The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met on Friday and approved two major infrastructure and industrial initiatives, as announced by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. The Cabinet cleared a crucial multi-tracking railway project for the Ballari-Guntakal section, connecting Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,264 crore. Based on the PM-Gatishakti National Master Plan, this project will add approximately 46 kilometers to the existing railway network, spanning three districts across the two states and boosting connectivity for nearly 99 villages with a combined population of around seven lakh. Officials noted that the expanded capacity will also significantly improve rail access to major tourist destinations like the Ballari Fort and Sri Kumaraswamy Temple.
In a major push for the manufacturing sector, the Cabinet also approved the Bharat Industrial Development Scheme for Chemicals, officially named the BHAVYA – Rasayan Scheme, which was announced in the 2026-27 Union Budget. Backed by a total financial outlay of Rs 3,030 crore, the 5-year scheme (running from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31) aims to establish three dedicated chemical parks across the country. Under the guidelines of the BHAVYA scheme, the central government will provide a grant of up to Rs 1,000 crore for each park, contingent on a matching contribution of at least Rs 500 crore from the respective state governments. The initiative is designed to create robust common infrastructure facilities, generate large-scale employment opportunities, and attract massive downstream investments, with individual plant values expected to reach between Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 20,000 crore.
