The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi participated in Khadi Utsav at the Sabarmati River Front, Ahmedabad today. Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel, Member of Parliament, Shri C R Patil, State Minister, Shri Harsh Sanghvi and Shri Jagdish Panchal, Mayor of Ahmedabad, Shri Kiritbhai Parmar and Chairman of KVIC, Shri Manoj Kumar were those present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister recalled his personal connection with Charkha and remembered his childhood when his mother used to work on Charkha. He said, “The bank of Sabarmati has become blessed today as on the occasion of 75 years of independence, 7,500 sisters and daughters have created history by spinning yarn on a spinning wheel together.” He added that spinning on charkha is nothing short of worship.

He noted the technology and design excellence of the ‘Atal Bridge’ that he inaugurated today. He said that the bridge is a tribute to Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was always loved and revered by the people of Gujarat. “Atal Bridge is not only connecting the two banks of the Sabarmati river, but it is also unprecedented in design and innovation. The famous kite festival of Gujarat has also been taken care of in its design”, he said. Shri Modi also noted the enthusiasm with which the Har Ghar Tiranga campaign was observed in India. He said celebrations here reflected not only the patriotic feeling but also reflected the resolve for a modern and developed India. “Your hands, while spinning yarn on the Charkha are weaving the fabric of India”, he added.

The Prime Minister said, “History bears witness that a thread of Khadi became the force of freedom movement, it broke the chains of slavery.” He further added that the same thread of Khadi can become a source of inspiration to fulfil the promise of a developed India and thereby fulfilling the dream of a self-reliant India. “A traditional strength like Khadi can take us to new heights”, he said. This Khadi Utsav is an effort to revive the spirit and history of the freedom movement and an inspiration to achieve the resolutions of New India, he added.

He recalled his Panch-Prans that he proclaimed on 15th August, from the Red Fort. “At this holy place, on the banks of Sabarmati, I want to repeat the Pancha-Pranas. First – the great goal in front of the country, the goal of making a developed India. Second – the complete abandonment of the slavery mentality. Third – taking pride in our heritage, Fourth- making strong efforts to increase the unity of the nation, and Fifth- civic duty. He said that today’s Khadi Utsav is a beautiful reflection of the ‘Panch Prans’.

The Prime Minister dwelled on the neglect of Khadi in the period after independence. “At the time of the freedom movement, Khadi, which Gandhiji made the symbol of the country’s self-respect, was infused with an inferiority complex after independence. Because of this, Khadi and the village industry associated with Khadi were completely destroyed. This condition of Khadi was very painful, especially for Gujarat”, he said. He expressed pride that the task of reviving Khadi took place on the land of Gujarat. The Prime Minister emphasised the pledge by the Government of ‘Khadi for Transformation’ to ‘Khadi for Nation, Khadi for Fashion’. He said, “We started spreading the Gujarat success experiences across the country.” The problems which were related to Khadi across the country were resolved. We encouraged countrymen to buy Khadi products. The Prime Minister also acknowledged the contribution of women in the process of revival of Khadi. “Women power is also a major contributor to the growing strength of India’s Khadi industry. The spirit of entrepreneurship is ingrained in our sisters and daughters. The proof of this is also the expansion of Sakhi Mandals in Gujarat”, he added. He informed that in the last 8 years, sales of Khadi increased four times and for the first time, the Khadi and Gramodyog turnover crossed one lakh crore. The sector created 1.75 crore new jobs also.  He said that the financial inclusion schemes like Mudra Yojana are boosting entrepreneurship.

Highlighting the benefits of Khadi, the Prime Minister said that it is an example of sustainable clothing, eco-friendly clothing and it has the least carbon footprint. There are many countries where the temperature is high, Khadi is also very important from the point of view of health. Hence, Khadi can play a huge role at the global level. He said this in sync with the growing trend of back to basic and sustainable living at the global level.

The Prime Minister appealed to the people of the country to gift only the products made in Khadi Village Industries in the upcoming festive period. “You can have clothes made of different types of fabrics. But if you give place to Khadi in that, then the Vocal for Local campaign will gain momentum”, the Prime Minister said.

Recalling that in the past decades, India’s own prosperous toy industry was getting destroyed in the race for foreign toys, the Prime Minister highlighted that with the efforts of the government and the hard work of our brothers and sisters associated with the toy industries, the situation has now started changing. As a result, there is a huge decline in the import of toys.

