Cabinet gives nod to key infra, agriculture projects

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a slew of decisions related to infrastructure, agriculture and dairy sectors.

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A 29.2-km six-lane, access-controlled greenfield NH connecting JNPA Port (Pagote) with Chowk in Maharashtra has been approved at a cost of

Rs 4,500 crore. It will be developed under the build-operate-transfer model.

The Cabinet has also approved a Rs 10,601 crore brownfield ammonia-urea complex at Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL) in Namrup, Assam. This plant will have an annual production capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes of urea.

The government has allocated an additional Rs 11,000 crore to the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), bringing its total budget to Rs 3,400 crore. The revised programme aims to improve cattle breeding, increase milk production and support dairy farmers.

New initiatives under the RGM include financial assistance for setting up heifer-rearing centres and interest subvention for farmers purchasing high-genetic-merit IVF heifers. Since its launch, the programme has helped in increasing milk production by 63.5 per cent over the past decade and has supported over 5.2 crore farmers through artificial insemination programmes.

The Cabinet has revised the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), adding Rs 1,000 crore to its budget, bringing the total to Rs 2,790 crore. This initiative aims to modernise India’s dairy infrastructure, improve milk processing and enhance supply chain efficiency.

The NPDD will focus on upgrading milk testing labs, installing bulk milk coolers and supporting dairy cooperatives, particularly in remote regions. It is expected to generate over 3.2 lakh jobs and establish 10,000 new dairy cooperative societies.