Ministry of Ayush first “Chintan Shivir” was inaugurated by Union Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal today at Kaziranga National Park, Assam. Minister talked about tremendous potential of Ayush sector and exhorted young researchers and scientist to work on evidence based scientific research and explain the benefits and research of Ayush system of medicine in native languages so that it reaches larger masses.

Shri Sarbananda Sonowal added that Ayush is pivotal to Heal in India and Heal by India ecosystem. Ayush is very important to the vision of one earth, one family, one future. Under visionary leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister India’s traditional medicine system has been globally positioned.

Dr. Munjapara Mahendrabhai, Union Minister of state for Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Shri Pramod Kumar Pathak, special secretary, MoA along with other senior officials from Ministry and eminent speakers, experts, and dignitaries are participating in the Chintan Shivir.

Union Minister of State for Ayush Dr. Mahendra Munjpara, participated in the first session on Digital health and technology in Ayush and said, “Now the world is realizing the power of Ayush. With the help of digital health, Ayush Grid, digital and technological advances, the power of Ayush can be capitalized from primary healthcare to specialised health centers.”

Both ministers along with Ministry of Ayush officials participated in Y-break conducted by Dr. Ishwar V. Basavaraddi, Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, New Delhi

The first session on day one was on digital health and technology in Ayush, second session on Ayush Research: Future strategy, challenges and way forward and third on Ayush education: Future initiatives, capacity building, employment generation and NEP.

The Second day will see sessions on current challenges and way forward in Ayush Drug industries, services and standardization of Ayush products. The fifth session will be on Ayush in public health, challenges and way forward and will end with presentation of reports with deliverables and roadmap.

The two-day Chintan Shivir is being organized to build the road-map for the up-gradation of Ayush institutions and their integration with the technological advancements, and the identification of ways to integrate Ayush with the New Education Policy, while also identifying current services with potential of improvements to take advantage of Ayush.

 

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today addressed the Rozgar Mela of Uttar Pradesh Government via a video message. In the Mela, appointment letters were provided to direct recruits for Sub Inspectors in UP Police and equivalent posts in Nagrik Police, Platoon Commanders and Fire Department Second Officers.

Addressing the occasion, the Prime Minister expressed happiness that he is getting an opportunity to address a Rozgar Mela almost every week in BJP ruled states and the country is continuously getting many talented youth who bring new thinking and efficiency in the government system.

Highlighting the special importance of the UP Rozgar Mela today, the Prime Minister said that this will bring happiness to 9 thousand families and will enhance the sense of security in Uttar Pradesh as the new recruitments will strengthen the Police force in the state. The Prime Minister said that with more than 1.5 lakh new appointments in UP Police since 2017, both employment and security improved under the present dispensation.

Shri Modi emphasized that today, Uttar Pradesh is recognized for its law and order and development orientation, a far cry from the earlier image of the mafia and crushed law and order situation. This, he said, has led to new opportunities of employment, business and investment.

Highlighting the efforts of the double-engine government, the Prime Minister listed new airports, dedicated freight corridor, new defence corridor, new mobile manufacturing units, modern waterways, a new infrastructure that is bringing in unprecedented employment opportunities. He said that UP has the most number of expressways and highways are being developed constantly. These are not only creating employment but paving the way for more projects in the states. He pointed out the push to tourism by the state has led to a rise in employment. Shri Modi also noted the enthusiastic response in the recent Global Investor Summit and how that will push employment in the state.

“The combined power of security and employment has given new impetus to the economy of UP”, said the Prime Minister. He cited collateral- free loans up Rs 10 lakh under the Mudra Scheme, One District One Product scheme, flourishing MSME and vibrant startup ecosystem.

To the new appointees, the Prime Minister talked about the new challenges and responsibilities and asked them to keep the learner alive in them. He asked them to keep working on their personality development, progress and knowledge.

“When you come to this service, you get a ‘Danda’ from the police, but God has given you a heart too. That’s why you have to be sensitive and make the system sensitive” the Prime Minister told the new recruits. He dwelled on the training also that will improve sensitivity and modern areas like cyber crimes, forensic science to promote smart policing.

The Prime Minister stressed that new recruits will have the responsibility of both security and giving direction to society. “You can be a reflection of both service and strength for the people”, the Prime Minister concluded.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar.  I am feeling very happy to join you all in this 98th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’. In this journey towards a century, all of you have made ‘Mann Ki Baat’ a wonderful platform as an expression of public participation. Every month, in millions of messages, the ‘Mann Ki Baat’ of lots of people reaches out to me. You know the power of your mind… Similarly, how the might of the country increases with the strength of the society…this we have seen and understood in different episodes of ‘Mann Ki Baat’. And I have experienced it – have also accepted it. I remember the day when we talked about encouraging traditional sports of India in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Immediately at that time, a wave arose in the country to join Indian Sports, to enjoy them, to learn them. In ‘Mann Ki Baat’, when we referred to Indian toys, the people of the country promoted this too, readily. Nowadays, Indian toys have become such a craze that their demand has increased even in foreign countries. When we spoke of Indian genres of story-telling in ‘Mann Ki Baat’, their fame also reached far and wide. People started getting attracted towards the Indian story-telling genre, more and more.

Friends, you might remember that on Sardar Patel’s birth anniversary i.e. ‘Unity Day’, we talked of three competitions in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. These competitions, ‘Geet’ – Patriotic Songs, ‘Lullabies’ and ‘Rangoli’ were associated with it. I am glad to inform you, that more than 5 lakh people from more than 700 districts across the country have participated in this enthusiastically. Children, adults and the elderly enthusiastically participated and entries have been sent in more than 20 languages. Many many congratulations to all the participants in these competitions from my side. Each one of you, in your own right is a champion, an art seeker. You all have shown how much love you have for the diversity and culture of your country.

Friends, today on this occasion it is very natural for me to remember Lata Mangeshkar ji, Lata Didi. Because on the day that this competition had started, Lata Didi had urged the countrymen by tweeting that they must join this endeavour.

Friends, in the lullaby writing competition, the first prize has been won by B.M. Manjunath ji of Chamrajnagar district in Karnataka. He received this award for his lullaby ‘Malagu Kanda’ written in Kannada. He got the inspiration to write this from the lullabies sung by his mother and grandmother. Listen to it, you will enjoy it too.

[Kannada Sound Clip (35 seconds)]

“Sleep, sleep, baby,

Sleep, my smart darling,

The day is gone and it is dark,

The goddess of sleep will arrive,

From the garden of the stars,

Will carve out dreams for you!

Go to sleep, Go to sleep,

Jojo…jo..jo..

Jojo…jo..jo..”

Dinesh Gowala, a resident of Kamrup district in Assam, has won the second prize in this competition. The lullaby he has written bears a reflection of the popular craft of the artisans who make clay and pot vessels locally.

[Assamese Sound Clip (35 seconds)]

Brother Potter has brought a bag,

Say, What’s in the bag?

Opened it and saw the potter’s bag,

There was a lovely bowl in the bag!

Our doll asked the potter,

What is this little bowl!

Just like songs and lullabies, the Rangoli Competition also turned out to be quite popular. The participants made many a beautiful Rangoli, one better than the other. In this, the winning entry proved to be that of Kamal Kumar from Punjab. He made very beautiful Rangoli of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Amar Shaheed Veer Bhagat Singh. Sachin Narendra Avsari ji of Sangli Maharashtra, in his Rangoli, has depicted Jallianwala Bagh, the massacre and the bravery of Shaheed Udham Singh. Gurudutt Vantekar, a resident of Goa, made a Rangoli on Gandhiji, while Malathiselvam ji of Puducherry also focused on many great freedom fighters. The winner of the patriotic song competition, T. Vijay Durga ji is from Andhra Pradesh. She had sent her entry in Telugu. She has been greatly inspired by Narasimha Reddy Garu ji, the famous freedom fighter of her region. Do listen to this part of Vijay Durga ji’s entry

[Telugu Sound Clip (27 seconds)]

The Sun of Renadu State,

O brave Narasimha!

You are the seedling of the Indian Freedom Struggle and the restraint!

