GOVT ‘UNLOCKS’ SPACE SECTOR, OPENS UP INFRA TO PRIVATE PLAYERS
NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a slew of decisions, including opening up of the Indian space sector, pumping in money to create dairy infrastructure in the country, constructing an international airport at Kushinagar to boost tourism in the Buddhist circuit as well as give a six-month extension to the OBC Commission.
Hailing the announcement of the creation of a new space body, Minister of State for Atomic Energy and Space, Jitendra Singh said: “A new institution has been formed. It will be known as Indian National Space, Promotion & Authorisation Centre. It will guide the private industries in space activities through encouraging policies in a friendly regulatory environment.”
This, the minister claimed, will open up the space sector. However, to a question whether ISRO’S role has been curtailed, he clarified that all these agencies will supplement each other. He also added that this will stop the “brain drain” from India. Singh said, while ISRO will continue to do what it has been doing, the new body will “fill the gap and fulfill demand”.
Jitendra Singh added that the newly created Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACE) provides a level-playing field for private companies to use Indian space infrastructure. It will also hand-hold, promote and guide the private industries in space activities.
Meanwhile, in a significant move that concerns the rural economy, the Cabinet approved the establishment of the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund worth Rs 15,000 crore. The government said it will provide 3 per cent interest subvention to eligible beneficiaries, under this new endeavour.
While Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar claimed that it will help generate more jobs, Animal Husbandry Minister Giriraj Singh maintained that the new infrastructure will help India create quality cheese which was not possible so far.
The Cabinet on Wednesday also approved the declaration of Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh as an International Airport. Meanwhile, the Cabinet also decided to extend the tenure of the Commission which was brought in to examine the issue of subcategorisation within Other Backward Classes, by another six months.
‘A new institution has been formed. It will be known as Indian National Space, Promotion & Authorisation Centre. It will guide the private industries in space activities through encouraging policies in a friendly regulatory environment’