The Cabinet has approved a proposal of the Telecom Ministry for installation of mobile towers at 2,199 locations in 9 Naxal-violence affected states in the country.

Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, Finance minister P. Chidambaram said that these towers will be installed by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

He said the project will cost over 3,000 crore rupees and the installation will be completed in 12 months.

Mr Chidambaran said, the cabinet also approved the extension of Rashtriya Swastha Bima Yojana to other working groups.

The Cabinet has also approved the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill to set up a regulator for the real estate sector in the country.

The bill seeks to make it mandatory for developers to launch projects only after acquiring all the statutory clearances from relevant authorities.

It also has provisions under which all relevant clearances for real estate projects would have to be submitted to the regulator and also displayed on a website before starting construction work.

The cabinet also approved the extension of Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to other working groups. These groups include rickshaw pullers, rag pickers, mining workers, sanitation workers and taxi and auto rickshaw drivers.

Replying to a question, the Minister said that there is no decision on promulgating an ordinance for the food
security bill and it was not brought up before the Cabinet.

The Cabinet also accepted the offer of Vodafone for a non-binding conciliation. Mr. Chidambaram said if the outcome of the conciliation is found acceptable to the government, it will be put up before the cabinet for its approval and thereafter to Parliament.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA approved the redevelopment of Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi at an estimated cost of 1,332 crore rupees.

The redevelopment comprises construction of two separate building blocks having a 807 bed Super Specialty cum Paid Ward block and a 500 bed Emergency block.