Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space and MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh today said, Chandrayaan-3 will raise the level of India’s international collaborations, particularly in science, technology, innovation and StartUps.

The Minister said, USA’s NASA and India’s ISRO are developing a strategic framework for human spaceflight cooperation and NASA is today soliciting India’s astronauts. He said, India also signed the Artemis Accords during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US, which envisages a common vision for Space exploration for the benefit of all humankind.

Dr Jitendra Singh was speaking after India and the United States, represented by its Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, today jointly launched the call for collaborative proposals on “Critical and Emerging Technology: Quantum Technologies and Artificial Intelligence for Transforming Lives”. The Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF) and the Secretariat for USISTEF have designed the program.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, the move comes in the wake of PM Modi’s US visit, where he stressed upon a new chapter to bilateral comprehensive and global strategic partnership. The Minister said, he felt happy that both the Indian and US sides have positioned themselves quickly to carry forward the decision of the leaders to the implementation level.

Dr Jitendra Singh pointed out that the Indo-American engagement has charted a Technology Partnership for the Future with a new direction and a new energy in the AI (America – India) relation in the AI (Artificial Intelligence) era.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, among other technology-oriented matters of high relevance, it is heartening to note that President Biden and Prime Minister Modi welcomed the launch of a $2million grant program under the U.S.-India Science and Technology Endowment Fund (USISTEF) for the joint development and commercialization of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and quantum technologies, and encouraged public-private collaborations to develop high performance computing (HPC) facilities in India.

Dr Jitendra Singh informed that India has recently approved the National Quantum Mission (NQM) with an aim to seed, nurture and scale up scientific and industrial R&D and create a vibrant and innovative ecosystem in Quantum Technology (QT). Needless to say, AI has the potential to address the world’s most pressing challenges and presents tremendous opportunities for economic development, he added.

Dr Jitendra Singh said, investments in AI and quantum technology would lead to transformative advances in our everyday lives and greatly benefit our social well-being by impacting healthcare, agriculture, climate change and more. He welcomed the transformative potential of the Endowment fund.

The call will remain open till August 31, 2023 and will invite promising joint Indo-U.S. technology innovation and entrepreneurial proposals that are commercially viable and socially relevant. It will provide a significant boost to the domestic as well as the US priorities looking at various facets of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways is committed towards innovation, building best infrastructure, and strengthening the Indian Maritime sector. Today, to further the digital initiative in maritime sector the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the indigenous Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS) ‘SAGAR SAMPARK’ in the presence of Shri Shripad Y. Naik, the Minister of State of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Shri TK Ramachandran, IAS Secretary, MoPSW and other senior officials from the ministry and Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships. DGNSS is a terrestrial based enhancement system which corrects the errors and inaccuracies in the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) allowing for more accurate positioning information.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal said, ‘Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Shri. Narendra Modi ji, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways have given high priority to the safety of Navigation, especially due to the considerable increase in shipping volume in the recent past’. He said, the launch of ‘Sagar Sampark – Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS)’ at 06 locations under DGLL, will definitely enhance the capability of the DGLL in the field of the Radio Aids to Marine Navigation.’

The DGNSS service will help mariners in safe navigation and will reduce the risk of collisions, groundings, and accidents in the port and harbour areas. This will lead to safe & efficient movement of vessels.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Shripad Y. Naik said ‘DGNSS is an important Radio Aid to Navigation towards fulfillment of international obligations of International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA)’.

After recapitalization with multiple satellite constellations like GPS and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), DGNSS further increases the availability and redundancy as per International standards and helps the mariners to improve their positioning within 5 meters.

The latest DGNSS system is now able to transmit corrections of GPS and GLONASS. The DGNSS significantly improves the accuracy of GPS positioning, reducing errors caused by the atmospheric inferences, satellite clock drift and other factors. This is achieved with the help of modern state of art technology receivers and latest software. The error correction accuracy has been improved from 5 to 10 meters to less than 5 meters for 100 Nautical Miles from Indian coastlines.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has greeted the citizens of Tripura on occasion of Ker Puja.

The Prime Minister tweeted:

“Greetings on the very special occasion of Ker Puja. I hope that this festival, which is marked with great enthusiasm in Tripura, fills everyone’s lives with joy and prosperity. May there be happiness and harmony all around and may everyone be blessed with good health.”

Recognising defence exports as a key pillar of sustainable growth of the Indian defence industry, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Regional Office of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on July 11, 2023. This Regional Office will facilitate close defence industrial collaboration between India and Malaysia. It will also serve as a hub for the HAL’s engagement with the wider South-East Asian region and act as a window for other Indian Defense PSUs.

