The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has lauded the 100th G20 meeting during India’s G20 Presidency.

In response to a tweet thread by G 20 India, the Prime Minister said;

“Guided by the principle of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ and in line with our ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, India’s G20 Presidency has worked to further global good and create a better planet.”

India has ushered into the era of cultural renaissance under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. This was stated by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh during his address at Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam in Somnath, Gujarat on April 17, 2023. He stated that the Government is taking a number of steps to connect the people with the nation’s centuries-old traditions and cultures. He added that India’s deep-rooted traditions depict strength & unity, providing ability & capability to withstand any challenge.

The Raksha Mantri stressed the need to ensure ‘cultural security’, describing it as equally essential as security of the borders and other aspects such as food, energy, environment, cyber and space. He asserted that the Government is laying emphasis on cultural security and special attention is being paid towards maintaining cultural unity. He termed the event – a confluence of Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu – as a celebration of India’s cultural unity and a shining example of ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’.

On the cultural connect between Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the ties date back more than a thousand years. “Saurashtra was attacked several times by foreign invaders around the eleventh century. It was that period when a large number of people from Saurashtra migrated to South India. During that time the people of Tamil Nadu welcomed them and helped in starting a new life,” he said. He gave numerous examples of the centuries-old connect between Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu, describing it as one of the shining chapters of a unified India.

Governor of Telangana Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

Addressing the inaugural session of G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting here today, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh described India as an emerging Space economy.

G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting is being organised under India’s G20 presidency by the Department of Space, Government of India,

The Minister said that India is one of the very few countries who have built end to end capability in space. Over these years, space technology has penetrated to all walks of life. As a result, there is a huge demand for space based services which have huge commercial potential, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government has decided to open up the space sector for the Indian private industry through the 2020 Space Sector reforms to enhance their participation in end-to-end space activities with hand holding of ISRO.

The Minister further said that the reforms aim to make private industries a co-traveller in India’s Space journey by allowing them to undertake independent end to end space activities. The increased private industry participation will eventually result in increased contribution of India in the global space economy.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that a nodal entity called Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center IN-SPACehas been created towards promoting and authorising private industries participation. The creation of IN-SPACe has received overwhelming response from the Indian space industry. The first privately built sounding rocket was launched last November and a space start-up has established a launch pad inside ISRO’s launch complex. A few start-ups have built and launched satellites, he added.

The Minister said that in order to give further boost to private investments, the Union Cabinet had approved India’s space policy which envisages and encourages private participation in all areas of space activities.

Dr Jitendra Singh appreciated the Department of Space for organising the Space Economy Leaders Meeting at Bengaluru and a Precursor event at Shillong. He added that the major objective of these events should be to make Space as a formal element of G20 discussions, in future. The Minister concluded by wishing all the best to the diplomats, heads of national space agencies and the space industries from G20 and guest countries for participating in the deliberations.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has conveyed his best wishes to the participants of Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam.

Sharing a tweet by Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam, the Prime Minister tweeted:

“As the landmark STSangamam commences, my best wishes to all participants. The bond between the Saurashtra region in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu is a very old and strong one. May this Sangamam boost cultural linkages and the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has appreciated the work done under Swachh Bharat Mission in Tuensang, Nagaland.

Replying to a tweet by Member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Shri Jacob Zhimomi, the Prime Minister tweeted:

“Good! We’ve seen tremendous energy towards Swachhata all across India, which has led to tangible benefits in various sectors including health and women empowerment.”