The Prime Minister also asked people to watch the ‘Swaraj’ serial on Doordarshan. The serial depicts the story of the great freedom fighters and their struggle in great detail. Families should watch the series in order to understand and know about the sacrifice of our forefathers for our independence.

Khadi Utsav

It has been a constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to popularise Khadi, generate awareness about Khadi products and promote the use of Khadi amongst youth. As a result of the efforts of the Prime Minister, since 2014, the sale of Khadi in India has witnessed a four-fold increase, whereas, in Gujarat, the sale of Khadi has witnessed a massive eightfold increase.

In a one of its kind event being held as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Khadi Utsav is being organized to pay tribute to khadi and its importance during the freedom struggle. The Utsav will be organised at Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad and will witness 7500 women khadi artisans from various districts of Gujarat spinning charkha live at the same time and at the same place. The event will also feature an exhibition showcasing the “Evolution of Charkhas” by displaying 22 Charkhas from different generations used since the 1920s. It will include charkhas like “Yerwada Charkha” which symbolises the charkhas used during the freedom struggle, to the charkhas with the latest innovations and technology used today. A live demonstration of the production of Ponduru Khadi was also done. During the event, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the new office building of the Gujarat Rajya Khadi Gramodyog Board and ‘Atal Bridge’, a foot-over bridge at Sabarmati.

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav inspected the beach infrastructure facilities at the Eden Beach, Puducherry early morning today. A one-day beach clean-up campaign has also been organised at Promenade Beach , Puducherry.

Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav inspected the Beach infrastructure facilities, the safety and risk measures taken for the safety of the beach users and interacted with the Officials of the Government of Puducherry, the beach maintenance team, and the tourists at the Eden Blue Flag Beach.

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Shri Bhupender Yadav led the Beach Cleaning and Awareness Campaign along with Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Dr.Tamilisai Soundararajan and the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Puducherry Thiru. N. Rangaswamy.

The  Campaign at the Promenade beach was marked by taking a Pledge on “I Am Saving My Beach”by school children and beach users in English and Tamil. This was followed by a prize distribution for the painting competition held on the occasion. The dignitaries flagged off a walkathon by 100 school students, cyclists and a float on “Connecting with the Ocean”.  A large beach cleaning campaign involving over 200 children from various schools at Puducherry, NCC Cadets, Scouts and Guides was held at the Promenade Beach, along with officials of the Government of Puducherry and the general beach users.  The primary objective of the campaign is to create an awareness among the public who live along the beaches and coast for a “clean coast and safe seas”.

“Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence and the glorious history of it’s

“Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar/Clean Coast, Safe Sea” Campaign, is a 75-day citizen-led initiative, aimed at improving the coastal and ocean health via community action. The campaign began on July 5, 2022, and will culminate on 17^Th September 2022 – International Coastal Clean-up Day.

The three strategic underlying objective of the Campaign is to alter and save the environment through behaviour change. The campaign’s three overarching goals are:

1. Consume Responsibly,

2. Separate waste at home, and

3. Dispose of waste responsibly.

The campaign is spearheaded by Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in partnership of Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Indian Coast Guard, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), other central ministries/organisation and other social organizations and educational institutions.

The coastal clean-up campaign is being taken at 75 beaches along the coast line of with average 75 volunteers for every kilometre of coastline. National conference and workshop on conservation of Coastal Ecosystem, marine environment, safe beach, waste management, are being conducted.

Awareness through community participation involving school children, Scouts, NCC cadets, NSS volunteers, NGOs and beach users are also being organised at various beaches and coastal area during the campaign period.

The objective is to target lifestyle and behavioural changes that promote environmental sustainability, in line with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Global initiative on ‘Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) Movement; calling for human centric and collective efforts to strengthen sustainable development.

Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India, has launched a scheme to certify Indian beaches in the country as ‘Blue Flag’. This certification is given by an international organisation “Foundation for Environment Education, Denmark” and is based on 33 stringent criteria divided into four major categories: (i) environmental education and information, (ii) bathing water quality, (iii) environment management and conservation, and (iv) beach safety and services. The ‘Blue Flag’ beach is an Eco-tourism model that aims to give tourists and beach-goers with clean and sanitary bathing water, facilities and amenities, a safe and healthy environment, and long-term eco-development of the area.Among the first set of 8 beaches, the EDEN BEACH at Puducherry is a certified Blue Flag Beach, since September 2020.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said in Jammu today that “Waste to Wealth” is emerging as a new avenue for StartUp in India.

The Minister was addressing National Seminar on “Waste to Wealth” organised under “Ek Kaam Desh ke Naam” programme, at which Industry leaders from all over India, from Kerala to Haryana and Gujarat to Odisha, were felicitated for having excelled in using latest technologies for waste to wealth conversion to generate business, livelihood and new opportunities for StartUps. The organising team was led by Delhi BJP Vice President Rajiv Babbar, a group of former senior retired bureaucrats, scientists and activists.

Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to Amrit Kaal and said next 25 years will see a sudden surge in India’s economy and this will happen through the utilisation of resources which have either remained unexplored in the past or which could not be utilised because of the lack of technology to re-use the waste products.

Referring to PM Modi’s call for “Swachhta” in his Independence Day address and also Modi’s leading role in all the international movements related to climate concerns, Dr Jitendra Singh said, waste to wealth methodology serves the dual purpose of not only keeping the environment clean but also creating wealth out of elements which otherwise pollute the environment. He made an interesting disclosure during the Swachhata campaign held in October last year to commemorate the Gandhi Jayanti, the cleaning of Govt of India offices in New Delhi and subsequent disposal of electronic scrap from discarded mobile phones, computers, etc. had generated revenue of over Rs.62 crores when it was taken to the market.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, there is need to create awareness about several waste products which can generate income without much effort and in this regard he referred to the use of cooked oil from the kitchen which could be sold off at the rate of around Rs.20 per litre to the industry which had the technology to convert it into alternative fuel. Similarly, he referred to Fly Ash produced through combustion of coal which could be utilised for making bricks for construction etc. All these, he said, were new resources of livelihood, simply through optimum utilisation of waste products.

Dr Jitendra Singh emphasised close integration of industry with scientific research in order to ensure sustainable StartUps. He lauded the efforts made through this programme today in which representatives of industry as well as senior scientists from CSIR, Ministry of Science & Technology as well as young students and potential StratUps participated.

Innovation, entrepreneurship, science and technology, Research skills and good practices constitute knowledge and turning knowledge into wealth is the future of the country, said Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari while addressing the convocation ceremony of All India Institute of Local Self Government held in Mumbai today.

President of All India Institute of Local Self Governance Ranjit Chavan, Director General Dr. Jayaraj Phatak, Vice President Rajkishore Modi, members of the governing body of the organization Vijay Sane, Govind Swaroop, Ravi Guru, Utkarsha Kavali, Sneha Palanitkar were present on this occasion.

Minister expressed the belief that the students graduating today will work for the country and society through their respective fields by using the knowledge they have obtained. He said that it is necessary to combine technology and education as technology is constantly changing all over the world.

Shri Gadkari said that to make the projects of Local self government bodies qualitatively better, it is high time we engaged the Project Management Consultancy Organizations of world-class standard, and for that, technical parameters should be given more weightage than financial qualifications. He expressed the opinion that unless this happens, there will be little improvement in the administration of municipal bodies. Minister said that in order to improve the performance of the municipalities, it is equally necessary to do performance audit along with the financial audit.

Minister said that there is a need for financial empowerment of the local self-governing bodies, especially the municipal corporations, by using technology. Technology can be utilised to provide services like road construction, waste management, water treatment, and 24-hour water supply in the best way. This will not only save money but will also earn revenue. As an example Minister said that by making public transport fully electric, a lot of money will be saved.

“Local self-government bodies should not rely only  on government grants for projects, but should also adopt the option of working through public private sector partnership. There is a huge opportunity for that in every field. Public private sector partnership in solid and liquid waste management can generate an economy of Rs 5 lakh crore, minister added.” In this context, Gadkari gave examples of projects implemented in Mathura and Nagpur Municipal Corporation for sewage management.

The minister also said that making bio-ethanol from crop residue will not only create fuel but will also curb pollution due to burning crop residues.

Union Minister of Education and Skill Development Shri Dharmendra Pradhan along with Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena presented certificates to NDMC workers for completing Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program in Delhi . Shri Naresh Kumar, chief secretary of Delhi, Shri Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, MSDE, Shri Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, chairperson, NDMC, Shri Ved Mani Tiwari, COO, NSDC and other officials.

To augment skill training in the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) jurisdiction, 900 candidates were trained in the month of August under Skill India Mission for completing the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme. The initiative is co-funded by NDMC and Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) programme, a World Bank project under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). The initiative was launched by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the strategic implementation and knowledge partner of MSDE and was inaugurated by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena on August 5^th, 2022, and aims to upskill 25,000 workers in the first phase.

Congratulating all candidates on the occasion, Shri Pradhan said the initiative by NSDC and NDMC, under the guidance of Lt. Gov. of Delhi, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, is yet another step in the direction to transform India into a $5 trillion economy. As we move ahead with the resolve to fulfil the goal of Viksit Bharat, skill development assumes a critical role. Such initiatives play a crucial role in enabling the workforce to contribute to nation-building and making India Aatmanirbhar. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined ‘Panch Pran’ for all citizens during the Amrit Kaal, we need to increase the productivity of our workforce to make India an economic superpower.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena, Lt. Gov. of Delhi congratulated all the 900 skilled trainees in different sectors and said that the RPL certificates will help them reach new height in their careers. He also stressed on the importance of upskilling the traditional artisans to achieve a holistic approach towards creating a robust skill development system. He further praised the importance of increase women participation in the workforce and appealed to women to come forward and join the upskilling programmes for increasing their employability.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a process used to evaluate a person’s existing skill sets, knowledge and experience gained either by working on-the-job or learning over the years. Under this programme, the workers will be upskilled in multiple trades across construction, electrical, plumbing, pottery, handicrafts and more. The first phase of the programme will focus on upskilling 25,000 people in multiple job sectors, by November 2022, while 5,000 people will be upskilled through the entrepreneurship program in the second phase and 45,000 people will be upskilled in the third phase.

A mandatory orientation of 12 hours is provided to all beneficiaries comprising domain-specific training, familiarization with process of assessment, and orientation on tech-based soft skills and entrepreneurship, under the initiative.

The minister also highlighted that skill development has become aspirational today and it’s imperative to move beyond traditional trades. India is one of the largest digital payments markets in the world, we need to embrace digitisation like never before and learn new skills like Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Automation, Robotics, etc.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Tanzanian Minister of Defence and National Service Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax in New Delhi on August 26, 2022. A wide range of issues concerning bilateral, regional and defence industrial cooperation were discussed during the meeting. The two Ministers reviewed the existing military-to-military activities and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in all domains with a focus on defence industry cooperation.

Both the Ministers agreed to the formation of a Task Force to prepare a Five Year Future Road map for enhancing defence cooperation between both the countries and to hold the next Joint Defence Cooperation meeting in Tanzania at an early date. The Raksha Mantri also invited his Tanzanian counterpart to the India-Africa Defence Dialogue and DefExpo which is scheduled to be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat between 18-22 October, 2022.

Earlier in the day, the Tanzanian Minister of Defence and National Service visited the National War Memorial and paid homage to the fallen heroes by laying wreath at the monument. She was accorded a Ceremonial Guard of Honour before her bilateral meeting with Shri Rajnath Singh.

Dr Tax would be visiting Wargaming Development Centre and Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region before departing for Hyderabad for interaction with the Indian Defence Industries.

The 38^th Meeting of Ministerial level Joint Rivers Commission of India and Bangladesh was held in New Delhi on 25^th August, 2022. The Indian delegation was led by Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Jal Shakti. The Bangladesh delegation was led by Mr. Zaheed Farooque, State Minister for Water Resources.  Mr. AKM Enamul Hoque Shameem, Deputy Minister for Water Resources was also part of the Bangladesh delegation. The meeting assumes significance as it was held after a long gap of 12 years, though the technical interactions under the framework of JRC have continued in the intervening period. The meeting was preceded by Water Resources Secretary-level interaction on Tuesday, 23^rd August, 2022.

The discussions during this bilateral meeting were held on a number of ongoing bilateral issues of mutual interest including river water sharing of common rivers, sharing of flood data, addressing river pollution, conducting joint studies on sedimentation management, river bank protection works etc.  Both sides finalized the text of MoU on Interim Water Sharing of Kushiyara river. Both sides also welcomed finalization of the design and location of water intake point on the Feni River to meet the drinking water needs of Sabroom town in Tripura as per the October 2019 India -Bangladesh MoU on this subject.

