Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Drinking Water and Sanitation projects , 21/12/2015. Under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP), drinking water schemes / projects prepared by the States do not come to the Central Government for approval. States have State Level Scheme Sanctioning Committee (SLSSC) which approves the rural drinking water supply projects to be taken up in the State. However, some States including Madhya Pradesh had submitted various proposals for funding from external lending agencies for examination and recommendation to Ministry of Finance (MoF).

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Compilation of damage due to man-elephant conflict , 21/12/2015. The data on damage, to crops and properties as well as human deaths due to human elephant conflicts, is compiled regularly by Central and State Governments. State-wise information on crop, property damages and human casualties due to man-elephant conflicts, during last three years, is at Annexure I(A) and Annexure I(B).

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Failure of crops due to unseasonal rains and monsoon failure, 18/12/2015. According to India Meteorological Department, during South-West Monsoon, 2015 (1 June to 30 September), the country as a whole received 760.6 mm rainfall as opposed to the normal rainfall of 887.5 mm, which 14% deficient. Details of meteorological sub-division-wise rainfall is Annexure-I. As per the information provided by the Government of States/UTs for the year 2015 the number of suicides due to agrarian reason is at Annexure-II.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Compensation for loss of crops, 18/12/2015. Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is concerned with coordination of relief measures necessitated by drought, hailstorm, pest attack, cold wave/frost. The details of financial assistance approved State-wise by the Government of India from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for the last three years are at Annexure.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Adverse effects of climate change on agriculture, 18/12/2015. The impact of climate change is also expected in economic viability and production of livestock systems through poor availability of quality feed and fodder, decreased reproductive performance and decline in milk production. Further, ICAR- CRIDA has also mapped 572 districts of the country for their vulnerability to extreme events due to climate change. The vulnerability was assessed high to very high in 230 districts, medium in 114 districts and low to very low in 228 districts.

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Illegal mining, 16/12/2015. State Governments are empowered, under Section 23C of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act, 1957) to make rules for prevention of illegal mining, transportation and storage of minerals; and, therefore, matters relating to illegal mining come under the legislative and administrative jurisdiction of State Governments.