The conference of Power and Renewable Energy Ministers of State/ UTs is being held during 14th – 15th  October, 2022 in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The Inaugural session was chaired by Shri R.K. Singh , Union Minister of Power and NRE. Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar, Minister of State of Power was also present. The event was also attended by Deputy CM/ Power/ NRE Ministers along with Principal Secretaries of States and UTs.

Shri R.K Singh  highlighted the achievements made in the recent years in power sector in terms of surplus generation capacity, development of national grid, universal access to all households and improved supply to rural areas and congratulated all the dignitaries for their objective support and contribution.

It was highlighted that for the last 4-5 months, the demand for electricity has been growing at about 11%. But the government have managed to meet the demand, even at a time when there is a global energy crisis. Coal prices have increased internationally but we have managed to keep electricity prices under control.

It was informed that India is the only major economy whose actions are in line with limiting global temperature rise to sub 2 degree. India’s per capita emissions are only 1/3^rd of the world’s average, however the developed countries are at 3-5 times the world’s average.

Shri Singh highlighted that we have achieved universal access to electricity, however existing challenges like continuous availability of 24×7 quality power, cyber security of the national grid, renewable energy integration etc. need to be addressed through policy action and through collaboration and cooperation with all stakeholders.

It was emphasized that our demand is set to double by 2030, for which huge capacities will be required to be added, which in turn will require huge capital investments. Capital investments would also be required for modernizing the power systems and promoting new technologies like Green Hydrogen, Storage, Offshore wind etc. to help India achieve its energy transition trajectory. To this end, it is absolutely imperative that the DISCOMS across the country follow prudent and sustainable financial practices to ensure that they are viable.

The Union Power and NRE  Minister sought the cooperation from the States in achieving the ambitious goals that are set before the power sector.

The report on performance of Power Utilities was also released today.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of two hydropower projects and launched Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III in Chamba, Himachal Pradesh today.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that two days ago he was visiting the city of Mahakal, and today he has come to the refuge of Mani Maheshwar.  The Prime Minister also recalled the letter received from a teacher from the area who shared details of Chamba with the Prime Minister. The letter was shared by the Prime Minister in Mann ki Baat.

The Prime Minister expressed happiness that he got the opportunity to launch multiple projects on road connectivity and employment generation for Chamba and other remote villages. Remembering his days in Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister mentioned that today, the adage that ‘Pahad ka Paani aur Pahad ki Jawani Pahad ke Kaam nahi aati’ i.e. Youth and water of hills is not used for hills, is changing. “Now the youth of hills will play an active part in the development of the area”, he said.

“The next 25 years are very crucial for 130 crore Indians”, said the Prime Minister. He added, “India’s Azadi ka Amrit Kaal has begun during which we have to accomplish the goal of making India a developed country. In the coming few months, 75 years of the establishment of Himachal are also going to be completed. That is, when India celebrates 100 years of independence, Himachal will also celebrate 100 years of its establishment. That is why every day of the coming 25 years is very important for us”, the Prime Minister elaborated.

The Prime Minister recalled the days when Himachal Pradesh had little influence in Delhi and its demands and requests were ignored resulting in important places of faith and natural beauty like Chamba, lagging behind in the development race. Shri Modi informed that special attention was paid to it as Aspirational District as he was aware of the strengths of Chamba. He also expressed happiness about children from Kerala coming to Himachal in the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.

The Prime Minister noted that Himachal today realizes the strength of the double-engine government which has doubled the pace of development in the state. The Prime Minister remarked that the previous governments would provide services to only those areas where the burden of work and stress remained low and political benefits were high. As a result, the development rate of remote and tribal areas remained fairly low. “Be it roads, electricity or water, the people of such areas were the last ones to receive benefits”, Shri Modi said, “The working style of double-engine government is different from the rest. Our priority is how to make people’s lives easier. That’s why we are giving maximum emphasis on tribal areas, and hilly areas.” He listed measures like providing gas connections, piped water, health services, Ayushman Bharat, and road connectivity that are changing lives in remote and hilly areas. “If we are making wellness centres in the villages, at the same time, we are opening medical colleges too in the districts”, he emphasized. He also mentioned how Himachal was prioritized in vaccination in order to protect tourism. Shri Modi complimented the Chief Minister and his team for reaching cent per cent vaccination the fastest in the country.

