The Union Minister of Steel and Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia on Tuesday urged the Indian steel industry to move towards green and low carbon emitting production processes. Speaking at the launch of Kalyani Group’s first green steel brand ‘Kalyani FeRRESTA’ in New Delhi on Tuesday, the hon’ble minister emphasized on the growing role of steel as the foundational force for the development of a nation.

Minister Scindia added that as the fifth largest economy and second largest producer of steel, India needs to also become a responsible and sustainable producer of steel. Talking about the enhanced consumption and production capacities of the nation, the minister said that “We have ambitious expansion plans of doubling our production capacity by 2030 from the current level of 154 MT to 300 MT, as also envisaged in National Steel Policy 2017”. He said that therefore there is a need to strike a balance between Steel Industry’s ambitious capacity enhancement targets and work towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of achieving net zero target by 2070.

He also shared that through strategic policy interventions, the government has resolved to bring down carbon emissions by 2030 and strengthen the country’s commitment towards producing green steel. He said that the government and other stakeholders need to work together to decarbonise the industry by ensuring increased use of renewable energy, efficient raw materials like scrap and pellets, best available technologies and green hydrogen. He added that together the industry needs to move from fossil fuel intensive BF-BOF (Blast Furnace – Basic Oxygen Furnace) route and Coal-based DRI-EAF/IF (Direct Reduced Iron-Electric Arc Furnace/Induction Furnace) to gas-based DRI-EAF to ensure a successful transition to green steel.

The Minister also talked about mandating steel producers of the nation to dedicate a percentage of their production to making green steel and ensuring greater usage and promotion of the same in government projects.

Talking about the initiative by the Kalyani Group, the Hon’ble minister said that,  “Initiatives like the one taken by the Kalyani Group will help transform the steel sector’s long-standing identity as a carbon emitting “hard to abate sector”, to a reduced carbon emitting-green steel -producing industry.”

The occasion was graced by the presence of Additional Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Ms. Ruchika Chaudhry Govil and other senior dignitaries of the Ministry and the fraternity.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi along with other leaders attended a  lunch in Parliament where millet dishes were served as India prepares to mark 2023 as the International Year of Millets.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;

“As we prepare to mark 2023 as the International Year of Millets, attended a sumptuous lunch in Parliament where millet dishes were served. Good to see participation from across party lines.”

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 said that under Prime Minister Narendra modi, Space Sector in India is emerging as a major foreign exchange earner through the launch of a large number of foreign satellites.

In an exclusive interview with SANSAD TV, Dr Jitendra Singh informed that India has launched 385 foreign satellites so far, out of which 353 were launched in the last 8 years under this government, which is around 90 percent of all launches.

Dr Jitendra Singh also informed that out of total 220 million Euros earned by launch of foreign satellites, 187 million Euros generated in the last 8 years, which is around 85 percent of forex earned by launch of European Satellites.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, it’s a matter of great pride that ISRO through its commercial arms has successfully launched foreign satellites belonging to even advanced countries like and USA, France, Israel, United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland on-board PSLV and GSLV-MkIII launchers under commercial agreement.

In reply to a question on New Space Policy, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it is in the final stages as the Department of Space is in the process of establishing a predictable, forward-looking, enabling regulatory regime for space activities in the country, through a comprehensive, well-defined policy for the entire gamut of such activities. He said, many steps had already been taken since June 2020 after the Unlocking of the Space Sector for private participation by the Modi Government. He said, the NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) a Public Sector Enterprise under Department of Space, has been empowered to bring a commerce-oriented approach to space activities

Moreover, the creation of IN-SPACe as a single-window agency for the promotion and handholding of Non-Government Entities in conducting end-to-end space activities has resulted in a remarkable interest in the Start-up community, with 111 space-startups registered, as on date, on the IN-SPACe digital platform.\

It may be recalled that the result of such revolutionary reforms is the heaviest commercial launch by India in the form of LVM3, carrying 36 Oneweb satellites on 23^rd October, 2022, followed by the pathbreaking and historic launch of India’s maiden private Vikram-suborbital (VKS) rocket developed by M/s Skyroot Aerospace Private Limited, Hyderabad on 18^th November, 2022 by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

Dr Jitendra Singh said, over the last eight years, the Government has taken several steps and removed many roadblocks to strengthen space program and take it to greater heights. Significant progress has been made in the development and realization of space systems catering to earth observation, satellite communication and space science. Multiple successful flights of operational launch vehicles, along with development, realisation and testing of major technology elements of future launch vehicles, was seen during this period.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, today Space Technology has entered virtually every household as Space Applications are increasingly used in fields like Agriculture, Soils, Water Resources, Land Use/Land Cover, Rural Development, Earth and Climate Studies, Geosciences, Urban & Infrastructure, Disaster Management Support, Forestry. He said, Space technology is also proving a boon to avert rail accidents as it forewarns about potential obstructing objects on rail path through high resolution images.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, taking a cue from PM Modi’s out-of-box approach, in 2016 ISRO held a brainstorming session with Line Ministries to understand their needs and provide applications and solutions to individual Departments/Ministries. He said, as a result of that visionary meeting, today, we are witnessing widespread application of Space Technology in areas like Highways, Buildings and Smart Cities Projects also.

