The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared a proposal to fill pending vacancies under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes in the Central government. This move will benefit around 50,000 people. The proposal comes soon after the government decision to allow 4.5 percent reservation to the minorities within the OBC quota. The last such effort was made in 2008 when the government had launched a special recruitment drive for recruitment in these categories.

In a bid to protect consumers from unscrupulous jewellers, the cabinet approved a proposal making hallmarking of gold mandatory. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the Consumer Affairs Ministry, is the administrative authority of hallmarking. The BIS hallmark, a mark of conformity widely accepted by the consumer, bestows the additional confidence to the consumer on the quality of products like gold jewellery.

The Cabinet also gave its nod to a proposal for providing insurance cover and pension benefits to Overseas Indian workers. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has already announced that a fund is being set up for the purpose. The objective is to offer financial help to Indians working in Gulf region after they return back to the country.

In yet another decision, the Cabinet approved extension of Ex-servicemen contributory health scheme facilities to Nepal domiciled Gorkhas. About one lakh Ex-servicemen and their 2.17 lakh dependents living in Nepal will benefit from the decision. According to an official press release, the application forms for availing this facility will be available on the Headquarters of Army, Navy and Air Force in India or from the Defence Attache at Kathmandu.

The government also approved an additional fund of over 19000 crore rupees for completion of Katra-Qazigund Railway line project in Jammu and Kashmir. This was stated by the Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah after a meeting of Cabinet Committee of Infrastructure. The railway line is to be completed by 2017. The rail line from Udhampur to Katra is in the final stage of completion. The rail lines from Jammu to Udhampur and Qazigund to Baramulla are already in operation.