The government announced an increase of 50 rupees per quintal in the Minimum support price of paddy. It will pay to farmers for purchasing paddy, at 1,000 a quintal for the crop year 2010-11. The decision to announce the minimum support price was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.<br/><br/>The increase will be applicable to both common and 'Grade A' varieties.<br/><br/>Briefing reporters after the CCEA, the Home minister Mr P Chidambaram announced that the price of Moong has been fixed at three thousand one hundred seventy rupees a quintal The MSP of Jowar, Bajra and Maze have been fixed at 880 rupees per quintal with a rise of 40 rupees. The price of Arahar has been fixed at 3000 rupees. The MSP of cotton remains unchanged at 2005 rupees per quintal.<br/><br/>The CCEA also approved a proposal for investment of 2,430 crore rupees in nearly 200 engineering colleges under a scheme aimed at upgrading the standards of technical education institutions in the country.<br/><br/>Mr P Chidambaram told reporters that It envisages an investment of 2,430 crore rupees in about 200 technical educational institutions with an aim to produce higher quality and more employable engineers. The project covers 127 institutions in 13 states in the first phase.<br/><br/>In yet another decision, the CCEA approved proposal of Japan International Cooperation Agency assisted Ganga Action Plan phase two at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. It also approved implementation existing national micro irrigation schemes as national mission with an outlay of over eight thousand crores.