The Minister said, satellite imaging, remote sensing from Department of Space, Genetic and Agri yield technologies from Department of Biotechnology, Irradiation and preservation of shelf-life techniques from Department of Atomic Energy and food fortification research in CSIR labs will change the face of Agriculture in India along with Drones and Geospatial Data mapping.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, under the Modi Government’s SVAMITVA scheme, geospatial technology along with liberalised Drone Policy to survey all the over 6 lakh Indian villages will prove to be a game changer.

The Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat presided over a workshop of the Ganga Vichar Manch (GVM), which is a platform for interactive dialogue among various stakeholders of River Ganga. Citing the recognition given by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to Namami Gange as one of the world’s top 10 flagship programmes to revive the natural world, Shri Shekhawat said “this Award is dedicated to all who have been contributing to the cause of Ganga Rejuvenation in their own ways and working at the ground level in a targeted manner. It is because of the people-river connect that Namami Gange has become a global programme like no other.”

Congratulating the GVM volunteers for their work on the ground, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said “we are all part of the Ganga Parivar and now, together, we must strive to go to the next level and not become self-complacent with the success that we have achieved in the rejuvenation of Ganga so far.” The Union Minister urged the GVM members to think of ways to increase productivity and set even higher targets for the future. Shri Shekhawat encouraged GVM volunteers to assist the government by informing about any untreated waste flowing into the river.

Welcoming the guests, Director General, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Shri G. Asok Kumar said the recognition of Namami Gange as one the top 10 flagship programmes in the world is a major achievement and GVM played a big role in making this happen. Shri Kumar said “The recognition was given only after running ground checks and measuring the positive impact of Namami Gange manifesting in improved water quality and increased sightings of aquatic species, especially Ganga Dolphins. It is because of volunteer platforms like GVM that Namami Gange has become a people’s movement and I thank all the members for this achievement.”

The DG, NMCG also talked about the Arth Ganga concept under which several novel initiatives are being taken including ‘Ghat Mein Haat’, trainings for ritualistically performing Ganga Artis, workshops for farmers on adopting Natural Farming in the Ganga Basin etc. Tourism along Ganga is also being promoted under the aegis of Ministry of Tourism and events are being planned at 75 locations on Ganga and its tributaries to dedicate to the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Shri Kumar also mentioned about the regular meetings of District Ganga Committees since April 2022 which is playing a positive role in implementation of various activities and projects at the district and local level.

An interactive session was also held during the workshop wherein GVM volunteers interacted with the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat through which several suggestions emerged. The GVM platform offers a unique opportunity to people from all walks of life to suggest tangible solutions, debate, participate as a volunteer in the conservation of River Ganga. During the workshop, a presentation on ‘Natural Farming’ was given by Shri Gagnesh Sharma, Director, National Center for Organic and Natural Farming. Along with DG, NMCG, Shri G. Asok Kumar, National Convener, GVM, Shri Bharat Pathak, ED (Technical), Shri D.P. Mathuria were also present at the workshop.

Recently, the United Nations had praised the ‘Namami Gange Mission’ and included it in 10 flagship programs to restore the world’s ecosystems., DG, NMCG, Shri G. Ashok Kumar received the Award at the 15th COP of the Convention on Biodiversity in Montreal, Canada on 14^th December. These campaigns were selected by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to restore natural ecosystems. The Namami Gange Mission will now get support, funding and technical expertise from the United Nations.

The provisional payroll data of EPFO released on 20th December, 2022 highlights that EPFO has added 12.94 lakh net members in the month of October, 2022. Year-on-year comparison of payroll data reflects an increase of 21,026 in net membership in October, 2022 as compared to the corresponding month during last year in 2021. As per data, around 2,282 new establishments have started complying for the first time under the Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 ensuring social security cover to their employees.

Of the total 12.94 lakh members added during the month, around 7.28 lakh new members have been covered under social security cover of EPFO for the first time. Among the new members, highest number was registered for age group of 18-21 years with 2.19 lakh members. This was followed by age group of 22-25 years with 1.97 lakh members. Out of total new members joined, approximately 57.25% are from the age-group of 18-25 years of age.

During the month, approximately 5.66 lakh net members exited but rejoined EPFO by changing their jobs within the establishments covered by EPFO and opted to transfer their funds from previous PF account to the current account instead of opting for final settlement.

Gender-wise analysis of payroll data indicates that enrolment of net female members has been 2.63 lakh in October, 2022. Out of this, 1.91 lakh females have joined EPFO for the first time which is around 72.73% of net female member addition during the month.

State-wise payroll figures highlight that month-on-month growing trend in net member addition was observed in states of Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand etc. In terms of net payroll addition during the month, top five states constituted around 60.15% of the total net payroll addition among all age groups. The states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Delhi & Haryana have added approximately 7.78 lakh net members during the month.

The classification of industry-wise payroll data indicates that mainly two categories i.e. ‘Expert services’ (consisting of manpower agencies, private security agencies and small contractors etc.) and ‘Trading-Commercial establishments’ constitute 48% of total member addition during the month. Comparing industry-wise data with that of previous month, higher enrolments have been noticed in industries namely, ‘Newspaper Establishments’, ‘Sugar’, ‘Rice milling’, etc.

