Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 6 National Highway projects of 119 Kms worth Rs. 2300 Crore in Indore ,Madhya Pradesh.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Gadkari informed with the projects being launched today, better connectivity in Indore and the state will make the path of progress easier. He said the problem of jam on Rau circle will end and there will be ease in the traffic. With easy connectivity from Indore, artisans, students and businessmen of nearby areas will get better opportunities. The connectivity of the villages of Indore-Harda section with Indore will be better. The development of Dhar-Pithampur Industrial Corridor will create new employment opportunities, he added.

The Minister said there will be reduction in travel time up to Tejaji Nagar (Indore) – Burhanpur and Indore – Harda  which will save fuel. He said the routes will be smooth for the passengers going to Omkareshwar and Khandwa. He said with better connectivity to the agricultural markets, it will be easier for agricultural produce to reach the big market.

During this program MoU was signed between State Government and NHAI for construction of ropeways at 14 selected places in Madhya Pradesh.

“Let us change our attitude as we step out of our homes for work. A positive attitude and healthy mental framework along with dedication and commitment are pivotal building blocks for a healthy and progressive nation”. Union Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stated this as he addressed the inaugural ceremony of training programme for senior administrative medical officers of CGHS along with Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State here today.

A week long training and orientation program has been organised at National Institute for Health and Family Welfare (NIHFW) for CGHS officers, under the guidance of the Union Health Minister to enhance and upgrade their skills at interpersonal communication, administration and use of technology.

Dr Mansukh Mandaviya stressed on importance of “Samvaad” as a strong tool for interpersonal communication and grievance redressal. “Those organisations and individuals that are in a learning mode will always progress. We shall always benefit from a “Vidyarthi bhaav” where we are open to imbibing knowledge, new insights and learn from each other”, he stated. The Union Minister stated that empathy, care and softer skills further refine and enhance our technical and clinical abilities. Many challenges are resolved with a positive attitude, he stressed. He shared experiences to highlight the importance of being open to suggestions to enhance one’s attitude towards work.

Highlighting the achievements of CGHS, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State said that CGHS as an organization has widened its network and is now functional in 75 cities across the country with approximately 450 wellness centers.Over the period, it has undergone many changes to keep pace with the developments in the health sector such as digitization of services and inclusion of various new health modalities. Planning and implementation of these changes has been only possible due to consistent efforts and hard work of the entire workforce, she stated.

She further added, “It is commendable that CGHS has adopted good administration practices like the recently introduced exercise of ‘CGHS Panchayat’.  Such practices help in assessing the different aspects of CGHS service system like the wellness centers, the empanelment procedures, bill reimbursement etc. Interactive meetings held with all stake holders of CGHS such as staff and the beneficiaries in various cities to address their grievances and receive feedbacks if any is a welcome initiative. Health resources – both human and material are precious assets to the society and a robust health care administration and management system ensures their effective utilization.” She also re-emphasized on Hon’ble Prime Minister’s mantra of skill, re-skill and up-skill.

Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) is a unique Health Scheme providing comprehensive health care to its nearly 41.2 lakh beneficiaries who are mainly central government employees and pensioners, through its 460 wellness centres spread across the country in 75 cities. The wellness centres provide holistic health care services to around 55000-60000 beneficiaries daily besides there being a provision of number of empanelled Health Care Organizations including Super Speciality Hospitals.

CGHS in collaboration with NIHFW, a premiere training institute under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, has initiated training programmes for various categories of employees in CGHS.  The training programme has been launched for Senior Administrative Medical Officers who are holding administrative posts in various CGHS offices/Wellness Centres or are likely to hold these positions near future. The training will be held from 1^st August to 6^th August 2022 and around 70 of these officers will be trained in two batches. The six-day comprehensive training programme aims at capacity building of Senior Administrative Medical Officers in CGHS for their holistic development, in alignment with the CGHS vision and mission, which include not only upgrading of administrative and managerial skills but also enhancing for creating a better and more humane personality.

Shri Alok Saxena, Additional Secretary, Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), Dr.Nikhilesh Chandra, Director, CGHS, Ms. NidhiKesarwani, Director, NIHFWand other eminent dignitaries were also present at the event.

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 building strong global collaboration for scientific research and logistic endeavours in Antarctica as the continent is the largest “refrigerator” that needs to be sustained in its pristine conditions for generations to come.

Addressing the 10th Scientific Community on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Open Science Conference in a virtual mode, Dr Jitendra Singh said, this is critical as the world faces unprecedented Climate variability in its phase of human forced changes. He said, this change in Antarctica will get reflected in weather patterns and thereby influencing not only the world’s climate but also economies and health as well. The Minister said, it’s time for the scientific community to talk in unison and work towards common goals of Antarctic heritage and scientific temper.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, India, being an active member of Antarctic Treaty System, Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP), and Convention on Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) and SCAR reaffirms its commitment to conserve and preserve the Antarctic continent including the surrounding ocean through scientific studies and actions. He also added India has extended support for protecting the Antarctic environment and for co-sponsoring the proposal of the European Union for designating East Antarctica and the Weddell Sea as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).

Dr Jitendra Singh said, India has been in Antarctica for over four decades with two of our operational research bases in East Antarctica, one at Schirmacher Oasis- (Maitri) and the second at Larsemann Hills- Bharati. He also pointed out that the year 2022 also marks decade of India’s research at Bharati. The Minister said, India is also looking forward to using renewable alternatives to reduce the carbon footprints and it has already initiated green energy initiatives in the country by establishing the world’s largest solar plant – Bhadla Solar Park with a capacity of 2245 MW installed in Rajasthan, thus re-enforcing its commitment towards the sustainability.

Dr Jitendra Singh underlined that it’s indeed a proud moment for India to host the 10th SCAR Open Science Conference as it coincides with India’s 75th year of Independence, which is popularly being celebrated as Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. He said, we missed out a great opportunity to host you all in person in India, but expressed hope that the SCAR Conference will surely bring you to India soon for forging ties with a country which has strong scientific history as well as culturally, we have one of the oldest living cities in India.

In his concluding remarks, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the deliberations in form of mini symposia, plenaries and talks, the scientific community will enrich itself with the discussions in different domains of Antarctic science, including humanities and a session on human impacts, environment, and conservation. The Minister said, it is time more debate should be on how to work together to answer specific science questions, in solving issues of climatic connections both through atmospheric and oceanic realms.

