Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made a series of announcements spanning infrastructure to education including the freight corridor, new IIMs, Jai Prakash Narayan memorial and others. Here they are:

01. National Policy for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship approved by the Cabinet.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today gave its approval for the India’s first integrated National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015. The Policy acknowledges the need for an effective roadmap for promotion of entrepreneurship as the key to a successful skills strategy.

To achieve this Vision, the Policy has four thrust areas. It addresses key obstacles to skilling, including low aspirational value, lack of integration with formal education, lack of focus on outcomes, low quality of training infrastructure and trainers, etc.

02. National Skill Development Mission gives a strong framework to implement skill development activities across India.

The National Skill Development Mission will provide a strong institutional framework at the Centre and States for implementation of skilling activities in the country.

The Mission will have a three-tiered, high powered decision making structure. At its apex, the Mission’s Governing Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, will provide overall guidance and policy direction. The Steering Committee, chaired by Minister in Charge of Skill Development, will review the Mission’s activities in line with the direction set by the Governing Council. The Mission Directorate, with Secretary, Skill Development as Mission Director, will ensure implementation, coordination and convergence of skilling activities across Central Ministries/Departments and State Governments.

03. PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana will fulfil the dream of ‘हर खेत को पानी’ by enhancing irrigation facilities for farmers.

Objective of PMKSY: To achieve convergence of investments in irrigation at field level, expand cultivable area under assured irrigation.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval to a new scheme the “Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana” (PMKSY). It will have an outlay of Rs. 50,000 crore over a period of five years (2015-16 to 2019-20). The allocation for the current financial year is Rs. 5300 crore.

Along with these, here are other developments-

01. 585 regulated markets across India will be integrated with common e-platform. This will be hugely beneficial for farmers.

02. Farmers & traders can get opportunities to purchase & sell agricultural commodities at optimal prices in a transparent manner.

03. Scheme of Promotion of National Agriculture Market through Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund has been approved by CCEA.