Malaysia is home to the second largest members of the Persons of Indian Origin and has a significant presence of the NRI community. The Raksha Mantri interacted with the Indian diaspora on two different occasions.  The first community interaction included Ministers and senior officials of Government of Malaysia and eminent personalities from polity, culture & the industry. The reception was attended by Minister for Human Resources of Malaysia Mr V Siva Kumar and Deputy Minister for Entrepreneurship and Cooperatives Development Ms Saraswathy Kandasami.

During the event, the Raksha Mantri appreciated the rich legacy of Indian classical art tradition in Malaysia as witnessed in the presentations of Odissi dance as well as the Carnatic and Hindustani music performances by renowned Malaysian artistes.

In a separate event, Shri Rajnath Singh interacted with the members of the diverse and vibrant Indian community in Malaysia, including the leaders and members of various Indian community organisations in the country. He appreciated their deep-rooted and close connect with India.

The Raksha Mantri highlighted that the country’s prestige and stature on the global stage had increased under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He acknowledged the role of the Indian diaspora in the growth story of India. He encouraged them to work honestly for the shared prosperity of India and Malaysia, underlining the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

Shri Rajnath Singh also visited Ramakrishna Mission in Petaling Jaya and offered floral tribute to the statue of Swami Vivekananda which was unveiled by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in November 2015. He also visited the iconic Batu Caves temple premises and offered his prayers.

In addition, the Raksha Mantri paid a visit to the Torana Gate at Brickfields, a symbol of friendship between India and Malaysia, which was also inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in November 2015. He also visited Kortumalai Ganesar Temple, Kuala Lumpur and offered prayers to Bhagwan Ganesh.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space and MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Chandrayaan-3 will open up new Moon vistas for the world.

In an exclusive interview with ET (Economic Times) Governance, Dr Jitendra Singh said that India’s earlier mission, Chandrayaan-1 had thrown up new light on various aspects of the moon as it was Chandrayaan-1 which brought before the world for the first time the evidence of the presence of water on the surface of the moon. Now, the whole world looks up to Chandrayaan 3 with great anticipation, expectation and hope, and at the same time waits for it to uncover many more new features and mysteries of the Moon and the universe, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that Chandrayaan-3 mission signals March to the Moon one step closer and also demonstrates the fact that India is not lagging behind other countries so far as exploration of the moon is concerned. He said, the unique feature of this mission is that it will not only observe the Moon from the Moon but will also see Earth from the Moon, thus making India part of the world’s elite club of three or four nations.

Dr Jitendra Singh also pointed out that during the recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the United States, it became clear that America treats India as an equal partner and collaborator in space exploration. He said NASA is today soliciting India’s astronauts and the Artemis Accord, where India is also one of the signatories, is also proof of India’s great Space march.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that India’s space technology is not only confined to launching rockets, but has great implications for sectoral development. Dr Jitendra Singh said India has demonstrated the application potential of space technology during 6 decades of Indian space programme. He said, today, space has touched all walks of human life, including science & technology, telecommunication, agriculture, education, health, rural development, disaster warning & mitigation, studying climate change, navigation, defence & governance to name a few.

Dr Jitendra Singh said in the next 25 years of Amrit Kaal, India’s ascent has begun through Space and the Space economy will be an important pillar of overall economic development in future. Out of 424 foreign satellites launched till date by India, 389 were launched in the last nine years of the government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Further, out of 174 million US dollars earned, 157 million came in the last nine years and similarly out of 256 million Euros earned so far, 223 million came during the 9 years of the Government led by PM Modi.

In response to a question, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Space technology has become a medium of instruction and having contributed significantly in disciplines like geophysics, telemedicine. He said, today education is also being acquired through Space technology via wifi.

Lauding the vision of PM Modi for unlocking the space sector, he said integration is the new Mantra as the days of working in silos is over. He said, for greater results, public private partnership is imperative, not only at the national level but also at the international level.

“It is important for MSME Pharma Cos. to be alert to quality of drugs and expeditiously move towards Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) through self regulation”. This was stated by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers, and Health & Family Welfare as he met representatives from Pharma Companies from the MSME sector, here today.

Strongly stressing the need for self regulation in the MSME pharma sector, the Union Minister underscored its importance for India to maintain the status of ‘Pharmacy of the World’. “Our global position in the pharmaceutical sector is created through the quality of our products. We must undertake all possible steps to ensure that we strengthen this position in terms of value and quality. Hence, the role of self regulation becomes critical”, he stated.