The payroll data is provisional since the data generation is a continuous exercise, as updating employee record is a continuous process. The previous data hence gets updated every month. From the month of April-2018, EPFO has been releasing payroll data covering the period October, 2017 onwards. In monthly payroll data, the count of members joining EPFO for the first time through Aadhaar validated Universal Account Number (UAN), existing members exiting from coverage of EPFO and those who exited but rejoining as members, is taken to arrive at net monthly payroll.

EPFO is committed to extend social security benefits in the form of Provident, Pension and Insurance Funds to the organized workforce of the country covered under the purview of Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has met Google CEO, Shri Sundar Pichai and discussed innovation & technology among other things.

In response to a tweet by Sundar Pichai, the Prime Minister tweeted;

“Was a delight to meet you Sundar Pichai and discuss innovation, technology and more. It is important the world continues to work together to leverage tech for human prosperity and sustainable development.

The policy focus of Government of India is ‘Zero Tolerance Against Terrorism’, Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur said today. In a detailed statement to the media at his residence, on the efforts of the Government to counter terrorism, Shri Thakur said that while Government has worked on the legal front by strengthening UAPA, at the same time it has also taken steps at the enforcement level by giving National Investigation Agency a truly federal structure by introducing National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Act and the collective effect of these measures has been a weakening of the ecosystem of terrorism.

Highlighting that India has raised its concerns at the highest global levels, he said that in international conferences and meetings, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has always pressed the world to unite against terror. The 90^th Interpol General Assembly witnessed a participation of over 2000 foreign delegates and culminated in the announcement of ‘Global Action Against Act of Terrorism’, he added.

“The Governments resolve against terror has been displayed time and again from Surgical Strike to Balakot Strike. The action by our armed forces has caused a significant  drop in terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, we have achieved a 94% conviction rate in terror financing cases” Shri Thakur said.

The Minister spoke at length about the efforts of the Government towards creating an atmosphere of peace in North East and said that an era of peace has dawned in North Eastern region of India since 2014 when insurgency violence has seen a sharp decline of 80 percent and civilian deaths have seen an 89 percent drop. Added to this is the achievement of surrender by six thousand militants since 2014, he underlined.

The Government is committed to go beyond armed action to counter terrorism and has worked to create an atmosphere of lasting peace across the region. These peace treatises are a legacy of the achievements of the Government. Underlining this aspect, Shri Thakur listed the peace agreements signed by the Government

1. Bodo Accord in January 2020,
2. Bru-Reang Agreement in January 2020,
3. NLFT-Tripura Agreement in August 2019,
4. Karbi Anglong Agreement Sept 2021,
5. Assam-Meghalaya Inter State Boundary Agreement in March 2022.

Speaking on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the Minister said that AFSPA roll back has been only a matter of discussion all this while but the Government rolled it back from a large part of North East including the whole of Tripura and Meghalaya. It remains in force in only 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, 60 percent of Assam is free of AFSPA, 15 police stations under 6 districts have been taken out of the category of Disturbed Area, Disturbed Area notification has been removed from 15 police stations in 7 districts, the Minister informed the media.

The Minister also delved into the rescue operations run by the Government over the years. Highlighting that rescuing Indian lives in distress are of a paramount concern for the Government and the country has been on the fore front of running rescue operations across the world, Shri Thakur listed the achievements.

1. 22,500 citizens were rescued under Operation Ganga in February-March 2022,
2. 670 Indian citizens were rescued from Afghanistan in Operation Devi Shakti.
3. In one of the biggest successes of rescue operations, 1.83 crore citizens were brought back home during COVID19 crisis, under Vande Bharat Mission in the year 2021-22.
4. India rescued 654 people from Wuhan in China.

Not just Indians, India has also offered a helping hand to foreign citizens under distress. In 2016, under Operation Sankat Mochan, 155 people including 2 Nepalese citizens were brought back from South Sudan. 5000 Indians were rescued from Nepal during Operation Maitree while 170 foreign nationals were also rescued from Nepal. Operation Rahat 6,710 people were rescued from Yemen including 1,962 foreigners.

Speaking on the status these efforts have created for India in the world, he said that India is increasingly being seen as a country that readily offers all assistance to other countries in their times of crisis and also as one that acts strongly against terrorism, while a neighboring country is only seen as one sheltering terrorism and propounding values of violence.

The policy focus of Government of India is ‘Zero Tolerance Against Terrorism’, Union Minister Shri Anurag Thakur said today. In a detailed statement to the media at his residence, on the efforts of the Government to counter terrorism, Shri Thakur said that while Government has worked on the legal front by strengthening UAPA, at the same time it has also taken steps at the enforcement level by giving National Investigation Agency a truly federal structure by introducing National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Act and the collective effect of these measures has been a weakening of the ecosystem of terrorism.

Highlighting that India has raised its concerns at the highest global levels, he said that in international conferences and meetings, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has always pressed the world to unite against terror. The 90^th Interpol General Assembly witnessed a participation of over 2000 foreign delegates and culminated in the announcement of ‘Global Action Against Act of Terrorism’, he added.

“The Governments resolve against terror has been displayed time and again from Surgical Strike to Balakot Strike. The action by our armed forces has caused a significant  drop in terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, we have achieved a 94% conviction rate in terror financing cases” Shri Thakur said.

The Minister spoke at length about the efforts of the Government towards creating an atmosphere of peace in North East and said that an era of peace has dawned in North Eastern region of India since 2014 when insurgency violence has seen a sharp decline of 80 percent and civilian deaths have seen an 89 percent drop. Added to this is the achievement of surrender by six thousand militants since 2014, he underlined.

The Government is committed to go beyond armed action to counter terrorism and has worked to create an atmosphere of lasting peace across the region. These peace treatises are a legacy of the achievements of the Government. Underlining this aspect, Shri Thakur listed the peace agreements signed by the Government

1. Bodo Accord in January 2020,
2. Bru-Reang Agreement in January 2020,
3. NLFT-Tripura Agreement in August 2019,
4. Karbi Anglong Agreement Sept 2021,
5. Assam-Meghalaya Inter State Boundary Agreement in March 2022.

Speaking on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, the Minister said that AFSPA roll back has been only a matter of discussion all this while but the Government rolled it back from a large part of North East including the whole of Tripura and Meghalaya. It remains in force in only 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, 60 percent of Assam is free of AFSPA, 15 police stations under 6 districts have been taken out of the category of Disturbed Area, Disturbed Area notification has been removed from 15 police stations in 7 districts, the Minister informed the media.

The Minister also delved into the rescue operations run by the Government over the years. Highlighting that rescuing Indian lives in distress are of a paramount concern for the Government and the country has been on the fore front of running rescue operations across the world, Shri Thakur listed the achievements.

1. 22,500 citizens were rescued under Operation Ganga in February-March 2022,
2. 670 Indian citizens were rescued from Afghanistan in Operation Devi Shakti.
3. In one of the biggest successes of rescue operations, 1.83 crore citizens were brought back home during COVID19 crisis, under Vande Bharat Mission in the year 2021-22.
4. India rescued 654 people from Wuhan in China.

Not just Indians, India has also offered a helping hand to foreign citizens under distress. In 2016, under Operation Sankat Mochan, 155 people including 2 Nepalese citizens were brought back from South Sudan. 5000 Indians were rescued from Nepal during Operation Maitree while 170 foreign nationals were also rescued from Nepal. Operation Rahat 6,710 people were rescued from Yemen including 1,962 foreigners.

Speaking on the status these efforts have created for India in the world, he said that India is increasingly being seen as a country that readily offers all assistance to other countries in their times of crisis and also as one that acts strongly against terrorism, while a neighboring country is only seen as one sheltering terrorism and propounding values of violence.

Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya participated in a Cyclathon organized by National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), here today. The cycle rally with the theme “SAVE EARTH, SAVE LIFE” commenced from Nirman Bhawan and traversed through Kartavya Path. Several cycling enthusiasts were part of this early winter morning cylcathon. It aimed to encourage health seeking behaviour in the masses through physical activities.

In a tweet posted by the Union Health Minister, a 5-year old cycling enthusiast is seen cycling as part of the rally.

As he led the cyclathon, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya who is also known as a “Green MP” for his zeal for cycling,  urged people to use bicycle to promote health and fitness. He appreciated the enthusiasm of all participants who joined the awareness rally on a cold winter morning today. “The cycle can substantially help to address environment issues as it is a no-pollution vehicle. Many developed countries are using cycles on a large scale. While in India it is known as a poor-man’s vehicle, it should be our aim to transform this in a rich man’s vehicle. It needs to be made a “passion” from “fashion”. “Let us make the cycling a part of our life for a Green Earth and health Earth”, he urged.

Highlighting the significance of cycling and physical activities, Dr. Mandaviya said “we need to inculcate exercise in our lives for physical as well as mental benefits. Physical activities are known to keep away many of the non-communicable and life-style diseases.” He complimented NBEMS for their “Go-Green” drive and proactive role towards health promotion and environment protection.

Accompanying Dr. Mandaviya were Dr Abhijat Sheth President NBEMS and other Governing Body members of NBEMS. The officers and staff of NBEMS were also participated in the Cyclathon.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has greeted the people of Goa on Goa Liberation Day.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;

“Goa Liberation Day greetings to the people of Goa. On this day, we recall the courage and monumental contribution of all those who were a part of the movement to free Goa. We are inspired by their vision and are working towards Goa’s development.”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation various key initiatives worth over Rs. 4350 crores. The projects include the launch of Grih Pravesh programme for beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban and Rural, connectivity projects for the widening of the Agartala bypass (Khayerpur – Amtali) NH-08, laying the foundation stones for 32 roads of more than 230 kilometres in length under PMGSY III and improvement projects of 112 roads covering a distance of over 540 kilometres. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the State Institute of Hotel Management at Anandnagar and Agartala Government Dental College.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister thanked everyone present on the occasion for waiting eagerly for the commencement of the function and also apologised for the slight delay that was caused due to the engagements in Meghalaya where he laid the foundation stones and dedicated multiple projects earlier in the day.

