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Union Cabinet Approves Caste Census Inclusion, Sugarcane FRP Hike, and Meghalaya-Assam Greenfield Expressway Project.

National | Dated: 05 May 2025

On April 30, 2025, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, approved the following key proposals:

- The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) approved the inclusion of caste enumeration in the upcoming national census. This decision was made after several states conducted individual caste surveys that were criticized for lacking transparency and clear intent.
- As a result, the Government of India has decided to integrate caste enumeration within the main census framework rather than conducting separate surveys.

(i) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the FRP of sugarcane for the sugar season 2025-26 (October to September) at Rs 355 per quintal for a basic recovery rate of 10.25%. This FRP will be effective from 1st October 2025 and will be applicable to all sugar mills purchasing sugarcane from farmers.
(ii) The CCEA, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, also approved a major infrastructure project for the development, maintenance, and management of a Greenfield High-Speed Corridor along National Highway 06 (NH-06).
(iii) The expressway will stretch 166.80 kilometres, connecting Mawlyngkhung (near Shillong), Meghalaya to Panchgram (near Silchar), Assam. It will be a four-lane, access-controlled expressway, with 144.80 km in Meghalaya and 22 km in Assam, developed under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) at an estimated cost of Rs 22,864 crore.

What is the total estimated cost of the recently approved Greenfield expressway project connecting Meghalaya and Assam?

Correct Answer: 22,864 crore