Basis Industry’s assurance, a major decision taken today, Schedule M shall be made compulsory for the MSME pharma sector in a phased manner. “This will help in quality assurance and also reduce compliance burden’, the Union Minister said.

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya has directed the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to take stringent action against all pharmaceutical manufacturing companies that make spurious drugs. “There shall be no compromise with the quality of drugs manufactured in India”, he emphasized.   Highlighting that the Government has zero tolerance towards manufacturers not adhering to quality compliance and making spurious medicines, he stated that special squads have been formed to inspect drugs making companies and stringent actions has been taken.

The Union Minister further stated that in order to ensure the highest quality of pharma products, the regulatory authorities have started risk-based inspection and audit of plants. He stated that 137 firms were inspected, and action has been taken against 105 firms. Production has been stopped at 31 firms and Cancellation & Suspension of Product/Section Licenses have been issued against 50 firms. In addition, show cause notice has been issued to 73 firms, and warning letters have been issued against 21 firms.

Ms. S. Aparna, Secretary (Pharma), Dr Rajeev Raghuvanshi, DCGI and senior officers from Deptt. attended the meeting. Dr. Viranchi Shah, National President and other office bearers of IDMA were also present.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has spoken to senior ministers and officials and taken stock of situation in the wake of excessive rainfall in parts of India.

The Prime Minister’s Office tweeted :

“PM Narendra Modi spoke to senior Ministers and officials, and took stock of the situation in the wake of excessive rainfall in parts of India. Local administrations, NDRF and SDRF teams are working to ensure the well-being of those affected.”

To further boost India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and strengthen bilateral ties with Malaysia, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh held extensive discussions with his Malaysian counterpart Mr Dato’ Seri Mohamad Hasan in Kuala Lumpur on July 10, 2023. He also called on Prime Minister Mr YB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, besides meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.

After touching down in Kuala Lumpur late on July 09, 2023, Shri Rajnath Singh began his official engagements with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Ministry of Defence, Malaysia. It was followed by bilateral talks between the Raksha Mantri & his Malaysian counterpart Mr Dato’ Seri Mohamad Hasan.

Both sides discussed initiatives to further expand bilateral defence ties, with particular focus on identifying ways to strengthen industrial cooperation. They reaffirmed their commitment to fully implement the Enhanced Strategic Partnership based on mutual trust and understanding, common interests and shared values of democracy and rule of law.

The two Ministers agreed to the next Malaysia-India Defence Cooperation Committee (MIDCOM) meeting which is being planned in India later this year. Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the potential of the Indian defence industry with capacity and capability to cooperate with Malaysian Armed Forces in its inventory modernisation and maintenance plans.

Both Ministers approved amendment in the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation between India and Malaysia signed in 1993, through ‘Exchange of Letters’ (EoL). This amendment will act as an enabler to expand bilateral defence cooperation in the areas of mutual interest.

Later, the Raksha Mantri called on the Prime Minister of Malaysia Mr YB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim and conveyed warm greetings of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. Recalling his successful visit to India in 2019, the Malaysian Prime Minister reciprocated the greetings by highlighting that he has great love for people of India and that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is his personal friend.

The Malaysian Prime Minister expressed appreciation of the strong cultural bonds between both nations. Shri Rajnath Singh briefed the Malaysian Prime Minister about the fruitful and productive defence dialogue held earlier in the day. The meeting focused on measures to realise the full potential of Enhanced Strategic Partnership.

Shri Rajnath Singh also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, during which they exchanged views on matters of bilateral importance and cooperation in international fora. India’s recognition of ASEAN centrality and importance of peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo Pacific region were discussed. The meeting concluded with India’s assurance to partner Malaysia in its efforts to accelerate self-reliance of the Malaysian Defence Industry.

