Question raised in Lok Sabha on Environmental Clearance for Construction of New Dam, 08/02/2019. Total twenty seven (27)proposals for construction of dams were granted environmental clearance during the last five years. List of these proposals is annexed (Annexure I). Twenty (20) number of proposals for construction of dams are pending in this Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change for environmental clearance. State wise detail of these projects with the present status is annexed (Annexure II).

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Deforestation, 08/02/2019. The State/UT-wise details of forest cover and changes in forest cover as per ISFR-2015 assessment and 2017 assessment is given in Annexure-I. The forest land diverted under Forest Conservation Act, 1980 during the period from 01.01.2015 to 05.02.2019 is 54648.54 hectares. The State/UTs wise details are given in Annexure-II.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Deaths due to Extreme Weather Events, 08/02/2019. The details of some of the major weather extremesin India in the recent years, as reported under second Biennial Update Report (2018), is at Annexure-I.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Air Pollution Levels, 08/02/2019. The ambient air quality monitoring with respect to PM2.5 was initiated in 2014 under NAMP. The ambient air quality data for different cities of the country during 2014 and 2017 is attached at Annexure.

Agriculture and allied sector forms the bedrock of Indian economy as it engages more than 50% of the workforce and contributes about 17% to the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA). The developments in this sector are keenly watched by the policy makers, business, academia and other stakeholders. The flagship publication of Directorate of Economics & Statistics, namely ‘Agricultural Statistics at a Glance’ is one of the most reliable sources of information to gauge the performance of agriculture and allied sector in India.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, 08/01/2019. The sector-wise projects approved by the States under the scheme as per the data entered by them in RDMIS during the last four years and State/Union Territorywise allocation, release and utilization during the period are given respectively at annexure- I & II. The State -wise production of rice, wheat, pulses as well as allocation, release and utilization of funds under NFSM during the last three years is given respectively at annexure-III & IV.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Minimum Support Price, 08/01/2019. Government generally increases the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) of all notified crops on the basis of recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices(CACP) which provide adequate return over cost of production. Government has substantially increased MSPs for all mandated crops for the season 2018-19. This decision of the Government was a historic one as it fulfills the commitment to the farmers to provide 50 per cent return over cost of production for the first time for all mandated crops.

Question raised in Lok Sabha on Impact of climate change on Indian agriculture and food security, 08/01/2019. The State wise details of assistance given for crop loss from 2014 to 2017 as per guidelines of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is placed at Annexure-I

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on WHO report on most polluted cities, 07/01/2019. Ambient air quality is monitored at 731 locations covering 312 cities/towns in 29 States and 6 Union Territories across the country under National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP). WHO Report has made assessment of Air quality data up to 2016. Comparison of Air Quality Data from WHO report for 2016 with NAMP data for 2017 reveals that the levels of PM2.5 and PM10 have decreased in 2017 in all the above-mentioned 14 cities for which NAMP data is available (Annexure).

Question raised in Rajya Sabha on Poaching of animals, 07/01/2019. Details of animal poaching incidents in various parts of the country are not collated in the Ministry. However, cases as reported and made available to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau for the last year by the State Enforcement Agencies is enclosed as Annexure-I.