Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal today called upon Indian diaspora to contribute and shape the contours of New india, an India that will lead to global growth and is destined to become a Vishwaguru. He was addressing the Indian community at an event in New Jersey, US.

Applauding Indian Diaspora for their outstanding contribution overseas, Shri Goyal said they are the torch bearers of the India Story. He said that it is a matter of pride that Indians have contributed through India’s rich traditions and culture that helped Indian diaspora lead large corporations and have contributed to the economic well being of several countries. He highlighted that India is truly recognized and respected across the world due to the achievements of the Indian diaspora. He also stressed that the World today looks up to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi as the most popular and tallest leader in the World. Speaking about the G20 Meeting that was held in Bali Indonesia, Shri Goyal said it was the efforts and leadership of PM Modi in the Leader’s summit that brought all the leaders on one page to agree on a collective declaration.

Expressing his delight at celebrating Pravasi Bhartiya Divas (PBD) with the Indians residing in New Jersey, Shri Goyal said that PBD, that was started by the former Prime Minister of India Late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is a occasion to celebrate all Pravasis and recognize their contribution. He appreciated Indians residing in America for maintaining and keeping the Indian tradition, culture and value system alive. He further added that Indians look up to overseas Indians residing in different countries as ambassadors of India.  Appreciating the fact that over 90 out of 1078 founders of about 500 Unicorns in USA are persons of Indian origin, Shri Goyal said the Indian diaspora has clearly demonstrated tremendous capacity through their work across different areas of healthcare, hospitality, journalism, technology, management. Quoting Atal ji, who had said – “Success of every category of our immigrants all over the world testifies the indomitable spirit carried from the Indian soil”, Shri Goyal said this spirit of service represented by the Indian community is celebrated  in PDB.

Quoting PM Shri Narendra Modi that “mere incremental progress is not enough, today a metamorphosis is needed”, Shri Goyal said transformational reforms that India witnessed over the last few years have made India a world’s 5th largest economy. He expressed confidence that in a few years from now India will be the third largest economy.

The Minister said both the US and India are vibrant democracies, both have strong linkages, geopolitical ties, huge interest in Business and economic well being of both countries. Shri Goyal said that Diaspora would continue to act as a living bridge between India and the USA.

Speaking about Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav that is being organised to celebrate 75 years of India’s independence, Shri Goyal spoke about the grand success of Har Ghar Tiranga drive across the length and breadth of the country stating that each and every home, every shop, office had a Tiranga unfurled demonstrating India’s unity in diversity.  Shri Goyal referred to PM’s clarion call of 5 Prans in his Independence Day address to the Nation last year, Shri Goyal said these Prans reflect the collective aspiration of 1.4 billion Indians, to make India a developed and prosperous nation by 2047. He encouraged everyone to aspire to prioritise these Prans as their mission and become a part of India’s journey to become a developed nation in the next 25 years.

Shri Goyal said during covid pandemic India faced all the challenges head on with grit and determination and converted those challenges into opportunities. India today has 6 indigenously developed covid vaccines, ramped up health infrastructure.  India also rebounded quickly after the lockdown. He also mentioned that last year India witnessed phenomenal achievement in terms of growth, FDI, exports. He also said that over the last 2 and a half years, the government continued to provide foodgrains to 800 million less privileged Indians ensuring not a single Indian sleeps hungry.

Shri Goyal highlighted that today India is the land of opportunity and expressed confidence that the diaspora will continue to contribute to make India a great superpower. India offers huge opportunities due to its large domestic consumption demand, democracy, rule of law, and transparent economy. He urged everyone to take this message to the world that India can be your trusted partner- in supply chains, investment portfolios, in your business.

Shri Goyal concluded by giving few calls for action :

• Encourage everyone to aspire to bring high quality in everything that they do.
• Buy India made products- handlooms/ handicrafts for gifting needs/ festive occasions.
• Present India investment opportunities to investors in the USA.
• Contribute to India’s growth story through a great degree of philanthropy, knowledge transfers and taking innovation  to India.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh chaired, in New Delhi on January 09, 2023, the Ambassadors’ Roundtable conference for the forthcoming Aero India 2023. The reach-out event, organised by Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, was attended by Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Chargé d’affaires and Defence Attachés of over 80 countries. The Raksha Mantri invited the representatives from across the world to attend Asia’s largest and 14^th Aero show – Aero India-2023 – which will be held in Bengaluru, Karnataka between February 13-17, 2023. He urged them to encourage their respective defence and aerospace companies to attend the global event.

