To mark the International Women’s Day, 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 announced an exclusive women’s portal for research grants and funds. The portal will become functional with effect from 1st of April.

The Minister was addressing the International Women’s Day celebration programme organized by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) here. He informed that the Council CSIR has decided to start exclusive Research Grants for Women Scientists under CSIR-ASPIRE and an exclusive portal in this regard will be available from April 1, 2023. The Special Call inviting proposals from Women Scientists will open the same day.

Pertinent to mention that the proposal for inviting research grant proposals from Women Scientists under Extramural Research Scheme, was approved during the 200th meeting of the Governing Body of CSIR on 17th December, 2022 under the chairmanship of Dr Jitendra Singh.

Only women scientists across the country will be eligible to apply for research grants to carry out R&D in major disciplines of science and engineering viz Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering Sciences and inter/trans disciplinary sciences.

The funds will be provided for staff (JRF/SRF/RA), contingency and minor equipment. The total budget of a research proposal including research fellow’s stipend should generally not exceed the limit of 25-30 lacs.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said, this initiative is aligned to the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s initiative to empower women and promote ‘Nari Shakti’ in the country.

“As we move towards Amrit Kal, this is another visionary step towards the Prime Minister Modi’s efforts to put Nari Shakti at the forefront of India’s development journey,” he said.

CSIR has been taking several initiatives towards Women empowerment, including 15% discount on CSIR technologies for women entrepreneurs offered by CSIR- Central Leather Research Institute and a slew of training programmes across the whole spectrum of CSIR domain. In August last year, for the first time in the history of CSIR, senior electrochemical scientist Ms. Nallathamby Kalaiselvi became the first woman Director General to head the premier scientific R&D body that constitutes 38 research institutes across the country.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said, Prime Minister Modi considers women-led development a central dimension of India’s progress and necessary for strengthening India.

“In the last nine years, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has launched numerous welfare schemes that have aimed to empower women and make them lead India’s development journey. His efforts are enabling women to overcome social barriers and fulfil their aspirations,” he said.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said 68% of 2 crore PM Awas-Gramin beneficiaries are women and over 23 crore MUDRA loans have been granted to Women beneficiaries. For the first time, sex ratio in India has improved to 1,020 women per 1,000 men, according to the NFHS-5 survey, he said.

“PM Modi has made unshackling women and freeing them from the drudgery of everyday life a key objective of policy making. Every flagship welfare scheme launched by the Modi government has improved the lives of women across the country,” he said.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said, in the last 9 years, there has been a massive increase in Women Police Personnel. In 2018, PM Modi announced a landmark decision to allow Permanent Commission for Women in the Armed Forces. There are more than 10,000 Women Officers serving in the Armed Forces, the majority in the Medical Services.

“Now Women are breaking the glass ceiling in every sphere. Only recently, the Indian Air Force posted Group Captain Shaliza Dhami as the first woman officer to command a missile squadron in the Western sector facing Pakistan. Women CRPF combatants have been inducted into the elite anti-Maoist COBRA Unit. Women officers have also started taking command of various Army units. The Navy has also started inducting Women Officers on frontline warships,” he said.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 3rd Session of the National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR) at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 10th March, 2023 at 4:30 PM.  The main theme of the 3rd session of this Platform is “Building Local Resilience in a Changing Climate”.

During the event, Prime Minister will facilitate awardees of the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar. The winners of the 2023 Puraskar are Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and the Lunglei Fire Station, Mizoram. Prime Minister will also inaugurate the exhibition for showcasing the innovative ideas and initiatives, tools and technologies in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction .

NPDRR is a multi-stakeholder platform constituted by the Government of India to facilitate dialogue, sharing experiences, views, ideas, action-oriented research & explore opportunities in the area of Disaster Risk Reduction.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi congratulated Dr. Manik Saha  for taking oath as Chief Minister of Tripura and his team for taking oath as Ministers in the state today. The Prime Minister was present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister tweeted :

“Congratulations to Dr. Manik Saha Ji and the entire team which took oath today. This team will certainly deliver on the mandate given by the people once again and add momentum to Tripura’s development journey. My best wishes to them in their efforts.
@DrManikSaha2”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has attended the oath taking ceremony of Nagaland Chief Minister, Shri Neiphiu Rio and his council of Ministers.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;

“Joined the oath taking ceremony of Shri @Neiphiu_Rio  Ji and his Council of Ministers. I am confident that this team, which is a blend of youth and experience, will continue the good governance trajectory of Nagaland and fulfil people’s aspirations. My best wishes to them.”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed a Post Budget Webinar on the subject of ‘Enhancing Efficiency of the Financial Services for Creating Growth Opportunities’. It is the tenth of a series of 12 post-budget webinars organized by the government to seek ideas and suggestions for effectively implementing the initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that the government is paving the way for collective ownership and equal partnership in the implementation of the budget through these Post Budget Webinars where the views and suggestions of stakeholders hold utmost importance.

The Prime Minister remarked that the entire world is witnessing the impact of India’s fiscal and monetary policy during the Corona pandemic and credited the efforts of the government in strengthening the fundamentals of India’s economy in the last 9 years. Recalling the time when the world looked at India with suspicion, the Prime Minister pointed out that discussions on India’s economy, budget and goals would often begin and end with a question. He highlighted the changes in financial discipline, transparency and inclusive approach and noted that the question mark at the beginning and end of the discussion has been replaced by Vishwas (trust) and Apeksha (expectations). Throwing light on the recent achievements, the Prime Minister said, “Today India is being called the bright spot of the global economy.” He also highlighted that India is presiding over G-20 and also attracted the highest FDI in the country in the year 2021-22. The Prime Minister noted that a major part of this investment has taken place in the manufacturing sector. He emphasized that applications are continuously pouring in to avail of the PLI scheme which makes India an important part of the global supply chain. The Prime Minister urged everyone to take full advantage of this opportunity.

The Prime Minister emphasized that as today’s India is moving with new capabilities, the responsibility of those in the financial world of India has increased. He told them that they have a robust financial system of the world and a banking system that is in profit after being on the verge of collapse 8-10 years ago. Also, there is a government that is taking policy decisions with courage, clarity and confidence. “Today, the need of the hour is that the benefits of the strength in India’s banking system should reach the maximum number of people,” the Prime Minister exhorted the participants. Giving an example of the Government’s support to the MSME sector, the Prime Minister asked the banking system to reach out to the maximum number of sectors. “1 crore 20 lakh MSMEs have received huge help from the government during the pandemic. In this year’s budget, the MSME sector has also got additional collateral-free guaranteed credit of 2 lakh crores. Now it is very important that our banks reach out to them and provide them adequate finance”, he added.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the Government’s policies related to Financial Inclusion have made crores of people part of the formal financial system. The government has helped fulfill the dreams of crores of youth by giving Mudra loans of more than 20 lakh crore rupees without a bank guarantee. For the first time, more than 40 lakh street vendors and small shopkeepers received help from banks through PM Swanidhi Yojana. He called upon the stakeholders to re-engineer all the processes to reduce the cost and increase the speed of credit so that it reaches the small entrepreneurs quickly.

Touching upon the issue of ‘Vocal for Local’ the Prime Minister  said that this is not a matter of choice but “Vocal for local and vision of self-reliance is a national responsibility.” Shri Modi noted the tremendous enthusiasm for Vocal for Local and aatmnirbharta in the country and talked about increased domestic production and record growth in exports. “Our exports have been at an all-time high, whether in goods or services. This indicates growing possibilities for India”, the Prime Minister said and asked the stakeholders like organizations and Chambers of Industry and commerce to take up the responsibility to promote local artisans and entrepreneurs up to the district level.

The Prime Minister once again clarified that Vocal for Local is bigger than just buying products from the Indian cottage industry. “We have to see which are the areas where we can save the country’s money by building capacity in India itself”, he said and gave examples of higher education and edible oil where a lot of money goes out.

Touching upon the massive increase in the Capital expenditure outlay in the Budget to the tune of Rs 10 lakh crore and dynamism induced by PM Gatishakti Masterpaln, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to support the private sector that is working for the progress of the different geographical areas and economic sectors. “Today, I would also call upon the private sector of the country to increase their investment just like the government so that the country gets maximum benefit from it”, he added.

