MAJOR DECISIONS – I
The UPA Government is completing one year on May 21, 2005. During this period, the Government has taken several milestone decisions. Some of the major decisions taken by the Union Cabinet under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, are listed below. The dates on which the decisions were taken are given in bracket.
Allowing Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOC) to Charter Ships for Oil Imports directly instead of going through Transchart, an agency under Ministry of Shipping, as recommended by the Committee of Secretaries by amending the existing policy on chartering of ships for imports by PSUs. HPCL, BPCL and MRPL would continue to depend upon Transchart/Shipping Corporation of India(SCI) for meeting their chartering requirements for the time being. Their case, for hiring charter ships, would be reviewed after one year based on the experience of IOC. This would enable level playing field for private and public sector oil companies.[8.4.2005]
Approval to the progressive filling up of the backlog of reserved vacancies of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The Cabinet has decided to set up a Monitoring Committee under Cabinet Secretary to review effective implementation of the policy.[8.4.2005]
Setting up of Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC). A Group of Ministers has been set up to finalise the details of areas which may be looked into by the ARC. Areas which are likely to be covered by ARC are organizational structure of the Government of India, ethics in governance, refurbishing of personnel administration, strengthening of financial management systems, steps to ensure effective administration at the State level, steps to ensure effective district administration, local self government/panchayati raj institutions, social capital, trust and participative public service delivery, citizen-centric administration, promoting e-governance, issues of federal polity, crisis management and public order.[8.4.2005]
Signing of Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and USA in the field of Transportation Science and Technology. The MoC will provide the country to utilise the experience of USA in developing highways, expressways of international standards in India. [8.4.2005]
Declaration of domestic airport at Nagpur as international airport and renaming it as Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport. The declaration of the airport at Nagpur as international will offer improved air connectivity, wider choice of services at competitive cost to the air travellers resulting in boosting the international tourism and economic development of the region. Renaming it as Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport will also fulfil the long cherished demand of the public.[8.4.2005]
Signing and ratification of Air Transport Agreement between India and USA. The proposed ATA removes all existing restrictions on Fifth Freedom traffic through intermediate points and provides for greater operational flexibility. The removal of restrictions on points of call, code share rights and fifth freedom rights would provide greater commercial opportunities to Indian carriers and would enable them to wean away traffic on the India-USA route from third country carriers. [13.4.2005]
Signing of Memorandum of Cooperation between India and USA in the field of “Maritime Transport Science & Technology”. Cooperation and collaboration between the two countries is envisaged in fields of shipping and inter-modal operations; maritime safety and security; port management; dredging and dredger construction; ship recycling; maritime training and education; technological developments related to maritime sector; inland water transport; and other fields of mutual interest.[13.4.2005]
Special Package for National Highways in the North-East. The package includes 4/6 laning of 4000 km of National Highways in the region. Approval has also been given for 4/6 laning of additional 6000 km under NHDP Phase III-B. NHDP Phase III would be implemented on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis and the overall cost of four laning of 10,000 km (4000 km + 6000 km) would be Rs.55,000 crore.[5.3.2005]
Introduction of Unemployment Allowance Scheme. An insured person going out of insurable employment involuntarily on or after 1st April, 2005, on account of closure of a factory or establishment, retrenchment or permanent invalidity, after being in an insurable employment and contributed under the scheme for five or more years, shall be entitled to claim unemployment allowance for a maximum period of six months during his/her entire service.[16.3.2005]
Launching of National Electricity Policy. The Policy aims at access to electricity for all households in the next five years; availability of power to be fully met by 2012; supply of reliable and quality power of specified standards in an efficient manner and at reasonable rates; per capita availability of electricity to be increased to over 100 units by 2012; minimum lifeline consumption of one unit per household per day by the year 2012; financial turnaround and commercial viability of electricity sector; and protection of consumers’ interest.[2.2.2005]
Enhancement of composite foreign holding in Telecom sector to 74 per cent. With this decision, the current FDI ceiling in the Telecom sector in certain services (such as Basic, Cellular, Unified Access Services, Global Mobile Personal Communications Services and other value added services, has been increased from 49 per cent to 74 per cent.[2.2.2005]
