The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated India Energy Week 2024 in Goa today. India Energy Week 2024 is India’s largest and only all-encompassing energy exhibition and conference, bringing together the entire energy value chain to catalyze India’s energy transition goals. The Prime Minister also held a roundtable with Global oil & gas CEOs and experts.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister welcomed everyone to the second edition of India Energy Week. Expressing delight that the event is taking place in the energetic state of Goa, the Prime Minister said that it is known for its spirit of hospitality and the natural beauty and culture of the place leaves a profound impact on tourists from around the world. “Goa is touching new heights of development”, the Prime Minister said, underlining that it is the perfect destination for a discussion on a sustainable future and sensitivity towards the environment. He expressed confidence that the foreign guests who have gathered in Goa for India Energy Week 2024 will take along a lifetime memory of the state.

Noting that India Energy Week 2024 is taking place at a significant time period when India’s GDP rate crossed 7.5 percent in the first six months of the financial year, the Prime Minister said that the growth rate is higher than the global growth estimate making India the fastest growing economy in the world. He also mentioned the International Monetary Fund’s prediction of similar growth trends in the future. “Economic experts around the world believe that India will soon become the 3rd largest economy in the world”, Shri Modi said and emphasized the expanding scope of the energy sector in India’s growth story.

The Prime Minister noted that India is the world’s third largest energy, oil and LPG consumer. Furthermore, he said India is the fourth largest LNG importer and refiner along with the fourth largest automobile market. He also underlined rising demand of EV in the country. He also talked about the estimates of doubling of the nation’s energy demand by 2045. The Prime Minister elaborated India’s plan to meet this growing demand. Highlighting the efforts to ensure affordable fuel, the Prime Minister said that despite adverse global factors, India is among the few nations where petrol prices have come down and 100 per cent electricity coverage was achieved by electrifying crores of houses. “India is not just meeting its needs but is also determining the global direction”, the Prime Minister added.

Explaining the unprecedented infrastructure push, the Prime Minister mentioned 11 lakh crore rupees that the recent Budget pledged for infrastructure, a big part of which will go to the energy sector. This amount will create assets in railways, roadways, waterways, airways or housing which will need energy leading to India’s efforts to expand its energy capacity. He noted rising production of domestic gas due to the government’s reforms and the country is making efforts to take the percentage of gas in the primary energy mix from 6 to 15 percent. This will see an investment of about 67 billion dollars in the next 5-6 years, he informed.

Throwing light on the circular economy and concept of reuse being a part of India’s ancient traditions, the Prime Minister noted that the same is applicable for the energy sector. He said that this belief is symbolized by the Global BioFuel Alliance which brings together governments, organizations and industries from across the world on a single platform. Initiated during the G20 Summit held in India, the Prime Minister highlighted the holistic support received by the Alliance and informed about 22 nations and 12 international organizations coming onboard to encourage the use of biofuels in the world, while also creating economic opportunities worth $500 billion.

Highlighting India’s progress in the biofuel sector, Shri Modi informed about India’s rising adoption rate. He said that ethanol blending witnessed a significant rise from 1.5 percent in 2014 to 12 percent in 2023 leading to a reduction in carbon emissions by about 42 million metric tons. “Government has set a target of 20 percent ethanol blending in petrol by 2025”, he said. Recalling the initiation of 20 percent ethanol blending in more than 80 retail outlets during India Energy Week last year, PM Modi informed that the number of outlets has now increased to 9,000.

Outlining the government’s commitment to transforming rural economies through the Waste to Wealth Management model, the Prime Minister highlighted the government’s efforts towards sustainable development, Prime Minister Modi announced “we are working towards the installation of 5000 Compressed Biogas Plants in India.” Addressing global environmental concerns, Prime Minister Modi remarked, “despite being home to 17% of the world’s population, India’s Carbon Emission Share is only 4%.” He added, “We are committed to further improving our Energy Mix by focusing on the development of environmentally sensitive energy sources.” The Prime Minister reiterated  India’s goal to achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2070.

Prime Minister Modi noted, “Today, India ranks fourth in the world in Renewable Energy Installed Capacity.” 40 percent of India’s installed capacity comes from non-fossil fuels. Highlighting the nation’s progress in solar energy, Prime Minister Modi stated, “In the past decade, India’s Solar Energy Installed Capacity has grown by more than 20 times.” He added, “The campaign to connect with Solar Energy is gaining momentum in India.”

Prime Minister Modi noted that the launch of a major mission aimed at installing Solar Rooftop Panels in one crore homes across India, will not only make one crore families self-reliant in the energy sector but also establish mechanisms to deliver excess electricity generated directly to the grid. Prime Minister Modi emphasized the transformative impact of these initiatives. “There is a great potential for investment in the entire Solar Value Chain”, he added.

Touching upon India’s stride in the green hydrogen sector, the Prime Minister highlighted the National Green Hydrogen Mission which will pave the way for India becoming a center of hydrogen production and export. He expressed confidence that India’s green energy sector can make both investors and industries a sure shot winner.

The India Energy Week event reflects India’s commitment to global cooperation in the energy sector. Prime Minister Modi remarked, “The India Energy Week event is not just India’s event but a reflection of ‘India with the world and India for the world’ sentiment.”

He encouraged collaboration and knowledge sharing in sustainable energy development, stating, “Let us learn from each other, collaborate on cutting-edge technologies, and explore avenues for sustainable energy development.”

In conclusion, Prime Minister Modi expressed optimism about building a prosperous future that prioritizes environmental conservation. He stated, “Together, we can build a future that is prosperous and environmentally sustainable.”

Governor of Goa, Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai, Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Pramod Sawant, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Oil and Natural Gas, Shri Rameswar Teli were present on the occasion among others.

Background

Achieving Aatmanirbharta in energy requirements has been a key focus area of the Prime Minister. In yet another step in this direction, India Energy Week 2024 is being held from 6 – 9 February in Goa and is India’s largest and only all-encompassing energy exhibition and conference, bringing together the entire energy value chain, and will serve as a catalyst for India’s energy transition goals. The Prime Minister also held a roundtable with Global oil & gas CEOs and experts.

Encouraging and fostering startups and integrating them into the energy value chain will be an important focus for India Energy Week 2024. It is expected to witness the participation of around 17 Energy ministers from different countries, 35,000+ attendees and more than 900 exhibitors. It will have six dedicated country pavilions – Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, the UK and the USA. A special Make in India Pavilion is also being organized to showcase innovative solutions which Indian MSMEs are spearheading in the energy sector.

Union Minister of Education and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, launched the EdCIL Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme on 6th February 2024 in New Delhi. Secretary, Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Shri K. Sanjay Murthy; Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Shri Sanjay Kumar; Executive Director, EdCIL, Dr. Chandrashekhar; and other dignitaries were also present at the event.

While speaking at the event Shri Pradhan said that, as envisioned in the NEP 2020, the Vidyanjali Scholarship Program symbolises a whole-of-society approach to empowerment through access and opportunities of education, particularly to students belonging to economically disadvantaged sections. He commended the efforts of students of NVS and mentioned that nearly 14,000 students have succeeded in getting admission to reputed institutes including IITs, NITs, etc. without joining any coaching centres. Many students come from marginalised families. He also added that 70 students are being bestowed upon the scholarship amounting to Rs. 5 crore.

He mentioned that nation-building is a collective effort of all citizens and it was heartwarming to see the corporates enthusiastically coming forward to support and sponsor academically gifted and meritorious students lacking the financial means to pursue education. The philanthropic gesture of our donor organisations will inspire many more of our corporates to empower needy students as well as ignite the flame of education, Shri Pradhan said.

While speaking at the event Shri K. Sanjay Murthy informed how the initiative has started with the implementation of NEP2020 recommending policies to channel philanthropy towards the education sector. He commended the efforts of the JNV students who have succeeded in entering premier institutes like IITs and NITs and also acknowledged the contribution of the sponsors who have helped in realise their dreams. He also hoped that more such sponsors would come forward to support students in their endeavours.

Shri Sanjay Kumar in his address emphasized that students of Navodaya Vidyalaya consistently perform well in Board exams, every year. Nearly 85% of the students studying in these schools come from economically weaker families from the rural areas, he added. Acknowledging the able leadership of the Union Education Minister, he emphasized that these schools are testimony to the fact that academic achievements are agnostic of the background one may come from. Good pedagogy and opportunities can help the students outshine anyone, he highlighted. He also informed that following the suggestions of the Minister, this year Summer Camps will be organized for the students to inspire them in skilling activities and invited sponsors to come forward to extend their support.

The Minister interacted with six JNV students and five corporate CSR sponsors. A short film on the Vidyanjali scholarship scheme was shown during the event. Five significant MoUs were exchanged between CSR sponsors/impact founders including Fiat India, HDFC Bank Limited, ClearMedi Healthcare, Bharat Forge, and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation showcasing the joining of forces between the Government and private sector towards a shared vision of nation-building and empowering the future workforce of this country. The innovative Vidyanjali Fintech Platform/portal was launched during the event. The Minister also presented scholarship letters to six meritorious NVS students.

The EdCIL Vidyanjali Scholarship Programme, in alignment with the National Education Policy 2020, is a powerful force aimed at revolutionizing opportunities for quality education and access to higher education institutions. Going beyond mere enrolment, this initiative guarantees access to high-quality learning systems by facilitating a seamless transition from secondary to higher education and extending financial support for the meritorious Navodaya Vidyalaya students who lack means. In addition to extending financial assistance to economically marginalised and meritorious students of Navodaya Vidyalayas, this endeavour by the Government of India also encourages involvement from the private sector through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, thereby making way of joining forces between the Government and corporates towards an educated India, ensuring no child is left behind. The Minister presented scholarship letters to six NVS students.

The event will strengthen the Government’s efforts in fostering educational inclusivity and socio-economic upliftment in the country.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi replied to the motion of thanks on the President’s address to Parliament in the Lok Sabha today.

The Prime Minister began his address to the House by referring to the Sengol that led the procession with pride and respect as Rastrapati Ji arrived in the new House to deliver her address and the rest of the Parliamentarians followed her lead. PM Modi underlined that this legacy increases the dignity of the house manifold and said that the 75th Republic Day, the new Parliament House and the arrival of the Sengol was a very impactful event. He thanked the Members of the House for contributing their thoughts and ideas to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address.

The Prime Minister underlined that the President’s address is a huge document based on facts that gave an indication of the speed and scale of India’s progress and also drew attention to the fact that the nation will become developed faster only if the four pillars of Nari Shakti, Yuva Shakti, the poor and the Ann Data are developed and strengthened. He said the address illuminates the path for the nation to become Viksit Bharat by strengthening these four pillars.

Stressing the need for a strong opposition, the Prime Minister said that dynastic politics is a cause for concern for the Democracy of India. Throwing light on the meaning of dynastic politics, PM Modi explained that a political party which runs a family, prioritizes its members, and where all decisions are taken by the family members is considered dynastic politics rather than several members of a family who are making their way forward in politics on its own strength with the support of the people. “I welcome all young people in politics who are here to serve the nation”, PM Modi exclaimed, drawing attention to the dangers of dynastic politics to democracy. He lamented the emergence of a culture in politics and said the developments taking place in the country do not belong to one person but to every citizen.

Commenting on India’s robust economy which is being appreciated by the world today, the Prime Minister said, “Modi’s guarantee that India will become the 3rd largest economy of the world in the present government’s third term”. He said that the world’s views and opinions towards India can be summed up by the success of the G20 Summit.

Underlining the role of the government in steering the nation towards prosperity, Prime Minister Modi drew attention to the Interim Budget tabled in the House in 2014 by the previous government and the statement of the then Finance Minister. He pointed out that during his address, the then Finance Minister had informed about India being the 11th largest economy in terms of the size of its GDP, while today the country has reached the 5th position. Further quoting the then FM, the Prime Minister said that the nation would grow to become the 3rd largest economy in the world after the USA and China in the next 3 decades. “Today”, the Prime Minister exclaimed, “I assure the nation that India will become the 3rd largest economy in the world in the present government’s third term.”

Prime Minister Modi underlined that the whole world is watching the speed of the work of the government as well as its big goals and courage. He informed the House that the present government built 4 crore houses for the rural poor and 80 lakh pucca houses for the urban poor. In the last 10 years, electrification of 40,000 kms of railway lines was achieved, 17 crore extra gas connections were provided, and sanitation coverage increased from 40 percent to 100 percent.

Lamenting the half-hearted approach of the previous governments towards welfare and its lack of confidence in the people of India, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the present government’s belief in the strengths and capabilities of Indian citizens. He remarked, “In the first term, we kept filling the potholes of the previous governments, in the second term we laid the foundation of a new India, in the third term we will accelerate the development of a Viksit Bharat.” The Prime Minister listed down the schemes of the first term and mentioned Swacch Bharat, Ujjwala, Ayushman Bharat, Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, Sugamya Bharat, Digital India and GST. Similarly, PM Modi said that the nation witnessed the abolition of Article 370, the passage of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, the adoption of Bhartiya Nyay Samhita, the repealing of more than 40,000 obsolete laws, and the launch of Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat trains in the second term. “From North to South, from East to West, people have seen the pending projects being completed in a timely manner”, he said. He stated that the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra has shown the government’s dedication and determination towards making basic facilities available to everyone. Speaking about the consecration of the Ram Temple, PM Modi said, “Ram temple in Ayodhya will continue to give energy to the great culture and tradition of India”

Prime Minister Modi emphasized that the present government’s third term will be focused on major decisions. “Government’s third term will lay the foundations of the country for the next 1000 years”, the Prime Minister remarked. Expressing confidence in the capabilities of the 140 crore citizens of the country, PM Modi said that 25 crore people have risen out of poverty in the last 10 years. He reiterated that the poor can defeat poverty if they are provided with the right resources and self-respect. Shri Modi mentioned 50 crore poor own bank accounts, 4 crore own houses, 11 crore receive tapped water connections, 55 crore possess Ayushman Cards and 80 crore people received free food grains. “Modi is concerned for those who were once nobody’s concern”, Shri Modi said, mentioning the street vendors who now avail interest-free loans under PM Svanidhi, Vishwakarma Yojna for artisans and handicraftsmen, PM Jan Man Yojna for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, Vibrant Villages Program for development of border areas, focus on millet production, Vocal for Local and strengthening the Khadi sector.

PM Modi also drew attention towards conferring Shri Karpoori Thakur with the Bharat Ratna and pointed out how the great personality was treated with disrespect by the previous governments. He recalled the attempts made to overthrow his government when Shri Thakur was the Chief Minister of Bihar in the 1970s.

The Prime Minister highlighted the contributions of the government to empower the Nari Shakti of India. “Now there is no such sector in India where the doors are closed for the daughters of the country. They are also flying fighter jets and keeping the borders safe”, a proud Prime Minister said. He expressed confidence in the capabilities of women’s self-help groups which have more than 10 crore members and give impetus to India’s rural economy. PM Modi informed that in the coming years, the nation will witness 3 crore Lakhpati Didis. He expressed delight with the change in thinking where the birth of a girl child is celebrated and elaborated on the measures taken by the government to make the lives of women easier.

Speaking about farmer welfare, the Prime Minister informed that the annual agricultural budget was increased from Rs 25,000 crores during previous governments to Rs 1.25 lakh crores now. He mentioned disbursing Rs 2,80,000 crores to farmers under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Rs 1,50,000 crores under PM Fasal Bima Yojna at a premium of Rs 30,000, formation of a dedicated Ministry for Fisheries and Animal Husbandry and PM Kisan Credit Cards for fishermen and cattlemen. He also mentioned 50 crore vaccinations for foot and mouth disease to save animal lives.

Throwing light on the opportunities created for the youth of India, the Prime Minister spoke about the advent of the startup age, unicorns, the emergence of digital creators and the Gift economy. PM Modi underlined that today, India is the leading digital economy of the world and it will create numerous new opportunities for India’s youth. He also touched upon mobile manufacturing in India and the availability of cheap data. He also acknowledged the growth in India’s tourism sector and aviation sector. PM Modi stressed the government’s approach to providing employment opportunities and social security to the youth of India.

Prime Minister Modi informed the House that the infrastructure budget of the country has increased from 12 lakh crore in the last 10 years before 2014 to Rs 44 lakh crores in the last 10 years. He also mentioned encouraging India’s youth towards making the country a research and innovation hub of the world by developing proper systems and economic policies. Highlighting the government’s efforts to make the nation Atmanirbhar in the energy sector, the Prime Minister touched upon India taking the lead in investments in the green hydrogen and semiconductors sectors.

