rs 21 dec2015

GOVERNMENT OF INDIAMINISTRY OF PLANNING

RAJYA SABHAUNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2470TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015

SPECIAL CATEGORY STATUS TO ANDHRA PRADESH

2470. SHRI MOHD. ALI KHAN:

Will the Minister of PLANNING be pleased to state:

(a) whether Government is aware that people are ending their lives/committing suicides demanding SpecialCategory Status to Andhra Pradesh after bifurcation;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the present status of granting special status to the State;(c) whether NITI Aayog has prepared any road map and submitted its report on the subjects of granting

Special Category Status and special package to the State;(d) if so, the details and the present status thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNINGAND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE

(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

(a) to (d) : NITI Aayog has no such information. Special Category Status for plan assistance has been grantedin the past by the National Development Council (NDC) to some States that are characterized by a number offeatures necessitating special consideration. These features include: (i) hilly and difficult terrain (ii) lowpopulation density and / or sizeable share of tribal population (iii) strategic location along borders withneighbouring countries (iv) economic and infrastructural backwardness and (v) non-viable nature of statefinances. No decision has been taken regarding grant of Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh.

As part of the special package to Andhra Pradesh, an amount of Rs. 350 crore (at the rate of Rs. 50crore per district) has been released for development activities in seven backward districts of Andhra Pradeshconsisting of four districts of Rayalseema and three districts of North Coastal region of Andhra Pradesh during2014-15. During 2015-16, special assistance of Rs. 350 crore (at the rate of Rs. 50 crore per district) wasreleased for the development of these districts.

Regarding the financial assistance to the new capital of Andhra Pradesh, Ministry of Finance,Government of India had released Rs. 500 crore to Andhra Pradesh for the construction of Raj Bhawan andAssembly, etc. during 2014-15. An amount of Rs. 1000 crore had been released to Andhra Pradesh during2014-15 by the Ministry of Urban Development for creation of essential urban infrastructure for the newcapital region of Andhra Pradesh for the following projects:(i) Storm water drainage scheme at Vijayawada city (Rs. 460 crore) and(ii) Comprehensive underground sewerage scheme at Guntur city (Rs. 540 crore).

Besides this, Ministry of Finance, Government of India has released an amount of Rs. 350 crore for thenew capital of the State during 2015-16.

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RAJYA SABHAUNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2471TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015

CENTRAL REGULATORY AUTHORITIES

2471. SHRI ANUBHAV MOHANTY


a) how many Central Regulatory authorities are there in the country at present;

b) what are the judicial and non-judicial powers enjoyed by these authorities: and

c) whether there is any proposal to bring forward a law to regulate the regulators to create a uniform

national framework for orderly development of infrastructure and protection of consumer interests?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF PLANNING

AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE


(a) There are 11 Central regulatory authorities in the country related directly or indirectly to

infrastructure sector and protection of consumer interests. These are listed below:

1. Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA)

2. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI)

3. Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC)

4. Competition Commission of India (CCI)

5. Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

6. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)

7. Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (P&NGRB)

8. Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA)

9. Airports Economic Regulatory Authority of India (AERI)

10. Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP)

11. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB)

(b) Regulatory authorities are quasi-judicial bodies which have the powers of a Civil Court for the

purposes of inquiry or proceedings under the Act through which they were created by the

Parliament. A regulatory authority has the powers to impose penalty for non-compliance of its

directions as well as powers to adjudicate the disputes. Non Judicial powers of the regulatory

authorities are to protect the interest of the people by ensuring fair competition, transparent and

competitive markets and protecting consumers from exploitation.

(c) During Budget speech (2015-16) Finance Minister stated that there is a lack of common approach

and philosophy in the regulatory arrangements prevailing even within different sectors of

infrastructure and proposed a regulatory reform law that will bring about a cogency of approach

across various sectors of infrastructure.

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RAJYA SABHAUNSTARRED QUESTION No.2472TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015

REDUCTION OF FUNDS UNDER CSS FOR BIHAR

2472 SHRIMATI KAHKASHAN PERWEEN :


(a) whether it is a fact that the amount earmarked for Bihar under several Centrally Sponsored Schemes

is being reduced constantly; and

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons thereof?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE(INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNINGAND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE


(a) and (b) Union Government has accepted the recommendation of 14th Finance Commission to

increase the shareable pool of Tax Devolution from 32% to 42% for it’s award period (2015-20) which gives

more resources and greater freedom to use these resources to the States. Total transfers in 2015-16 to Bihar

State have increased by almost 16.5% in comparison to 2014-15 (Actual). The details are as follows:

Total Transfer of Funds during 2014-15 & 2015-16:(Rs. crore)

Items 2014-15(Actual)

2015-16(Recommended/

Estimated)Share in Central Taxes 36,963 50,748Grants of 14th FC 3,1920 2,948Central Assistance to State & UT Plans (CASP)* 16,806 12,672Total 56,961 66,368

*The total provision of Plan Transfer for all States was Rs.2.71 lakh crore in 2014-15 RE which has reduced

to Rs.1.96 lakh crore in 2015-16 BE (27.6% reduction). Accordingly, in case of Bihar it is reduced by about

24.6 %.