The Raksha Mantri described Aero India as a premier global aviation trade fair, which provides an opportunity for the Indian aviation-defence industry, including the aerospace industry, to showcase its products, technologies and solutions to the national decision makers. The five-day show will witness a combination of major aerospace and defence trade exposition, along with aerial displays by the Indian Air Force. “Besides the major entrepreneurs and investors in the defence and aerospace industries, the event will witness participation of prominent defence think-tanks and defence-related bodies from across the world. Aero India will, indeed, provide a unique opportunity for exchange of information, ideas and new technological developments in the aviation industry,” he said.

Recalling the success of Aero India 2021, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the last edition had witnessed unprecedented attendance of over 600 exhibitors physically and another 108 virtually. He added that the event saw the participation of 63 countries and around 3,000 Business-2-Business meetings were held. He also elaborated on the huge success of DefExpo 2022 which witnessed unparalleled participation of over 1,340 exhibitors, businesses, investors, start-ups, MSMEs, Armed Forces and delegates from several countries. He asserted that the conclusion of 451 Memoranda of Understanding, Transfer of Technology agreements, product launches and orders to domestic businesses, worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore, etc. attest to the success of the DefExpo. The Raksha Mantri hoped for a larger presence of exhibitors and representatives of friendly countries in Aero India-2023and said “We remain committed in supporting the partnerships that have been forged thus far and forming new bonds for future growth.”

Shri Rajnath Singh gave a broad overview of India’s growing defence industrial capabilities, stating that efforts are being made towards enhancing manufacturing capabilities, particularly in the emerging areas of drones, cyber-tech, Artificial Intelligence, radars, etc. He added that a robust defence manufacturing ecosystem has been created which has led to the emergence of India as a leading defence exporter in recent years. The defence exports have grown by eight times in the last five years and now India is exporting to over 75 countries.

“Our large population and abundant skilled work-force has led to the creation of a thriving innovation ecosystem, led by start-ups in high technology areas. These, in turn, are collaborating with the established R&D institutions and industries to develop and manufacture high-end defence platforms and systems at a comparability lower cost,” the Raksha Mantri said, stressing that the Indian aerospace and defence manufacturing sector is well prepared to take up future challenges and capitalise on emerging opportunities. He highlighted that India has domestically produced the Light Combat Aircraft and the manufacturing of Light Utility Helicopter has also commenced.

Shri Rajnath Singh emphasised that Government’s efforts towards ‘Make in India’ are neither isolationist nor are they just meant for India alone. “Our self-reliance initiative is the beginning of a new paradigm of partnership with our partner countries. Partnerships are being made with global defence industry giants. Recently, we signed a contract for manufacture of C-295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force through collaboration between Tata Advanced Systems Limited and Airbus Defence and Space S.A., Spain. ‘Make in India’ encompasses ‘Make for the World’. It translates into an open offer to all for joint efforts and partnerships in defence R&D and production,” he said.

The Raksha Mantri termed ‘partnership’ and ‘joint efforts’ as the two keywords that differentiate India’s defence industry partnership with other nations. He reiterated that India does not believe in a hierarchical conception of world order, where few countries are considered superior to others. “India’s international relations are guided by the very essence of human equality and dignity which is a part of our ancient ethos. We do not believe in making or becoming a client or satellite state, and so, when we partner with any nation, it is on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect. Forging relations comes naturally to India, as we work towards our cherished goal of a secure and prosperous world,” he said.

Shri Rajnath Singh described it as the Government’s endeavour to transcend the relation of buyer and seller to that of co-development and co-production model, irrespective of India being a buyer or a seller. “We are a major defence buyer as well as a significant defence exporter. When we are procuring defence equipment from our valued partner nations, very often they share the technical know-how, set up manufacturing plants in India and work with our local firms for various sub-systems. And when we export our defence equipment, we offer our full support towards the capability development of the buyer through sharing of technology, training, co-production etc.,” he said.

