The Cabinet is also likely to discuss the proposal to give Rs 4,400 crores interest-free loan to sugar mills to pay the arrears of the cane growers
Gearing up to meet the challenge posed by the prospect of the weak monsoon, Union Cabinet in its meeting on Wednesday may give nod to a number of proposals of the ministry of agriculture. The Cabinet is also likely to discuss the proposal to give Rs 4,400 crores interest-free loan to sugar mills to pay the arrears of the cane growers, besides the idea of ethanol blending of petroleum products.
“The Cabinet note is ready to give diesel subsidy to farmers to meet the challenge posed by the likelihood of the below the normal monsoon this year. Also, the government is keen to go ahead to give loans to farmers to buy seeds for the purpose of resowing of crops. Some decision could also be taken on the mechanism to implement the proposal to issue soil health cards to the farmers,” sources said.
The ministry of agriculture has also mooted the idea of replicating the model of criteria for MBBS degrees for doctors, which require them to work in rural areas for the students of the agri-universities. “Students pursuing graduate, post-graduate and doctorate will need to spend a stipulated time period in the rural areas working with farmers to be eligible to get respective degrees,” sources added.
While the UPA government last year had approved the interest-free loan of Rs 6,600 crores to the sugar mills, another Rs 4,400 crores, which is the balance of the Sharad Pawar headed committee’s recommendation of Rs 11,000 crores, is likely to come up before the Cabinet meeting, sources added.
The Cabinet is also likely to affirm the decision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do away with the 30 empowered group of ministers (EGoMs), which were set up by the previous UPA government.
The Cabinet is also likely to discuss the measures being taken to curb inflation. “The ministry of consumer affairs could further offload the stock of foodgrains in the open market to bring down the food prices. While finance minister Arun Jaitley announced offloading of rice in the open market, such measures could be replicated for wheat as well,” sources added.