Later, the Raksha Mantri felicitated Second Lieutenant Sundaram, a 99-year old INA veteran, who fought alongside Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at Burma border.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation development projects worth over Rs 24,300 crore in Bikaner, Rajasthan today. The projects include the dedication of the six-lane Greenfield Expressway section of the Amritsar – Jamnagar Economic Corridor at a cost of around Rs 11,125 crores, Phase-I of the Inter-State Transmission Line for Green Energy Corridor worth around Rs 10,950 crores, Bikaner to Bhiwadi Transmission Line to be developed by Power Grid at a cost of around Rs 1,340 crores, and a new 30-bedded Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital in Bikaner. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the Bikaner Railway Station at a cost of around Rs 450 crores and doubling of the 43 km long Churu – Ratangarh section railway line

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister paid homage to the land of warriors and remarked that the people dedicated to the development of the state always present an opportunity that he makes himself available to dedicate the development projects to the nation.  Referring to the projects of today worth more than 24,000 crores, the Prime Minister noted that Rajasthan got two modern six-lane expressways within a matter of months. Recalling the inauguration of the Delhi – Dausa – Lalsot section of the Delhi – Mumbai Express Corridor in February, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for getting the opportunity to inaugurate the 500 km six-lane greenfield expressway section of the Amritsar – Jamnagar Expressway today. “In a way, Rajasthan has scored a double century when it comes to National Highways”, he added. The Prime Minister also congratulated the people of Bikaner and Rajasthan for the Green Energy Corridor and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital.

The Prime Minister said that Rajasthan has always been full of capabilities and potential. It is because of this potential for growth, the Prime Minister said, that record investment is being made in the state. Connectivity is being made hi-tech as there are endless possibilities for industrial development. Fast-speed expressways and railways will give a push to tourism opportunities which will benefit the youth of the state, he said.

Referring to the Green Field Expressway which was inaugurated today, the Prime Minister said that it will connect Rajasthan with Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, while important commercial seaports like Jamnagar and Kandla will also become accessible from Bikaner and Rajasthan. He underlined that the distances between Bikaner and Amritsar, and Jodhpur will be reduced, along with the distance between Jodhpur and Gujarat which will largely benefit the farmers and businesses of the region. “This Greenfield Expressway will strengthen the economic activities in entire western India”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted the increased connectivity with oil field refineries which will strengthen the supply, thereby giving pace to economic developments in the country.

Talking about the doubling of the railway line, the Prime Minister highlighted the priority given to the growth of Railways in Rajasthan. He informed that between 2004-2014 Rajasthan received less than Rs 1000 crores per year on average for railways whereas after 2014, the state received Rs 10,000 crores every year on average.

The Prime Minister said that the biggest beneficiaries of this infrastructure push are small businessmen and small-scale industries. He mentioned Bikaner’s Achaar, papad, namkeen and said that with better connectivity, these small businesses will be able to take their products to every corner of the world.

Continuing with the efforts for Rajasthan’s development, the Prime Minister mentioned the Vibrant Village scheme for the long-neglected border villages. “We declared the frontier villages the ‘first villages’ of the country. Leading to development in these regions and a renewed interest among the people of the country about visiting these areas”, he said.

The Prime Minister talked about the blessings of Karni Mata and Salasar Balaji in Rajasthan and said that the state should be at the peak of development. That is why the Government of India is working for the growth of Rajasthan with all its might. He concluded with the hope that the combined effort of everyone will realize all the development goals of Rajasthan.

Governor of Rajasthan, Shri Kalraj Mishra, Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Law and Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary among others were present on the occasion.

Background

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation six-lane greenfield expressway section of the Amritsar – Jamnagar Economic Corridor. Spanning over 500 km in Rajasthan, this section which runs from village Jakhrawali in Hanumangarh district to village Khetlawas in Jalore district is built at a cost of around Rs 11,125 crores. This expressway will significantly reduce travel time and improve connectivity between major cities, and industrial corridors. The expressway will not only facilitate seamless transportation of goods but also enhance tourism and economic development along its route.

Giving a boost to the power sector in the region, the Prime Minister dedicated Phase-I of the Inter-State Transmission Line for Green Energy Corridor worth around Rs 10,950 crores.  The green energy corridor will integrate about 6 GW of renewable power and help in grid balancing of Renewable Power with Thermal Generation in Western Region and Hydro Generation in the Northern region, thereby strengthening transmission capacity between Northern Region and Western Region. The Prime Minister also dedicated Bikaner to Bhiwadi Transmission Line to be developed by Power Grid at a cost of around Rs 1,340 crores. Bikaner to Bhiwadi Transmission Line will help in the evacuation of 8.1 GW of Solar Power in Rajasthan.

The Prime Minister dedicated a new 30-bedded Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) Hospital in Bikaner. The hospital will have a capacity upgradeable to 100 beds and will serve as a vital healthcare facility, catering to the medical needs of the local community and ensuring accessible and quality healthcare services.

Further, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of the Bikaner Railway station. To be developed at a cost of around Rs 450 crores, the redevelopment work will involve renovation of all platforms along with flooring and ceiling while ensuring the preservation of the heritage status of the existing structure of the railway station.