Look at the unjust and the autocratic repression tendencies of the British.

Your blood ignited and fire sprang up!

The Sun of Renadu State,

O brave Narasimha!
After Telugu, I will now make you listen to a clip in Maithili. It has been sent by Deepak Vats ji. He has also won a prize in this competition.

[Maithili Sound Clip (30 seconds)]

India is the pride of the world brother,

Our country is great

Surrounded by seas on three sides,

Kailash is strong in the north,

Ganga, Yamuna, Krishna, Kaveri,

Koshi, Kamla Balan,

Our country is great brother

Our life sustenance is our Tricolour!
Friends, I hope you have liked them. The list of such entries that entered the competition is very long. While visiting the website of the Ministry of Culture, do watch and listen to them with your family – you will be greatly inspired.
My dear countrymen, whether it is about Banaras or the Shehnai or Ustad Bismillah Khan ji, it is natural that my attention will be drawn in that direction. A few days ago, ‘Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar’ were conferred. These awards were given away to emerging, talented artists in the field of music and performing arts. These, along with the rising popularity of the art and music world are also contributing in their enrichment. These also include artists who have breathed new life into those instruments, whose popularity was decreasing with time. Listen carefully now to this tune.

[Sound Clip (21 seconds) Instrument- ‘Sursingar’, Artist -Joydeep Mukherjee]

Do you know what instrument this is? It could be possible that you may not be aware of it! The name of this musical instrumental mantra is ‘Sursingar’ and this tune has been composed by Joydeep Mukherjee. Joydeep ji is among the youth honored with the Ustad Bismillah Khan Award. It had become rare to hear tunes of this instrument since the late 50’s and 60’s. But, Joydeep is persevering towards making the Sursingar popular once again. Similarly, the efforts of sister Uppalpu Nagmani ji are also very inspiring, who has been awarded in the category of  Carnatic Instrumental on the Mandolin. On the other hand, Sangram Singh Suhas Bhandare ji has been awarded for Warkari Kirtan. This list doesn’t just pertain to music artistes – V Durga Devi ji has won this award for ‘Karakattam’, an ancient dance form. Another winner of the award, Raj Kumar Nayak ji, organized the Perini Odissi, which lasted for 101 days in 31 districts of Telangana. Today, people have started knowing him by the name of Perini Rajkumar. Perini Natyam, a dance dedicated to Lord Shiva, was quite popular during the Kakatiya Dynasty. The roots of this dynasty are still associated with Telangana. There is another award winner – Saikhom Surchandra Singh. He is known for his mastery in making Meitei Pung Instrument. This instrument has connections with Manipur. Pooran Singh is a Divyang Artist, who is popularizing various Music Forms such as –  Rajula-Malushahi, Nyuli, Hudka Bol, Jagar. He has also prepared many audio recordings related to them. The talented folk music artist of Uttarakhand, Puran Singh ji has also won many awards. Due to the limitation of time, I may not be able to talk about all the awardees here, but I am sure that you will definitely read about them. I hope that all these artists will continue to inspire everyone at the grassroots towards making performing arts more popular.
My dear countrymen, in our fast moving country, the power of Digital India is visible in every corner. Different apps play a big role in taking the power of Digital India to every home. There is one such App, E-Sanjeevani. Through this App Tele-consultation, that is, while sitting far away, through video conference, you can consult a doctor about your illness. Till now, the number of tele-consultants using this app has crossed the figure of 10 crores. You can imagine!… 10 crore Consultations through video conference….An amazing bond between patient and doctor – this is a big achievement. For this achievement, I congratulate all the doctors and patients who have availed of this facility. This is a living example of how the people of India have made technology a part of their lives. We have seen that in the time of Corona, E-Sanjeevani App has proved to be a great boon for the people. It also occurred to me…. Why not talk about this in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ with a doctor and a patient, communicate and convey the matter to you all!.  Let us try to know how effective Tele-consultation has been for the people. With us is Dr. Madan Mani ji from Sikkim. Dr. Madan Mani hails from Sikkim itself, but did his MBBS from Dhanbad and then did his MD from Banaras Hindu University. He has provided tele-consultation to hundreds of people in rural areas.

Prime Minister: Namaskar… Namaskar Madan Mani ji.

Dr. Madan Mani: Ji Namaskar Sir.

Prime Minister: This is Narendra Modi speaking!

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes… Yes Sir.

Prime Minister: You have studied in Banaras.

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes, I have studied in Banaras, Sir

Prime Minister: Your medical education took place there.

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes… Yes.

Prime Minister: So, did you ever go to see the Banaras of that time when you were there earlier and the changed Banaras of today?

Dr. Madan Mani: Ji Prime Minister ji, I have not been able to visit since I have come back to Sikkim, but I have heard that a lot has changed.

Prime Minister: So how many years have passed since you left Banaras?

Dr. Madan Mani: I have left Banaras since 2006 sir.

Prime Minister: O… then you must go.

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes… Yes.

Prime Minister: Well, I called because you are providing great services of teleconsultation to the people of Sikkim, living in remote mountains.

Dr. Madan Mani: Ji

Prime Minister: I would like to share your experience with the listeners of ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes.

Prime Minister: Tell me, how was the experience?

Dr. Madan Mani: It was a great experience Prime Minister ji…The fact is the nearest PHC in Sikkim… To go there also people have to board a vehicle and carry at least one or two hundred rupees. And whether a doctor would be available… this is also a problem. So through Tele Consultation, we connect directly with people….with people from faraway places. The CHOs of Health & Wellness Centres get them connected with us. And they tell us the reports of their old ailments, their present condition…. everything.

Prime Minister: That means you transfer the documents!

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes…Yes… We also transfer documents and if they are unable to transfer, they read out and tell us.

Prime Minister: The doctor of the Wellness Center there conveys!

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes, the CHO who lives in the Wellness Center, Community Health Officer.

Prime Minister: And the one who is a patient tells you about his difficulties directly.

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes, the patient also tells us about his difficulties. Then after seeing the old records, if we want to know any new things. For example, one has to auscultate someone’s chest… if his feet are swollen or not? If the CHO has not seen it, then we tell him to go and see whether there is swelling or not, look at the eyes, whether he has anaemia or not, if he has cough, then auscultate the chest and find out whether there are sounds there or not.

Prime Minister: Do you talk through Voice Call or do you also use Video Call?

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes, we use Video Call.

Prime Minister: So you see the patient as well.

Dr. Madan Mani: Can see the patient also, sir.

Prime Minister: What feeling does the patient get?

Dr. Madan Mani: The patient likes it because he can see the doctor closely. He is confused whether his medicine has to be increased or decreased, because most of the patients in Sikkim are of diabetes and hypertension and how far he will have to go to find a doctor to change the medicine for diabetes and hypertension. But through Tele Consultation, it is available there and medicine is also available through Free Drugs initiative in the Health & Wellness Center. So, the patient avails of the medicine from there itself.

Prime Minister: Well Madan Mani ji, you know that the patient has a tendency that until the doctor comes; until the doctor sees him; he is not satisfied and the doctor also feels that he will have to see the patient. Now since all the consultations there are done through Telecom, what does the doctor feel; what does the patient feel?
Dr. Madan Mani: Ji… we also feel that if the patient feels that he should see the doctor, then whatever things we want to see, we, by speaking to CHO, in the video only, we ask to see. And sometimes, by coming close to the patient in the video itself, the problems he is facing, if someone has a skin problem, then he shows us through the video itself. So those people remain satisfied.

Prime Minister: And later after treating him, does he get satisfaction… what does he feel? Are patients getting well?

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes, I get a lot of satisfaction. We also get satisfaction sir. Because I am currently in the health department and simultaneously do tele-consultation… it is a very good, pleasant experience for me to see the patient along with the file.

Prime Minister: On an average, how many patients would be there through Tele Consultation cases?

Dr. Madan Mani: So far I have seen 536 patients.

Prime Minister: Oh… that means you have mastered it a lot.

Dr. Madan Mani: Yes, it feels good.

