Approval for Lucknow Metro Rail Project Phase-1A



Approval for Lucknow Metro Rail Project Phase-1A 
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Lucknow Metro Rail Project Phase - 1 A. It will cover a length of 22.878 km with 22 stations.

The cost of the project will be Rs. 6,928 crore which will be supported by Government of India with Rs.1,300 crore in the form of equity and subordinate debt. The Project will be implemented by Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC), which will be reconstituted into a 50:50 jointly owned company of Govt. of India and Govt. of Uttar Pradesh. 


Out of the total route length of 22.878 km, elevated route will be 19.438 km while underground route length will be 3.440 km. with total 19 elevated and three underground metro stations. The metro train will ply between Chowdhary Charan Singh Airport and Munshi Pulia.

The project will come under the legal framework of the Metro Railways (Construction of Works) Act, 1978; the Metro Railways (Operation and Maintenance) Act, 2002; and the Railways Act, 1989, as amended from time to time.

Background: 

Lucknow has been experiencing mounting pressure on its transport infrastructure. Lucknow has witnessed tremendous growth in the last two decades. As per census of India 2011, the population of Lucknow Urban Agglomeration is 29 lakhs. The population of Lucknow Metropolitan Area is over 50 lakhs. The city has 14.24 lakh vehicles, 80 percent of them being two wheelers and 14 percent cars. The city is witnessing an annual growth of 8.35 percent in vehicular population. 
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Revised cost estimates of Salma Dam Project in Afghanistan 
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the reconstruction and completion of Salma Dam Project in Afghanistan at the Revised Cost Estimates (RCE) of Rs.1775.69 crore.

The project is scheduled to be completed by June, 2016. M/s. WAPCOS, a central Public Sector Unit under the Ministry of Water Resources, is executing the project.

The availability of power and water through the project upon its successful completion will lead to the overall economic development of the western region of Afghanistan and generate goodwill for India in Afghanistan. The completion of this project will address the energy requirements and irrigation needs of western Afghanistan.

The foreign exchange rate variation between Indian rupee and US dollar, increase in consultancy charges due to extended period of project completion, escalation, training of Afghan personnel etc. have necessitated revision in the project cost.

Background:

Situated on the upper reaches of Hari Rud River in Herat province, Salma Dam project involves construction of a 107.5 meter high earth and rock – fill dam and a 42 MW power House with three units of 14 MW each. It also has a provision for releasing water for irrigation of 75,000 hectares of land. The availability of power and water through the project, upon its successful completion, is expected to contribute to the overall economic development of the western region of Afghanistan and generate goodwill for India in Afghanistan. 
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Approval of Model Agreement on exemption from visa requirements for the holders of diplomatic and official passports 
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the Model Agreement on exemption from visa requirements for the holders of diplomatic and official passports. This would facilitate visa-free entry, transit and stay up to 90 days (or less) in any period of 180 days (or more) in the territory of India or signatory country for holders of diplomatic and official passports of either country.

This is part of India’s ongoing efforts to expand the envelope of visa-free travel for holders of diplomatic and official passports to other countries of the world, visa free Agreements have been signed with 69 countries. There are still more than 130 countries with which India is yet to enter into or sign similar Agreements. 
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Investment of Rs.5,000 crore by ONGC Limited in the equity of its wholly-owned subsidiary, ONGC Videsh Limited 
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for investment of Rs.5,000 crore by Oil and Natural Gas Company Limited (ONGC) into the equity share capital of ONGC Videsh by conversion of existing loan of equivalent amount into equity.

The approved investment will strengthen the capital base of ONGC Videsh. It will enhance the ability of ONGC to undertake overseas Exploration and Production (E&P) business, thereby improving the energy security of the country. 

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Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries - a Central Sector Scheme on Blue Revolution 
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval for implementation of an umbrella schemefor integrated development and management of fisheries at an outlay of Rs.3,000 crore, for a period of five years. The Central Sector Scheme covers development and management of inland fisheries, aquaculture, marine fisheries including deep sea fishing, mariculture and all activities undertaken by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) towards realizing “Blue Revolution”. The scheme has the following six broad components:

(a) National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and its activities,

(b) Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture,

(c) Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post Harvest Operations,

(d) Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector,

(e) Institutional Arrangement for Fisheries Sector and

(f) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions.

The components of the scheme namely (a) Strengthening of Database & 3eographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector, (b) Institutional Arrangement for the Fisheries Sector and (c) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions would be implemented Departmentally (Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF)) with 100% central funding.

The scheme provides for suitable linkages and convergence with the "Sagarmala Project" of the Ministry of Shipping, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNAREGA), RashtriyaKrishiVikasYojana (RKVY), National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) etc.

The Central Sector Scheme aims at a focussed and integrated approach for development and management of fisheries and aquaculture sector to ensure a sustained annual growth rate of 6% - 8% as against an overall annual growth rate of about 4% during the 11th Five Year Plan period.

The scheme with its multi-dimensional activities, focuses mainly on increasing production and productivity from aquaculture and fisheries resources, both inland and marine. The scheme is intended to utilise most of the unutilised fisheries resources keeping in view the overall sustainability, bio-security and environmental concerns.

Besides providing a major impetus to the fishery sector, the scheme provides to encourage economically weaker sections such as Scheduled Castes(SCs), Scheduled Tribes(STs), Women and their co-operatives to take up fishing and fisheries related activities.

The scheme would also encourage increasing private investment, entrepreneurship development, more Public Private Partnership (PPP) and better leveraging of institutional finance. Besides, the scheme encompasses skill development and capacity building in fisheries and allied activities; and creation of post-harvest and cold chain infrastructure facilities.

The scheme would benefit the entire fisheries sector covering about 14.50 million fishers. Besides the fishers, the scheme would also benefit other stakeholders such as fish farmers, fisheries entrepreneurs, fish retailers, wholesalers, fish processors, fish exports and women groups amongst others. Besides the increase in fish production at the primary level, the scheme would also stimulate growth of the subsidiary and allied industries and growth of other related economic activities, especially in the coastal regions, leading to many direct andindirect benefits to the entire fisheries sector.

The Central Sector Scheme will be implemented in all the States including North East States and Union Territories.

Background:

Fisheries is a sunrise sector with varied resources and potential, engaging over 14.50 million people at the primary level and many more along the value chain. Transformation of the fisheries sector from traditional to commercial scale has led to an -increase in fish production from 7.5 lakh tonne in 1950-51 to 100.70 lakh tonne during 2014-15, while the export earnings from the sector registered at Rs.33,441 crore in 2014-15 (US$ 5.51 billion). With an overall annual growth rate of about 4% during the 11th Five Year Plan period, the sector contributed about 0.92% to the National Gross Domestic Production(GDP) and 5.58% to the agricultural GDP (2013-14). Constituting about 6.30% of the global fish production and 5% of global trade, India today has attained the status of the second largest fish producing and second largest aquaculture nation in the world. 


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