The Raksha Mantri added that India offers a partnership that comes with a variety of options, that are accommodative of national priorities and capacities. “We want to build with you, we want to launch with you and we want to create with you. There is an old African proverb ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together’. We intend to go far and we want to do it together. We wish to create symbiotic relationships, where we can learn from each other, grow together and create a win-win situation for all. That is exactly the way international relations should be transacted. Cooperation is a defining trait of the common human heritage, which we all share. VasudhaivaKutumbakam, which finds mention in Maha Upanishad and is further referred to in the Hitopadesha and other literary works of India unequivocally propounds the idea that ‘The Whole World is One Family’,” he said.

Sharing his views on India’s G20 presidency, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the upcoming summit is taking place in the larger context of a major geopolitical crisis, food and energy security concerns, comparatively slower progress on Sustainable Development Goals, mounting public debt burdens and urgent climate change related issues. He voiced India’s endeavour to build a consensus within the G20 and shape the agenda for a more secure, prosperous, sustainable and just world. As the Chair, India will showcase its 3-Ds to the world – Development, Democracy and Diversity.

In his welcome remarks, Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane stated that India is fast-emerging itself as an aerospace and defence manufacturing hub where the world looks for innovative solutions. He said, Aero India 2023 will provide an opportunity for exhibitors and participants to exchange ideas and forge collaborations to fulfil their quest to achieve excellence in aerospace and defence manufacturing.

During the Ambassadors’ conference, a detailed overview of Aero India 2023 was given to the representatives. The five-day event, with the theme ‘The runway to a billion opportunities’, will be organised at Air Force Station, Yelahanka in a total area of over 1.08 lakh sqm. As on date, over 645 exhibitors have registered for the event, with 80 countries confirming their participation. The marquee events include Defence Ministers’ Conclave ‘SPEED’ and a CEOs Roundtable.

Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Ajay Bhatt, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sanjay Mahindru were among those present during the conference.

Union Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan along with Ministers of State for Education Smt. Annapurna Devi and Dr. Subhas Sarkar reviewed the ongoing preparation of the Pariksha Pe Charcha 2023 today.

Shri. Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy; DoSEL, Shri Apurva Chandra, Secretary Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and senior officials from Ministry of Education, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Press Information Bureau, NCERT, CBSE, NVS, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan & MyGov attended the meeting.

The Minister called for further deepening and expanding engagement with students, parents and teachers on PPC 2023 during the meeting.

Shri Pradhan further added that PPC 2023 by the PM Shri Narendra Modi provides a burst of energy and inspiration to the student community ahead of the exam season.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated people of Nagaland for the development works which cover key sectors like connectivity, education, tourism and energy.

In response to a tweet by the Chief Minister of Nagaland, Neiphiu Rio, the Prime Minister said;

“Congratulations to my sisters and brothers of Nagaland for the development works which cover key sectors like connectivity, education, tourism and energy. The NDA Government is committed to fulfilling aspirations of the dynamic people of Nagaland.”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated the people of Manipur on opening of Kangla Nongpok Thong in Manipur.

In response to a tweet by the Chief Minister of Manipur, N Biren Singh, the Prime Minister said;

“Congrats Manipur! May the spirit of peace, prosperity and happiness be enhanced across the state.”

“AIIMS Bhubaneswar has won the trust of people in the field of quality health care within a decade not only in Odisha but also in adjoining states by fulfilling the mandate of equalizing the regional imbalance in tertiary health care delivery. This is a manifestation of the commitment of Govt of India under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister where quality tertiary healthcare and medical education have been prioritised as part of the National Health Agenda”. This was stated by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare as he addressed the students of AIIMS Bhubaneswar on their 4^th Convocation ceremony, here today. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare were present on the occasion. Smt. Aparajita Sarangi, Member of Parliament was also present. The dignitaries remembered former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee who laid the foundation of the institute in 2003 and paid floral tributes to him.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mandaviya said, “Whether in teaching, research or health care, AIIMS Bhubaneswar has earned laurels in every sector”.

Congratulating students on the convocation, the Union Health Minister urged them to wholeheartedly take the opportunity of service and responsibility that medical science brings. He said, “our sense of responsibility should align with our service to humanity”. He highlighted that the new initiatives of “Heal in India” and “Heal by India” will give an impetus to medical value travel in the country and also fulfil the demand for skilled and qualified medical and para-medical human resource across the globe.