Dwelling on the tax-related post Budget narrative, the Prime Minister said as opposed to the past, the tax burden has come down significantly in India due to GST, reduction in Income Tax and Corporate tax. This, the Prime Minister said, has resulted in better tax collection. In 2013-14 gross tax revenue was about 11 lakh crore rupees which can rise to 33 lakh crore in 2023-24, an increase of 200 percent. The number of individual tax returns filed increased from 3.5 crores to 6.5 crores from 2013-14 to 2020-21. “Paying tax is such a duty, which is directly related to nation building. The increase in the tax base is proof that people have faith in the government, and they believe that the tax paid is being spent for public good”, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said Indian talent, infrastructure and innovators can take the Indian financial system to the top. “In the era of ‘Industry 4.0’ platforms developed by India are becoming models for the world”, the Prime Minister said giving examples of GeM, Digital transactions. He exclaimed that in the 75th year of independence, 75 thousand crore transactions were done digitally which shows how wide the expansion of UPI has become. “RuPay and UPI are not just a low cost and highly secure technology, but it is our identity in the world. There is immense scope for innovation. UPI should become a means of financial inclusion and empowerment for the whole world, we have to collectively work for it. I suggest that our financial institutions should also have maximum partnership with fintechs to increase their reach”, the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister reiterated that sometimes, even a small step can make a huge difference in boosting and gave the example of buying goods without the bill. Pointing out that feeling that there is no harm done by this, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to increase awareness about getting a copy of the bill that will benefit the nation in return. “We just need to make people more and more aware”, he added.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister stated that the benefits of India’s economic development should reach every class and person and urged all stakeholders to work with this vision. He also stressed creating a large pool of well-trained professionals. “I want all of you to discuss such futuristic ideas in detail”, he concluded.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has attended the oath taking ceremony of Meghalaya Chief Minister, Shri Conrad K Sangma and his ministerial team. Shri Modi has congratulated those who took oath today.

The Prime Minister tweeted;

“Attended the oath taking ceremony of Shri @SangmaConrad Ji and his ministerial team. Congratulations to those who took oath. Best wishes to them in their pursuit of taking Meghalaya to new heights of growth.”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has said that the achievements of Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) are quite satisfactory. Shri Modi said that this scheme has not only taken out the worries of crores of people of the country regarding the cost of treatment, but has also made their lives easier.

In a tweet threads, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya has informed that today, the 5th Jan Aushadhi Diwas is being celebrated in the country. This scheme has made a direct positive impact on the lives of common people of India. More than 12 lakh citizens of the country are buying medicines from Jan Aushadhi Kendras daily. The medicines available here are 50% to 90% cheaper than the market price.

Responding to the tweet thread by Union Minister, the Prime Minister tweeted;

“भारतीय जन औषधि परियोजना की उपलब्धियां काफी संतोषप्रद हैं। इससे न केवल इलाज के खर्च को लेकर देश के करोड़ों लोगों की चिंताएं दूर हुई हैं, बल्कि उनका जीवन भी आसान हुआ है।”

Union Minister of Law and Justice, Shri Kiren Rijiju visited Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi today to commence the final day celebrations of Jan Aushadhi Diwas. Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution & Textiles, Shri Rajnessh Tingal, Joint Secretary of Pharmaceuticals and Shri Parth Gautham Sharma, CEO, PMBI were also present at the event. Jan Aushadhi Rath to commence celebrations of Jan Aushadhi Jan Chetna Abhiyaan in New Delhi was flagged off by Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Dr Mansukh Mandaviya. This event kick started the launch of 5^th Jan Aushadhi celebrations across the country.

The third day of Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2023 was observed as ‘Jan Aushadhi – Ek Kadam Matri Shakti Ki Ore’ across the country. women beneficiaries attended at large number at 34 locations in all States/UTs at Jan Aushadhi Kendras where interaction was conducted in the presence of women public representatives, women doctors, NGO’s and information sharing about Health benefits of Jan Aushadhi medicines were done. Special discussions about menstrual health were also conducted. Kits containing women-centric products were distributed to more than 3500 women at designated locations.

The fourth day of Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2023 was celebrated as ‘Bal Mitra Diwas’. Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) conducted weeklong celebrations across the nation on the occasion of 5^th Jan Aushadhi Diwas. The fourth day’s events of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) were dedicated to children.

