opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 4307 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Gross Budgetary Support
Ministry: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION
Asked by: Shri Tapir Gao

4307.   Shri Tapir Gao:

Will the Minister of DEVELOPMENT OF NORTH EASTERN REGION be pleased to state: (a) the manner in which the Government is monitoring the utilization of the 10% Gross Budgetary Support (GBS) by other Central Ministries to ensure it meets the 1.14 lakh crore dedicated investment target; (b) the impact expected from the increase in tax devolution to the North Eastern Region on the financial autonomy of smaller States; and (c)  whether  the  Poorvottar  Vikas  Setu  digital  portal  has  successfully  achieved  100% real-time tracking of all central projects in the region as of February 2026 and if so, the

- details thereof?

## Government of India

## Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4307

To be answered on

Wednesday, March 18, 2026/ Phalguna 27, 1947 (Saka)

## QUESTION

## Gross Budgetary Support

## ANSWER

## The Minister of State of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region [Dr. Sukanta Majumdar]

- (a) As  mandated  in  accordance  with  the  Department  of  Expenditure's  Office Memorandum  dated  5 th May  2017,  Secretary,  MDONER  holds  quarterly  review meetings  with  the  Financial  advisors  of  the  Ministries/Departments  to  assess  the utilization of 10% GBS earmarked for the North Eastern Region (NER), as indicated in Statement 11 of the Union Budget.
- (b) There has been a substantial impact resulting from the increase in tax devolution to the NER on the financial autonomy of the states. This increase has strengthened the fiscal  prudence  and  improved  expenditure  quality,  which  help  sustain  progress  and long-term fiscal stability across the region.
- (c)    All  the  project  proposals  and  fund  release  requests  are  received  from  the  State Governments  and  Central  Agencies  through  the  Poorvottar  Vikas  Setu  (PVS)  portal. The use of PVS portal has streamlined the process of project approval, monitoring and release of funds, resulting into enhanced efficiency and transparency.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4304 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Promotions by Influencers
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Shri Bapi Haldar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4304 TO BE ANSWERED ON   18.03.2026 PROMOTIONS BY INFLUENCERS 4304 . SHRI BAPI HALDAR

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  has  empanelled  any  social  media  influencers  for  promotion/ publicity of Government schemes or programmes; (b) if so, the details of such contracts signed during the last five years, year-wise; and

- (c) the criteria of selecting influencers and estimated fee?

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

(a) to (c): The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC) issues advertisements on behalf of various client Ministries/Departments related to schemes/programmes and other initiatives of the Government of India.

As  per  Digital  Advertisement  Policy,  2023,  CBC  issues,  advertisements  &  campaigns  for promotion/publicity of Government schemes or programmes only through empanelled media agencies.

********
Lok Sabha Question No. 4296 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Delay of Renewable Energy Projects in Telangana
Ministry: NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY
Asked by: Dr. Kadiyam Kavya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4296

ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## DELAY OF RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS IN TELANGANA

4296. DR. KADIYAM KAVYA

Will the Minister of NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether any renewable energy project contracts sanctioned, cancelled, delayed or kept in abeyance during the last three years due to financial, technical or implementation issues in Telangana particularly in Warangal Lok Sabha Constituency;
- (b) if so, the details of such projects including capacity, location, implementing agencies and reasons for cancellation or delay;
- (c) whether any projects in Telangana have been identified as non-performing or at risk of cancellation and the criteria adopted for such assessment;
- (d) if so, the estimated financial implications or losses, if any, arising from stalled or cancelled projects; and
- (e) whether accountability has been fixed on the concerned companies or officials and the corrective measures taken to ensure timely execution of renewable energy projects in Warangal and other parts of Telangana and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR NEW & RENEWABLE ENERGY AND POWER (SHRI SHRIPAD YESSO NAIK)

(a)  to  (e)  As  per  the  information  received  from  Telangana  Renewable  Energy  Development Corporation Ltd. (TGREDCO) and the Government of India's Renewable Energy Implementing Agencies namely Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), NTPC, NHPC and SJVN Ltd. and Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA), no grid power based renewable energy projects in Telangana have been cancelled, delayed or kept in abeyance during the last three years due to financial, technical or implementation issues or have been identified as non-performing or at risk of cancellation.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4282 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Free Net Service to the Citizens of the Country
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Prof. Sougata Ray

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4282 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  MARCH, 2026

## FREE NET SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY

## 4282.   PROF. SOUGATA RAY:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has any proposal to ensure free net service to the citizens of the country;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the  reasons  for  the  difference  among  the  charges  of  net  services  by  various  cellular companies; and

(d) whether the Government has any proposal to uniform the net charges across the country and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d) As per the provisions of the TRAI Act, 1997, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India  (TRAI),  an  independent  regulatory  body  for  telecommunication  services  in  the  country, regulates the rates of telecommunication services.