Union Minister of State for Culture Smt Meenakashi Lekhi flagged off 40 LED vans today in New Delhi to give impetus to Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign.

On the occasion,  Smt. Meenaksahi Lekhi motivated the public to take active part in the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign by hoisting flags at their homes from 13^th -15^th August.

Union Minister also said,  “Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modiji and we have flagged off Video Vans to make people aware about the campaign.”  Smt Meenakashi Lekhi urged the people to take part in the campaign enthusiastically to pay  respect to our freedom fighters, to strengthen the feeling of patriotism and to ensure Jan Bhagidari in the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav which marks 75 years of India’s Independence.

The Union Minister also added “Whatever we do, the inspiration is always Tiranga and we live with it and can die for it.”

The vans will travel all across Delhi providing information about Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign and Amrit Mahotsav. The vans will also display information pertaining to the Tiranga Utsav  to be organised at Indira Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi on 2^nd August.

My dear countrymen, Namaskar!

This is the 91st episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Earlier we have talked about so many things, shared our views on myriad topics, but, this time ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is very special. The reason for this is Independence Day this time, when India will complete 75 years of her independence. We are all going to be witness to a splendid and historic moment. The Almighty has blessed us with this great fortune. Think about it… had we been born in the era of slavery, then how would have we imagined this day? That yearning of freedom from slavery, the desperation for freedom from the shackles of subjugation – how formidable it must have been! Those days, when, every single day, we would be seeing millions of countrymen fighting, battling, making sacrifices for the sake of freedom. Then we would wake up every morning with this dream of when my India would be free…. and maybe that day would dawn in our lives when we would dedicate our lives to the generations to come, chanting Vande Mataram and Bharat Maa Ki Jai, spending our youth for the cause.

Friends, on the 31^st of July i.e. today, all of us countrymen salute the martyrdom of Shaheed Udham Singh ji. I offer my humble tributes to all such other great revolutionaries who sacrificed their all for the country.

Friends, I am very happy to see that the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is taking the form of a mass movement. People from all walks of life and from every section of the society are participating in different programs connected with it. One such event took place in Meghalaya earlier this month. People remembered the brave warrior of Meghalaya U. Tirot Singh on his death anniversary. Tirot Singh ji fiercely opposed the British conspiracy to control the Khasi Hills and destroy the culture there. Many artists gave beautiful performances in this program. They made history come alive. A carnival was also organized as part of the event, in which the great culture of Meghalaya was depicted in a beautiful manner. A few weeks ago, in Karnataka, a unique campaign named Amrita Bharathi Kannadarthi was also launched. In this, grand programs related to the  Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav were organized at 75 places in the state. In these, along with remembering the great freedom fighters of Karnataka, efforts were also made to bring to the fore the local literary achievements.

Friends, in this very July an interesting endeavour has been undertaken, named Azadi Ki Railgadi Aur Railway Station. The objective of this effort is to make people know the role of Indian Railways in the freedom struggle. There are many such railway stations in the country, which are associated with the history of the freedom movement. You too will be surprised to know about these railway stations. Gomoh Junction in Jharkhand is now officially known as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Junction Gomoh. Do you know why? Actually at this very station, Netaji Subhash was successful in dodging British officers by boarding the Kalka Mail. All of you must have heard the name of Kakori Railway Station near Lucknow. The names of bravehearts like Ram Prasad Bismil and Ashfaq Ullah Khan are associated with this station. The brave revolutionaries had displayed their might to the British by looting the treasury of the British being carried by train. Whenever you talk to the people of Tamil Nadu, you will get to know about Vanchi Maniyachchi Junction in Thoothukudi district. This station is named after Tamil freedom fighter Vanchinathan ji. This is the same place where Vanchi, 25 years of age then, had punished one British collector for his actions.

Friends, this list is pretty long. 75 such railway stations have been identified spread over 24 states across the country. These 75 stations are being decorated very ornately. Many types of programs are also being organized in these. You should also take out time to visit one such historical station in your vicinity. You will get to know in detail about pages from the history of the freedom movement that you have not been aware of. I urge the students of the nearby school, and the teachers to take the small children of their school to the station and narrate the whole chain of events to those children, explaining them.

My dear countrymen, under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, from the 13^th to the 15^th of August, a special movement – ​​’Har Ghar Tiranga- Har Ghar Tiranga’ is being organized. By becoming a part of this movement, from August 13 to 15, you must hoist the tricolor at your home, or adorn your home with it. The Tricolor connects us, inspires us to do something for the country. I also have a suggestion that from the 2nd of August to the 15th of August, all of us can place the tricolor in our social media profile pictures. By the way, do you know, 2^nd of August also has a special connection with our tricolor. This day is the birth anniversary of Pingali Venkaiah ji who designed our national flag. I pay my respectful homage to him. Talking about our national flag, I will also remember the great revolutionary Madam Cama. Her role in shaping the Tricolor has been very important.

Friends, the biggest message that emerges from all these events being organized in the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav is that all of us countrymen should follow our duty with full devotion. Only then will we be able to fulfill the dream of those countless freedom fighters… and to build the India of their dreams. That is why this Amrit Kaal of our next 25 years is Kartavyakaal, a period of duty for every countryman.

To liberate the country, our brave fighters had given us this responsibility, and we have to fulfill it fully.

My dear countrymen, the fight of our countrymen against Corona is still on. The whole world is still struggling today. The increasing interest of people in Holistic Healthcare has helped everyone a lot in this. We all know how useful Indian traditional methods are in this. In the fight against Corona, AYUSH has played an important role, at the global level. There is a growing interest in Ayurveda and Indian medicine around the world. This is one of the major reasons why Ayush Exports have witnessed a record growth and it is also a matter of joy that many new start-ups are also emerging in this sector. Recently, a Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit was held. You will be surprised to know that in this, investment proposals of about ten thousand crore rupees have been received. Another very important happening during the corona period is that, there has been a lot of increase in research on medicinal plants. Many research studies are being published on this. It is definitely a good start.

Friends, another great effort has been made in the country in the field of varied medicinal plants and herbs. The Indian Virtual Herbarium was just launched in the month of July. It is also an example of how we can use the digital world to connect with our roots. The Indian Virtual Herbarium is an interesting collection of digital images of preserved plants or plant parts, which is freely available on the web. More than one lakh Specimens and Scientific Information related to them are available on this Virtual Herbarium. In the Virtual Herbarium, a rich picture of the Botanical Diversity of India is also visible. I am sure the Indian Virtual Herbarium will become an important resource for research on Indian flora.

