The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the following.
1. CCEA approves construction of additional Railway lines
2. Cabinet approves Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)
3. Memoranda of Understanding signed with various countries for cooperation in the field of agriculture & allied sectors
4. Cabinet grants ‘in-principle’ approval to the LIGO-India mega science proposal
CCEA approves construction of additional Railway lines
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved construction of six railway lines and a railway bridge. The total cost of the approved projects has been estimated at over Rs.10,700 crore.
The six projects include — doubling of Hubli-Chickajur line (190 km), Ramna-Singrauli stretch (160 km) and Katni-Singrauli railway line (261 km). Other approved projects include construction of the third line between Anuppur-Katni (165 km) and Wardha (Sewagram)-Ballarshah (132 km).
In addition, the CCEA gave approval for the erection of an additional bridge and doubling of RampurDumra-Tal-Rajendrapul stretch.
Cabinet approves Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA)
Nearly two years after the Bali agreement, the Cabinet has approved the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), which seeks to ease customs procedures to boost commerce. The pact aims to expedite the movement, release and clearance of goods, including goods in transit, for international trade.
According to the WTO, full implementation of TFA could increase global merchandise exports by up to $1 trillion annually.
India had initially blocked the TFA, the first multilateral agreement concluded by the WTO, from being adopted by standing firm on its demand of a permanent solution to subsidise its farmers and public stockholding to ensure food security.
Later, India reached an agreement with the US, which offered protection against any challenge to food security programmes under the WTO dispute settlement mechanisms till a permanent solution was found.
Cabinet grants ‘in-principle’ approval to the LIGO-India mega science proposal
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its ‘in principle’ approval to the LIGO-India mega science proposal for research on gravitational waves. The proposal, known as LIGO-India project (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory in India) is piloted by Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Science and Technology (DST). The approval coincides with the historic detection of gravitational waves a few days ago that opened up of a new window on the universe to unravel some of its greatest mysteries.
The LIGO-India project will establish a state-of-the-art gravitational wave observatory in India in collaboration with the LIGO Laboratory in the U.S. run by Caltech and MIT.
Cabinet gave its ex-post facto approval for MoU with various countries
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave its ex-post facto approval for MoU signed between India and various countries for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. The MoU will help in the nature of capacity building, knowledge exchange through visits of scientists and technicians, exchange of genetic resources that aid in development of appropriate technologies and farm practices for enhancing agriculture productivity at farmers’ field. Expertise and technology so developed is applied all over the country as per felt needs.
The countries are Netherlands, Nepal, Cyprus,Israel, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Tanzania, Surinam, Zambia, Syria, Bhutan, Chile and Mauritius.