The Prime Minister also touched upon price rise and recalled the rate of inflation at 30 percent in 1974. He praised the government of today for checking price rise in the country amid two wars and the coronavirus pandemic. PM Modi recalled the times when discussions in the House revolved around scams in the country. He mentioned a two-fold increase in cases under PMLA since previous governments and the seizure by the Enforcement Directorate increasing from Rs 5,000 crores to 1 lakh crores. “All seized funds were used for the welfare of the poor”, he added, informing about disbursing more than Rs 30 lakh crore via Direct Benefit Transfer.

The Prime Minister pledged to fight corruption to the very end and said, “Those who looted the nation will have to pay back.” Praising the efforts of the government to maintain peace and tranquility in the nation, the Prime Minister reiterated that the world is obligated to follow India’s policy of zero tolerance for terrorism. He expressed pride and faith in the capabilities of India’s defence forces while condemning the ideology of separatism. He also lauded the developments taking place in Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister Modi urged the Members of the House to come forward shoulder to shoulder for the development of the nation. “I ask for your support in the development of Maa Bharti and its 140 crore citizens”, he concluded.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has met a  delegation of religious leaders from Indian Minorities Foundation in Parliament today.

The Prime Minister posted on X:

“Delighted to meet a delegation of religious leaders in Parliament today. I thank them for their kind words on the development trajectory of our nation.”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Goa on 6th February, 2024. At around 10:30 AM, Prime Minister will inaugurate ONGC Sea Survival Centre. At around 10:45 AM, he will inaugurate India Energy Week 2024. Thereafter, at around 2:45 PM, he will participate in the Viksit Bharat, Viksit Goa 2047 programme.

India Energy Week 2024

Achieving Aatmanirbharta in energy requirements has been a key focus area of the Prime Minister. In yet another step in this direction, India Energy Week 2024 will be held from 6 – 9 February in Goa. It will be India’s largest and only all-encompassing energy exhibition and conference, bringing together the entire energy value chain, and will serve as a catalyst for India’s energy transition goals. Prime Minister will hold a roundtable with Global oil & gas CEOs and experts.

Encouraging and fostering startups and integrating them into the energy value chain will be an important focus for India Energy Week 2024. It is expected to witness participation of around 17 Energy ministers from different countries, 35,000+ attendees and more than 900 exhibitors. It will have six dedicated country pavilions – Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Russia, UK and USA. A special Make in India Pavilion is also being organised to showcase innovative solutions which Indian MSMEs are spearheading in the energy sector.

Viksit Bharat, Viksit Goa 2047

Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth over Rs. 1330 crores in the public programme in Goa.

Prime Minister will inaugurate the permanent campus of National Institute of Technology Goa to the nation. The newly built-up campus has various facilities such as tutorial complex, departmental complex, seminar complex, administrative complex, hostels, health centre, staff quarters, amenity centre, sports ground and other utilities to cater to the needs of students, faculty and staff of the Institute.

Prime Minister will dedicate the new campus of the National Institute of Watersports. The institute will introduce 28 tailor-made courses aimed at fostering the development of watersports and water rescue activities catering to both the public and the Armed Forces. Prime Minister will also inaugurate a 100 TPD Integrated Waste Management Facility in South Goa. It has been designed for the scientific treatment of 60 TPD wet waste and 40 TPD dry waste, while also featuring a 500 KW solar power plant that generates surplus electricity.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for Passenger Ropeway, along with associated tourism activities, connecting Panaji and Reis Magos. Foundation stone for the construction of a 100 MLD Water Treatment Plant in South Goa will be laid by him.

Further, he will also distribute appointment orders to 1930 new Government recruits across various departments under Rozgar Mela and also hand over sanction letters to beneficiaries of various welfare schemes.

ONGC Sea Survival Centre

ONGC Sea Survival Centre has been developed as a one-of-a-kind Integrated Sea Survival Training Centre to advance the Indian sea survival training ecosystem to global standards. It is expected to train 10,000-15,000 personnel annually. Exercises in simulated and controlled harsh weather conditions shall enhance Sea Survival skills of trainees and thus potentially increase the chances of safe escape from real life disasters.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 11,000 crores in Guwahati, Assam. The key focus areas in Guwahati include projects to boost sports & medical infrastructure and connectivity.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for being present in Assam today with the blessings of Maa Kamakhya to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for projects worth Rs 11,000 crores. He said that the development projects of today will boost Assam’s connectivity to the North Eastern states as well as neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia while also boosting employment in the tourism sector and creating new opportunities for sporting talents in the state. He also mentioned an expansion to the medical education and healthcare sector in the state owing to today’s development projects. Prime Minister Modi congratulated the people of Assam and the North Eastern region for today’s development project and thanked the citizens of Guwahati for the warm reception when he arrived yesterday evening.

Recalling his recent visits to multiple pilgrimage sites, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for arriving before Maa Kamakhya today and laying the foundation stone of Maa Kamakhya Divya Lok Pariyojana. Throwing light on the concept and scope of the project, PM Modi informed that upon completion, it will further increase ease of access and comfort for the devotees while also giving a boost to the footfall. “Assam will become the gateway to tourism in the North East with an increase in the footfall of devotees for Maa Kamakhya’s darshan”, the Prime Minister said as he lauded the efforts of the state government and Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma

Highlighting the significance of Indian pilgrimage sites and temples, the Prime Minister emphasized that these places symbolize an indelible mark of our civilization over thousands of years, showcasing how Bharat has held on to every crisis it has faced. We have witnessed how the civilizations which were considered to be prosperous in the past, now stand in ruins. PM Modi lamented the post-independence governments for starting a trend of being ashamed of one’s own culture and identity for political gains and failing to understand the importance of Bharat’s holy places. He said that it has been rectified in the past 10 years with the help of policies focussing on both ‘Vikas’ (development) and ‘Virasat’ (heritage). Explaining the benefits of these policies for the people of Assam, PM Modi stressed the importance of connecting historical and spiritual places in the state with modern facilities, a move aimed at preserving these sites and accelerating development. Noting the expansion of  prominent educational institutes like IIT and IIM, he said earlier they used to be set up in big cities only. However, now a network of IITs, IIMs and AIIMs has spread across the country with the total number of medical colleges in Assam, which earlier stood at 6, increasing to 12. He also asserted that the state will gradually become a hub for cancer treatment in the North East.

“Ease of living is the priority of the present government”, PM Modi remarked as he mentioned building 4 crore pucca houses for the poor, supplying tapped water connections, electricity, cooking gas connections under Ujjwala Yojna and construction of toilets under Swachh Bharat.

PM Modi underlined that the government’s focus on development along with heritage has massively benefitted the youth of India. Noting the growing enthusiasm for tourism and pilgrimages in the country, the Prime Minister informed about the record influx of devotees in Varanasi after the completion of the Kashi Corridor. “In the past year, 8.50 crore people have visited Kashi, more than 5 crore visited Mahakal Lok in Ujjain, and more than 19 lakh devotees visited Kedardham”, he informed. PM Modi also mentioned that Ayodhya has witnessed more than 24 lakh people in the past 12 days after the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Temple. He reiterated that a similar sight will unfold here after the completion of Maa Kamkhya Divya Lok Pariyojana.

Be it a rickshaw puller, taxi driver, hotel owner or street vendor, the Prime Minister noted that the livelihood of even the poorest gets a boost with the influx of pilgrims and devotees and informed about the government’s focus on tourism in this year’s budget. “Central government is about to initiate new schemes for the development of places of historical relevance”, PM Modi said, highlighting the numerous opportunities present before the North Eastern states in this regard. Therefore, the Prime Minister said, the government is giving special emphasis to the development of North Eastern states.

Pointing out the record number of tourist footfall in the North East in the last 10 years, the Prime Minister said that even though the beauty of the region existed before this, the number of tourists remained extremely low owing to the violence and lack of resources due to the neglect shown by previous governments. Mentioning poor air, rail and road connectivity in the region where traveling from one district to another took hours. PM Modi credited the double-engine government at the center and state level for all-around development in the state.

PM Modi informed that the government has increased the region’s development expenditure by 4 times. Drawing comparisons to before and after 2014, the Prime Minister stated that the length of railway tracks laid was increased by more than 1900 kilometers, the Railway budget was boosted by almost 400 percent and 6,000 kilometers of new national highways were constructed in the last 10 years compared to 10,000 kilometers till 2014. Referring to the projects of today, the Prime Minister said that it will strengthen connectivity to Itanagar.

