The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the Ganga  Pushkaralu Utsav in Kashi, Uttar Pradesh via video message today.

The Prime Minister began his address by conveying his best wishes on the occasion of Ganga Pushkaralu Utsav and extended a warm welcome to everyone  He said that all those present here are his personal guest, and guests share the same status as God in the Indian culture.“Even though I could not be present there to welcome you, my mind is with you all”, said the Prime Minister. He congratulated the Kashi-Telugu Committee and Member of Parliament, Shri GVL Narasimha Rao for organizing this event. Underlining that the Ganga – Pushkaralu Utsav at the ghats of Kashi is like the confluence of the Ganges and the Godavari, the Prime Minister said that it is a celebration of the confluence of ancient civilizations, cultures and traditions of India. He recalled the Kashi – Tamil Sangamam that took place here a few months ago and also mentioned participating in the Saurashtra – Tamil Sangamam a few days ago where he had analogized Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal as a confluence of diversities and cultures of India. “This confluence of diversities is giving rise to the Amrit of nationalism which will ensure full energy for India in the future”, the Prime Minister said.

Throwing light on the deep connections of Kashi and its residents with Telugus, the Prime Minister said that Kashi has been welcoming them for generations and the relationship is as ancient as the city itself. He remarked that the faith of people from Telugu background in Kashi is as sacred as Kashi. He noted that people from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana constitute a significant number of the number of pilgrims who visit Kashi. “Telugu states have given Kashi so many great saints, so many Acharyas and sages”, the Prime Minister said as he underlined that when the people of Kashi and the pilgrims go to visit Baba Vishwanath, they also visit Tailang Swami’s ashram to seek his blessings. The Prime Minister mentioned Tailang Swami who was born in Vizianagaram but was called the living Shiva of Kashi by Swami Ramakrishna Paramhans. He also mentioned great souls like Jiddu Krishnamurti and others who are fondly remembered in Kashi even today.

The Prime Minister emphasized that Telugu people have kept Kashi attached to their souls exactly like Kashi adopted and understood them, and mentioned the holy shrine Vemulawada which is called Dakshina Kashi. He underlined that the black thread which is tied on the hands in the temples of Andhra and Telangana is called Kashi Daram. Highlighting that the glory of Kashi is deeply embedded in the Telugu language and literature, the Prime Minister mentioned the Kashi Khandamu Granth by Srinath Mahakavi, the Kashi Yatra character of Engul Viraswamayya and the popular Kashi Majili Kathalu. Emphasizing how an outsider might find it hard to believe how a city so far away can be so close to the heart, the Prime Minister said, “This is the heritage of India which has kept the belief of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ alive for centuries.”

“Kashi is the land of liberation and salvation”, the Prime Minister remarked. Recalling the times when Telugu people used to walk thousands of kilometers to reach Kashi, the Prime Minister said that circumstances are transforming rapidly in the modern days. He gave the examples of the divine splendor of Vishwanath Dham on one hand and the grandeur of the ghats of Ganga ghats on the other; streets of Kashi on one side and expanding network of new roads and highways on the other. He underlined that those from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana who have come to Kashi earlier must be feeling the change taking place in the city and mentioned the reduction in time taken to reach Dashashwamedh Ghat from the airport owing to the construction of a new highway. Giving examples of development in the city, the Prime Minister mentioned the undergrounding of electric wires in most areas, the rejuvenation of kunds, temple pathways and cultural places in the city, and the plying of CNG boats on the Ganges. He also stated the upcoming ropeway that will benefit the citizens of Kashi. The Prime Minister credited the residents and the youth of the city for creating a mass movement when it came to cleanliness campaigns and the cleanliness of the ghats.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the people of Kashi will leave no stone unturned to serve and welcome the guests. “Baba’s blessings, the darshan of Kaal Bhairav and Maa Annapurna is wonderful in itself. A dip in Ganga ji will make your soul happy”, the Prime Minister remarked as he also mentioned that delicacies like lassi, thandai, Chaat, Litti-Chokha, and Banarasi Paan will make the trip even more memorable. The Prime Minister also highlighted the wooden toys of Varanasi similar to the Etikoppaka Toys and Banarasi sarees that compatriots from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana can take with them.

