Every year on the day of Jyeshtha Ashtami Kashmiri Pandits visits Mata Ragneya Devi Temple also known as Kheer Bhawani Temple to pay their obeisance. This year Mela was celebrated on 28th of May with great fervour and enthusiasm by not only Kashmiri Pandits but also by the locals of the Kashmir valley.

In his tweet, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said “The Kheer Bhawani Mela held on Jyeshtha Ashtami in Kashmir occupies a sacred place in the spiritual realm of the Kashmiri Pandit sisters and brothers. More than 25000 devotees attended the Mela. I congratulate Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha, Central Armed Police Forces CAPFs, J&K Police and the local administration on the successful completion of the Kheer Bhawani Mela. May the divine grace of Maa Kheer Bhawani always be with us.”

Kheer Bhawani Mela was started on 26th of May and concluded on 28th of May, i.e on Jyeshtha Ashtami. On first day of Mela more than 2500 devotees reached to the temple in 107 buses from Jammu.

Comprehensive and elaborate arrangements were made by District Administration Ganderbal for the comfortable stay of devotees. District Police Ganderbal, NGOs, Government employees, Political Parties, etc. established their tents and provided refreshments to devotees.  District Police Ganderbal had made elaborate security arrangements, 20 CAPF Coys along with J&K Police Manpower. Escort vehicles, ROP, CT QRTs, Law and Order Components, Additional Naka points were part of the overall deployment plan. Ten Lungars were set up to take care of meals of the devotees.

With the evening Aarti/ Puja of 28th May, the Mela concluded peacefully. Kashmiri Pandits and other local communities prayed for the peace, prosperity and happiness of their beloved ones and the society.

On the auspicious occasion of Jyeshtha Ashtami, around 18,000 Kashmiri Pandits and devotees visited the famous Mata Kheer Bhavani Temple last year. Kheer Bhavani is considered to be the deity of Kashmiri Pandits, who have a lot of recognition there. Over the years, the Kheer Bhawani Mela has become a symbol of communal harmony and brotherhood in Kashmir.

The Mega Job-fair Cum Shramik Chaupal at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh  was organized by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India from 27^th to 29^th May, 2023 in association with Department of Technical Education, Skill Development & Employment and Department of Labour, Government of Madhya Pradesh. On conclusion of the Mega Job Fair Cum Shramik Chaupal today Shri Shivaraj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Shri Bhupender Yadav,Union Minister for Labour and Employment and Environment, Forest and Climate Change distributed the offer of appointment to the selected candidates.

The jobseekers and employers registered on National Career Service (NCS) portal of the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) participated in the event. Total 107 employers participated in the job-fair including MRF Tyres, L&T Finance, HDB Finance, LIC, Bajaj Capital, Cosmos, Suzuki Motors, Times Pro, Princeston college, Katariya Group etc The employers association such as Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Indian Staffing Federation  also supported the event. The employers offered different job roles such as Assistant Professors, Training and Placement Officer, Electrical Engineer, Web Developer, IT expert, BioMedical expert, Fitter, Turner, CNC mechanic etc. More than 3300 jobseekers participated in the job fair out of which, more than 630 jobseekers were selected on the spot by the employers. Further, more than 1000 jobseekers were shortlisted for further interview/recruitment by the employers.

The Shramik Chaupal was also organized along with Mega Job fair to sensitize workers, particularly those in unorganized sector, about Social Security/Welfare Schemes and to motivate and facilitate the workers to register under different schemes of Central and State Governments.  In this connection, stalls of eShram, Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan(PM-SYM), Employers Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (BOCW), Chief Labour Commissioner (CLC), Department of Labour(Sambal) were setup at the programme venue from 27^th to 29^th May, 2023 to facilitate registration, awareness and grievance redressal of the workers.

Around 2000 workers participated in the programme and registered with various welfare schemes of the Government. During the Shramik Chaupal, around 200 workers also received health check-up through ESIS. Shri Shivaraj Singh Chauhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister for Labour and Employment and Environment, Forest and Climate Change also distributed certificates to eShram, PMSYM, EPFO, ESIC and other beneficiaries.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi dedicated the new Parliament House to the nation today. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister installed the Sengol with Nandi at the top facing East-West direction in the new Parliament House. He also lit up the Diya and offered flowers to the Sengol.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister remarked that there are few moments in every nation’s history that are immortalized. Some dates become the immortal signature on the face of time, the Prime Minister said The 28th of May, 2023  is one such day. “People of India have given themselves a gift for the Amrit Mahotsav”, he said. The Prime Minister congratulated everyone on this glorious occasion.