My dear countrymen, every time in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ we discuss successes of the countrymen which bring smiles to our faces. If a success story spreads sweet smiles, and also tastes sweet, you will certainly call it icing on the cake. These days our farmers are performing similar wonders in the production of honey. The sweetness of honey is also changing the lives of our farmers, increasing their income. In Yamunanagar, Harayana, there lives a beekeeper friend- Subhash Kamboj ji. Subhash ji underwent training in beekeeping in a scientific way. After that he started his work with just six boxes. Today he is engaged in beekeeping using about two thousand boxes. His honey is supplied across many states. Vinod Kumar ji is also beekeeping in more than one and a half thousand colonies in Palli village of Jammu. He has undertaken training in rearing the queen bee last year. Through this work, he is earning 15 to 20 lakh rupees annually. There is another farmer from Karnataka – Madhukeshwar Hegde ji. Madhukeshwar ji says that he had availed of subsidy from the Government of India for 50 bee colonies. Today he possesses over 800 colonies, and sells tons of honey. He brought in innovation in his work, and is also making botanical honey like Jamun honey, Tulsi honey and  Amla honey. Madhukeshwar ji, your innovation and success in madhu, honey production also makes your name meaningful.

Friends, you all know how much importance has been given to honey in our traditional health science. In Ayurveda texts, honey has been described as an elixir. Honey, not only imparts taste ; it also gives us health. There are so many possibilities in honey production today that even the youth pursuing professional studies are making it a source of self-employment. One such youth is –Nimit Singh of Gorakhpur,U.P. Nimit ji has done B.Tech. His father is also a doctor, but after his studies, instead of a job, Nimit ji decided to be self-employed. He started honey production. He also got his own lab set up in Lucknow for quality check. Nimit ji is now earning well from honey and Bee Wax, and is also training farmers, going to different states. Due to the hard work of such youth, today the country is becoming such a big honey producer. You will be happy to know that the export of honey from the country has also increased. The country started campaigns like National Beekeeping and Honey Mission, farmers worked hard, and the sweetness of our honey started reaching across the world. There are still huge possibilities in this field. I would like our youth to join these opportunities and take advantage of them and realize new possibilities.

My dear countrymen, I have received a letter from a listener of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Shriman Ashish Bahl ji from Himachal Pradesh. He has mentioned in his letter the ‘Minjar Mela’ of Chamba. Actually, the inflorescence of the maize plant is called Minjar. When flowers bloom on the maize, Minjar Mela is also celebrated and in this fair, tourists from all over the country come from far and wide to take part. Incidentally, the Minjar fair is also going on at this time. If you have gone to visit Himachal, you can go to Chamba to see this fair.

“Chambe Ek Din Ona Kane Mahina Raina”

That is, those who come to Chamba for a day, they stay back here for a month seeing its beauty.

Friends, fairs have also been of great cultural importance in our country. Fairs connect people and hearts. When Kharif crops ripen after the rains in Himachal in September, in Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Solan, Sari or Sair is also celebrated. Jagra is also going to arrive in September itself. In Jagra fairs, Bisu songs are sung after invoking the deity of Mahasu. This awakening of Mahasu Devta takes place in Himachal at Shimla, Kinnaur and Sirmaur; simultaneously in Uttarakhand.

Friends, there are many traditional fairs of tribal societies in different states in our country. Some of these fairs are associated with tribal culture, while some are organized in connection with tribal history and heritage. For example, if you get a chance, you must visit the four-day Samakka-Saralamma Jatara Fair in Medaram, Telangana. This fair is called Mahakumbh of Telangana. The Saralamma Jatara Mela is celebrated in honor of two tribal women heores – Samakka and Saralamma. It is a big center of faith for the Koya tribal community, not only in Telangana, but also in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The Maridamma fair in Andhra Pradesh is also a big fair connected with the beliefs of the tribal society. The Maridamma fair runs from Jyeshtha Amavasya to Ashadh Amavasya and the tribal society here associates it with Shakti upasana, worship. Here, in Peddhapuram, East Godavari, there is also a Maridamma temple. Similarly, the people of Garasiya tribe in Rajasthan organize ‘Siyawa ka Mela’ or ‘Mankhan Ro Mela’ on Vaishakh Shukla Chaturdashi.

The ‘Mawli Mela’ of Narayanpur of Bastar in Chhattisgarh is also very special. Nearby, the Bhagoria Mela of Madhya Pradesh is also very famous. It is said that the Bhagoria fair started in the times of Raja Bhoj. Then the Bhil kings, Kasumara and Balun organized these events for the first time in their respective capitals. Ever since, these fairs are being celebrated with equal enthusiasm. Similarly, many fairs like Tarnetar and Madhopur are very famous in Gujarat. Fairs are, in themselves, a great source of energy for our society, our life. There must be many such fairs around you too. In modern times, these old links of the society are very important to strengthen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat- Shreshtha Bharat’. Our youth must join them and whenever you go to such fairs, share the pictures on social media too. You can also use a specific hashtag if you want. Through this other people will also know about those fairs. You can also upload photos on the website of the Ministry of Culture. In the next few days, the Culture Ministry is going to start a competition, where, those who send the best pictures of the fairs will also be rewarded. So do not delay, visit the fairs, share their pictures, and maybe you will get rewarded too.

My dear countrymen, you must have noticed, in one episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ I had said that India has full potential to become a Powerhouse in Toys Exports. I had specially discussed the rich heritage of India in Sports and Games. The local toys of India are eco-friendly, consonant with both tradition and nature. Today I want to share with you the success of Indian Toys. Due to our Youngsters, Start-ups and Entrepreneurs, what our toy industry has achieved, the successes we have achieved, no one could have imagined. Today, when it comes to Indian toys, the echo of Vocal for Local is being heard everywhere. You will also like to know that now the number of toys coming from abroad in India is continuously decreasing. Earlier, where toys worth more than Rs 3 thousand crore used to come from outside, now their import has reduced by 70 percent and it is a matter of joy that during this period, India has exported toys worth more than two thousand six hundred crore rupees to foreign countries. Whereas earlier, only toys worth Rs 300-400 crore used to go out of India. And you already know that all this happened during the Corona period. India’s toy sector has proven its mettle by transforming itself. Indian Manufacturers are now making toys based on Indian Mythology, History and Culture. Toy clusters that are there everywhere in the country, small entrepreneurs who make toys, are getting a lot of benefit from it. The toys made by these small entrepreneurs are now going around the world. Toy manufacturers from India are also working closely with the world’s leading Global Toy Brands. I also liked that, our start-up sector is also paying full attention to the world of toys. They’re also doing a lot of fun things in this area. In Bangalore, a start-up named Shumme Toys is focusing on eco-friendly toys. In Gujarat, Arkidzoo Company is making AR-based Flash Cards and AR-based Storybooks. Pune-based company, Funvention is engaged in kindling the interest of children in Science, Technology and Maths through Learning, Toys and Activity Puzzles. I congratulate all such manufacturers, Start-ups, doing a great job in the world of toys. Let us all together make Indian toys more popular all over the world. Along with this, I would also like to urge the parents to buy more and more Indian Toys, Puzzles and Games.

