opensansad/lok-sabha-qa huggingface dataset:
Lok Sabha Question No. 425 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Expatriate Indian Labourers
Ministry: OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: B.V. NAYAK

Government of India

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 425**

To be answered on 22 nd July, 2015

**Expatriate Indian Labourers**

**425. SHRI B.V. NAIK:**

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

izoklh Hkkjrh; dk;Z ea=h

(a) whether the Government is aware of thousands of expatriate Indian labourers languishing in Middle Eastern countries due to very poor labour conditions and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the Government is also aware that these are no regulations for the employment of Indian migrants;

(c) if so, the action taken or proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard;

(d) whether the Government seeks to take the matter up in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC); and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE FOR OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS**

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

(a): All the emigrants except Domestic Sector Workers (D.S.W) are governed by the Labour Laws of the respective countries.  However, Complaints received from Indian workers, from time to time, are generally in the nature of non-payment/ delayed payment or underpayment of salaries, long working hours, inadequate living conditions, physical harassment, non-renewal of visa and labour card on time, refusal to pay for the medical treatment, denial of leave and air-ticket to the hometown on completion of contract period of contract, refusal of leave or ‘exit/re-entry permits’/‘final exit visa’ etc.

Contd/...2

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(b): No, Madam. Emigration of Indian workers seeking overseas employment is regulated by the Emigration Act 1983 and the Emigration Rules, 1983 as amended from time to time.

(c): Does not arise.

(d)&(e): Though there is no specific proposal to take up such issues with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Indian Missions in the Gulf countries take up with the respective local Governments and other concerned agencies for expeditious redressal of grievance of the emigrants. The issues concerning protection of the interests of Indian nationals are also flagged during all meetings with local dignitaries and during bilateral meetings.

India has also signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Labour with major labour receiving Countries like Jordan and Qatar in 1980s, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December, 2006, with Kuwait in April, 2007, with Oman in November, 2008,  and with Bahrain in June, 2009, and Saudi Arabia in January, 2014 (for Domestic Sector Workers).  Under these MOUs, Joint Working Groups (JWGs) are constituted to discuss and resolve various labour and all other related issues.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 424 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Desalination Plants
Ministry: EARTH SCIENCES
Asked by: KAMLA DEVI PATLE

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES

**LOK SABHA**

UNSTARRED Question No. 424

TO BE ANSWERED ON WEDNESDAY, JULY22, 2015

**DESALINATION PLANTS**

**424.        SHRIMATI KAMLA DEVI PAATLE:**

Will the Minister of **EARTH SCIENCES** be pleased to state:

1. the details of desalination plants set up so far in the country, location and State-wise;
2. whether the Government proposes to set up more desalination plants in the country and also supply water to water deficit areas;
3. if so, the details thereof, location and State-wise; and
4. the present status of all plants under construction/proposed to be constructed and the time by which these are likely to be commissioned?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES**

**(Shri Y. S. Chowdary)**

1. Three desalination plants, based on the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology indigenously developed and demonstrated by the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO)-National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), have been successfully commissioned one each at Kavaratti, Minicoy, and Agatti islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep.The capacity of each of these LTTD plants is 1 lakh liter of potable waterper day.One experimental LTTD plant using condenser waste heat from power plant was set up at North Chennai Thermal Power Station (NCTPS).

(b to d) Work has been initiated to set up a prototype LTTD plant with a capacity of generating 2 million litres of potable water per day (2 MLD) at the Tuticorin Thermal Power station, Tamil Nadu. The Lakshadweep Administration requested ESSO-NIOT for setting up similar plants in remaining six islands. ESSO-NIOT has sent a detailed project report to the Lakshadweep Administration in this regard. The proposal has not been approved so far.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 422 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Death of Scientists
Ministry: ATOMIC ENERGY
Asked by: RAJESH VERMA

**Annexure to Lok Sabha USQ.422 answered on 22.07.2105**

DETAILS OF UNNATURAL DEATHS OF THE SCIENTISTS IN THE DEPARTMENT between 01.01.2012 to 15.07.2015.

|   S.No. | Date       | Designation          | Type of unnatural death                                                   | Name of investigating agency              | Reason for unnatural death       |
|---------|------------|----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|       1 | 20.10.2012 | Scientific Officer/C | Suicide by hanging at residence                                           | Rawatbhata Police Station, Rajasthan.     | Under Investigation              |
|       2 | 27.12.2012 | Scientific Officer/D | Road accidents at Bargah, Odisha                                          | Attabora Police Station, Odisha           | Accidental death.                |
|       3 | 14.03.2013 | Scientific Officer/D | Suicide by hanging at residence                                           | Govandi Police Station, Mumbai.           | Suicide due to personal reasons. |
|       4 | 04.10.2013 | Scientific Officer/E | Suicide by jumping into sea at sea water intake jetty area, DAE Kalpakkam | Pudupattinam Police Station, Kalpakkam    | Under Investigation              |
|       5 | 24.07.2014 | Scientific Officer/G | Road accident at Anushaktinagar                                           | Trombay Police Station,Mumbai.            | Accidental death                 |
|       6 | 26.10.2014 | Scientific Officer/G | Road accident at .                                                        | Rajendra Nagar     Police Station, Indore | Accidental death                 |