The Prime Minister said that this is not merely a building but is a reflection of the aspirations and dreams of 140 crore Indians. “This is a temple of our democracy that gives a message of India’s resolution to the world”, he said. He continued, “This new Parliament building connects planning to reality, policy to realization, willpower to execution, and sankalp to siddhi”. This will be a medium for realizing the dreams of the freedom fighters. It will witness the sunrise of Aatmnirbhar Bharat and will see the realization of a Viksit Bharat. The Prime Minister said that this new building is an example of the coexistence of ancient and modern.

“New models can be established only by treading new paths”, the Prime Minister remarked as he highlighted that the new India is realizing new goals and paving new ways. “There is a new energy, new zeal, new enthusiasm, new thinking and a new journey. There are new visions, new directions, new resolutions and a new trust”, Shri Modi exclaimed. The Prime Minister said that the world is looking towards India’s determination, its citizens’ vigour and the life of human power in India with respect and hope. “When India moves forward, the world moves forward”, he remarked. The Prime Minister underlined that the new Parliament House will invoke the development of the world from the development of India.

Referring to the establishment of sacred Sengol, the Prime Minister said that in the great Chola empire, Sengol was seen as a symbol of the path of service duty and nation.  He said under the guidance of Rajaji and Adheenam, this Sengol became the sacred symbol of the transfer of power. The Prime Minister once again bowed to the Adheenam saints who came to bless the occasion this morning. “It is our good fortune that we could restore the dignity of this sacred Sengol. This Sengol will keep on inspiring us during the proceedings of the House”, he said.

“India is not only a democratic nation but also the mother of democracy”, the Prime Minister said as he noted that the nation is the principal foundation for global democracy. He underlined that democracy is not just a system that is practiced in India but it is a culture, thought and tradition. Referring to the Vedas, the Prime Minister highlighted that it teaches us the principles of democratic assemblies and committees. He also mentioned the Mahabharata where one can find the description of a Republic and said that India has lived and breathed democracy in Vaishali. “The Anubhav Mantappa of Lord Basweswara is a thing of pride for all of us”, Shri Modi added. Highlighting the inscriptions found in Tamil Nadu belonging to 900 AD, the Prime Minister said that it surprises everyone even in today’s day and age. “Our democracy is our inspiration and our Constitution is our resolution”, Shri Modi said as he noted that the biggest representative of this resolution is the Parliament of India. Reciting a shloka, the Prime Minister explained that luck runs out for those who stop moving forward, but the fate of those who keep moving forward continues to soar.

The Prime Minister said that after years of slavery, after losing so much, India resumed its journey and reached the Amrit Kaal. “Amrit Kaal is a period of forging new dimensions of development while preserving our heritage. This is Amrit Kaal of giving a new direction to the nation. This is Amrit Kaal of fulfilling innumerable aspirations”, he said. Underscoring the need for new lifeblood for democracy through a verse, the Prime Minister emphasized that the workplace of the democracy, i.e. Parliament should also be new and modern.

The Prime Minister recalled the golden period of India’s prosperity and architecture. He said that centuries of slavery robbed us of this glory. The Prime Minister said that India of the 21st century is filled with confidence. “Today’s India is leaving behind the mentality of slavery and embracing that ancient glory of art. This new Parliament Building is a living example of this endeavour”, the Prime Minister said. “This building has Virasat (heritage) as well as Vastu (Architecture), Kala (art) as well as kaushal (skill), sanskriti (culture) as well as notes of Samvidhan (Constitution). He pointed out that the interiors of Lok Sabha are themed on the national bird peacock and Rajya Sabha on the national flower lotus. The Parliament premises have the national tree Banyan. The new building incorporates the specialities of different parts of the country.  He mentioned granite from Rajasthan, timber from Maharashtra and carpet by Bhadhoi artisans. “We witness the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat in every particle of this building”, he said.

The Prime Minister pointed out the difficulties faced by the Parliamentarians in getting work done in the old Parliament building and gave examples of challenges due to the lack of technical facilities and paucity of seats in the House. The need for a new Parliament, the Prime Minister said, was being discussed for decades and it was the need of the hour that a new Parliament should be developed. He expressed delight that the new Parliament House is equipped with the latest technology and the halls are also sunlit.

Recalling his interactions with the ‘Shramiks’ who contributed to the construction of the new  Parliament, the Prime Minister informed that 60,000 shramiks were given employment during the construction of the Parliament and a new gallery has been put up in the house highlighting their contributions. “It is the first time that the contributions of Shramiks have been immortalized in the new Parliament”, the Prime Minister remarked.

Talking about the last 9 years, the Prime Minister said any expert will treat these 9 years as years of reconstruction and Gareeb Kalyan. He said that in this hour of pride for the new building, he also felt satisfaction for the 4 crore houses for the poor. Similarly, the Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with measures like 11 crore toilets, more than 4 lakh km of roads to connect villages, more than 50 thousand Amrit Sarovars, and more than 30 thousand new Panchayat Bhawans. “From Panchayat Bhawans to Parliament only one inspiration guided us, that is, the development of the nation and its people”, he added.

