Parliament Watch: Government does not subscribe to World Press Freedom Index; 678 in prison merely due to non-payment of fine

Parliament on Tuesday saw replies to questions on topics ranging from convicts still in prison solely due to non-payment of fine to the value of properties attached by Central agencies in the last five years..One answer revealed that the Central government does not subscribe to the World Press Freedom Index, claiming that its methodology is questionable and non-transparent..Government does not subscribe to Reporters Without Borders, Word Press Freedom Index.Assam Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi sought to know the details of steps taken by the Central government to improve India's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index. India is currently ranked at 150 out of 180 countries..Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur stated in his reply,"The World Press Freedom Index is published by a foreign Non Government-Organization, “Reporters Without Borders”. The Government does not subscribe to its views and country rankings and does not agree to the conclusions drawn by this organization for various reasons including very low sample size, little or no weightage to fundamentals of democracy, adoption of a methodology which is questionable and non-transparent, etc.".678 convicts still in prison solely due to non-payment of fine.Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha MP TRVS Ramesh sought to know the number of prisoners who have not been released from the jails even after completing their sentence..The Home Ministry in its reply revealed that as on December 31, 2022, 678 convicts across the country were still in jail due to non-payment of the fine amount despite having completed their sentences. Of these, 172 are in jails in Uttar Pradesh while 75, 68 and 43 are in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Kerala respectively..Central agencies have attached immovable properties worth ₹1,10,93,482.84 lakh during the last five years.Kerala Rajya Sabha MP Dr John Brittas sought to know from the Ministry of Finance the details and value of immovable properties attached by various Central agencies during the last five years. He also sought to know the details and value of such attached immovable properties disposed through auction or otherwise during the last five years..The Ministry's reply stated that from the 2017-18 Financial Year (FY) until January 31, 2023, Central agencies have attached 9,005 immovable properties with a total value of ₹1,10,93,482.84 lakhs. During FY 2018-19, 2,452 properties worth ₹26,36,786.31 Lakhs were attached..During the same period, 110 properties were disposed of through auction for ₹7,086.05 lakh by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). During FY 2018-19, 21 properties worth ₹2,314.23 lakhs were disposed of..In addition, the Ministry stated that from February 1, 2018 till January 31, 2023, confiscation of proceeds of crime amounting to ₹15,619.56 crore has been secured by Enforcement Directorate (ED). Assets amounting to ₹15,113.91 crore have been restituted to Public Sector Banks. Out of this, the consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) has realized ₹7,975.27 crore by sale of assets handed over to them by the ED..[Read Question].No vacancies in Appellate Authority under the PMLA.To a question by Kerala Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani, the Finance Ministry revealed that all the posts of Chairperson and other members of the Appellate Authority under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) are filled up.Additionally, it was revealed that 1,064 prosecution complaints are pending for completion of trial under PMLA..[Read Question]