One of the important areas of cooperation, where India has been assisting Bangladesh, is sharing of real time flood data. India has recently extended the period of flood data sharing beyond 15^th October to help Bangladesh address unforeseen flood events.

India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers, of which 7 rivers have been identified earlier for developing framework of water sharing agreements on priority. During the meeting, it has been agreed to widen this area of ongoing cooperation by including 8 more rivers for data exchange. The matter will be further discussed at the Technical Level Committee of JRC.

The Joint Rivers Commission of India and Bangladesh was constituted in the year 1972 as a bilateral mechanism to address issues of mutual interest on common / border / transboundary rivers.

National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad – an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India organized its 6^th Convocation 2022 ceremony to award degrees and medals to successful students of Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Agri-Business Management) – PGDM (ABM) in Hyderabad today.

The Chief Guest for the Convocation was Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, and Shri Manoj Ahuja, Secretary (A&FW), GoI was the Guest of Honour.

202 students from three PGDM (ABM) batches from the academic years 2018–22 received their diplomas. 9 Students from three consecutive batches of PGDM (ABM) received gold, silver and bronze medals. Also, 3 exceptional Alumni of PGDM (ABM) who have been contributing immensely to the farming community through their Agri-Ventures received awards on the occasion. In addition, 6 students from PGDAEM and 3 students from PGDAWM programs also received medals.

Addressing the students, Shri Tomar said there is a need to change the concept of agriculture. In the era of climate change, there is a need to rework the strategy including studying changes in the cropping pattern.

“The government under the leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi aims at enriching Agriculture through various schemes including the incorporation of technology. Continuous initiatives are being undertaken to raise the income of farmers. In this endeavour of bringing prosperity to agriculture and farmers, students can also contribute significantly towards the country by devoting time to farming while discharging their responsibilities,” he said.

Shri Tomar said that the students of MANAGE will feel pride in serving the farming community and contribute significantly in making AatmaNirbhar Bharat, a self-reliant India.

“India is an agricultural predominant country. We have not only accepted the primacy and priority of agriculture, but also proved its resilience in adversity and the most unfavourable conditions. The irony is that agriculture is still dependent on climate. Even if the farmer toils, government supports with subsidy, provides fertilizer, power and irrigation resulting in a blossoming crop, but if the wrath of nature strikes, then the crop may get diseased, there may be hail or frost, flood damage may occur. However, under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the loss to farmers is compensated, but today there is a need to change the situation. How technology can be increased in the field of agriculture, how to save farmers from loss, how their incomes can be increased, how to attract the new generation towards agriculture, – the government is working on all these issues. Many schemes including Digital Agriculture Mission have been launched, Agri Startups will also be promoted further,” he said.

The Union Minister said that the work of managing the training of farmers is successful and of high quality. “There are institutes that provide education with quality and proficiency. Students here make a bright career, they should express gratitude to their institutions,” he said.

Shri Tomar said that today a multi-functional facility has also been inaugurated in MANAGE, named after Acharya Chanakya. “Realising the importance of agribusiness education, it has been decided that the seats in PGDM course of MANAGE (ABM) are being raised from 60 to 100. MANAGE students should feel proud while serving the farming community and about your role in developing an AatmaNirbhar Bharat is essential. Along with your regular jobs, you must give time to serve the wellbeing of the farmers of our country,” he said.

In his address, Dr. P. Chandra Shekara, Director General of MANAGE, said, “Apart from ongoing training, research consultancy, policy support and various GoI schemes like AC&ABC, DAESI, STRY and RAFTAAR, we also take up many other activities which put India on the path of being a global leader in agriculture. We also look forward to our students becoming agricultural attaches in Indian Embassies across the world to expand Indian Agriculture beyond borders. And in the future MANAGE will strive to improve the quality and standards of agribusiness education in more than 200 organizations in India.”

On the occasion, Shri Manoj Ahuja also presented awards to the meritorious students.  The Convocation 2022 was attended by MANAGE Faculties, staff and parents of the students who received awards and medals on the occasion.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today called for linking Start-Ups with Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector and said that the Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking all measures including necessary policy changes to strengthen the MSME.

Addressing the 8^th India International MSME & StartUp Summit and Expo, as chief guest, Dr Jitendra Singh said, this sector has played an important role in shaping the Atma Nirbhar Bharat and added that the government has substantially increased the budget in the last eight years to strengthen the MSME sector. The Minister also informed that the government is encouraging unique local products to reach the global markets and, in the process, strengthening the Indian economy.

Dr Jitendra Singh reminded the audience about the commitment of the Modi government for making MSMEs globally competitive and quoted Prime Minister’s Independence Day Address delivered on 15^th of this month as saying, “I also call upon the private sector to come forward. We have to dominate the world. One of the dreams of a self-reliant India is to ensure that India does not lag behind in fulfilling the needs of the world. Even if it is the MSMEs we have to take our products to the world with ‘Zero Defect – Zero Effect’. We have to be proud of Swadeshi”.

Referring to the introductory remarks of Rajnish Goenka, Chairman, MSME-DF, wherein he said that the MSMEs account for almost one-third of India’s economy and over 11 crore people are connected with the sector, Dr Jitendra Singh said, even the Union Budget 2022-23 has presented a comprehensive package of policy announcements aimed at supporting the recovery of MSME, hit hard by COVID pandemic.

Dwelling on the theme of India@100, Amrit Kaal-Opportunities for Youth, Dr Jitendra Singh said, today Indian youth is impatient to turn their dreams into ideas and ideas into reality and the launch of Startup India in 2015 by Prime Minister Modi had opened floodgates of opportunities for them. The Minister also gave the example of the Purple Revolution in Jammu and Kashmir, which transformed the lives of farming community beyond imagination by adopting to highly remunerative lavender cultivation.

Dr Jitendra Singh was pleasantly surprised to find huge number of Agri MSME stalls and pointed out that a new wave of Agritech start-ups has emerged in the country in the last few years and these start-ups are solving problems related to supply chain management, improper infrastructure and inability of farmers to access a wider range of markets. He also said that young entrepreneurs are now quitting their jobs in the IT sector and MNCs to establish their own startups, as these young entrepreneurs are now beginning to realise that investing in agriculture is one of the very few safe and profitable businesses.

Dr. Jitendra Singh concluded by saying that one can’t visualise India @2047 through the prism of 2022. He said, Narender Modi’s 8 years as Prime Minister gave India vision for 2047 and laid the roadmap for the next 25 years of Amrit Kal which would witness the ascent of India as a front-rank nation in the world.

Earlier, Dr Jitendra Singh visited the different stalls of the 8^th India International MSME & StartUp Expo and interacted with some of the MSME entrepreneurs.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat on 27th and 28th August. At around 5:30 PM on 27th August, Prime Minister will address Khadi Utsav at Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad. At around 10 AM on 28th August, Prime Minister will inaugurate Smriti Van Memorial in Bhuj. Thereafter, at around 12 noon, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate various developmental projects in Bhuj. At around 5 PM, Prime Minister will address a programme in Gandhinagar, marking the commemoration of 40 years of Suzuki in India.

Khadi Utsav

It has been a constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to popularise Khadi, generate awareness about Khadi products and promote the use of Khadi amongst youth. As a result of the efforts of the Prime Minister, since 2014, sale of Khadi in India has witnessed a four fold increase, whereas in Gujarat, the sale of Khadi has witnessed a massive eight fold increase.

In a one of its kind event being held as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Khadi Utsav is being organized to pay tribute to khadi and its importance during the freedom struggle. The Utsav will be organized at Sabarmati Riverfront, Ahmedabad and will witness 7500 women khadi artisans from various districts of Gujarat spinning charkha live at the same time and at the same place. The event will also feature an exhibition showcasing the “Evolution of Charkhas” by displaying 22 Charkhas from different generations used since 1920s. It will include charkhas like “Yerwada Charkha” which symbolises the charkhas used during the freedom struggle, to the charkhas with latest innovations and technology used today. A live demonstration of the production of Ponduru Khadi will also be done. During the event, Prime Minister will also inaugurate the new office building of the Gujarat Rajya Khadi Gramodyog Board and a foot over bridge at Sabarmati.

