Cabinet approves revised cost for completing necessary infrastructure of 13 new Central universities

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved for incurring an expenditure of Rs 3,639.32 core for the 13 new Central universities for recurring cost and creation of necessary infrastructure for the completion of their campuses. The work will be completed within a period of 36 months.

The Cabinet has also given ex-post facto approval for an amount of Rs 1,474.65 crore, being the amount spent over and above the earlier Cabinet approval of Rs 3,000 crore for these Central Universities.

The new Central Universities in the States of Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir (two), Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu were established under Central Universities Act, 2009.

These include Central University of South Bihar, Gaya, Bihar, Central University of Haryana, Mahendragarh, Central University of Jammu, Jammu, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, Central University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Central University of Karnataka, Gulbarga, Central University of Kerala, Kasargod, Central University of Orissa, Koraput, Central University of Punjab, Bhatinda, Central University of Rajasthan, Bandersindri, Rajasthan, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Thiruvarur, Central University of Gujarat, Gujarat, and Central University of Himachal Pradesh.

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, who briefed the press after the Cabinet meeting, accused the previous UPA government of not providing an adequate amount of time and budget for the new Central universities. "Earlier, UPA government had allocated an insufficient amount of around Rs 3,120 crore, which has now been increased to Rs 8,103 crore," he said.

"The Cabinet also gave its approval for the regularisation of pay scales of below Board Level Executives in hydropower companies including National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), North East Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO), THDC India (formerly Tehri Hydro Development Corporation) and Satluj Jal Vidhyut Nigam (SJVN)," informed Goyal.

Goyal said that an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been signed with Australia's Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources, Mine and Energy to improve mining safety, new technology, testing research capacity and to upgrade mining system in India.

He further said that another MoU was signed with the Republic of Maldives to facilitate visa facilities. "The Cabinet gave the ex-post facto approval to an agreement on the facilitation of visa arrangements signed between India and Maldives," said Goyal.