Reiterating the commitment of the Union govt towards improving healthcare services, Dr Mandaviya said, “The number of AIIMS in the country have increased from 8 before 2014 to 23 at present”. He further said that “50 Crore families have been given health security under the Ayushman Bharat – PMJAY scheme while affordable and quality medicines are being provided by more than 9000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the country”. While mentioning the AB-PMJAY, he urged the State Govt to implement the scheme in the state so that the eligible beneficiaries of Odisha can avail of the benefits of the scheme not only in the state but other states too.

Dr Mansukh Mandaviya along with Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar inaugurated the much-awaited state-of-the-art NTPC Burn Centre for the public. The Union Health Minister also laid the foundation stone of Critical Care Hospital Building. The dignitaries also released a handbook of millets in commemoration of the International Year of Millets (IOYM) 2023.

Dr Mandaviya and Shri Pradhan awarded 40 Gold medals to meritorious students of AIIMS Bhubaneswar from different disciplines like DM/MCh (4 scholars), MD/MS (10), MBBS (17), BSc Nursing (6) and BSc Paramedical (3).

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan congratulated students of AIIMS Bhubaneswar on their achievements and motivated them to take more responsibility ahead. Appreciating the rapid strides made by the institute, Shri Pradhan said, “It is a matter of pride that within ten years, AIIMS Bhubaneshwar has emerged as the second-best AIIMS in the country and the 26^th best medical institution in the country, as per the NIRF rankings.”

Highlighting India’s contribution towards managing the COVID pandemic, Shri Pradhan said “India provided Made-in-India vaccines to 140 countries”. He also informed that under the administration of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Govt is committed to have medical books in local languages to enhance the understanding of students. He urged the students to keep the campus clean and support the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s “Swacch Bharat” mission.

Dr Bharati Pravin Power noted that AIIMS Bhubaneswar has made a mark in kidney transplantation operations and is making rapid strides in other surgeries as well. She stated that “AIIMS Bhubaneswar always comes to mind when one thinks of the top medical institutions in the country today”. She emphasized that investment in health enhances a country’s progress. She also encouraged the young doctors to take more responsibility in the spirit of humanity.

Shri Manohar Agnani, Addl. Secretary, Health Ministry, Prof. (Dr.) Ashutosh Biswas, Director, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Prof. (Dr.) Subrata Kumar Acharya, President, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, Prof. (Dr.) Prasanta Ranjan Mohapatra, Dean, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, and senior officials of the Health Ministry were present during the occasion.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has attended the conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi. Shri Modi said that this is a wonderful forum to exchange views on important policy related subjects and to strengthen team spirit to take India to newer heights.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;

“Attending the conference of Chief Secretaries. This is a wonderful forum to exchange views on important policy related subjects and to strengthen team spirit to take India to newer heights.”

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated 5 different development works worth Rs.52 crore in Nagaland, today. These include Virtual Reality (VR) laboratories in 42 government higher secondary schools at a cost of about Rs 8 crore, Atal Tinkering Labs built at a cost of Rs 1 crore 80 lakh in 9 government higher secondary schools, 12.5 megawatt (MV) sub-station at Chiephobozou at a cost of Rs 14 crore, trekking and base camp at Mount Saramati, Thanamir village and Kiphire and two Lane bridge on Doyang River at a cost of Rs 28 crore near to the Governor’s Camp Lifayan. Several dignitaries including Chief Minister of Nagaland Shri Neiphiu Rio, were present on the occasion.

In his address, the Union Home Minister said that Nagaland is a land of meeting of cultures of different types of tribes. Nagaland is one of the world’s 25 famous biodiversity areas which endows it with immense tourism potential. Nagaland is also famous all over the world for its citizens, culture and the equal status given to women here.

Shri Amit Shah said that today 5 different development works worth Rs 52 crore have been inaugurated here. He said that due to the development approach of the Narendra Modi government towards the entire Northeast, all the states of the North East are today on the path of development. Shri Shah said that once upon a time the entire North East was facing unrest due to extremist groups, but today Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only given the physical connectivity to the entire region but has also connected hearts and bridged the mental distance between the rest of the country and the North East.

The Union Home Minister said that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has achieved success in its goal of establishing the three P’s of Peace, Progress and Prosperity in Nagaland. He said that Shri Modi himself has taken several initiatives to make North East the mainstream region of India. He said that Shri Modi has visited the different states of Northeast more than 51 times in the last 8 years and has also made a very successful effort to connect this region with the mainstream of India by giving big projects of infrastructure to Northeast which has brought the results as well.