As  per  the  existing  regulatory  framework,  tariff  for  telecommunication  services  is  under forbearance, except  for  services  such  as  National  Roaming,  Rural  Fixed  Line  Services,  Mobile Number Portability (MNP) charges, and leased circuits.

Subject to compliance with extant regulatory provisions, service providers are free to design and offer tariff plans based on their understanding of market conditions and in their best commercial interest. Service providers have the flexibility to decide various tariff components such as the rates for different types of calls, SMS, and data services, along with multiple combinations including charges and validity for different service areas of their operation.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4274 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Coal Block Auction in Odisha
Ministry: COAL
Asked by: Shri Pradeep Purohit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COAL

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4274

ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## COAL BLOCK AUCTION IN ODISHA

## 4274. SHRI PRADEEP PUROHIT:

Will the Minister of COAL be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of coal blocks auctioned during the last three years and those proposed to be auctioned in the coming years in Jharsuguda district of Odisha;
- (b) the details of coal blocks awarded including the name of the company, date of award and the auction price or revenue-sharing rate finalized for each block, company-wise;
- (c)  the  production  targets  fixed  for  these  coal  blocks  and  the  present  status  of  their operationalization; and
- (d) whether the companies awarded these coal blocks have provided employment opportunities to local people and if so, the details thereof including the number of persons employed and the steps taken by the Government to ensure local employment?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR COAL AND MINES (SHRI SATISH CHANDRA DUBEY)

- (a) & (b) Only one coal block has been auctioned in Jharsuguda district of Odisha during the last three years, the details of which are given below:

| SNo. Block         | Name of Company          |   Revenue Share (%)Date | of Allocation   |
|--------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------|-----------------|
| 1 Bartap (Revised) | JSW Energy Utkal Limited |                     8.5 | 04-02-2025      |

Identification of coal mines for auction is a continuous process. However, as per the available records, no coal block located in Jharsuguda district of Odisha has presently been finalized for offering in upcoming auctions.

- (c) The coal block, Bartap (Revised) is a partially explored coal block. It is presently nonoperational and at the pre-development stage, with exploration activities being carried out by

the allocatee. The production target for the block will be as per the approved Mining Plan which will be prepared after completing the exploration and Geological Report.

(d)   Since  the  coal  block  is  currently  under  exploration,  the  question  of  generation  of employment opportunities and the number of persons employed does not arise.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4273 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Implementation of BharatNet and Telecom Connectivity in Mau District, Uttar Pradesh
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Rajeev Rai

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4273 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  MARCH, 2026

## IMPLEMENTATION OF BHARATNET AND TELECOM CONNECTIVITY IN MAU DISTRICT, UTTAR PRADESH

## 4273.   SHRI RAJEEV RAI:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of Gram Panchayats in Mau district including Ghosi constituency made serviceready and operational under the BharatNet project during the years 2024-26;

- (b) the status of 4G and 5G mobile network coverage in the district;
- (c) the total funds released under BharatNet and other rural telecom initiatives in Uttar Pradesh and the expenditure incurred in Mau district;

(d) whether any review has identified connectivity gaps in rural areas of the district and  if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the details of the steps taken by the Government to promote digital access and digital literacy in Ghosi?

## ANSWER

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

(a) In Mau district including Ghosi constituency, 596 Gram Panchayats (GPs) have been made service-ready under the BharatNet Project during the period 2024-26.

(b) All villages in Mau district are covered with 4G/5G mobile connectivity. As on 28.02.2026, 2,544  4G  Base  Transceiver  Stations  (BTSs)  and  596  5G  BTSs  have  been  commissioned  in  the district.

(c) As on 28.02.2026, an amount of ₹6,638.56 crore under BharatNet and ₹1,184.17 crore under other  mobile  connectivity  projects  has  been  disbursed  from  Digital  Bharat  Nidhi  for  providing telecom connectivity in the State of Uttar Pradesh, including Mau district.

(d) & (e) Under the Amended BharatNet Programme, the following measures have been taken to enhance to digital access through high-speed broadband connectivity in rural and remote areas across the country including Ghosi constituency of Uttar Pradesh.

