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The Cabinet on Tuesday is likely to approve a Joint Declaration of Intent with Germany for cooperation in the critical minerals sector and is also expected to give nod to a similar pact with Canada, sources said. The decisions, expected to be taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aim to bolster India's strategic partnerships amid global rush among nations for securing resources vital for clean energy transition and advanced technologies. The pact with Germany will focus on joint exploration, sustainable mining, supply chain resilience and the technology transfer, sources told PTI. This comes at a time when India is ramping up efforts to secure critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements through international alliances, as part of its Atmanirbhar Bharat push in energy security. The Cabinet is also likely to clear signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent between India and Canada for cooperation in the critical minerals ...
The Union Cabinet has approved the launch of the Urban Challenge Fund (UCF) with a total central assistance of Rs 1 lakh crore, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday. Under the scheme, central assistance will cover 25 per cent of a project's cost, provided that at least 50 per cent of the funding is mobilised from the market. In a statement, the government said the initiative will lead to a total investment of Rs 4 lakh crore in the urban sector over the next five years. The move marks a paradigm shift in India's urban new development approach from grant-based financing to a market-linked, reform-driven and outcome-oriented infrastructure creation, it said. The UCF will leverage market financing, private sector participation and citizen-centric reforms to deliver high-quality urban infrastructure, it said. The fund aims to build resilient, productive, inclusive and climate-responsive cities, positioning them as key drivers of the country's next phase of economic growth,
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved three projects of the Railway Ministry entailing a cost of approximately Rs 18,509 crore. These projects include the construction of third and fourth lines between Kasara-Manmad, Delhi-Ambala, and Ballari-Hosapete. "The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways," the government said in a statement on Saturday. "These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion. The projects are in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a New India, which will make people in the region 'Atmanirbhar' through comprehensive development that enhances employment and self-employment opportunities," it added. According to the statement, the projects are planned under the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan, with a focus on enhancing multi-modal ...
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a special meeting of the Union Cabinet at South Block on Friday, the last such gathering at the British-era secretariat building before the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) shifts to its new complex, 'Seva Teerth'. Official sources confirmed this will be the Cabinet's final meeting in the PMO located in the imperial complex designed by British architect Herbert Baker in the early 1900s to meet the requirements of the British Raj. The cabinet meeting, scheduled for 4 pm on Friday, will be followed by the PMO's relocation to 'Seva Teerth'. The move will mark the end of an era, as all government departments vacate the North and South blocks -- the seat of power since 1921. The government plans to convert the iconic buildings into the 'Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum', a world-class museum tracing India's civilisational journey. The relocation is part of the government's broader initiative to decolonise India's administrative architecture and ...
The Bihar government on Tuesday approved more than Rs 882 crore for the overall development of 'Punaura Dham Janki Mandir', a Hindu pilgrimage site in Sitamarhi district that is considered the birthplace of Goddess Sita. The state Cabinet decided at a meeting chaired by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar here on Tuesday. "I am extremely delighted to inform that the state Cabinet on Tuesday approved a comprehensive plan, worth Rs 882.87 Crore, for the overall development of Punaura Dham, the birthplace of goddess Sita (Janaki), in Sitamarhi district. The plan includes the construction of a grand temple and other structures," Kumar posted on X soon after the meeting. According to the proposal of the state Tourism department, which was approved by the Cabinet, around Rs 137 crore will be spent on the renovation of the old Punaura Dham Janki Mandir and Rs. 728 crore for the development of tourist infrastructure around the temple. The remaining amount will be spent on the maintenance of t
Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the ruling Mahayuti coalition, accusing it of spending a whopping Rs 150 crore on preparations for a cabinet meeting in Ahilyanagar district. The BJP-led government, however, clarified it had given an advertisement for a tender of works worth Rs 1.5 crore for the proposed cabinet meeting, but the amount was published "incorrectly" as Rs 150 crore. In a post on X, Sapkal attached a tender notice published in newspapers stating that Rs 150 crore will be spent on mandaps (a temporary platform), staging, green rooms, toilets, barricading, sound, air conditioners, electricity, fire brigade and CCTV set up for the meeting. The notice states an e-tender will be floated on April 24. A cabinet meeting is scheduled on April 29 in Chondi, the birthplace of the legendary 18th century Malwa queen Ahilyabai Holkar, whose 300th birth anniversary year is being observed. Last year, the western Maharashtra .
The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a production-linked incentive scheme for passive or non-semiconductor electronics components with an outlay of Rs 22,919 crore, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. It is the first scheme that focuses on promoting the manufacturing of passive electronic components. The minister said that the scheme will create direct employment for 91,600 people and attract investment of around Rs 59,350 crore. "Passive components are approved under the Electronics Component PLI scheme. It has a total package of Rs 22,919 crore. This will be over six years," Vaishnaw said. The minister said that that segment will serve the requirements of several sectors, including telecom, consumer electronics, automobile, medical devices, power sector etc. He said that the scheme is expected to lead to production of Rs 4.56 lakh crore. According to electronics component makers body Elcina, non-semiconductor components production in India was around USD 13