Cabinet Approvals on June 9, 2021

On June 9, 2021 The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted approval to several new initiatives. They are

• Allotment of 5 MHz spectrum in 700 MHz band to Indian Railways
• Extension of applicability of New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012
• Approval of Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for Kharif Crops for marketing season 2021-22

Allotment of 5 MHz Spectrum in 700 MHz band to Indian Railways

The allotment of 5 MHz (Megahertz) Spectrum in 700 MHz frequency band to Indian Railways (IR) under the ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ mission will enhance public safety and security services at stations and in trains.

i.The spectrum charges will be levied based on formula basis prescribed by Department of Telecommunications for Royalty Charges and License Fee for Captive use as recommended by TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India).

ii.The 700 MHz Spectrum is suitable for railways’ indoor penetration and long distance mobile communications. They require less number of mobile towers compared to 3G and 4G services.

iii.Using this spectrum, IR has planned to provide LTE (Long Term Evolution) based Mobile Train Radio Communication on its route. The purpose of LTE for IR is to provide secure and reliable voice, video and data communication services for operational, safety and security applications.

• It will be used for modern signalling and train protection systems and for ensuring continuous communication between loco pilots and guards.
• It will also enable Internet of Things (IoT) based remote asset monitoring of coaches, wagons & Locos and live video feed of CCTV cameras to train to ensure efficient, safe and faster train operations.
• The estimated investment in the project is more than INR 25, 000 Crore and will be completed in the next 5 years.

iv.In addition to this, IR has approved TCAS (Train Collision Avoidance System), an indigenously developed ATP (Automatic Train Protection) System, which will help in avoiding train collisions and thereby reduce accidents and ensure passenger safety.

• The TCAS will help in improving the safety and increase the line capacity to accommodate more trains using the existing infrastructure resulting in reduced transportation cost and higher efficiency.

Extension of applicability of New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by PM Modi has approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilizers for extension of applicability of New Investment Policy (NIP)-2012 read with amendment dated 7th October 2014 for the Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL).

i.RFCL is reviving its old division of Ramagundam Unit of Fertilizers Corporation of India Limited (FCIL) in Telangana by setting up a new gas based green field neem coated Urea Plant.

• The cost of this RFCL Urea Project is INR 6165.06 Crore and will add 12.7 LMTPA indigenous urea production in India. It will become one of the largest fertilizer manufacturing units of South India.
• It will improve availability of fertilizer to farmers but also boost economy and development of infrastructure like roads, railways, ancillary industry etc besides ensuring food security to India.
• The RFCL plant is being revived by the Government of India to revive the closed urea units of FCIL/HFCL and achieve self-sufficiency in the Urea sector.

ii.RFCL is a Joint Venture Company of National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), Engineers India Limited (EIL) and FCIL.

Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for Kharif Crops for marketing season 2021-22

The CCEA chaired by PM Modi has approved the increase in Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22.

• The highest absolute increase in MSP compared to 2020-21 was recommended for Sesamum (INR 452 per quintal) followed by Tur and Urad (INR 300 Per Quintal Each).
• For Groundnut and niger seed, there was an increase of INR 275 per quintal and INR 235 per quintal compared to 2020-21.
• Different remunerations are aimed at encouraging crop diversification.
• The increase in MSP for Kharif Crop for 2021-22 is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing MSPs at a level of at least 1.5 times of the All-India weight average Cost of Production (CoP).
• The Government has followed a special Kharif strategy to attain self-sufficiency in the production of pulses.

In 2018, the Central Government announced the Umbrella scheme “Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan’ (PM-AASHA) to provide remunerative return to farmers for their produce.

About Indian Railways

CEO & Chairman of Railway Board – Suneet Sharma
Headquarters – New Delhi

About  Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL)

CEO – Nirlep Singh Rai
Head Office – New Delhi