Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Losses to farmers due to changing weather pattern, 18/11/2016. Agricultural crops have been affected due to low rainfall in the country in several years. Eleven States, viz; Karnataka (both for Kharif and Rabi), Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra (both for Kharif and Rabi), Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh (both for Kharif and Rabi), Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand (rabi) had submitted Memoranda reporting crop loss due to natural calamities like drought, hailstorm, pest attack & cold wave/frost.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Schemes for increasing forest resources, 08/08/2016. Forest cover of the country is assessed biennially and published as India State of Forest Report (ISFR) by Forest Survey of India, Dehradun (FSI), an organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. As per latest ISFR, 2015 there is overall increase of 3775 sq. km of forest cover in the country, as compared to ISFR 2013. Some States have shown decline in forest cover whereas some States have shown increase in forest cover.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Pollution effect of thermal power plants, 08/08/2016. The contribution of thermal generation in the year 2015-16 was 80.4% of total generation from all sources (including renewable). The State-wise details of annual generation from thermal power plants in the country is at Annex-I.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Per capita consumption of power, 08/08/2016. As per Load Generation Balance Report (LGBR) of 2016-17, 14 States and 3 Union Territories are expected to have surplus electricity in the year 2016-17. State-wise details of surplus electricity during 2016-17 and their projected per capita supply of electricity (gross) are at Annex.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Inter-Linking of River Projects, 08/08/2016. The Government is planning to start implementing this National Project as a model link project of ILR programme, which will benefit the drought prone areas of Bundel Khand region in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. The present status of Inter Basin Water Transfer Links, the States involved, names of rivers and status of Feasibility Reports/Detailed Project Report (DPR) is given at Annexure-I.