The Hindu Business Line : Cabinet defers decision on metro rail in Kochi

New Delhi, Nov 19 A decision on setting up of a metro rail system in Kochi was deferred by the Union Cabinet at its scheduled meeting here on Thursday.

“The Minister for Urban Development has sought more details and asked that the proposal be deferred,” the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ms Ambika Soni, told newspersons after the meeting. The Minister did not go into details of what information was being sought by the Urban Development Ministry.

Cotton seed

The Cabinet approved the re-inclusion of cotton seed as an essential commodity for a period of six months under the Essential Commodities Act or till such time the Seed Bill is passed by Parliament, the Minister added.

“After cottonseed is re-included as an essential commodity under the Act, the Government will be empowered to regulate production, quality and distribution of cottonseed.

“It will also be able to curb the sale and spread of spurious cottonseed; quality production, distribution aspects of cotton seed will be subject to regulation under Seed Control Order 1983 thereby ensuring quality of seed, particularly private hybrids of cotton/Bt cottonseeds increasing the productivity and production,” Ms Soni said.

Cottonseed was deleted from the list of essential commodities in 2007, Ms Soni said.

Bundelkhand package

A special package of Rs 7,266 crore for implementation of drought mitigation over a three-year period starting 2009-10; for integrated development of Bundelkhand regions in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh was also approved by the Cabinet, the Minister said.

Bundelkhand comprises seven regions in Uttar Pradesh including Banda, Chitrakoot, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalipur and Mahoba; and six in MP including Chhatarpur, Damoh, Datia, Panna, Sagar and Tikamgarh.

Mid-day meals

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the revision of the national programme for mid-day meals in schools under which the food norms for upper primary school children has been revised to increase the quantity of pulses to 30 g from 25 g earlier, vegetables to 75 g from 65 g and decrease the quality of oil and fat to 7.5 g from 10 g earlier.

Besides, the cooking cost (excluding the labour and administrative charges) is to be revised to Rs 2.50 for primary and Rs 3.75 for upper primary children from December 1 this year; and further to revise it by 7.5 per cent at the beginning of next April and again at the beginning of April 2011.