Prime Minister: Okay, I wish you all the best. By using this technology, you are doing such a great service to the people living in the remote forests and mountains of Sikkim. And it is a matter of joy that such a good use of technology is being made even in the far-flung areas of our country. Fine… many congratulations to you from my side.

Dr. Madan Mani: Thank You!

Friends, it is clear from the words of Dr. Madan Mani how E-Sanjeevani App is helping them. After Dr. Madan ji, we now join another Madan ji. This is Madan Mohan Lal ji, a resident of Chandauli district of Uttar Pradesh. Now it is also a coincidence that Chandauli is also adjacent to Banaras. Come, let us know from Madan Mohan ji what his experience as a patient regarding E-Sanjeevani has been!

Prime Minister: Madan Mohan ji, Pranam!

Madan Mohan ji: Namaskar, Namaksar Sir!

Prime Minister: Namaskar! Well, I have been told that you are a diabetic patient.

Madan Mohan ji: Yes…yes

Prime Minister: And you take help of technology regarding your illness through teleconsultation!

Madan Mohan ji: Ji..ji

Prime Minister: As a patient, I want to listen to your experiences, so that I would like to convey to our countrymen how the people living in our villages can use today’s technology. Tell me, how do you do it?

Madan Mohan ji: It is like this Sir, hospitals are far away and when I got diabetes, I had to travel 5-6 kms away to get treatment done…to consult on it. And since the arrangement has been made by you, means that I go now, I am examined, it also makes us talk to doctors from outside and also provides us medicines. It is of great benefit to me and other people are also benefited by it.

Prime Minister: So every time is it the same doctor that sees you or the doctors keep changing?

Madan Mohan ji: Since they don’t understand, they show it to the doctor. It talks to us and makes us talk to another doctor.

Prime Minister: And the guidance that doctors give you, you get full benefit from it?

Madan Mohan ji: We are benefited. We have a great benefit through that. And the people of the village also benefit from it. Everyone there asks that brother, we have BP, we have sugar, test, check, tell us about the medicine. And earlier they used to go 5-6 kilometres away… there used to be long queues… there used to be queues in Pathology. There used to be a loss of an entire day’s time.

Prime Minister: Meaning, your time is also saved.

Madan Mohan ji: And money was also wasted and here all services are being done free of cost.

Prime Minister: Well, when you see the doctor in person, in front of you, a trust is formed. Okay…here’s a doctor, he has checked my pulse, my eyes… he has also checked my tongue. So it’s a different feeling. Now if they do Tele Consultation, do you get the same satisfaction?

Madan Mohan ji: Yes, there is satisfaction. I feel that they feel our pulse, check with a stethoscope, and I feel very happy that well…Such a good arrangement has been made by you… We earlier had to go there with difficulty, paying for transport fare…Had to line up in a queue there…Now, we are getting all the facilities sitting at home.

Prime Minister: Well, Madan Mohan ji, I wish you all the best. Even at this stage of age, you have learned technology, you use technology. Tell others too so that their time is saved… money too is saved and through whatever guidance they get, medicines can also be used in a better way.

Madan Mohan ji: Yes, of course!

Prime Minister: Fine, my best wishes to you Madan Mohan ji.

Madan Mohan ji: Sir, you have made Banaras Kashi Vishwanath Station, developed it. Our congratulations to you on that!

Prime Minister: I thank you. What have we made? The people of Banaras have made Banaras. Otherwise, we have been called by Mother Ganga to serve Mother Ganga, that’s all, nothing else. Ok ji, many best wishes to you. Pranam ji

Madan Mohan ji: Namaskar Sir!

Prime Minister: Namaskar ji!

Friends, E-Sanjeevani is becoming a life-saving app for the common man of the country, for the middle class, for the people living in hilly areas. This is the power of India’s digital revolution. And today we are seeing its effect in every field. You also know the power of India’s UPI. Many countries of the world are drawn towards it. Just a few days ago, UPI-Pay Now Link has been launched between India and Singapore. Now, people of Singapore and India are transferring money from their mobile phones in the same way as they do within their respective countries. I am glad that people have started taking advantage of it. Be it India’s E-SanjeevaniApp or UPI, these have proved to be very helpful in raising the Ease of Living.

My dear countrymen, when a species of bird, a living being which is going extinct in a country is saved, it is discussed all over the world. There are many such great traditions in our country which had disappeared, had been removed from the minds and hearts of the people, but now efforts are being made to revive them with the power of public participation, so for discussing that… What better platform than ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

What I am going to tell you now will make you really happy…you will be proud of our heritage. Shriman Kanchan Banerjee, who lives in America, has drawn my attention to one such campaign related to the preservation of heritage. I congratulate him. Friends, this month, ‘Tribeni Kumbho Mohotshav’ was organized in Bansberia of Hooghly district in West Bengal. More than eight lakh devotees participated in it…But do you know why it is so special? It is special, since this practice has been revived after 700 years. Although this tradition is thousands of years old, but unfortunately this festival which used to take place in Tribeni, Bengal was stopped 700 years ago. It should have been started after independence, but that too could not happen. Two years ago, the festival has been started again by the local people and through ‘Tribeni Kumbho Porichalona Shomiti’. I congratulate all the people associated with its organization. You are not only keeping alive a tradition, but are also protecting the cultural heritage of India.

Friends, Tribeni in West Bengal has been known as a holy place for centuries. It finds mention in various Mangalakavya, Vaishnava literature, Shakta literature and other Bangla literary works. Various historical documents suggest that this region was once a centre of Sanskrit, education and Indian culture. Many saints consider it a holy place for Kumbh Snan on Magh Sankranti. In Tribeni, you will find many Ganga Ghats, Shiva temples and ancient buildings decorated with terracotta architecture. Kumbh Mela was organized here last year to restore the cultural heritage of Tribeni and revive the glory of Kumbh tradition. Seven centuries later, the three-day Kumbh Mahasnan and the fair have infused a new energy into the region. A large number of people participated in the Ganga Aarti, Rudrabhishek and Yajna that took place every day for three days. Various ashrams, mutths and akhadas were also included in the festival this time. Various genres related to Bengali traditions such as Kirtan, Baul, Godiyo Nritto, Sree-Khol, Poter Gaan, Chou-Nach, became the center of attraction in the evening programmes. This is a very commendable effort to connect our youth with the golden past of the country. There are many other such practices in India, which need to be revived. I hope that the discussion about them will definitely inspire people in this direction.

My dear countrymen, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan has changed the meaning of public participation in our country. If something related to cleanliness takes place anywhere in the country people certainly inform me about it. That’s how my attention was drawn to a cleanliness campaign by the youth of Haryana. There is a village in Haryana – Dulhedi. The youth here decided that Bhiwani city has to be made exemplary in terms of cleanliness. He formed an organization called Yuva Swachhta Evam Janseva Samiti. The youth associated with this committee reach Bhiwani at 4 in the morning. Together they run cleanliness drives at different places in the city. These people have so far cleared tons of garbage from different areas of the city.

Friends, ‘Waste to Wealth’ is also an important dimension of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Kamala Moharana, a sister from Kendrapada district of Odisha, runs a self-help group. The women of this group make many things like baskets and mobile stands from milk pouches and other plastic packing materials. This is becoming a good source of income for them along with ensuring cleanliness. If we resolve, we can make a huge contribution towards a clean India. At least we all should take a pledge to replace plastic bags with cloth bags. You will see, how much satisfaction your resolution will give you, and also inspire other people.

My dear countrymen, today you and I joined together and once again talked about many inspirational topics. We listened to everything sitting with family and will now hum it throughout the day. The more we talk about the industriousness of the country, the more energy we derive. Moving with this very energy flow, today we have reached the milepost of the 98th episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Holi festival is just a few days from today. Happy Holi to all of you. We have to celebrate our festival with the resolve of ‘Vocal for Local’. Don’t forget to share your experiences with me too. Till then, I take leave of you. Next time we will meet again with new topics. Thank you very much, Namaskar!

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, Government will promote Industry-driven Start-Ups to create wealth and jobs.