Talking about the construction of rural roads, the Prime Minister said that till 2014, rural roads of 7000 km in length were constructed since Independence with an expenditure of 1800 crores but in the last 8 years, 12000 km of roads with a financial outlay of just 5000 crores have been constructed. Schemes started today will create 3000 km of rural roads, he informed.

The Prime Minister said that gone are the days when Himachal Pradesh used to come to Delhi with requests. Now Himachal comes with information about new projects and details of its progress and demands for its rights. “Your (people’s) order is supreme for me. You are my high command. I consider this my good fortune, that is why serving you has different joy and gives me energy”, the Prime Minister said.

Underlining the development in the last 8 years, the Prime Minister said, “A Maha Yagya of rapid development is going on in the hilly areas, in the inaccessible areas, in the tribal areas all over the country.” Shri Modi informed that its benefits are not only limited to Chamba of Himachal but areas like Pangi-Bharmaur, Chhota-Bada Bhangal, Girimpar, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti are also reaping the benefit. He congratulated Chamba for securing second place in the development ranking of Aspirational Districts.

Underlining the focus on the development of tribal communities, the Prime Minister informed that the government has taken another landmark decision in giving the tribal status to the Hati community of Giripar area of Sirmaur. “It shows how much priority our government is giving to the development of the tribal people”, he added. The Prime Minister interjected that the previous governments of Himachal and at the Centre thought of the remote and tribal villages only at the time of elections, but the double-engine government of today strives to serve the people twenty four seven. Recalling the efforts of the government to provide relief to poor families during the corona pandemic, the Prime Minister highlighted the free ration programme. “The world looks at India in astonishment that the government has been providing food grains to more than 80 crore people in the country for the past one and half years”, he added.  Shri Modi also highlighted the success of the Covid vaccination programme in India and credited its success to the active participation of the workers from the health department and ASHA workers. “Such works of development take place only when the service spirit is strong”, Shri Modi added.

Throwing light on the challenges faced by hilly and tribal areas in terms of employment, the Prime Minister said that we are trying to convert the strength of the area into the strength of the people here. “The wealth of water and forest in tribal areas is priceless”, he said. The Prime Minister pointed out that Chamba belongs to the area of the country where the generation of hydroelectricity was started. The Prime Minister underlined that the projects for which the foundation stone has been laid today will increase the share of Chamba and Himachal in the field of power generation. “Chamba, Himachal will earn hundreds of crores from the electricity generated here and the youth of this place will get employment opportunities”, he said. “Last year also I had the opportunity to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 4 such big hydro-electric projects. The Hydro Engineering College which was started in Bilaspur a few days back will also benefit the youth of Himachal”, he said.

Highlighting Himachal’s strength in horticulture, animal husbandry and craft & arts, the Prime Minister praised the local self-help groups for promoting local products like flowers, Chamba’s Chukh, Rajma Madra, Chamba Chappal, Chamba Thal and Pangi ki Thangi. He called these products the heritage of the country. Citing the example of Vocal for Local, the Prime Minister appreciated the women associated with Self Help Groups due to their impetus to efforts of the government to promote local products. The Prime Minister informed that these products are also being promoted under the One District One Product Scheme and he tries to present these things to foreign dignitaries, so that the name of Himachal goes out in the whole world, and more people find out about the products made in Himachal.

The Prime Minister said “The double engine government is a government that respects its culture, heritage and faith. Including Chamba, the whole of Himachal is a land of faith and heritage.” Throwing light on the cauldron of heritage and tourism of Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister recalled his visit to the Dussehra Festival in Kullu and remarked that we have heritage on one side and tourism on the other. Tourist places like Dalhousie, and Khajjiar is going to be a driving force for Himachal in terms of spirituality and tourism wealth. The Prime Minister said, “Only the double-engine government recognizes this power. Himachal has made up its mind and will change the old custom and will create a new tradition.”

Acknowledging the vast gathering, the Prime Minister concluded by saying that in this vast gathering, he sees the power of Himachal’s growth and resolutions. He assured his continued support to the resolutions and dreams of the people of Himachal Pradesh.

Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Members of Parliament, Shri Kishan Kapoor, Ms Indu Goswami and BJP State President, Shri Suresh Kashyap were those present on the occasion among others.

Background

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of two hydropower projects – the 48 MW Chanju-III Hydro-electric Project and the 30 MW Deothal Chanju Hydro-electric Project. Both these projects will generate over 270 million units of electricity annually and Himachal Pradesh is expected to get annual revenue of around Rs. 110 crores from these projects.

The Prime Minister also launched Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) – III in Himachal Pradesh for the upgradation of around 3125 kilometres of roads in the state. More than Rs. 420 crores has been sanctioned by the Central Government under this phase for the upgradation of 440 kilometres of roads in 15 border and far flung blocks of the state.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of Bulk Drug Park and dedicated the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Una to the nation, today. Earlier today, the Prime Minister flagged off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express from Amb Andaura, Una to New Delhi.

The Prime Minister started his address by paying tribute to Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Gurus of Sikhism and Maa Chintpoorni and expressed happiness on presenting gifts for Himachal Pradesh before Dhanteras and Diwali. Recalling his association with Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister remarked on its natural beauty and said that he had been fortunate enough to bow his head before Maa Chintpoorni.

The Prime Minister highlighted that it is a huge day for industrialization and mentioned the key focus of his visit to the state as connectivity and education. “Today work is beginning on the second bulk drug park of the country at Una here. Various projects have been inaugurated or their foundation stones have been laid in Himachal Pradesh today. These will greatly benefit the people”, he added. The Prime Minister pointed out that Himachal has been chosen as one of the states to get a bulk drug park. “Being chosen as one of the only three states for a bulk drug park is a momentous decision for the state and is a result of our affection and dedication for the state”, he said. Similarly, the decision to bring Vande Bharat to Himachal Pradesh also shows the priority that the government accords to the state. He pointed out that earlier generations from the state had not even seen a train, and today, Himachal has one of the most advanced trains running from here. He expressed satisfaction with how the double-engine government is working for the progress of the people.

The Prime Minister remarked that earlier governments at Himachal Pradesh and Centre paid no attention to the needs and aspirations of the citizens of Himachal Pradesh. “It was our mothers and sisters who have suffered the most because of such a situation”, he added. The Prime Minister interjected that time has changed for the better now and the present government is not only working to fulfil the needs of the people but also aiming to realise their hopes and aspirations with utmost dedication and force. “We are not only filling the gulf of development left by the previous governments but also building strong pillars of foundation for the state”, he added.

The Prime Minister pointed out that as early as last century many countries, and even some states like Gujarat managed to provide to its citizens basic amenities like toilets, rural roads, and modern healthcare. “In India, However, the earlier government made even these basic care difficult for the common people.  Hilly areas were the worst hit by this. I felt this from close quarters while living here”, he said. “New India is overcoming challenges of the past and growing rapidly. Amenities that should have reached the people in the last century are being made available now. We will get the amenities of the 20th century and will connect Himachal Pradesh with the modern facilities of the 21st century”, he added. He said rural roads are being constructed at double the speed and broadband connectivity is being taken to Gram Panchayats. “Our government is fulfilling the aspirations of 21st century India.”

The Prime Minister informed that Himachal Pradesh has played a crucial role in making India the number one medicine manufacturer in the world and its possibilities are only going to increase. “The entire world has witnessed the strength of the medicines manufactured in Himachal Pradesh”, Shri Modi added. He further pointed out that now that raw materials for medicine manufacturing will be produced in Himachal Pradesh, India’s dependency on the other nations is going to decrease significantly.  The Prime Minister highlighted that the government is providing free treatment expenses up to five lakh rupees for the poor and needy through Jan Aushadhhi Kendra under the aegis of Ayushman Bharat Scheme. “Bulk Drug Park will give further strength to the government’s campaign to provide quality and affordable medical care to people”, he pointed out. He said “Be it agriculture or industry, it is connectivity that provides impetus to the pace of development”, Shri Modi said. He gave the example of Nangal Dam-Talwara railway line which was approved 40 years ago and no progress was seen on the ground for 40 years till the current government took it up in right earnest. Double-engine government is committed to improving railway connectivity across Himachal Pradesh. Today, when the country is connected with Made in India Vande Bharat trains, Himachal is becoming one of the leading states in the country, he said.

The Prime Minister underlined the new working style of delivering on promises and delivering before time. He said “unlike earlier times when Himachal was valued less on its strength and more on the basis of the number of its Parliamentary seats, long pending demand for educational institutes in the state is being tackled with urgency. Himachal had to wait for the Double Engine government to get IIT, IIIT IIM, and AIIMS. Education sector-related initiatives in Himachal Pradesh will immensely benefit the students. Students will get more relief from the permanent building of IIIT in Una, he said. The Prime Minister who had laid the foundation stone of the IIIT building is today dedicating the building to further underline the changing work culture. He complimented the people involved in the project for completing it on time despite the challenge of the pandemic.

