The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to transfer 4.64 hectares of land belonging to the Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation Research Centre at Vasad in Gujarat’s Anand district, to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The Institute, under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, will be paid a compensation of ₹12.67 crore. The land is being acquired for the extension and six-laning of the Ahmedabad-Vadodara Highway on NH-8.

“The transfer of land to NHAl is likely to benefit the region, leading to enhanced opportunities for growth and development in terms of infrastructure, transport, communication, employment generation etc,” an official release said.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) also approved the development of four-laning from “end of Pandoh Bypass to Takoli” section of NH-21 in Himachal Pradesh. The roughly 19-km road is estimated to cost ₹2,775.93 crore, including expenses for land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation, and other pre-construction activities. The work will be done under National Highways Development Project phase IV B on hybrid annuity mode.

Pact with Cyprus

The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to the agreement between India and Cyprus on merchant shipping, signed in April 2017.

The agreement will pave the way for cooperation in eliminating any hindrances which may hamper the development of sea trade between the two nations. The MoU will also encourage participation in the transport of goods between the countries, and also from third countries.

MoU with Mali, Somalia

The Cabinet gave ex-post facto approval to the memorandum of understanding between the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Republic of Mali’s Direction Nationale De Industries, to facilitate closer cooperation.

In another decision, the Cabinet gave its nod for signing and subsequent ratification of the agreement on transfer of sentenced persons between India and Somalia.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW