The Union Cabinet today approved amendment of Constitution to provide legal backing to the cooperative societies on the lines of municipality and Panchayat. Briefing newsmen following the cabinet meeting, the Union Home Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaram said that the bill to this effect will be introduced in the winter session of parliament. He also said, the bill will make it an obligation for the states to promote democratic functioning of the co-operative institutions. Giving details, he said that the office bearers of the cooperatives will have a fixed five years and the election to these institutions will be conducted by an independent authority after regular intervals. <br/><br/>The cabinet also approved the enhancement of honorarium for national research professors from 25, 000 rupees to 75,000 rupees per month besides the contingency from 50 thousand to one lakh rupees per annum and pension from 9,000 rupees to 25,000 rupees. The cabinet also approved appointment of an advisor to the Minister of Law and Justice in the rank of Secretary to the Government. The Home Minister said that another bill will be introduced in the winter session to replace the ordinance on essential commodities act on fair and remunerative price for levy sugar.<br/><br/>In another important decision, Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA, has approved an incentive bonus of 50 rupees per quintal on paddy over and above the Minimum Support Price, MSP, for the khariff marekting season 2009-2010.<br/><br/>The present MSP for paddy is 950 rupees for common grade and 980 rupees for grade-A. The CCEA has also given an in principle approval to bring follow on public issue offer for rural electrification corporation for ovoer 17 crore equity shares of 10 rupees each, constituting 20 per cent of existing paid up capital which comprises fresh issue of about 13 crore equity shares. <br/><br/>In a series of other decisions, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved four laning of National Highways from Barsat to Krishan Nagar section in West Bengal, Moradabad to Bareilli in Uttar Pradesh and Rohtat to Bawal in Haryana. <br/><br/>The CCEA also approved participation by ONGC Videsh Limited in the Upstrteam and Offshore Midstream exploration of two blocks in Myanmar. The investment is expected to provide additional reserve accretion of hydrocarbons and facilitate production and marketing of Natural Gas.<br/>