Addressing the 37^th Foundation day of Department of Biotechnology (DBT) as Chief Guest at National Institute of Immunology, NII, Delhi, Dr Jitendra Singh called for equal stake with equal partnership and responsibility by Industry to sustain the Start-Ups boom.

The Minister said, Start-Ups will become sustainable, if Industry from the very beginning will identify the theme/subject/product and invest matching equity with the Government. The Minister assured that funds will not be a constraint under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Government to promote the “Innovation Eco-System” in the country.

Giving the example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of an Atma Nirbhar Bharat, where India’s vaccine strategy brought together pharma, industry and academia in a partnership with an eye on meeting the current as well as possible future challenges, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the idea behind initiatives like this is to have a sustainable partnership in the long run and provide a sustainable source of livelihood to India’s youth. He added that the Government of India, led by Prime Minister Modi, is encouraging industrial outreach by extending all possible support.

The Minister also pointed out that last year he had launched Single National Portal “BioRRAP” for Biotech researchers and Start-Ups and also to cater to all those seeking regulatory approval for biological research & development activity in the country and thus offer a huge relief for “Ease of Science as well as Ease of Business”. He asserted that India is poised to become a Global Bio-manufacturing Hub and will figure among the top 5 countries of the world by 2025.

Dr Jitendra Singh pitched for development of India’s own Molecule and said for Indian Problems, Indian Remedies must be devised. He said, Biotechnology is the technology of tomorrow as IT has already reaching its saturation point. The Minister emphasized that Biotech will be the key to Amrit Kaal Economy and also for making India a frontline nation in the world.

Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated that India’s bio-economy has grown 8 times in the last 8 years under Prime Minister Modi from $10 billion in 2014 to over $80 billion in 2022.Similarly, Biotech Startups have grown 100 times in the last 8 years from 52 odd startups in 2014 to 5300 plus in 2022. He said, 3 Biotech Startups were incorporated every day in 2021 and a total of 1,128 biotech startups were set up in 2021 alone, signaling the rapid growth of the sector in India.

Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that the Biotechnology Sector in India has evolved over the last three decades and has made significant contribution in various sectors including health, medicine, agriculture, industry and bio-informatics, due to enormous support received both from government & private sector. He underlined that the Biotechnology Sector has seen a rapid growth in the last 9 years and India is now being rated among top 12 biotechnology destinations in the world. He said, more than three times funds allocated to this sector compared to pre-2014 era to make India globally competitive in biotechnology research, innovation, and entrepreneurship and also paving the way for the promising future.

In his address, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Dr Rajesh Gokhale said, India must catch up fast with the Foundational Technologies of 21^st Century to remain relevant in the game.He said, Government of India, through the Science, Technology and Innovation, among other things, aspires to position India among the world’s top five scientific powers and it is very much committed in supporting scientific research and innovations. He added that DBT is the nodal agency for promotion of Biotechnology in the country and nurturing Biotechnology by creating a strong ecosystem for facilitating basic, early and late translational research and entrepreneurship and also formulation of policies and guidelines in all sectors of biotechnology. Department is relentlessly working towards promotion of research, innovation and technology leading to product development; building capacities, both human resource and infrastructure; fostering national and international partnerships.

Delivering the Foundation Day Lecture, Prof. Rishikesha T Krishnan, Director, Indian Institute of Management, Bengaluru said that Department of Biotechnology is the only department in the Government of India which has got end-to-end approach from Idea to development of final product. He also informed that gathering that it was Biotech or rather the IR8 variety of Rice, which was responsible for the Green Revolution thus making significant contributions to Agri Sector, as the yield was 3 to 4 times per hectare than the normal seed.

Prof K VijayRaghvan in his address said that there was a time when there was a danger that DBT could have been mistaken for Fermentation Technology but thanks to efforts by Dr Ramachandran that it evolved as a separate specialized stream and department. He said, linkage of Biotechnology with Digital Technology will open the floodgates for this sector.

Dr Alka Sharma, Senior Advisor, DBT and MD, BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) in her welcome address said, DBT has established 15 theme-based autonomous institutions across the country. She also informed that one international institution namely the New Delhi center of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology and two Public Sector Undertakings BIBCOL and BIRAC have also been established for manufacturing of biologicals and fostering and nurturing the startup innovation ecosystem.

Dr. Sanjay Mishra, Senior Scientist presented vote of thanks and took the collective pledge to make DBT, one of the premier Research and Innovation Departments of the country and the world in times to come.

The Department has contributed in strengthening all the diverse aspects of Biotechnology. Some of the major achievements in key areas include: 1. Ease of Governance-Policy Reforms include Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) Department is subsuming its 14 Autonomous Institutions to create one Apex Autonomous Body2. Vaccines for Swasth Bharat; Under Atmanirbhar Bharat 3.0, a special grant of Rs. 900 Crore was allocated to the Department for the implementation of Mission COVID Suraksha towards development of vaccines against COVID-19. Sectoral achievements include a) Genomic Sequencing – Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) ng for Tracking Pathogens b)Therapeutic Interventions c. Regulatory Reforms include Biological Research Regulatory Approval Portal (BioRRAP)– “One Nation One Portal”, Biotech-KISAN,(~100/year) for law enforcing agencies, medico-legal applications and quality testing. CDFD offers diagnostic services for various genetic disorders including rare genetic disorders which help iDBT-Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD) offers DNA Fingerprinting services.

IIM, Raipur successfully organized the two day Y20 consultation event at its campus with much enthusiasm and fanfare. The first day deliberations yesterday on 25^th February, 2023 S were marked by the important ‘Youth Dialogue’ with Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports, Government of India which  began with a lot of excitement among the students. Earlier, in the morning yesterday, the event was inaugurated  by Smt. Renuka Singh,  MoS, Tribal Affairs, GoI, in the presence of Dr. Ram Kumar Kakani, the Director of IIM Raipur, along with other esteemed guests.

During his address, Shri Anurag Thakur highlighted the importance of technology in bridging gaps, providing opportunities to showcase talent, and solve global problems. The Minister expressed pride that India is now the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world with 107 unicorns. He praised the youth of Chattisgarh for leveraging disruptive technologies and possessing unmatched vigor, vitality, and vibrancy. He further quoted, “Your network is your net worth.” Shri Anurag Thakur  motivated young individuals to expand their network and establish more connections with people to expand the horizons of their life and work. Moreover, he suggested that the youth should travel as much as possible to gain extensive exposure and experiences. He concluded by quoting “You are the present, you are the hope of the world.”

During the dialogue with the Minister, the youth raised several questions regarding the involvement of young people in politics, enhancing GDP, self empowerment, the contribution of international students to their home country etc. The main lesson learned from this session is that continuous learning and acquiring new skills can empower young people to participate in their nation’s progress and promote peace. Shri Anurag Singh Thakur  was impressed by the use of traditional art in the logo of IIM Raipur.

Smt. Renuka Singh Saruta, emphasized the importance of the Y20 Consultation event as an opportune moment to pay tribute to all the freedom fighters who secured India’s independence and contributed to its progress. She stated that the Prime Minister also shared this vision and recognized the importance of Indian youth on the global stage. To tackle issues effectively, it is necessary to engage in multilateral dialogues and forums, she said. Despite the difficulties that India has faced, the country has played a crucial role in promoting world peace since gaining independence. She cited examples of how conflict had been curbed in Jammu and Kashmir and Northeastern states, where the youth are now thriving. She expressed optimism that the discussions during this Y20 consultation would aid in peacebuilding and enable us to achieve the goal of “Vasudev Kutumbakam.”

Dr. Ram Kumar Kakani, the Director of IIM Raipur, delivered the welcome address, expressing his belief that the Y20 Consultation event is a powerful driver of global transformation. He highlighted the importance of coming together to address the challenges posed by terrorism, socialist groups, and societal feudalism. Governments have a critical role to play in striking a balance between upholding human rights and maintaining law and order. Inter-community dialogue is crucial to ensuring that peace and harmony prevail. He encouraged the participants to engage in active discussions and brainstorming sessions throughout the event, so that they could generate innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.

Prior to the start of the event, the guests were given a tour of the IIM, Raipur campus. They were treated with millet-based breakfast, as a contribution to India’s observance of the International Year of Millets 2023.

