Cabinet defers FDI in pharma decision,gives Assam Upper House

The Cabinet on Thursday deferred decision on proposed changes in the policy on FDI in pharmaceutical and construction sectors for wider consultations. It gave its nod to table the report of the National Commission for Minorities NCM on police and security agencies action against innocent Muslim youths and for the constitution of a legislative council Upper House in Assam.

The NCM had circulated its report on the targeting of innocent Muslims and all other ministries have given their responses. The report will now be tabled in Parliament. The NCM had asked for adequate safeguards to prevent innocent Muslim youths from being targeted but the Home Ministry has said there are checks and balances in place. The report also recommends a uniform compensation policy to all riot victims and seeks compensation for minority youths falsely implicated in terror cases.

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The Cabinet extended limits on stocks of paddy and rice that traders can hold by one year to check hoarding and price rises. The objective of control orders is to enable states to continue to take effective dehoarding operations under the Essential Commodities Act by fixing stock,limits/licensing requirements etc in respect of these commodities. This is expected to help tackle the problem of rising prices and improve the availability of these commodities to the public,especially the vulnerable sections,government said.