Friends, be it the classroom or the playground, today our youth, in every field, are making the country proud. This month, PV Sindhu has won her first title of Singapore Open. Neeraj Chopra also continued his excellent performance and won the silver medal for the country in the World Athletics Championship. At the Ireland Para Badminton International as well, our players have boosted the glory of the country by winning 11 medals. Indian players also performed well in the World Cadet Wrestling Championship held in Rome. Our athlete Suraj has done wonders in the Greco-Roman event. He has won the Gold Medal of Wrestling in this event after a long gap of 32 years. For the players, this entire month has been full of action. It is also a great honor for India to host the 44th Chess Olympiad in Chennai. This tournament has commenced on the 28th of July and I got the privilege of attending its Opening Ceremony. Commonwealth Games also began in the UK on the same day. An Indian team, full of youthful enthusiasm is representing the country there. I extend my best wishes to all the players and athletes on behalf of the countrymen. I am also happy that India is going to host the FIFA Under 17 Women’s World Cup as well. This tournament will be held around October, which will enhance the enthusiasm of the daughters of the country towards sports.

Friends, a few days ago the results of class 10th and 12th have also been declared across the country. I congratulate all those students who have achieved success through their hard work and dedication. Due to the pandemic, the last two years have been extremely challenging. The courage and restraint shown by our youth in these circumstances is highly commendable. I wish everyone a bright future.

My dear countrymen, today we started our discussion on 75 years of Independence, with a visit across the country. The next time we meet, the journey of our next 25 years would have already begun. We all have to join for our beloved tricolor to be hoisted at our homes and those of our loved ones. Do share with me how you celebrated Independence Day, if you did anything special, this time. Next time, we will talk again about the different colors of our Amrit Parv. Till then, I take leave of you. Thank you very much.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi participated in the Grand Finale marking the culmination of ‘Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya – Power @2047’ today via video conferencing. During the programme, he launched the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. He also dedicated and laid the foundation stone of various green energy projects of NTPC. He launched the National Solar rooftop portal.

The Prime Minister interacted with the beneficiaries of various schemes. Shri Hansraj from Mandi informed the Prime Minister about his experience with the KUSUM scheme. The Prime Minister enquired how other farmers are getting interested in the scheme. Shri Hansraj also thanked the Prime Minister for the scheme and elaborated on how this scheme helped him and his family.

Shri Kalaha Reang from Khowai, Tripura informed the Prime Minister about the changes brought about by the arrival of electricity in his village. He informed that after Solar Power, dependence on kerosene has reduced. The Prime Minister further asked about other changes brought in by the arrival of electricity. Shri Reang said that now they are able to charge the mobile phones for which they used to travel long distances. Solar power has improved the education of children, and local industries and evening life has undergone a change. The Prime Minister asked him to utilize educational tv channels run by the government on TV. The Prime Minister also asked him to save electricity.

Shri Kagu Kranti Kumar of Visakhapatnam, a beneficiary of Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna, also detailed the positive impact of electricity in his life. The Prime Minister said that the country will progress only when every citizen progresses and expressed satisfaction that facilities of electricity are reaching all the villages of the country.

Smt Pramila Devi of Varanasi, a beneficiary of the Integrated Power Development Scheme was greeted by Har Har Mahadev by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister, a Member of Parliament from Varanasi, asked her to pay respect to Baba Vishwanath on his behalf. The Prime Minister also expressed happiness that overhead wires are gradually being phased out leading to better safety and aesthetic outcomes.

Shri Dhiren Sureshbahi Patel from Ahmedabad talked about his experience installing solar panels. The Prime Minister said that by installing rooftop panels Dhirenbhai became an electricity seller. The Prime Minister said that in the last year many steps have been taken to ensure a confident position of the country in the energy sector by 2047. He said people’s participation has been the greatest strength in this regard.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said Energy and power sectors have a huge role to play in accelerating India’s progress in the next 25 years. The strength of the energy sector is also important for Ease of Doing Business and is equally important for Ease of Living. He said that the projects launched today are significant steps in the direction of green energy and energy security for the county. These projects will strengthen India’s renewable energy goals, commitment and aspirations of its green mobility, he said. The Prime Minister announced that work on two big green hydrogen projects in Ladakh and Gujarat is starting today. The plant being set up in Ladakh will produce green hydrogen for vehicles in the country. This will be the first project in the country which will make commercial use of green hydrogen-based transport possible. Ladakh very soon will be the first place in the country where fuel cell electric vehicles will start to ply. This will help in making Ladakh a carbon-neutral region, he said.

The Prime Minister also informed that after blending ethanol in petrol and aviation fuel, now the country is moving towards blending green hydrogen in piped natural gas pipelines. Which will reduce import dependence on natural gas.

Remembering the poor state of power scenario before 2014, The Prime Minister reminded that eight years ago, the Government took the initiative to transform every part of the country’s power sector. Four different directions were worked together to improve the power system – Generation, Transmission, Distribution and Connection.

The Prime Minister informed that in the last 8 years, about 1,70,000 MW of electricity generation capacity has been added in the country. One Nation One Power Grid has become the strength of the country today. About 1,70,000 circuit kilometre transmission lines have been laid to connect the entire country. Furthermore, by giving 3 crore connections under the Saubhagya Scheme, we are also nearing the saturation goal, he added.

The Prime Minister said ‘we had resolved to create 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by the completion of 75 years of independence. Today we have come close to this goal. So far, about 170 GW capacity has been installed from non-fossil sources. He added that today, India is in the top 4-5 countries of the world in terms of installed solar capacity. Many of the world’s largest solar power plants are in India today. The country has got two more big solar plants today. These plants built in Telangana and Kerala are the first and second largest floating solar plants in the country. The Prime Minister said that solar panels are being encouraged in households.