Continuation of the Commission for Economically Backward Classes beyond January 5, 2005.[17.2.2005]
Cabinet releases Rs.500 crore towards National Calamity Contingency Fund. Cabinet Committee constituted to monitor relief & rehabilitation. Relief and Rehabilitation package costing Rs.2731.04 crore for the people affected by Tsunami on December 26, 2004 in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and UT of Pondicherry. Tsunami Relief and Rehabilitation Package costing Rs.821.88 crore for UT of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.[17.2.2005, 27.12.2004, 19.1.2005]
Setting up of National Disaster Management Authority under the Chairmanship of the Prime Minister to be assisted by an Executive Committee of Secretaries and building up specialized capabilities for rapid intervention in case of disasters. The Authority will draw up Disaster Management Plan, coordinating and monitoring its implementation as also coordinating response to a disaster.[24.2.2005]
Ratification of Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade. The objective of this Convention is to promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm and to contribute to their environmentally sound use.[24.2.2005]
Regulation of Private Security Agencies. Approval for introduction of a new Bill, namely, the Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2005. This will pave the way for enactment of a new legislation on the subject for regulating the working of Private Security Agencies to ensure that they work within the ambit of legal rule and are accountable to a regulatory mechanism.[24.2.2005]
Launching of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) as a comprehensive national rural healthcare programme. The aim of the Mission is to undertake architectural correction of the health system, to enable it to effectively handle increased allocations as promised under the National Common Minimum Programme and to provide integrated healthcare services to the people, especially the rural poor. [4.1.2005]
Declaration of domestic airport at Srinagar as an International Airport. [27.1.2005]
Launching of the National Project for Repair, Renovation and Restoration of Water Bodies directly linked to agriculture and approval for incurring expenditure of Rs.225 crore as the share of the Centre (being 75 per cent of the total scheme outlay of Rs.300 crore) and Rs.75 crore as State share. The Scheme aims at restoring and augmenting storage capacities of water bodies, recovering and extending their lost irrigation potential. The period of duration for completion of the National Project will be approximately 7 to 10 years. [27.1.2005]
Enhancement of the basic pension for unemployed and unmarried daughters of freedom fighters from Rs.600 per month to the eldest daughter & Rs.350 each per month to the other two daughters to Rs.1500 each per month for all three daughters. Under this scheme, approximately 1100 unemployed and unmarried daughters of freedom fighters will be benefited.[27.1.2005]
Approval for introduction of a Bill in Parliament to amend the Railways Act, 1989 to include commercial utilization of the railway land/air-space and for setting up “Rail Land Development Authority”.[8.12.2004]
Approval for undertaking the GSAT-5/INSAT-4D Spacecraft Project at a total cost of Rs.123.75 crore with a foreign exchange component of Rs.83.25 crore. The launch of the high power satellite will enhance the capacity and provide much needed back up to the present C-band capacity. [22.12.2004]
Decision on strengthening Air India; establishing improved operational synergy between Air India and Indian Airlines, allowing eligible Indian Scheduled Carriers to operate on international routes and discontinuing the practice of mandating commercial agreements on all new services, reviewing the existing commercial agreements and phasing them out over the next five years.[29.12.2004]
Creation of National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions to grant direct affiliation to Minority Educational Institutions to a Scheduled University. ‘Scheduled University’ initially includes the six affiliating Central universities, viz., University of Delhi, North Eastern Hill University, Pondicherry University, Assam University, Nagaland University and Mizoram University.[11.11.2004]
Setting up of Financial Intelligence Unit India (FIU-IND) with the aim of preventing and combating money laundering and related crimes. [11.11.2004]
Proposal to introduce legislation to provide a regulatory framework for the New Pension System. The establishment of a statutory Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority is to promote old age income security by establishing, regulating and developing pension funds under the New Pension System, to protect the interests of subscribers to pension schemes and for related matters. [11.11.2004]
Granting of constitutional status to the National Commission for Minorities by introduction of a Bill in the Parliament to amend the Constitution and another Bill to repeal the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. The Constitutional status to the Commission would infuse greater confidence among the minorities about the working and the effectiveness of the Commission.[24.11.2004]
Introduction of National Food for Work Programme (NFFWP). It will provide additional supplementary wage employment in the identified 150 districts of the country. NFFWP is a 100 per cent Centrally sponsored scheme.[13.10.2004]
