Page 7 - Cabinet

Cabinet approves Rs 1,100 cr for industrial dev scheme for HP, Uttarakhand

The cabinet on Wednesday approved additional allocation of over Rs 1,100 crore for the industrial development scheme, 2017 for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, sources said. The additional fund was required to meet the liabilities under the scheme up to 2028-29. Under this scheme, the total financial outlay was Rs 131.90 crore. A decision in this regard was taken in the meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they said. The government provides different incentives under the scheme to companies for investment in these two states, they added. The incentives include access to credit and insurance.

Centre cuts LPG cylinders price by Rs 200 for PMUY beneficiaries

In July, oil companies increased the price of domestic LPG cylinders by Rs 50. Earlier, the prices were increased twice in the month of May

MP Cabinet expansion on cards, 3 to 4 new members likely to get in

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is expected to expand his cabinet soon, a senior leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Thursday, an exercise planned just months ahead of assembly polls. Three to four new members are likely to be inducted in the cabinet of Chouhan, whose current term in office started in March 2020, said the BJP leader. The names of ex-ministers Rajendra Shukla -- a Brahmin leader and the MLA from Rewa in the Vindh region and Gaurishankar Bisen -- the legislator from Balaghat in the Mahakoshal region who is chairman of the MP Backward Class Commission, have almost been finalised for induction in the cabinet, he said. Deliberations are on between Chouhan and senior party functionaries over the induction of Rahul Singh Lodhi and former MP minister Jalam Singh --- both from the OBC community who make up more than 45 per cent of Madhya Pradesh's population, said the BJP leader. Lodhi, a first-time MLA from Khargapur in Tikamgarh .

Will soon seek Cabinet nod for green hydrogen consumption order: R K Singh

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy will soon seek Union Cabinet's approval for a mandate on the use of green hydrogen in different industries. As per the consumption mandate, various industries especially petroleum, steel and fertilizers, would be mandated to consume certain proportion of green hydrogen. At present various industries use hydrogen produced using energy from non-fossil fuel-based sources. "Basically that (green hydrogen consumption) mandate fixation is in process. By and large, we have had the discussions and we have come up with some figures, and we will go to the cabinet soon," Union Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh said at the BNEF Summit here. "We have had discussions with the concerned ministries on this," he said, adding that most ministries want the mandates to be small to start with, "but I want a larger mandate for obvious reasons". The minister explained that the government amended the Energy Conservation Act, which gives power to

PM-eBus Sewa to act as catalyst for EV promotion across urban centres: SMEV

The PM-eBus Sewa will act as a catalyst for promotion of electric vehicles across urban centres to drive the penetration of electric mobility, Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV) said on Thursday. "Buses being a pivotal source of urban pollution, the decision will help substantially reduce pollution levels and consequential carbon emissions," SMEV Director General Sohinder Gill said in a statement. "Moreover, this strategic manoeuvre is set to act as a catalyst for the promotion of electric vehicles across diverse urban centres, enabling a more extensive embrace of electric mobility," he said. The initiative holds the potential to generate direct employment opportunities and help upskilling existing resources, he said, adding that the scheme will also introduce economies of scale for the procurement of electric buses. It will also play an instrumental role in propelling India towards self-reliance, environmental stewardship, and its envisioned status as a hub for E

Cabinet approves funding for railways, e-buses, digital India | Key points

Union Minister Anurag Thakur said Rs 57,613 crores will be spent on PM-eBus Sewa, and the Centre will provide Rs 20,000 crore for the scheme

Govt approves Rs 13,000 cr PM Vishwakarma scheme, will benefit 3 mn workers

Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 13,000 crore PM Vishwakarma scheme that will benefit about 30 lakh traditional artisans and craftsmen, including weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths, laundry workers, and barbers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the announcement about the scheme in his Independence Day address on Tuesday. Under the scheme, craftsmen will be provided a subsidised loan of Rs 1 lakh in the first tranche, and another Rs 2 lakh in the second tranche, communications minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said after the Cabinet meeting. The loans will be provided at a concessional interest rate of 5 per cent. On Tuesday, the prime minister announced that the scheme will be launched on Vishwakarma Jayanti on September 17.