‘Jan Aushadhi -Jan Arogya Melas’ (Health Camps) and Heritage Walks (Health Walk Virasat ke Saath) were organised all over the country on the fifth day of  Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2023. The sixth day of Jan Aushadhi Diwas, 2023 was celebrated as “Aao Jan Aushadhi Mitra Banein” today. On this occasion, large number of people took pledge ‘Jan Aushadhi Shapath’ digitally on the MyGov platform to promote the use of generic medicines.

With an objective of making quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India. Under this scheme, dedicated outlets known as Janaushadhi Kendras are opened to provide generic medicines. The Jan Aushadhi scheme was launched in November, 2008 with an objective of having at least one Jan Aushadhi Store in each district of the country.

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya today launched NaMo Free Dialysis Centre and 100^th Janaushadhi Kendra at Bengaluru South in the presence of Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri Basavaraj Bommai on occasion of 5^th Jan Aushadhi Diwas. The Minister was also inaugurated NaMo Day Care Center and Flagged off 4 NaMo Mobile Healthcare Units.

While addressing the gathering, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said that the first priority of the government is to provide cheap and better quality medicines to all citizens. Keeping this in mind, Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been opened across the country. At these kendras, every citizen, whether poor or rich, can buy medicines at very cheap prices. The Minister further said that disease affects both rich and the poor equally, but the rich man can buy medicines at any cost but the poor man is unable to get treatment many times due to lack of medicine, but our government is providing low cost and better quality medicines to everyone through these centers.

Highlighting the slogan of Jan Aushadhi Diwas ‘Sasti bhi, Achhi bhi’, the Minister also said that the quality and affordable medicines are available on Jan Aushadhi Kendras. NGOs and many others joined the journey of Jan Aushadhi and today more than 9000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras are in existence. Union Minister urged the youth to become ‘Jan Aushadhi Mitra’ to publicise the benefits of Jan Aushadhi Kendras for betterment of the people. Dr Mandaviya informed that opening a Jan Aushadhi Kendra is very easy and anyone who opens Jan Aushadhi Kendra gets 20% commission.

Union Minister also narrated last year’s incident when PM was interacting with the beneficiaries of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna, a woman beneficiary shared her experience that she belongs to a poor family, she has two sons and her husband is earning15-20 thousand rupees monthly. She said that she has been suffering from two-three diseases and around Rs 5,000 used to get spent on her medicines only. When she came to know about Jan Aushadhi Kendras and started availing the benefits, she started getting the medicines at Rs 1100. She found that the quality and effect of this medicine from Jan Aushadhi Kendra was same and she could save around Rs.4000 in this way.

Department of Pharmaceuticals is celebrating the Jan Aushadhi Diwas on 7^th  March 2023. Events have been planned in different cities starting from 1^st of March, 2023 to 7^th  March, 2023 to create awareness about the Jan Aushadhi Scheme.  Seminars, participation of children, women and NGO’s, Heritage walks and Health camps and many other activities engaging PMBJKs owners, Beneficiaries, State/UT officials, Public Representatives, Doctors, Health Workers, Nurses, Pharmacists, Jan Aushadhi Mitra’s organised at different locations across the country covering all State/UTs. This campaign generated awareness about the usages of generic medicines and benefits of Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana and its salient features and achievements.

With an objective of making quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all, Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India in November, 2008. As on 31st January, 2023, the numbers of stores have increased to 9082. Under the PMBJP,743 districts out of 764 districts of the country have been covered.

This scheme ensures easy reach of affordable medicine to the people in every nook and corner of the country. The Government has set a target to increase the number of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) to 10,000 by the end of December,2023. Product basket of PMBJP comprises 1,759 drugs and 280 surgical instruments. Further, new medicines and nutraceuticals products like protein powder, malt-based food supplements, protein bar, immunity bar, sanitizer, masks, glucometer, oximeter, etc. have been also launched.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Rozgar Mela of the Gujarat Government via a video message, today.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted that the festival of Holi is around the corner and the organization of Gujarat Rozgar Mela will double the festivities for those receiving their appointment letters. Noting that the Rozgar Mela is taking place for the second time in Gujarat, the Prime Minister highlighted the Government’s commitment to providing constant opportunities for the youth and harnessing their potential in the development of the country. The Prime Minister expressed happiness that all departments of the Central Government and NDA state governments are working continuously to provide the maximum number of jobs. Apart from the Central Government, the Prime Minister informed that employment fairs are being organized continuously in 14 NDA-ruled states and union territories. He expressed the belief that the youth assuming the new responsibility will contribute towards fulfilling the resolutions of Amrit Kaal with full dedication and devotion.