“Our forefathers established the consciousness of India in different centers which together make for the complete form of Mother India”, the Prime Minister said. He highlighted Baba Vishwanath and Vishalakshi Shaktipeeth in Kashi, Mallikarjuna in Andhra, Bhagwan Raj-Rajeshwar in Telangana, Maa Bhramaramba in Andhra, and Raj Rajeshwari in Telangana and said that all such holy places are important centers of India and its cultural identity. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister underlined that India’s completeness and full potential can be realized only when we see the diversity of the country in its totality. “Only then we will be able to awaken our full potential”, Shri Modi said. He expressed confidence that festivals like Ganga-Pushkaralu will continue to take forward this resolution of national service.

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman chaired a review meeting with Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC), here today. The review meeting was attended by the Revenue Secretary; Chairman, CBIC and Members of CBIC.

The comprehensive review covered a variety of work areas including trade facilitation, tax payer services, grievance redressal of the trade; finalisation of disciplinary cases and infrastructure projects, and progress of the upcoming Palasamudram campus of the National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics (NACIN).

The Finance Minister emphasised the need for continuously improving tax payer services.  With respect to grievance redressal, Smt. Sitharaman desired that in each Zone interaction be organised with members of trade and industry who are part of the GST ecosystem to know their issues and suggestions, so as to systematically identify matters for working out a redress for them. She also directed to put in place a system to take feedback on grievances redressed so as to improve quality of redressal.

In the course of review, the Finance Minister was briefed on the final revenue achievement in total Indirect Tax collections for 2022-23 which stood at Rs. 13.82 lakh crore [as against Rs. 12.89 Lakh Crore in 2021-22]. On the GST side, the average gross monthly collection for the year 2022-23 stood at Rs. 1.51 lakh crore and monthly GST revenue collections exceeded RS. 1.4 lakh crore for 12 months in a row.

The Finance Minister directed CBIC to introduce its automated GST return scrutiny by next week and to implement an action plan to increase the taxpayer base through enhanced use of technology. In order to intensify its drive against fake billing/Input Tax Credit (ITC), Smt. Sitharaman desired that CBIC may undertake a comprehensive root cause analysis by studying the typology of cases already booked and come up with recommendations on technology based solutions to address the menace and prevent its occurrence.

The Finance Minister also advised CBIC to take measures for employee welfare. Cadre restructuring, capacity building and training, timely promotions and effective and timely action in disciplinary matters were discussed.

The CBIC also briefed Smt. Sitharaman about the activities carried out under the Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF – India) which is used to support capacity building initiatives amongst the members of the World Customs Organisation (WCO).

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, delivered the inaugural address at the ‘India Calling Conference 2023’ organized by the Indian Merchants Chamber in Mumbai. During his address, he highlighted the contribution of companies from small countries, such as the Czech Republic and Poland, to the supply chain of big companies around the globe.

Minister Goyal appealed to all to aim for a 47 trillion dollar economy when India reaches the year 2047. He added that India has tried to formalize the economy and has met with great success. The spirit of team, competitiveness, and positivity are necessary for success, and that kind of spirit can be seen in Mumbai, which is not only the financial capital but also the fun capital of India, he added.

Minister Goyal said that every single geography in the world has a lot of hope and expectation from India, and though it can be sometimes daunting, it shows the confidence of the world in India’s future. He said, “India reflects the vision of the world as one Economy. While Commerce Industry teams are negotiating Free Trade Agreements with a deep focus on protecting India’s interest, India believes that true prosperity happens when the whole world prospers. India believes in Vaccine Maitri under which it delivered 278 million doses to poorer countries mostly free because India feels safe when the world is safe.”

