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Centre clears solar rooftop scheme, phosphatic & potassium fertiliser subsidy
The Centre also approved the proposals to set up three semiconductor units in Gujarat and Assam.
The union cabinet on Thursday approved several schemes and decisions including PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the ₹75,000 crore rooftop solar scheme for one crore households, subsidy on phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for the upcoming kharif season and setting up three semiconductor units in Gujarat and Assam.
Read here: What is PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna? Details here
Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting (IB) minister Anurag Thakur informed, “Today cabinet meeting was held under the leadership of PM Modi. 'PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana' has been approved today, one crore families will get 300 units of free electricity under this scheme.”
He said that the initiative will give thrust to solar manufacturing and supply chain and provide direct employment to 17 lakh people.
Through the scheme, which was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, each household can get a subsidy of ₹30,000 for 1 kw system and ₹60,000 for 2 kw system.
The Modi cabinet also announced a ₹24,420-crore subsidy on phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for the upcoming kharif season and said the farmers will continue to get key oil nutrient DAP at ₹1,350 per quintal.
“A nutrient-based subsidy of ₹24,420 crore on P&K fertilisers has been approved for the kharif season starting April 1 till September 30,” Thakur said.
The minister further mentioned that the subsidy on Nitrogen (N) has been fixed at ₹47.02 per kg, phosphatic (P) at ₹28.72 per g, potassic (K) at ₹2.38 per kg and Sulphur (S) at ₹1.89 per kg for 2024 kharif season, he said.
The subsidy on phosphatic fertilisers has been increased to ₹28.72 per kg for the 2024 kharif season from ₹20.82 per kg in the 2023 rabi season. However, the subsidy on nitrogen (N), potassic (K) and Sulphur (S) has been kept unchanged for 2024 kharif season.
In addition, the Centre also approved the proposals to set up three semiconductor units in Gujarat and Assam with an estimated investment of ₹1.26 lakh crore.
The construction of all three units will start within the next 100 days, telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while briefing the media persons.
Tata Electronics Private Limited will set up a semiconductor fab in partnership with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp (PSMC), Taiwan. This unit will be constructed in Dholera, Gujarat. The plant will attract ₹91,000 crore investment. CG Power -- in partnership with Renesas Electronics Corporation, Japan, and Stars Microelectronics, Thailand -- will set up a semiconductor unit in Sanand, Gujarat.
Further, the Modi cabinet also okayed the creation of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to set up a global network to conserve tigers and other big cats with a one-time budgetary support of ₹150 crore for the IBCA for a period of five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28.
Read here: Centre to set up three semiconductor plants in Gujarat and Assam
The India-headquartered alliance was conceived as a multi-country, multi-agency coalition of 96 big cat range countries and others to establish a common platform for conservation.
Out of the seven big cats (tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and the cheetah), five -- tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah -- are found in India.