- (i) Creation  and  upgradation  of  BharatNet  network  in  ring  architecture  for  improved reliability;
- (ii) Operation and Maintenance of the network for 10 years;
- (iii) Establishment of a dedicated Network Operations Centre (NOC); and
- (iv) Provision of 1.5 crore FTTH connections.
Lok Sabha Question No. 4272 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Empowering Minority Women & Access to Education
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4272

ANSWERED ON 18/03/2026

## EMPOWERING MINORITY WOMEN & ACCESS TO EDUCATION

4272.  DR. PRABHA MALLIKARJUN:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  status  of  educational  access  and  retention  among minority students particularly girls and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  schemes aimed at empowering minority women through education, skill training and economic participation are yielding desired outcomes and if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  barriers  such  as  financial  constraints,  social  factors  and  lack  of  institutional  support continue to affect participation and if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  the  steps  taken/being  taken  to  strengthen  scholarships,  hostels,  coaching  and  capacitybuilding initiatives for minority women; and
- (e)  whether  minority women and girl  students in districts like  Davanagere are receiving adequate institutional support to continue education and skill training especially at the secondary and higher levels and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

(SHRI KIREN RIJIJU)

(a) to (e): It is the mandate of the Ministry of Education to oversee all aspects related to access and retention of students including minority students across the country.

Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  specifically  implements  the  three  Scholarship  schemes namely  Pre-Matric,  Post-Matric  and  Merit-cum-Means  based  Scholarship  for  the  six  notified religious minority communities. However, these Scholarship schemes have not been approved for implementation beyond the academic year 2021-22.

Further, this Ministry also implements various schemes for the upliftment of economically disadvantaged group from minority communities. The Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) Scheme aims to build capacity of minority communities through targeted interventions by providing  skill  training  support  in  need-based  courses  and  ensuring  employment  /  livelihood opportunities  for  them.  The  objective  of  the  scheme  is  also  to  empower  women  from  minority communities  and  instill  confidence  amongst  them  by  providing  leadership  and  entrepreneurship support. The scheme is open for the entire country including the district of Davanagere.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4270 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Kangra Valley Railway Line
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: Shri Anurag Singh Thakur

§

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4270

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## KANGRA VALLEY RAILWAY LINE

## 4270. SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:

Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the present operational status of Kangra Valley Railway line including the total route length, number of stations covered;
- (b)  whether  the  said  line  has  suffered  damages  during  the  recent  flash floods  and  cloudbursts  in  Himachal  Pradesh  and  if  so,  the  details  of specific  sections  affected,  extent  of  damages  to  tracks,  bridges, tunnels, signalling infrastructure, cost/amount spent on restoration;
- (c) the details of the timeline and progress of restoration and repair works undertaken by the Railways to ensure full resumption of services endto-end;
- (d) the details of the steps taken by the Government for conversion of said Railway line into broad gauge;
- (e)  the  details  of  the  number of  trains  that  run  in  this  line  including  new train sets being ordered from ICF (Integral Coach Factory) considering the ageing of current sets; and
- (f)  whether  Government proposes  to  pursue  recognition  of  Kangra  Valley Railway as UNESCO World Heritage Site in line with the Kalka-Shimla Railway and Darjeeling Himalayan Railway and if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken in this regard?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)

(a)  to  (f)  Due  to  unprecedented  rains  and  consequent  washing  away  of piers  of  Chakki  Khad  Bridge  No.  32  between  Dalhousie  Road  and  Nurpur Road  stations  on  20.08.2022,  train  services  were  discontinued  between

Pathankot  to  Nurpur  Road.  Reconstruction  of  Bridge  No.  32  has  been completed and track is fit for train operation  from Pathankot to Joginder Nagar. Other long-term strengthening works are in progress.

At present, the following 03 pairs of train services are being operated on the Kangra Valley Railway line:

|   SN | Train no. and name                                      |
|------|---------------------------------------------------------|
|    1 | 52472/52473 Bajinath Paprola - Joginder Nagar Passenger |
|    2 | 52465/52466 Bajinath Paprola - Kangra Passenger         |
|    3 | 52475/52476 Bajinath Paprola - Kangra Passenger         |

Survey of Gauge Conversion of existing Pathankot - Joginder Nagar narrow gauge  section  (200  Km)  has  been  sanctioned  and  field  survey  has  been taken up for preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR).