Recalling his address to the nation from the Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day, the Prime Minister said there comes a time in the history of every country when the consciousness of that country is awakened. He underlined that such a time had come in India 25 years before independence during Gandhi Ji’s non-cooperation movement which filled the entire country with a belief. “Gandhi ji had connected every Indian with the resolution of Swaraj. This was the time when every Indian was fighting for freedom”, the Prime Minister remarked as he highlighted that its result was India’s independence in 1947.  Shri Modi said that the Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal is a stage in independent India which can be compared to the historic period. He noted that India will complete 100 years of its independence in the next 25 years which is the ‘Amrit Kaal’. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to make India a developed nation in these 25 years with the contributions of every citizen. “History is witness that the faith of Indians is not limited to the nation itself”, the Prime Minister noted as he highlighted that India’s freedom struggle had awakened a new consciousness in many countries of the world at that time. “When a country like India, full of diversity, with a huge population that tackles various challenges, moves forward with a belief, it inspires many countries of the world. Every achievement of India is going to become an achievement for different countries in different parts of the world in the coming days”, he said. The Prime Minister underlined India’s responsibility becomes bigger as its determination to develop will become the strength of many other countries.

The Prime Minister said that the new Parliament Building will strengthen the nation’s belief in its success and will inspire everyone towards a Viksit Bharat. “We will have to move with a spirit of  – Nation First.  We will have to keep the path of duty above all. We will have to be an example with our conduct while constantly improving ourselves. We will have to tread our own path”, he said.

The Prime Minister said that the new Parliament will give new energy and strength to the largest democracy of the world. He said while our Shramjivis have made the Parliament so grand, it is the responsibility of the Parliamentarians to make it divine with their dedication. Stressing the importance of the Parliament, the Prime Minister said that it is the resolution of 140 crore Indians that consecrates the Parliament. He expressed the hope that every decision taken here will adorn the coming centuries and strengthen the coming generations. The Prime  Minister underlined that the path of empowerment of the poor, dalit, backward, tribal, disabled, and every deprived family of the society, along with prioritizing the development of the deprived will pass through this Parliament. “Every brick, every wall, every particle of this new Parliament House will be dedicated to the welfare of the poor”, Shri Modi said. In the next 25 years, the Prime Minister emphasized that the new laws to be made in this new Parliament House will make India a developed nation, help in pushing poverty out of India and create new opportunities for the youth and women of the country.

Concluding the address, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that the new building of the Parliament will become the basis for the creation of a new, prosperous, strong and developed India. “This is an India that walks the path of policy, justice, truth, dignity and duty and becomes stronger”, the Prime Minister concluded.

Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla, and Deputy Speaker of Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh Narayan Singh were present on the occasion among others.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has said that New Building of Parliament is going to fill all of us with pride and hope. Shri Modi dedicated the New Parliament Building to the Nation by physically unveiling the plaque. On this occasion, the Prime Minister tweeted and said that;

“आज का दिन हम सभी देशवासियों के लिए अविस्मरणीय है। संसद का नया भवन हम सभी को गर्व और उम्मीदों से भर देने वाला है। मुझे पूर्ण विश्वास है कि यह दिव्य और भव्य इमारत जन-जन के सशक्तिकरण के साथ ही, राष्ट्र की समृद्धि और सामर्थ्य को नई गति और शक्ति प्रदान करेगी।”

“As the new building of India’s Parliament is inaugurated, our hearts and minds are filled with pride, hope and promise. May this iconic building be a cradle of empowerment, igniting dreams and nurturing them into reality. May it propel our great nation to new heights of progress.”

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today interacted and honoured the shramiks who built the new Parliament. A new gallery is put up in the new building, immortalizing  their contribution.

The Prime Minister tweeted :

“Today, as we inaugurate the new building of our Parliament, we honour the Shramiks for their tireless dedication and craftsmanship.”

My dear countrymen, Namaskar.

Once again, a very warm welcome to all of you in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. This time this episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is the beginning of its 2nd century. Last month all of us have celebrated the special century. Your participation is the greatest strength of this program. During  the broadcast of the 100th episode, in a way the whole country was bound by a single thread. Be it sanitation personnel brothers and sisters or veterans from myriad sectors, ‘Mann Ki Baat’ has striven to bring everyone together. The intimacy and affection that all of you have shown for ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is unprecedented, it makes one emotional. When ‘Mann Ki Baat’ was broadcast, in different countries of the world, in various time zones, somewhere it was evening and somewhere it was late night… despite that, a large number of people took time out to listen to the 100^th episode. I also saw that video from New Zealand, thousands of miles away, in which a 100 year old is expressing her motherly blessings. People from India and abroad have expressed their views on ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Many people have also offered Constructive Analysis. People have appreciated the fact that in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ only the achievements of the country and the countrymen are discussed. I once again thank you all with all due respects for this blessing.

