All that was discussed in the House through the day
India’s coal demand is set to be 1.3-1.5 billion tonnes by 2030, an increase of 63 per cent form the current level, Pralhad Joshi, Union minister of parliamentary affairs, coal and mines, told the Lok Sabha March 30, 2022. The projection was made in the draft Economic Survey 2021-22.
Thus, as of now there is no scenario of energy transition away from coal affecting any stakeholder involved in coal mining, he said.
Low-carbon bricks in the making
The construction industry produces 70-100 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste (C&D) every year, Jitendra Singh, Union minister of state (independent charge) for science and technology as well as earth sciences, told the Lok Sabha.
The department of science and technology has supported a project for developing a technology to produce “energy-efficient walling materials and low-carbon bricks using C&D waste”.
These ‘low-carbon bricks’ do not require high-temperature firing or need high-energy materials such as Portland cement, he said.
Food waste
As much as 50 kilogram of food is wasted by each person every year in India, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union minister of state for consumer affairs, food and public distribution, told the Lok Sabha March 30, 2022. He was referring to the Food Wastage Index Report 2021 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The Centre has carried out publicity campaigns through print and electronic media from time to time to sensitise people against food wastage, the minister said. In addition, states / Union territories were advised to include a chapter on prevention of food wastage in the school syllabi, he added.
Status of backward regions Grant Fund
The Backward Regions Grant Fund Programme (district component) was delinked from the budgetary support of the central government in 2015-16, Kapil Moreshwar Patil, Union minister of state for Panchayati Raj, told the Rajya Sabha.
This was consequent upon the implementation of the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, under which the share of states in the net proceeds of the Union taxes was significantly enhanced from 32-42 per cent, the minister added.
This, in turn, allowed states greater autonomy for financing and designing the developmental schemes, especially for the backward regions, he said.
Budgetary outlay for Panchayati Raj institutions
Rs 678.2 crore of the total budgetary outlay of Rs 868.57 crore for the Union ministry of Panchayati Raj for 2022-23 has been earmarked for various direct and indirect benefits to Panchayati Raj institutions (PRI), said Patil.
These benefits include strengthening of PRIs under the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan scheme, providing financial incentives to the good performing PRIs under the Incentivisation of Panchayat scheme and digitalisation of panchayats for ensuring transparent, accountable and efficient local government administration, the minister added.
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