New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday praised the Union Cabinet for approving five major projects across India, which aim to boost the country's dairy sector, livestock production, infrastructure development, and digital payments.

The Union Cabinet approved the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Plant, Six-Lane Access-Controlled Greenfield Highway, and Incentive Scheme for Low-Value BHIM-UPI Transactions.

In a post on X, PM Modi said that the approval of the revised National Programme for Dairy Development will provide a major boost for the country's dairy sector.

"A major boost for India's dairy sector! The Cabinet's approval for the revised National Programme for Dairy Development will contribute to the sector's transformation, ensuring better pricing for farmers, job creation, and more," PM Modi said.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Revised National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD).

The Revised NPDD, a Central Sector Scheme, has been enhanced with an additional Rs.1000 crore, bringing the total budget to Rs.2790 crore for the 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26). This initiative focuses on modernizing and expanding dairy infrastructure, ensuring the sector's sustained growth and productivity.

The revised NPDD will give an impetus to the dairy sector by creating infrastructure for milk procurement and processing capacity and ensuring better quality control. It is intended to help farmers gain better access to markets, ensure better pricing through value addition, and improve the efficiency of the supply chain, leading to higher incomes and greater rural development.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that the Rashtriya Gokul Mission will boost milk production in the country.

"The Cabinet's decision relating to the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) will boost milk production, improve indigenous breeds and empower several dairy farmers. It is a major effort towards self-reliance in the livestock sector," PM Modi said on X.

The Union Cabinet approved the Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM) to boost growth in the livestock sector. Implementation of the revised RGM as a Central Sector component of the Development Programmes scheme is being done with an additional outlay of Rs 1000 crore, for a total outlay of Rs 3400 crore during the 15th Finance Commission cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Two New activities added are: (i) One-time assistance of 35 per cent of the capital cost for the establishment of Heifer Rearing Centres to Implementing Agencies for the creation of 30 housing facilities having a total of 15000 heifers and (ii) To encourage farmers to purchase High genetic merit (HGM) IVF heifers to provide 3 per cent interest subvention on loan taken by the farmer from milk unions / financial institutions/ banks for such purchase. This will help in the systemic induction of high-yielding breeds.

The revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission is approved with an allocation of Rs 3400 crore during the 15th Finance Commission cycle (2021-22 to 2025-26).

Further, Prime Minister Modi praised the approval of the proposal to establish a new brownfield ammonia-urea plant in Namrup, Assam.

"The Cabinet's approval for a new Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex at BVFCL, Namrup, Assam will enhance domestic urea production, benefit farmers in Northeast & Eastern India and create new employment opportunities. It will also strengthen our vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat by ensuring fertilizer security and promoting energy-efficient production," he said.

The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for setting up a new Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex of 12.7 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) annual capacity of Urea production within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL), Namrup Assam, with an estimated total project cost of Rs 10,601.40 Crore with Debt Equity ratio of 70:30 through a Joint Venture (JV), under the New Investment Policy, 2012 read with its amendments on 7th October 2014.

The tentative overall time schedule for the commissioning of the Namrup-IV Project is 48 months.

Additionally, the Cabinet also approved the National Fertilizers Limited (NFL)'s equity participation of 18% in relaxation to the limits prescribed in Department of Public Enterprises (DPE) guidelines; and the constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to oversee the process of setting up of Namrup-IV Fertilizer Plant.

PM Modi also expressed happiness on the 'Incentive Scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions Person to Merchant (P2M)' for the financial year 2024-25.

"The incentive scheme on promoting low-value UPI transactions, which has been approved by the Cabinet today, will encourage digital payments and further 'Ease of Living," he said.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the 'Incentive Scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions Person to Merchant (P2M)' for the financial year 2024-25.

The scheme to promote low-value BHIM-UPI transactions will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs 1,500 crore.

Only the UPI transactions up to Rs 2,000 for small merchants are covered under the scheme.

Further, the Prime Minister also highlighted the approval of the construction of a six-lane access-controlled Greenfield Highway in Maharashtra.

"Today, the Union Cabinet has approved an important infrastructure-related project, the construction of a 6-lane access-controlled Greenfield Highway starting from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk (29.219 km) in Maharashtra. This is in line with our vision of PM Gatishakti, which is to ensure quicker connectivity to and from our ports. This project will add momentum to the growth of the regions around Mumbai and Pune," PM Modi said on X.

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the construction of a six-lane access-controlled Greenfield High-Speed National Highway starting from JNPA Port (Pagote) to Chowk (29.219 km) in Maharashtra. The project will be developed on a Build, Operate, and Transfer (BOT) mode at a total capital cost of Rs 4500.62 Crore.

Development of road connecting infrastructure to major and minor ports in India is one of the main focus areas of integrated infrastructure planning under PM Gatishakti National Master Plan principles. With increasing container volume in JNPA port and the development of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, a need was identified for augmenting National highway connectivity in the region.