My dear countrymen, we talked about the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Kashi-Telugu Sangamam was also held a while ago in Varanasi. Another such unique effort to give strength to the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat has taken place in the country. This is the effort of  the Yuva Sangam. I thought, why not ask about this in detail from the very people who have been a part of this unique effort. That’s why two young people are connected with me on the phone right now – one is GyamarNyokum ji from Arunachal Pradesh and the other is daughter Vishakha Singh ji from Bihar. Let us first talk to GyamarNyokum.

Prime Minister: Gyamar ji, Namaste!

Gyamar ji: Namaste Modi ji!

Prime Minister: Fine Gyamar ji, first of all I would like toknow about you.

Gyamar ji – Modi ji, first of all,

I express my gratitude to you and the Government of India, that you gave me an opportunity and aretalking to meby taking out valuable time. I am studying in the first year of Mechanical Engineering at the National Institute of Technology, Arunachal Pradesh

Prime Minister: And what do your father and othersdo in the family?

Gyamar ji: Yes my father runs a small business and after thateveryone does some farming.

Prime Minister: How did you come to know about the Yuva Sangam?

Where did you go for the Yuva Sangam, how did you go, what happened?

Gyamar ji: Modi ji, Our institution NIT told us about the Yuva Sangam and that we couldparticipate in it. I again searched a little on the internet, and I came to know that this is a very good program, which could enable one to contribute a lot in the vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat and I will get a chance to learn something new. I then right away, enrolled in it by going to the website. My experience was very enjoyable, very good.

Prime Minister: Did you have to make any selection?

Gyamar ji: Modi ji, When I opened the website, the people of Arunachal had two options… First was Andhra Pradesh which had IIT Tirupati and the second was Central University, Rajasthan so I put in my First preference as Rajasthan, Second Preference I did IIT Tirupati. I got selected for Rajasthan. Hence I went to Rajasthan.

Prime Minister: How was your Rajasthan visit? Did you go toRajasthan for the first time?

Gyamar ji: Yes, I had gone out of Arunachal for the first time.

I had seen all these forts of Rajasthan only in films and on the phone, so, when I went for the first time, my experience was very good, the people there were very good and the treatment given to us was very good. I got to learn many new things about the big lakes of Rajasthan and the people there, and rain water harvesting as well, which I did not know at all, so this Rajasthan visit was very good for me.

Prime Minister: See, the biggest advantage you have got is thatArunachal is also a land of brave hearts, Rajasthan is also a land of brave hearts and there are a large number of people from Rajasthan in the army, and whenever you meet people from Rajasthan among the soldiers on the border in Arunachal, you can definitely speak with them, that you had gone to Rajasthan,… had such an experience…after that your closeness with them will increase instantly. Well, you must have noticed some similarities there too, you would have thought that yes, it is the same in Arunachal too.

Gyamar ji: Modi ji, the one similarity I found was the love for the country and the vision and feeling of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, because in Arunachal too people feel very proud that they are Indians and similarly in Rajasthan also people are proud of their mother land. I noticed this a lot, and especially in the young generation, because I interacted with many youths there, so I saw a lot of similarity with what they want. And that is … whatever you want to do for India and love for your country….I saw a lot of similarity in both the states.

Prime Minister: So,did you increase your level of interaction with the friends that you made there …or forgot them after returning?

Gyamar ji: No, we extended our introduction.

Prime Minister: Yes…! So are you active on Social Media?

Gyamar ji: Yes Modi ji, I am active.

Prime Minister: Then you should write a blogon your experiences in the Yuva Sangam, how you enrolled in it, how your experience in Rajasthan has been, so that the youth of the country know the signigficance and greatness of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, what this schemeis all about… how youths can take advantage of it, you should write a blog full of your experiences… then it will be useful for many people to read.

Gyamar ji: Yes, I certainly will do.

Prime Minister: Gyamar ji, it was a pleasure talking to you.

And all of you youth should strive for the country’s bright future, because these 25 years are very important – for your life as well as for the life of the country, I extend my best wishes to you. Thank you.

Gyamar ji: Thank you Modi ji to you too.

Prime Minister: Namaskar brother!

Friends, the people of Arunachal are so full of warmth that I enjoy talking to them. Gyamarji’s experience at the Yuva Sangam was excellent. Come, let’s now speak to daughter from Bihar,Vishakha Singh ji.

Prime Minister: Vishakha ji, Namaskar.

