AMN /
Union Cabinet today approved a proposal for raising 17 Indian Reserve Battalions for Jammu and Kashmir and Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states. A decision to this effect was taken during Cabinet meeting in New Delhi.
It includes five battalions in Jamm and Kashmir, four in Chhattisgarh, three each in Jharkhand and Odisha and two in Maharashtra. Local youths will be recruited and the age and educational criteria will be relaxed by the states, if required.
In J&K, 60 percent of the vacancies will be filled from the border districts of the state for the posts of constables and class IV. In LWE states, 75 percent of the vacancies of constables will be filled up from 27 core districts under Security Related Expenditure Scheme.
The Government had introduced the scheme of Indian Reserve Battalions in 1971 and so far, 153 battalions have been sanctioned to various states. Of them 144 have been raised and one battalion in Jharkhand has been converted into Specialized Indian Reserve Battalion.
Cabinet also gave its nod to increase the authorised share capital of National Scheduled Caste Finance Development Corporation(NSFDC). Now, its capital will increase from one thousand crore to one thousand two hundred crore rupees.
The decision will enlarge the quantum of funds available for economic activities, better coverage and enhanced outreach to double the Below Poverty Line Scheduled Caste beneficiaries. Enhancement of share capital would also expand its ambit of coverage and increase disbursement of funds to larger sections of the economically deprived scheduled caste population.
The NSFDC provides loans at concessional interest rates for self-employment and economic development activities.
Cabinet has also given its nod for returning of over 478 hectares of land to Madhya Pradesh government. It is valued at approximately 740 crore rupees. The land returned would be utilized by the state government for allotment to the auto and related ancillary industries.
The Cabinet also was apprised of signing of an agreement between India and Russia in May last year. The Agreement provides for competitive research grants to researchers of the two countries for joint implementation of research projects in areas of Basic and Exploratory Sciences.
It is valid for a period of six years and could be extended through mutual consent between Department of Science and Technology and Russian Science Federation.
The government also gave its nod for ex-post facto approval for completion of the Afghan Parliament Building at a revised cost of Rs 969 crore. The project provides for completion of a new Parliament Building and it is part of India’s efforts in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Afghanistan. The construction of the building has already been completed under India-Afghanistan development cooperation and minor touch-up works, including parts of sound system and furniture are now being undertaken. The Parliament building will be handed over to the Afghan authorities by end of March this year.