A panel discussion on the subject of “Channelizing youth in conflict resolution,” was conducted. According to Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh, Ex-CS, Assam, Bodoland peace negotiator, the young generation should follow the establishment of peace, uphold and preserve that. Dr Mohit Garg, IPS, SP, Balrampur, frontline LWE experience, said that gradual erosion of faith in the system and in the government can be observed in naxal conflicted areas. The trust can be earned through getting in touch with the younger generation belonging to these areas, having conversations with them, and planning activities for them to participate in, including educational, cultural, and athletic pursuits. Shri Mohd. Aijaz Asad, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar emphasized that acts of terrorism and violence stifle the aspirations of the youth. Shri Reinhard Baumgarten, Reputed journalist, international conflict zones, German, brought up the conflict in Sudan and suggested that love could serve as a foundation for lasting peace. Sushree Priyanka Bissa, Youth icon, Nehru Yuva Kendra, said that the discussion of wars also brings up the issues related to food, water, and resources, national security.

The second panel discussion on Experience Sharing Peace-making, Peacebuilding and Peacekeeping was moderated by Shri Rajat Bansal, IAS (DC, Balodabazar). The panelists of this session were Brig. Basant K Ponwar (Retd.), AVSM, VSM (Ex-Director, Counter-Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College), Shri Ratan Lal Dangi, IPS (Director, CG State Police Academy), Shri Rob York (Director, Regional Affairs, Pacific Forum, USA) and Dr Aditi Narayani (Track chair Y20). The key takeaway from this session was that resolving problems through the use of weapons is not effective, and that the way of thinking is more important than the tools available.

The third panel talk, overseen by Dr. Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure, IAS (DC Raipur), was focused on Building consensus among communities. The panel included Shri Nitesh Kumar Sahu, a young leader from Mungeli, Chhattisgarh; Dr. Philippe Eyebe Awono, an assistant professor at Jean Moulin University; and Sushree Shwetha Karambelkar, a 2nd year PGP student from IIM Raipur. One of the significant speakers in this session was Shri B Markam, an ex-naxalite, who later surrendered and brought peace and transformation in the communities. The session highlights the significance of the United Nations and Indian leaders such as Gandhi and Buddha in advocating for peace. India’s demographic dividend is its youth population, the largest in the world. However, when it comes to building communities and promoting peace, citizens are not fully involved as peacemakers tend to focus on suppressing conflicts rather than resolving them. Another session moderated by the first year PGP students of IIM Raipur was focused on Multiple perspectives on reconciliation. The speaker Dr Prem Singh Bogzi (Visiting Distinguished Professor, IIM Raipur) commented that reconciliation involves recognizing that past actions may not have been ideal or efficient, but it requires bringing about social, economic, and political transformations and establishing a shared vision for moving forward.

The most significant segment of the event, which was the ‘Youth Dialogue’ with Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Hon’ble Union Minister, GOI began with a lot of excitement among the students. It was moderated by Prof. Sanjeev Prashar, Professor, Marketing, IIM Raipur. The minister began by commending the state of Chattisgarh for its progress and expressing pride in being among eager and imaginative individuals. He was impressed by the use of traditional art in the logo of IIM Raipur and feeling at home in Chattisgarh with its waterfalls, temples, and 44% forest cover.

The state is rich in minerals, forests, metals, and also produces the famous Kosa silk. He highlighted the importance of technology in bridging gaps, providing opportunities to showcase talent, and solve global problems. He praised the youth of Chattisgarh for leveraging disruptive technologies and possessing unmatched vigor, vitality, and vibrancy. He beamed with pride while stating that India is the 3rd largest startup ecosystem in the world with 107 unicorns. The audience raised many inquiries regarding the involvement of young people in politics, enhancing GDP, self empowerment, the contribution of international students to their home country etc. The main lesson learned from this session is that continuous learning and acquiring new skills can empower young people to participate in their nation’s progress and promote peace. He further quoted, “Your network is your net worth.” He motivated young individuals to expand their network and establish more connections with people as it could be beneficial for their future. Moreover, he suggested that the youth should travel as much as possible to gain extensive exposure and experiences. He concluded by quoting “You are the present, you are the hope of the world.”

In conclusion, the Y20 Consultation event organized by IIM Raipur was a resounding success, bringing together young leaders, experts, and policymakers to exchange ideas and develop innovative solutions for building peaceful and sustainable communities. The panel discussions, keynote addresses, and youth dialogue sessions explored various perspectives on community building, consensus-building, and reconciliation, underscoring the need for collaborative and inclusive approaches to address complex societal challenges. The event’s success underscores IIM Raipur’s commitment to fostering leadership and promoting sustainable development, and building momentum on this in the future.

Your Excellency, Chancellor Scholz

Delegates from both the nations,

Partners from Media,

Gutan Tag!

Greetings!

I welcome my friend Chancellor Scholz and his delegation to India. Chancellor Scholz is visiting India after many years. His visit in 2012 was the first ever visit by any mayor of Hamburg to India. It is evident that he understood the potential of Indian-German relations long ago.

Last year we had three meetings. And each time, his foresight and vision gave a new momentum and energy to our bilateral relations. In today’s meeting also we discussed all the important bilateral, regional and international issues in detail.

Friends,

The strong ties which India and Germany share are based on shared democratic values, and a deep understanding of each other’s interests. The two countries also share a long history of cultural and economic exchanges between them. The increasing cooperation between the two largest democratic economies of the world is not only beneficial for people of both the countries, but also sends a positive message in today’s tension-ridden world.

Along with being our largest trading partner in Europe, Germany is also an important source of investment in India. Today, due to “Make in India” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” campaign, new opportunities are opening up in all sectors in India. The interest shown by Germany in these opportunities is very encouraging for us.

The business delegation that came today with Chancellor Scholz and Indian business leaders had a successful meeting, and some good and important agreements were also signed. We also got to hear useful thoughts and suggestions from industry leaders of both countries, on topics such as Digital Transformation, FinTech, IT, Telecom, and Diversification of Supply Chains.

Friends,

India and Germany are increasing mutual cooperation under the Triangular Development Cooperation for the development of third countries. In the last few years, the People-to-people relations between us have also strengthened. And this relationship will be further deepened with the Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement signed in December last year.

According to the requirements of the changing times, we are also adding new and modern aspects to our relations. Last year during my visit to Germany, we had announced Green and Sustainable Development Partnership. Through this, we are expanding cooperation in the areas of Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals. We have also decided to work together in areas like Renewable Energy, Green Hydrogen and bio-fuels.

Friends,

Security and defense cooperation can become an important pillar of our strategic partnership. Together we will continue to make efforts to fully realize our untapped potential in this area. In the fight against terrorism and separatism, there is an active cooperation between India and Germany. Both the countries also agree that concerted action is necessary to end cross-border terrorism.

Friends,

The effects of the Covid pandemic and the Ukraine conflict have been felt across the whole world. These have had a particularly negative impact on developing countries. We expressed our shared concern about this. We agree that these problems can only be solved through joint efforts. Even during India’s presidency of the G20, we are stressing on this.

Since the beginning of the developments in Ukraine, India has insisted on resolving this dispute through dialogue and diplomacy. India is ready to contribute to any peace process. We have also agreed that reform of multi-lateral institutions is necessary to reflect global realities in a better way. This is evident from our active participation within the G4 to reform the UN Security Council.

Excellency,

On behalf of all the countrymen, I once again welcome you and your delegation to India. We will again have the opportunity to welcome you for the G20 Summit to be held in India in September this year. Thank you very much for your visit to India and for our useful discussion today.

DISCLAIMER – This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s remarks. Original remarks were delivered in Hindi.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava’ cultural festival at Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi today. He also took a walkthrough of the exhibition. The festival is held under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and celebrates Karnataka’s culture, traditions and history.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that the Delhi-Karnataka Sangh is taking forward the glorious heritage. He remarked that the 75th-anniversary celebrations of the Delhi Karnataka Sangh are taking place at a time when the country is celebrating the Amrit Mahotsav of 75 years of independence. The Prime Minister said that one can witness the immortal soul of India when we analyse the circumstances from 75 years ago. “Establishment of Karnataka Sangh is proof of people’s determination to strengthen the nation during its first few years and today, at the start of Amrit Kaal that dedication and energy are visible in the same measure”, he said. He complimented everyone who was part of this 75-year journey of Karnataka Sangh.