Vishakha ji: First of all, my Pranam to Honorable Prime Minister of India and along with it, many salutations to you on behalf of all the delegates.

Prime Minister: WellVishakha ji, first tell us about yourself. Then I also want to know about the Yuva Sangam.

Vishakha ji: I am a resident of Sasaram city of Bihar and I came to know about Yuva Sangam first through a message of my college WhatsApp group. So, after that I found out more details about it…exactly what it is! So I came to know that this is a coming together of the youth through Prime Minister’s scheme ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’. So after that I applied and when I applied, I was excited to join it, but after traveling from there to Tamil Nadu, and back ….with the exposure that I gained, I now feel very proud that I have been a part of this program, so I am very happy to have participated in that program and I express my gratitude to you from the core of my heart that you have made such a wonderful program for youths like us so that we can adapt to the culture of different regions of India.

Prime Minister: Vishakha ji, what do you study?

Vishakha ji: I am a second year student of Computer Science Engineering.

Prime Minister: Ok Vishakha ji, how did you decide on the choice of the State you would go to and get connected with?

Vishakha ji: When I started searching about this Yuva Sangam on Google, I came to know that delegates from Bihar were being exchanged with delegates from Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu is a very rich cultural state of our country, so even at that time when I came to know and saw that people from Bihar were being sent to Tamil Nadu, it also helped me a lot in taking the decision that I should fill the form and whether to go there or not. I really feel very proud today that I took part in it and I am very happy.

Prime Minister: Was it your first visit to Tamil Nadu?

Vishakha ji: Ji…I’d gone  for the first time.

Prime Minister: Well, if you want to say something specially memorable, what would you say? The youth of the country are listening to you.

Vishakha ji: Yes, if we consider the whole journey, it has been wonderful for me. We have learnt very good things at each stage. I have made good friends in Tamil Nadu… have adapted to the culture there. I met people there. But the best thing that struck me there, was that firstly no one gets a chance to go to ISRO and we being delegates, got this opportunity to go to ISRO. Plus the second best thing was when we went to Raj Bhavan and met the Governor of Tamil Nadu. So those two moments were very good for me and I feel that in the age in which we are as a youth, we do not get the opportunity that we got through the Yuva Sangam. So it was perfect and most memorable moment for me.

Prime Minister: In Bihar food habits are different from the way they are in Tamilnadu!

Visakha ji: Yes.

Prime Minister: So it got set completely?

Vishakha ji: South Indian cuisine is prevalent in Tamilnadu. So as soon as we went there we were served Dosa, Idli, Sambhar, Uttapam, Vada, Upma. So first when we tried it was too good. The food there is very healthy, in fact it is very delicious and it is very different from the food of our north, so I liked the food there and the people there were also very nice.

Prime Minister: So now you must have made friends in Tamil Nadu too?

Vishakha ji: Yes! Yes there we stayed at NIT Trichy, after that at IIT Madras. I have become friends with the students at both those places.Plus there was a CII Welcome Ceremony meanwhile, so many students from nearby colleges also came there. So there we interacted with those students as well and I felt very happy to meet them, many of them are my friends too. And I also met some delegates who were coming to Bihar from Tamil Nadu, so we had a conversation with them as well and we still talk to each other, so I feel very happy.

Prime Minister: So Vishakha ji, do write a blog and share this experience on social media, firstly, of this Yuva Sangam, then of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshth Bharat’ and then the warmth you felt in Tamil Nadu,  and the welcome and hospitality that you received. You were showered with the the love of Tamil people, tell all these things to the country. so will you write?

Vishakha ji: Yes, of course!

Prime Minister: So I wish you all the best and thank you very much.

Visakha ji: Ji thank you so much. Namaskar

My best wishes to you Gyamar and Vishakha. May what you have learntat the Yuva Sangam stay with you for the rest of your life. This is my best wish for all of you.

Friends, India’s strength lies in its diversity. There is a lot to see in our country. Keeping this in view, the Ministry of Education has taken an excellent initiative named ‘Yuvasangam’. The objective of this initiative is to increase People to People Connect as well as to give an opportunity to the youth of the country to mingle with each other. Higher educational institutions of various states have been linked to it.

In ‘Yuvasangam’ youth visit cities and villages of other states, they get an opportunity to meet different types of people. In the first round of Yuvasangam, about 1200 youths have toured 22 states of the country. All the youth who have been a part of it, are returning with such memories, which will remain etched in their hearts for the rest of their lives. We have seen that CEOs, Business leaders of many big companies have spent time in India as Back-Packers. When I meet leaders of other countries, many a time they also tell me that they had gone to visit India in their youth. There is so much to know and see in our India that your curiosity will only increase every time. I hope that after coming to know of these exciting experiences, you too will definitely be inspired to travel to different parts of the country.

