Action Taken On High Level Panel Report

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  SPACE

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-431

ANSWERED ON-15.03.2012

(a) whether is a fact that High Level Panel Report has found serious administrative and procedural lapses in the Antrix-Devas Deal;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the action taken/being taken by Government in this regard?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PG & PENSIONS AND IN THE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE
(SHRI V.NARAYANASAMY):

a) Yes Sir.

b) The High Level Team (High Level Panel) in its report has concluded that there have been serious administrative and procedural lapses and reported collusive behavior on the part of certain individuals and fixed the responsibilities accordingly.
The HLT have also reported serious lapses of Judgment on the part of a number of officials. In case of some, their actions verged on the point of serious violation of norms and breach of public trust.

c) Based on the recommendations of the High Level Team report, four former space scientists have been excluded from re-employment, committee roles or any other important role under the Government and have been divested of any current assignment / consultancy with the Government.
Ministry of Corporate Affairs and Department of Revenue are conducting necessary investigation for possible acts of omissions and commissions.

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Debt Restructuring Plan Of Air India

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  CIVIL AVIATION

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-337

ANSWERED ON-15.03.2012

(a) whether it is a fact that GoM has cleared Rs.21,000 Crore debt restructuring plan for Air India;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

The Minister of Civil Aviation (Shri Ajit Singh)

(a),(b) and (c): The GoM in the meetings held on 28.10.2011 and 07.02.2012, accepted the recommendations of the a Group of Officers constitued by GoM to vet the Financial Restructuring Plan/Turn Around Plan (FRP/TAP) of Air India which included the conversion of Rs.11,000 crores of working capital into long-term loans, issue of non-convertible debentures of Rs.7400 crores, guaranteed by the Government. The balance of the working capital would be in the form of a Cash Credit Arrangement with the Banks. This, coupled with equity infuision by Government, is to assit the airline in regaining its cash flow by postponement of debt repayment.


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Funds For Development Of Youth And Adolescents

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

STARRED QUESTION NO-42

ANSWERED ON-15.03.2012

a) the quantum of funds allocated by the Ministry during the last five years for providing infrastructure facilities for overall development of games in rural areas and the players there, State-wise;
b) whether all the States have utilized the funds fully;
c) if not, the reason therefor and the steps taken by the Ministry in this regard; and
d) what is the output of players after this infrastructure upgradation?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)
FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS
(SHRI AJAY MAKEN)

(a) Under the ‘Panchayat Yuva Krida Aur Khel Abhiyan (PYKKA)’ which was introduced in 2008-09, Rs. 729.29 has been released for the last three years and the current financial year upto February,2012 to the State Governments including SAI and NYKS mainly for the development of playfields and for holding annual sports competitions. The State-wise details are given Annexure 1(a) to 1(d).
(b) No, sir.
(c) Many of the States have utilized the grants. Some of the States which have availed the grants recently may take some time to complete the development work by utilizing the funds. The matter has been taken up with the State Governments on regular basis. The progress of works in the States is being monitored by making field visits of the officers from the Ministry and at meetings of the State Sports Secretaries. Eminent sportspersons, who have retired from active sports, have been engaged as observers for monitoring the ongoing PYKKA activities in the States.
(d) Sports facilities being created under the PYKKA scheme in village/block panchayats and conduct of annual sports competitions provide ample opportunity of sports participation to rural youth. This also provides a huge base for identification of sports talent.


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Development Of Infrastructure Under APEDA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-180

ANSWERED ON-14.03.2012

a) whether there is any scheme for development of infrastructure under Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) across the country;

b) if so, the details thereof;

c) the State-wise scale of assistance provided during the last three years;

d) the details of result/target achieved during the last three years;

e) whether there is any monitoring mechanism to evaluate the performance of engaged agencies; and

f) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA)

(a-b) Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under its Infrastructure Development Scheme provides Financial Assistance in the following manner:
i) For setting up of common Infrastructure like Pack Houses, cargo handling facilities, Establishment of Quality Labs to State Governments or its nominated agencies, APEDA provides financial assistance up to 100 % of the cost of project. The facilities under the scheme is provided to Government (State and central Govt. agencies) or Public sector undertakings.
ii) For establishment of Infrastructure facilities, financial assistance is provided to individual exporters with a financial ceiling of 25 % of the cost or the upper ceilings fixed for the individual components as per laid down guidelines.