The Prime Minister said that along with increasing the production of electricity, the emphasis of the government is also on saving electricity. “Saving electricity means enriching the future. PM Kusum Yojana is a great example of this. We are providing solar pump facility to farmers, helping to install solar panels on the side of the fields”, he said.

The Prime Minister said that the UJALA scheme has also played a big role in reducing electricity consumption and bills in the country. Every year 50 thousand crore rupees are saved from the electricity bills of poor and middle-class households.

The Prime Minister noted that with the passage of time, a serious disorder has come into our politics. In politics, people should have the courage, to tell the truth, but we see that some states try to avoid it. This strategy may sound like good politics in the short term. But it is like postponing today’s truth, today’s challenges, for tomorrow, for our children, and for our future generations. This thinking of avoiding solutions to today’s problems and leaving them for the future is not good for the country, he said. This thought process has pushed the power sector in many states into huge problems.

The Prime Minister said losses in our distribution sector are in double digits. Whereas in the developed countries of the world it is in single digit. This means that we have a lot of wastage of electricity and therefore we have to generate more electricity than we need to meet the demand for electricity. He said there is a lack of investment in reducing distribution and transmission losses in many states. The Prime Minister remarked that people will be surprised to know that different states have outstanding dues of more than Rs 1 lakh crore. They have to give this money to power generation companies. Power distribution companies are owed more than 60 thousand crore rupees from many government departments, and local bodies. He said that these companies are not able to get even the money that has been committed for subsidy on electricity in different states on time and in full. This arrear is also more than Rs 75,000 crore. Those responsible for activities ranging from the generation of electricity to the door-to-door delivery, their about two and a half lakh crore rupees are trapped.

The Prime Minister requested the states whose dues are pending, to clear them as soon as possible. Also, honestly consider the reasons that even when the countrymen pay their electricity bills honestly, why do some states have arrears again and again? He said this is not a matter of ‘Rajniti’ (politics) but pertains to ‘Rashtra Niti’ and nation building, he said

He ended by reminding the stakeholders  that the health of the electricity sector is everyone’s responsibility .

Background

Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the government has taken multiple path-breaking initiatives in the power sector. These reforms have transformed the sector, with the focus being on making affordable power available for all. Electrification of about 18,000 villages which did not have access to power earlier signified the commitment of the government towards ensuring last mile outreach.

The Ministry of Power’s flagship Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme is aimed at improving the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of the DISCOMs and Power Departments. With an outlay of over Rs. 3 lakh crore over a period of five years from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26, the scheme aims to provide financial assistance to DISCOMs for modernization and strengthening of distribution infrastructure, focussing on the improvement of the reliability and quality of supply to end consumers. It also aims to reduce the AT&C (Aggregate Technical and Commercial) losses to pan-India levels of 12-15% and the ACS-ARR (Average Cost of Supply-Average Revenue Realized) gap to zero by 2024-25 by improving the operational efficiencies and financial sustainability of all state-sector DISCOMs and Power Departments.

During the programme, the Prime Minister also dedicated and laid the foundation stone of various green energy projects of NTPC worth over Rs 5200 crore. He inaugurated the 100 MW Ramagundam Floating Solar Project in Telangana and the 92 MW Kayamkulam Floating Solar Project in Kerala. He laid the foundation stone of the 735 MW Nokh Solar Project in Rajasthan, Green Hydrogen Mobility Project in Leh and Kawas Green Hydrogen Blending with Natural Gas project in Gujarat.

The Ramagundam project is India’s largest floating solar PV project with 4.5 lakh ‘Made in India’ solar PV modules. Kayamkulam project is the second largest floating solar PV project consisting of 3 lakh ‘Made in India’ solar PV panels floating on water.

The 735 MW Solar PV Project at Nokh, in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan is India’s largest Domestic Content Requirement based Solar project with 1000 MWp at a single location, deploying high-wattage bifacial PV Modules with a tracker system. The Green Hydrogen Mobility Project at Leh, Ladakh is a pilot project and aims for five Fuel Cell Buses to be run in and around Leh. This pilot project would be the first deployment of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles for public use in India. The Green Hydrogen Blending Pilot Project at NTPC Kawas Township will be India’s first Green Hydrogen Blending Project helping in reducing the usage of natural gas.

The Prime Minister also launched a national solar rooftop portal, which will enable online tracking of the process of installation of rooftop solar plants, starting from registering the applications to release of subsidies in residential consumers’ bank accounts after installation and inspection of the plant.

‘Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya – Power @2047’ is taking place from 25th to 30th July, as part of the ongoing ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. Organised across the country, it showcases the transformation in the power sector achieved in the last eight years. It aims to empower citizens by improving their awareness and participation in various power-related initiatives, schemes and programmes of government.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the inaugural session of the First All India District Legal Services Authorities Meet today., Chief Justice of India Justice N V Ramana, Supreme Court Judges Justice UU Lalit, Justice D Y Chandrachud, Union Minister, Shri Kiren Rijiju, Shri S. P. Singh Baghel, Other Supreme Court Judges, Chief Justices of High Courts, Executive Chairpersons of the State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs)  and Chairpersons of the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) were present on the occasion. The Prime Minister also released a commemorative postal stamp on the ‘Right to free legal aid’.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said this is the time of Azadi ke Amrit Kaal. This is the time for the resolutions that will take the country to new heights in the next 25 years. Like Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living, Ease of Justice is equally important in this Amrit Yatra of the country, he said.

The Prime Minister highlighted the place of legal aid in the Directive Principles of the State Policy. This importance is reflected in the faith of the citizens in the Judiciary of the country. He said “as important as access to the judicial system is for any society, justice delivery is equally important. The judicial infrastructure also has an important contribution to this. In the last eight years, work has been done at a fast pace to strengthen the judicial infrastructure of the country.”

Underlining India’s leadership in information technology and fintech, the Prime Minister stressed that there can not be a better time to introduce more power of technology to judicial proceedings. He said “under the e-Courts Mission, virtual courts are being started in the country. 24-hour courts have started functioning for crimes like traffic violations. Video conferencing infrastructure is also being expanded in the courts for the convenience of the people.” The Prime Minister said that more than one crore cases have been heard through video conferencing in the country. This proves that “our judicial system is committed to the ancient Indian values of justice and, at the same time, is ready to match the realities of the 21^st century.” He further said “a common citizen should be aware of his rights and duties in the constitution. They should be aware of their constitution, and constitutional structures, rules and remedies. Technology can play a big role in this too.”