Cabinet approved Rs 1.3 trillion Bharatnet package: Top DoT official

A new operational model has been adopted to cover 640,000 villages under Bharatnet within next 2 years

Cabinet clears Telecommunication Bill, may not be tabled in current session

The Union Cabinet is learnt to have cleared the Indian Telecommunication Bill 2023, but the government may not table it in the current Parliament session, according to sources. According to sources, the government has relaxed a significant part of internet-based calling and messaging services from the ambit of telecom rules. "Cabinet has cleared Indian Telecommunication Bill 2023 but the government is not in a hurry to table it in the current session," a source, who did not wish to be identified, said. The government had proposed to include internet-based communication services, in-flight and maritime connectivity services, interpersonal communications services, machine-to-machine communication services and over-the-top (OTT) communication services under the ambit of telecom service in the draft Bill floated for public consultation. The government during the consultation process had said that users' protection will be a key focus of the Indian Telecommunication Bill. The bill seek

Delhi Cabinet approves ex-gratia of Rs 10,000 to flood-affected families

An ex-gratia of Rs 10,000 will be provided to the families affected by the floods in Delhi ahead of their return to their homes from relief camps, an official statement issued on Wednesday said. The decision to provide financial aid to families was taken after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met victims to assess the situation. He expressed his concern for the flood victims, said a government statement. "The implementation of the ex-gratia relief is aimed at providing immediate financial assistance to the affected families and helping them recover from the devastating impact of the floods," he stated. The decision is particularly important at this point as it provides timely aid to affected families at a juncture when they have just started returning back from relief camps, the statement added. As per the approved Cabinet note, families affected by the floods and currently residing in relief camps will receive an ex-gratia amount of Rs 10,000. This will be subject to verification o

Reddy skips Union Cabinet meet after appointment as Telangana BJP president

A day after his appointment as the Telangana BJP president, Union minister G Kishan Reddy skipped the meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. Though no official reason was cited for his absence, some leaders believe it could be an indication of his likely exit from the Union Cabinet ahead of its expected reshuffle. Reddy, the Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of the North East Region, was on Tuesday appointed as the president of the BJP's Telangana unit. The BJP also has the norm of one-person-one-post. A source close to Reddy declined to comment on whether he will be quitting from the Cabinet. He has been a dedicated party worker for decades and will discharge whatever responsibility its leadership assigns to him, the source said. Prime Minister Modi is expected to reshuffle his Council of Ministers soon, and the organisational changes in the BJP are seen as a precursor to that as the ruling party prepares for a host of stat

PM tells ministers to inform people about govt's development works: Report

Asserting that his government has done a lot of development work in its nine years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday asked his Council of Ministers to go all out over the next nine months to inform people about the works, sources said. The prime minister chaired a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers at the newly built convention centre at the Pragati Maidan, which will host the G20 summit in September. The sources said a presentation was also made in the meeting on India's likely growth journey in a host of areas, ranging from infrastructure to budget size, till 2047 when it celebrates the centenary of its independence. This will put India among the leading countries in the world, they said. Modi has described the era till 2047 as "Amrit Kaal" (golden era) for the country. The sources said the prime minister noted the global challenges and lauded the country's development. A number of secretaries representing different ministries, including foreign and defence, spoke

PM chairs 'fruitful' meeting of Council of Ministers amid reshuffle buzz

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on Monday at the newly built convention centre at the Pragati Maidan, which will host the G20 summit in September. This comes amid a heightened buzz about a likely Cabinet reshuffle following a series of meetings of the ruling BJP's top brass. What has added to the reshuffle buzz is the fact that the period before Parliament's Monsoon Session, which begins from July 20, could be the last window for such an exercise.