Pointing out the need for skill and innovation institutions across the country, the Prime Minister said that it is our biggest priority today to hone the skills and potential of the youth. He also noted the contribution of the youth of Himachal by serving in the army and creating new dimensions in the security of the country. “Now different types of skills will help them to take them to higher positions in the army as well”, he added.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said that when the dreams and resolutions are prodigious, then the efforts are put in equally. Shri Modi said that such effort is visible everywhere in the double-engine government model. And that this will create a new history, and emerge with a new custom. “I believe that the golden period of Himachal’s development is about to begin in the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. This golden period will take Himachal to that height of development for which you all have waited for decades”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, and BJP State President, Shri Suresh Kashyap were those present on the occasion among others.

Background

Prime Minister’s clarion call for Aatmanirbhar Bharat has led to the country moving swiftly towards the attainment of self-reliance across multiple sectors, through the support of various new initiatives of the government. One such key sector is pharmaceuticals, and in order to bring in Aatmanirbharta in this sector, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of Bulk Drug Park at Haroli in Una district, which will be built at a cost of over Rs 1900 crore. The Bulk Drug Park will help reduce dependence on API imports. It is expected to attract investment of around Rs. 10,000 crores and provide employment to more than 20,000 people. It will also give a fillip to economic activities in the region.

The Prime Minister also dedicated the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Una to the nation. Its foundation stone was laid by the Prime Minister in 2017. Currently, more than 530 students are pursuing studies at this institute.

Earlier today, the Prime Minister flagged off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express. Running from Amb Andaura to New Delhi, it will be the fourth Vande Bharat train to be introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speeds in a shorter duration. It accelerates to 100 Km/h in just 52 seconds. The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh stated that defence  attachés (DA) are  the bridge between India and Friendly Foreign Countries for mutual defence cooperation, urging them   to promote Indian defence production capabilities under Aatmnirbhar Bharat and understand the technological innovations taking place in Indian Defence Production Sector, both Public and Private so as to showcase and promote these in their countries of accreditation. He was deliveirng inaugural address at the two-day 4^th DAs Conference being held in New Delhi on 13th October, 2022.

Appreciating   the performance of the  DA, Raksha Mantri said that defence attachés make a significant contribution in securing national interests in line with foreign policy; strengthening international cooperation and enhancing the capabilities & preparedness of the Armed Forces. He urged them to carry forward the Government’s vision of achieving self-reliance, describing it as the only way to make India strong and respected at the global stage, amid the constantly-evolving global security scenario. He, however, maintained that ‘Aatmanirbharta’ does not mean isolation from the rest of the world, but ensuring national security and strategic autonomy through a modern military.

Asserting that India cannot and should not rely on imports, Shri Rajnath Singh reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing to remain prepared to deal with future security challenges. He termed defence attachés as the forerunners of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.

The Raksha Mantri listed out the steps taken by Ministry of Defence to attain self-reliance, including encouraging private sector participation; issuance of positive indigenisation lists; setting up of defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh & Tamil Nadu; rolling out of new production & export policies; promoting innovation and increasing FDI limit. He said, the defence attachés can bring investment in India by raising awareness about these decisions in different countries. Describing them as a bridge, he stressed that defence attachés can liaison with their respective countries and help in fulfilling the needs of both sides.

“India is manufacturing world class and cost-effective weapons, equipment & platforms, which are being internationally recognised. Our defense products are not only world class and reliable in quality but also relatively economical.,” said Shri Rajnath Singh.

Two days’ conference will have different briefing sessions wherein chief of services, Foreign Secretary, and other dignitaries from Ministry of Defence will address the DAs on various diplomatic, strategic and functional issues pertaining to defence cooperation.

After this conclave the DAs will also accompany the delegations from the Freindly Foreign Countries attending the DefExpo-22 which is starting from 17^th October at Gandhinagar Gujarat,.

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal has said that PM GatiShakti National Master Plan has the potential to save over Rs. 10 Lakh Crore annually by improving logistics efficiency. He was addressing the National Workshop on PM GatiShakti held to mark the first anniversary of the roll out of the National Master Plan, in New Delhi today. The workshop focussed on the progress and achievements made by PM GatiShakti till date and the way forward.