My dear countrymen, just a few days ago I was in Hiroshima, Japan.

There I got an opportunity to visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial museum. It was an emotional experience. When we cherish the memories of history, it helps the coming generations a lot. Sometimes we get new lessons in museums… sometimes we get to learn a lot. A few days ago the International Museum Expo was also organized in India. It depicted the specialities of more than 1200 museums of the world. We have many different types of museums in India, which display many aspects related to our past, like, Gurugram has a unique museum – Museo Camera. It houses a collection of more than 8 thousand cameras belonging to the era after 1860. Tamil Nadu’s Museum of Possibilities has been designed keeping in mind our Divyang people. Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj VastuSangrahalaya is such a museum, in which more than 70 thousand items have been preserved. Established in the year 2010, Indian Memory Project is a kind of online museum. It is engaged in connecting the links of India’s glorious history through pictures and stories sent from all over the world. An attempt has been made to bring to the fore the memories related to the horrors of Partition. In the past years too, we have seen new types of museums and memorials coming up in India. Ten new museums dedicated to the contribution of tribal brothers and sisters in the freedom struggle are being set up. Whether it is Biplobi Bharat Gallery in Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial or the revival of the Jallianwala Bagh Memorial. The P.M.Museum dedicated to all the former Prime Ministers of the country is also adding to the beauty of Delhi today. Everyday many people come to pay respects to martyrs at the National War Memorial and Police Memorial in Delhi itself. Whether it is the Dandi Memorial dedicated to the historic Dandi March or the Statue of Unity Museum,… well, I will have to stop here because the list of museums across the country is very long and for the first time the necessary information about all the museums in the country has also been compiled. On what theme the museum is based, what kind of objects are kept there, what their contact details are – all this is collated in an online directory. I urge you that whenever you get a chance, you must visit these museums in our country. Don’t forget to share the attractive pictures taken  there on #(Hashtag) Museum Memories. This will further strengthen the connection of us Indians with our glorious culture.

My dear countrymen, we all must have heard a saying many times, must have heard it over and over again – without water everything is avoid. Without water life is always in a crisis… the development of the individual and the country also comes to a standstill. Looking at this future challenge, today 75 Amrit Sarovars are being constructed in every district of the country. Our Amrit Sarovarsare special because, they are being built in the Azadi Ka Amrit Kal and the essence of the effort of the people has been put in them. You will be pleased to know that till now more than 50 thousand Amrit Sarovars have been constructed. This is a giant step towards water conservation.

Friends, we keep talking about the challenges related to water every summer. This time also we will take up this topic, but this time we will discuss the start-ups related to water conservation. There is a Start-Up – Fluxgen. This Start-Up provides water management options through I.O.T enabled technologies. This technology will tell us about the patterns of water usage and will help in effective use of water. Another startup is LivNSense. This is a platform based on artificial intelligence and machine learning. With its help, effective monitoring of water distribution can be done. From this it will also be ascertained where and how much water is being wasted. Another Start-Up is ‘KumbhiKagaz’. This KumbhiKagaz is a topic, I am sure you will like very much. KumbhiKagaz Start-Up has embarked upon a special task. They are working on making paper from water hyacinth, that is, water hyacinth, which was once considered a problem for water sources, is now being used to make paper.

Friends, if many youths are working through innovation and technology, there are many youths who are also engaged in the mission of making the society aware, like the youth of Balod district in Chhattisgarh. The youth here have started a campaign to save water. They go door-to-door to make people aware of water conservation. If there is an event like marriage somewhere, this group of youth goes there and gives information about how misuse of water can be stopped. An inspiring effort related to the efficient use of water is also being undertaken in Khunti district of Jharkhand. People in Khunti have found a way out of the water crisis through check dams. Due to accumulation of water from the check dams, greens and vegetables have also started growing here. On account of  this the income of the people is also increasing, and the needs of the region are also being fulfilled. Khunti has become a fascinating example of how any public participation effort brings with it many changes. I congratulate the people there for this endeavour.