Shri Amit Shah said that there has been a four-fold increase in the funds allocated to Nagaland during the eight years from 2014 to 2022 by the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as compared to the period of 2004-2014, under the previous central government. He said that the 15th Finance Commission has made a provision of Rs. 4,773-crore for Nagaland in 2022-23, while only Rs. 1,283-crore was allocated in 2009-10 and additionally, a special assistance of Rs. 219-crore has been given to Nagaland in 2021-22. Shri Shah said that the incidents of militancy have come down by 74 per cent in 2021 as compared to 2014 in Nagaland, while the number of deaths of security personnel and civilians has reduced by 60 and 84 per cent, respectively, which shows that law and order is being maintained in the state. He said that the Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated the process to gradually remove AFSPA from the state of Nagaland.

The Union Home Minister said that along with the development of infrastructure, the Government of India has also focused on strengthening public facilities. Fifteen national highway projects, covering a length of over 266-km at the tune of Rs. 4,127-crore have been inaugurated. He said that under the Jal Jeevan Mission, tap water has been provided to 2.18 lakh families in the inaccessible areas of the state. Apart from this, the Government of India is providing health expenses of up to Rs. 5 lakh to over three lakh people under the Ayushman Yojana. Shri Shah said that houses are being provided to 54,636 families under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and of these houses, 15,000 have already been completed.

Shri Amit Shah said that along with the entire nation, the Government of India led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has provided the two COVID vaccines free of cost to every citizen across difficult areas in the hills and forests of Nagaland. Additionally, the Government of India has also provided five kilogram of rice per month to every poor person of Nagaland free of cost, for two and a half years.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 21 development projects worth about Rs 1,311 crore today at Moirang, Manipur. These include Churachandpur Medical College built at a cost of Rs 46 crore, Marjing Polo Statue built at a cost of Rs 39 crore, Manipur Olympian Park at Sangaithel, Manipur Exhibition Center in Imphal-East, District Youth Skilling and Employment Centres, Fruit Preservation Factory, Neelakuthi in five districts of the state. Shri Amit Shah also unveiled the 165-feet tall tricolor at the historic ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ Headquarters at Moirang, which is the tallest national flag in the entire North East region. On this occasion, the Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri N. Biren Singh and many other dignitaries were present.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Manipur is marching ahead on the path of development, peace and prosperity and is now completely free from terrorism, bandh and blockade and as a result, the foundation stone of 29 projects worth Rs. 2450 crore was laid on 6^th January, last year and today, 21 projects worth over Rs 1,300 crore have been inaugurated and foundation stone laid.

The Union Home Minister paid homage to the highly knowledgeable and talented King Shri Bhagya Chandra, Queen Mother, Maharaja Kulachandra and Pukhotinthang and said that Manipur has a glorious history of over 3000 years. He said that the people of Manipur helped Maharaja Kulachandra to free Manipur from the clutches of the British by giving full cooperation against the British. To make the country aware of this glorious history of Manipur, the government has renamed Mount Harriet, where Maharaja Kulachandra’s general secretary, the crown prince and 22 freedom fighters were imprisoned, to Mount Manipur. Shri Shah said that the tallest flag of the Northeast was hoisted today at Moirang in Manipur, the first place on India’s mainland to gain independence.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that under the leadership of great freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose, ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ fought against the British and freed Manipur from the clutches of the British. He said that the Manipur government has built a memorial for the martyrs of ‘Azad Hind Fauj’ by doing the restoration work of the houses destroyed during the shelling by British, and this memorial will not only inspire the youth of Manipur to devote their lives for the nation, but also help to develop this place into a big tourist spot.

Shri Amit Shah said, over 100 children are studying medical science in the Churachandpur Medical College built at a cost of about Rs. 46 crores. He added that earlier children from Northeast had to go to bigger cities like Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad to study, but now children from various states of India are studying in Moirang, which is a great achievement. He said, a 122-feet tall Marjing Polo statue has been inaugurated in Manipur and Manipur Central University and Manipur University, should do research to tell the whole world that it is Manipur which has gifted the sports of Polo to the world. Shri Shah said that this place will become a centre of attraction for Polo enthusiasts from across the world.

