Cabinet Approvals on 10th October, 2018

On October 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the following:

Cabinet approves closure of National Jute Manufactures Corporation Ltd. and its subsidiary Birds Jute & Exports Ltd.

On October 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the closure of National Jute Manufactures Corporation Ltd. (NJMC) and its subsidiary Birds Jute & Exports Ltd. (BJEL).

• In accordance with the DPE guidelines dated 14.06.2018, a Land Management Agency (LMA) will be engaged for disposal of assets.
• Ministry of Textiles does not propose to use any land or building of BJEL.

Backgound:

• NJMC has been incurring losses for several years and was under reference to BIFR since 1993.
• The Mills of NJMC which were proposed for revival, namely, Kinnison Mill at Titagarh, Khardah Mill at Khardah and RBHM Mill at Katihar are under suspension since August, 2016.

♦ Full Form of BIFR: Board of Industrial and Financial Reconstruction.

Cabinet approves Productivity Linked Bonus for Railway Employees

On October 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved the payment of Productivity Linked Bonus (PLB) for all eligible non-gazetted Railway employees (excluding RPF/RPSF personnel).

• This will be equivalent to 78 days’ wages for the financial year 2017-18.
• This will cost Rs.2044.31 crore.
• For payment of PLB to the eligible non-gazetted railway employees, the maximum wage calculation ceiling is Rs.7000/- p.m.
• The maximum amount payable per eligible railway employee is  Rs.17,951 for 78 days.
• About 11.91 lakh non-gazetted Railway employees are likely to benefit from the decision.
• It is in accordance with ‘The Payment of Bonus Act – 1965’.

Cabinet approves establishment and operationalisation of permanent campuses of the Indian Institutes of Science Education & Research (IISERs) at Tirupati and Berhampur

On October 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi approved establishment and operationalistion of permanent campuses of the 2 new Indian Institutes of Science Education & Research (IISERs).

• These will be set up at: Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) and  Berhampur (Odisha).
• The total cost  likely to be incurred is Rs. 3074.12 crore.
• Out of this, IISER Tirupati will require: Rs. 1491.34 crore and IISER Berhampur will require: Rs. 1582.78 crore.
• Also, creation of two posts of Registrar, one in each IISER in Level 14 of 7^lh CPC has also been approved by the Cabinet.
• They will be constructed in an area of 1,17,000 sq. m for 1855 students.
• The construction will be completed by December, 2021.

Cabinet approves merger of National Council for Vocational Training, NCVT and NSDA to establish NCVET

On October 10, 2018, the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi  approved the merger of National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT) and the National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) into the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).

i. The functions of NCVET will be as follows:

• Recognition and regulation of awarding bodies, assessment bodies and skill related information providers;
• Approval of qualifications developed by awarding bodies and Sector Skill Councils (SSCs);
• Indirect regulation of vocational training institutes through awarding bodies and assessment agencies;
• Research and information dissemination;
• Grievance redressal.

ii. It will have a Chairperson and will have Executive and Non-Executive Members.

Background:

• This will provide infrastructure to meet the increasing skill requirements of the country.
• At present, there are 20 Ministries/ Departments implementing skill development programs mostly using private sector training providers.
• Earlier courses offered by the Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) was regulated by NCVT.