Lok Sabha Question No. 238 (STARRED), answered on 2016-03-14
Subject: Salt Industry
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: DIPSINH SHANKARSINH RATHOD

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIAL POLICY & PROMOTION

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 238. TO BE ANSWERED ON MONDAY, THE 14 TH  MARCH, 2016.

## SALT INDUSTRY

## *238. SHRI D.S. RATHOD:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state:

## वाणिज् य वव  द्यग  म त्री

- (a) the salient features of the current Salt Policy;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to formulate a new policy for development of the Salt Industry and if so, the details thereof along with its salient features;
- (c) the  details  of  welfare  fund/financial  assistance  provided  to  salt  workers  and  their families during the last three years and the current year; and
- (d) the steps being taken for the welfare of salt workers?

## ANSWER

वाणिज् य वव  द्यग  ााज् यम त्री स् वतं त्र ्रभााा(स्ीमतंी िरममलाा ीीतंाामि( THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRIMATI NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

(a) to (d):

A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*********

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO    PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTIOIN NO. 238 FOR ANSWER ON 14 TH  MARCH, 2016.

- (a): The Salt Commissioner Organization under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department  of  Industrial  Policy  and  Promotion)  is  entrusted  with  the  following functions for overall development of salt industry:
- (i) Leasing of Central Government land for salt manufacture;
- (ii) Planning of Production targets;
- (iii) Arranging equitable distribution and monitoring the quality and prices;
- (iv) Promotion of technological development and training of personnel;
- (v) Maintenance of standards and improvement in quality of salt;
- (vi) Nodal Agency for monitoring production, distribution and quality control of iodized salt;
- (vii) Management of Departmental salt lands;
- (viii) Planning, formulating and monitoring execution of development and labour welfare schemes for salt workers;
- (ix) Promotion of exports and pre-shipment inspection of salt;
- (x) Collection of Salt Cess, Assignment Fee, Ground Rent; and
- (xi) Rehabilitation of Salt Works affected by natural calamities
- (b): The  Government  does  not  propose  at  present  to  formulate  a  new  policy  for development of the salt industry.
- (c): The  details  of  welfare  fund/financial  assistance  provided  to  salt  manufacturers  and their families during the last three years and current year are as under:
- (d): The Government has approved code of principles for execution of labour welfare and development  schemes.  The  Ministry of  Commerce  and  Industry  through  Salt Commissioner  Organization  is  supplementing  efforts  of  the  State  Governments  in conducting  numerous  activities  for  the  welfare  of  salt  workers.  These  include construction of labour rest sheds, organizing general medical health cum eye camps, supplementing facilities in the hospitals for the benefit of salt workers like providing ambulance,  capacity  building  for  transporting  and  storage  of  potable  water,  laying pipelines  for  supply  of  drinking  water,  etc.,  and  also  schemes  of  improving  brine supply,  construction  of  roads,  culverts,  Bridges,  protective  bunds,  improvement  of infrastructure  and  mechanization  of  transport  and  harvesting  of  salt  including  R&D activities for improving the quality of salt.

| Sr. No.   | Financial Year                | Development of Salt Industry   | Labour Welfare   |
|-----------|-------------------------------|--------------------------------|------------------|
|           |                               | Amount (Rs lakh)               | Amount (Rs lakh) |
| 1.        | 2012-13                       | 5.66                           | 91.71            |
| 2.        | 2013-14                       | 33.92                          | 58.46            |
| 3.        | 2014-15                       | 1.52                           | 60.81            |
| 4.        | 2015-16 (upto February, 2016) | 7.09                           | 22.10            |

An amount of Rs. 3 crore has been earmarked to impart training to salt workers for improving their skill during 12 th Five Year Plan period. During the years 2012-13 to 2014-15, the Government has incurred Rs. 45 lakh per annum for granting rewards to the meritorious children of the salt workers and in the current financial year 2015-16, Rs. 20 lakh has been allocated for granting rewards to the meritorious children of the salt workers.

*****