My dear countrymen, during the 1965 war, our former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri had given the slogan of Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. Later, Atal ji had also added Jai Vigyan to it. A few years ago, while talking to the scientists of the country, I talked about Jai Anusandhan. In ‘Mann Ki Baat’, today’s reference is about such a person, about such an organization, which is a reflection of all these four, Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan. This is a gentleman, Shriman Shivaji Shamrao Dole from Maharashtra. Shivaji Dole hails from a small village in Nashik district. He comes from a poor tribal farmer family, and is also an ex-serviceman. While in the army, he dedicated his life to the country. After retirement, he decided to learn something new and did a Diploma in Agriculture, that is, he moved towards Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan. Now every moment, he strives to ensure how to contribute maximum in the agriculture sector. In this campaign, Shivaji Dole ji formed a small team of 20 people and added some ex-servicemen to it. After this his team took over the management of a co-operative organization named Venkateshwara Co-Operative Power &Agro Processing Limited. This co-operative organization was lying dormant, which he took up the challenge of reviving. Today Venkateshwara Co-Operative has expanded to many districts in no time. Today this team is working in Maharashtra and Karnataka. About 18,000 people are associated with it, in which a large number of our Ex-Servicemen are also there. The members of this team are doing Agro Farming in more than 500 acres of land in Malegaon, Nashik. This team is also engaged in building many ponds for water conservation. The special thing is that they have also started Organic Farming and Dairy. Now grapes grown there are being exported to Europe as well. The two great features of this team, which attracted my attention, are these – Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan. Its members are making maximum use of technology and Modern Agro Practices. The second feature is that they are also focusing on various certifications required for exports. I appreciate this team working with the spirit of ‘prosperity through cooperation’. This effort has not only empowered a large number of people, but has also created many means of livelihood. I hope this effort inspires every listener of ‘Mann Ki Baat’.

My dear countrymen, today the 28th of May, is the birth anniversary of the great freedom fighter, Veer Savarkar. The stories related to his sacrifice, courage and resolve inspire us all even today. I cannot forget the day when I went to the cell in Andaman where Veer Savarkar underwent the sentence of Kalapani. Veer Savarkar’s personality comprised firmness and magnanimity. His fearless and self-respecting nature did not appreciate the mentality of slavery at all. Not only the freedom movement, whatever Veer Savarkar did for social equality and social justice is remembered even today.

Friends, a few days later, on the 4th of June, is also the birth anniversary of Sant Kabirdas ji. The path shown by Kabirdas ji is equally relevant even today. Kabirdas ji used to say,

‘Kabira Kuan Ek hai, Pani Bhare AnekBartan mein hi bhed hai, Paani sab mein ek’

Which means: There could be myriad kinds of people who come to the well to draw water…But the well does not differentiate anyone…water remains the same in all utensils.

Sant Kabir opposed every evil practice that divided the society; tried to awaken the society. Today, when the country is moving forward with the determination to develop, we should increase our efforts to empower the society, taking inspiration from Sant Kabir.

My dear countrymen, I am now going to discuss with you about a great personality of the country who left an indelible mark through the the strength of his amazing talent in politics and the film industry. The name of this great personality is N.T. Rama Rao, whom we all know as NTR. Today, is the 100th birth anniversary of NTR. On the strength of his versatility of talent, he not only became the superstar of Telugu cinema, but also won the hearts of crores of people. Do you know that he had acted in more than 300 films? He revived many historical characters on the basis of his acting. People liked NTR’s acting in the roles of Bhagwan Krishna, Ram and many others, so much that they still remember him. NTR had carved out his own identity in the cinema world as well as in politics. There too, he got lots of love and blessings from the people. I offer my humble tribute to N.T Rama Rao ji, who ruled the hearts of millions of people in the country and the world.
My dear countrymen, that’s allthis time in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Next time I will come to you with some new topics… till then the ‘heat’ would have increased more in some regions. It would have also start raining at some places. You have to take care of your health in every weather condition. We will also celebrate ‘World Yoga Day’ on 21st June. Preparations are going on for that too in the country and abroad. Do keep writing your ‘Mann Ki Baat’ to me about these preparations as well. If you get any more information on any other subject, then tell me that as well. My effort will be to include maximum suggestions in ‘Mann Ki Baat’. Once again, many thanks to all of you. We’ll meet next month, till then I take leave of you.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 8th Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog earlier today. The Meeting was held at the New Convention Centre, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.  It was attended by Chief Ministers/Lt.Governors representing 19 States and 6 UTs.

Prime Minister stressed that the Centre, States and UTs should work as Team India and fulfil the dreams and aspirations of people for a Viksit Bharat @ 2047. He said that NITI Aayog can play a critical role in helping States to develop their strategies for the next 25 years and align the same with the National Development Agenda. He urged the States and UTs to work with NITI Aayog so that the country can take a quantum leap towards achieving its vision for the Amrit Kaal.

Prime Minister mentioned that NITI Aayog is taking multiple initiatives for strengthening cooperative and competitive federalism like the Aspirational Districts Programme (ADP) and Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP). Both these programmes showcase the power of working together as Centre, States and Districts, and the impact of data-driven governance in improving the lives of common citizens at the grassroots level.

Prime Minister stressed on the need for States and Centre to promote Shree Anna in the International Year of Millets. He also deliberated on the need for working towards water conservation through the Amrit Sarovar programme.

Prime Minister spoke about the importance of maintaining fiscal discipline at the State levels. He urged the States to proactively use the  Gati Shakti Portal not only for infrastructure and logistics but also for local area development and creation of social infrastructure.