(c) State-wise and year-wise details of financial assistance sanctioned by APEDA during last three year under the Scheme of Infrastructure Development is Annexed.

(d) Year-wise achievement in terms of disbursement of financial assistance to the beneficiaries during last three years under the Scheme of Infrastructure Development is as under:
(Rs. in crore)
2008-09 2009-10 2010-11
Financial Number of agencies/beneficiaries Financial
Number of agencies/beneficiaries Financial
Number of agencies/beneficiaries
Common Infrastructure 34.4 18 25.41 14 49.05 25
Individual Exporters 12.97 125 5.98 80 12.55 147
Total 47.37 143 31.39 94 61.6 172

(e-f) Following mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of the performance of engaged agencies; Government & government agencies and private individual are in place:

1) The approved projects of Government and Government agencies are being monitored by the beneficiary as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between APEDA and beneficiary agency. The major parameters of the MoU for assuring proper utilization of funds , commissioning and effective implementation of the projects as per the objectives are ; detailed responsibility of effective running , operation and maintenance of facility for the purpose is specified in feasibility analysis of the project. Thereafter stage wise release of financial assistance for the project after due verification of progress of commissioning work as per terms & conditions of MoU. APEDA assures the utilization of funds as per TOR of approved projects duly after Physical Verification and funds utilization details. As per MoU, a committee has to be constituted by the beneficiary agency for Levying and fixation of usage charges to run the facility for exporters in consultation with APEDA.

2) Financial assistance is provided to Individual Exporters for establishment of Infrastructure facilities. The financial assistance under the scheme is disbursed by APEDA only after due physical verification and full utilization of sanctioned amount by Individual beneficiary exporters (Back ended subsidy). APEDA ensures effective commissioning and implementation of the individual projects by ensuring progress through compliance of filing regular monthly/quarterly or annual export returns by exporter beneficiary under the scheme.

3) APEDA also ensures providing financial assistance under other components of the schemes of APEDA only after filing of export returns by beneficiary.

ANNEXURE

STATE-WISE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SANCTIONED DURING LAST THREE YEARS UNDER INFRASTRUCTURE SCHEME

(A)Common Integrated Pack Houses set up by PSUs with APEDA’s Financial Assistance

(Rs. in lakh)

(B)Individual Exporters–Pack Houses/Pre-cooling/high humidity cold storageduring 2008-09 to 2010-11

(Rs. in lakh)

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Lifting Ban On Investments From Pakistan

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-181

ANSWERED ON-14.03.2012

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

(a) whether Government is considering to lift the ban on investments from Pakistan in return for concessions from across the border;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether Government is also considering Foreign Direct Investment at par with those from Bangladesh; and

(d) if so, the details in this regard ?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
(SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA)


(a) to (d): As per extant policy on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), as contained in ‘Circular 2 of 2011 – Consolidated FDI Policy’, effective from 1.10.2011, issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, a non-resident entity (other than a citizen of Pakistan or an entity incorporated in Pakistan) can invest in India, subject to the FDI Policy. A citizen of Bangladesh or an entity incorporated in Bangladesh can invest only under the Government route.

No decision has been notified by Government in regard to permitting investments from Pakistan on par with Bangladesh.


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Construction Of Housing Projects On Wetlands

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-22

ANSWERED ON-13.03.2012

(a) whether Government has received any complaints against the developers for construction of housing projects on wetlands; and
(b) if so, the action taken thereon?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS (SHRIMATI JAYANTHI NATARAJAN)

(a) & (b). Yes, Sir. A complaint was received regarding reclamation of wetland habitats in Bil Akbarpur, Greater Noida for township. A central team was sent to site to verify facts and on the basis of field inspection, a show cause notice was served to the builders. They were directed to stop any construction/earth filling/land reclamation work in the vicinity of wetlands and lands having the characteristics of wetlands.


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Introduction Of New MBBS Course

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF  HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-79

ANSWERED ON-13.03.2012

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that Government is planning to make undergraduate MBBS course six and a half years long, instead of the present five and a half years;

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

(c) by when a decision is likely to be taken in this regard?

ANSWER

(a) to (c): In an overall effort to improve medical education and make it more socially oriented and suitable from the public health perspective, discussions were held with the Medical Council of India(MCI) on 4th February, 2012 regarding exposing MBBS students to rural health care settings to enable them to acquaint themselves with broad community healthcare needs.


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