PM unwell, Whistleblowers' Bill awaits Cabinet nod

New Delhi, July 25: A meeting of the Union Cabinet scheduled for this morning was postponed as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was indisposed.

The meeting, slated for 10.30 AM, was to consider a number of proposals, including amendments to the Whistleblowers' Protection Bill.

The meeting had to be postponed as the Prime Minister is a little unwell, sources said.

Among the issues on the Cabinet agenda was consideration of official amendments to the Whistleblowers Protection Bill.

These include keeping out of the proposed law any information that could compromise strategic and economic interests and impact foreign relations.

Though the official amendments were moved in the Rajya Sabha last year, the bill could not come up for proper discussion and passage.

It came up for consideration on August 14 last year but the House was adjourned due to the demise of Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh.

Now the Ministry of Personnel is seeking the Union Cabinet's post facto approval to the official amendments.

The Cabinet was also to take up a proposal for providing a stand-alone Rs 1000 crore additional central assistance to districts affected by Maoist violence for strengthening development and welfare initiatives there.

The additional central assistance for Maoist-affected districts will be on 100 per cent grant basis and cover 82 Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts.

PTI