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Union Cabinet approves Nehru Solar Mission

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission that aims to add 20,000 MW of power in India by 2022.

“The Cabinet has sanctioned Rs.4,337 crore for the initial activities in this regard,” Information & Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told journalists after the cabinet meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

In his Independence Day speech this year, Dr. Singh had said that the solar energy mission will be launched on November 14. But, the launch date was put off as the government was not ready with its implementation plan.

If the target is achieved, 10 per cent of the estimated power to be generated by then will be from solar sources at a cost of Rs.90,000 crore. It will mean electricity for three cities of the size of Delhi.

Cotton seed re-included

The Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval for the re-inclusion of cotton seed as an essential commodity for six months under the Essential Commodities Act (ECA) 1955, by amending the Schedule to the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, or till the Seed Bill was passed by the Parliament, whichever move comes earlier.

With this, the Government would be empowered to regulate the production, quality, distribution, etc., of cotton seed and to curb the sale and spread of spurious cotton seed. Quality, production and distribution would be subject to regulation under the Seed Control Order, 1983, thereby ensuring the quality of seed, particularly private hybrids of cotton/Bt.cotton seeds, and increasing productivity and production.

More vegetables in noon meal

In a bid to provide more nutritious food to schoolchildren in upper primary classes under the National Programme for Mid-day Meals, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday decided to increase the quantity of pulses and vegetables and reduce oil and fat.

The quantity of pulses has been hiked from 25 gm to 30 gm per child, and that of vegetables from 65 gm to 75 gm. Oil and fat, in turn, will be reduced from 10 gm to 7.5 gm.

Chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the CCEA also revised the cost of cooking of meals for primary schoolchildren to Rs.2.50 and for upper primary school children to Rs.3.75, with effect from December 1.

This would be increased by 7.5 per cent on April 1, 2010, and again by 7.5 per cent on April 1, 2011.

The cooking cost would be shared by the Centre and northeast States on a 90:10 basis, and with other States and the Union Territories on a 75:25 basis.

A separate provision for payment of honorarium of Rs.1,000 a month to each cook-cum-helper has also been made, and a norm for engaging them has been prescribed.

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