The government today decided to step up ration supplies of wheat and rice by 10 kg per eligible family during January and February to ease prices of these commodities. The allocation would be over and above 35 kg of rice and wheat supplied to each eligible family now. The decision was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Prices, CCP, chaired by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the capital. The CCP also reviewed the prices of essential commodities, including pulses, sugar, potato and onion. The additional allocation of wheat and rice will be made at Minimum Support Price of 10 rupees 80 paisa per kg for wheat and 15 rupees 37 paisa for rice. Those eligible for the allocation include holders of Antodya Anna Yojna cards and Below Poverty Line families. The government said, the additional allocation of rice and wheat will also be available to accepted numbers of cardholders for Above Poverty Line category. As much as an additional 25.43 lakh tonnes of wheat and 10.64 lakh tonnes of rice will allocated for PDS supply for the entire country and the state governments will be allowed to lift the food grain by March 2010. Apart from increasing PDS supplies to ration cardholders, the government also took a slew of measures to step up availability of food grain in retail markets as well. The government has authorised cooperative major NAFED and the National Cooperative Consumers Federation to sell 70,084 tonnes of wheat and 28,000 tonnes of rice through their outlets. In another decision, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, CCEA, approved a model degree college in each of the 374 educationally backward districts, where enrolment rate in higher education is less than the national average. The Scheme which will cost a total of 2992 crore rupees including Central share of 1079 crore will provide education to about 1.9 lakh students per year. The government proposes to set up 200 colleges during the remaining period of the 11th Plan. In another good news for students in science stream, Government today decided to double the number of scholarships to 12,000 for doctoral studies in science. A Government spokesperson said, the CSIR had decided to offer 6,000 Junior Research Fellowships during the Tenth Plan period and the same has been increased two-fold for the Eleventh Plan. <br/><br/>It would also help address the issues related to shortage of scientific manpower in the country. The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure accorded in principle approval for the establishment of the National Knowledge Network (NKN) which will be implemented by the National Informatics Centre. About 1,500 institutions across the country will now be connected to a high speed data communication network that would encourage sharing of knowledge, specialised resources and collaborative research. In an important decision, the government today decided to bring an ordinance to regularise illegal or disputed structures and constructions around monuments.<br/><br/>The move will pave the way for several infrastructure projects linked to the Commonwealth Games in October. The Ordinance will provide for flexibility on constructions depending on the necessity. The High Court had set January 29 as the deadline for the government to respond to a judgment relating to protection