(a) whether it is a fact that Special Court has sought the presence of Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley in the 26/11 terror attack;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Ministry has taken up the matter at appropriate level for extradition of Headley to India; and
(d) if so, the status thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) to (d): No, Sir. However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Patiala House, New Delhi has sought the presence of David Coleman Headley in NIA Case No.04/2009 for his prosecution. This case relates to a criminal conspiracy hatched by David Coleman Headley in 2006 with members of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI) to commit terrorist acts in New Delhi and other places in India.
Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to satate :-
(a) whether it is a fact that out of 17 Non-special category States only Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand crossed the target growth rate of State Domestic Product and all other States remained far below the target, the reasons for this large scale failure;
(b) whether it is not going to widen regional economic imbalances if this trend is not contained; and
(c) the steps initiated by Government in Eleventh Plan to reduce regional economic imbalance and ensure uniform growth?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING, SCIENCE & TECNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. ASHWANI KUMAR)
(a) & (b): The Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12) envisaged an annual average growth rate of 9 percent in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be achieved during the plan period. The GDP growth target was disaggregated to State specific Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth targets. The Eleventh Plan growth target along with achievement during first four years of the plan for 17 non- special category States are given at Annexure. The States of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have realised growth rate higher than the target. Other States have experienced lower growth vis a vis the target which can be attributed to global economic crisis, low growth in agriculture caused by bad monsoon, among others.
The hitherto low performing States such as Bihar, Orissa and Chhattisgarh have started growing faster than the national average and the State of Uttar Pradesh has achieved much higher than the target growth rate. This trend reflects gradual movement towards convergence in economic attainment across States and reduction in economic disparities.
(c): Reduction of inter-state disparities has always been the priority of development policy. The policy instruments for minimising the inter State disparity include plan and non-plan transfer of resources from the Centre to States favouring less developed States, tax incentives for setting up of private industries in the backward regions, etc. A number of programmes have also been initiated to reduce income disparity between States. These include Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF, which includes the district component covering 250 backward districts, special plan for Bihar and the KBK districts of Orissa, the Integrated Action Plan for 60 tribal and backward districts and the drought mitigation package for Bundelkhand), Hill Area Development Programme/Western Ghats Development Programme and Border Area Development Programme, etc. In addition, several ongoing Centrally Sponsored Schemes and State specific schemes during the Eleventh Plan are expected to accelerate the growth rate of GSDP of various States.
Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to satate :-
(a) whether it has come to the notice of Government that Kuchipudi Exponent Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna, winner of several awards including Padmabhushan, passed away recently and had a pathetic end due to lack of financial support;
(b) whether Government will agree that while promotion and preservation of our art and culture is important, taking care of our legends and icons of culture in their old age, who are not second to any of our national monuments, is much more important especially when their financial position is bad; and
(c) whether Government would like to carve out a special scheme to tackle this issue and safeguard the self respect of our veterans?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND MINISTER OF CULTURE
(KUMARI SELJA)
(a) A Padmashree and a Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow, Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna expired on 07.06.2011 at the age of 87. However, it would not be correct to say that he had a pathetic end due to lack of financial support. Before his death, Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna was looked after well by his disciples and received hospital care, with assistance from the Sate Government, for over 10 days in Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad.
(b) &(c) Yes, Sir. Government of India is already administering a scheme of financial assistance to persons distinguished in letters, arts and such other walks of life, who may be in indigent circumstances and their dependents. Under this scheme, a financial assistance of Rs. 4000/- p.m. is paid to the artistes who have made significant contribution to arts, letters, etc.; are not less than 58 years of age; and whose income (including income of the spouse) does not exceed Rs. 4000/- p.m.
(a) whether it is a fact that Special Court has sought the presence of Pakistani-American David Coleman Headley in the 26/11 terror attack;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether Ministry has taken up the matter at appropriate level for extradition of Headley to India; and
(d) if so, the status thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) to (d): No, Sir. However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Patiala House, New Delhi has sought the presence of David Coleman Headley in NIA Case No.04/2009 for his prosecution. This case relates to a criminal conspiracy hatched by David Coleman Headley in 2006 with members of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Harkat-ul-Jihad-e-Islami (HuJI) to commit terrorist acts in New Delhi and other places in India.
Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to satate :-
(a) whether it is a fact that out of 17 Non-special category States only Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand crossed the target growth rate of State Domestic Product and all other States remained far below the target, the reasons for this large scale failure;
(b) whether it is not going to widen regional economic imbalances if this trend is not contained; and
(c) the steps initiated by Government in Eleventh Plan to reduce regional economic imbalance and ensure uniform growth?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING, SCIENCE & TECNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. ASHWANI KUMAR)
(a) & (b): The Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12) envisaged an annual average growth rate of 9 percent in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to be achieved during the plan period. The GDP growth target was disaggregated to State specific Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) growth targets. The Eleventh Plan growth target along with achievement during first four years of the plan for 17 non- special category States are given at Annexure. The States of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have realised growth rate higher than the target. Other States have experienced lower growth vis a vis the target which can be attributed to global economic crisis, low growth in agriculture caused by bad monsoon, among others.
The hitherto low performing States such as Bihar, Orissa and Chhattisgarh have started growing faster than the national average and the State of Uttar Pradesh has achieved much higher than the target growth rate. This trend reflects gradual movement towards convergence in economic attainment across States and reduction in economic disparities.
(c): Reduction of inter-state disparities has always been the priority of development policy. The policy instruments for minimising the inter State disparity include plan and non-plan transfer of resources from the Centre to States favouring less developed States, tax incentives for setting up of private industries in the backward regions, etc. A number of programmes have also been initiated to reduce income disparity between States. These include Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF, which includes the district component covering 250 backward districts, special plan for Bihar and the KBK districts of Orissa, the Integrated Action Plan for 60 tribal and backward districts and the drought mitigation package for Bundelkhand), Hill Area Development Programme/Western Ghats Development Programme and Border Area Development Programme, etc. In addition, several ongoing Centrally Sponsored Schemes and State specific schemes during the Eleventh Plan are expected to accelerate the growth rate of GSDP of various States.
Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to satate :-
(a) whether it has come to the notice of Government that Kuchipudi Exponent Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna, winner of several awards including Padmabhushan, passed away recently and had a pathetic end due to lack of financial support;
(b) whether Government will agree that while promotion and preservation of our art and culture is important, taking care of our legends and icons of culture in their old age, who are not second to any of our national monuments, is much more important especially when their financial position is bad; and
(c) whether Government would like to carve out a special scheme to tackle this issue and safeguard the self respect of our veterans?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF HOUSING AND URBAN POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND MINISTER OF CULTURE
(KUMARI SELJA)
(a) A Padmashree and a Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellow, Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna expired on 07.06.2011 at the age of 87. However, it would not be correct to say that he had a pathetic end due to lack of financial support. Before his death, Guru Nataraja Ramakrishna was looked after well by his disciples and received hospital care, with assistance from the Sate Government, for over 10 days in Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad.
(b) &(c) Yes, Sir. Government of India is already administering a scheme of financial assistance to persons distinguished in letters, arts and such other walks of life, who may be in indigent circumstances and their dependents. Under this scheme, a financial assistance of Rs. 4000/- p.m. is paid to the artistes who have made significant contribution to arts, letters, etc.; are not less than 58 years of age; and whose income (including income of the spouse) does not exceed Rs. 4000/- p.m.