The Prime Minister acknowledged the commendable work carried out in the state regarding cleanliness campaigns for the past 5 years and remarked that it is the people of Tripura who have turned it into a public movement. As a result, Tripura has come out as the cleanest state in India when it comes to small states area-wise. “With the blessing of Maa Tripura Sundari, the development journey of Tripura is witnessing new heights”, he said.

The Prime Minister congratulated the people of Tripura for today’s projects which are related to connectivity, skill development and schemes related to the household of the poor. “Tripura is getting its first dental college today”, the Prime Minister remarked as he said that the youth of Tripura will now have the opportunity to become doctors without having to leave the state. He further informed that today, more than 2 lakh poor people from the state are performing Grih Pravesh in their new pucca homes where the owners of the houses are our mothers and sisters. The Prime Minister took the opportunity to congratulate the women from these households who will become homeowners for the first ever. “Tripura is one of the leading states when it comes to building houses for the poor”, the Prime Minister informed as he praised the work done by Shri Manik Saha ji and his team. He also remarked on the warm reception that he received from thousands of supporters while he was on the way to the venue.

Recalling the meeting of the North Eastern Council that the Prime Minister attended earlier in the day, he gave insights on the discussions of the road map of development of the future for all Northeastern states including Tripura. He informed about the ‘Asht Aadhar’ or eight key points for the development of ‘Asht Lakshmi’ or the eight Northeastern states. Highlighting the double-engine government of Tripura, the Prime Minister said that constant efforts are being made to pace up development initiatives in the state.

The Prime Minister pointed out that before the double-engine government, the Northeastern states were talked about only during the times of election and acts of violence. “Today, Tripura is being discussed for cleanliness, infrastructural development and providing houses to the poor”, he remarked. He further added that the Central Government is spending thousands of crores of rupees for infrastructure development and the state government is making it possible by showing the results on the ground. “In the last 5 years, many villages of Tripura got road connectivity and fast-paced work is already underway to connect all villages of Tripura by roads”, he said. The Prime Minister added that the projects whose foundation stones are laid today will further strengthen the road network of the state, ease the traffic in the capital and make life easier.

“The Northeast region via Tripura is becoming a gateway for international trade”, the Prime Minister remarked as he informed about the new avenues that will open up with the Agartala-Akhaura railway line and the India-Thailand-Myanmar highway infrastructure. He further added that connectivity has got a boost with the construction of the international terminal at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Agartala. As a result, Tripura is developing as an important logistics hub of the Northeast. The Prime Minister credited the efforts of the government to make internet connectivity available in Tripura which is extremely useful for the youth of today. “It is due to the efforts of the double-engine government of Tripura that many panchayats are now connected with optical fiber”, he added.

Throwing light on the efforts of the double-engine government to strengthen social infrastructure, the Prime Minister gave the example of Ayushman Bharat Scheme under which seven thousand plus health and wellness centres have been approved in the villages of the Northeast. “Around a thousand such centres are being set up right here in Tripura. Similarly, under the Ayushman Bharat-PM Jay scheme, thousands of poor people of Tripura have got the facility of free treatment up to Rs.5 lakh”, he continued. “Be it toilets, electricity or gas connections, such extensive work has been carried out for the first time”, Shri Modi said. He further added that the double-engine government is working at a fast pace to bring piped gas at cheaper prices and deliver piped water to every household. The Prime Minister informed that 4 lakh new families of Tripura have been connected with piped water facilities in just 3 years.

The Prime Minister touched upon the Pradhan Mantri Matri Vandana Yojana which has benefitted more than 1 lakh pregnant mothers of Tripura, under which thousands of rupees have been directly deposited in the bank account of every mother for nutritious food. He further added that as a result, more and more deliveries are taking place in hospitals today and saving the lives of both mother and child. Throwing light on Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) for our mothers and sisters, the Prime Minister informed that the government has released a special package of hundreds of crores for the employment of women. He also praised the efforts of the state government and said, “The number of women self-help groups in Tripura has increased 9 times after the double engine government.”

“For decades, Tripura has been ruled by parties whose ideology has lost importance and who practice politics of opportunism”, the Prime Minister remarked as he lamented how Tripura had been deprived of development. He further added that it was the poor, the youth, the farmers and the women who were most affected by this. “This type of ideology, this type of mentality cannot benefit the public. They only know how to spread negativity and do not have any positive agenda”, he said. He further added that it is the double-engine government which has the resolve as well as a positive path for achievement.

Reflecting on the great harm caused to our tribal societies due to the politics of power, the Prime Minister lamented the lack of development in the tribal society and tribal areas. “BJP has changed these politics and that is why it has become the first choice of tribal society”, the Prime Minister said as he recalled the recent Gujarat elections and credited the contributions of the tribal society towards BJP’s massive victory even after 27 years. “The BJP has won 24 of the 27 seats reserved for tribals”, he added.