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 421 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Guidelines for Quality of Mid-Day Meal
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ALOK SANJAR

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 421**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015**

**Guidelines for Quality of Mid-Day Meal**

**†421.	 SHRI ALOK SANJAR:**

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

(a) 	whether in view of rise in incidents of unhealthy mid-day meal in schools in various States of the country, the Government has decided to comply with the guidelines issued by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to improve the quality of mid-day meal;

(b)	 if so, the details thereof;

(c) 	whether there is a need to take assistance of health activists under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) for this purpose;

(d)	 if so, the details thereof ; and

(e)	 the steps taken/being taken to serve good quality food under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)**

(a) & (b)	The Mid Day Meal guidelines 2006 prescribe detailed instructions on the quality and safety aspects of Mid Day Meal. In addition, the Central Government has also issued guidelines on Food Safety and Hygiene for school level kitchens under Mid Day Meal Scheme on 13 th February, 2015 with an aim to help the States and the UTs to focus more intensively on the safety aspects of procurement, storage, preparation, serving, waste disposal of food items as well as issues of personal hygiene of students and those involved in cooking and serving of food.

(c) & (d)	No Madam.

(e)	The Central Government has taken following steps to ensure quality meals to the children:

1. Training of cook-cum-helpers on safety, quality and hygiene aspects.
2. States have been instructed to procure Agmark quality and branded items for preparation of mid day meals.
3. Tasting of meals by 2-3 adult members including at least one teacher before serving to children.
4. System of testing of food samples by accredited laboratories.
5. Construction of kitchen-cum-stores for safe storage and preparation of meals in a hygienic environment.
6. Engagement of cook-cum-helpers.
7. Upward revision of cooking cost by 7.5% every year from 2010.

********************
Lok Sabha Question No. 420 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Cost Effective Innovations
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No.420

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015

**Cost Effective Innovations**

420.  SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL :

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

1. whether the Government has any plan to promote the use of cost effective innovations by the information technology students on a large scale in the country including rural areas;

1. if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise; and

(c) if not, the reasons therefor?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)**

(a) : No, Madam.

(b) & (c) : Do not arise.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 419 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Voting Rights to Overseas Indians
Ministry: OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI

Government of India

Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 419**

To be answered on 22 nd July, 2015

**Voting Rights to Overseas Indians**

**†419. DR. KIRIT P. SOLANKI:**

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

izoklh Hkkjrh; dk;Z ea=h

(a) the steps being taken by the Government to provide the right to vote to the overseas Indians;

(b) whether the overseas Indians would be permitted to cast their vote through post, e-voting or any other means to ensure secrecy and security of ballot;

(c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether any time limit has been fixed in this regard; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE FOR OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS**

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

(a)  Under Section 20A of the Representation of People Act, 1950 and rules made thereunder every citizen of India-(a) whose name is not included in the electoral roll; (b) who has not acquired the citizenship of any other country; and (c) who is absent from his place of ordinary residence in India owing to his employment, education or otherwise outside India (whether temporarily or otherwise), is entitled to have his/her name registered in the electoral roll as “Overseas electors” in the constituency in which his place of residence in India as mentioned in his passport, is located.

(b)&(c) Government is considering to allow the options of voting to overseas electors in the form of (i) ‘e-Postal Ballot System’ which envisages making

Contd/...2

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available blank postal ballot electronically to the NRI Voter and thereafter return the same by normal post and (ii) ‘proxy voting’ which would allow such voters to appoint a proxy after following certain formalities and exercise his franchise through the medium of the proxy so appointed.

(d)&(e) Since the proposal requires consideration and approval by both Houses of the Parliament, no time frame can be indicated.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 417 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Release of Fishermen by Pakistan
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: VISHNU DAYAL RAM, GOPALAKRISHNAN CHINNARAJ, PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL, DALPAT SINGH PARASTE

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.417

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015

RELEASE OF FISHERMEN BY PAKISTAN

†417.		SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:

DR. C. GOPALAKRISHNAN:

DR. P. VENUGOPAL:

SHRI DALPAT SINGH PARASTE:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)	the details of Indian prisoners, including fishermen in Pakistani Jails and vice-versa;

(b)	the number of prisoners released by both the countries during the holy month of Ramadan; and

(c)	the details of visits of officials from Pakistan facilitated by India to establish the nationality of the prisoners and vice-versa?

