Union Cabinet gives nod for incorporation of Six new IITs; Upgrades Indian School of Mines to IIT

The Cabinet has granted ex-post facto approval to the amendment to the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 for incorporation of six new IITs and conversion of Indian School of Mines (ISM) Dhanbad to an IIT. The six new IITs will be located at Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Palakkad (Kerala), Dharwar (Karnataka), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Goa and Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir).

• The Cabinet granted ex-post facto approval for establishment of National Institute of Technology (NIT), Andhra Pradesh, which has been registered as a Society under the Andhra Pradesh Societies Registration Act, 2001. The approval will give a legal entity to NIT Andhra Pradesh. This institute is being funded by the Centre.
• The Cabinet has also approved introduction of a Bill namely the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2016 for inclusion of the NIT Andhra Pradesh in its First Schedule.

Cabinet Approves India-Japan Pact On Thermal Power

The Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between India and Japan for promoting sustainable, stable and low-carbon thermal power development in India. The proposal includes undertaking activities such as update on the current and future policy trend in Indian power sector with wide coverage from renovation and modernisation and life extension to new power development in India. The pact also provides for identifying barriers that could be addressed through mutual collaboration by the Central Electricity Authority and Japan Coal Energy Centre.

The MoU also provides for consideration of justifiability and feasibility of individual cases of power development based on thermal power generation technologies in terms of funding from the existing financial instruments and other available bilateral financial schemes.

Financial restructuring of Hindustan Steel Works Construction Limited

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for financial restructuring of Hindustan Steel Works Construction Limited (HSCL). It has also approved its takeover by National Buildings Construction Corporation Limited (NBCC), a Central Public Sector Enterprise under the Ministry of Urban Development.

NBCC and HSCL are Government of India enterprises with similar lines of business activities. The decision will benefit in economies of scale for NBCC and would assist in better manpower utilization. NBCC and HSCL will benefit from each other’s resources and expertise. HSCL will be able to fulfill its commitments of execution of projects and the orders.

Union Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to Amendments in Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for introduction of two Bills in the Parliament for certain amendments in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950 so as to modify the list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of five States, namely, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and identification of new communities in the Union Territory of Puducherry.

After the Bill becomes as Act, members of the communities included in the list of Scheduled Tribes will be able to derive benefits meant for Scheduled Tribes under the existing schemes.  Some of the major schemes of this kind include Post Matric Scholarship, National Overseas Scholarship, National Fellowship, Top Class Education, Concessional Loans from National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation, Hostels for ST boys and girls etc.

Union Cabinet approves India, Maldives MoU for cooperation in field of tourism

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today granted ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Maldives for strengthening cooperation in the field of tourism.

The Memorandum of Understanding with Maldives will be instrumental in increasing arrival from this important source market. In recent years, Maldives has emerged as an important tourism generating market for India.

Objectives:

The main objectives of the Memorandum of Understanding, are:

a) To expand bilateral cooperation in the tourism sector

b) To exchange information and data related to tourism

c) To encourage cooperation between tourism stakeholders, including hotels and tour operators

d) To establish exchange programme for cooperation in Human Resources Development

e) To invest in the Tourism and Hospitality sectors

f) To exchange visits of Tour Operators/Media/Opinion Makers for promotion of two-way tourism

g) To exchange experiences in the areas of promotion, marketing, destination development and management

h) To participate in travel fairs/exhibitions in each other’s country and

i) To promote safe honourable and sustainable tourism

The Cabinet granted ex-post facto approval to the cadre review of the Indian Postal Service

The Cabinet also granted ex-post facto approval to the cadre review of the Indian Postal Service. The cadre review will enable the Department of Posts to meet the functional requirements and strengthening the cadre structure both in the headquarters and in the field on the basis of functional requirement. It will lead to the creation of new posts at DG, ADG, SAG, JAG and JTS levels by decreasing Senior Time Scale posts.