Cabinet meeting: Rs 63,000 crore City Bus scheme for 169 cities likely to be approved

The Union Cabinet is likely to approve a few schemes today, including the city bus augmentation scheme and a few schemes for farmers.

The Cabinet is likely to approve the City Bus Augmentation scheme worth Rs 62,000-63,000 crore to boost public transport in 169 cities. The City Bus Augmentation was announced by the government during the Budget 2021-22. The scheme would facilitate deployment of innovative PPP models to enable private sector players to finance, acquire, operate and maintain the buses in the country. The augmentation scheme aims to provide support for new buses of all fuel types.

Additionally, the Cabinet is also likely to approve the PM-PRANAM scheme that was announced in Budget 2023 to promote alternative sources of fertilisers. PM PRANAM stands for PM Promotion of Alternate Nutrients for Agriculture Management Yojana, announced to reduce the subsidy burden on chemical fertilisers.

The Union Cabinet is also likely to approve a new variety of sulphur coated urea called ‘Urea Gold’ to incentivise farmers. This is expected to be sold by fertiliser makers in market-determined prices.

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