Shri Goyal said that PM GatiShakti is increasingly being used in the social sector for better infrastructure development, thereby, taking fruits of technology to every citizen of the country and improving ease of life for the common man. The Minister said that PM GatiShakti would define India’s future in the years to come. Quoting the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, he said that PM GatiShakti National Master Plan would lend both ‘Gati’ and ‘Shakti’ to India’s efforts in Infrastructure development.

The National Master Plan will transform the way we work and the outcomes of our work and will drive economic development, Shri Goyal said. He observed that the entire nation has come together, transcending political differences to use PM GatiShakti to the best possible extent. The Minister expressed confidence that PM GatiShakti NMP would find a place in history as a powerful intervention that spurred rapid growth and development in the country. We look upon PM GatiShakti as s service to the nation and society, he said.

Shri Goyal opined that the anniversary celebrations must be used as an opportunity to visualize and conceive plans for the future. He asked all stakeholders to envision out of box ways to utilize PM GatiShakti for better, more economical and time bound infrastructure planning.

The Minister expressed confidence that PM GatiShakti would help bring in balanced, inclusive, equitable development in the country by helping remote areas, especially those in the North East undertake integrated infrastructure planning and close development gaps.

The Minister referred to the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) scheme launched yesterday and said that by dovetailing PM GatiShakti into the scheme would help utilize resources much more efficiently. Shri Goyal said that the whole of the government was working in tandem to ensure the best possible use of PM GatiShakti. He added that industry, business and social sector had welcomed PM Gati with open arms.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched PM GatiShakti on 13.10.21 for integrated planning of infrastructure and synchronized project implementation across all concerned Central Ministries, Departments and State Governments.

PM GatiShakti is a transformative approach for integrated and holistic planning across concerned Ministries/Departments to improve multimodal connectivity, and logistics efficiency and address critical gaps for the seamless movement of people, and goods, with a focus on minimizing disruptions and ensuring timely completion of works.

It provides for an integrated platform, the National Master Plan, where all the economic zones and their multimodal connectivity infrastructure are depicted, along with physical linkages to promote a comprehensive and integrated multimodal national network of transportation and logistics to create efficiency gains and avenues for further developments, value addition and creating employment opportunities.

It may be noted that in the last 8 years, Capital Expenditure has seen over 4 times increase from 1.75 lac crores in 2014 to 7.5 lac crores in 2022. The development of 7.582 kms new roads, 2500 kms of new petroleum & gas pipelines, 29,040 circuits kms, and 200 million tonnes of cargo being handled by India’s railway network have been constructed adopting PM GatiShakti’s approach.

Through the mechanism of PM National Master Plan 197 critical infrastructure gap projects have been identified and examined in sectors namely, the Ministry of Steel, Coal, Fertilizer as well as Food and Public Distribution under PM GatiShakti to improve logistics efficiency. Over 1300 inter-ministerial issues were resolved in the 11 months through the PMG Portal integrated with the National Master Plan.

The Minister also launched the Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2022 survey report.  The LEADS is an indigenous data-driven index to assess logistics infrastructure, services, and human resources across all 36 States and UTs.

By engaging with various end-user stakeholders, the LEADS acts as a feedback mechanism on the existing logistic capacities and draws recommendations for further improvement. The LEADS further uses the feedback evaluation to classify states on the scale of logistics ease currently present among them.

The LEADS 2022 has garnered more than 6500 responses from more than 2100 respondents across the country. Unlike the previous versions of LEADS which were based on ranking systems for all states, LEADS 2022 has adopted a classification-based grading, states have been now classified under four categories viz coastal states, hinterland/landlocked states, north-eastern states, and Union Territories. For the assessment of how well a State or UT has performed in comparison to the Top State/UT within the specific cluster.

Three performance categories namely, Achievers: States/UTs achieving 90% or more percentage, Fast Movers: States/UTs achieving percentage scores between 80% to 90%, and Aspirers: States/UTs achieving percentage scores below 80% have been made.

The LEADS 2022 survey report would assist PM GatiShakti National Master Plan (PMGS-NMP) and National Logistics Policy (NLP) to perform a network mapping of logistics infrastructure, services, and regulatory environment enabling State Governments to identify and fill the gaps and achieve data-driven multimodal connectivity. LEADS continues to act as a guiding & bridging mechanism for the identification of interventions enhancing logistics efficiency at State/UTs.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi flagged off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express from Amb Andaura, Una to New Delhi, today.

