Cabinet approves Rs 24,000 cr agri plan, greenlights Rs 27,000 cr for renewables, hails astronaut Shukla

Cabinet approved a Rs 20,000 crore investment by NTPC and Rs 7,000 crore by NLC India to expand their renewable energy projects across India

The Union Cabinet on July 16 cleared several key proposals, including a Rs 24,000 crore per year outlay for a new Agricultural District Plan, major investments in renewable energy. The 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' scheme aims to enhance agricultural productivity, increase crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices, augment post-harvest storage, improve irrigation facilities and facilitate the availability of credit.

As part of its green energy push, the Cabinet approved a Rs 20,000 crore investment by NTPC and Rs 7,000 crore by NLC India to expand their renewable energy projects across India.

NLC India Ltd (NLCIL) is a public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Coal. The investment will support the renewable energy plans of its subsidiary NLC India Renewables Ltd (NIRL).

The funding will help accelerate NIRL’s green energy projects as part of NLCIL’s target to achieve 10 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030.

The Union Cabinet has enhanced the project approval powers of NTPC and its renewable arm NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) to accelerate the rollout of green energy projects across India. The move is expected to strengthen the country’s power infrastructure, attract faster investments, and support the goal of providing reliable, round-the-clock electricity. It will also generate local employment, boost MSMEs, and promote entrepreneurship during construction and operations.

India has already met 50 perecent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources, five years ahead of its Paris Agreement target. NTPC aims to add 60 GW of renewable capacity by 2032, while NGEL is leading the charge with a 32 GW RE portfolio, including 6 GW operational, 17 GW under construction, and 9 GW in pipeline, making it a key player in India’s net-zero mission by 2070.

Apart from that, in a special gesture, the Cabinet also adopted a resolution honouring Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, whose recent space mission was hailed as a historic step.

After the cabinet meeting, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, "Today the Union Cabinet has passed a resolution on the return of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla from ISS (International Space Station)...This is an occasion of pride, glory and joy for the entire country. Today, the Cabinet, along with the country, congratulates Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on his successful return to Earth. He has completed a historic 18-day mission on the International Space Station... This is a new chapter in India's space program. This gives a golden glimpse into the future of our space programme. The Cabinet congratulates the entire team of scientists and engineers at ISRO for this historic achievement..."