PM's new Cabinet: From Rs 23,123-cr COVID package to amending Coconut Development Board Act, key announcements

A new emergency response package worth Rs 23,123 crore to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and a nod to let APMCs borrow from Rs 1 lakh crore agri fund were among the decisions taken in the first meet of  Prime Minister Narendra Modi's expanded Cabinet.

Here are some of the key announcements the Centre made on Thursday:

• The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to amend Coconut Development Board Act as part of efforts to increase coconut farming
• Addressing a press conference after the first meeting of the expanded cabinet, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said the Coconut Board president will be a non-official person from the farmer community
• "We will amend the Coconut Development Board to increase the productivity of coconut farmers. The Board chief will be a non-administrative person from the field. For executive powers, there will be a CEO. There are two types of members - one from the state and one from the Centre. The number of members from the Centre will be increased to six," he said
• Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMCs) will be able to use Rs 1 lakh crore fund announced in the Union Budget. State governments, cooperative federations will also be considered in the eligibility list for the APMCs. If a person is working on more than 1 project (but not more than 25), he will be given a loan for it, said Tomar
• We have always respected farmers and dealt with them with patience. We will welcome any proposals from them apart from repealing the law. APMCs will not be dismantled, they will remain. We have told farmers that we are ready to talk and we appeal the farmer leaders to end their agitation, the agriculture minister said
• The Cabinet approved immediate attachment of five officers to "Empowered Group 4" for COVID-19 management. Empowered Group 4 deals with Covid-related economic and welfare measures.

Rs 23,123-crore COVID-19 management package

Newly appointed Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that under the relief package "we have made provision for additional 20,000 ICU beds, out of which 20 percent will be hybrid, that is for children and adults. We will make 10,000-litre storage capacity for oxygen in every district."

Addressing concerns of a potential third COVID-19 wave, Mandaviya said, "Pediatric care centres will be formed in 736 districts and 20,000 ICU beds will be created under the relief package."

Of the Rs 23,000 crore, around Rs 15,000 crore will be spent by the Centre and Rs 8,000 crore will be allocated to states, he said, adding the plan will be implemented in the next nine months.

Mandaviya, a BJP leader from Gujarat's Saurashtra region, replaced Dr Harsh Vardhan, who was dropped from the Council of Ministers on Wednesday.

Prior to being elevated to a Cabinet rank, Mandaviya held Independent charge of the Shipping Ministry and was MoS for the Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry.

Narendra Modi holds first meeting of new Cabinet

A day after the rejig and expansion of the Union Cabinet, meetings of the union cabinet and council of ministers on were held Thursday evening.

The meetings of the Union Cabinet took place virtually and was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

#WATCH | Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs Council of Ministers meeting via video conference.

Source: PMO pic.twitter.com/NKcCw8vpH8

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2021

As many as 43 leaders took oath on Wednesday in the first Union Cabinet reshuffle and expansion after Modi returned to power for a second term in May 2019.

The swearing-in ceremony, which took place at Rashtrapati Bhavan amid coronavirus protocols, came days ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.