“The identity, traditions and inspirations of India cannot be defined without the contributions of Karnataka”, the Prime Minister said. Drawing the analogy to the role of Hanuman in the ‘Pauranik Kaal’, the Prime Minister underlined that Karnataka has played a similar role for India and said that even though the epoch-changing mission started in Ayodhya and ended in Rameswarm, it got its strength from Karnataka.

The Prime Minister also referred to the medieval period when invaders were ravaging the country and destroying Shivalingas like Somnath, it was saints like Devara Dasimayya, Madara Chennaiah, Dohara Kakkaiah, and Bhagwan Basaveshwara who associated people with their faith. Similarly, warriors like Rani Abbakka, Onake Obavva, Rani Chennamma, Krantiveera Sangolli Rayanna faced the foreign powers. Post Independence, the Prime Minister said, dignitaries from Karnataka continued to inspire India.

The Prime Minister lauded the people of Karnataka for living the mantra of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. He talked about ‘Naada Geethe’ by the Poet Kuvempu and praised the national feelings beautifully expressed in the revered song. “In this song, the civilization of India is depicted and the roles and importance of Karnataka are described. When we understand the spirit of this song, we also get the crux of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”, he said.

The Prime Minister remarked that India is guided by the ideals of the Mother of Democracy when it is presiding over a global organisation like G-20. He said that the vows and democratic sermons of Lord Basveshwara through ‘Anubhava Mantapa’ are like a ray of light for India. The Prime Minister expressed delight at getting the opportunity to inaugurate the idol of Lord Basveshwara along with a compilation of his vows in several languages in London. “This is proof of the immortality of Karnataka’s ideology and its effects”, the Prime Minister remarked.

“Karnataka is the land of traditions and technology. It has historical culture as well as modern artificial intelligence”, the Prime Minister remarked. The Prime Minister recalled meeting the German Chancellor, Mr Olaf Scholz earlier in the day and expressed delight that his next programme is taking place in Bengaluru tomorrow. He informed that an important G20 meeting is also taking place in Bengaluru. The Prime Minister said that he strives to showcase both the ancient and modern sides of India to any international delegate that he meets. He reiterated that tradition and technology are the temperaments of New India.  He said that the country is moving forward together with development and heritage, and progress and traditions. He emphasized that on the one hand, India is reviving its ancient temples and cultural centers, while on the other, it is also the world leader in digital payments. He underlined that the India of today is bringing back its stolen idols and artefacts from abroad that are centuries old while it is also bringing in record FDI. “This is the development path of new India which will lead us to the goal of a developed nation”, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister emphasized that “Today the development of Karnataka is a top priority for the country, and for the Government of Karnataka.” He informed that between 2009-2014, 11 thousand crore rupees were given by the Center to Karnataka, whereas, from 2019-2023 till now 30 thousand crore rupees have been sent.  Between 2009-2014 Karnataka received 4 thousand crores in railway projects whereas only this year’s Budget has allocated 7 thousand crores for Karnataka Rail infra. National highways in Karnataka received 6 thousand crores during those 5 years whereas, in the past 9 years, Karnataka received 5 thousand crores investment every year for its highways. The Prime Minister said that the current government is fulfilling the long pending demand for the Bhadra Project and all this development is fast changing the face of Karnataka.

The Prime Minister said that the 75 years of the Delhi Karnataka Sangh have brought forward many important moments of growth, achievement and knowledge. Emphasizing the importance of the next 25 years, the Prime Minister highlighted the significant steps that can be taken in the Amrit Kaal and the next 25 years of the Delhi Karnataka Sangh. He underlined that the central focus should be kept on knowledge and art and highlighted the beauty of the Kannada language and its rich literature. He also informed that the number of readers of the Kannada language is very high and the publishers have to reprint a good book within a few weeks of its publishing.

The Prime Minister dwelled on Karnataka’s extraordinary achievements in the field of art and noted that Karnataka is rich in both the classical and popular arts from Kamsale to Carnatic style of music, and from Bharatnatyam to Yakshagaan. Praising the efforts of the Karnataka Sangh to popularise these art forms, the Prime Minister stressed the need to take these efforts to the next level and asked the Delhi Kannadiga families to try and bring non-Kannadiga families to such events. The Prime Minister said that some films that depicted Kannada culture got very popular among non-Kannadiga audiences and created a desire to know more about Karnataka. “This desire needs to be leveraged”, he said. The Prime Minister requested the visiting artists and scholars to visit the National War Memorial, Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya and Karavya Path.

The Prime Minister also touched upon ‘The International Year of Millets’ being celebrated all over the world and said that Karnataka has been the main center of Indian Millets i.e. ‘Shri Dhanya’. “Shri Anna Ragi is a part of the culture and social identity of Karnataka”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted the programmes initiated for the promotion of ‘Shri Dhanya’ in Karnataka since Yeddyurappa ji’s time. He underlined that the whole country is following the path of Kannadigas and has started calling coarse cereals ‘Shri Anna’. Noting that the entire world is recognizing the benefits of Shri Anna, he pointed out that its demand is going to get a boost in the times to come, thereby greatly benefitting farmers of Karnataka.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said that when India completes 100 years of its independence as a developed nation in 2047, the contributions of Delhi Karnataka Sangh in the glorious Amrit Kaal of India will also be discussed as it will also enter its hundredth year.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Basvaraj Bommai, Swamiji of Adichunchanagiri Mutt, Shri Nirmalananandanatha, President of the Celebration Committee, Shri CT Ravi and President of Delhi Karnataka Sangha, Shri C. M. Nagaraja were present on the occasion among others.

Background

In line with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, the ‘Barisu Kannada Dim Dimava’ cultural festival is being organized to celebrate Karnataka’s culture, traditions and history. The festival is held under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and will provide an opportunity for hundreds of artists to showcase Karnataka cultural heritage through dance, music, drama, poetry etc.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the post-budget webinar on ‘Harnessing Youth Power – Skilling and Education’ today. It is the third of a series of 12 post-budget webinars organized by the government to seek ideas and suggestions for the effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister underlined that Skill and Education are the two principal tools during India’s Amrit Kaal and it is the youth who are leading the nation’s Amrit Yatra with the vision of a developed India. Highlighting the special emphasis given towards the youth and their future in the first budget of Amrit Kaal, the Prime Minister said that this year’s budget strengthens the foundations of the education system by making it more practical and industry oriented. The Prime Minister lamented the lack of flexibility in the education system over the years and mentioned the efforts of the government to bring about change. “Education and skilling have been reoriented according to the aptitude of the youth and the demands of the future”, the Prime Minister said. He further added that equal emphasis is being given to both education and skilling as part of the New Educational Policy and expressed delight that this step has garnered the support of teachers. The Prime Minister stated that the move encourages the government to undertake further reforms in the education and skilling sectors while unburdening our students from the regulations of the past.

Noting the experiences during the Covid pandemic, the Prime Minister underlined that new technology is helping create new types of classrooms. He noted that the government is focussing on tools that ensure ‘anywhere access to knowledge’ and gave the example of SWAYAM, an e-learning platform with 3 crore members. He pointed out the possibility of Virtual Labs and National Digital Library becoming a huge medium of knowledge. He also mentioned the opportunity to study in local languages through DTH channels and said that many such digital and technology-based initiatives are going on in the country which will get more strength from the National Digital University. “Such futuristic steps are going to change the entire space of our education, skills and knowledge-science”, the Prime Minister said, “Now the role of our teachers will not be limited only to the classroom.” He mentioned that more variety of teaching material will be available for our educational institutions from all over the country which will open new doors of opportunities for the teachers while filling the gap between village and city schools.