The Union Home Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the region of Northeast 51 times in the past 8 years and his sensitive approach and hard work has made the Northeast realize that the whole of India is proud of them. He said that under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, North East’s connectivity with the rest of the country has been improved by enhancing road, rail and air connectivity. He added that in the last 8 years, the Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has invested more than Rs 3.45 lakh crore to take North East away from militancy, infiltration, bandh, drugs, arms trafficking, corruption and caste conflicts towards development, connectivity, infrastructure, sports, investment and making it into a hub of organic agriculture. Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has not only connected the North East region with railways and air routes has connected the Northeast but also with the heart of the whole country. Shri Shah said that in 2019, the government signed the Bodo Accord, NLFT Accord, Karbi-Anglong Accord, Bru Accord and freed the entire Northeast from militancy. At the same time, the government ended militancy and removed the AFSPA from 6 districts of Manipur, as a result of this, Manipur which was earlier suffering from blockades, is now marching forward towards development and self-reliance.

The Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that instead of Look-East policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted Act-East policy, due to which Manipur has become a symbol of hope and stability. He said that the country’s first Sports University, spread over 325 acres at a tune of Rs 816 crore is being built in Manipur to help it emerge as a sports hub. The Olympian Park built by the Chief Minister Shri N. Biren Singh will also be a source of inspiration for the youth.

Shri Amit Shah said that 31 tribal museums are being developed in hill districts and health expenses up to Rs. 5 lakh have been made free of cost for about 3.63 lakh beneficiaries under the Ayushman Bharat scheme for health development. He said that Ima Market, which works for the empowerment of women, is being set-up at 17 places at a cost of Rs 130 crore. Shri Shah said that 68,000 houses have been provided to people in Manipur under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, while the state government has promoted thousands of startups at a cost of Rs 110 crore. Door-to-door screening of 13 major diseases has been ensured under the Chief Minister’s Health for All scheme. He said that poppy cultivation on about 1,780 acres of land has been destroyed by the Manipur government by identifying it with drones. Shri Shah said that in the year of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has taken a pledge of a drugs-free India, so that in the centenary year of independence, India will be completely free from the problem of drugs. He said that the government is determined to make Manipur a drugs-free state by ending opium cultivation in the state and will continue to work towards making Manipur a developed and prosperous state by working in the fields of education, sports and start-ups.

On the final day of his two-day visit to Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visited Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country, on January 06, 2023. He was accompanied by Commander-in-Chief Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Lieutenant General Ajai Singh. Shri Rajnath Singh took stock of the defence preparedness and encouraged the troops to continue protecting the national interests in the region.

Indira Point is along the Great Channel, popularly referred to as the ‘Six Degree Channel’, which is a major shipping lane for international traffic. A strong presence of the Armed Forces equips India to better discharge its responsibility of being a net security provider in the region.

En-route, the Raksha Mantri halted at the Car Nicobar Island and Campbell Bay where he was apprised about the ground conditions. He also interacted with the joint services troops of Andaman and Nicobar Command there, lauding them for serving the country with unmatched bravery and commitment.

The Raksha Mantri was familiarised with the terrain of Southern Group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He also paid a visit to INS Baaz and interacted with troops.

On January 05, 2023, the Raksha Mantri visited the Headquarters of Andaman & Nicobar Command in Port Blair where he reviewed the operational preparedness of the Command and infrastructure development at operational areas.

This is the first visit of the Raksha Mantri to Indira Point since January 2019. Apart from the Strategic Signalling in view of proximity of these far-flung islands to the Indo-Pacific, the visit of Raksha Mantri to A&N Command motivated the troops deployed in these distant and remote islands. It is pertinent to mention that A&N Command is a 21-year-old successful Integrated Theatre Command which is now being planned at the national level.

Key Highlights:

• The Y20(Youth-20) Summit is a unique opportunity to allow the youth to provide constructive policy inputs and to utilise the platform to voice their opinions for the world audience: Union Minister of Youth Affairs ad Sports
• For the next 8 months, there will be Pre summits on the five Y20(Youth 20) themes along with various discussions and seminars at different Universities across states in India in a run up to the final Youth-20 Summit

Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Anurag Singh Thakur launched the themes of Y20 summit, logo and website in the Curtain raiser event of Y20 Summit India today in New Delhi. Secretary Department of Youth Affairs, GoI Smt. Meeta R. Lochan, Dr Vijay Chauthaiwale, Mentor, Y20 Secretariat, India, Anmol Sovit, Chair for the Youth 20 Engagement Group and senior officers of the Ministry also graced the event. India is hosting the Y20 summit for the first time. Panel Discussion on “How India can harness its youth population to be a superpower” was also held in the second session of today’s event.