The Minister further added that the ‘Panch Pran’ given by the Prime Minister can be realized only if it becomes the commitment of the entire nation. He emphasized that the vision of a developed India will not be possible without the ‘Nari Shakti’ of India and a corruption-free nation. He applauded the commitment of the industry to social causes and said that all of us are determined for a better future for India.

During the conference, Dinesh Joshi, Chairman, IMC International Business Committee, highlighted the success story of ‘Make in India’ initiative, where India has turned out to be one of the most favored manufacturing hubs. He mentioned that India’s smart phone exports have increased from zero to 90,000 crores, and centers of excellence are being set up for the manufacture of electronics, pharma, textiles, and solar manufacturing. He also noted that India has made considerable progress in sectors such as defense, space, hydrogen energy, and fintech.

Anant Singhania, President, IMC, in his welcome address, said that India is now the 5th largest nation by GDP, up from 10th place since 2014. He highlighted the government’s initiatives to link ordinary Indians to their electronic identity through a set of digital services, which has caused the cost of technology to drop. This and the conducive ecosystem created by the Government of India have transformed the startup scene in India, making India the world’s third-largest startup hub, he observed. He also noted how India has gone from creating 1 Unicorn/year to 42 Unicorns in 2021 and in a span of 10 years emerged as the number 1 mobile data consuming nation.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal also extended an invitation to those present to join him in listening to the 100th episode of Mann Ki baat on April 30.

Union Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Science and Technology; Minister of State (IC) Ministry of Earth Science; MoS of Prime Minister’s Office and Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has raised the esteem of Indian Diaspora abroad.

The Minister said, the world is looking up to the Indian Diaspora with great hope and expectation and it is high time that they also rise to the occasion and contribute to the well-being of the entire humankind in the true spirit of the theme of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ as given by PM Modi during India’s G20 presidency.

Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking to the Indian Diaspora here as part of his 6-day visit to the United Kingdom, where he is leading a high-level official Indian delegation of the Ministry of Science & Technology to enhance S&T collaboration between India and the United Kingdom.

Interacting with the Diaspora, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Indian Diaspora should try to channelise their resources to support the important initiatives taken up by the Government back home in India. He emphasised that India is in a path of transformation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, on several occasions, emphasised the significance of science and technology in driving economic growth and rising living standards. He urged the Diaspora to be a part of this growth story.

The Minister expressed happiness in addressing the Indian diaspora and said that many of them have demonstrated extraordinary leadership positions in academia, industry and government in the United Kingdom.

Sharing some of the key achievements of India in S & T like India’s massive jump in its ranking of Global Innovation Index (GII) from 81st in the year 2015 to 40th in 2022 among 132 economies of the world, 3rd rank in terms of number of StartUps, Unicorns, scientific publications and PhDs awarded, the Minister said that India has in recent years made some unprecedented progress in S & T areas.

Dr Jitendra Singh proposed an active engagement of the Indian diaspora with Indian Institutions and individuals considering the transformative research happening in our country.

The Minister mentioned that in the recent past, the Government of India has launched several flagship initiatives such National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber Physical Systems(ICPS); Quantum Computing and Communication; National Mission on Supercomputing, Electric Mobility, Green hydrogen etc.

Talking about StartUps, Dr Jitendra Singh said that India has emerged as the third-largest global start-up ecosystem, growing at an annual rate of 12-15% and has around 90,000 start-

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that India has created several enabling platforms for the Indian diaspora to get engaged with Indian systems. Visiting Advanced Joint Research (VAJRA) Faculty scheme of DST / SERB is well poised to take accomplished overseas scientists including NRIs, OCIs to the Indian academic and research institutions to undertake high quality collaborative research. Pravasi Bharatiya Academic and Scientific Sampark, (PRABHASS) a National Digital Portal to connect with the global Indian S&T Diaspora for jointly addressing societal and scientific challenges.

Since inception, PRABHASS has published over 150 collaboration opportunities of various Departments/Ministries/Bi-lateral/International organisations. Many of these interactions have already started culminating into fruitful collaborations.

