Two Lakh Cooperative Societies, Vibrant Village Programme, New Battalions: Key Cabinet Decisions Today

The Union Cabinet has approved several development schemes in various sectors, such as agriculture, border security, roads, and infrastructure.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur at the announcement of the key Cabinet decisions.

The Union Cabinet met on Wednesday and took some important decisions for development in various sectors such as agriculture, border security, roads, and infrastructure, in the country.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Information & Broadcasting  and Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Anurag Thakur and Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Information & Broadcasting L Murugan later discussed the various proposals that came up during the Cabinet meeting.

Here are the key proposals that got the Cabinet's approval on Wednesday:

DEVELOPING THE COOPERATIVE SECTOR

In order to strengthen the cooperative sector in the country and deepen its grassroots reach, the Union Cabinet has approved two lakh multipurpose primary agricultural credit societies (PACS) viable dairy and fishery cooperatives in the next five years. Union Minister Anurag Thakur said the plan will be implemented with the convergence of several schemes, using the 'whole-of-government' approach.  He said 13 crore farmers are associated with the PACS.

DISCOURAGING MIGRATION FROM BORDER AREAS

Thakur also said that the Union Cabinet has approved the Centre-sponsored scheme — Vibrant Villages Programme — for the next two financial years with an allocation of Rs 4,800 crore. This will lead to infrastructure development and employment opportunities in four states and one Union Territory along the northern border.

The Vibrant Villages Programme was announced by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her 2002 Budget speech. The programme envisages coverage of the sparsely populated border villages in the North that have limited connectivity and infrastructure and which often get left out of the development gains.

Thakur said that the programme will help encourage people to stay in their native locations in border areas and reverse the outmigration from these villages, thus, adding to improved security of the border.
The programme will focus on social entrepreneurship and empowerment of youth and women through skill development.

ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

Thakur said roads and other infrastructure will be strengthened in 2,966 villages of 19 districts of Ladakh, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. This scheme will be different from the Border Area Development Programme.

The minister said that the entire cost of the project will be borne by the central government.

The government also approved the construction of the  Shinku La Tunnel to provide all-weather connectivity in Ladakh. The length of the tunnel will be 4.1 kilometres and it will be completed by 2025.

ENHANCED BORDER SECURITY

The Cabinet Committee on Security also approved raising seven new battalions of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. For the supervision of the battalions, an additional sector headquarters will be established by 2025-26.

AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT

For the farming sector, the Cabinet approved the signing of an MoU between India and Chile for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors. According the government, the main areas of cooperation would be agricultural policies for the development of modern agriculture, organic agriculture to facilitate the bilateral trade of organic products, as well as promotion of exchange of policies aimed to develop organic production in both countries. Science and innovation to promote innovation in the agricultural sector among Indian and Chilean institutes would be the focus of this MoU. 

OPPORTUNITIES IN DISABILITY SECTOR

The Cabinet approved approves signing of an MoU between India and South Africa for cooperation in the Disability sector. It envisages that Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) at large and the ageing population in both countries, who especially require modern, scientific, durable, cost-effective aids, and assistive devices will be benefitted by this MoU.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FINANCE PROFESSIONALS

Cabinet approves signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales (ICAEW). The MoU will provide recognition of the qualification, and training of each other's members and admit them in good standing by prescribing a bridging mechanism on the prevailing terms and conditions. The parties to this MoU will provide each other with information on material changes to their qualifying/admission requirements, CPD policy, exemptions and any other relevant matters.