During his address Shri Anurag Singh Thakur said, “The G20 Summit in India will bring together, 43 Heads of Delegations – the largest ever in G20 who will be participating in the final Summit in New Delhi in September this year. The G20 consists of two parallel tracks: the Finance Track and the Sherpa Track. The Sherpa Track oversees inputs from 13 Working Groups, 2 Initiatives – Research Innovation Initiative Gathering (RIIG) and G20 Empower, and various Engagement Groups. The Engagement Groups of which Youth 20 or Y20 is a part, brings together civil societies, parliamentarians, think tanks, women, youth, labour, businesses and researchers of the G20 countries.”

Shri Thakur added, “the future of the world economy and humanity rests in the hands of the Gen Z, today’s youth are born into a digital, globalized and constantly evolving world filled with uncertainty, immense pace, potential and limitless possibilities! Young people are stakeholders in the present and builders of tomorrow. We have progressed across sectors with the spirit of Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. There is a start-up revolution in the country. It is important to remember that the Youth will inherit the future they build”.

Giving more details, the Minister said, “The Y20 Summit is a unique opportunity to allow the youth to provide constructive policy inputs and to utilise the platform to voice their opinions for the world audience. The Youth 20 India Summit brings together the trustees of our future generations from across the G20 countries to deliberate, discuss and deduce innovative, sustainable and actionable solutions especially in the realm of social development. At the Y20 Summit, India will not only speak; but also provide an audience to youth from across the world, to be heard in the world’s largest democracy amongst those young leaders geared up with the baton to the future.”

Shri Anurag Thakur also talked about the Themes of Y20 ie i) Future of Work: Industry 4.0, Innovation & 21st Century skills, ii) Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction: Making Sustainability a way of life, iii) Peacebuilding and Reconciliation: Ushering in an era of No War, iv) Shared Future: Youth in Democracy and Governance and Health, Wellbeing &Sports: Agenda for Youth. These priorities areas of the Y20 Summit point to the urgency with which the world has to reconcile with the reality of the changing times in our quest to survive and thrive, the Minister added.

Shri Thakur further said, “This summit provides an excellent opportunity for the youth and the world alike to shape the way we evolve. I hope you will use the Y20 opportunity to also educate us and own the responsibility of ensuring that the declaration you finally present to the G20 Leaders is one that fulfils the hopes and dreams of all the youth – rural and urban, in the developed and developing world. The Youth 20 is a brilliant way to amplify the voices of young people. The world will be listening to you very carefully. I firmly believe you are the TRUSTEES of the FUTURE who will uphold peace, ensure gender equity, mitigate climate change, spread intercultural diversity, innovate with passion and a heal as you grow.”

Shri Thakur highlighted that the youth are the AGENTs of CHANGE the world needs, Where A stands for: Advocate for a cause you believe in, G stands for: Go-green and embrace a sustainable lifestyle, E stands for: Equality and inclusivity – ensure that the spaces you are in are diverse, intergenerational, inclusive, N stand for: Nurture your physical and mental health, T stands for: Tech-Innovation – leverage technology for social good and betterment of humanity to enhance the entrepreneurial spirit.

Addressing at the event, Secretary Youth Affairs Smt. Meeta R. Lochan said that the activities to be undertaken by Y20 during our presidency will focus on global youth leadership and partnership. For the next 8 months, there will be Pre summits on the five Y20 themes along with various discussions and seminars at different Universities across states in India in a run up to the final Youth-20 Summit.

For India, the G20 Presidency also marks the beginning of “Amritkaal”, the 25-year period beginning from the 75th anniversary of its independence on 15 August 2022, leading up to the centenary of its independence, towards a futuristic, prosperous, inclusive and developed society, distinguished by a human-centric approach at its core. India is playing a significant role in finding workable solutions at the international level to ensure holistic well-being embodying the idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.