Another initiative is the Vaishwik Bharatiya Vaigyanik(VAIBHAV) Platform providing a comprehensive roadmap for leveraging expertise/knowledge of global Indian researchers to address emerging challenges for universal development.

Dr Jitendra Singh urged the Indian diaspora to come ahead with plans and priorities for the mother India. High end research in futuristic areas is no more alien to India, he said.

The Minister reminded the Indian Diaspora that they represent the aspirations of a New India, an India that is on the march towards ‘AmritKaal’, the golden age of progress and growth.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated 91 new 100W FM Transmitters today via video conferencing. The inauguration will give a further boost to radio connectivity in the country.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister noted the presence of numerous Padma Awardees in the programme and welcomed them. The Prime Minister said that today marks a significant step in the expansion of FM services by All India Radio in the direction of becoming All India FM. He underlined that the beginning of 91 FM transmitters by All India Radio is like a present for 85 districts and 2 crore people of the nation. In a way, the Prime Minister said, it provides a glimpse of the diversity and colours of India. He informed that the districts covered under the new 91 FM transmitters are aspirational districts and blocks, and congratulated All India Radio for the momentous achievement. He also congratulated the citizens of the Northeast who will greatly benefit from this.

The Prime Minister underscored the emotional connection of his generation with radio. “For me, there is an added happiness that I have a relationship with radio as a host too”, the Prime Minister said referring to the upcoming 100th episode of Mann Ki Baat. He said “This kind of emotional connect with the countrymen was possible only through the radio. Through this, I remained linked to the strength of the country and the collective power of the duty among the countrymen.” He elaborated on this point by giving examples of the role of the programme in initiatives like Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and Har Ghar Tiranga which became a people’s movement through Mann Ki Baat. “Therefore, in a way, I am part of your All India Radio Team”, the Prime Minister added.

The Prime Minister underlined that the inauguration of 91 FM transmitters forwards the policies of the government that gives preference to the underprivileged who have been deprived of this facility so far. “Those who were considered to be distant will now get a chance to connect at a greater level”, the Prime Minister said. Listing out the benefits of FM transmitters, the Prime Minister mentioned relaying important information on time, community building efforts, weather updates related to agricultural practices, information on food and vegetable prices for the farmers, discussions about the loss incurred by the use of chemicals in agriculture, pooling of advanced machinery for agriculture, informing women self-help groups about new market practices and assisting the entire community during times of a natural calamity. He also mentioned the infotainment value of the FM.

The Prime Minister said that the government is continuously working for the democratization of technology. “It is important that no Indian should feel scarcity of opportunity if India has to rise up to its full potential”, the Prime Minister said. Making modern technology accessible and affordable is key to this. He explained this by mentioning optical fiber to all the villages and the cheapest data cost that has eased access to information. He said that this has given a new push to digital entrepreneurship in villages. Similarly, UPI has helped small businesses and street vendors to access banking services.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the tech revolution taking place in the country in the past few years has fabricated radio and especially FM in a new form. Noting the rise of the internet, the Prime Minister pointed out that radio has come to the fore in innovative ways through podcasts and online FM. “Digital India has not only given new listeners to the radio but a new thought process as well”, the Prime Minister said as he underlined that the same revolution can be witnessed in every broadcasting medium. He informed that the services of DD free dish, the largest DTH platform in the country, are being provided to 4 crore 30 lakh homes where real-time information about the world is reaching the doorsteps of crores of rural households and areas nearing the border. He also underlined that education and entertainment are also reaching those sections of society that have been deprived for decades. “This has resulted in removing the disparity between different sections of society and providing quality information to everyone”, the Prime Minister said. He informed that various types of education courses are available on DTH channels where the knowledge of more than one university is directly reaching the homes. The Prime Minister pointed out that it has been of great help for crores of students in the country, especially during the Corona period. “Be it DTH or FM radio, this power gives us a window to peep into future India. We have to prepare ourselves for this future”, Shri Modi remarked.

