On April 30, 2025, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the following proposals:
i.The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs(CCPA) approved to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census.
ii.The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane at Rs.355 per quintal (qtl) for sugar season 2025-26 (October – September).
iii.The CCEA approved the proposal for the development of Greenfield High-Speed Corridor from Mawlyngkhung to Panchgram on Hybrid Annuity model(HAM).
Cabinet approved caste enumeration in the upcoming census:
The CCPA, chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census.
- To enumerate caste, some of the states in India conducted surveys, which lacked transparency and intent, resulted in the step to include caste enumeration in the main census instead of a separate survey.
Constitutional Basis:
i.As per Article 246, Constitution of India, Census is a union subject listed at 69 in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule.
ii.The Census Act, 1948 serves as the legal foundation for conducting population censuses in India, detailing the methodology, responsibilities of census officials, and the penalties for non-compliance or obstruction during census activities.
Point to Note:
i.Caste was excluded from all census operations conducted since independence. However, the enumeration of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) has been consistently carried out in every census since 1951.
- In 2011, the Government of India(GoI) undertook the Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) to gather data on the socio-economic status of households along with their caste details, aiming to facilitate better policy formulation and targeted welfare measures.
ii.The last comprehensive caste-based enumeration in India was conducted in 1931 during the British colonial period, which documented 4,147 distinct castes across India.
CCEA approved Sugarcane FRP Rs 355 Per Quintal for 2025-26 sugar season:
The CCEA has approved FRP of sugarcane for sugar season 2025-26 (October- September), at Rs 355/qtl for a basic recovery rate of 10.25%. The FRP will be applicable for purchase of sugarcane by sugarmills from farmers starting from 1st October 2025.
- The cabinet also announced a premium of Rs.3.46/qtl for each 0.1% increase in recovery over and above 10.25%, and reduction in FRP by Rs.3.46/qtl for every 0.1% decrease in recovery.
Key Highlights:
i.The FRP Rs. 355 per qtl at a recovery of 10.25% is higher by 105.2% over the production cost (A2+ FL) of sugarcane, which is Rs.173/qtl for the sugar season 2025-26.
- The FRP for sugar season 2025-26 is 4.41% higher than the current sugar season 2024-25.
ii.With a view to protect the interest of sugarcane farmers (GannaKisan), the government has decided there will be no deduction in the case of sugar mills, where recovery is below 9.5%.
- Such farmers will get Rs. 329.05/qtl for sugarcane in sugar season 2025-26.
About Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP):
The FRP has been determined based on recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and after consultations with state governments and stakeholders.
- It is the price fixed by the GoI at which the mills are legally bound to pay the farmers for the cane procured from them.
- The payment for Sugarcane FRP is governed by the Sugarcane Control Order,1966, which mandates payment within 14 days of the delivery of the cane.
Cabinet approved the development of Greenfield High-Speed Corridor from Mawlyngkhung to Panchgram:
The CCEA, chaired by PM Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for Development, Maintenance and Management of Greenfield High-Speed Corridor
along the National Highway – 06 (NH- 06) from Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong) in Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar) Assam.
- The 166.80 kilometre (km) long four-lane, access-controlled Greenfield expressway, spanning 144.80 km in Meghalaya and 22 km in Assam, will be developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM).
- The project has an estimated cost of Rs. 22,864 crore, which includes a Total Civil Cost of Rs. 12,087 crore and Land Acquisition Cost of Rs. 3,503 crore.
i.The proposed Greenfield high-speed corridor will improve the service level for the traffic moving from Guwahati (Assam) to Silchar(Assam).
ii.It will improve the connectivity to Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and the Barak Valley region of Assam from mainland Guwahati, which contributes to the enhancement of logistics in the country.
iiiThe corridor will improve connectivity between Assam and Meghalaya, which will increase economic development, including development of industries in Meghalaya.
It improves inter-city connectivity between Guwahati, Shillong & Silchar traverses through Ri Bhoi, East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills, EastJaintia Hills in Meghalaya and Cachar district in Assam.
iv.The project alignment integrates with major transport corridors, including NH-27, NH-106, NH-206, NH-37.
