The Union Cabinet today approved six proposals worth around 95,000 crore rupees. Briefing media after the cabinet meeting in New Delhi, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said a comprehensive package of 69,725 crore rupees has been approved to revitalize India’s shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem. He said the package introduces a four-pillar approach designed to strengthen domestic capacity, improve long-term financing and promote greenfield and brownfield shipyard development.
He said, it will also enhance technical capabilities and skilling and implement legal, taxation, and policy reforms to create a robust maritime infrastructure. The Minister said, under this package, the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme will be extended until 31 March 2036 with a total corpus of 24,736 crore rupees. Mr Vaishnaw said, the scheme aims to incentivize ship building in India and includes a Shipbreaking Credit Note with an allocation of over 4000 crore rupees.
He said, a National Shipbuilding Mission will also be established to oversee the implementation of all initiatives. Mr Vaishnaw said, the Union Cabinet today approved payment of Productivity Linked Bonus PLB of 78 days for over 1,865 crore rupees to 10.91 lakh railway employees. Payment of PLB to eligible railway employee is made each year before the Durga Puja and Dussehra holidays. The payment of PLB acts as an incentive to motivate the railway employees for working towards improvement in the performance of the Railways.
Mr Vaishnaw said, the Cabinet has approved the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Scheme on Capacity Building and Human Resource Development with a total outlay of over 2,277 crore rupees for the period of the Fifteenth Finance Commission Cycle 2021-22 to 2025-26.
He said, the scheme is implemented by the CSIR and will cover all Research and Development institutions, national laboratories, Institutes of National Importance, Institutes of Eminence and Universities across the country. The Minister said, the initiative provides a wide platform for young, enthusiastic researchers aspiring to build careers in universities, industry, national Research and Development laboratories, and academic institutions. He said, guided by eminent scientists and professors, the scheme will foster growth in Science, Technology & Engineering, Medical, and Mathematical Sciences (STEMM).
Mr Vaishnaw said, Cabinet has approved major expansion of postgraduate and undergraduate medical education capacity in the country, with Phase-III of Centrally Sponsored Scheme CSS adding five thousand PG seats and the extension of CSS creating 5,023 MBBS seats. The Minister said, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs CCEA today approved doubling of the Bakhtiyarpur-Rajgir-Tilaiya railway line section in Bihar at a cost of 2,192 crore rupees. He said, the project covering four districts in Bihar will increase the existing network of the railways by 104 kilometres. It will also provide rail connectivity to destinations like Rajgir (Shanti Stupa), Nalanda and Pawapuri boosting tourism and pilgrimage.
Mr Vaishnaw said, the Cabinet also approved construction of four-lane Sahebganj-Areraj-Bettiah section of the NH-139W in Bihar on Hybrid Annuity Mode with a total project length of around 79 kilometres worth over 3,822 crore rupees. He said, the four lane greenfield project will improve connectivity between Patna-Bettiah, linking north Bihar districts and areas alsong Indo-Nepal Border.