The Prime Minister touched upon the dimension of linguistic diversity and informed that FM transmission will take place in all the languages and especially in the regions with 27 dialects. “This connectivity does not link just the tools of communications but it connects the people too. This is reflective of the work culture of this government”, said the Prime Minister highlighting the emphasis on social connectivity along with the promotion of physical connectivity. “Our government is strengthening cultural connectivity and intellectual connectivity also”, the Prime Minister said. He explained this by giving an example of making Padma and other awards truly people’s awards by honoring real heroes. “Unlike earlier, now instead of being based on recommendations, Padma Awards are being conferred for service to the nation and society”, he added.

Noting that tourism has got a boost after the rejuvenation of pilgrimages and religious places in different parts of the country, the Prime Minister said that the increasing number of people visiting tourist places is proof of increasing cultural connectivity in the country. He gave examples of museums related to tribal freedom fighters, Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Panchteerth, PM Museum and the National War Memorial and said that such initiatives have given a new dimension to intellectual and emotional connectivity in the country.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister underlined the vision and mission of all communication channels like All India Radio and said that connectivity be it in any form, its purpose is to connect the country and its 140 crore citizens. He expressed confidence that all stakeholders will continue to move forward with this vision resulting in the strengthening of the country through continuous dialogue.

Background

As part of the government’s commitment to enhancing FM connectivity in the country, 91 new 100W FM transmitters have been installed in 85 districts across 18 States and 2 Union Territories. A special focus of this expansion has been on enhancing coverage in Aspirational Districts and in border areas. The States and UTs which are covered include Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Ladakh and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. With this expansion of AIR’s FM service, an additional 2 crore people will now be covered who did not have access to the medium. It will result in the expansion of coverage in about 35,000 sq km area.

The Prime Minister has been a firm believer in the important role which radio plays in reaching out to the masses. To harness the unique strength of the medium to reach out to the widest possible audience, the Prime Minister started the Mann ki Baat programme, which is now nearing its landmark 100th episode.

Ministry of Ayush has launched a special edition of official research publication of Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Journal of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (JRAS) focused on “Impact of Mann ki Baat on Ayush Sector”. Minister of Ayush and Ports, Shipping & Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal today launched the special edition of journal in the presence of Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, of Ayush and senior officials of the Ministry.

In his address, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said,  “Prime Minister’s “Mann ki Baat” conversations have been instrumental in giving a positive trust to Ayush. With its innovative and unique interactive style of presentation, the radio program has carved out a niche for itself and has become popular among communities. The content of this special edition of the journal has taken inspiration from various thoughts of our PM on Ayush sector.”

Ayush has been mentioned in about 37 of the “Mann Ki Baat” episodes. The Prime Minister had urged citizens to adopt a healthy lifestyle, practice yoga, and adopt evidence based Ayurveda and imbibe Ayurveda way of life into their lifestyle. As a result of the Prime Minister’s efforts to promote the Ayush sector, there has been increase in awareness about the benefits of traditional Indian systems of medicine, not only in India but also globally.

The content of the special edition of journal is inspired by various conversations of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on Ayush systems during the last 9 years. It highlights the impact of “Mann ki Baat” on Ayush sector and how Ayush is becoming a fundamental pillar of the country’s national health policy and health interventions.  A total of 24 articles of renowned experts are included on 7 potential areas i.e. Policy & Public Health, Science & Evidence, Health Education & Awareness, Yoga & Swasthavritta (Lifestyle, Exercise, Food, Nutrition), War against Corona, Industry & Academia Collaboration and Globalization & International Cooperation.

The special edition includes special message from Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of State for Ayush Dr. Munjapara Mahendrabhai. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, secretary, Ministry of Ayush, eminent authors from academia (like Dr BN Gangadhar, NMC and former Director NIMHANS), Industry (Like Acharya Balkrishna of Patanjali, Dr C K Katiyar of Emami), Research (Dr Viswajanani Sattigeri of CSIR-TKDL), Clinicians, experts (Dr Rajendra A Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai), Biotechnology experts (Kalpana Joshi, Professor and Head Biotechnology, Savitribhai Phule Pune University), International experts and stakeholders (from Germany, Sweden and USA) have contributed in this edition.

