Enhancement of Reservation for SCs & STs – Rajya Sabha Q&A ENHANCEMENT OF RESERVATIONS FOR SCs AND STs No proposal for enhancement of reservation for Scheduled Castes in proportion to their population has been received in this Ministry. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has informed that they received The Telangana Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation of seats in Educational Institutions and of appointments or posts in the services under the State) Bill, 2017 through Ministry of Home Affairs for enhancement of reservations for Scheduled Tribes from existing 4% to 10% in the State for comments/views. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has supported the proposal contained in the Bill. As per the 9 judge Constitutional Bench judgement of Hon’ble Supreme Court in India Sawhney case, total reservation cannot exceed the limit of 50% . Clause (4) of Article 16 of the Constitution of India, which empowers the State to provide reservation for Scheduled Castes, S...

INCREASE IN MINIMUM PAY AND FITMENT FACTOR GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1170 ANSWERED ON-06.03.2018 Increase in minimum pay and fitment factor 1170 . Shri Neeraj Shekhar (a) whether Government is actively contemplating to increase minimum pay from Rs.18,000/- to Rs.21,000/- and fitment factor from 2.57 to 3, in view of resentment among Central Government employees over historically lowest increase in pay by 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC); (b) if so, the details thereof and the date from which it would be implemented; and (c ) if not, the reasons for the callous attitude of Government towards Government Employees? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR FINANCE ( SHRI P RADHAKRISHNAN ) (a), (b) & (c ): The minimum pay of Rs.18,000/- p.m. and fitment factor of 2.57 are based on the specific recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission in the light of the relevant factors taken into account by it. Therefore, no change therein is at present unde...

Loco Running Staff - Rajya Sabha Q&A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 960 ANSWERED ON 09.02.2018 LOCO RUNNING STAFF 960. SHRI C.P. NARAYANAN: Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state: (a) the number of loco running staff in Railways at present; (b) their average work load per week; (c) the maximum hours of continuous work they have to do in a week; (d) how much increase in their emoluments have been given during the last three years; and (e) how do they compare with emoluments of other railway staff? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI RAJEN GOHAIN) (a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 960 BY SHRI C.P. NARAYANAN ANSWERED IN RAJYA SABHA ON 09.02.2018 REGARDING LOCO RUNNING STAFF (a) As on 01.04.2017, over Zonal Railways, total number of employed staff in loco running category is 87196. (b) & (c) As per the p...

Linking of Aadhaar with Registration of Marriage - Rajya Sabha Q&A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT R A J Y A S A B H A UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 914 TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 9TH FEBRUARY, 2018 Linking of Aadhaar with Registration of Marriage 914. SHRI HARSHVARDHAN SINGH DUNGARPUR: Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state (a) whether Government have received any request from Law Commission for linking of Aadhaar with registration of marriages to prevent fraudulent marriages and denial of subsistence to deserted women; (b) if so, the details thereof; and (c) the action taken/to be taken by Government on their request? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW AND JUSTICE AND CORPORATE AFFAIRS (SHRI P.P. CHAUDHARY) (a) to (b) The 21st Law Commission of India in its 270th Report titled "Compulsory Registration of Marriages" has observed that it would be desirable to have a centralized national portal for maintenance of records o...

Linking of ration card with Aadhaar - Rajya Sabha Q&A GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION  RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-865 ANSWERED ON 09.02.2018 Linking of ration card with Aadhaar 865 . Shri B.K. Hariprasad (a) whether Government has taken any steps to ensure that no individual is denied PDS benefits even if  he/she does not have Aadhaar or has not linked his ration card to the number; and (b) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY) (a) to (b): Yes, Sir. The Department of Food and Public Distribution has issued clear instructions to all States/UT Governments that no beneficiary/household shall be deleted from the list of eligible beneficiaries/households only on the ground of not possessing Aadhaar, and shall also not be denied subsidized foodgrains or cash transfer of food subsidy under NFSA due to non-availability of Aadhaar or failu...

Amendment in EPF scheme for buying homes GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1056 ANSWERED ON-27.12.2017 Amendment in EPF scheme for buying homes 1056 . Shri R. Vaithilingam (a)whether Government will amend the Employees” Provident Fund (EPF) scheme to enable around 4 crore members of Employees” Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) to withdraw upto 90 per cent of their fund for making down payments while buying houses; (b)whether said amendment will also allow the EPFO subscribers to use their EPF accounts for paying equated monthly installments of home loans; and (c)whether under the proposed provision in the EPF scheme, the subscribers would have to form a cooperative society with at least 10 members to avail of the facility? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR) (a) to (c): The Government vide Notification No. G.S.R.351 (E) dated 12th April, 2017 has inserted a paragraph 68BD in Employee...