“Modi’s guarantee means the guarantee of fulfillment”, the Prime Minister said as he mentioned guaranteeing basic facilities to the poor, women, youth and farmers. He touched upon the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra and ‘Modi’s guarantee vehicle’ which is tasked with taking the benefits to those deprived of government schemes. “Around 20 crore people nationwide have directly participated in the Vikas Bharat Sankalp Yatra. A large number of people of Assam have also got its benefits”, he added.

Sharing the Centre’s vision, the Prime Minister affirmed to simplifying the lives of every citizen, a commitment which he claimed is also reflected in this year’s budget announcements. This year the government has pledged to spend Rs 11 lakh crore on infrastructure, adding that an expenditure of this kind on infrastructure creates more employment and gives momentum to development. He also pointed out that the total infrastructure budget for Assam in the last 10 years before 2014 stood at Rs 12 lakh crore.

The Prime Minister reiterated the government’s emphasis in the last 10 years on electricity supply to each home. He informed about the decision taken in this year’s budget to reduce the electricity bills to zero with the initiation of the Rooftop Solar Scheme where the government will assist one crore families to install solar rooftops. “With this, their electricity bill will also be zero and ordinary families will be able to earn by generating electricity at their home”, he added.

Drawing attention to the guarantee of creating 2 crore Lakhpati Didi’s in the country, PM Modi informed that the number reached 1 crore last year and the target is now set at 3 crore Lakhpati Didi’s in this year’s budget. He said that lakhs of women from Assam will also benefit from this. He also touched upon new opportunities for all women associated with the self-help groups and the inclusion of Anganwadi and Asha workers in the Ayushman Scheme.

“Modi has the resolve to work day and night and fulfill the guarantees he provides”, the Prime Minister exclaimed, adding that the North East has faith in Modi’s guarantee. He mentioned permanent peace being established in areas of Assam which were once disturbed and hit with violence, and the resolution of border disputes among states. “More than 10 major peace agreements have been signed here”, he informed, adding that thousands of youth in the North East have shunned the path of violence and opted for development in the last few years. He further stated that out of these, more than 7,000 youth of Assam have also given up arms and have pledged to stand shoulder to shoulder in the development of the country. Highlighting the removal of AFSPA in many districts, he said that the areas which have been affected by violence are being developed today as per the aspirations of the people with the government’s support.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of establishing targets and asserted that previous governments lacked objectives and failed to work hard. He envisions the North East developing similarly to East Asia, facilitating expanded connectivity in North and East Asia. Numerous roads in the state are set to be upgraded under the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation, transforming the North East into a trade hub. The Prime Minister acknowledged the aspirations of the youth in the North East to witness their region’s development akin to East Asia, expressing his determination to turn this dream into reality.

The Prime Minister underlined that the goal of a happy and prosperous life for India and its citizens is the main reason behind all the development works being carried out today. “The goal is to make India the third largest economy in the world. The goal is Viksit Bharat 2047”, the Prime Minister concluded reaffirming the huge role to be played by Assam and the North East.

Governor of Assam, Shri Gulab Chand Katarai, Chief Minister of Assam, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways and AYUSH, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal were present on the occasion among others.

Background

Providing world-class amenities to people visiting pilgrimage sites has been a key focus area of the Prime Minister. In yet another step in this endeavour, one of the key projects for which the foundation stone was laid by the Prime Minister includes Maa Kamakhya Divya Pariyojana (Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor), which has been sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE) scheme. It will provide world-class amenities to pilgrims visiting the Kamakhya temple.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of multiple road upgradation projects worth over Rs. 3400 crore, under which 43 roads including 38 bridges will be upgraded as part of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Corridor Connectivity. The Prime Minister inaugurated two 4-laning projects, namely Dolabari to Jamuguri and Biswanath Chariali to Gohpur. These projects will help improve the connectivity to Itanagar and boost the overall economic development of the region.

To harness the tremendous sports potential of the region, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of projects to boost the sports infrastructure in the state. The projects include an international standards sports stadium in Chandrapur and the upgradation of Nehru stadium as a FIFA standard football stadium.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for the development of infrastructure of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. Further, the foundation stone for the development of a medical college at Karimganj was also laid by him.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the concluding ceremony of the year-long celebrations of S N Goenka’s 100th birth anniversary via video message today.

Recalling the beginning of the birth centenary celebrations of the Vipassanā meditation teacher, Acharya Shri S N Goenka a year ago, the Prime Minister underlined that the nation celebrated ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ and also remembering the ideals of Kalyan Mitra Goenka at the same time. He reaffirmed that when these celebrations are coming to an end today, the country is moving rapidly towards fulfilling the resolutions of a Viksit Bharat. Quoting Lord Buddha’s mantra which was often used by Guruji, Prime Minister Modi explained the meaning and said “Meditating together gives effective results. This feeling of solidarity and power of unity is a major basis of Viksit Bharat.” He extended his warm wishes to all for propagating the same mantra throughout the year.

The Prime Minister recalled his connections with Shri Goenka and said that they met multiple times in Gujarat after the first meeting at the World Religion Conference at the United Nations. Shri Modi called himself fortunate for seeing him during his final stages and having the privilege of knowing and understanding the Acharya closely. The Prime Minister spoke highly about Shri Goenka absorbing Vipassana deeply along with his calm and serious personality which created an atmosphere of virtuousness wherever he went. “A perfect example of ‘One Life, One Mission’, Shri Goenka had only one mission – Vipassana! He imparted the knowledge of Vipassana to everyone”, the Prime Minister said as he hailed the huge contribution to humanity and the world.

The Prime Minister pointed out that even though Vipassana is a wonderful gift of the ancient Indian way of life to the whole world, this heritage was lost for a long period in the country and the art of teaching and learning Vipassana seemed to have come to an end. However, the Prime  Minister informed that after 14 years of penance in Myanmar, Shri Goenka acquired the knowledge and returned to the homeland with Bharat’s ancient glory of Vipassana. Highlighting the importance of Vipassana, the Prime Minister said, “It is the path of self-transformation through self-observation.” While it held great relevance when it was introduced thousands of years ago, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the belief that it has become even more relevant in today’s life as it has the power to resolve the current challenges of the world. He said that because of Guruji’s efforts, more than 80 countries of the world have understood the importance of meditation and adopted it. “Acharya Shri Goenka once again gave a global identity to Vipassana. Today India is giving new expansion to that resolution with full strength”, the Prime Minister said as he recalled the support of more than 190 countries to India’s proposal of celebrating International Yoga Day in the United Nations, thereby making it a part of life globally by getting.

Even though it was India’s ancestors who researched the processes of Vipassana yoga, the Prime Minister pointed out the irony where the next generations forgot its importance. “Vipassana, Meditation, Dharana, are often considered only as matters of renunciation and people but its role was forgotten”, he added and praised eminent personalities like Acharya Shri SN Goenka for their leadership. Quoting Guru ji the Prime Minister remarked, “A healthy life is a big responsibility of all of us towards ourselves”. Highlighting the benefits of Vipassana, he said that practicing Vipassana has become even more important in today’s challenging times when the youth have become victims of stress due to work life balance, prevailing lifestyle and other issues. He emphasized it is a solution not just for them but also for the members of micro and nuclear families where elderly parents remain under a lot of stress. He also urged everyone to connect elderly people with such initiatives.

The Prime Minister further applauded Acharya Goenka’s efforts to make everyone’s life peaceful, happy and harmonious through his campaigns. He also wanted the future generations to avail the benefits of these campaigns and that is why he expanded his knowledge. He did not stop there but also created skilled teachers. The Prime Minister once again explained about Vipassana, saying that it is a journey into the soul and a way to dive deep within yourself. However, it is not just a genre but a science. He said as we are familiar with the results of this science, we now need to present its evidence to the world according to the standards of modern science. “While a lot is already being done all over the world in this direction, Bharat needs to take the lead in making it more acceptable using new research for bringing greater welfare to the world”, he added.

Concluding his address, the Prime Minister called this year of the birth centenary celebrations of Acharya SN Goenka an inspiring time for all and expressed confidence that his efforts be carried forward for human service.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for projects worth more than Rs 68,000 crore in Sambalpur, Odisha aimed at boosting the energy sector involving natural gas, coal and power generation apart from important projects of road, railway and higher education sector. Shri Modi also took a walkthrough of the IIM Sambalpur model and a photo exhibition showcased on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that today is a significant occasion for the development journey of Odisha as development projects worth approximately Rs 70,000 crores are launched today in the sectors of education, railway, roads, electricity and petroleum. PM Modi underlined that the people of Odisha belonging to the poor section, labourers, working class, business owners and farmers among all other sections of society will reap the benefits of today’s development projects. He further added that it will also create thousands of new employment opportunities for the youth of Odisha.

