BackGovt clears plan for higher education, other measures
Govt clears plan for higher education, other measures
PremiumBig plans: Union science and technology minister Kapil Sibal says the programme aims at a better enrolment ratio for classes IX and X. Harikrishna Katragadda / Mint
New Delhi: The Indian cabinet announced a series of decisions on Friday including a cabinet committee on economic affairs approval for an implementation of a Centrally sponsored scheme to universalize access to secondary education at a cost of Rs20,120 crore through the 11th Plan, which ends in 2012.
Cabinet spokesman and Union minister for science and technology Kapil Sibal said the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan would aim at improving enrolment ratio for classes IX and X to 75% within five years from 52.26% as last recorded in 2005-06.
Other announcements made on Friday included:
—The revision of the rates of royalty for uranium, which would be calculated at the rate of 2% of the compensation amount received by Uranium Corp. of India Ltd and apportioned to the states.
—An ordinance enabling the private sector to avail of Central Industrial Security Force cover to guard against terror attacks on industrial houses. Large companies such as the Tata group had sought CISF cover for their offices and factories. The companies would have to pay for getting the security cover.
—A Rs250 crore investment by PepsiCo Inc. in its subsidiary PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt. Ltd.
—A plan to set up a Rs908 crore seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant in Nemmeli near Chennai for drinking water. Sibal said it would add an additional capacity of 100 million litre per day of water.
—Setting up a Indian Grape Processing Board at a cost of Rs5.93 crore.
—Bringing Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KAPL) and Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (RDPL) under direct control to help the companies, formed as joint ventures with two states, upgrade manufacturing facilities.
—Approved a proposal to transfer the equity share of KAPL, a joint venture between Hindustan Antibiotic Ltd (HAL) and Karnataka state, currently held by HAL to the President of India and an additional investment of Rs7.10 crore; nod for transfer of equity shares held by Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd in RDPL, a joint venture with Rajasthan state, along with a proposal to inject Rs2 crore.
—An ordinance to hike salaries of the Chief Justice of India, judges of the Supreme Court, chief justices and judges of high courts. The revised monthly salary of the Chief Justice of India would be Rs100,000 with judges of the court getting Rs90,000. Chief justices of high courts would also get of Rs90,000, while the judges there would receive Rs80,000.
—Approved various road improvement projects worth Rs4,802.95 crore and spanning 639.75 km in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
(’PTI’ contributed to this story.)
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