NEW DELHI: Union Cabinet meeting presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday observed a two minutes silence to condole the demise of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
The cabinet has approved the proposal of Election Commission for purchase of 4,10,000 Ballot Units (BUs) and 3,14,000 Control Units (CUs) during 2017-18 and 4,35,306 Ballot Units and 71,716 control units during 2018-19 at a tentative unit cost of Rs 7,700 and Rs 9,300 respectively.
“The total estimated cost will be Rs.1,009.6 crore. The purchases will be made through Bharat Electronic Ltd.(BEL), Bangalore and Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL), Hyderabad. The Cabinet has also authorised the poll panel to change the quantity to be ordered on BEL and ECIL based on their production capacity and past performance in supply of machines,” said the government in a media release.
The government officials said that this would facilitate phasing out of obsolete electronic voting machines procured during 2000-2005.
“It will enable the Election Commission to replenish the stock with a view to meeting the requirement of conducting General Elections to Lok Sabha and some of the State Assemblies due in 2019. Authorising the EC to vary to the quantity would ensure better management of the procurement process and timely delivery of the units,” said an official.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet in another decision in the interest of farmers also decided to roll over existing subsidy rates for another six months till end of the financial year.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister has approved the proposal of half yearly review of Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilizers for the year 2016-17.
Accordingly, in the interest of farmers, it has been decided to roll over the existing subsidy rates as given below for another six months till the end of the financial year 2016-17, said the government in its media statement.
It has also been decided to ensure that any fall in the international prices should be reflected by the fertilizers companies with subsequent reduction in MRPs, the official said, while adding that with fall in international prices, the MRP of P&K fertilizers was reduced in July 2016.
“The fertilizer companies reduced the 50 Kg. bag prices of Muriate of Potash (MOP) by Rs. 250, Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) by Rs. 125 and Complex fertilizers by Rs. 50. This is expected to result in increase in consumption of P&K fertilizers which will result in balanced fertilization. As a result the yield from the crops will increase resulting in enhanced income to the farmers,” said the government in the official statement.