Cabinet nod to Navi Mumbai airport

The Cabinet on Thursday approved construction of the second international airport at Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra.

"The approval in principle for development of the Navi Mumbai airport in the public-private partnership mode has been granted," Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

The existing airport in Mumbai will be saturated when the number of passengers reaches 40 million annually and a second airport would be needed, the finance minister said.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation will now set up steering committee to oversee the structure and implementation of the project, including aspects like funding and selection of the strategic partner.

The Cabinet also approved withdrawal of the Private Universities Bill, 1995, pending in the Rajya Sabha since 1995.

The Bill will be removed from the pending list since the UGC Regulations, 2003, upheld by the Supreme Court, adequately address the concerns over mushrooming of private universities and take care of the Centre's obligation to maintain standards of higher education.

The Cabinet also approved a new Central Sector Scholarship Scheme of Top Quality Higher Education to students belonging to Scheduled Tribes from 2007-08.

The scheme envisages a grant of Rs 2 lakh per annum per student for private sector institutions and Rs 3.72 lakh per student for private flying clubs for commercial pilot training.

Living expenses will be provided subject to a ceiling of Rs 3,000 per month, while Rs 3,000 per annum would be provided for books and stationery and Rs 45,000 for a computer.

The Cabinet approved setting up of a "Tiger and Other Endangered Species Crime Control Bureau" with headquarters in New Delhi.

In a bid to tide over shortage of officers, the Cabinet also gave nod to a proposal to allow women to sit for Short Service Commission in the Flying Branch of the Indian Air Force.