The Prime Minister informed that more than 1.5 lakh youths got state government jobs in the last 5 years apart from 18 lakh youths who got jobs in various fields over the past years through the Employment Exchange. He further added that the Gujarat government concluded the recruitment process within the stipulated time by creating a recruitment calendar. Noting that preparations are underway to give jobs to more than 25 thousand youths in the state government this year, the Prime Minister highlighted that the entire recruitment process has been made transparent with the help of technology where different digital platforms, mobile apps and web portals have been developed.

Highlighting the efforts of the current government in creating new opportunities for the youth, the Prime Minister underlined the concrete strategy for Direct and Indirect Employment Generation with a focus on boosting employment through infrastructure and development projects, boosting manufacturing, and creating the right environment in the country for self-employment. He also informed that the government is focused on providing guaranteed financial assistance and skill development for the youth according to the changing nature of jobs.

“When the wheels of development are in motion, employment opportunities are created in every sector”, the Prime Minister said. He underlined that millions of crores of rupees are being spent on development projects in infrastructure, information technology as well as other sectors in the country. He pointed out that projects worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore are currently underway only in Gujarat itself and a provision of Rs 10 lakh crore has been made for infrastructure in this year’s budget.

“Experts from all over the world believe that India will become the biggest manufacturing hub in the coming years”, the Prime Minister said. He underlined that it is the youth who will lead this revolution in India. He noted that the railway engine factory is being constructed in Dahod, Gujarat with an investment of 20 thousand crores and is also going to be a huge hub of semiconductors in the near future.

“The holistic approach of development by the government is generating employment on a large scale”, the Prime Minister said. He noted the important changes at the policy level that have prepared an ecosystem where startups are getting promoted. He informed that more than 90 thousand startups are working in the country today, and as a result, new employment opportunities are being created while also motivating millions of youth towards self-employment. “The government is giving financial assistance without bank guarantee”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted the Mudra Yojana and the Standup India scheme. He further added that millions of women are standing firmly on their feet by joining the self-help group and the government is also giving financial assistance of hundreds of crores.

Emphasizing the need to prepare large-scale skilled manpower for the new possibilities in the country, the Prime Minister pointed out that India has the potential to become the third major economy in the world. Underlining the government’s endeavor that every section of society should benefit from skill development, the Prime Minister said that it will provide equal opportunity to Dalits, the underprivileged, tribals and women of every region. “Priority is being given to the skill development of the youth”, the Prime Minister remarked as he informed that 30 Skill India International Centers will be developed under the PM Kaushal Vikas Yojna where youth will be trained through New Age Technology. He also touched upon PM Vishwakarma Yojana where small artisans will be trained thereby providing a gateway for people associated with small businesses in accessing the world market. Underlining the role of Industrial Training Institutes in constantly preparing the youth for the changing nature of jobs, the Prime Minister informed that there has been a steady increase in the number of ITIs and their seats in Gujarat. “Training is being provided for different skills in about 2 lakh seats of about 600 ITIs in Gujarat”, Shri Modi added as he expressed delight that the placement of ITIs in Gujarat has been very good.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the government is focused on developing every opportunity for employment generation which was neglected in the decades after the Independence. He informed that the budget has announced the development of 50 new tourist centers and a  Unity Mall in every state along the lines of the unity mall in Kevadia-Aata Nagar where unique products across the country will be promoted. He further added that a provision has also been made for the appointment of about 40 thousand teachers in Eklavya School.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister warned that the personal development of youth will stop if getting a government job becomes their only goal. He stressed that it is hard work and dedication that has brought them here and the urge to learn something new will help them move forward throughout their lives. The Prime Minister urged the youth to make the most out of various online courses on Karmayogi Bharat online platform and said, “Wherever your posting is, pay special attention to improving your skill. It is our endeavor that every government employee gets better training.”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, addressed a Post Budget Webinar on the subject of ‘Health and Medical Research’. It is the ninth of a series of 12 post-budget webinars organized by the government to seek ideas and suggestions for effectively implementing the initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that health care could be seen in terms of pre and post-Covid pandemic systems. He said that the pandemic tested even prosperous nations. He pointed out, as the pandemic focused the global attention on health, India went a step further and focused on wellness. “That is why we have put forward a vision before the world – One Earth One Health. This involves holistic healthcare for all creatures -humans, animals or plants.