Journal of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (JRAS) is a peer-reviewed, open access, UGC-CARE listed official publication of Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), New Delhi. The Journal is published quarterly and is available in both print and online forms. It is a multidisciplinary platform for publication of research in Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Siddha, Homeopathy fields including interdisciplinary health sciences. The journal is published by Medknow, which is a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, one of the largest open access publishers worldwide with more than 450+ medical journals in its portfolio.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Defence of Russia Army General Sergei K Shoigu on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi on April 28, 2023. The two Ministers discussed wide-ranging issues of bilateral defence cooperation, including military-to-military ties as well as industrial partnership. They also discussed the Russian defence industry’s participation in the ‘Make in India’ initiative and ways to provide further impetus to it.

The two Ministers also discussed matters on regional peace and security. They expressed satisfaction over the continued trust and mutual respect between the two countries, particularly in defence and reiterated their commitment towards strengthening the partnership. They acknowledged the unique, long-lasting and time-tested relationship between India and Russia.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari chaired the 10th Meeting for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Transport Ministers at New Delhi today. Chaired by India this year, SCO currently comprises eight Member States which are India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. In today’s meeting, all the member states supported the “Concept of cooperation of the SCO Member States to decarbonize transport, promote digital transformation and innovative technologies to achieve greater efficiency and sustainability”.

A Special Working Group has been established to promote collaboration among member states of the SCO in the field of transportation. This group will facilitate meetings to share knowledge and best practices related to reducing carbon emissions in transportation, promoting digital transformation, and implementing innovative technologies for more sustainable and efficient transport.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Gadkari said under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India recently celebrated 75th year of independence under the theme of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and entered the Amrit Kaal which translates into “Golden Era”. Under the Amrit Kaal, “Green Growth” is identified as a key area for reducing carbon intensity of the economy, including promotion of green mobility.

Shri Gadkari said to bring a paradigm shift by adopting green and clean fuels, to develop technologies that improve the efficiency and reliability of the transport systems and to bring in sustainability in the development of the road construction sector, the SCO Member States must collaborate for research and development and to bring innovations in the road transport to develop effective solutions to contemporary challenges in this sector.

The Union Minister said we feel that an approach which is based on collaboration and cooperation between the SCO member countries will enable to promote sustainable transport development, lower carbon emissions to enhance quality of life and improve efficiency of transport systems within the SCO regions. This is also reflected in India’s commitment to achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2070 under the fivefold strategy called “Panchamrita” which was announced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.

Shri Gadkari said as SCO Transport Ministers we can send a collective message affirming our determination to address the challenges of transport sector and bring solutions that shall help us build an ecosystem for collaboration and cooperation as a part of fulfilling our commitment to the SCO.

India is the current chair of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is an intergovernmental organization founded in Shanghai on 15 June 2001. The SCO currently comprises of eight Member States which are India, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said here today that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s global presence is growing in the electronics related economy.
The Minister was on a visit to the University of Surrey where he undertook a tour of the distinguished semiconductor facility.

While thanking the University for the invitation to visit the facility, Dr Jitendra Singh said, India is fast becoming an important player in the global electronics value chains and is ready to collaborate with the electronics industry and academia in the United Kingdom.

The University of Surrey is a public research university in Guildford, Surrey, England. The Surrey Ion Beam Centre (SIBC) has been in operation for over 40 years, providing ion beams for analysis and modification of materials initially to support the UK academic and industrial microelectronics research community. It provides access to academia and industry. The SIBC supports rigorous quality assurance and is ISO9001 certified. It was made a national centre to support microelectronics research in the UK in 1978, providing ion implantation and doping facilities as well as the background research skills to enable UK academia and industry with expertise and facilities for their R&D work. The UK semiconductor market has grown to be worth more than £10bn per year and the UK photonics market is worth around £14bn, with the UK being one of the top three leading countries in photonics.

