The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to the proposals for leasing out three major airports — Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru — of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) through public-private partnership (PPP) with Adani Group. Earlier this year, the Adani group had won the bids to operate the three airports for a period of 50 years. Gautam Adani led group had also won the bids to operate the Jaipur, Guwahati and Thiruvananthapuram airports, owned by the AAI.
The AAI had chosen the winner on the basis of the "per-passenger fee" offered by the bidders. Principal Spokesperson of the Government of India Sitanshu Kar said on Twitter, "Cabinet approves proposal for leasing out of three airports viz. #Ahmedabad, Lucknow and Mangaluru of Airports Authority of India through Public Private Partnership.
Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi also approved the long standing demand of paramilitary officers for upgrading their cadre. Cabinet "approved the proposal for Grant of Organised Group 'A' Service (OGAS) to Group 'A' Executive Cadre Officers of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and extension of benefit of Non-Functional Financial Upgradation (NFFU) and Non-Functional Selection Grade (NFSG)," said Government in statement.
Several writ petitions were filed in Delhi High Court by Group 'A' Executive Cadre Officers of CAPF for grant of OGAS status and consequential benefits of NFFU and NFSG.
The Cabinet also approved a bill that bars commercial surrogacy and allows only close relatives to act as surrogates to needy infertile couples for "altruistic" reasons. The Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2019 proposes to regulate surrogacy in India by establishing a National Surrogacy Board at the central level and State Surrogacy Boards and appropriate authorities in the state and Union Territories, official sources said.
"The proposed legislation will ensure effective regulation of surrogacy, prohibit commercial surrogacy and allow ethical surrogacy to the needy infertile Indian couples. "While commercial surrogacy will be prohibited, including sale and purchase of human embryo and gametes, ethical surrogacy to the needy infertile couples will be allowed on fulfillment of stipulated conditions. It will also prohibit exploitation of surrogate mothers and children born through surrogacy," an official said.
The 228th report of the Law Commission of India has recommended for prohibiting commercial surrogacy and allowing ethical altruistic surrogacy by enacting a suitable legislation.