Monthly Cabinet Roundup For October Month

Every month, several cabinet meetings take place under the leadership of the Prime Minister. In the month of October several decisions on Mera Yuva Bharat Body, MSP for Rabi Season, Nutrient Based Subsidy and Green Energy Corridor were taken.

October 2023 Monthly Cabinet Roundup

Following decisions were taken in the month of October by the Cabinet.

Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat)

• Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) is an autonomous body approved by the Union in accordance with the definition of 'Youth' in the National Youth Policy aims to benefit the youth in the age group of 15-29 years, 
• However, for program components specifically intended for adolescents, the beneficiaries will be in the age group of 10-19 years. 
• The primary objective of MY Bharat is to establish it as a comprehensive government platform for youth development.

Benefits of Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat)

• Leadership development in youth is crucial for the progress of society. To improve their leadership skills, it is important to provide them with experiential learning opportunities. This can be achieved by shifting from isolated physical interactions to programmatic skills. 
• Investing more in youth will help create social innovators and community leaders. The government should focus on youth-led development and make them "active drivers" of development rather than "passive recipients". To achieve this, there should be a better alignment between youth aspirations and community needs. 
• The efficiency of existing programs can be greatly enhanced through convergence. A centralized youth database can act as a one-stop-shop for young people and ministries. 
• Improved two-way communication is essential to connect youth government initiatives and activities of other stakeholders that engage with youth. Finally, ensuring accessibility can be done by creating a phygital ecosystem.

Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for Rabi Crops Increased

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved an increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi Crops for the Marketing Season 2024-25. 
• The government has taken this decision to ensure that the growers receive remunerative prices for their produce. 
• The increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) for all mandated Rabi Crops during the Marketing Season 2024-25 aligns with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement. The Union Budget 2018-19 aimed to set the MSP at a minimum of 1.5 times the All-India weighted average Cost of Production.

Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Rates for Rabi Season

• The Department of Fertilizers' proposal to fix the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Rabi Season 2023-24 (from 01.10.2023 to 31.03.2024) on Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers has been approved by the Union Cabinet.
• The approval ensures that farmers have access to fertilizers at subsidized, affordable, and reasonable prices. The subsidy on P&K fertilizers has been rationalized based on recent trends in international fertilizer and input prices.

Project on Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II

• The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the Green Energy Corridor (GEC) Phase-II Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) project for a renewable energy capacity of 13 GW in Ladakh.
• The Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) will be the Implementing Agency for this project due to the complex terrain, adverse climatic conditions, and defence sensitivities of the Ladakh region. The project will use state-of-the-art Voltage Source Converter (VSC) based High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) systems and Extra High Voltage Alternating Current (EHVAC) systems.
• To evacuate this power, the transmission line will pass through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab up to Kaithal in Haryana, where it will be integrated with the National Grid. Additionally, the project in Leh plans to interconnect with the existing Ladakh grid to provide reliable power supply.
• The project will also be connected to the Leh-Alusteng-Srinagar line to provide power to Jammu & Kashmir. The project will set up 713 km transmission lines, including 480 km HVDC line, and 5 GW capacity of HVDC terminal each at Pang (Ladakh) and Kaithal (Haryana).
• The project's main objective is to achieve the target of 500 GW of installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels by the year 2030.
• Green Energy Corridor II is an addition to the Intra-State Transmission System Green Energy Corridor Phase-II (InSTS GEC-II). It isx` already in the implementation phase in the States of Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh. 
• The project will integrate the grid and power evacuation of approximately 20 GW of RE power and is expected to be completed by 2026.