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah presented the “Maharashtra Bhushan” award for the year 2022 to Dr. Appasaheb Dharmadhikari at Raigarh, Maharashtra today. On this occasion, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis and many other dignitaries were present.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that people have immense respect and devotion for Appasaheb, a social worker who did social service in public life without aspiring for any fame. He said that such respect and devotion can be achieved only through sacrifice, dedication and service done by Appasaheb. People’s love, trust and respect for Appasaheb is a tribute to his work and value, and the teachings of Nanasaheb. Shri Shah said that like Appasaheb, instead of following the people, one should act in such a way that people follow him.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that it is rarely seen in history that the culture of social service remain in the same family for three generations. First Nanasaheb, then Appasaheb and now Sachin Bhau and his brothers are carrying forward this tradition of social service. He said that by giving him the Maharashtra Bhushan Award the Maharashtra government has not only honored Appasaheb, but has also inspired crores of people to live life like him.

Shri Amit Shah said that this land of Raigad in Maharashtra is the holy land of the great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This land has continued three traditions in the country. First- the tradition of valor and sacrifice for the nation, which was started by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Rising from the land of Maharashtra across the country, great freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar, Vasudev Balwant Phadke, Chapekar brothers and Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak laid down their lives for Swaraj and respect. Second – in the field of ‘Bhakti’ great people from Saint Samarth Ramdas and Saint Tukaram to Saint Namdev have always shown the way to this country. Third- The tradition of social consciousness, which started from Maharashtra itself. Social reformers like Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Savitri Bai Phule, Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and forerunners of many social movements are the gift of the great land of Maharashtra. In this tradition, Nanasaheb and Appasaheb have done a huge work of awakening this social consciousness and taking it forward.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that it is very difficult to implement the spirit of “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramaya” mentioned in our Upanishads. He said that under this spirit, a person has to live a large part of his social life by his actions not for himself, but for society and others. The lessons given through speech are short-lived and forgotten with time but the lessons given through one’s action are eternal. Shri Shah said that Appasaheb has taught lakhs and crores of people to work for the society and others besides themselves. When the country was in great need, Appasaheb brought together lakhs of people who lived for other people on the basis of the mantra of Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah. It is because of these works that the government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi honored Appasaheb with the Padma Award.

Shri Amit Shah said that ‘Maharashtra Bhushan Award’ was instituted in 1995 and since then many people who has contributed to the social life of Maharashtra and the country have been awarded. He said that starting from Purushottam Laxman Deshpande, Swar Kokila Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Scientist Vijay Bhatkar, Raghunath Mashelkar, Jayant Narlikar, Anil Kakodkar, Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare, well-known artists Sulochana ji and Nanasaheb have been awarded with Maharashtra Bhushan. He said now Appasaheb from Nanasaheb’s family has got the award. This is the first time that the Maharashtra Bhushan award has been given in the same family for the second time. Shri Shah said that Appasaheb guided the society through his actions with the slogan “Let’s March On”. He worked for the improvement of children, distribution of free educational material, tree plantation, cleanliness, blood donation, unique process of collecting waste during festivals, cleaning of wells, women empowerment, welfare of tribals, drug free society, eradication of superstition and illiteracy and has set many examples in these areas. Shri Amit Shah prayed for Appasaheb’s long life and wished lakhs of his followers to continue working in the society for many years as per Appasaheb’s directions. He thanked the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis for conferring Maharashtra Bhushan on a deserving personality like Appasaheb.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accomplished Sardar Patel’s unfinished task in Jammu & Kashmir.

Speaking as chief guest at “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” celebration here, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a pivotal role in the integration of more than 560 princely states to constitute the post-independence Indian Union. Unfortunately, Patel was not allowed to handle Jammu & Kashmir because the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru thought that he knew J&K better. Later, Nehru also declared a unilateral ceasefire and thus prevented Indian forces from retrieving back the present ‘Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir’(PoJK) from the Pak intruders, he said.

The Minister further said, had Sardar Patel been given a free hand, the history of Indian subcontinent would have been different. PoJK would not have been there, whole of Jammu & Kashmir would have been a part of India and this issue would not have lingered on for so many decades, he said.