The foundation Stone for the doubling of the 43 km long Churu – Ratangarh section was also laid by the Prime Minister.  Doubling of this rail line will enhance connectivity, and facilitate easier transportation of gypsum, limestone, food grains and fertilizer products from Bikaner region to the rest of the country.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for several crucial infrastructure development projects in Telangana worth around Rs 6,100 crores in Warangal, Telangana today. The development works include 176 km long National Highway Projects worth over Rs 5,550 crores and a Railway Manufacturing Unit in Kazipet to be developed at a cost of over Rs 500 crores. The Prime Minister also performed darshan and pooja at Bhadrakali Temple.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that even though Telangana is a relatively new state and has completed only 9 years of its existence, the contributions of Telangana and its people have been very significant in the history of India. “The capabilities of Telugu people have always enhanced the capabilities of India”, he said. The Prime Minister highlighted the significant role of the citizens of Telangana in making India the 5th largest economy in the world and expressed confidence in the growth in opportunities as the world looks towards India as an investment destination. “There is a lot of anticipation for Viksit Bharat”, he added.

“The new youthful India of today is brimming with energy”, the Prime Minister said as he acknowledged the advent of a golden period in the third decade of the 21st century and urged everyone to make full use of this period. Stressing that no part of India should be left behind in terms of fast-paced development, the Prime Minister highlighted the emphasis on improving Telangana’s infrastructure and connectivity in the last 9 years. He congratulated the people of Telangana for the projects of today that are worth more than 6,000 crores.

The Prime Minister stressed the need to find new ways to achieve new goals as he pointed out that fast-paced development in India is impossible with obsolete infrastructure. Noting that poor connectivity and expensive logistic costs hinder the progress of businesses, the Prime Minister highlighted the multifold increase in the speed and scale of development by the Government. He gave examples of highways, expressways, economic corridors and industrial corridors which are creating a network and said the two-lane and four-lane highways are being converted to four and six-lane highways respectively. The Prime Minister informed that the highway network of Telangana has seen a two-fold rise from 2500 km to 5000 km. He also mentioned that the construction of 2500 km of national highways is under different stages of development. He also informed that the dozens of corridors that are under construction as part of the Bharatmala Project pass through Telangana and gave examples of Hyderabad – Indore Economic Corridor, Chennai – Surat Economic Corridor, Hyderabad – Panji Economic Corridor and Hyderabad – Visakhapatnam Inter Corridor. In a way, the Prime Minister continued, Telangana is connecting the surrounding economic centers and becoming a hub of economic activity.

Speaking about the Mancherial – Warangal section of Nagpur –  Vijayawada Corridor whose foundation stone is laid today, the Prime Minister said that it will provide modern connectivity to Telangana with Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh while also reducing the distance between Mancherial and Warangal and put an end to traffic woes. “The region is home to many tribal communities and has been neglected for a long time”, he interjected. Shri Modi said that this corridor will give vision to multimodal connectivity in the state and the four-laning of the Karimnagar-Warangal section will strengthen connectivity to the Hyderabad-Warangal Industrial Corridor, Kakatiya Mega Textile Park and Warangal SEZ.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the increased connectivity in Telangana is directly benefiting the industry and tourism of the state as traveling to heritage centers and places of faith in Telangana is now becoming more convenient. He also mentioned the agricultural industry and the granite industry of Karimnagar and said that the efforts of the Government are directly assisting them. “Be it farmers or laborers, students or professionals, everyone is getting benefited. The youth are also getting new employment and self-employment opportunities near their homes”, he added.

Throwing light on the Make in India campaign and how the manufacturing sector is becoming a huge source of employment for the youth in the country, the Prime Minister mentioned the PLI scheme to encourage manufacturing in the country. “Those who are manufacturing more are getting special assistance from the Government”, Shri Modi said he informed about more than 50 big projects being implemented in Telangana under this scheme. The Prime  Minister also touched upon India creating a new record in defence exports this year. He informed that India’s defence export which was around Rs 1000 crores 9 years ago, has crossed Rs 16,000 crores today. He mentioned Bharat Dynamics Limited based in Hyderabad and said that it is also reaping the benefits.