The Prime Minister highlighted the development works carried out for the betterment of tribal communities and recalled that it was Atal ji’s government that first arranged for a separate ministry and separate budget for the tribals. “The budget for the tribal community which was 21 thousand crore rupees, is 88 thousand crore rupees today”, he remarked. The Prime Minister informed that the scholarship of tribal students has also been more than doubled. “Before 2014 there were less than 100 Eklavya Model Schools in tribal areas whereas today this number is reaching more than 500. More than 20 such schools have been approved for Tripura as well”, the Prime Minister informed. He also drew everyone’s attention to the fact that earlier governments used to give MSP only on 8-10 forest products whereas the BJP government is giving MSP on 90 forest produce. “Today, there are more than 50,000 Van Dhan Kendras in tribal areas which are providing employment to about 9 lakh tribals, most of whom are women”, he added.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that it is the BJP government which understood what pride means for the tribals, and hence, started celebrating the birth anniversary of Lord Birsa Munda on November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas across the country. The Prime Minister informed that 10 Tribal Freedom Fighter Museums are being set up across the country and in Tripura, President Draupadi Murmu ji recently laid the foundation stone of Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Museum and Cultural Centre. He further added that the Tripura government is also making constant efforts to promote tribal contribution and culture and highlighted the privilege of awarding Padma Samman to the personalities who have taken forward the tribal art and culture of Tripura.

The Prime Minister reiterated the endeavour of the double-engine government to create better opportunities for small farmers and entrepreneurs of Tripura. “Efforts are being made to make the local here global”, Shri Modi highlighted as he gave the example of the pineapple from Tripura reaching abroad. “Not only this, hundreds of metric tonnes of other fruits and vegetables have also been exported from here to Bangladesh, Germany and Dubai and as a result, the farmers are getting higher prices for their produce. He further added that lakhs of farmers from Tripura have received more than Rs 500 crore so far from PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. He also highlighted the Agar-wood industry in Tripura and said that it will become a source of new opportunities and income for the youth of Tripura.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister stated that Tripura is now on the path of peace and development with the advent of the double engine of development in the state. “I have full faith in the capability of the people of Tripura. We will speed up the pace of development, with this belief, many congratulations to all of you”, Shri Modi concluded.

Chief Minister of Tripura, Prof (Dr) Manik Saha, Governor of Tripura, Shri Satyadeo Narain Arya, Deputy Chief Minister of Tripura, Shri Jishnu Dev Varma and Union Minister of State Kum. Pratima Bhoumik were those present on occasion among others.

Background

A significant focus of the Prime Minister has been towards ensuring that everyone has a house of their own. In a key step towards ensuring the same in the region, the Prime Minister launched the Grih Pravesh programme for beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Rural. These houses, developed at a cost of over Rs 3400 crores, will cover over 2 lakh beneficiaries.

With a focus on improving road connectivity, the Prime Minister inaugurated the project for widening the Agartala bypass (Khayerpur – Amtali) NH-08, which will help ease traffic congestion in Agartala city. He laid the foundation stones for 32 roads of more than 230 Km in length under PMGSY III (Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana) and for the improvement of 112 roads covering a distance of over 540 Km. The Prime Minister also inaugurated the State Institute of Hotel Management at Anandnagar and Agartala Government Dental College.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone, and inaugurated and dedicated to the nation multiple projects worth over Rs. 2450 crores in Shillong, Meghalaya today. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister attended the meeting of the North Eastern Council at the State Convention Centre in Shillong and participated in its golden jubilee celebrations.

The multiple projects include the inauguration of 320 completed and 890 under construction 4G mobile towers, the new campus of IIM Shillong, at Umsawli, the Shillong – Diengpasoh Road which will provide better connectivity to new Shillong satellite township and four other roads projects across the three states viz. Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh. The Prime Minister also inaugurated Spawn Laboratory at Mushroom Development Center and Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre in Meghalaya and 21 Hindi libraries in Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Assam. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of six road projects across the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. He also laid the foundation stone of the Integrated Hospitality and Convention Centre at Tura and Shillong Technology Park Phase -II.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that Meghalaya is a state that is prosperous in nature and culture and this very prosperity is reflected through the warmth and welcoming nature of the people. He congratulated the citizens of Meghalaya for the numerous upcoming and newly inaugurated projects ranging from connectivity, education, skill and employment for further development in the state.

The Prime Minister drew everyone’s attention to the coincidence that the public function of today is taking place on a football field at the time when the football world cup is going on. “On the one hand, there is football competition going on, while here we are leading the competition of development in the football field. Even though the football world cup is taking place in Qatar, the enthusiasm of the people here is no less”, he remarked. Drawing an analogy to the red card shown in football to a person who goes against the sportsman spirit, the Prime Minister remarked that the government has shown the red card to all the obstacles that come in the way of the development of North East. “Be it corruption, discrimination, nepotism, violence or vote-bank politics to disrupt the development in the region, we are working with dedication and honesty to uproot all these evils”, he remarked. The Prime Minister pointed out that even though such evils are deeply rooted, we have to work towards eliminating each one of them. He further added that the efforts of the government are showing positive results.