The anomaly of Article 370 and 35A, said Dr Jitendra Singh, persisted for more than 70 years and the nation had to wait for Prime Minister Modi to come and do the course correction. Therein lies the significance of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ and it is a providential coincidence that the vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ was declared by Prime Minister Modi on 31st October, 2015 which happened to be the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that in J&K, in the garb of Article 370, those who were votaries of the Article were actually misusing it to sustain themselves in power. Otherwise, what was the political logic of holding back social reforms like the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 etc. if not to appease certain sections of society for vote bank, he asked.

Talking about the North East of India, Dr Jitendra Singh said that before 2014, North East used to show up in the news for all the wrong reasons mainly encounters, Dharnas, road blockades, poor rail and road connectivity and violence. But all that has dramatically changed. In the last 9 years, Prime Minister Modi has visited the North East more than 60 times which may be more than the total number of visits made by all the previous PMs put together. He added that earlier governments took North East for granted but today the region is a model of ‘Vikas’ for the rest of the country.

The Minister further added that Prime Minister Modi has won the trust of the people of North East by ensuring all round development in the region. Now the youth of North East are in high demand throughout the country for their skill and are excelling in different fields. Business houses are looking upto North East as an attractive destination for investment. For example, a small Northeastern state like Mizoram with a population of hardly 10 lakh has set up Indian’s subcontinent’s first-of-its-kind specialised “Citrus Food Park” with Israel’s collaboration which has been hailed as a “Centre of Excellence”.

Dr Jitendra Singh concluded by saying that the new political culture brought in by Prime Minister Narendra Modi coupled with the tremendous pace in development has broken the mental and physical barriers, and united the country as ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Labour and Employment Shri Bhupender Yadav said protecting and restoring ecosystems can help us reduce the extent of climate change and cope with its impacts. Speaking at the Plenary Session at the G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Climate, Energy and Environment in Sapporo, Japan he said it is therefore important that we address issues related to climate change in tandem with environmental action, holistically. We do hope that this is at the core of deliberations of this meeting of the Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers of the G7 Countries, he added.

Shri Yadav said climate change, desertification and biodiversity loss are deeply interlinked and pose existential challenges to humanity. In response to these challenges, Rio Conventions have made remarkable progress, through a consensus driven approach, based on principles, he said.

Shri Yadav said very recently at the CBD conference in Montreal we adopted the Global Biodiversity Framework and at CoP27 at Sharm el Sheikh, landmark decisions on issues like the Loss and Damage fund were taken. However, there still is a long way to go.

The Union Minister said India in its Presidency of G-20, for example, has taken this approach and embedded mitigation and adaptation deeply across priority areas of arresting land degradation, accelerating ecosystem restoration, and enriching biodiversity. He said the approach promotes a sustainable and climate resilient blue economy; encouraging resource efficiency and circular economy; with Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) as a cross-cutting theme, thus mainstreaming climate change, and addressing the impacts in an ambitious, decisive and action-oriented manner.

Shri Yadav said India has been part of providing solutions, while it historically has not been part of any of the problems. He said India has rather taken strong domestic actions, set challenging ambitious targets for itself and is also steering international actions through various initiatives.

Shri Yadav said India’s approach has been focused on the convergence of the issues related to Climate Change, Biodiversity loss and pollution. This has reflected in taking up initiatives based on specific interventions through International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Lead IT.

The Union Minister said India has also focused on action by all, including individual and community actions through Mission LiFE. Changing individual and community behaviour alone can make a significant dent in the environmental and climate crises.

Shri Yadav said the recently launched International Big Cat alliance, on the occasion of 50 years of Project Tiger, is rooted in the fact that conserving big cats and their habitats can secure some of the most important natural ecosystems on Earth leading to natural climate change adaptation, water, and food security for millions of people, and provide livelihood and sustenance to forest communities.

Shri Yadav said it will be important to ensure country-driven approach along with the principles of equity and CBDR-RC to undertake decisive action. At the same time the voice of the global South needs to be recognised for a truly global leadership of G7 and to receive valuable inputs towards implementation of G7 initiatives. He said this approach will ensure that while we take decisions impacting the whole world, we leave no one behind.