PM in Bhuj

Prime Minister will inaugurate Smriti Van Memorial in Bhuj district. Envisioned by the Prime Minister, Smriti Van is a one of its kind initiative. It has been built in an area of around 470 acre to celebrate the spirit of resilience shown by the people after the death of around 13,000 people who had lost their lives during the 2001 earthquake which had its epicentre in Bhuj. The Memorial carries names of the people who had lost their lives during the earthquake.

The state of the art Smriti Van Earthquake Museum is segregated in seven blocks based on seven themes: Rebirth, Rediscover, Restore, Rebuild, Rethink, Relive and Renew. The first block is based on the theme Rebirth depicting Earth’s evolution and ability of the earth to overcome every time. The second block showcases Gujarat’s topography and various natural disasters that the state is vulnerable to. The third block  takes one back to the immediate aftermath  after the 2001 earthquake. Galleries in this block address the massive relief effort undertaken by individuals as well as organisations. The fourth block showcases Gujarat’s rebuilding initiatives and success stories post 2001 earthquake. The fifth block prompts the visitor to think and learn about different types of  disasters and future readiness for any type of disaster at any time. The sixth block helps us to relive the experience of an earthquake with the help of a simulator. The experience is designed in a 5D simulator and is meant to give the visitor the ground reality of an event at this scale. The seventh block provides people with a space for remembrance where they can pay homage to the lost souls.

Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 4400 crore in Bhuj. Prime Minister will inaugurate the Kachchh Branch Canal of Sardar Sarovar Project. The total length of the Canal is around 357 km. A part of the canal was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in 2017 and the remaining part is being inaugurated now. Canal would help in providing irrigation facilities in Kachchh and drinking water in all 948 villages and 10  towns of the Kachchh district. Prime Minister will inaugurate various other projects as well including New Automatic Milk Processing and Packing Plant of Sarhad Dairy; Regional Science Centre, Bhuj; Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Convention Centre at Gandhidham; Veer Bal Smarak at Anjar; Bhuj 2 Substation at Nakhatrana etc. Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of various projects worth over Rs. 1500 crores as well, including the Bhuj- Bhimasar Road.

PM in Gandhinagar

Prime Minister will address a programme marking the commemoration of 40 years of Suzuki in India, being held at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar. During the event, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stones of two key projects of the Suzuki group in India – the Suzuki Motor Gujarat Electric Vehicle Battery Manufacturing Facility at Hansalpur, Gujarat and Maruti Suzuki’s upcoming vehicle manufacturing facility in Kharkhoda, Haryana.

The Suzuki Motor Gujarat Electric Vehicle Battery Manufacturing Facility at Hansalpur, Gujarat will be set-up with an investment of around Rs. 7,300 crores to manufacture Advance Chemistry Cell batteries for Electric Vehicles. The vehicle manufacturing facility in Kharkhoda, Haryana will have the potential to manufacture 10 lakh passenger vehicles per year, making it one of the largest passenger vehicle manufacturing facilities at a single site in the world. The first phase of the project will be set up with an investment of over Rs. 11,000 crores.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has addressed the National Conference of Labour Ministers of all States and Union Territories via video conferencing today. Union Ministers Shri Bhupender Yadav and Shri Rameshwar Teli and Labour Ministers of States were among those present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister began his address by bowing down to Lord Tirupati Balaji. The Prime Minister emphasised that India’s labour force has a huge role to play in realizing India’s dreams and aspirations to build a developed nation in the Amrit Kaal, and with this thinking, the country is working continuously for crores of workers from the organised and unorganised sector.

The Prime Minister reiterated the various efforts by the Government like Pradhan Mantri Shram-Yogi Maandhan Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana that have given a kind of security cover to the workers. These schemes have assured the labourers of the recognition of their hard work and contribution. The Prime Minister also said, “The Emergency Credit Guarantee Scheme, according to a study, saved 1.5 crore jobs during the pandemic.” He continued “We are seeing that just as the country supported its workers in their time of need, in the same way, the workers have put their full strength into recovering from this epidemic.” The Prime Minister said that today India has once again become the fastest growing economy in the world, so a lot of credit goes to our workers, he said.

The Prime Minister pointed out that the e-Shram portal is one of the key initiatives to bring the labour force into the ambit of social security. In just one year, about 28 crore workers from 400 areas have been registered on the portal. This has especially benefited construction workers, migrant labourers, and domestic workers. He requested all the ministers to integrate state portals with the e-Shram portal.