Currently,  UNESCO  accredited  Mountain  Railways  of  India  consists  of Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, Kalka - Shimla Railway and Nilgiri Mountain Railway  based  on  their  unique  engineering  and  Outstanding  Universal Values (OUVs). The Kangra Valley Railway has been kept by UNESCO in the tentative Heritage list of extension to the Mountain Railways of India.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4267 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Mobile Towers in Rural and Remote Areas
Ministry: COMMUNICATIONS
Asked by: Shri Navaskani K

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4267 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  MARCH, 2026

## MOBILE TOWERS IN RURAL AND REMOTE AREAS

## 4267.   SHRI NAVASKANI K:

Will the Minister of COMMUNICATIONS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has sanctioned 41,160 mobile towers with an outlay of Rs. 41,331 crore to provide 4G connectivity to about 55,000 villages across the country particularly to improve digital inclusion in rural and remote areas and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the number of such mobile towers sanctioned, installed and commissioned in Tamil Nadu, district-wise;

(c) the number of villages in the State identified for 4G connectivity under the said programme and the progress achieved so far;

(d) whether any delays or implementation challenges have been reported in providing reliable mobile and internet connectivity in rural and tribal areas of Tamil Nadu; and

(e) the  steps  taken/being  taken  to  expedite  completion,  ensure  network  quality  and  improve access to digital services for residents of uncovered villages in the State?

## ANSWER

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

(a) The Government has approved projects through Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), to provide 4G mobile connectivity and improve digital inclusion in rural and remote areas, across the country. After survey  of  villages  included  in  the  projects,  33,422  mobile  towers  have  been  planned  to  provide coverage  in  44,802  uncovered  villages/  locations.  As  of  28.02.2026,  22,840  towers  are  on-air covering 32,455 villages/locations through these projects.

(b) & (c) 4G  Saturation  Project  has  been  approved  to  provide  4G  mobile  connectivity  in uncovered villages of India including Tamil Nadu. Number of mobile towers sanctioned, villages planned, on-air towers and villages covered under this project District-wise in the State of Tamil Nadu, is available on DBN website (https://usof.gov.in/en/home).

(d) Execution of a few sites has been delayed due to factors such as delay in land allotment for mobile towers.

(e) Regular review meetings with executing agency and coordination meetings with state and central government authorities are held to resolve bottlenecks, for expeditious completion  of the project. To ensure the quality of service,  Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has made the Standards of Quality of Service of Access (Wireline and Wireless) and Broadband (Wireline and Wireless) Service Regulations, 2024. The implementing agencies of the DBN mobile projects are required to ensure that the quality of service parameters meet the benchmarks laid down by TRAI.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 4266 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Computerisation of PDS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Smt. Delkar Kalaben Mohanbhai, Shri Bhumare Sandipanrao Asaram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4266

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18TH MARCH, 2026

## COMPUTERISATION OF PDS

## t4266. SMT. DELKAR KALABEN MOHANBHAI: SHRI BHUMARE SANDIPANRAO ASARAM:

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

- (a): whether the  Government has  computerised the  distribution  process of  Public Distribution  System (PDS) in the country;
- (b): if  so, the details thereof  especially  in Union  Territory  ofDadra &  Nagar Haveli  and Maharashtra;
- (c): whether electronic Know Your  Customer (e-KYC)  of PDS beneficiaries is being implemented to prevent fraud and theft; and

- (d) : if  so, the details thereoF

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIM ATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI  BAMBHANIYA)

- (a) &  (b):  Present Status of modernization efforts of Public Distribution System in all States/UTs (including  Union Territory  ofDadra  &  Nagar Haveli and Maharashtra) are as follows -
- Ration cards/beneficiary's database have been completely digitized  (100%) in  all  States/UTs. 99.7% of ration  cards have been Aadhar  seeded.
- The transparency portal  and online  grievance redressal facility/Toll-free number have been implemented  in  all  States/UTs.
- Online allocation has been implemented in  all  States/UTs and supply chain has been computerized in 3 1 States/UTs (except UTs ofChandigarh,  Puduchemy and Urban area ofDadra & Nagar Haveli which have adopted DBT  Cash Transfer scheme).
- The nationwide portability of ration cards, popularly known as. One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC) has been implemented in all 36 States/UTs, covering all Pradhan Mantri  Garib Kalyan Anna Yoj ana (PMGKAY)  beneficiaries.
- More than 5.50 Lakh (99.8%) out of total 5.51 Lakh Fair Price Shops (FPSs) in the country have been automated by  installing ePoS devices for  the distribution of  foodgrains  through  Aadhaar biometric authentication of beneficiaries.

(c) &  (d): Yes, the electronic Know Your Customer (e-KYC) of PDS beneficiaries is being implemented and currently eKYC of around 87.37 % of PDS beneficiaries  has been completed  across the country.

SeRge ScSe