Shri Yadav said we look forward to the leadership of G7 Nations to ensure an effective fight against the triple challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, for unity of purpose and unity of action conscious of the fact that we have One Earth, we are One Family and have One Future. The Union Minister said he looked  forward to welcoming all at G20 Environment and Climate Sustainability Ministerial  Meeting at Chennai in July.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the National Rozgar Mela via video conferencing today. He distributed about 71,000 appointment letters to newly inducted recruits in various Government departments and organizations. The new recruits selected from across the country will join various positions/posts under Government of India such as Train Manager, Station Master, Sr. commercial cum Ticket Clerk, Inspector, Sub Inspectors, Constable, Stenographer, Junior Accountant, Postal Assistant, Income Tax Inspector, Tax Assistant, Sr Draughtsman, JE/Supervisor, Assistant Professor, Teacher, Librarian, Nurse, Probationary Officers, PA, MTS, among others. The newly inducted appointees will also be able to train themselves through Karmayogi Prarambh, an online orientation course for all new appointees in various Government departments. 45 places were connected with the Mela during the Prime Minister’s address.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister greeted the nation on the auspicious occasion of Baisakhi. He congratulated the candidates and their families for getting the appointment letter.

The Prime Minister remarked that the government is committed to providing the right opportunities for the talent and energy of the youth to achieve the resolutions of a developed India. The Prime Minister highlighted that the process for government recruitment is taking place at a fast pace in NDA-ruled states from Gujarat to Assam and Uttar Pradesh to Maharashtra. He noted that recruitment letters to more than 22,000 teachers were handed out in Madhya Pradesh only yesterday. “This Rozgar Mela is proof of our commitment towards the youth of the nation.”

Noting that India is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, the Prime Minister said that the world is seeing India as a bright spot amidst the global challenges of recession and pandemic. “Today’s New India is moving with policies and strategies that have opened the doors for new possibilities”, he added. He said that after 2014, India adopted a proactive approach as opposed to the reactive stance of the earlier times. “This has resulted in a situation where this third decade of the 21st century is witnessing opportunities for employment and self-employment that were unimaginable earlier. Youth is finding such sectors which did not even exist ten years ago”, the Prime Minister said. Giving examples of startups and Indian youth’s enthusiasm, the Prime Minister referred to a report that said that startups have created more than 40 lakh direct or indirect jobs. He also mentioned drones and the sports sector as new avenues of employment.

The Prime Minister said “The thinking and approach of Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan go beyond adopting swadeshi and ‘vocal for local’. Aatmnirbhar Bharat Abhiyan is an ‘abhiyan’ of creating crores of employment opportunities from villages to cities.” He gave examples of indigenously made modern satellites and semi-high-speed trains. He said that more than 30000 LHB coaches have been manufactured in India in the last 8-9 years. Technology and raw materials for these coaches have created thousands of jobs in India.

Giving the example of India’s toy industry, the Prime Minister pointed out that the children of India only played with imported toys for decades. He also stated that the toys were neither of good quality nor were they designed while keeping in mind Indian children. The Prime Minister informed that the government laid the benchmark for the quality parameters of imported toys and also started promoting the indigenous toy industry. As a result, the Prime Minister added that the face of the toy industry in India completely transformed and also played a key role in creating numerous job opportunities.

Countering the prevalent decade-old mindset that defence equipment in India could only be imported, the Prime Minister highlighted that the government changed this approach by trusting indigenous manufacturers which resulted in the armed forces creating a list of more than 300 equipment and weapons that would only be made in India. He informed that Rs 15,000 crores worth of defence equipment is being exported all around the world.