The Prime Minister inspected the train coaches of the Vande Bharat Express and took stock of the onboard facilities. Shri Modi also inspected the control centre of the locomotive engine of Vande Bharat Express. He also inspected Una railway station.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Jai Ram Thakur, Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Minister of Railways, Shri Ashvini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur when he arrived at Amb Andaura Railway Station in Una district of Himachal Pradesh.

The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel. The travel time from Una to New Delhi will be reduced by two hours. Running from Amb Andaura to New Delhi, it will be the fourth Vande Bharat train to be introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speeds in a shorter duration. Vande Bharat 2.0 is equipped with more advancements and improved features such as reaching a speed of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 52 seconds, and a maximum speed of up to 180 kilometres per hour. The improved Vande Bharat Express will weigh 392 tons when compared to the previous version of 430 tons. It will also have a Wi-Fi content on-demand facility. Every coach has 32” screens providing passenger information and infotainment compared to 24” in the previous version. Vande Bharat Express will also be environmentally friendly as the ACs will be 15 per cent more energy efficient. With dust-free clean air cooling of the traction motor, travel will become more comfortable. A side recliner seat facility provided only to Executive Class passengers earlier will now be made available for all classes. Executive Coaches have the added feature of 180-degree rotating seats

In the new design of Vande Bharat Express, a photo-catalytic ultraviolet air purification system is installed in the Roof-Mounted Package Unit (RMPU) for air purification.  As recommended by Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh, this system is designed and installed on both ends of RMPU to filter and clean the air free from germs, bacteria, viruses etc. coming through fresh air and return air.

The Vande Bharat Express 2.0 offers a myriad of superior and aircraft-like travelling experiences. It is equipped with advanced state-of-the-art safety features including an indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System – KAVACH.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Himachal Pradesh on 13th October. In Una, Prime Minister will flag off Vande Bharat Express from Una Himachal railway station. Thereafter, in a public function, Prime Minister will dedicate IIIT Una to the nation and lay the foundation stone of Bulk Drug Park in Una. After that, in a public function at Chamba, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of two hydropower projects and launch Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III in Himachal Pradesh.

PM in Una

Prime Minister’s clarion call for Aatmanirbhar Bharat has led to the country moving swiftly towards attainment of self-reliance across multiple sectors, through support of various new initiatives of the government. One such key sector is pharmaceuticals, and in order to bring in Aatmanirbharta in this sector, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Bulk Drug Park at Haroli in Una district, which will be built at a cost of over Rs 1900 crore. The Park will help reduce dependence on API imports. It is expected to attract investment of around Rs. 10,000 crores and provide employment to more than 20,000 people. It will also give a fillip to economic activities in the region.

Prime Minister will dedicate the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Una to the nation. Its foundation stone was laid by the Prime Minister in 2017. Currently more than 530 students are pursuing study in this Institute.

Prime Minister will also flag off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express. Running from Amb Andaura to New Delhi, it will be the fourth Vande Bharat train to be introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speed in shorter duration. It accelerates to 100 Km/h in just 52 seconds. The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel.

PM in Chamba

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of two hydropower projects – the 48 MW Chanju-III Hydro-electric Project and the 30 MW Deothal Chanju Hydro-electric Project. Both these projects will generate over 270 million units of electricity annually and Himachal Pradesh is expected to get annual revenue of around Rs. 110 crore from these projects.

Prime Minister will also launch Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III in Himachal Pradesh for upgradation of around 3125 kms of roads in the State. More than Rs. 420 crore has been sanctioned by the Central Government under this phase for the upgradation of 440 kms of roads in 15 border and far flung Blocks of the State.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today has approved a new Scheme, Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) for the remaining four years of the 15^th Finance Commission from 2022-23 to 2025-26.  The new Scheme, PM-DevINE, is a Central Sector Scheme with 100% Central funding and will be implemented by Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

The PM-DevINE Scheme will have an outlay of Rs.6,600 crore for the four year period from 2022-23 to 2025-26 (remaining years of 15th Finance Commission period).

Efforts will be made to complete the PM-DevINE projects by 2025-26 so that there are no committed liabilities beyond this year. This implies front-loading of the sanctions under the Scheme in 2022-23 and 2023-24 primarily. While expenditure would continue to be incurred during 2024-25 and 2025-26, focused attention will be given to complete the sanctioned PM-DevINE projects.

