In another major decision, the Cabinet cleared a revised master plan worth Rs 5,940 crore for the rehabilitation of families displaced by underground fires and land subsidence in Jharkhand’s Jharia coalfields in Dhanbad district.According to the Minister, the plan aims to relocate over 200,000 people currently living in hazardous conditions, focusing on housing, infrastructure, and essential civic amenities. The original 2009 master plan could not be fully implemented due to legal, technical, and social challenges, he said.“The Union Cabinet has approved the restructuring of the Jharia Rehabilitation and Development Authority by appointing a joint secretary-ranked chief executive and establishing implementation and monitoring committees, co-chaired by the Coal Secretary and Jharkhand Chief Secretary, to fast-track rehabilitation efforts,” the Minister said.“The revised master plan prioritises livelihood creation, skill development, and full infrastructure provisioning (roads, schools, hospitals, utilities) at the rehabilitation site,” he added.The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a regional centre of the International Potato Centre (IPC) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, with an outlay of Rs 11.5 crore. Twenty hectares of land for the purpose has already been provided by the UP government.The centre will promote research and innovation in potato cultivation, a key crop for Indian farmers and critical to food security. “Research at the regional centre will focus on seed production, pest management, sustainable production, and training farmers,” the Minister said, adding: “This will help farmers adopt global best practices and improve yields.”
Source link
