New Delhi [India], July 31 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday praised the Union government's latest Cabinet decisions, calling them 'significant' steps to strengthen regional connectivity, improve agricultural productivity and support cooperative initiatives across the country.

Taking to the social media platform X, Jaishankar highlighted three major decisions approved by the Cabinet earlier in the day.

In his post, the minister noted that the Cabinet had approved four major railway multitracking projects covering 13 districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand. He said the projects would enhance regional connectivity and promote economic growth through smoother movement of people, goods and services.

https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1950917143140454595

Jaishankar also welcomed the decision to increase the financial outlay for the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana.

The Cabinet has approved an additional amount of Rs 1,920 crore, raising the total budget of the scheme to Rs 6,520 crore. He said this move will help the nation's farmers by supporting food processing infrastructure, including food irradiation units and testing laboratories, while also helping to reduce post-harvest losses.

The minister further praised the approval of a new Central Sector Scheme titled 'Grant-in-aid to National Cooperative Development Corporation.' With an outlay of Rs 2,000 crore for the next four years, the scheme aims to support agriculture and food processing cooperatives, including those led by women and labour groups.

Earlier in the day, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared four railway projects aimed at decongesting the national rail network.

Briefing the media after the cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwani Vaishnaw said that the projects include Itarsi - Nagpur fourth line; Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) - Parbhani Doubling; Aluabari Road- New Jalpaiguri third and fourth line; and Dangoaposi- Jaroli third and fourth line.

Vaishnaw, who is also the Union Railways Minister, said the increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. These multi-tracking proposals are poised to streamline operations and alleviate congestion.

The multitracking projects will also contribute to the government's climate goals by reducing emissions and fuel imports, as the railways continue to serve as a more environmentally friendly transport option.

The Union Cabinet also approved a total outlay of Rs 6,520 crore, including an additional outlay of Rs 1920 crore for the ongoing Central Sector Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana' (PMKSY) during the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (FCC) (2021-22 to 2025-26).

The approval includes Rs 1000 crore to support the setting up of 50 Multi Product Food Irradiation Units under the component scheme-Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure (ICCVAI), and 100 Food Testing Labs (FTLs) with NABL accreditation under the component scheme, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure (FSQAI) of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), in alignment with the budget announcement.

The additional funding for PM Kisan Sampada Yojana and the cooperative development scheme are part of the broader strategy to strengthen rural infrastructure, improve farmers' income and support local industries, the government said in an official release. (ANI)