Reiterating that Amrit Kaal is a period of duty, the Prime Minister said we have to work on the areas that have remained neglected so far. Shri Modi once again raised the issue of sensitivity towards undertrial prisoners. He said that the District Legal Services Authorities can take up the responsibility of providing legal aid to such prisoners. He also appealed to the District Judges, as Chairpersons of undertrial review committees, to expedite the release of undertrial prisoners. The Prime Minister complimented NALSA for undertaking a campaign in this regard. He also urged the Bar Council to encourage more lawyers to get involved in this campaign.

The first-ever national level meet of District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) is being organised from 30-31 July 2022 at Vigyan Bhawan by National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). The meeting will deliberate on the creation of an integrated procedure in order to bring homogeneity and synchronisation across DLSAs.

There are a total of 676 District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) in the country. They are headed by the District Judge who acts as Chairman of the authority. Through DLSAs and State Legal Services Authorities (SLSAs), various legal aid and awareness programmes are implemented by NALSA. The DLSAs also contribute towards reducing the burden on courts by regulating the Lok Adalats conducted by NALSA.

The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, today said the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi under the AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign, is scaling new milestones. Underlining the role of AIF in bridging the Agri Infra gap by empowering agriculture and villages and boosting private investment, Shri Tomar said the Agri Infra Fund has been brought to increase agricultural productivity, increase agricultural exports, make agriculture sector employable and attract the new generation.  Shri Tomar was addressing the Agri Infra Fund Awards ceremony in New Delhi today.

“In the AatmaNirbhar Bharat campaign, more than Rs. 1.5 lakh crore are being invested in Agriculture and allied sectors. This should be used by the State Governments and banks together in the development of the Agriculture sector. This is a great opportunity for the States to fill the gaps in funding agricultural infrastructure. State governments should use it to make Agriculture strong and prosperous, which will make the country develop at a faster pace,” he said.

Shri Tomar said that agriculture sector is important for India. “The primacy of Agriculture has proved itself from time to time. Agriculture helped India come out of the Covid crisis and made a significant contribution to the economy at a time when other sectors were badly affected. Today India is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of agricultural produce,” said Shri Tomar.

“If you want to move forward in this field, then you have to identify the challenges and overcome them. There are 86 percent small farmers in the country, who own less than two hectares of land, while 55 to 60 percent of the country’s population is dependent on Agriculture. In such a situation, continuous efforts are being made for the last eight years under the leadership of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to upgrade the Agriculture sector. KCC has been increased from Rs 7 lakh crore to Rs 16.5 lakh crore. Banks are offering simple loan facility. Along with this, work is being done to form 10,00 FPOs so that the area under cultivation is increased, the quality of production is improved and the farmers can get good price for their produce,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary dwelled on the role of Banks and Government agencies in empowering farmers and make the nation self-sufficient. Prime Minister Modi took a bold step by paving easy farm loans as he scrapped the need for a collateral, saying the Government of India will stand guarantee, he said.

In his address, Secretary, DA&FW, Shri Manoj Ahuja, called for improved monitoring to make the loan process faster in line with the promptness of the portal based loan approval mechanism.

Joint Secretary, DA&FW, Shri Samuel Praveen Kumar made a detailed presentation on the two year-journey of AIF. While showering accolades on the Bankers and State Governments for their contribution, he urged them to reinvigorate their teams to make the on-going NOBOL (Nationwide One Branch One Loan) Campaign a grand success.

On the occasion, Shri Tomar gave away the awards under various categories to honour Banks and State Governments for their valuable contribution in financing under the Central Sector Scheme of ‘Agriculture Infrastructure Fund’.

Among the Best Performing Banks, State Bank of India was awarded as numero uno followed by Punjab National Bank and Bank of India. In the second category where banks were awarded for their valuable contribution, Bank of Baroda followed by Central Bank of India, Canara Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank were honoured. In the Target Achievers Category during the Campaign, awarded Banks were Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, Punjab & Sind Bank and Karnataka Bank. Among the Best Performing Regional Rural Banks, Madhya Pradesh Gramin Bank followed by Madhyanchal Gramin Bank, Maharashtra Gramin Bank, Baroda Rajasthan Kshetriya Gramin Bank were awarded.

In the State category, Madhya Pradesh was adjudged the best performing State, whereas Andhra Pradesh was recognised as best performer in sanction of PACS applications. As the best performer in faster disposal of PACS applications, Karnataka was awarded and Rajasthan was declared the Rising State under AIF. NABARD Consultancy services, the Knowledge Partner for this Scheme was honoured for the laudable contribution in carrying forward the Scheme.

Shri Tomar and General Manager, Bank of India also handed over the sanction letter to one of the Beneficiaries of Drone project. Later, the Award winning Bankers and States and successful beneficiaries shared their experience with the audience.

Addl. Secretary Sri Abhilaksh Likhi, Senior Officials from the Ministry and Government Officials from various States, Top Executives and senior officials from Banks, NABARD, NABCONS and Beneficiaries of AIF scheme and others participants joined the event.

Agri Infra Fund, under the ambitious AatmaNirbhar Bharat Package as a dedicated central scheme providing medium-long term credit facility for creation of post-harvest management infrastructure and community farming assets, will be celebrating its 2^nd foundation day next month.  This facility comes with financial support by way of three percent Interest subvention from Government and credit guarantee by CGTMSE up to Rupees 2 crore. This scheme can be converged with most of the existing Central schemes in terms of combination of benefits of different schemes. This has immensely benefitted stakeholders in the agricultural ecosystem – Farmers, Agri-entrepreneur, FPO, SHG, JLG, PACS, APMC, Startups, Central Marketing Cooperative Societies and State Agencies.