Throwing light on ‘on-the-job learning’ the Prime Minister noted the special emphasis by several countries and highlighted the efforts of the central government in providing focused internships and apprenticeships to give ‘outside the classroom exposure’ to its youth. “Today there are about 75 thousand employers on the National Internship Portal where requirements for 25 lakh internships have been posted so far”, the Prime Minister informed. He urged the industry and educational institutions to make maximum use of this portal and further expand the culture of internship in the country.

The Prime Minister expressed the belief that apprenticeships will make our youth future-ready and highlighted the efforts of the government in promoting apprenticeships in India. He mentioned that it will help the industries in the identification of the workforce with the right skills. Throwing light on this year’s budget, the Prime Minister highlighted the provision of a stipend that has been made available for about 50 lakh youth under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme. He said that it is creating an environment for apprenticeships and also helping the industry in payments.

Underlining the need for a skilled workforce, the Prime Minister underlined that the world is looking at India as a manufacturing hub and noted the enthusiasm of the world about investing in the country. He underlined the focus on skilling in this year’s budget and mentioned the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana 4.0 that will skill, reskill and upskill lakhs of youth in the coming years. He informed that tailor-made programs are being made according to the needs of tribals, differently-abled and women through this scheme. He also highlighted the focus on creating a skilled workforce for Industry 4.0 sectors like AI, Robotics, IoT, and Drones, thereby making it easier for international investors to scout talent without having to spend much energy and resources on re-skilling. The Prime Minister also gave the example of PM Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman Yojana where emphasis is laid on skill development of traditional artisans, handicraftsmen, and artists to prepare them for a new market and also help in availing better prices for their products.

The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of the role and partnership of academia and industry in bringing rapid changes in the education sector in India. He underlined that research will be made possible according to the needs of the market while also creating room for adequate funding from the research industry. Highlighting this year’s budget, the Prime Minister mentioned the 3 centers of excellence for AI and said that it will strengthen the industry-academia partnership. He also stated that ICMR Labs will now be made available to medical colleges and private sector R&D teams. The Prime Minister urged the private sector to take maximum advantage of every such step to strengthen the R&D ecosystem in the country.

Laying emphasis on the ‘whole of government’ approach of the government, the Prime Minister said that education and skilling are not limited to the concerned ministry or department but their possibilities remain in every sector The Prime Minister urged the stakeholders related to skilling and education to study these opportunities coming up in different sectors and help in creating the required workforce. Giving the example of India’s fast-expanding civil aviation sector, the Prime Minister said that it showcases the growing travel and tourism industry of India while opening doors to huge sources of employment. The Prime Minister expressed the desire to prepare an updated database of the youth who have been trained under the ‘Skill India Mission’. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister stressed that the trained workforce of India should not be left behind after the advent of digital technology and AI and urged industry experts to work in this direction.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah addressed the ‘Kisan-Mazdoor Samagam’ organized on the occasion of the Janm Jayanti of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati at Patna, Bihar today.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that Swami Sahajanand ji fought against the British Empire by making Bihar his Karm Bhoomi. He opposed the Zamindari system and led the laborer class. Rising above caste, religion, creed and sect Swami ji worked to unite the farmers across the country. Shri Shah said that Swami Sahajanand ji and Subhash Chandra Bose were associated with the same ideology. He said that despite being an ascetic, when landlords were forcibly collecting taxes from the farmers, Swami ji actively participated in the freedom movement and gave the slogan “Kaise loge malguzari, lath hamara zindabad”. Swamiji had said at that time “the one who produces food and clothes, will now make laws, this India belongs to him, now he will rule”. He said that Swamiji did the work of bringing farmers and laborers to the center of all the systems of India.  Shri Shah said that today Swami ji’s Bihar is in very bad condition and we have to make collective efforts to save it.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi believes that there is a lot of potential in the dairy sector in Bihar, because it has water, land and hardworking farmers. He said if all the systems would be functioning well then Bihar can become the state with highest milk production. Shri Shah said that when wheat and paddy are procured at the minimum support price in the whole country, then why not in Bihar. He said that the Bihar Government is not concerned about the farmers, today there is chaotic situation in Bihar and we have to fight together against it.

Shri Amit Shah said that in 2024 the people of the country will once again make Shri Narendra Modi the Prime Minister of the country. He said that the Prime Minister Modi has brought farmers to the center of the budget. He said that in 2013-14 the budget for agriculture was kept at Rs 25 thousand crore by the previous government, but Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has increased it to Rs 1 lakh 25 thousand crore in this year’s budget. This shows that the Prime Minister of the country has kept Agriculture and farmers at the center of the budget. He said that under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Rs. 60000 reaches into the bank account of every farmer of the country annually via DBT and through this scheme Prime Minister Modi has made such arrangements that the farmer does not have to take loan. Shri Shah said that start-ups have also been started in the field of agriculture and Prime Minister Modi has also implemented the scheme of Shree Anna (millets) for farmers dependent on rain-fed farming. He said that this will help in selling our Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Finger Millet and Maize to the world markets and will increase farmers’s income.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Ministry of Cooperation has decided to establish cooperative dairies in 2 lakh panchayats. He said that Bihar is the most suitable place in the country for dairy as all necessary resources are available for the development of dairy sector. He said that under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has provided Rs 2.25 lakh crore in the bank accounts of farmers in 12 instalments. Shri Shah said that from 2009 to 2014, food grains worth Rs 3.74 lakh crore were purchased from farmers, whereas between 2014 and 2019, Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi purchased wheat and paddy worth Rs 8 lakh crore from farmers. He said that Shri Modi brought neem-coated urea, which stopped Urea’s black marketing across the country. However, its black marketing is continuing in Bihar and due to this, farmers in Bihar are not getting Urea. He said that if a double engine Government is formed in Bihar as well, then Bihar will become the most prosperous state in the country.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is implementing ideas of Swami Sahajanand ji towards the farmers and labourers at the grassroot level.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the post-budget webinar on ‘Agriculture and Cooperatives’ today. It is the second of a series of 12 post-budget webinars organized by the government to seek ideas and suggestions for the effective implementation of the initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2023.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance given to the agricultural sector in this year’s budget as well as budgets of the past 8-9 years. He informed that the agricultural budget which was less than 25 thousand crores in 2014 has been increased to more than 1 lakh 25 thousand crores today. “Every Budget in recent years has been called a budget for Gaon, Gareeb and Kisan”, Shri Modi said.

Noting that India’s agricultural sector remained distressed for a long time since independence, the Prime Minister pointed out the country’s dependence on the outside world for our food security. He highlighted how India’s farmers transformed the situation by not only making the nation ‘atmanirbhar’ (self-sufficient) but also capable of exporting food grains. “Today India is exporting many types of agricultural products”, the Prime Minister said as he shed light on the efforts of the government to make domestic and international markets accessible to the farmers. He also stated that India’s goal should not be limited to rice or wheat when it comes to self-sufficiency or export. Highlighting the imports in the agricultural sector, the Prime Minister gave examples of expenditures of Rs 17,000 crores in 2021-22 for the import of pulses, 25,000 crores for the import of Value Added Food Products, and Rs 1.5 lakh crore spent on the import of edible oils in 2021-22. He further added that the sum of all agricultural imports was about Rs 2 lakh crores. The Prime Minister emphasized that various decisions are being continuously taken in the budget to promote the agricultural sector so that the nation becomes ‘atmanirbhar’ and the money used for imports can reach our farmers. He gave examples of increase in MSP, promotion of pulse production, increase in the number of food processing parks, and work in mission mode to become completely self-sufficient in terms of edible oil.

The Prime Minister underlined that the goal of complete development cannot be achieved until the challenges related to the agriculture sector are eliminated. He observed that private innovation and investment are keeping a distance from this sector which leads to low participation of India’s youth in the agricultural sector compared to the other sectors which witness active participation and growth. The Prime Minister highlighted that various announcements have been made in this year’s budget to fill this lacuna. Drawing an analogy to the open platform of UPI, the Prime Minister mentioned the Digital Public Infrastructure platform in the agriculture sector and noted the immense possibilities of investment and innovation in Agri-Tech domains. The Prime Minister listed out the opportunities such as improving logistics, making large markets more accessible, promoting drip irrigation through technology, installation of soil testing labs along the lines of medical labs. He also urged the youth to work towards delivering the right advice at the right time while creating a bridge of information between the government and the farmer about their innovations and also assisting in policy making. The Prime Minister also touched upon using drones for crop approximation while providing real-time information about weather changes.

