Cabinet approves ₹2 lk cr package for jobs, R&D, sports policy and highway project

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a set of decisions covering employment generation, research funding, sports development, and highway expansion. The total financial commitment across the proposals exceeds Rs 2 lakh crore.

The government has approved a Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) scheme aimed at strengthening India’s capabilities in critical and emerging technologies. The scheme is expected to focus on domestic innovation, particularly in sectors such as clean energy, climate action, AI in agriculture and health, digital economy, deep tech, space, and biotechnology.

According to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the RDI scheme has been modelled after international practices studied in countries like Israel, the US, Germany, and Singapore. He said only projects that have achieved Technology Readiness Level 4—indicating they are beyond the prototype stage—will qualify for funding support.


Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme
The Cabinet also cleared the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme, with an outlay of Rs 99,446 crore, to support the creation of over 3.5 crore new jobs over the next two years. The scheme will offer wage support to both employees and employers, with a particular focus on the manufacturing sector.

Under Part A of the scheme, around 1.92 crore first-time employees are expected to benefit from a one-month wage incentive (up to Rs 15,000), paid in two instalments. Part B will incentivise employers to hire additional staff, offering up to Rs 3,000 per employee per month for two years. In manufacturing, this benefit will extend to four years.

The scheme targets formal employment. To qualify, employers must be EPFO-registered and hire at least two (if the workforce is under 50) or five (if above 50) additional employees, who must remain employed for at least six months.

Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 replaces 2001 Sports Policy
In a major policy revamp, the Cabinet approved the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, replacing the two-decade-old National Sports Policy of 2001. The new policy is built on five key pillars: achieving global excellence, driving economic development through sports, improving social inclusion, promoting mass participation, and integrating sports into the education system, highlighted Vaishnaw.

The policy also sets the stage for India’s long-term Olympic ambitions, including a potential bid for the 2036 Games. It lays out a national framework for performance benchmarking and encourages states to align their sports strategies with national goals.

Highway project to improve Tamil Nadu connectivity
In Tamil Nadu, the Cabinet approved the four-laning of the 46.7 km Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram stretch of National Highway-87. The Rs 1,853 crore project, to be built under the Hybrid Annuity Model, aims to ease congestion on a key stretch connecting Madurai, Rameshwaram, and Dhanushkodi.

The new highway will integrate with five national and three state highways and connect to major transport nodes, including the Madurai airport and Rameshwaram railway station. Officials estimate the project will create over 18 lakh person-days of employment--8.4 lakh directly and 10.45 lakh indirectly.

Once complete, the upgraded highway is expected to improve traffic flow in the region, support tourism, and boost trade and logistics across southern Tamil Nadu.