PM Narendra Modi to chair meeting of Council of Ministers on July 3

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair a meeting of the Union Council of Ministers on July 3, a development which comes against the backdrop of hectic meetings of the ruling BJP's top brass amid a buzz over a Cabinet reshuffle and organisational changes. The July 3 meeting is likely to be held at the newly built convention centre at Pragati Maidan here, which will host the G20 summit in September, officials said on Thursday. Though the speculation about a Cabinet reshuffle has been rife for a long time, recent meetings involving the BJP's brain trust, including Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J P Nadda, and the fact that the period before the Parliament's Monsoon Session could be the last window for such an exercise have added to the buzz. The Monsoon Session is likely to begin in the third week of July. The party's organisation, including in some states, may also see some changes as its top brass makes its choices for key positions as the campaign for the 2024 Lok Sab

PM Modi to chair meeting with cabinet ministers amid talk of reshuffle

PM Modi had held in-depth discussions with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, and other key party leaders on Wednesday

Union Cabinet approves ratification of Headquarters Agreement with CDRI

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the ratification of the Headquarters Agreement between the Government of India and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI). The CDRI was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the United Nations climate action summit on September 23, 2019 in New York. It is a major global initiative launched by the government and is seen as India's attempt to obtain a global leadership role in climate change and disaster resilience matters, according to an official release. The Union Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Modi, has given its approval to the ratification of the Headquarters Agreement (HQA) between the government and CDRI signed on August 22 last year, it said. Ratification of the headquarters agreement will facilitate grant of exemptions, immunities and privileges as contemplated under Section-3 of the United Nations (Privileges and Immunities) Act, 1947 and will provide CDRI an independent and internationa

Cabinet assent to set up National Research Foundation to boost R&D

The government on Wednesday approved a bill to set up the National Research Foundation, a new funding agency to bolster the country's research competence, Union minister Anurag Thakur said. He said the National Research Foundation Bill will be brought in Parliament and the Science and Engineering Research Board Act, 2008 will be repealed. At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to introduce the National Research Foundation (NRF) Bill, 2023, Thakur told reporters here. The NRF will be governed by a governing board consisting of 15 to 25 eminent researchers and professionals. The governing board will be headed by the prime minister, he noted.

Govt nods to PM-PRANAM to incentivise promotion of alternative fertilisers

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a new scheme PM-PRANAM to incentivise states to promote alternative fertilisers and reduce the use of chemical fertilisers. The scheme PM-PRANAM (PM Programme for Restoration, Awareness, Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth) was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 as part of the Budget for 2023-24. "Under the scheme, the Centre will incentivise states, which will promote alternative fertilisers and reduce chemical fertilisers," Fertiliser Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters after the cabinet meeting. Citing example, suppose a state is using 10 lakh tonne of conventional fertiliser, and if it reduces its consumption by 3 lakh tonne, then the subsidy saving would be Rs 3,000 crore. Out of that subsidy savings, the Centre will give 50 per cent of it -- Rs 1,500 crore to the state for promoting the use of alternative fertiliser and other development works, he added.

Assam cabinet nod to Rs 823 crore investment in Numaligarh Refinery

The Assam cabinet on Saturday approved an investment of Rs 823 crore in Numaligarh Refinery Ltd for its expansion project. As part of the Rs 28,026 crore project, Numaligarh Refinery will expand its capacity from 3 million metric tonnes (mmt) to 9 mmt, and lay a crude pipeline of 1,398 km from Odisha's Paradip to Numaligarh and a product pipeline of 605 km from Numaligarh to West Bengal's Siliguri. The state government will get additional equity in the company against this investment, and release Rs 205.73 crore in the first tranche, state minister Jayanta Malla Baruah told reporters. The cabinet also decided to amend the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Assam Rules 2022 to incorporate 'Regulation for Idol Immersion', he said. The key feature of it will be the identification of permanent immersion ghats along river banks, he added.

Senthil Balaji to continue in Stalin cabinet as minister without portfolio

Senior leader and Tamil Nadu Housing Minister Erode Muthuswamy will hold additional charge of Excise and Prohibition