The Prime Minister also touched upon Indian Railways setting new records and new milestones in terms of manufacturing. He highlighted the buzz around ‘Made in India’ Vande Bharat trains and said that Indian Railways has manufactured thousands of modern coaches and locomotives over the years. Referring to the Railway Manufacturing Unit, Kazipet whose foundation stone is laid today, the Prime Minister said that it is a rejuvenation of Indian Railways and Kazipet will become part of the new energy of Make in India. Due to this, the Prime Minister said, new employment opportunities will be created in this area and every family will be benefited in one way or the other. Concluding the address, the Prime Minister said, “This is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” as he urged to take Telangana forward on this mantra of development.

Governor of Telangana, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Tourism, Shri G Kishan Reddy and Member of Parliament, Shri Sanjay Bandi among others were present on the occasion.

Background

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for 176 km long National Highway projects worth over Rs 5,550 crores. The projects include 108 km long Mancherial – Warangal section of Nagpur –  Vijayawada Corridor. The section will reduce the distance between Mancherial and Warangal by around 34 km, thus reducing travel time and decongesting traffic on NH-44 and NH-65. He also laid the foundation stone for the upgradation of the 68 km long Karimnagar – Warangal section of NH-563 from the existing two-lane to a four-lane configuration. This will help in improving connectivity to Hyderabad-Warangal Industrial Corridor, Kakatiya Mega Textile Park and SEZ at Warangal.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of the Railway Manufacturing Unit, Kazipet. To be developed at a cost of over Rs 500 crores, the modern manufacturing unit will have enhanced Rolling Stock manufacturing capacity. It will be equipped with the latest technology standards and facilities such as Robotic Painting of Wagons, State-of-the-art Machinery and a Plant with modern material storage and handling. It will help in local employment generation and the development of ancillary units in nearby areas.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy and Department of Space and MoS Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh has said that the Biotech StartUps are crucial to India’s future economy.

“We had just about 50 Biotech Startups 8 to 9 years back, now we have around 6,000, so, I think, we still need to have more,” said Dr Jitendra Singh, inaugurating a discussion meeting for fostering Biomanufacturing Initiative of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), in New Delhi.

Dr Jitendra Singh said Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi awakened India to the merits and huge potential of Biotechnology in this country..

“India’s bioeconomy was just about $8 Billion in 2014 and now under Prime Minister Narendra Modi we have at least awakened to the merits of Biotechnology and Bioeconomy. it has grown up to $100 Billion, now we are targeting $150 Billion by 2025. This is going to be the ‘future value addition’ to India’s economy in the years to come,” he said, adding, “We rank 12th in the world, 3rd in the Asia Pacific as far as bioeconomy is concerned and rank One in vaccine production.”

The Science & Technology Minister said Biotechnology has the potential to become an instrument of global trade.

“India has a huge wealth of bioresources, an unsaturated resource waiting to be harnessed and an advantage in Biotechnology especially due to the vast biodiversity and the unique bioresources in the Himalayas. Then there is the 7,500 kms long coastline and last year we launched the Samudrayaan which is going to dig the biodiversity beneath the seas,” he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said Biotechnology has emerged as a trending career option among the youth. In a recent survey of Class 12 students in Delhi it was found that Biotechnology was ranked as the preferred stream at No.4/5 whereas earlier it didn’t figure anywhere as a career option, he said.

“So this is something not widely known, and that’s also the reason it took us so much of time to attract young minds into it,” said Dr Jitendra Singh. “Tools like synthetic technology, genome editing, microbial bioresources and metabolic engineering are now talked about more often, particularly when we linked it (genetic engineering) with the management of diseases, people got more enthusiastic,” he added.

Dr Jitendra Singh said Biotechnology Startups is a different genre combining new research of Biology and Manufacturing, viz processing of living systems such as micro-organisms, self-cultures etc. So they could also be the instruments of manufacturing.

“Biotechnology provides you with a milieu, an environment which will be Clean, Greener and more compatible with your well being, then your stake gets linked. And as time passes by, it also generates lucrative sources of livelihood, also the alternatives to the petrochemicals-based manufacturing, like bio-based products like food additives, bioengineering ties, animal feed products,” he said.

To mark the ‘World Bioproduct Day’ , Dr Jitendra Singh also launched the DBT social media campaign #IChooseLiFE to promote Biomanufacturing and making use of bioproducts.

Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, DBT and Chairman, Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC and Dr. Ramesh V Sonti, Director, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), were among the dignitaries present during the discussion meeting.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 12,100 crores in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh today. The projects include the dedication of Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Junction – Son Nagar railway line of Dedicated Freight Corridor, three railway lines whose electrification or doubling has been completed, four-lane widening of Varanasi-Jaunpur section of NH-56, and multiple projects in Varanasi. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for multiple railway projects including the construction and renovation of 15 PWD roads, 192 rural drinking water schemes, redesigning and redevelopment of Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats including floating changing room jetties at six religiously significant bathing ghats and construction of students’ hostel at CIPET campus Karsara. Shri Modi also initiated the distribution of loans of PM SVANidhi, keys of PMAY Rural houses and Ayushman Bharat cards. Upon arriving at the venue, the Prime Minister took a walkthrough of the model of Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that life becomes a blessing with the beginning of the pious month of Sravan, blessings of Lord Vishwanath, and Maa Ganga and the presence of the people of Varanasi. The Prime Minister noted that thousands of Shiva devotees are turning up to Varanasi to offer ‘Jal’ and said that it is certain that the city will witness a record number of pilgrims. “Those coming to Varanasi always return with a happy feeling”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted the hospitality of the citizens. He praised the people of Kashi for welcoming the delegates of G20 and keeping the premises of places of worship clean and grand.

Referring to the projects worth about 12000 crore rupees for which foundation stones were laid. “This is an expansion of our resolution of providing a new body to Kashi while retaining its ancient soul”, the Prime Minister said. He congratulated the people for the projects.

The Prime Minister, who had earlier interacted with the beneficiaries of various schemes, said that during the earlier times, the schemes were not connected with the grassroots. He said that the current government has started a new tradition of dialogue and interaction with the beneficiaries, meaning ‘direct benefit as well as direct feedback”. This has resulted in better performances by the departments and officers, he added. “So many years after Independence, the true benefit of democracy has reached the correct people in the true sense”, the Prime Minister continued.

The Prime Minister underlined that the beneficiary class has become an example of the truest form of social justice and secularism as the Government strives to take the benefits to the last man in every scheme. This approach, the Prime Minister said, has led to the culling of commission seekers, brokers and scamsters thereby eliminating corruption and discrimination.

In the last 9 years, the Prime Minister said, the Government has not worked just for one family and a single generation but worked towards improving the lives of future generations as well. He gave the example of PMAY where more than 4 crore families have been handed pucca homes and mentioned that 4 lakh pucca homes have been delivered to beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh today. “These homes instill a feeling of security and boost the self-confidence of the owners”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted that most of the homeowners are women who have had a property registered in their names for the first time. He said that these pucca houses provide a means of financial security to such women.

Continuing with the impact of the government schemes, the Prime Minister pointed out that Ayushman Bharat Scheme also is not limited to just free treatment worth 5 lakh, it impacts multiple generations as medical expenses can push generations into penury and debt. “Ayushman Yojana is protecting poor people from this fate. That is why, I am striving so hard to ensure the availability of the card to every poor in a mission mode, he said. Today’s event witnessed the start of the distribution of Ayushman Bharat Cards to one crore sixty lakh people.

“The biggest claim on the resources of a nation is of the poor and deprived”, the Prime Minister said, mentioning the steps of financial inclusion like 50 crore Jan Dhan Accounts, and loans without collateral under Mudra Scheme. This has benefited the poor, dalit, deprived, backward, tribal, minorities and women entrepreneurs.

The Prime Minister touched upon PM SVANidhi and said that even though most of the street vendors hail from backward communities, the Governments from the past never addressed their issues and only harassed them. The Prime Minister informed that more than 35 lakh people have benefitted from PM SVANidhi Yojna so far, and today, loans have been disbursed to more than 1.25 lakh beneficiaries in Varanasi. “Self-respect for the poor is Modi’s guarantee”, the Prime Minister exclaimed.

The Prime Minister highlighted the basic dishonesty of the previous regimes leading to perpetual deficiency of funds. Today, he said, “Whether it is Gareeb Kalyan or infrastructure, there is no shortage of budget. The same tax-payer, the same system, just the government has changed. As intentions changed, results also followed”, he said. News of scams and black marketing of the past have been replaced by the news of dedication and foundation stones of new projects. He gave the example of the Eastern Dedicated freight corridor, a project for a special track for goods trains, as an example of this change. He informed that the project conceived in 2006, did not see even a single kilometer long track till 2014. In the last 9 years, a significant part of the project has been completed and goods trains are operating in that area. “Even today, the new Sonnagar section from Deen Dayal Upadhyay Junction has been inaugurated. This will not only increase the speed of goods trains but many new employment opportunities will be created in Purvanchal and Eastern India”, he added.

