New Delhi, Feb. 1: The Union cabinet today gave its approval to amend the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (Amendment) Bill (KVIC), 2005.

After the amendment, the commission will be known as National KVIC, to differentiate it from state commissions, said Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Union minister for parliamentary affairs.

The amendment bill will facilitate the revamping of the KVIC. Its organisational structure and operations will be modernised and the development of khadi and village industries will be hastened.

According to an official statement, the bill, approved by the cabinet in August was introduced in the Lok Sabha. It was later referred to the parliamentary standing committee on industry.

The committee then recommended amendments to four clauses out of 14 and adopted the remaining without any change.

In another decision, the cabinet also approved the privatisation of text book presses at Mysore, Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar on condition that the employees will be retained for their remaining service period.

The government forms store at Calcutta and the office of assistant director (outside printing) can be retained if no further recruitment is made.

Also, the central government’s press at Gangtok may be transferred to the Sikkim government with its present liability and assets on mutually agreed terms and conditions.

The cabinet also cleared a proposal to give Calicut airport the status of an international airport.