He further added that in the last eight years, the Government has taken the initiative to abolish the laws from the period of slavery that reflect the slavery mentality. “The country is now changing, reforming, simplifying such labour laws.”, the Prime Minister said. “With this in mind, 29 labour laws have been converted into 4 simple labour codes”. This will ensure the empowerment of workers via minimum wages, job security, social security, and health security, he added.

The Prime Minister reiterated the need to change as per the changing scenario. He emphasised the need to take full advantage of the fourth industrial revolution by taking quick decisions and implementing them rapidly. In the light of platform and gig economy and online facilities, the Prime Minister stressed the need to be alive towards the emerging dimensions of work. “Right policies and efforts in this area will help in making India a global leader”, he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted that the country’s Labour Ministry is preparing its vision for the year 2047 in Amrit Kaal. Reiterating that the future needs flexible workplaces, a work-from-home ecosystem, and flexible work hours, the Prime Minister said that we can use systems like flexible workplaces as opportunities for women’s labour force participation. Recalling his address to the nation on the 15th of August from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the Prime Minister said that he has called for the full participation of the nation’s women power. He added, “By making the right use of women power, India can achieve its goals faster.” The Prime Minister also emphasised the need to think in the direction of what can be done for women in the newly emerging sectors in the country.

Remarking on the demographic dividend of India, the Prime Minister said that India’s success in the 21st century will depend on how well it is used. He added, “We can take advantage of global opportunities by creating a high-quality skilled workforce.” The Prime Minister also highlighted that India is signing migration and mobility partnership agreements with many countries of the world and urged all the states of the country to take advantage of these opportunities. “We have to increase our efforts, learn from each other”, he said.

The Prime Minister, while making everyone aware of the fact that our building and construction workers are an integral part of our workforce, requested everyone present on the occasion to make full use of the ‘cess’ that has been arranged for them. “I have been told that out of this cess, about Rs 38,000 crore has still not been utilized by the states”, the Prime Minister said. He urged everybody to pay attention to how ESIC together with the Ayushman Bharat scheme can benefit more and more workers. The Prime Minister concluded his address by assuring everyone that these collective efforts of ours will play an important role in revealing the true potential of the country.

Background

The two-day conference is being organised by the Union Ministry of Labour & Employment on 25-26 August 2022 at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The conference is being convened in the spirit of cooperative federalism to discuss various significant labour-related issues. It will help create further synergy amongst the Centre and State Governments in formulating better policies and ensuring effective implementation of schemes for the welfare of workers.

The conference will have four thematic sessions on integrating e-Shram portal for onboarding social security schemes to universalize social protection; Swasthya se Samriddhi for improving medical care through ESI hospitals run by State Governments and integration with PMJAY; framing of rules under four Labour Codes and modalities for their implementation; Vision Shramev Jayate @ 2047  with focus on just and equitable conditions of work, social protection to all workers, including gig & platform workers, gender equality at work, among other issues.

The Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah held a review meeting in New Delhi today, on the security situation in Jammu & Kashmir. The Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, the National Security Advisor, Shri AjitDoval and other senior officials of the Government of India, including the Army and Jammu & Kashmir Government attended the meeting.

Shri Amit Shah reviewed the working of the security grid and on various actions being taken to reduce the incidents of terrorism over the last few years. He appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and administration of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir for the successful conduct of the AmarnathYatra this year, which was held after a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Union Home Minister asked security forces and the police to continue with the coordinated efforts through meticulous and well-planned counter-terrorism operations to wipe out terrorism. The cases registered under the UAPA were also reviewed and it was stressed that investigation should be timely and effective.  The agencies concerned should work on improving capacities for ensuring quality investigation.  He said it is the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s vision to have a prosperous and peaceful Jammu & Kashmir, and to achieve this, security forces should strive to make the border and the LOC impregnable and once the fear of cross-border movement of terrorists, arms and ammunition is eliminated, the people of Jammu &Kashmir would decisively defeat the proxy war with the help of security forces.

Terror eco-system comprising elements that aid, abet and sustain the terrorist-separatist campaign to the detriment of the well-being of common man requires to be dismantled, said the Union Home Minister.