As of now, there has been sanction of 13,700 projects, costing investment of around Rs.17,500 crore with a sanction of Rs 10,131 crore loans. On an average 30 agriculture infrastructure projects per day are being sanctioned under the scheme all over the country in shape of warehouses, assaying units, primary processing units, custom hiring centres, sorting & grading units, cold store and cold chain projects, bio-stimulant manufacturing facilities, seed processing units, etc. which will have huge impact in changing the agriculture landscape of the country.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the headquarters building of the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) in GIFT City, Gandhinagar. He also launched the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX), India’s first International Bullion Exchange in GIFT-IFSC. He also launched the NSE IFSC-SGX Connect. Chief Minister of Gujarat Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, Union Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, Union and State Ministers, diplomats, business leaders were among those present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said this day is very significant for the growing economic and technological strength of India and also for the growing global confidence in the prowess of India. “Today, in GIFT City, the foundation stone of the International Financial Services Centers Authority – IFSCA headquarters building, has been laid. I believe, as grand as this building is in its architecture, it will also create unlimited opportunities to make India an economic superpower”, he said. The Prime Minister said that IFSC will promote innovation and will be an enabler as well as a catalyst for growth. Institutions and platforms launched today will help 130 crore Indians to get connected with the modern global economy. “India is now entering the league of Countries like the USA, UK and Singapore who are giving direction to global finance” he added.

Going back to his original concept of GIFT-city, the Prime Minister said GIFT-city is not just for business but the aspirations of the common man of the country are part of the vision of GIFT City. The vision of India’s future is connected in GIFT-City, and dreams of India’s golden past are also connected with this”.

The Prime Minister recalled that in 2008, when the world was facing an economic crisis and recession, there was an atmosphere of policy paralysis in India. “But, at that time Gujarat was taking new and big steps in the field of Fintech. I am glad that that idea has progressed so far today”, he said.

The Prime Minister noted that GIFT City is making a strong mark as a hub of commerce and technology. GIFT City celebrates both wealth and wisdom. He was also happy to see that through GIFT City, India is moving ahead with a strong stake in the service sector globally. He said that GIFT-city is a venue where wealth creation is happening and the best brains of the world are congregating and learning. ‘In a way, it is also a medium of reclaiming India’s glory in finance and business’, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said we have to remember that a vibrant fintech sector does not mean just an easier business climate, reforms and regulations. It is also a medium to give a better life and new opportunities to the professionals working in different fields.

He said that post independence, may be due to the impact of slavery and weak self confidence, the country kept shying away from the glorious legacy of business and finance and restricted its cultural, economic and other relations with the world. “However, now, ‘New India’ is changing this old way of thinking and today Integration is one of our most significant agenda. We are rapidly integrating with a global market and global supply chain”, he said. “GIFT-city is an important gateway to get connected with India as well as global opportunities. When you get integrated with GIFT-city, you get integrated with the entire world”, he said.

The Prime Minister said today India is one of the largest economies of the world. So in future, when our economy will be bigger than it is today, we have to be ready for it now. For this we need institutions that can cater to our present and future role in the global economy. India International Bullion Exchange – IIBX, he said, is a crucial step in that direction. He mentioned the role of the role of gold in ensuring economic empowerment of the Indian women. He said that India’s identity should not remain limited to just a big market but it should be a ‘market maker’. He added “On the one hand, we are bringing in global capital for local welfare. On the other hand, we are also harnessing local productivity for global welfare.”

The Prime Minister said that India’s strength goes beyond giving good returns to investors. He elaborated “At a time when global supply chains are plagued with uncertainty and the world is apprehensive of this uncertainty, India is assuring the world of quality products and services.” The Prime Minister further said “I have many expectations from the new institutions of new India, from the new systems and I have full faith in you. Today in the 21st century, finance and technology are linked to each other. And when it comes to technology, science and software, India also has an edge as well as experience too.” The Prime Minister, while underlining India’s leadership in fintech, asked the GIFT-city stakeholders to focus on fintech. “I expect all of you to target new innovations in Fintech and GIFT IFSC emerges as fintech’s global laboratory.”

Second expectation expressed by the Prime Minister was about GIFT IFSC to become a gateway to global debt and equity capital for sustainable and climate projects. Thirdly, IFSCA should work for financial innovations in aircraft leasing, ship financing, carbon trading, digital currency, and IP rights to investment management. The Prime Minister also said “IFSCA should also make regulation and operation cost competitive not only in India but also in comparison to countries like Dubai and Singapore. “Your aim should be to become a leader in regulations, set high standards for rule of law, and emerge as the favourite arbitration center of the world”

The Prime Minister noted that in the last 8 years, the country has witnessed a new wave of financial inclusion. Even the poorest of the poor are joining formal financial institutions today. Today, when a large population of ours has joined finance, it is the need of the hour that government organisations and private players, together, step forward, he said. The Prime Minister called for financial literacy above basic banking as people wish to invest for growth.

About GIFT city, IFSCA, IIBX and NSE IFSC-SGX Connect

GIFT city (Gujarat International Finance Tec-City) was envisaged as an integrated hub for financial and technology services not just for India but for the world. IFSCA is the unified regulator for the development and regulation of financial products, financial services and financial institutions in International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) in India. The building has been conceptualised as an iconic structure, reflective of the growing prominence and stature of GIFT-IFSC as a leading International Financial Centre.

IIIBX will facilitate efficient price discovery with the assurance of responsible sourcing and quality, apart from giving impetus to the financialisation of gold in India. It will empower India to gain its rightful place in the global bullion market and serve the global value chain with integrity and quality. IIBX also re-enforces the commitment of the Government of India towards enabling India to be able to influence global bullion prices as a principal consumer.

NSE IFSC-SGX Connect is a framework between NSE’s subsidiary in the GIFT International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX). Under Connect, all orders on NIFTY derivatives placed by members of Singapore Exchange will be routed to and matched on the NSE-IFSC order matching and trading platform. Broker-Dealers from India and across international jurisdictions are expected to participate in large numbers for trading derivatives through Connect.  It will deepen liquidity in derivative markets at GIFT-IFSC, bringing in more international participants and creating a positive impact on the financial ecosystem in the GIFT-IFSC.

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended the 42nd Convocation of Anna University in Chennai today. Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri R N Ravi, Chief Minister Shri M K Stalin, Union Minister Shri L Murugan were among those present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister congratulated the students on getting their degrees. “Congratulations to all those who are graduating today in Anna University’s 42nd convocation. You would have already built a future for yourselves in your minds. Therefore, today is not only a day of achievements but also of aspirations”, he said. Calling them the leaders of tomorrow, the Prime Minister also noted the sacrifices of the parents and support of teachers and non teaching staff of the University.

The Prime Minister recalled the words of Swami Vivekananda in what was known as Madras 125 years ago about the possibilities from the youth of India.  The Prime Minister remarked that “the whole world is looking at India’s youth with hope. Because you are the growth engines of the country and India is the world’s growth engine.”

