The Union Cabinet approved a $1.5 billion (about Rs 9,000 crore) offer of World Bank support for the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) in rural areas.

• The approval provides for a mechanism of incentivisation through World Bank credit. States’ performance will be gauged through performance indicators.

Fertiliser subsidy

• The government has also fixed the subsidy rates of phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for 2016-17, with an estimated outgo of Rs 21,274 crore, at the same estimated level of consumption as in 2015-16, at about 31 million tonnes.
• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved Rs 15.8 per kg for nitrogen, Rs 13.2 per kg for phosphorus, Rs 15.4 per kg potash and Rs 2.04 per kg for sulphur.
• Under the policy since April 2010, the subsidy on P&K fertilisers is announced annually for each of these four nutrients on a per kg basis, then converted into subsidy per tonne. The rates are determined by taking into account the international and domestic prices of P&K fertiliser, exchange rate and inventory levels.

Bhutan hydro project

• The Cabinet approved a revised cost of Rs 4,021 crore for the 720 Mw Mangadechhu Hydroelectric Project in Bhutan, under implementation. 
• The project will provide surplus power to India and the bilateral agreement was signed in April 2010, at an estimated Rs 2,896 crore (March 2008 prices).
• The Government of India is funding it, with 30 per cent being a grant and 70 per cent a loan, at 10 per cent annual interest, to be paid back in 30 equal six-month instalments.

World football

• The government approved changes suggested by an inspection team from Fifa, the world football body.

Obsolete laws

• A law which the government now does not want to scrap and another which has already been repealed are set to be removed from two Bills which seek to abrogate obsolete legislation.
• Official amendments to the two to remove the Pensions’ Act and the Punjab Appropriation Act from the list of laws the government wants to repeal were cleared by the Union Cabinet.

Other decisions

* Govt approves pacts with UAE for skill development;

* Approval for an agreement with the UAE to explore mobilisation up to $75 billion of long-term investment in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund;

* CCEA approved doubling of the 124-km Kiul-Gaya rail line in Bihar, estimated to cost Rs 1,354 crore. And, doubling of 158.5 km Hatia-Bondamuda line for catering to thermal power units in the region;

* Approval for signing of an agreement with Lithuania for cooperation in agriculture;

* Transfer of 89.7 hectares of land in Delhi’s Dwarka to the department of industrial policy and promotion for setting up a world-class exhibition-cum convention centre;

* CCEA decided to extend by four years the Udaan Scheme, a special industry initiative for Jammu & Kashmir, for exposing the state’s youth to the corporate sector, till 2019-20;

* Approved procurement of launch and related services for GSAT-11 spacecraft, at Rs 1,117 crore