PM-DevINE will lead to creation of infrastructure, support industries, social development projects and create livelihood activities for youth and women, thus leading to employment generation.

PM-DevINE will be implemented by Ministry of DoNER through North Eastern Council or Central Ministries/ agencies. Measures would be taken to ensure adequate operation and maintenance of the projects sanctioned under PM-DevINE so that they are sustainable. To limit construction risks of time and cost overrun, falling on the Government projects would be implemented on Engineering-procurement-Construction (EPC) basis, to the extent possible.

The objectives of PM-DevINE are to:

(a)    Fund infrastructure convergently, in the spirit of PM Gati Shakti;

(b)    Support social development projects based on felt needs of the NER;

(c)    Enable livelihood activities for youth and women;

(d)    Fill the development gaps in various sectors.

There are other MDoNER Schemes for the development of North Eastern Region. The average size of projects under other MDoNER Schemes is about Rs.12 crore only. PM-DevINE will provide support to infrastructure and social development projects which may be larger in size and will also provide an end-to-end development solution instead of isolated projects. It will be ensured that there is no duplication of project support under PM-DevINE with any of the other schemes of MDoNER or those of any other Ministry/Department.

PM-DevINE, was announced in the Union Budget 2022-23 to address development gaps in the North Eastern Region (NER). Announcement of PM-DevINE is yet another instance of the importance being attached to the development of NE Region by the Government.

PM-DevINE is an additionality to the quantum of resources available for the development of the NER. It will not be a substitute for existing Central and State Schemes.

While some of the projects to be approved for 2022-23 under PM-DevINE are part of the Budget announcement, projects with substantial socio-economic impact or sustainable livelihood opportunities for the general public (e.g., basic infrastructure in all Primary Health Care Centres, comprehensive facilities in Government Primary and Secondary Schools, etc) may be considered in the future.

The justification for announcement of PM-DevINE is that the parameters of NE States in respect of Basic Minimum Services (BMS) are well below the national average and there are critical development gaps as per the BER District Sustainable Development Goad (SDG) Index 2021-22 prepared by NITI Aayog, UNDP and MDoNER. The new Scheme, PM-DevINE was announced to address these BMS shortfalls and development gaps.

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today has approved the proposal of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas to give one time grant amounting to Rs.22,000 crore to three Public Sector Undertaking Oil Marketing Companies (PSU OMCs). The grant will be distributed among Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL).

The approval will help the PSU OMCs to continue their commitment to the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, ensuring unhindered domestic LPG  supplies and also supporting the procurement of Make in India products.

Domestic LPG Cylinders are supplied at regulated prices to consumers by the public sector Oil Marketing companies namely, IOCL, BPCL, HPCL.

During the period from June 2020 to June 2022, the international prices of LPG increased by around 300%.  However, to insulate consumers from fluctuations in international LPG prices, the cost increase was not fully passed on to consumers of domestic LPG.  Accordingly, domestic LPG prices have raised by only 72% during this period.  This has led to significant losses for these OMCs.

Despite these losses, the three PSU OMCs have ensured continuous supplies of this essential cooking fuel in the country.

Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri Pralhad Joshi said that in next few months India is likely to become Aatmanirbhar in thermal coal production.  Forty million ton of coal stock will be available with thermal power plants by March next year and as on  1^st October, 2022 the stock with thermal plants comes to 24 million ton. The Minister was addressing a function organized by Coal India Ltd., Ministry of Coal here today to sign MoUs with five leading PSUs for Coal gasification projects.

For setting up four large scale coal-to-chemical projects through surface coal gasification route, Coal India Limited (CIL) signed three separate Memorandums of Understanding (MoU), one each, with three major PSUs of the country Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and GAIL (India) Limited. In addition, NLC India Limited (NLCIL) is signing MoU with BHEL.

To come up at an aggregated estimated cost of Rs.35,000 crores the proposed surface coal gasification (SCG) projects are planned to be set up in West Bengal, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

The MoU was inked in the presence of Shri. Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Coal, Mines & Parliamentary Affairs and Shri. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Minister of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises. Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Member(NitiAayog), Dr. Anil Kumar Jain Secretary (Coal), Shri ArunGoyal, Secretary (Heavy Industries), Shri Pankaj Jain, Secretary (MoPNG), Shri. Pramod Agrawal, Chairman, CIL, Shri M. Nagaraju, Additional Secretary & Nominated Authority, CMDs of PSUs, and officials of Ministries of Coal , MoPNG& Heavy Industries & PSUs were also present.