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RAJYA SABHAUNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2473TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015

WORLD BANK ESTIMATE ON POVERTY LINE

2473. SHRI D. RAJA:


(a) whether Government’s attention has been drawn towards the latest world bank estimate on poverty lineaccording to which India's poverty ratio is only 12.4 per cent for 2011-12, i.e. population below poverty linein India is 150.4 million;(b) if so, the details thereof;(c) whether this calculation varies widely with the estimate made by the Rangarajan and Tendulkar ExpertGroups; and(d) if so, the details thereof and Government's reaction thereto?

ANSWERMINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR MINISTRY OF PLANNING

AND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE(RAO INDERJIT SINGH)

(a) & (b): The World Bank’s Policy Research Note titled “Ending Extreme Poverty and Sharing Prosperity:Progress and Policies” released in October, 2015 contains poverty estimates of India for the year 2011-12.The World Bank estimates poverty in India using large sample survey data on Household ConsumerExpenditure collected by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in its quinquennial rounds. The latest suchsurvey was done in 2011-12. In 68th round of survey conducted in 2011-12, NSSO generated three estimatesof distribution of Monthly Per capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) depending upon the reference periodfor which the data is collected for different items. These three MPCE measures are as follows:(i) Uniform Reference Period MPCE (or MPCEURP): This is the measure of MPCE obtained when householdconsumer expenditure on each item is recorded for a reference period of “last 30 days” (preceding the date ofsurvey).(ii) Mixed Reference Period MPCE (or MPCEMRP): This is the measure of MPCE obtained when householdconsumer expenditure on items of clothing and bedding, footwear, education, institutional medical care, anddurable goods is recorded for a reference period of “last 365 days”, and expenditure on all other items isrecorded with a reference period of “last 30 days”.(iii) Modified Mixed Reference Period MPCE (or MPCEMMRP): This is the measure of MPCE obtained whenhousehold consumer expenditure on edible oil, egg, fish and meat, vegetables, fruits, spices, beverages,refreshments, processed food, pan, tobacco and intoxicants is recorded for a reference period of “last 7 days”,and for all other items, the reference periods used are the same as in case of Mixed Reference Period MPCE(MPCEMRP).

For 2011-12, the World Bank has estimated India’s poverty rate using URP based consumptionexpenditure as 21.2 percent. It also mentions that India’s poverty ratio for the same year on the basis of MMRPconsumption expenditure translates to 12.4 percent.(c) & (d): The Tendulkar Expert Group used MRP based consumption expenditure of NSSO to derive povertyestimates. The erstwhile Planning Commission estimated poverty for 2011-12 based on the methodologyrecommended by Tendulkar Expert Group as 21.9 percent. The Expert Group under the Chairmanship of Dr.C. Rangarajan has recommended the use of MMRP based consumption expenditure of NSSO to derive povertyestimates. The poverty ratio for India based on Rangarajan Expert Group is 29.5 percent during 2011-12.

The poverty estimates given by World Bank, Tendulkar Expert Group and Rangarajan Expert Groupvary due to differences in methodologies used.

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RAJYA SABHAUNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2474TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015

ACHIEVEMENT OF SDGs

2474 SHRI SANJAY RAUT:


(a) what are the measures taken or proposed to be taken by Government to ensure and achieve theSustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030:

(b) whether NITI Aayog has started any definite mechanism to guide, integrate and promote SDGs inGovernment programmes, and

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

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) MINISTRY OF PLANNINGAND MINISTER OF STATE FOR DEFENCE


(a) In September, 2015, the United Nations adopted the document titled Transforming our world: the2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development adopting a new set of 17 Global SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs) for the next 15 years, i.e. up to 2030. The SDGs include Poverty,Employment, Education and Literacy, Health, Gender Equality and Women Empowerment, ChildDevelopment, Water and Sanitation, Modern Energy and Decent Work, Resilent Infrastructure,Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Consumption and Production, Combat Climate Change, Conserve andSustainable use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources, Protect Ecosystems, Reverse LandDegradation and halt Biodiversity loss, Promote Peaceful and Inclusive Societies, Provide Access toJustice for all.

Government of India is implementing a number of Central Sector (CS) / Centrally Sponsored Schemes(CSS) throughout India for the benefit of the people at the grass root level. The targets andachievements under these schemes also address most of the SDGs adopted by the UN. As the SDGshave been intimated by the UN to the participating countries including India very recently. The workon mapping these SDGs with various Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes has beeninitiated.

(b) and (c)

NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) are engaged inthe identification of indicators for the national targets adopted under the SDGs.

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rs 21 dec2015

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