The Prime Minister reiterated the lessons learnt with regard to supply chain during the pandemic and said that it has become a matter of great concern. He lamented the fact that life-saving equipment like medicines, vaccines and medical devices were weaponised when the pandemic was at its peak. The Prime Minister underlined that in previous years’ budgets, the government has constantly tried to reduce India’s dependence on foreign nations and emphasized the role of all stakeholders in this.

The Prime Minister noted the absence of an integrated long-term vision for health for many decades after Independence. The Prime Minister said that we are now pushing the whole-of-the-government approach instead of limiting the subject of health to just the Health Ministry. “Making medical treatment affordable has been the top-most priority of our government”, said the Prime Minister, informing that through Ayushman Bharat, about 80 thousand crore rupees of the poor patients were saved due to free treatment under the scheme. Noting tomorrow i.e. 7th March is observed as Jan Aushadhi Diwas, the Prime Minister pointed out that affordable medicines through 9000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have saved about 20 thousand crore rupees of the poor and middle classes all over the country. This means that just these two schemes saved one lakh crore rupees of the citizens.

The Prime Minister underlined the importance of strong health infrastructure for the treatment of serious ailments. Highlighting the prime focus of the government, the Prime Minister informed that more than 1.5 lakh health centres are being developed in close proximity to homes across the country so that testing centres and first aid are available. He also informed that facilities for screening serious ailments like diabetes, cancer and heart-related issues will also be available at these centres. The Prime Minister underlined that Critical health infrastructure is being made accessible to small towns and villages under the PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission which is not only giving rise to new hospitals but it is also creating a new and complete health ecosystem. As a result, the Prime Minister noted that many opportunities are being created for health entrepreneurs, investors and professionals.

Regarding human resources in the sector, the Prime Minister informed that more than 260 new medical colleges have been opened in the last few years. This has doubled the medical seats in graduate and postgraduate medical courses as compared to 2014. The Prime Minister underlined the emphasis on the nursing field in this year’s Budget. “Opening 157 nursing colleges in the vicinity of the medical colleges is a huge step in the direction of medical human resources. This may be useful in fulfilling global demand, not just the domestic need”, he added.

The Prime Minister highlighted the role of technology in constantly making medical services accessible and affordable and elaborated on the government’s focus on the implementation of technology in the sector. “We want to give timely healthcare to the citizens through the facility of Digital Health ID. 10 crore people have already benefited by teleconsultation through schemes like e-Sanjivini”, he said. 5 G is creating new opportunities in this sector for startups. Drones are bringing revolutionary changes in medicine delivery and testing services. “This is a great opportunity for the entrepreneurs and will give a push to our efforts for universal healthcare”, he said, exhorting the entrepreneurs to avoid the import of any technology. The Prime Minister listed the required institutional response in this regard. He informed about the new schemes in the medical device sector. He mentioned Bulk drug parks, medical device parks, more than 30 thousand crores on PLI schemes and said that the last few years have witnessed 12-14 per cent growth in medical devices. He informed that this market is reaching rupees 4 lakh crore in coming years. The Prime Minister also said that India has started work on skilled manpower for future medical technology and high-end manufacturing and research. He said, in institutions like IIT, courses like biomedical engineering will be run.  He asked the participants to find ways of industry-academia and government collaboration.

Highlighting the growing confidence of the world in the pharma sector of India, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to capitalize on this and work towards protecting this image. He informed that a new programme is being launched to boost research and innovation in the pharma sector through centres of excellence which will strengthen the economy as well as create new opportunities for employment. “The market size of the pharma sector in India is 4 lakh crores today”, the Prime Minister said. He stressed the need to find coordination between the private sector and academia as it has the potential to grow the market size beyond 10 lakh crores. The Prime Minister suggested the pharma sectors identify important areas for investment. Highlighting the several steps taken by the government to further research in this sector, the Prime Minister informed that many new labs by ICMR have been opened up for the research industry.