The Prime Minister also recalled Former President Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s association with Anna University. “May his thoughts and values always inspire you”, said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister noted that the COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented event. It was a once-in-a-century crisis that nobody had any user manual for. It tested every country. He remarked that adversities reveal what we are made of. India faced the unknown confidently, thanks to its scientists, healthcare professionals and common people. As a result, he said, every sector in India is bustling with a new life. Industry, investment, innovation or international trade, all are seeing India at the forefront. The Prime Minister said India was the world’s second-largest mobile phone manufacturer last year. Innovation  is becoming a way of life. In just the last 6 years,  the number of recognised start-ups increased by 15,000 percent, he said. The Prime Minister informed that India received a record FDI of over 83 billion dollars last year. Our start-ups too received record funding post-pandemic. Above all this, India’s position in the international trade dynamics is at its best ever.

In this era of tech-led disruptions, the Prime Minister said there are three important factors  in India’s favour. The first factor is there is a taste for technology. There is a growing sense of comfort with the use of technology. Even the poorest of the poor are adapting to it. “The second factor is there is trust in risk-takers. Earlier at social occasions it was difficult for a youngster to say he or she was an entrepreneur. People used to tell them to ‘get settled’, meaning, get a salaried job. Now the situation is the opposite. The third factor is:  there is temperament for reform.” The Prime Minister continued that earlier, “there was a notion that a strong government means it should control everything and everyone. But we have changed this. A strong government does not control everything or everyone. It controls the system’s impulse to interfere. A strong government is not restrictive but is responsive. A strong government does not move into every domain. It limits itself and makes space for people’s talents”, he elaborated. He further emphasised that “A strong government’s strength lies in its humility to accept that it can not know or do everything”, This why reforms are making greater space for people and their talent in every space. He gave examples of freedom and flexibility provided to youth by the National Education Policy and scrapping of 25,000 compliances for ease of business. “Removal of angel tax, removal of retrospective tax, and reduction of corporate tax – are encouraging investments and industry. The reforms in drones, space and geospatial sectors are opening up new avenues”, he said.

The Prime Minister underlined the link between the progress of youth and the nation. He said in conclusion “Your growth is India’s growth. Your learnings are India’s learnings. Your victory is India’s victory.”

During the programme, the Prime Minister awarded gold medals and certificates to 69 gold medalists. Anna University was established on 4 September 1978. It is named after C. N. Annadurai, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. It has 13 Constituent Colleges, 494 Affiliated Colleges spread over Tamil Nadu and 3 Regional Campuses – Tirunelveli, Madurai and Coimbatore.

While addressing the new IAS officers of 2020 batch undergoing 3-month stint as Assistant Secretaries in the Govt of India, 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 redefined their role for 2047.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invocation of “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav” Dr Jitendra Singh said, the next 25 years are critical for India because these will be the years of ascent of India’s ascent in the global arena. Therefore, the current lot of IAS officers is privileged because they have the time on their side and also the opportunity to devote the next 25 years of active service to realise the dream of Century India.

Reiterating that every training module for the current lot of civil servants needs to be designed with vision of 2047 in mind, the Minister said, it is difficult to visualise 2047 through the prism of 2022 and therefore, exclusive indices pertaining to 2047 India needs to be determined. How much will be the role of civil servant, what will be the role of civil servant and whether at all there will be any role of the civil servant in 2047, is the question, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh recalled that this Assistant Secretary Training Programme was started in 2015 as per the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, when 2013 batch officers were for the first time posted as Assistant Secretaries in Ministries/Departments of Government of India. The objective of this programme is to provide exposure to the young IAS officers about the functioning of the Government of India at an early stage in their career on completion of their Phase II training at LBSNAA, Mussoorie. These Assistant Secretaries are posted for a total period of 13 weeks.

The Minister informed that since 2015, the programme is successfully implemented by DoPT and added that this type of exposure helps them to acquire a national perspective and appreciation of diversities in national policies. This also sensitize them to the larger perspective of policies and programmes of Government of India and the officers are likely to be an inspired Change Agents when they will go back to their cadre States. Special themes were also included from 2019 and in that year Water Conservation, which was the one of the focus areas of the Government of India was added.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, Technology and innovation hold the key in addressing the gaps in delivery and implementation, but the basic prerequisites are dedication and commitment of the public servants with a pro-people attitude, which means being proactive as well as responsive to the citizens’ needs and aspirations while remaining mindful of the concerns. He said, we also need to build trust between the government and citizens as no society can prosper peacefully and attain its potential with a trust deficit existing between the government and citizens.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, he was informed that this batch of 175 officers has 108 officers with engineering background and many officers with background in medicine, management, law and Arts have also joined. He emphasised that it would be very much admirable if they utilise their educational background to showcase how the Ministries/Departments can innovate, use new ideas and deliver high quality outputs directly to citizen with complete elimination of middlemen and leakages. The Minister also hoped that the technocrats will be able to do justice to the flagship programmes of the government in sectors like Health, Agriculture, Sanitation, Education, Skills and Mobility to name a few, which are technology based and technology driven.

Lauding the role of Indian Institute of Public Administration, Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that IIPA is working as knowledge partner with different ministries and incorporated in their training and research activity, the latest trends and advancements in public governance and administration. This includes a) India@2047, a vision plan for a ‘future ready India’ that suits the 100^th year of India’s independence; competency framework for the civil services under Mission Karmayogi which envisages to prepare civil servants for the future by making them more constructive, enabling, energetic, innovative, proactive, professional, progressive, transparent and technology enabled; Indian thoughts on good governance and new methods of governance like PM Gati Shakti which aims at the coordinated planning and execution of infrastructure projects in India to enhance efficiency and reduce logistics cost.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, Prime Minister has been emphasising on People’s participation as the essence of good governance through Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Viswas aur Sabka Prayas. So, trust is central to governance. He said, while one key to good governance is technology, the other essentially is moral standard. Technology fosters transparency and hence accountability, which is the basic feature of good governance, while moral standards impart legitimacy. These two together will usher in a new political culture preparing the ground for bringing in transformational, path-breaking reforms. The Minister said, gone are the days where we can afford to work in silos that had held us back for a long time. Today it is an all-encompassing, all-enveloping, all-inclusive and all-participating march toward development.

In his concluding remarks, Dr Jitendra Singh told the young civil servants that gaining knowledge from institutions like IIPA will help them to meet the various decision-making challenges, which they will face in the States and the Districts and conveyed his best wishes to officers in all their future endeavours.