The Minister mentioned that as India is investing heavily in the semiconductor programme and key supply chains, it can be a potential collaborator to support efforts. He added that in furtherance of the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and positioning India as the global hub for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM), the Cabinet approved a comprehensive program for the development of a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem in the country with an outlay of ₹ 76,000 crore (>10 billion USD). The programme aims to provide financial support to companies investing in semiconductors, display manufacturing and design ecosystem. This will serve to pave the way for India’s growing presence in the global electronics value chains, he said.

The programme will usher in a new era in electronics manufacturing by providing a globally competitive incentive package to companies in semiconductors and display manufacturing as well as design.

In addition to support to industry, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Government of India has also approved modernisation of Semi-Conductor Laboratory, Mohali as a brownfield Fab. Further Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI), PILANI is actively engaged in Semiconductor research and would be interested R&D collaborations to develop innovative meta-material-based tuneable filter for customised transmitter/ detector application and photonic crystal-based sensor-platform for customised healthcare diagnostics, he added.

India is investing heavily in the semiconductor programmes and key supply chains, University of Surrey can be a potential collaborator to support in efforts, the Minister concluded.

Dr Jitendra Singh is leading a high-level official Indian delegation of the Ministry of Science & Technology on a 6-day visit to the United Kingdom.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed a programme marking 20 years of completion of the StateWide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology – SWAGAT Initiative in Gujarat via video conferencing today. The Gujarat government is celebrating SWAGAT Saptah on successfully completing 20 years of the initiative.

During the event, the Prime Minister also interacted with the past beneficiaries of the scheme.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction that the objective behind starting Swagat has been successfully achieved where citizens not only find solutions to their problems but also raise issues of the entire community of hundreds. “The attitude of the government should be friendly and common citizens can easily share their issues with them”, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister remarked that the SWAGAT initiative is completing 20 years of its existence and recalled his past experiences upon interacting with the beneficiaries. He said that it is the effort and dedication of the citizens that make SWAGAT initiative a grand success and congratulated everyone who has contributed in this direction.

The Prime Minister said that the destiny of any scheme is determined by the intention and vision of that scheme when it is conceived. He recalled that when the initiative was launched in 2003 he was not very old as Chief Minister and he too faced the common refrain that power changes everyone.  He said that he was clear to remain unchanged by the assumption of the chair. “I was clear that I would not become a slave of the restrictions of the chair. I will remain among people and will be there for them”, he said. This determination gave birth to StateWide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology (SWAGAT). The Prime Minister said that the idea behind SWAGAT was to welcome the views of the common citizens in democratic institutions, be it in legislation or solutions. “SWAGAT stands by the idea of Ease of Living and Reach of Governance”, the Prime Minister said.

He underlined that the good governance model of Gujarat has found its own identity in the world due to the efforts made by the government with all honesty and dedication. The Prime Minister mentioned the International Telecom Organisation which presented the prime example of good governance by SWAGAT as e-transparency and e-accountability. He also mentioned that SWAGAT drew a lot of praise from the United Nations and was also conferred the prestigious award for Public Service. The Prime Minister pointed out that Gujarat received the gold award from the Government of India for e-governance owing to SWAGAT during the Congress regime in 2011.

“For me, the biggest reward is that we could serve the people of Gujarat through SWAGAT”, the Prime Minister said. In SWAGAT we prepared a practical system. The first systems of public hearings under SWAGAT were created at the block and tehsil levels. After that District Magistrate was made responsible at the district level. And at the state level, the Prime Minister informed that he took the responsibility on his own shoulders. This, he said, helped him a great deal to understand the impact and reach of the initiatives and schemes and the relations between implementing agencies and the end beneficiaries. SWAGAT empowered the citizens and gained credibility.