The Prime Minister expressed delight in announcing the government’s decision to confer the ex-deputy Prime Minister of India, Shri Lal Krishna Advani with the Bharat Ratna. PM Modi lauded the unparalleled contributions of Shri Advani as the Deputy Prime Minister, Home Minister and Information and Broadcasting Minister of India as well as decades of experience as a distinguished and loyal Member of Parliament. “Honouring Advani ji with the Bharat Ratna is a symbol that the nation never forgets those who dedicate their lives to its service”, PM Modi asserted. The Prime Minister thanked his good fortune for the love, blessings and guidance shown by Shri L K Advani upon him, and prayed for his long life as he congratulated him on behalf of all citizens.

The Prime Minister said that in order to make Odisha a hub of education, and skill development, continuous efforts have been put in by the Central government. The fate of Odisha’s youth has changed with the setting up of modern educational institutes like IISER Berhampur and Bhubaneshwar’s Institute of Chemical Technology in the last decade. Now, with the establishment of IIM Sambalpur as a modern institute of management, the state’s role is being further strengthened. He recalled laying the foundation stone of IIM (Indian Institute of Management) during the pandemic and praised those associated with its completion amidst all the obstacles.

“The goal of a Viksit Bharat can only be achieved if all the states are developed”, PM Modi remarked, as he mentioned lending maximum support to Odisha in every sector. Highlighting the efforts of the central government in the last 10 years, the Prime Minister mentioned Odisha’s petroleum and petrochemicals sector witnessing investments worth about Rs 1.25 lakh crores, the state’s railway budget getting a boost of more than 12 times, the construction of 50,000 kms of roads in Odisha’s rural areas under PM Gram Sadak Yojna and 4,000 kms of National Highways. Referring to today’s inauguration of three National Highways projects, the Prime Minister informed that interstate connectivity between Odisha and Jharkhand would reduce along with traveling distance. Noting that the region is known for its potential in mining, power and steel industries, PM Modi said that new connectivity will create possibilities for new industries in the entire region, thereby creating thousands of new employment opportunities. He also touched upon the doubling of Sambalpur-Talcher rail section and the inauguration of new rail line from Jhar-Tarbha to Sonpur section. “Subarnapur district will also connect through Puri-Sonpur Express making it easier for devotees to perform darshan of Lord Jagannath”, he said. Shri Modi mentioned that the supercritical and ultra-supercritical thermal plants inaugurated today will ensure adequate and affordable electricity for every family in Odisha.

“Odisha has greatly benefited from the policies made by the Central Government in the last 10 years”, the Prime Minister said, as he mentioned that Odisha’s income has increased 10 times after the change in mining policy. Pointing out that the earlier policy where benefits of mineral production were not available to those areas and states where mining took place, the Prime Minister asserted that the issue was addressed with the formation of the District Mineral Foundation which ensured investments in the development of the same area from income received through mining. “Odisha has so far received more than Rs 25,000 crores and the money is being used for the welfare of the people in the area where mining is taking place”. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister assured the people of Odisha that the Central Government will continue to work for the development of the state with the same dedicated spirit.

Governor of Odisha, Shri Raghubar Das, Chief Minister of Odisha, Shri Naveen Patnaik, Union  Minister of Education, and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Minister for Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw were present on the occasion among others.

Background

In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to strengthen the energy security of the country, the inauguration, dedication to the nation and foundation stone laying of multiple projects aimed at boosting the energy sector were done in the public program in Sambalpur, Odisha.

The Prime Minister inaugurated ‘Dhamra – Angul Pipeline Section’ (412 Km) of ‘Jagdishpur-Haldia & Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline Project (JHBDPL)’. Built at a cost of more than Rs 2450 crore under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga’, the project will connect Odisha with the National Gas Grid. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of ‘Nagpur Jharsuguda Natural Gas Pipeline Section’ (692 Km)’ of Mumbai-Nagpur-Jharsuguda Pipeline. The project, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 2660 crore, will improve the natural gas availability to states like Odisha, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

During the programme, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of multiple power projects worth about Rs 28,980 crore. The projects to be dedicated to nation include NTPC Darlipali Super Thermal Power Station (2×800 MW) and NSPCL Rourkela PP-II Expansion Project (1×250 MW) in Sundargarh district of Odisha. He also laid the foundation stone of NTPC Talcher Thermal Power Project, Stage-III (2×660 MW) in Angul district of Odisha. These power projects will supply low-cost power to Odisha as well as several other states.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) Talabira Thermal power project worth more than 27000 crore. Strengthening the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, this state-of-the-art project will provide reliable, affordable and round-the-clock power contributing significantly to the nation’s energy security and playing a vital role in the country’s economic growth and prosperity.

The Prime Minister inaugurated coal infrastructure projects of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited including First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects – Bhubaneswari Phase-I in Talcher Coalfields in Angul district and Lajkura Rapid Loading System (RLS). Built at a cost of about Rs. 2145 crore, these projects will boost the quality and supply of dry fuel from Odisha. The Prime Minister also inaugurated Ib Valley Washery, built at a cost of over Rs. 550 crore in Jharsuguda district of Odisha. It will mark a paradigm shift in coal processing for quality, signifying innovation and sustainability. The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation a 50 km long second track of Jharsuguda-Barpali-Sardega rail line Phase-1 built by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, with an investment of Rs 878 crore.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated three National Highways road sector projects, developed at a cumulative cost of about Rs 2110 crore. The projects include four laning of Rimuli-Koida Section of NH 215 (New NH No. 520), four laning of Biramitrapur-Brahmani Bypass end section of NH 23 (New NH No. 143) and four laning of Brahmani Bypass End-Rajamunda Section of NH 23 (New NH No. 143). These projects will enhance connectivity and also contribute towards the economic development of the region.

Further, the Prime Minister dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of railway projects worth about Rs. 2146 crore. He laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Sambalpur Railway Station, whose architecture is inspired by the Sailashree Palace. He also dedicated the Sambalpur- Talcher Doubling Railway Line (168 Kms) and Jhartarbha to Sonepur New Railway line (21.7 Kms), enhancing the rail network capacity in the region. The Prime Minister also flagged off Puri-Sonepur-Puri Weekly Express, improving connectivity for the rail passengers in the region.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur. Further, he dedicated the Jharsuguda Head Post Office Heritage Building to the nation.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed a program at India’s largest and first-of-its-kind mobility exhibition – Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi today. He also took a walkthrough of the Expo. Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024 showcases India’s capabilities across mobility and automotive value chains and will feature exhibitions, conferences, buyer-seller meets, state sessions, road safety pavilion, and public-centric attractions like go-karting.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated the automotive industry of India for the grand event and praised the efforts of the exhibitors who showcased their products in the Expo. The Prime Minister said that the organization of an event of such grandeur and scale in the country fills him with delight and confidence. Recommending the people of Delhi to come and witness the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024, the Prime Minister said that it brings the entire mobility and supply chain community on a single platform.

The Prime Minister recalled a mobility related conference from his first term and remembered his focus on battery and electric vehicles and expressed satisfaction that he could see significant progress during his second term and said that in the third term mobility will see new heights.