The Prime Minister informed about the introduction of accelerator funds for agri-tech startups and said that the government is not only creating digital infrastructure but also preparing funding avenues. He urged the youth and young entrepreneurs to move forward and achieve their goals. The Prime Minister pointed out that India is home to more than 3000 agri-startups today compared to next to nothing 9 years ago.

The Prime Minister touched upon the International Year of Millets and said that its international identity is opening a gateway to the global market for Indian farmers. “The country has now identified coarse grains as Shri Anna in this budget”, the Prime Minister remarked. He said that Shri Anna is being promoted for the benefit of our small farmers as well as to increase the possibility of growth of startups in this sector.

“A new revolution is taking place in the cooperative sector of India”, the Prime Minister remarked as he pointed out that it is not limited to some states and some regions of the country anymore. He informed that tax-related reliefs have been given to the cooperative sector in this year’s budget which will benefit new cooperative societies engaged in manufacturing. He further added that TDS will not be levied on cash withdrawals up to Rs 3 crore by cooperative societies. The Prime Minister also mentioned the important decision of tax exemption given to the payment made by the sugar cooperative before 2016-17 and said that it will benefit the sugar cooperative to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore.

The Prime Minister emphasized that sectors such as dairy and fisheries which did not have cooperatives earlier will greatly benefit the farmers today. Throwing light on the huge opportunities for our farmers in fisheries, the Prime Minister informed that fish production in the country has increased by about 70 lakh metric tonnes in the last 8-9 years. He also touched upon a new sub-component that has been announced under the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana at a cost of 6000 crores which will give a boost to the fisheries value chain as well as the market.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister touched upon the PM Pranam Yojana and Gobardhan Yojana where the government is working towards promoting natural farming and reducing chemical-based farming.

 

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurated a Medical College at Satna, Madhya Pradesh today. Many dignitaries including Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan were present on the occasion.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that this college equipped with modern facilities would prove a milestone in the field of medical education in Madhya Pradesh. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, this medical college in Satna, and later in the third phase, new medical colleges in Rajgarh, Mandla, Neemuch, Mandsaur, Sheopur and Simraguli will be established under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Government of India in the ratio of 60 to 40. After the implementation of the plan, not a single child will need to go outside Madhya Pradesh for medical education. He said that the government is going to spend Rs 300 crore for the first phase and Rs 250 crore for the second phase, making a total expenditure of Rs 550 crore.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has adopted a holistic approach for the health sector to take care of the health of every citizen. He prepared the blueprint for Cleanliness Campaign, Ujjwala Yojana, Yoga, Fit India Movement, Khelo India Movement, Ayushman Bharat and Jan Aushadhi Kendra. He also initiated opening of Medical College and Wellness Centers in every district. After the Corona pandemic, Prime Minister Modi strengthened the entire health infrastructure through allocation of over Rs 60 thousand crore. Apart from this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also opened up wellness centers across the country. He said that the increase in the budget by Rs 2 lakh 30 thousand crore compared to Rs 94,452 crore in the previous year shows how much priority Shri Modi gives to health sector.

Shri Amit Shah said that currently there are 38 medical colleges in Madhya Pradesh alone, and this is a big achievement. He said that before 2013-14 there were 387 medical colleges in the entire country but under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the number has risen to 596 by 2021-22. Prior to 2013-14, the number of MBBS seats was 51,300, which by 2021-22 has increased up to around 90,000 seats in the past 8 years. Along with this, the number of PG seats was around 31 thousand, has increased to over 60,000 under the government led by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. 22 new AIIMS are being set up across the country. Shri Shah said that in Madhya Pradesh also many milestones have been achieved in health sector. There are 2,055 MBBS seats in Madhya Pradesh alone, which will increase to over 3,700 after the construction of new medical colleges. He said that Super-specialty hospitals have been started in Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur and Rewa.

The Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi India is moving forward in every field. He said that in the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has set a target for the Indians that in the centenary year of our independence in 2047, our nation will be at the top in every field in the world. He said that India has made a lot of progress under Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s leadership in the last 9 years in every field.

India’s bioeconomy is poised to touch 300 billion USD (US Dollar) by 2030 and with its rising innovation and scientific temper, India is set to join the global wave of a new industrial revolution.

This was stated here today by 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 while speaking as chief guest at the “National Consultation Meeting on Bio-manufacturing to build a Draft Policy Framework on Bio-manufacturing” .

The Minister said, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is committed to enable Circular-Bio-economy by advancing ‘High-Performance Bio-manufacturing’ in the country.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) envisages to bring together scientific and technological advancement towards achieving a major goal of the Department’s vision of BioE3 (i.e. Biotechnology for Economy, Environment and Employment) for green, clean and prosperous India.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, India envisions “Green Growth”in the ensuing ‘AmritKaal’ and this calls for a systematic framework plan for implementation of robust innovative bio-based eco-friendly solutions to further boost the ongoing economic growth of our nation. Additionally, “Mission LiFE”i.e.,‘Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE)’ launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 20th October, 2022 urges us to put forward green and friendly environmental solutions in every aspect of life to effectively achieve climate and energy goals, the Minister added.

 Dr Jitendra Singh also added that this program will strengthen ‘Make in India’ by supporting domestic manufacturing (Industry 4.0), as it will support building green infrastructure for bio-manufacturing across the country. Moreover, it will also lead to development of a skilled workforce in the domain of Bio-manufacturing, a surge in job creation and entrepreneurship especially in 2- and 3-tier cities and streamline policies and regulations for Biogenic products to expand market opportunities. It will provide new opportunities for revenue generation to chemical businesses by manufacturing high-quality, recyclable goods from renewable resources, the Minister informed.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, Bio-manufacturing offers a great potential by being amenable to innovation, energy efficient and causing reduced pollution, as it employs biological systems, including microbes, plant cells, and enzymes, to produce commercially relevant products. He pointed out that the backbone of this initiative comprises advanced tools of biotechnology including synthetic biology, genome editing, microbial bio-resources, metabolic engineering, etc.

In his address, Secretary, DBT, Dr Rajesh Gokhale said, India is the world’s 3rd largest importer of crude oil and the 4th largest importer of liquefied natural gas, a large part of which is used in the chemical industrial manufacturing. He also added that burning of hydrocarbons, the major constituent of fossil fuels, releases CO2 as a major by-product, contributing substantially to global warming. In context of Prime Minister Modi’s vision to make India a ‘Net Zero’ carbon economy’ by 2027, we expect a paradigm shift towards a bio-based circular carbon economy, by adopting an integrated and inclusive approach of Bio-manufacturing, Dr Gokhale opined.

DrGokhale informed that the pilot-scale based bio-manufacturing units will employ fermentation using enhanced microbial cell factories (and sugar/biomass/waste-based raw material) to manufacture bio-based products as an alternative to chemical products across various industrial sectors. Some of these sectors include, food additives,biopharmaceuticals, biogenic dyes, bulk chemicals, animal feed products,flavours/fragrances, biomaterials, Agri-bio products, etc.

Dr. Alka Sharma, Senior Advisor Department of Biotechnology (DBT) underlined that through this approach, an innovative ‘plug and play’ model of manufacturing for Industry 4.0 is being proposed. She said, the backbone of this initiative comprises advanced tools of biotechnology including synthetic biology, genome editing,metabolic engineering, etc.

Dr.Vaishali Panjabi, senior scientist in the DBT said, while presenting an “Overview of the Biomanufacturing Program” that it has the potential to provide an alternative to traditional petrochemical-based manufacturing through manufacture of biogenic products such as food additives, biopharmaceuticals, biogenic dyes, bulk chemicals, animal feed products, flavours/fragrances, biomaterials, Agri-bio product, etc. using sugar-based microbial fermentation and other sustainable biomass/waste resource-based manufacturing methods.