Shri Modi also mentioned the strides made in the field of mobile phone manufacturing in the last few years. He said that by encouraging local manufacturing and providing incentives for that, India saved a lot of foreign exchange as India is now exporting mobile handsets along with meeting the local demand.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the role of investment in infrastructure in employment generation. He said that emphasis on capital expenditure is creating infrastructure like roads, railways, ports and buildings.  Highlighting the employment potential of infrastructure, the Prime Minister informed that during the tenure of the present government capital expenditure has grown four-fold.

Giving the example of the developments before and after 2014,  the Prime Minister mentioned Indian Railway and pointed out that in the past seven decades before 2014, merely 20,000 kilometers of electrification of railway tracks took place, whereas 40,000 kilometers of rail lines have been electrified in the last 9 years. He also informed that the laying of metro rail lines increased from 600 meters per month before 2014, to 6 kilometers per month today. He further added that the gas network was limited to less than 70 districts in the country before 2014, whereas today this number has gone up to 630 districts. Speaking about the length of roads in rural areas, the Prime Minister noted that it saw an increase from 4 lakh kilometers to 7 lakh kilometers after 2014. “When roads reach the villages, it leads to rapid employment generation in the entire ecosystem”, he added.

Speaking about the aviation sector, Shri Modi informed that the number of airports has grown from 74 in 2014 to 148 today. He also pointed to the employment potential of airport operations. He also mentioned the record order for aircrafts by Air India and similar plans of some other companies. The Port sector is also witnessing similar progress, he said, as cargo handling has doubled compared to the past and time has been cut down to half. These developments are creating a large number of jobs.

Shifting to the health sector, the Prime Minister said that while there were less than 400 medical colleges in the country before 2014, today there are 660 medical colleges. Similarly, undergraduate medical seats have grown to more than 1 lakh from 50 thousand in 2014 and more than double the number of doctors graduating today.

In the rural areas, the Prime Minister continued, FPOs and SHGs are getting assistance worth lakhs of crore, storage capacity is being enhanced, more than 3 lakh common service centers have been created after 2014, more than 6 lakh kilometer optical fiber has been laid villages, more than 2.5 crore houses of the 3 crore houses under PMAY have been constructed in villages,  more than 10 crore toilets, more than 1.5 lakh wellness centers and mechanization have increased in the agriculture sector. “All this has created massive employment opportunities”, he said.

Shri Modi also touched upon growing entrepreneurship and hand-holding of small industries. He mentioned Pradhanmantri Mudra Yojna which recently completed 8 years. More than Rs 23 lakh crore worth of bank guarantee-free loans have been disbursed under the scheme and more than 70 percent of beneficiaries are women. “This scheme has created 8 crore new entrepreneurs. These are the people who have started their business for the first time with the help of Mudra Yojana,” he said. He also highlighted the power of micro-finance in energizing the economy at the grassroots level.

Directing his address to those who have received their appointment letters today, the Prime Minister remarked that this is the opportunity to contribute to the development of the country while the nation moves ahead with the goal of becoming a developed India by 2047. “Today you are starting your journey as a Government Servant”, the Prime Minister continued, “In this journey, one should always remember those things which you used to feel as an ordinary citizen.” Noting the expectations of the new appointees from the government, the Prime Minister highlighted that it is now their responsibility to fulfill the expectations of others. “Each one of you will affect the life of a common man through your work in one way or the other”, he added. The Prime Minister emphasized that efforts should be made to create a positive impact on the work and improve the lives of the common man. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister urged the new appointees to not pause their learning process and said that the nature of knowing or learning something new is reflected in both work and personality. He also advised them to  upgrade their skills by joining the online learning platform iGoT Karmayogi.

Background

The Rozgar Mela is a step towards the fulfillment of the commitment of the Prime Minister to accord the highest priority to employment generation. The Rozgar Mela is expected to act as a catalyst in further employment generation and provide meaningful opportunities to the youth for their empowerment and participation in national development.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had a telephone conversation today with the Rt. Hon. Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

The leaders reviewed the progress on a number of bilateral issues as part of the India-UK Roadmap 2030. They expressed satisfaction at the recent high-level exchanges and growing cooperation, particularly in trade and economic sectors. They agreed on the need for early conclusion of a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement between the two countries.