Throwing light on the emphasis on sports development, the Prime Minister highlighted that the central government is moving forward with a new approach and its benefits can be clearly seen in the North Eastern regions as well. He informed that apart from India’s first sports university, the North Eastern region is well equipped with multiple infrastructures like multipurpose hall, football field and athletics track. He further added that work is underway on ninety such projects. The Prime Minister said with assurance that even though we are looking at the international teams playing in the football world cup in Qatar, he firmly believes in the power of the youth and remarked that the day is not far when India will organise such a similar celebration and every Indian will also cheer for our team that will take part in it.

“Development is not limited to budget, tenders, laying foundation stones and inaugurations”, the Prime Minister continued as he stated that such was the norm even before 2014, “the transformation that we witness today is a result of the change in our intentions, resolutions, priorities and our work culture. The results can be seen in our processes.”  The Prime Minister elaborated, “The resolution is to build a developed India with modern infrastructure, modern connectivity. The intention is to connect every region and section of India with the objective of rapid development through Sabka Prayas (everyone’s efforts). The priority is to remove deprivation, reduce distances, engage in capacity building, and give more opportunities to the youth. And the change in work culture signifies that every project and programme be completed within the time limit.” The Prime Minister informed that the central government is spending Rs 7 lakh crore only on infrastructure this year, while 8 years ago this expenditure was less than Rs 2 lakh crore. He also pointed out that states are competing within themselves when it comes to boosting infrastructure.

Giving examples of infrastructural developments in the North East, the Prime Minister highlighted the fast-paced work to connect all the capitals of the North East including Shillong with rail service and the increase in number of weekly flights from 900 before 2014 to 1900 today. The Prime Minister informed that under the UDAN scheme, flights are on 16 routes in Meghalaya and the result is cheap airfares for the people of Meghalaya. Highlighting the benefits to the farmers of Meghalaya and North East, the Prime Minister informed that the fruits and vegetables grown here are easily accessible to the markets of the country and abroad through the Krishi Udaan scheme.

The Prime Minister drew everyone’s attention to the connectivity projects that have been inaugurated today and informed that 5 thousand crore rupees have been spent on the construction of the National Highway in Meghalaya in the last 8 years while the number of rural roads built in the last 8 years under the Pradhan Mantri Sadak Yojana in Meghalaya is seven times more than what was built in the previous 20 years.

Talking about the increasing digital connectivity for the youth of the Northeast, the Prime Minister informed that optical fibre coverage has increased 4 times in the Northeast and 5 times in Meghalaya when compared to 2014. He further added that 6 thousand mobile towers are being erected to take mobile connectivity to every part of the region with an outlay of 5 thousand crores. “This infrastructure will give new opportunities to the youth of Meghalaya” the Prime Minister emphasised. Regarding education infrastructure, the Prime Minister commented that with IIM and the technology park education, earning opportunities will increase in the region. He also informed that Northeast is witnessing the construction of more than 150 Eklavya schools out of which 39 are in Meghalaya.

The Prime Minister gave the example of the Parvatmala Scheme which is building a network of ropeways and the PM DEVINE scheme which is going to give a new impetus to the development of North East by ensuring easy approval of big development projects. He added, “A budget of Rs 6,000 crore has been fixed for the next 3-4 years under PM-Divine.”

Reflecting on the ‘divide’ approach of the previous ruling governments for the North East, the Prime Minister remarked that our government has come up with ‘divine’ intentions. “Be it different communities, or different regions, we are removing all kinds of divisions. Today, in the North East, we are laying emphasis on building corridors of development, not borders of disputes” he said. The Prime Minister observed that in the last 8 years, many organisations have shunned the path of violence and have taken refuge in permanent peace. Speaking about the needlessness for AFSPA in the North East, the Prime Minister remarked that the conditions are constantly improving with the help of the state governments while boundary disputes between the states which were going on for decades are being resolved.

The  Prime Minister said that the Northeast is a gateway to security and prosperity instead of just a border area at the frontier. The Prime Minister elaborated on the vibrant village scheme under which border villages are being provided with better facilities. The Prime Minister lamented that due to the fear of benefiting the enemy, the border areas did not witness the spread of connectivity. “Today we are boldly building new roads, new tunnels, new bridges, new railway lines, and airstrips on the border. Desolated border villages are being turned vibrant. The speed needed for our cities is needed for our border too.” The Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister recalled his meeting with His Holiness the Pope and said that both the leaders discussed the challenges being faced by humanity today and arrived at a consensus for a concerted effort to meet them. ‘We need to strengthen this sentiment’, the Prime Minister said.

Highlighting the politics of peace and development adopted by the government, the Prime Minister said that the biggest beneficiary of this is our tribal society. The development of tribal areas is the priority of the government while maintaining the tradition, language and culture of the tribal society. Giving the example of abolishing the ban on bamboo harvesting, the Prime Minister informed that it gave impetus to the manufacture of tribal products associated with bamboo. “850 Van Dhan Kendras have been established in the North East for value addition in the produce obtained from forests. Many self-help groups are associated with them, many of which belong to our sisters”, he informed.

Shri Modi said that social infrastructure like houses, water and electricity have massively benefited the Northeast. In the past few years, 2 lakh new households received electricity connection. More than 70 thousand houses were approved for the poor and 3 lakh households got piped water connections. “Our tribal families were the biggest beneficiaries of these schemes,” he said.