Reiterating the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the Prime Minister underlined the pivotal role of the mobility sector. He repeated his call that he gave from the rampart of the Red Fort that ‘Yeh Hi Samay Hai, Sahi Samay Hai’- this is the right time. “India is on the move and is moving fast”, the Prime Minister said, highlighting that the present era is the beginning of the golden period for the mobility sector. He underlined that the economy of India is expanding at a fast pace and India is set to become the third-largest economy in the world during the present government’s third term. Throwing light on the efforts of the government in the last 10 years, the prime Minister informed that approximately 25 crore people have risen out of poverty. He emphasized that when a citizen breaks out of poverty, the means of transportation be it a cycle, two-wheeler or a four-wheeler, becomes their first requirement. Touching upon the emergence of a neo-middle class, PM Modi underscored the need to fulfill the aspirations found in such economic strata which is equal to none. The Prime Minister stressed that the expanding spheres and growing income of the middle class of the country will give strength to the mobility sector of India. “The numbers of growing economy and the growing income are bound to infuse new confidence in the mobility sector”, Shri Modi said, pointing out that the number of cars sold in India rose from 12 crores to more than 21 crores from the 10 years before 2014 to after 2014, while the number of electric cars sold in India rose from 2 thousand per year 10 years ago to 12 lakh per year today. He further added that in the last 10 years, the number of passenger vehicles saw an increase of 60 percent while two-wheelers increased by 70 percent. According to the latest statistics, the Prime Minister informed that car sales in January have broken all previous records. “Mobility sector is witnessing an unprecedented atmosphere in the country and you must capitalize on it”, PM Modi urged the industry leaders present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister said that today’s India’s making new policies keeping in mind the needs of the future. Referring to the Union Budget that was presented yesterday, PM Modi informed that in 2014 India’s capital expenditure was less than 2 lakh crore and has risen to more than 11 lakh crore today. This has brought many opportunities for India’s Mobility sector, he said. This unprecedented expenditure is transforming rail, road, airport, waterway transport and all other sorts of transport. He also talked about completion of engineering marvels like Atal Tunnel to Atal Setu  in a record timeframe. 75 new airport has come up in India in the last 10 years, about 4 lakh kilometer rural roads have been laid, 90,000 km national highways have been constructed, 3500 km of high-speed corridors have been developed, 15 new cities got Metro and 25,000 rail routes have been constructed. Conversion of 40,000 rail coaches into modern Vande Bharat type bogies was announced in the Budget. These coaches when fitted in the ordinary trains will transform the Indian Railways.

The Prime Minister said that “the speed and scale of our government has changed the very definition of mobility in India”. He talked about systematic and timely completion of jobs and highlighted the steps for removing logistics bottlenecks. PM National Gati Shakti Masterplan is promoting integrated transport in the country. GIFT City regulatory framework has been worked out for aircraft and ship leasing. National Logistics policy is addressing the problems of logistics, he said. Dedicated freight corridors are bringing the costs down. Three Railway Economic corridors announced in the Union Budget will also increase the ease of transportation in the country.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the transformative impact of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in accelerating trade and abolishing check posts at state borders. Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi underscored the role of Fast-Tag technology in saving both fuel and time in the industry. “Fast-Tag technology is facilitating savings in fuel and time in the industry,” he affirmed. Citing a recent study, the Prime Minister noted that Fast-Tag technology is contributing to an annual benefit of ₹40,000 crores to the economy.

“India is now on the threshold of becoming a global economic powerhouse, with the auto and automotive component industry playing a significant role,” PM Modi  stated. Highlighting India’s stature in the global automotive market, Prime Minister Modi remarked, “Today, India is the world’s third-largest market for passenger vehicles and among the top three countries globally manufacturing commercial vehicles.” Moreover, Prime Minister Modi reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting various sectors through initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme. “For the industry, the government has introduced a Production Linked Incentive Scheme of more than ₹25,000 crores,” he said.

The Prime Minister  said that the National Electric Mobility Mission is pushing manufacturing of Electric Vehicles. The Government has invested 10 thousand crore rupees for creating demand for electric vehicles. FAME scheme has led to electric buses in the capital as well as in many other cities, he said.

Prime Minister Modi informed that a fund allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore has been made in this year’s budget to encourage research and innovation and also mentioned the decision to further expand the tax exemptions given to startups. “These decisions will create new opportunities in the mobility sector”, PM Modi said. Touching upon the most significant challenges of cost and battery in the EV industry, the Prime Minister recommended using these funds in its research.

Prime Minister Modi encouraged the industry to explore research avenues that utilize India’s abundant raw materials for battery manufacturing and delve into areas such as green hydrogen and ethanol. He said, “Why not conduct research to manufacture batteries using raw materials available in India? The auto sector should also explore research in green hydrogen and ethanol.”

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of leveraging indigenous technology for developing hybrid vessels in the shipping industry. “India’s Shipping Ministry is advancing towards making hybrid vessels using indigenous technology,” he remarked. Shri Modi also mentioned the drone sector in India getting a new flight due to startups and recommended using funds for research related to drones. He also noted the emergence of cost-effective means of transport via waterways and informed about the push by the Ministry of Shipping towards making hybrid vessels using indigenous technology.

PM Modi also drew attention towards the humane aspect of drivers in the mobility industry. And highlighted the hardships faced by truck drivers. “The Government understands the concern of truck drivers and their families”, the Prime Minister said informing about a new scheme on the works to develop modern buildings with facilities for food, clean drinking water, toilets, parking and rest for drivers on all national highways. He further added that the government is preparing to build 1,000 such buildings across the country in the first phase of this scheme. He said that it will give a boost to both the ease of living and ease of traveling for truck and taxi drivers, thereby improving their health and also help in preventing accidents.

Highlighting  the immense possibilities in the mobility sector in the next 25 years, PM Modi urged the industry to transform itself rapidly to fully utilize these possibilities. Addressing the need for technical workforce and trained drivers in the mobility Sector needs, the Prime Minister mentioned more than 15 thousand ITIs in the country providing manpower to this industry today. He also urged the industry leaders to collaborate with ITIs to make the courses more relevant according to the needs of the industry. He also touched upon the scrappage policy by the government where exemption in road tax is provided on new vehicles in exchange for scrapping of old vehicles.

The Prime Minister referred to the tagline of the expo – Beyond Boundaries and said that it showcases the spirit of India. “Today we want to break old barriers and bring the whole world together. We want to expand India’s role in the global supply chain. There is a sky of possibilities in front of the Indian Auto Industry.”, the Prime Minister asserted  as he urged to move forward with the vision of Amritkaal and make India a global leader. The Prime Minister asked the tyre industry to reduce import dependence for rubber with the cooperation of farmers. Stressing his confidence in the farmers of India, the Prime Minister advocated an integrated and holistic approach. He asked the gathering to think out of the box and think in collaboration. Mentioning the presence of all the major designing players in India, the Prime Minister called upon the industry to promote indigenous designing capabilities. Giving example of the global embrace of yoga, the Prime Minister said ‘when you believe in yourself, the world believes in you. Where your gaze falls, you should see vehicles from you, he concluded.

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Shri Narayan Rane, Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister for Heavy Industries, Shri Mahendra Nath Pandey were present on the occasion among others.

Background

With over 800 exhibitors from 50+ countries, the Expo highlights cutting-edge technologies, sustainable solutions and breakthroughs in mobility. The Expo features the participation of over 28 vehicle manufacturers, in addition to the presence of more than 600 auto component manufacturers. Over 1000 brands from over 13 global markets will showcase their products, technologies, and services at the event.

Along with the exhibition and conferences, the event also features state sessions for states to showcase regional contributions and initiatives to enable collaboration at both national and regional levels, promoting a holistic approach to mobility solutions.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Odisha and Assam on 3-4 February, 2024.

On 3rd February, at around 2:15 PM, Prime Minister will inaugurate, dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple infrastructure projects worth more than Rs. 68,000 crore during a public programme in Sambalpur, Odisha. Prime Minister will then travel to Assam. On 4th February at around 11:30 AM, Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development initiatives worth more than Rs 11,000 crore during a public programme in Guwahati.

PM in Sambalpur

In line with the Prime Minister’s vision to strengthen the energy security of the country, inauguration, dedication to nation and foundation stone laying of multiple projects aimed at boosting the energy sector will be done in the public programme in Sambalpur, Odisha.

Prime Minister will inaugurate ‘Dhamra – Angul Pipeline Section’ (412 Km) of ‘Jagdishpur-Haldia & Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline Project (JHBDPL)’. Built at a cost of more than Rs 2450 crore under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga’, the project will connect Odisha with the National Gas Grid. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of ‘Nagpur Jharsuguda Natural Gas Pipeline Section’ (692 Km)’ of Mumbai-Nagpur-Jharsuguda Pipeline. The project, which will be developed at a cost of more than Rs 2660 crore, will improve the natural gas availability to states like Odisha, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

During the programme, Prime Minister will also dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of multiple power projects worth about 28,980 crore. The projects to be dedicated to nation include NTPC Darlipali Super Thermal Power Station (2×800 MW) and NSPCL Rourkela PP-II Expansion Project (1×250 MW) in Sundargarh district of Odisha. He will also lay the foundation stone of NTPC Talcher Thermal Power Project, Stage-III (2×660 MW) in Angul district of Odisha. These power projects will supply low-cost power to Odisha as well as several other states.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) Talabira Thermal power project worth more than 27000 crore. Strengthening the Prime Minister’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, this state-of-the-art project will provide reliable, affordable and round the clock power contributing significantly to the nation’s energy security and playing a vital role in the country’s economic growth and prosperity.

