The Union Cabinet Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the following approvals. Here we have consolidated all the approvals in a single post.
Cabinet Approvals
Union Cabinet gives nod to establish 6 new IITs
Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of six new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Karnataka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its approval for operationalisation of these IITs initially by forming of Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in order to give them legal status till the amendment for their incorporation in The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 is enacted. At present, there are 16 IITs in the country.
Each new IIT will have an initial intake of 180 students in its first year which would increase to 450 in the second year and to 928 (840 Undergraduates, 80 Postgraduates and 8 PhDs) in the third year of their operation. The total cost for running these IITs is Rs 1,411.80 crore and will be incurred between 2015-16 and 2018-19.
Union Cabinet approves pacts with Germany for solar energy
The Union Cabinet has approved a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which was signed in October 2015, between India and Germany, to expand bilateral development cooperation in the field of Solar Energy by increasing use of solar energy in India through technical as well as financial cooperation. Under the agreement, Germany would provide concessional loans in the range of one billion Euros over the next five years through Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW).
The Union Cabinet also approved another agreement with Germany to roll out the ‘Make-in-India’ campaign for the capital goods sector.
Government gives nod to introduction of Regional Centre for Biotechnology Bill, 2015
The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of a Bill for establishment of a Regional Centre for Biotechnology in Faridabad. The objective of the Bill is to provide a legal status to the Centre so as to function independently as an autonomous body and also an Institution of National Importance for education, training and research in the areas of biotechnology. The Centre has already been established by an executive order of the Government of India in November, 2008 after the approval by the Union Cabinet. It is currently operational at the NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad and the enactment does not involve any financial implications at this stage.
It would be a hub of biotechnology expertise in the countries in South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) region, and more generally in the Asia region, and to address human resources needs in the region.
Government gives nod to MoU between India and Israel in the field of water resources
The Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing MoU between India and Israel in the field of water resources management and development cooperation. The bilateral cooperation between both countries will benefit them in strengthening the techniques in efficient use of water, micro-irrigation. It would also help them in recycling and re-use of waste water, aquifer recharge, desalination and in-situ water conservation techniques. Both countries will form a joint working group to monitor the activities to be carried out for the fulfilment of provisions mentioned in the MoU.
Israel which is one of the arid countries in West Asia has pioneered different water conservation and water management techniques to overcome the issue of water scarcity. Its pioneering techniques include efficiency use of water, micro-irrigation, reuse of waste water, desalination, aquifer recharge etc.
Union Cabinet approves DTAC agreement with Japan
The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved signing and ratification of Protocol between India and Japan for amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) in order to facilitate tax-related exchange of information. DTAC was signed between the two countries in 1989 for avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion through a protocol.
The protocol will facilitate exchange of information as per accepted international standards on tax matters, including bank information and information without domestic tax interest. The Protocol has a provision for India and Japan to lend assistance to each other in collection of revenue claims, as well as for exemption of interest income from taxation in the source country, with respect to debt-claims insured by the Government or Government-owned financial institutions.
Union Cabinet approved rehabilitation package for Bangladesh enclaves
The Union Cabinet has approved the rehabilitation package and upgradation of infrastructure of the Bangladeshi enclaves and Cooch Behar district after transfer of enclaves between India and Bangladesh. The total financial implication for implementation of various components is around Rs. 1005.99 crores. This includes Rs. 898.50 crores as the fixed cost of strengthening and creation of infrastructure in Cooch Behar district and Bangladesh enclaves in India. Besides, a variable cost of Rs. 107.49 crores is likely to be incurred for the rehabilitation. The actual variable cost would depend upon the actual number of families returning to India.
All the works will be implemented by the State Government or its agencies in a time-frame of 3-5 years, and funds would be released by the Ministry of Home Affairs to the State Government as grant-in-aid.