#### 1 ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

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

(a) to (c) 	As per available information there are 408 prisoners believed to be Indian lodged in Pakistani jails apart from the 74 missing defence personnel that are also believed to be in Pakistan’s custody but whose presence has not been acknowledged so far by Pakistan. As on 1 July 2015 there are 278 Pakistani prisoners lodged in Indian jails.

During Prime Minister’s telephone call to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on 16 June 2015 to convey his Ramadan greetings, Prime Minister also conveyed our decision to release 88 Pakistani fishermen detained in Indian jails; the fishermen were released on 21 June 2015. Pakistan released 113 Indian fishermen on 19 June 2015.

Government has been regularly organizing consular access for Pakistani officials to meet prisoners in Indian jails believed to be Pakistani citizens. Furthermore, under the guidelines of the Supreme Court of India all prisoners whose nationality have been confirmed and have completed their sentences are required to be released from jail expeditiously. Government also regularly takes up with the Pakistan authorities the issue of early release and repatriation of Indian prisoners in their custody. It also monitors the status of all such persons on a regular basis.

*****
Lok Sabha Question No. 416 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Quality of Research and Innovation
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH, NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 416**

**TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.07.2015**

**Quality of Research and Innovation**

**416. SHRI D.K. SURESH:**

**SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:**

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

1. whether the Government has taken note of the lack of quality in research and innovation in the present education system;

1. if so, whether the Government proposes to make provision in the New Education Policy for providing better research and innovative methods in improving the quality of education and if so, the details thereof; and

1. whether the Government has set any timeframe to formulate and implement the proposed education policy and if so, the details thereof?

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT**

**(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)**

1. to (c) :

1. Bottom of FormThe Government has initiated the consultation process of formulating a New Education Policy to meet the changing dynamics of the population’s requirement with regard to quality education, innovation and research, aiming to make India a knowledge superpower by equipping its students with the necessary skills and knowledge and to eliminate the shortage of manpower in science, technology, academics and industry. A multiple level consultative process involving all stakeholders, such as, educationists, teachers, and students across all levels are envisaged. The Government has set a timeframe to formulate the New Education Policy by December, 2015.

***********
Lok Sabha Question No. 415 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Emigration Clearance to Nurses
Ministry: OVERSEAS INDIAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAMACHANDRAN MULLAPPALLY, P. KARUNAKARAN

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&&&&&
Lok Sabha Question No. 413 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-07-22
Subject: Researchers among Working People
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: NINONG ERING, KIRIT SOMAIYA

**GOVERNMENT OF INDIA**

**MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY**

**DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY**

**LOK SABHA**

**UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.413**

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

**RESEARCHERS AMONG WORKING PEOPLE**

**413.	SHRI NINONG ERING:**

**DR. KIRIT SOMAIYA:**

**Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó Ùðüëðó**

**be pleased to state:**

**(a)		whether according to a recent study, the country has fewer researchers among working people than countries such as Kenya and Chile;**

**(b)		if so, the details thereof and the reasons thereof and the reasons therefor;**

**(c)		whether the shortage of researchers has any impact on the functioning of Science and Technology in the country;**

**(d)		if so, the details thereof; and**

**(e)		the steps taken by the Government in this regard and to promote research in Science and Technology field?**

**ANSWER**

**MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EARTH SCIENCES**

**(SHRI.Y. S. CHOWDARY)**

**òãðìððÐð ¡ðøÜ ÑßðøÌðð÷ò±ð¨îó ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó +ÉÉè® ÑðöÆãðó òãðìððÐð ÙðüëððâðÚð Ùð÷ü Üð¸Úð Ùðüëðó**

**(gÉÉÒ ´ÉÉ<Ç. AºÉ. SÉÉèvÉ®ÉÒ)**

**(a) & (b):  Yes Madam. As per the UNESCO latest report, India has 4 researchers per 10,000 working people as compared to 6 in Kenya and 7 in Chile. Although, India has relatively fewer researchers in terms of the size of the working population but it is far ahead in absolute terms having 1,92,819 researchers as compared to 9,305 in Kenya and 5,440 in Chile.**

**(c) to (e): No Madam. The institutions/laboratories under the Ministry of Science & Technology have never felt shortage of researchers. However, the Government has taken various measures to promote scientific research in the country. These measures include successive increase in plan allocations for Scientific Departments, setting up of new institutions for science education and research, creation of centres of excellence for research and state of the art facilities in emerging and frontline S&T areas in academic and national institutes, establishment of new and attractive fellowships for both national and overseas researchers and scientists, substantial grant to potential scientist through Extramural Research Funding Scheme, start-ups grant for young scientists, attractive pay package to scientists as per 6** **th** **Pay Commission, recent substantial revision of fellowships for research students, strengthening infrastructure for Research and Development (R&D) in universities, encouraging public-private R&D partnerships, recognition of R&D units and fiscal incentives and support measures for R&D in industries etc.**

************