Prime Minister will inaugurate coal infrastructure projects of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited including First Mile Connectivity (FMC) projects – Bhubaneswari Phase-I in Talcher Coalfields in Angul district and Lajkura Rapid Loading System (RLS). Built at a cost of about Rs. 2145 crore, these projects will boost the quality and supply of dry fuel from Odisha. Prime Minister will also inaugurate Ib Valley Washery, built at a cost of over Rs. 550 crore in Jharsuguda district of Odisha. It will mark a paradigm shift in coal processing for quality, signifying innovation and sustainability. Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation a 50 km long second track of Jharsuguda-Barpali-Sardega rail line Phase-1 built by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited, with an investment of Rs 878 crore.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate three road sector projects of National Highways, developed at a cumulative cost of about Rs 2110 crore. The projects include four laning of Rimuli-Koida Section of NH 215 (New NH No. 520), four laning of Biramitrapur-Brahmani Bypass end section of NH 23 (New NH No. 143) and four laning of Brahmani Bypass End-Rajamunda Section of NH 23 (New NH No. 143). These projects will enhance connectivity and also contribute towards economic development of the region.

Further, Prime Minister will dedicate to nation and lay the foundation stone of railway projects worth about Rs. 2146 crore. He will lay the foundation stone for redevelopment of Sambalpur Railway Station, whose architecture is inspired from the Sailashree Palace. He will also dedicate the Sambalpur- Talcher Doubling Railway Line (168 Kms) and Jhartarbha to Sonepur New Railway line (21.7 Kms), enhancing the rail network capacity in the region. Prime Minister will also flag off Puri-Sonepur-Puri Weekly Express, which will improve connectivity for the rail passengers in the region.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate the permanent campus of IIM Sambalpur. Further, he will dedicate the Jharsuguda Head Post Office Heritage Building to the nation.

PM in Guwahati

Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth Rs. 11,000 crore in Guwahati.

Providing world class amenities to people visiting pilgrimage sites has been a key focus area of the Prime Minister. In yet another step in this endeavour, one of the key projects for which foundation stone will be laid by the Prime Minister includes Maa Kamakhya Divya Pariyojana (Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor), which has been sanctioned under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE) scheme. It will provide world class amenities to pilgrims visiting the Kamakhya temple.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of multiple road upgradation projects worth over Rs. 3400 crore, under which 43 roads including 38 bridges will be upgraded as part of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Corridor Connectivity. Prime Minister will inaugurate two 4-laning projects, namely Dolabari to Jamuguri and Biswanath Chariali to Gohpur. These projects will help improve the connectivity to Itanagar and boost the overall economic development of the region.

With a view to harness the tremendous sports potential of the region, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of projects to boost the sports infrastructure in the state. The projects include an international standards sports stadium in Chandrapur, and upgradation of Nehru stadium as a FIFA standard football stadium.

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for development of infrastructure of the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital. Further, foundation stone for development of a medical college at Karimganj will also be laid by him.

My dear countrymen,

Today’s Budget, though an Interim Budget, is an inclusive and innovative Budget. This Budget carries the confidence of continuity. This Budget will empower all four pillars of ‘Viksit Bharat’ — youth, the poor, women, and farmers. Nirmala ji’s Budget is a Budget for building the future of the country. This Budget carries the guarantee of strengthening the foundation of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. I congratulate Nirmala ji and her team wholeheartedly.

Friends,

This Budget reflects Bharat’s young aspirations. Two important decisions have been taken in the Budget. A fund of Rs. 1 lakh crore has been announced for research and innovation. There has also been an announcement in the Budget to expand the tax exemption for start-ups.

Friends,

While keeping the fiscal deficit under control in this Budget, a historic high of Rs. 11 lakh 11 thousand 111 crore has been allocated for capital expenditure. In the language of economists, this is somewhat of a sweet spot. This will not only lead to the construction of 21st-century modern infrastructure in Bharat, but also create countless new opportunities for employment for the youth. In the Budget, it has been announced to manufacture 40,000 modern coaches under the ‘Vande Bharat Standard’ and induct them in regular passenger trains. This will enhance the experience of comfortable travel for millions of passengers on different railway routes across the country.

Friends,

We set a big goal, achieve it, and then set an even bigger goal for ourselves. We have built more than 4 crore houses for the poor in villages and cities. Now we have set a goal of building 2 crore more new houses. Our initial goal was to make 2 crore women ‘Lakhpati Didis’. Now, this goal has been increased to making 3 crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’. The Ayushman Bharat scheme has greatly helped the poor. Now, Anganwadi and ASHA workers will also benefit from this scheme.

Friends,

In this Budget, significant emphasis has been placed on empowering the poor and middle class, creating new income opportunities for them. Under the Rooftop Solar campaign, one crore families will receive free electricity through solar rooftop panels. Not only this, people will also earn an additional income of 15 to 20 thousand rupees annually by selling surplus electricity to the government. This income will be available to every family.

Friends,

The announcement of the income tax remission scheme today will provide significant relief to nearly one crore middle-class individuals. Previous governments had burdened the common man with a heavy sword hanging over their heads for decades. Today, crucial and significant decisions have also been made for the farmers in this Budget. Whether it’s the use of Nano DAP, a new scheme for livestock, expansion of the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, or the Aatmanirbhar Oil Seed Abhiyan, farmers’ income will increase, and there will be considerable reduction in expenses. Once again, I extend my best wishes to all citizens for this historic Budget. Thank you very much.

The Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, while presenting the Interim Union Budget for 2024-2025 in Parliament today announced that the capital expenditure outlay for the next year is being increased by 11.1 per cent to Rs 11,11,111 crore, which would be  3.4 per cent of the GDP.

She said, this is in the wake of building on the massive tripling of the capital expenditure outlay in the past 4 years resulting in huge multiplier impact on economic growth and employment creation.

As per the First Advance Estimates of National Income of FY 2023-24, presented along with the Finance Minister’s speech, India’s Real GDP is projected to grow at 7.3 per cent. This is also in line with the upward revision in growth projections for FY2023-24 by the RBI (in its December 2023 Monetary Policy Committee meeting) from 6.5 per cent to 7 per cent, prompted by strong growth in Q2 of FY2023-24.

Indian economy has demonstrated resilience and maintained healthy macro-economic fundamentals, despite global economic challenges. The International Monetary Fund (IMF), in its World Economic Outlook (WEO), October 2023, has revised its growth projection for India for FY2023-24 upwards to 6.3 per cent from 6.1 per cent projected in July 2023. This reflects increasing global confidence in India’s economic prowess at a time when global growth projection for 2023 remains unchanged at 3 per cent.

As per the IMF, India is likely to become the third-largest economy in 2027 (in USD at market exchange rate) and it also estimated that India’s contribution to global growth will rise by 200 basis points in 5 years. Moreover, various international agencies such as the World Bank, the IMF, OECD and ADB project India to grow between 6.4 per cent, 6.3 per cent, 6.1 per cent and 6.7 per cent, respectively in 2024-25.

The Finance Minister stated that strong growth in economic activity has imparted buoyancy to revenue collections and pointed out that GST collection stood at ₹1.65 lakh crore in December 2023.This is the seventh-time that gross GST revenues have crossed ₹1.6 lakh crore benchmark.

She said, coming to 2024-25, the total receipts other than borrowings and the total expenditure are estimated at Rs 30.80 and 47.66 lakh crore respectively. The tax receipts are estimated at Rs 26.02 lakh crore.

In a major announcement, the Finance Minister said, the scheme of fifty-year interest free loan for capital expenditure to states will be continued this year with total outlay of Rs1.3 lakh crore. A provision of seventy-five thousand crore rupees as fifty-year interest free loan is proposed this year to support the milestone-linked reforms of Viksit Bharat by the State Governments.

Referring to the fiscal consolidation, as announced in her Budget Speech for 2021-22, to reduce fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent by 2025-26, Smt Sitharaman said, the fiscal deficit in
2024-25 is estimated to be 5.1 per cent of GDP, adhering to that path.

Similarly, the gross and net market borrowings through dated securities during 2024-25 are estimated at Rs 14.13 and 11.75 lakh crore respectively and both will be less than that in 2023-24.