PM Modi raised the issue of security of Indian diplomatic establishments in the UK and called for strong action against anti-India elements by the UK Government. PM Rishi Sunak conveyed that the UK considers the attack on Indian High Commission totally unacceptable and assured of security of the Indian Mission and its personnel.

PM Modi also raised the issue of economic offenders who have sought refuge in the UK. He sought progress on the return of these fugitives so that they can appear before the Indian judicial system.

PM Modi invited PM Sunak for the G20 Summit to be held in September 2023. PM Sunak appreciated the progress made under India’s Presidency of the G20 and reiterated the UK’s full support to India’s initiatives and their success.

PM conveyed greetings to PM Sunak and the Indian community in the UK on the eve of Baisakhi.

The two leaders agreed to remain in contact.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah held a review meeting on the security situation of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir in New Delhi today. National Security Advisor, Shri Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary, Director (IB), RAW Chief and other senior officials of the Government of India, including the Officers from UT of Jammu &Kashmir attended the meeting.

Union Home Minister reviewed the functioning of the security grid and various aspects related to security. He reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Government of India is committed towards zero tolerance against terrorism.

Shri Amit Shah also reviewed the Area Domination Plan, Zero Terror Plan, Law and order situation, cases related to UAPA and other security related issues. Home Minister appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and administration of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir for substantial reduction in cross border infiltration and improvement in law & order and also advised to strengthen the routine policing.

Home Minister also reviewed the preparation of G-20 Meeting which is scheduled to be held in Srinagar in May, 2023 and asked all agencies to work in a coordinated manner for successful conduct of the event.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi flagged off Rajasthan’s first Vande Bharat Express train via video conferencing today.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated the land of valour Rajasthan for getting its first Vande Bharat Train that will not only ease the travel between Jaipur Delhi but will also give a push to the tourism industry of Rajasthan as it will help the access to places of faith like Theerthraj Pushkar and Ajmer Sharif.

In the last two months, the Prime Minister recalled getting the opportunity to flag off six Vande Bharat trains in the country including the Delhi-Jaipur Vande Bharat Express and gave the example of Mumbai-Solapur Vande Bharat Express, Mumbai-Shiridi Vande Bharat Express, Rani Kamlapati-Hazrat Nizammuddin Vande Bharat Express, Secunderabad-Tirupati Vande Bharat Express and Chennai Coimbatore Vande Bharat Express. The Prime Minister pointed out that approximately 60 lakh citizens have traveled in the Vande Bharat Express since its inception. “The speed of Vande Bharat is its main speciality and it is saving the time of  people”, the Prime Minister said. According to a study, the Prime Minister noted that those who travel by Vande  Bharat express save 2500 hours on every trip. He highlighted that the Vande Bharat Express is  developed while keeping in mind manufacturing skills, safety, fast pace and beautiful design. Reiterating that the citizens have highly appreciated the Vande Bharat Express, the Prime Minister said that the Express train is the first semi automatic train to be developed in India and one of world’s first compact and efficient trains. “Vande Bharat is the first train to be compatible with the indigenous safety Kavach system”, Shri Modi said. He pointed out that it is the first train to scale the heights of Sahyadri Ghats without needing an extra engine. “The Vande Bharat Express realizes the spirit of ‘ ‘India First Always First’”, he said. The Prime Minister expressed delight that the Vande Bharat Express has become synonymous with development, modernity, stability  and ‘Atmanirbharta’.

