

No. 261.	SHRIMATI JAYSHREEBEN PATEL:

Will the Minister OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:-

1. whether all the nine conditions as required under the 13th Finance Commission's recommendations have been fulfilled by the State Government of Gujarat;

1. if so, whether the Union Government has released/proposes to release the general basic grant and performance grant;

1. if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

1. the time by which these grants are likely to be released?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN

THE MINISTRY OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT

(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a):	No, Madam.

(b) &(c): 	 The State of Gujarat has been released Rs. 862.52 crores of General Basic Grant (2010-2015), for which only submission of utilisation certificate was required. The Performance Grant has not been released to the State of Gujarat as it did not fulfil all the nine conditions stipulated by the 13 th Finance Commission.  However, it has been released Rs.56.06 crores of forfeited share of the Performance Grant (2010-15).   The Ministry of Finance is the nodal ministry for release of Finance Commission grants.

(d):	 Grants recommended by the 13 th Finance Commission cannot be released at this stage as its award period came to an end on 31.3.2015.

********
Lok Sabha Question No. 260 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Lost of Lives of Indians in Kabul
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: T.G. VENKATESH BABU

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.260

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015

LOST OF LIVES OF INDIANS IN KABUL

260.		SHRI VENKATESH BABU T.G.:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) 	whether the Government is aware that four Indians have lost their lives in an attack on Kabul’s expat hub recently and many were injured;

(b) 	if so, the details thereof and the amount of compensation paid to the next of kin and also to the injured;

(c) 	whether the Government has taken any steps to improve the security around the Indian Mission in Kabul and to protect the Indians engaged in rebuilding the country;

(d) 	if so, the details thereof; and

(e) 	if not, the reasons therefor?

#### ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) to (e) 	On 13 May 2015 in an attack on a guest house in Kabul city known to be frequented by foreign nationals, terrorist elements killed fifteen civilians including four Indian Nationals working in Afghanistan in their private capacities.

Immediately following the attack, the Indian Embassy commenced work to establish their identities and contact the next of kin. Steps were also taken to complete all the medico-legal formalities for early repatriation of the mortal remains. On 15 May 2015, Government sent a special Indian Air Force aircraft to Kabul to bring back the mortal remains of the deceased to Delhi and respective State Governments then organized the onward transportation to the respective home towns of the victims.

Government continues to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of all Indian nationals working in Afghanistan, including working closely with security agencies of the Government of Afghanistan and continuously upgrading security arrangements at our diplomatic premises and project sites.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 259 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Development of e-Skills
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: VASANTHI M., JASVANTSINH SUMANBHAI BHABHOR

GOVERNMENT OF

MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY)

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 259**

##### TO BE ANSWERED ON: 22.07.2015

**DEVELOPMENT OF E-SKILLS**

**259** SHRIMATI  VASANTHI M:

SHRI JASVANTSINH SUMANBHAI BHABHOR:

Will the Minister of Communications & Information Technology be pleased to state:

(a)	whether the Ministry of IT has aware about importance of providing support for development of e-skills and knowledge network;

(b)	if so, the details thereof and the action taken and fund allocation by the Government thereon;

(c)	if not, the reasons therefor;

(d)	whether General Service Centre and e-district mission mode project under the National e-governance has yet to be implemented in the Dahod district of Gujarat; and

(e)	if so, the reasons therefor and the reaction of the Government thereto?

**ANSWER**

MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI  SHANKAR PRASAD)

(a), (b) and (c):	 Yes, Madam & Sir. The Department of Electronics and IT supports R&D projects for the development of tools and technologies in the area of e-learning. For example one of the technologies that have been developed include Online Labs (OLabs) for School Laboratory Experiments. It is an innovative, interactive simulation and e-Learning initiative jointly developed by CDAC, Mumbai and , Kollam. It is a virtual online laboratory experiment, which provides students with the ease and convenience of conducting experiments over the internet. OLabs content are aligned to the CBSE syllabus for class 9, 10, 11 and 12 for Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and English.

In March, 2010 the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure (CCI) approved the establishment of the National Knowledge Network (NKN) with an outlay of Rs. 5990 Cr. to be implemented by National Informatics Centre (NIC) over a period of 10 years.

The Objective of the NKN is to inter-connect all knowledge institutions across the country through high speed data communication network to encourage sharing of resources and collaborative research. These would cover about 1500 Institutions comprising of all Universities, Institutions of Higher Learning, and Research.

1437 Institutes have so far been connected to NKN and 66 Virtual Classrooms have been set up

**(d) and (e):  Government of Gujarat has informed that they have implemented 459 eGram Centres (Common Services Centre) and 8 Aapna Taluka Vibrant Taluka (ATVT) Centres in the District Dahod.**

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Lok Sabha Question No. 258 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Skill Development Schemes
Ministry: SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Asked by: J. JAYASINGH THIYAGARAJ NATTERJEE, RAYAPATI SAMBASIVA RAO, P. KUMAR, RAVNEET SINGH

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED   QUESTION   No. 258**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 22** **nd** **JULY, 2015**

**SKILL DEVELOPMENT SCHEMES**

**258 :	SHRI  J.J.T. NATTERJEE	:	            SHRI RAYAPATI   SAMBASIVA RAO:**

**SHRI P.KUMAR:			            SHRI RAVNEET SINGH:**

**Will the Minister of SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP be pleased to state:**

(a)	the details of employment opportunities provided/allocations made/ spent/unspent under various skill development schemes and the reasons for unspent allocations along with the action taken during each of the last two years and the current year, scheme-wise, State-wise;

(b)	whether the budgetary allocation has been insufficient /declining constantly over the years;

(c)	if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefore along with the steps taken by the Government in this regard;

(d)	whether the Government has identified any priority sectors for Skill Development; and

(e)	if so, the details thereof?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF SKILL DEVELOPMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP**

**(SHRI RAJIV PRATAP RUDY)**

(a) to (e)  Relevant information have been sought  from different Ministries/Departments implementing Skill Development Schemes in this regard and the same would be laid on the table of the House in due course.

******
Lok Sabha Question No. 257 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Pak Nuclear Weapons
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.257**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015**

**PAK NUCLEAR WEAPONS**

257.	    SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

1. whether the Government has taken a note of recent statement of former military ruler of Pakistan on its nuclear weapons;
2. if so, the details thereof; and
3. the response of the Government thereto?
#### 1 

#### 2 ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) to (c)	Government is aware of reports, including the recent statement of former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf reported in the media, regarding Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. The Government monitors all developments which have a bearing on national security and is committed to taking all necessary steps to safeguard the nation’s security.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 256 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: BCIM Corridor
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: R. VANAROJA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.256

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015

BCIM CORRIDOR

256.		SHRIMATI VANAROJA R.:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)	whether China and India are adding fresh momentum to the establishment of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor;

(b)	if so, the details thereof;

(c) 	whether India is now showing enthusiasm over the project, which will link Kolkata with Kunming; and

(d)	if so, the details thereof?

#### ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

(a) to (d)	Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar have agreed to establish a Joint Study Group (JSG) on strengthening connectivity in the BCIM region for closer economic, trade, and people-to-people linkages through the development of a BCIM Economic Corridor (BCIM-EC). The first meeting of the BCIM-EC JSG was held in Kunming, China on December 18-19, 2013. The second meeting of BCIM-EC JSG was held in Cox’s Bazaar, Bangladesh on 17-18 December 2014. India has participated in two rounds of JSG meetings in 2013 and 2014. At the second meeting of the JSG, it was decided that the third meeting should be hosted by India in 2015.

*****