Governance

As told to Parliament (February 3, 2023): No record of number of landless agricultural labourers in India

No specific census of migrant, other landless farmers has been conducted in the country, Rajya Sabha told

 
By DTE Staff
Published: Friday 03 February 2023
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Landless agricultural labourers

The exact number of landless farmers and migrant landless farmers in India is not available, Narendra Tomar, Union Minister Of Agriculture And Farmers Welfare told the Rajya Sabha. No specific census/survey of landless farmers and migrant landless farmers has been conducted in the country. 

Adverse effects of junk food

Development of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart diseases and liver diseases are multi-factorial in nature, according to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister Of Health and Family Welfare, told the Lok Sabha February 3, 2023.  

Eating of junk food and/or processed food is one of them, he added.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is mandated to lay down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption, Mandaviya said.

Rising number of cancer patients

There was a 1.9 per cent increase in the estimated number of cancer cases in Rajasthan from the year 2018 to 2019, Bharati Pawar, Minister Of State for the Union Ministry Of Health And Family Welfare told the Lok Sabha. 

The figure was provided by Indian Council of Medical Research-National Cancer Registry Programme’s (ICMR-NCRP) 2020 cancer registry data report.

Cases of breast cancer

The estimated rate of breast cancer is 29.9 per 100,000 cases in the country, according to ICMR-NCRP, Pawar told the Lok Sabha. The estimated number of incidence of breast cancer cases in the country can go up to 262,656 in 2030 from present incidence of 216,108 in 2022.

Subsidy for High-Yielding/Hybrid Seeds to the Farmers

The National Food Security Mission is already being implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in 28 states and two Union Territories to enhance the production of agricultural crops, Tomar told the Rajya Sabha. 

The mission provides incentives on distribution of certified seeds of the high yielding varieties/hybrids of rice, wheat, pulses, coarse cereals, nutri-cereals, jute and oilseeds to the farmers. In addition, certified seeds of newly released HYVs/hybrids of pulses and oilseeds in form of seed minikits are given to the farmers free of cost. 

The dissemination of new HYVs and hybrids of various crops, including critical inputs, has resulted in record production during 2021-22 of pulses, oilseeds and foodgrains at 27.69 million tonnes, 37.70 million tonnes and 315.72 million tonnes, respectively, Tomar added.

Access to Menstrual Hygiene Products in rural areas

There is an improvement in the access to safe menstrual hygiene products for young women living in rural areas during the past five years, pawar told the Lok Sabha. 

The percentage of rural women age 15-24 years using a hygienic product during their menstrual period has increased from 48.2 per cent in National Family Health Survey 4 (2015-16) to 72.6 per cent in NFHS 5 (2019-21).

Compensation to pig rearers in Mizoram

The central government released Rs 584.97 lakh in 2021-22 to Mizoram government for the control, containment and eradication of African Swine Fever in the state, Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister Of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry And Dairying told the Rajya Sabha.

The funds were 50 per cent of the central share under the Livestock Health and Disease Control programme, Rupala said. 

These funds were released to the state towards payment of compensation to pig rearers against culling of pigs and destruction of feed in seven districts:  Aizawl, Lunglei, Serchhip, Mamit, Hnahthial, Saitual and Siaha, as proposed by the state. 

The central government does not release funds directly to districts or beneficiaries. The state government has, accordingly, utilised the funds for making payment of compensation to pig rearers.

Electronic waste

India was the third highest generator of electronic waste in 2019, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister Of State (Electronics And Information Technology) told the Rajya Sabha.

Globally, 53.6 million tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2019, according to United Nations’ university The Global E-Waste Monitor Report 2020. Of this, India generated 3.23 million tonnes. The highest e-waste generation is reported in China at 10.13 million tonnes, followed by the United States of America with 6.92 million tonnes. 

There are 21 electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) notified under the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016, which become e-waste at the end of their life. 

The estimated generation of e-waste from these 21 EEE for 2021-2022 is 1.6 million tonnes, out of which 0.53 million tonnes of e-waste was processed by authorised e-waste dismantlers/recyclers during 2021-2022.

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