The Prime Minister lamented the fact that an important and basic need of the citizens like railways was turned into an arena of politics. He said India inherited a fairly big railway network at the time of Independence but political interest dominated the need for modernization in the years after independence. Politics was evident in selection of railway minister, announcement of trains and even in recruitments. Land acquisition was done under the false pretense of railway jobs and many unmanned crossings continued for a very long time and cleanliness and safety took a back seat. The situation took a turn for the better after 2014 when people elected a stable government with full majority, “When the pressure of political give and take receded, railway heaved a sigh of relief and sprinted to new heights”  he said.

The Prime Minister said that the government at the center is making Rajasthan a land of new opportunities. He said that the central government has done unprecedented work for the connectivity that is so important for a state like Rajasthan which has tourism as an important part of its economy. Shri Modi mentioned the dedication of Delhi Dausa Lalsot section of Delhi Mumbai Expressway in February. The section will benefit Dausa, Alwar, Bharatpur, Sawai Madhopur, Tonk, Bundi and Kota districts. The Prime Minister informed that the central government is working on about 1400 kilometer long roads in the border areas in Rajasthan and more than 1000 kilometer long roads are proposed in the state.

Underlining the priority that is being accorded to connectivity in Rajasthan, the Prime Minister mentioned starting of work on the railway line from Taranga Hill to Ambaji. This line was a century old pending demand which is now being fulfilled. He also informed that broad gauging of Udaipur-Ahmedabad line has already been completed and more than 75 percent railway network has been electrified.  Shri Modi remarked that the railway budget for Rajasthan has been increased 14 times since 2014, from 700 crore in 2014 to more than 9500 crore rupees this year. Speed of doubling of the railway lines also doubled. The gauge change and doubling has helped tribal areas like Dungerpur, Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Pali and Sirohi. Dozens of stations are being upgraded under Amrit Bharat Railway Yojana, he added.

Keeping in mind the convenience of the tourists, the Prime Minister informed that the government is also running different types of circuit trains and gave the example of Bharat Gaurav circuit trains that have made more than 70 trips so far ferrying more than 15 thousand passengers. “Be it Ayodhya-Kashi, Dakshin Darshan, Dwarka Darshan, Sikh pilgrimage sites, Bharat Gaurav circuit trains have been run for many such places”, the Prime Minister said. Noting the positive feedback received on social media by those traveling, the Prime Minister said that these trains are continuously strengthening the spirit of Ek Bharat – Shreshtha Bharat.

The Prime Minister highlighted the One Station One Product campaign and said that Indian Railways has made another effort over the years in taking the local products of Rajasthan across the country. He pointed out that Indian Railways has set up around 70 One Station One Product Stalls including Rajasthan  Jaipuri quilts, Sanganeri block print bed sheets, rose products, and other handicrafts that are being sold in these stalls. He noted that small farmers, artisans and handicraftsmen of Rajasthan have got this new medium to reach the market. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said that this is an example of everyone’s participation in development. “When the infrastructure of connectivity like rail is strong, then the country is strong. This benefits the common citizen of the country, benefits the poor and middle class of the country”, the Prime Minister concluded and expressed confidence that the modern Vande Bharat train will play an important role in speeding up the development of Rajasthan.

Background 

The inaugural train will run between Jaipur and Delhi Cantt. railway station. The regular service of this Vande Bharat Express will start from 13th April, 2023 and will operate between Ajmer and Delhi Cantt with stops at Jaipur, Alwar and Gurgaon.

The new Vande Bharat Express will cover the distance between Delhi Cantt. and Ajmer in 5 hours 15 minutes. The present fastest train in the same route, Shatabdi Express, takes 6 hours 15 minutes from Delhi Cantt. to Ajmer. Thus, the new Vande Bharat Express will be faster by 60 minutes as compared to the present fastest train running on the same route.

Ajmer-Delhi Cantt. Vande Bharat Express will be the world’s first semi high speed passenger train on high rise overhead electric (OHE) territory.  The train will improve connectivity of major tourist destinations in Rajasthan including Pushkar, Ajmer Sharif Dargah etc. Enhanced connectivity will also provide a boost to socio-economic development in the region.