Pointing out at some of the bright spots of the economy, the Finance Minister informed that the  Revised Estimate of the total receipts other than borrowings is Rs 27.56 lakh crore, of which the tax receipts are Rs 23.24 lakh crore. The Revised Estimate of the total expenditure is Rs 44.90 lakh crore.  The revenue receipts at Rs 30.03 lakh crore are expected to be higher than the Budget Estimate, reflecting strong growth momentum and formalization in the economy.

Smt Sitharaman also stated that the gross and net market borrowings through dated securities during 2024-25 are estimated at Rs14.13 and 11.75 lakh crore respectively and both will be less than that in 2023-24.

She announced that the FDI inflow during 2014-23 was USD 596 billion marking a golden era and this is twice the inflow during 2005-14.
For encouraging sustained foreign investment, we are negotiating bilateral investment treaties with our foreign partners, in the spirit of ‘first develop India’, the Finance Minister added

Smt Nirmala Sithraman said, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi firmly believes and focused  on four major castes. They are, ‘Garib’ (Poor), ‘Mahilayen’ (Women), ‘Yuva’ (Youth) and  ‘Annadata’(Farmer). She said, their needs, their aspirations, and their welfare are government’s highest priority, because the country progresses, when they progress.

Smt Nirmala Sitharaman elaborated that this government’s humane and inclusive approach to development is a marked and deliberate departure from the earlier approach of ‘provisioning up-to-village level’. Development programmes, in the last ten years, have targeted each and every household and individual, through ‘housing for all’, ‘hargharjal’, electricity for all, cooking gas for all, bank accounts and financial services for all, in record time, she added.

The Finance Minister stressed that this Government is working with an approach to development that is all-round, all-pervasive and all-inclusive (सर्वांगीण, सर्वस्पर्शी और सर्वसमावेशी). It covers all castes and people at all levels. She said, “We are working to make India a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. For achieving that goal, we need to improve people’s capability and empower them”.

She also pointed out, “Previously, social justice was mostly a political slogan. For our Government, social justice is an effective and necessary governance model”.

The Finance Minister announced amidst thumping of desks that the Indian economy has witnessed profound positive transformation in the last ten years and the people of India are looking ahead to the future with hope and optimism. She added, “Conditions were created for more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. The economy got a new vigour. The fruits of development started reaching the people at scale. The country got a new sense of purpose and hope”.

The Finance Minister informed that with the pursuit of ‘SabkakaSaath’ in these 10 years, the Government has assisted 25 crore people to get freedom from multi-dimensional poverty and the  Government’s efforts are now getting synergized with energy and passion of such empowered people.

She informed that PM Mudra Yojana has sanctioned 43 crore loans aggregating to Rs 22.5 lakh crore for entrepreneurial aspirations. It may be mentioned that thirty crore Mudra Yojana loans have been given to women entrepreneurs.

The Interim Budget contains a number of announcements and strategies indicating directions and development approach for making India Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Making a slew of announcements, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman said, the Government will pay utmost attention to make the eastern region and its people a powerful driver of India’s growth, PM Awas Yojana (Grameen) is close to achieving the target of three crore houses and two crore more houses will be taken up in the next five years to meet the requirement arising from increase in the number of families.  Similarly, through rooftop solarization, one crore households will be enabled to obtain up to 300 units free electricity every month.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana has benefitted 38 lakh farmers and generated 10 lakh employment. Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Yojana has assisted 2.4 lakh SHGs and sixty thousand individuals with credit linkages.

Smt Nirmala Sitharaman announced that for our tech savvy youth, this will be a golden era, as a corpus of rupees one lakh crore will be established with
fifty-year interest free loan. She said, the corpus will provide long-term financing or refinancing with long tenors and low or nil interest rates. This will also encourage the private sector to scale up research and innovation significantly in sunrise domains, she added

For Railways, three major economic railway corridor programmes will be implemented-energy, mineral and cement corridors, port connectivity corridors, and high traffic density corridors. Moreover, forty thousand normal rail bogies will be converted to the Vande Bharat standards to enhance safety, convenience and comfort of passengers.

On Aviation Sector, the number of airports have doubled to 149 and today five hundred and seventeen new routes are carrying 1.3 crore passengers. Indian carriers have pro-actively placed orders for over 1000 new aircrafts.

Smt Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the Government will form a high-powered committee for an extensive consideration of the challenges arising from fast population growth and demographic changes and the committee will be mandated to make recommendations for addressing these challenges comprehensively in relation to the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

The Finance Minister pointed out that Prime Minister in his Independence Day address to the nation, in the 75th year of our Republic said, “we commit ourselves to national development, with new inspirations, new consciousness, new resolutions, as the country opens up immense possibilities and opportunities”. It is our ‘KartavyaKaal’. She said, “Every challenge of the pre-2014 era was overcome through our economic management and our governance and these have placed the country on a resolute path of sustained high growth”.

Smt Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized, “This has been possible through our right policies, true intentions, and appropriate decisions. In the full budget in July, our Government will present a detailed roadmap for our pursuit of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

PART-B SUMMARY

No change relating to taxation has been proposed in the Interim Budget. The same rates for direct taxes and indirect taxes, including import duties, have been retained. However, to provide continuity in taxation, certain tax benefits to Start-Ups and investments made by sovereign wealth or pension funds as also tax exemptions on certain income of some IFC units have been extended by one year up to 31st March, 2025.

Withdrawal of Outstanding direct tax demands

Smt. Sitharaman made an announcement to improve tax payer services  which is in line with the government’s vision to improve ease of living and ease of doing business. There are a large number of petty, non-verified, non-reconciled or disputed direct tax demands, many of them dating as far back as the year 1962, which continue to remain on the books, causing anxiety to honest tax payers and hindering refunds of subsequent years. The Interim Budget proposes to withdraw such outstanding direct tax demands up to Rs. 25000/- pertaining to the period up to financial year 2009-10 and up to Rs. 10,000/- for financial years 2010-11 to 2014-15. This is expected to benefit about a crore tax payers.

Direct tax collections trebled

Appreciating the tax payers for their support, Smt. Sitharaman said that over the last 10 years the direct tax collections have more than trebled and the return filers swelled to 2.4 times. She highlighted the fact the Government has reduced and rationalised the tax rates due to which under the new tax regime there is no tax liability for tax payers with income up to Rs. 7 lakh. She also mentioned about increase in threshold for presumptive taxation for retail businesses as well as professionals. The Minister also mentioned about decrease in corporate tax rates for existing domestic companies from 30% to 22%, and for certain new manufacturing companies to 15%. In her Interim Budget speech, the Minister said that in the last 5 years the Government’s focus has been to improve tax-payer services which has led to transformation of age-old jurisdiction-based assessment system, and filing of tax returns has been made simpler and easier. Average processing time of returns has been reduced from 93 days in the year 2013-14 to a mere ten days this year, thereby making refunds faster, she added.

GST reduced compliance burden

On indirect taxes, the Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman said that GST has reduced the compliance burden on trade and industry by unifying the highly fragmented indirect tax regime in India. Mentioning about a recent survey conducted by a leading consulting firm, she said that 94% of industry leaders view the transition to GST as largely positive. In her Interim Budget speech, the Minister highlighted the fact that tax base of GST has more than doubled and average monthly gross GST collection has almost doubled to Rs. 1.66 lakh crore this year. States too have benefited. States’ SGST revenue, including compensation released to states, in the post-GST period of 2017-18 to 2022-23, has achieved a buoyancy of 1.22. The Minister said that the biggest beneficiaries are the consumers as reduction in logistics cost and taxes have brought down prices of most goods and services. Mentioning about a number of steps taken in customs to facilitate international trade, Smt. Sitharaman said the import release time declined by 47 per cent to 71 hours at Inland Container Depots, by 28 per cent to 44 hours at air cargo complexes and by 27 per cent to 85 hours at sea ports, over the last four years since 2019.

Laying of White Paper

On the status of Indian economy, the Union Minister said that in 2014 the responsibility to mend the economy step by step and to put the Governance systems in order was enormous, which she said was done by the Government sucessfully following its strong belief of ‘nation-first’. She assured that the crisis of those years has been overcome and economy has been put firmly on a high sustainable growth path with all-round development. She announced that the Government will come out with a white paper, on ‘where we were then till 2014 and where we are now, only for the purpose of drawing lessons from the mismanagement of those years’.