Reconstitution of National Commission on Farmers with revised terms of reference. It will help in suggesting strategy for food and nutrition security, enhancing productivity, profitability of major farming systems of the country, enhanced investment in agricultural research, increased flow of rural credit to farmers, triggering agricultural growth-led economic progress, enhancing quality and cost competitiveness of farm commodities through application of frontier technology and empowerment of women in agriculture. [13.10.2004]
Upgradation/Reclassification of cities and towns on the basis of 2001 census for the purpose of grant of House Rent Allowance/Compensatory (City) Allowance.[13.10.2004]
Formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle ‘Sethusamudram Corporation Limited’ to raise finance and to undertake such other activities to facilitate creation and operation of a navigable channel from Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal through the Palk Bay, or, for any other project in the port sector. [2.9.2004]
Setting up of Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority to fulfil India’s obligation under Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) of WTO as also to stimulate investment in research and development for the development of new plant varieties which will facilitate the growth of the seed industry and ensure the availability of high quality seeds to the farmers. [2.9.2004]
Repeal of POTA and Amendment of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The CMP of UPA Government contains a commitment to that effect. Given the abuse of POTA in the past, the Government decided to promulgate an Ordinance to repeal POTA. It was also decided to promulgate another Ordinance, 1967 for the incorporation of certain provisions in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act to deal with various facets of terrorism. [17.9.2004]
Creation of new category of languages as ‘Classical Languages’ and declaring Tamil as a ‘Classical Language’.[17.9.2004]
Setting up of a separate Department of Ex-Servicemen’s Welfare in the Ministry of Defence in response to the longstanding demand by ex-servicemen that the Government address their needs and aspirations in a focussed manner.[17.9.2004]
Setting up of National Commission on Enterprises in the Unorganised/Informal Sector. The Commission will review the status of unorganized/informal sector in India, identify constraints faced by them in terms of freedom of carrying out the enterprise, access to raw materials, financial skills, entrepreneurship development, infrastructure, technology and markets and suggest measures to provide institutional support to facilitate easy access to these requirements. The Commission will also suggest the legal and policy environment that should govern the informal/unogranised sector for growth, employment, exports and promotion. [17.9.2004]
Approval for the signing and ratification of the two optional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Children, namely, Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography.[17.9.2004]
Setting up of the National Commission for welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities. It will suggest criteria for identification of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities. It will also recommend measures for the welfare of socially and economically backward sections among religious and linguistic minorities, including reservation in education and government employment. [29.9.2004]
Inter-Governmental Agreement on Asian Highways, and for becoming a party to the inter-governmental agreement on the Asian Highway Network. The Agreement will formalize the coordinated development of Asian Highways to a minimum acceptable standard. This will help the movement of traffic, improvement of trade and tourism among Asian countries. [25.8.2004]
Approval for the Astronomy Satellite (ASTROSAT) project at an estimated cost of Rs.177.85 crore with a foreign exchange component of Rs.106.59 crore. The project envisages design, development, fabrication and launch of a multi-wavelength astronomical observatory satellite for studies of cosmic sources. The satellite will enable studies of stellar objects simultaneously covering a range of high energy radiations. The ASTROSAT will be a National Observatory in Space, which will be available for astronomical observations to any researcher in India. [26.7.2004]
Approval for submission of India’s Initial National Communication to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The objective of the Convention is to achieve stabilisation of concentrations of greenhouse gases of anthropogenic origin in the atmosphere at the level that would prevent dangerous interference with the climate system.[15.6.2004]
Adoption of the Common Minimum Programme as the “National Common Minimum Programme” (NCMP) for its speedy and effective implementation. With a view to implementing the programme effectively, each Ministry concerned with the items would be expected to work out modalities along with financial implications. The concerned Ministries would, in consultation with the Planning Commission, Ministry of Finance and the Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law& Justice, work out road maps along with proposals for legislation for implementing such items and seek approvals at appropriate levels of the Government. Each Ministry would develop its own periodical monitoring and reporting mechanism. With a view to overseeing effective implementation of NCMP, it has been decided to set up a National Advisory Council with a Chairperson with the rank of a Cabinet Minister and 20 members to be appointed by the Prime Minister. [28.5.2004]
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PIB SF-1(6.5.2005)