Bad loans of the state-owned banks are likely to go up further to 10.1 per cent by the end of the current fiscal, the Minister of State for Finance Santosh Kumar Gangwar said while quoting an RBI report.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, the minister said RBI’s Financial Stability Report had said that “under the baseline scenario, the GNPA (Gross Non—Performing Assets) ratio for public sector banks may go up to 10.1 per cent by March 2017“. He attributed the rise in bad loans to a host of factors like domestic growth sluggishness in the recent past, slowdown in recovery in global economy and continuing uncertainty in global markets, leading to lower exports of various products like textiles, engineering goods, leather and gems.
The other factors responsible for the rise in NPAs include ban on mining projects, delay in clearances affecting power, iron and steel sector, volatility in prices of raw material, shortage in availability of power and also aggressive lending by banks in the past.
GNPA jumped from 5.43 per cent (Rs 2.67 lakh crore) in 2014—15 to 9.32 per cent (Rs 4.76 lakh crore) in 2015—16, Gangwar said in a reply to another question.
The minister further said there were 701 NPA accounts above Rs 100 crore amounting to Rs 1.64 lakh crore in public sector banks as on December 2015.
The Reserve Bank, he added, has also submitted a list of defaulters of above Rs 500 crore to the Supreme Court in a sealed cover.
The minister, in yet another reply, said there were 8,167 wilful defaulters with NPAs of Rs 25 lakh and above. They collectively owed Rs 76,685 crore to the banks. The banks, he said, filed FIRs in 1,724 cases and recovered Rs 3,498 crore from 1,650 such defaulters in 2015—16.
No permission given to hike drug prices beyond limits
The Government has not given nod to any pharma firm to increase prices of drugs beyond permissible limits.
“Few companies have given representations for increasing prices of medicines beyond permissible limits mentioning various reasons like increase in cost/tax/foreign exchange rates etc. However, no company has been given permission to increase the prices so far,” Minister of Chemicals & Fertilisers and Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said in a reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
The Government has brought down the prices of 404 medicines under NLEM 2015 (revised schedule—I) of the Drug Price Control Order 2013, he added. Earlier, “the government has reduced the ceiling prices of 530 medicines as on 2/3/2016 under NLEM 2011 of DPCO 2013 (original schedule-I) on the basis of negative wholesale price index”, Kumar said. Schedule I of DPCO 2013 has the national list of essential medicines.
'Development Bhiwadi airport depends on economic viability’
Site clearance has been given on a conditional basis for a greenfield airport near Bhiwadi in Rajasthan and further development will depend on various factors including economic viability, the Government said today.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said site clearance for setting up a greenfield airport near Bhiwadi in Alwar district, Rajasthan, subject to some conditions, was given in November 2015.
Greenfield airports require clearances in two stages — site approval and then ‘in-principle’ nod.
“In case of proposed airport at Bhiwadi, the site clearance has been granted and further development would depend on preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR), its economic viability and financial closure subject to the in—principle approval,” Sinha said.
Asked whether existing rules bar having another airport within 150 kilometres of an existing one, the minister replied in the negative.
With respect to the Hyderabad international airport, Sinha said no new international airport can be developed within 150 kilometres for a specific period.
Responding to another question, Sinha said the Ministry has not received any proposal for development of new airports in Bihar either from the state government or from any private party as per the greenfield airport policy.
To a separate query, Sinha said ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation) had raised observation that all aerodromes serving scheduled air transport operations, including military aerodromes, are required to be certified. “However, at present defence aerodromes are exempted from licensing by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) up to December 31, 2016,” he noted.
Action against websites spreading hatred
The Government has cracked down on a number of websites for spreading hatred and communal tension after the Dadri incident, resulting in a rise in the number of cyber crime cases registered, Lok Sabha was informed today.
Terrorist organisations like Al-Qaeeda, Hizbul Mujahdeen, ISIS and Boko Haram have been making use of the social media for recruitment, and to deal with the problem, the Government will treat the issue effectively, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, said during Question Hour.
“We have figures for the last three years. I agree and admit to the fact that there are many campaigns (on social media) to fan communal tensions and various other issues. The figure has rose in 2015, primarily because there were incident in which we could act. There was the Dadri incident, which happened. This was used to create hatred and divide. We cracked down on many portals. That is why the figure jumped,” Rijiju said in response to a question.
The Dadri incident involved the lynching of man over alleged rumours of beef—eating in Uttar Pradesh last year. The meat found at his home turned out to be mutton, as per forensic lab reports.
“The Government is sensitive about the whole social media that is being used. Cyber crime is a bigger threat and we are ready to face it,” Rijiju said.
In a statement that was laid on the table of the House, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said 5,693 cyber security—related cases were registered across the country in 2013, 9,622 in 2014 and 11,592 cases in 2015.
Call for early wage revision for MPs
A demand for early implementation of recommendations of a Parliamentary Committee headed by Yogi Adityanath on wages and allowances of MPs was made in the Rajya Sabha. Raising the issue, Naresh Agrawal (SP) said the Prime Minister has reportedly set up a Group of Ministers to look into the report of this committee. Questioning the need for setting up the panel, he said it was previously stated that the report will be implemented when 7th Pay Commission for government employees is implemented.
Now that the 7th Pay Commission report has been implemented, the report on salaries and wages of Members of Parliament should be decided upon, Agrawal said. Since MPs are above Cabinet Secretary, the law—makers should be given Rs 1,000 more than what the highest bureaucrat draws, he said. “There is no point in forming a Group of Ministers. Place the committee report in the House,” he demanded.
As several other members supported his demand, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said “I am not sure if all members are in agreement (with the proposition of they themselves deciding on the hike in their salaries and allowances).” As members shouted in support of raising wages, he said “It is up to government to consider it.”
Sitaram Yechury (CPI—M) demanded that the Chair direct the government to bring an appropriate bill before the House. Agrawal said Article 106 of the Constitution provides that law—makers are not at mercy of the government. While Reserve Bank of India Governor has said that there is inflation, why isn’t the government seeing it, he asked.
Not allowed culling of boars, nilgais, monkeys
The Centre said it has not allowed culling of any species posing a threat to farmers, but said wild boar, nilgai and monkeys have been placed in Schedule V of the Wild Life Protection Act that allows people to drive them away in specific areas. Responding to a question in Lok Sabha, his first as a Minister of State for Environment and Forest, Anil Dave said Bihar, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh had requested to include “problematic wild animals” in schedule V in accordance with section 62 of the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972.
Accordingly, nilgai has been placed in the category in 31 and wild boar in 10 districts of Bihar. Wild boars have been placed in Schedule V in 13 districts of Uttarkhand for a year.
The order was issued in December 2015 for Bihar and in February 2016 for Uttarakhand. A similar order was issued for Shimla in Himachal Pradesh in March this year for a period of six months where in a species of monkey (Rhesus Maccaque) was placed in the category. A similar order was extended in 10 districts of the state on May 24 for a year.
“I want to clarify that the Centre has not given any order to cull animals, nor has any state government has asked permission for it,” Dave said. With certain animals brought in Schedule V, this, the minister said, gives them the right “to drive the animal with a stick“.