TIA NEWS /
The Union Cabinet today approved a scheme to transform rural areas into economically, socially and physically sustainable spaces. Named as Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Rurban Mission, SPMRM, the government has earmarked over Rs 5,000 crore for this scheme to drive economic, social and infrastructure development in rural areas.
Addressing the media after Cabinet meeting in New Delhi, Communication and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, there is an outlay of over 5000 crore rupees for Rurban Mission. He said, under the mission, 300 clusters will be be developed over next 3 years across the country. Mr Prasad said, the States will prepare the Integrated Cluster Action Plans for the Mission.
The Cabinet also gave approval for 150 days employment per household under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the drought hit areas of the country. Mr Prasad also informed that the government has declared Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang, NSCN-K, as an unlawful organization for five years. He said this has been done after elaborate considerations based on objective evidence.
The Cabinet committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) also approved setting up of committee to propose Exim bank scheme to offer concessional finance to companies bidding for infra projects abroad. The CCEA has also approved doubling of 284 kilometres Hotgi-Kudgi-Gadag Railway line costing 2,058 Crore rupees.
The cabinet has also approved the creation of four posts of directors for four new National Institutes of Design (NIDs) at Kurukshetra in Haryana, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Assam’s Jorhat and Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.