Question : EXEMPTION TO PROVIDE SUBSIDIES TO WOMEN

(a) whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Government to seek exemption to provide subsidies to women, especially in rural areas, involved in income generation at the lower economic strata, and to evolve mechanisms to protect women, farmers and workers from the adverse effect of WTO regime;

(b) if so, whether to achieve this objective the Government propose to take up the issue of setting up a `gender box` akin to the `green box` in the WTO regime at the next round of negotiations; and

(c) if so, the decision, if any, has been taken in the matter ?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY ( SHRI DIGVIJAY SINGH )

(a) to (c):At present there is no proposal with the Government for creation of a `gender box`. However, India in its proposals submitted to the WTO for the ongoing negotiations under the Agreement on Agriculture, has demanded creation of a `Food Security Box` so as to take care of its food security and livelihood concerns and has, interalia, sought sufficient flexibility for domestic policy measures taken by the developing country members for alleviation of poverty, rural development, rural employment and diversification of agriculture.