Through SCG route coal is converted into syngas. This can be subsequently processed for downstream production of value added chemicals which are otherwise produced through imported natural gas or crude oil at enormous cost.

As the country’s four major PSUs huddle together, the move is aimed at reduced forex outgo, promoting self-reliance and capitalization of indigenous resources. Another upside will be employment generation with direct employment of around 1200 personnel and indirect employment to the tune of over 20,000 persons.

With renewables and cleaner energy sources steadily gaining ground alternative use of coal, in future, through diversification assumes greater importance. With the country endowed with 344 Billion Tonnes (BT) of coal resources, with 163 BT, proven coal to chemicals through SCG appears a safe bet subject to commercial viability.

The Coal Ministry on a mission mode is fast tracking utilization of coal and has targeted to achieve 100 million ton (MT) coal gasification by 2030. Coal Ministry has also taken initiatives for allocating Rs. 6,000 crores to support CPSEs by incentivizing implementation of five coal gasification plants.

While CIL the country’s largest energy producer has identified SCG as one of its business diversification avenues, IOCL and GAIL bring to the table their decades of experience in taking up large-scale chemical and process plants.

BHEL has conducted pilot studies with their Pressurized Fluidized Bed Combustion technology and customized it to suit the requirements of high-ash Indian coal. The initiative of CIL and  BHEL will lead to commercialization of home-grown coal gasification technology.

The synergy and partnership of all the four corporate giants will enable a perfect launch of complex SCG projects.

Shri. Debasish Nanda, Director (Business Development) inked the pact on behalf of CIL.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid tributes to Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia on her birth anniversary. Shri Modi has said that she was synonymous with courage and foresight.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;

“On her birth anniversary, tributes to Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Ji. She was synonymous with courage and foresight. She devoted her life to serving others. Sharing what I had said during one of the previous #MannKiBaat programmes about her outstanding personality.”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated Phase I of the Mahakal Lok Project to the nation at Shri Mahakal Lok in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh today.

The Prime Minister was dressed in traditional dhoti when he arrived at Shri Mahakal Lok from the Nandi Dwar. After arriving at the inner sanctum, the Prime Minister performed pooja and darshan and prayed with folded hands before Lord Shri Mahakal in presence of the temple priests. After performing aarti and offering pushpanjali, the Prime Minister sat in the south corner of the inner sanctum and meditated while mantras were chanted. The Prime Minister also sat next to the Nandi statue and prayed with folded hands.

The Prime Minister went on to unveil the plaque to mark the dedication of Shri Mahakal Lok. The Prime Minister also met the temple saints and had a brief conversation with them. The Prime Minister then visited the Mahakal Lok temple complex and took a walk and viewed the Saptrishi Mandal, the Mandapam, Tripurasura Vadh and Navgarh. The Prime Minister also witnessed the murals along the path based on stories about the act of creation, the birth of Ganesha, story of Sati and Daksha among others from Shiva Purana. Shri Modi later watched a cultural programme that was showcased on occasion and witnessed the Malkhamb performance at Mansarovar. This was followed by darshan at the Bharat Mata Mandir.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mangubhai Patel, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Background

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated Phase I of the Mahakal Lok Project to the nation at Shri Mahakal Lok in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. Phase I of the Mahakal Lok project will help in enriching the experience of pilgrims visiting the temple by providing them with world-class modern amenities. The project aims to decongest the entire area and also put special emphasis on the conservation and restoration of heritage structures. Under the project, the temple precinct will be expanded nearly seven times. The total cost of the entire project is around Rs 850 crores. The existing footfall of the temple, which is currently around 1.5 crore per annum, is expected to be doubled. The development of the project has been planned under two phases.

The Mahakal Path contains 108 stambhs (pillars) which depict Anand Tandav Swaroop (Dance form) of Lord Shiva. Many religious sculptures depicting the life of Lord Shiva are installed along the Mahakal Path. The mural wall along the path is based on stories about the act of creation, the birth of Ganesha, story of Sati and Daksha among others from Shiva Purana. The area of plaza is spread over 2.5 hectares and is surrounded by a lotus pond which contains the statue of Shiva along with water fountains. The entire premise will be monitored 24×7 by Integrated Command and Control Centre with the help of artificial intelligence and surveillance cameras.