The Prime Minister noted that even though the SWAGAT programme was held only once a week, the work related to it would be done all over the month as there were hundreds of grievances. The Prime Minister also informed that he would carry out an analysis to understand if there were any specific departments, officers or regions whose complaints were registered more often than others. “An in-depth analysis was carried out where policies were also amended if needed”, Shri Modi continued, “this created a sense of trust amongst the common citizens”. He remarked that the measure of good governance in society is dependent on the quality of the public grievance redressal system and this is the true test of democracy.

The Prime Minister said that SWAGAT changed the old notion of following the established trails in government. “We proved that governance is not limited to old rules and laws but governance takes place due to innovations and new ideas”, he added. Shri Modi recalled that in 2003, e-governance was not much of a priority by the governments of the time. Paper trails and physical files led to a lot of delays and harassment video conferencing was mostly unknown. “Under these circumstances, Gujarat worked on futuristic ideas. And today, a system like SWAGAT has become the inspiration for many solutions to governance. Many states are working on this type of system. At the center we have also made a system called PRAGATI to review the working of the government. PRAGATI  has played a big role in the rapid development of the country in the last 9 years. This concept is also based on the idea of SWAGAT.” The Prime Minister informed that he has reviewed projects worth about 16 lakh crores through PRAGATI and many projects were speeded up due to this.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister gave the analogy of a seed sprouting into a massive tree with hundreds of branches and expressed confidence that the idea of SWAGAT will give way to thousands of new innovations in governance.  He expressed delight that governance initiatives are being celebrated like this as it infuses new life and energy in them. “It will continue to serve the public by becoming a model of public-oriented governance”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Background

SWAGAT (State Wide Attention on Grievances by Application of Technology) was started by the Prime Minister in April 2003 when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. The programme was driven by his belief that the foremost responsibility of a Chief Minister is to solve the problems of the people of the State. With this resolve, along with the early realization of the potential of technology to promote ease of living, the then CM Modi launched a first-of-its-kind tech-based grievance redressal programme.

The main purpose of this programme was to act as a bridge between the citizens and the government by using technology to solve their day-to-day grievances in a quick, efficient and time-bound manner. Over time, SWAGAT brought about a transformative impact on the lives of people and became an effective tool to solve woes in a paperless, transparent and hassle-free manner.

The uniqueness of SWAGAT is that it helps the common citizen air his grievances directly to the Chief Minister. It is held on the fourth Thursday of every month wherein the Chief Minister interacts with citizens for grievance redressal. The programme has been instrumental in bridging the gap between people and government through a prompt resolution of grievances. Under the programme, it is ensured that every applicant is informed of the decision. Proceedings of all applications are available online. More than 99% of grievances submitted to date have been resolved.

The SWAGAT Online Programme has four components: the State SWAGAT, District SWAGAT, Taluka SWAGAT and Gram SWAGAT. The Chief Minister himself attends public hearings during State SWAGAT. The District Collector oversees District SWAGAT while the Mamlatdar and a Class-1 Officer head the Taluka SWAGAT. In Gram SWAGAT, citizens file the application from the 1st to the 10th of every month to the Talati/Mantri. These are included in the Taluka SWAGAT program for redressal. In addition, a Lok Fariyad program is also operational for citizens wherein they file their grievances at the SWAGAT Unit.

The SWAGAT Online Programme has been given various awards over the years, including the United Nations Public Service Award in 2010 for improving transparency, accountability and responsiveness in public service.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh met State Councillor and Minister of National Defence of China General Li Shangfu in New Delhi on April 27, 2023. The two Ministers had frank discussions about the developments in the India-China border areas as well as bilateral relations.

The Raksha Mantri categorically conveyed that development of relations between India and China is premised on prevalence of peace and tranquillity at the borders. He added that all issues at the LAC need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments. He reiterated that violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border will logically be followed with de-escalation.

The Chinese Defence Minister is in Delhi to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting on April 28, 2023.