Govt moves HSL to defence min

The government today transferred state-owned Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL) from the shipping to the defence ministry to meet the country’s security needs.

Sources said the move was aimed at creating capabilities for the Navy to indigenously construct nuclear submarines.

The Cabinet also approved the setting up of a new shipyard of international standard.

“The government has approved the transfer of HSL, Visakhapatnam, to the Ministry of Defence for meeting the national security requirements of building strategic vessels for Indian Navy,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said.

Nod to development of 352-km highways
The government today approved developing 352 km of highways with an investment of Rs 2,973 crore. The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved two- and four-laning of 163.5 km of Ranchi-Argaon-Jamshedpur section of National Highway-33 in Jharkhand at an estimated cost of Rs 1,011 crore, an official statement said. The committee also approved four- and six-laning of 71.4 km stretch on NH-8A from Gandhidham to Mundra Port in Gujarat at the cost of Rs 953.88 crore.

Act to be amended to include disabled children
Disabled children will soon be entitled to reservation in admission to private schools, with the Cabinet today approving a Bill to further amend the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. The Act, at present, provides for free and compulsory education as a fundamental right of every child between 6 and 14 years of age and earmarks 25 per cent seats to children from “economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups” in private schools.