Union Ministers Prakash Javadekar and Jithendra Singh are briefing the media about the latest Cabinet decisions, at National Media Centre, New Delhi.

Here are the live updates from Damini Nath:

MoS Jithendra Singh hails the creation of National Recruitment Agency as an historic decision and says it was possible due to the direct intervention of the Prime Minister.

The common eligibility test can be used by the state governments, says Mr. Singh. In the future, the private sector can also use, he adds.

No candidate will have to travel outside their district, says the Minister.

More on National Recruitment Agency

Explaining the role of National Recruitment Agency, DoPT Secretary C. Chandramouli says Railways, Banks and SSC examinations will be brought under the newly formed agency.

"Some of the problems faced by candidates are the multiplicity of exams, fees, dates and expenses.

"There are more than 20 recruitment agencies in the Central government. Right now, we are bringing 3 agencies under the National Recruitment Agency and will eventually bring all of them under it"

"There are 1.25 lakh vacancies every year in Group B and C for Railways, banks and SSC for which 2.5 crore-3 crore people apply."

"The National Recruitment Agency will conduct the tier-1 examination for these three agencies online."

The agency will conduct exams in 12 languages, and it will be expanded to include more regional languages. The score will be valid for three years and candidates will have a chance to improve their score by taking the exam again.

Common registration, single fee, and common curriculum are among the benefits for candidates, he adds.

The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved one-time relaxation to Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation for extending loans to discoms above the limit of working capital cap of 25% of last year’s revenue.

The scheme will be implemented under Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana.

Three airports to be leased out

Cabinet has approved a proposal for leasing out three airports — Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram — through PPP. Currently, these airports are managed by the Airports Authority of India.

These will be given to the private sector for 50 years, after which they will return to AAI, says Mr. Javadekar.

The government has hiked the FRP of sugarcane by ₹10 per quintal.

One crore sugarcane farmers will be given fair and remunerative price of ₹285 per quintal for a basic recovery rate of 10%.

The FRP is the minimum price at which sugarcane is to be purchased by sugar mills from farmers.

National Recruitment Agency

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar announces that the government will be setting up a National Recruitment Agency to conduct a common eligibility test.

This will benefit crores of young people, he says.