Concluding his address, the Prime Minister wished for continued pace of the region’s development and credited the blessing of the people as the base of all energy that is being put into the development of the Northeast. He conveyed his best wishes for the upcoming Christmas.

Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K Sangama, Governor of Meghalaya, Brig (Dr.) B D Mishra (Retd), Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, Union Ministers Shri G Kishan Reddy, Shri Kiren Rijiju and Sarbanada Sonowal, Union Minister of State, Shri B L Verma, Chief Minister of Manipur, Shri N Biren Singh, Chief Minister of Mizoram, Shri Zoramthanga, Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Nagaland, Shri Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Sikkim, Shri Prem Singh Tamang, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri Pema Khandu and Chief Minister of Tripura, Shri Manik Saha were those present on occasion.

Background

In a step which will further boost telecom connectivity in the region, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation 4G mobile towers, of which more than 320 have been completed and around 890 are under construction. He inaugurated the New Campus of IIM Shillong at Umsawli. The Prime Minister also inaugurated Shillong – Diengpasoh Road, which will provide better connectivity to new Shillong satellite township and decongest Shillong. He also inaugurated four other road projects across three states viz. Meghalaya, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Spawn Laboratory at Mushroom Development Center in Meghalaya to enhance mushroom spawn production and also provide skill training for farmers and entrepreneurs. He also inaugurated the Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre in Meghalaya to improve the livelihood of beekeeping farmers through capacity building and technology upgradation. He further inaugurated 21 Hindi libraries in Mizoram, Manipur, Tripura and Assam.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of six road projects across the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. He also laid the foundation stone of the Integrated Hospitality and Convention Centre at Tura and Shillong Technology Park Phase -II. The Technology Park Phase -II will have a built-up area of about 1.5 lakh square feet. It will provide new opportunities for professionals and is expected to create more than 3000 jobs. The Integrated Hospitality and Convention Centre will have a convention hub, guest rooms, food court etc. It will provide the necessary infrastructure for promoting tourism and showcasing cultural heritage in the region.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the meeting of North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong earlier today. The meeting marks the golden jubilee celebration of the North Eastern Council, which was formally inaugurated in 1972.

Hailing the contribution of NEC in the development of the North East region, Prime Minister said that this golden jubilee celebration of the NEC coincides with the ongoing Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Underscoring that he often refers to the 8 states of the region as Asht Lakshmi, he said the government should work on  8 foundation pillars  for its development, viz. Peace, Power, Tourism, 5G connectivity, Culture, Natural farming, Sports, Potential.

Prime Minister said that the Northeast is our gateway to South -East Asia and can become a centre for development of the entire region. And to realise this potential of the region, work is going on the projects like Indian-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway and Agartala-Akhaura rail project. Prime Minister highlighted that the government has gone beyond the conversion of the ‘Look East’ policy to ‘Act East’, and now its policy is ‘Act Fast for Northeast’ and ‘Act First for Northeast.’ Highlighting the success of peace initiatives in the region, he said that many peace agreements have been signed, inter-state boundary agreements have been done and there has been a marked reduction in instances of extremism.

Discussing India’s commitment towards net zero, Prime Minister said Northeast can become a powerhouse of hydropower. This will make the states of the region power surplus, help in expansion of industries and generate a large number of jobs. Discussing the tourism potential of the region, he said that both culture and nature of the region are attracting tourists from across the world. He added that tourism circuits are being identified and developed in the region also. He also discussed sending students from 100 universities to Northeast, which will help bring people of different regions closer. These students can then ​​become ambassadors of the region.

Talking about boosting connectivity in the region, Prime Minister said that iconic bridge projects which were pending since several decades have now been completed. In last 8 years, number of airports in the region has jumped from 9 to 16, and the number of flights have increased from about 900 before 2014 to around 1900. Many North eastern states have come to Railway map for the first time and efforts are being done to expand the waterways also. The length of national highways has increased by 50% since 2014 in the region. He said that with the launch of the PM-DevINE scheme, the infrastructure projects in the Northeast have gained more momentum. He added that the government is also working on improving digital connectivity in the Northeast by increasing the optical fibre network. Talking about development of Aatmanirbhar 5G infrastructure, he said that 5G will help further development of startup ecosystem, service sector among others in the region. He said that the government is committed to making the Northeast not only a centre of economic growth, but also of cultural growth.

Speaking about the agriculture potential of the region, Prime Minister underlined the scope of natural farming, in which Northeast can play a leading role. He said that through Krishi UDAN, farmers of the region are able to send their products across the country and different parts of the world as well. He urged the North eastern states to participate in the ongoing National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm. He also spoke how drones can help farmers overcome geographical challenges and help their produce reach the market.

Discussing the contribution of the region to the field of sports, he said that the government is working towards providing support to sportspersons of the region through development of India’s first sports university in Northeast. Also, more than 200 Khelo India Centres have been approved in the 8 states in the region, and many athletes of the region are getting benefits under the TOPS scheme.

Prime Minister also discussed India’s G20 Presidency and said that its meetings would witness people from all over the world coming to the Northeast. This will be an apt opportunity to showcase the nature, culture and potential of the region, he said.