Shri Modi noted the impact of the government’s efforts on preventive healthcare. He listed Swacch Bharat Abhiyan for cleanliness, Ujjwala Scheme for smoke-related diseases, Jal Jeevan Mission to tackle waterborne diseases and National POSHAN Mission is addressing anemia and malnutrition. He also mentioned the role of millets-Shri Anna in the International Year of Millets. Similarly, PM Matru Vandana Yojana, Mission Indradhanush, Yoga, Fit India Movement, and Ayurveda are protecting people from diseases. Noting the establishment of the global centre for traditional medicine under the aegis of WHO in India, the Prime Minister reiterated his request for evidence-based research in Ayurveda.

Shri Modi underlined the efforts taken by the government from modern medical infrastructure to medical human resources and said that the new capabilities are not limited to health facilities only for its citizens but also aim to make India the world’s most attractive medical tourism destination. He pointed out that medical tourism is a very large sector in India and also becoming a huge medium for generating employment in the country.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister stressed that a developed health and wellness ecosystem can be created in India only with Sabka Prayas (everyone’s efforts) and requested all stakeholders to give in their valuable suggestions. “We should be able to implement the Budget provisions within the time limit for decided targets with a concrete roadmap. Realizing all the dreams on the ground before the next Budget while taking all stakeholders along will require the benefit of your experience”, he told the participants.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy during the Naval Commanders’ Conference held aboard India’s first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant on March 06, 2023. He interacted with the Naval Commanders and witnessed the operational demonstrations at sea, highlighting the Navy’s capability to undertake multi-dimensional missions towards safeguarding the maritime interests of the country.

In his address to the Commanders, the Raksha Mantri lauded the Navy for standing firm and protecting national interests with courage &dedication. He exhorted them to continue focussing on futuristic capability development to effectively overcome the emerging security challenges in the maritime domain. “Future conflicts will be unpredictable. The constantly-evolving world order has forced everyone to re-strategise. Constant vigil on the Northern & Western borders as well as the entire coastline must be maintained. We need to be ready to deal with all future challenges,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh described secured borders as the first requirement to ensure social and economic progress, asserting that India, under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership, is moving forward in ‘Amrit Kaal’ with renewed thrust & zeal to achieve this objective. Emphasising that economic prosperity and security scenario go hand-in-hand, he pointed out that the defence sector has emerged as a major demand creator, which has been boosting the economy and ensuring the country’s development.

“In the next 5-10 years, orders worth over $100 billion are expected to be placed through the defence sector and it will become a major partner in the economic development of the country. Today, our defence sector is on the runway, soon when it takes off, it will transform the country’s economy. If we want to see India among the top economic powers of the world by the end of ‘Amrit Kaal’, we need to take bold steps towards becoming a defence superpower,” the Raksha Mantri said.

Shri Rajnath Singh also made special mention of the credible and responsive presence of the Navy in the Indian Ocean Region. He stated that Mission-Based Deployments of the Navy have strengthened India’s position as a ‘Preferred Security Partner’ of friendly foreign countries in the region.

The Raksha Mantri reiterated the need for a huge country like India to be completely self-reliant and not dependant on others for its security. He listed out numerous steps taken by the Government to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence, including notification of four Positive Indigenisation Lists, increase in FDI limit and creating a favourable environment for Indian vendors including MSMEs. He termed the recent announcement of earmarking record 75% of the defence capital procurement budget for domestic industry in 2023-24 as a testament to the Government’s firm commitment to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

Shri Rajnath Singh commended the Navy for being at the forefront of indigenisation and innovation through inductions of ships & submarines and development of niche technologies, in consonance with the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision. On the commissioning of INS Vikrant, he stated that it further reinforced the belief that India’s Naval designing and development is at a promising stage and more progress will be made in the times to come.

The operational demonstrations witnessed by the Raksha Mantri included complex Aircraft Carrier and Fleet operations, weapon firings by ships & aircraft and Underway Replenishment at Sea. In addition, a demonstration of indigenous products, including spotter drone, fire-fighting bot was witnessed by the Raksha Mantri. The strides taken by the Indian Navy towards ‘pole-vaulting’ the technological curve, through indigenous sources in the domains of Big Data Analytics, Artificial Intelligence, Laser technology and cryptography were also demonstrated.