Underlining the country’s desire for fast-running trains, the Prime Minister informed that even though the Rajdhani Express ran for the first time in the country about 50 years ago, it could run only on 16 routes today. He also gave the example of Shatabdi Express which began 30-35 years ago but is currently running on 19 routes only. The Prime Minister highlighted the Vande Bharat Express and informed that the train is running on 25 routes in a short span of 4 years. “Banaras has the claim for the country’s first Vande Bharat”, the Prime Minister added. He informed that two new Vande Bharat Express trains have been flagged off from Gorakhpur today on Gorakhpur – Lucknow and Jodhpur – Ahmedabad routes. “This Vande Bharat has become such a superhit among the middle class of the country and its demand is only increasing”, Shri Modi said. He expressed confidence that the day is not far when Vande Bharat will connect every corner of the country.

Throwing light on the unprecedented work carried out to improve the connectivity of Kashi in the last 9 years, the Prime Minister underlined that it has created many new employment opportunities. He noted that 7 crore tourists and devotees came to Kashi which was a 12-fold rise within one year, thereby creating better opportunities for income from rickshaw pullers, the shopkeepers, to people working in dhabas and hotels and Banarasi saree industry. He also pointed out that the oarsmen have benefited a lot and expressed amazement at the number of boats during the Ganga Aarti in the evening. “You people keep taking care of Banaras like this”, he said.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister congratulated everyone for today’s project and expressed confidence that the development journey of Varanasi will continue with Baba’s blessings.

Governor of Uttar Pradesh, Ms Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya and Shri Brajesh Pathak, Union Minister for Heavy Industries, Shri Mahendra Nath Pandey, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prof S P Singh Baghel, and Minister of Uttar Pradesh Government among others were present on the occasion.

Background

The Prime Minister dedicated Pt. Deendayal Upadhyaya Junction – Son Nagar railway line of Dedicated Freight Corridor. Built at a cost of more than Rs 6760 crores, the new line will facilitate faster and more efficient movement of goods. He also dedicated to the nation three railway lines whose electrification or doubling has been completed at a cost of more than Rs 990 crores.  These include Ghazipur city – Aunrihar rail line, Aunrihar- Jaunpur rail line and Bhatni- Aunrihar rail line. These projects have helped in achieving 100 percent electrification of railway lines in Uttar Pradesh.

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation, the four-lane widening of the Varanasi – Jaunpur section of NH-56, which has been completed at a cost of more than  Rs 2750 crore making travel from Varanasi to Lucknow easier and faster;

Among the multiple projects in Varanasi that will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister include the construction and renovation of 18 PWD roads; International Girls Hostel building constructed at BHU campus; Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET)- Vocational Training Centre at village Karsara; Residential buildings and amenities in Police station Sindhaura, PAC Bhullanpur, Fire station Pindra and Govt residential school Tarsada;  Economic Offences Research Organization building; Sewer line from Mohan Katra to Konia Ghat and a modern septage management system in village Ramna; 30 double-sided backlit LED unipoles; a cow dung-based bio-gas plant at NDDB Milk plant Ramnagar; and a unique floating changing rooms jetty at Dashashwamedh ghat which will facilitate the bathing of devotees in river Ganga.

The projects whose foundation stones were laid by the Prime Minister include the construction of 3 two-lane rail over bridge (ROB) near Chaukhandi, Kadipur and Hardattpur railway stations; the construction of Vyasnagar – Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Junction rail flyover; and construction and renovation of 15 PWD roads. These projects will be developed at a cumulative cost of about Rs 780 crores.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of 192 rural drinking water schemes, to be built at a cost of more than Rs 550 crores under the Jal Jeevan Mission. It will provide pure drinking water to 7 lakh people in 192 villages.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone for redesigning and redevelopment of Manikarnika and Harishchandra Ghats. The redevelopment ghats will have provisions for public conveniences, waiting areas, wood storage, waste disposal and eco-friendly cremation pyres.

Other projects whose foundation stones were laid include floating changing room jetties at six religiously significant bathing ghats on the river Ganges in Varanasi on the lines of floating changing room jetties of Dashashwamedh Ghat and the construction of students hostel at CIPET campus Karsara.

During the programme, the Prime Minister also distributed the loans of PMSVANidhi, keys of PMAY Rural houses and Ayushman Bharat cards to the beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh. This will kickstart the Grih Pravesh of 5 lakh PMAY beneficiaries, the distribution of 1.25 lakh PMSVANidhi loans to eligible beneficiaries and the distribution of  2.88 crores Ayushman cards.