Speaking about G20 meetings being held in the country, he said that while G20 has brought glory to India on the world stage, it has provided States the opportunity for global exposure.

Prime Minister also spoke about the importance of skilling people with a view to meet global requirements, supporting MSMEs, developing the tourism potential of the country,  reducing compliances at the State level including decriminalisation of minor offences, creation of Ekta Malls. Talking about Nari Shakti, he highlighted the significance of women-led development. He also spoke about ending the menace of TB by 2025.

Chief Minister/Lt. Governors gave various policy level suggestions. They mentioned specific issues pertaining to the States which require Centre-State cooperation. Some of the key suggestions and best practices highlighted by them included in areas like opting for green strategies, need for zone wise planning, tourism, urban planning, agriculture, quality of workmanship, logistics, among others.

Prime Minister expressed his gratitude to the CMs and LGs for participating in the meeting and sharing their views and experiences. He said NITI Aayog will study the states’ concerns, challenges, and best practices and subsequently plan the way forward.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has shared the tweets by citizens on 9 Years Of Modi Government highlighting what they have appreciated about the Government since 2014.

The Prime Minister tweeted;

“Since morning, I am seeing many Tweets on 9 Years Of Modi Government in which people are highlighting what they have appreciated about our Government since 2014. It is always humbling to receive such affection and it also gives me added strength to work even harder for the people.”

Sharing tweets by citizens, the Prime Minister said:

“We have covered much ground in the last 9 years and we want to do even more in the times to come so that we can build a strong and prosperous India in the Amrit Kaal.”

“Our accomplishments have been possible because the people of India have elected a stable government which has been able to deliver on key promises. This unparalleled support is a source of great strength.”

“The NDA Government has made numerous efforts to transform lives and add momentum to India’s development journey.”

“You have highlighted key infrastructure and ‘Ease of Living’ projects which have been very impactful at the grassroots level.”

“I am truly humbled to have got the opportunity to fulfil the aspirations of 140 crore Indians.”

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that StartUp avenues unfolded in 9 years call for change of mindset.

The Union Minister said, the nine years of Narendra Modi- led government have been, without any doubt, youth centric but what is required is the change of mind set for optimum utilization of avenues and various initiatives provided for the youth of this country.

Dr. Jitendra Singh was addressing Y20 (Yuva Utsav) with the theme India@2047 organized by Nehru Yuva Kendra at Kathua in Jammu.

While addressing a large gathering of the youth, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, with plethora of opportunities knocking at the doorsteps of the youth of this country, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government is steadfast and dedicated for providing a level playing field for the youth at different levels. The best example being the abolition of interviews for the non-gazetted posts, more than 2000 rules scrapped many of which were hurdles for the youth of this country to grow, Dr. Jitendra Singh added.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said, under PM Narendra Modi, the start-up ecosystem in India is now ranked third in the world with more than 100 unicorns has been possible only because of the youth of this nation who has aspirations but earlier did not have the right kind of milieu and aspirational environment as provided under PM Narendra Modi.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the Aroma Mission is attracting Start-ups whose birthplace is J&K as thousands of persons have been trained and several and huge amount of farmers’ revenue generated so far throughout the country. The youth of Jammu and Kashmir must see Aroma Mission as one of the best opportunities in terms of start-ups knocking at their doors as the purple revolution in J&K offers attractive start-up avenues for the youth of J&K, Dr. Singh added.

Dr. Jitendra Singh today said, youth are catalysts of change and India’s future will be driven by the youth power as India is a youthful nation whose strength lies in its Yuva Shakti.

The Minister said, the image of India has changed due to the bold leadership of the prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding the Prime Minister has emerged as the tallest leader of the world, capable of handling any challenge through stable governance and administration.

Dr. Jitendra Singh said, before 2014, there were 145 Medical Colleges in the country and 265 more were added in the last nine years. Similarly, there were 725 universities in the country and 300 new universities were added. Road length of seven lakh kilometres was added in the country under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna in the last nine years and Mudra loan of Rs. 23 lakh crore has been provided to the beneficiaries in the last nine years under Mudra Loan Scheme.

Dr. Singh further said, Jammu and Kashmir is on the path of renewed growth and development and successful culmination of G20 Meeting in Srinagar is a testament to this change as the Government is committed to transforming Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Minister of Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnav today inaugurated the National Conclave: 9 Saal – Seva, Sushasan, Gareeb Kalyan at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. The event witnessed the presence of Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Shri Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L. Murugan. Secretary, Min of I&B Shri Apurva Chandra and CEO, Prasar Bharati, Shri Gaurav Dwivedi were also present on the occasion.

Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnav made a comparative presentation juxtaposing the performance of the governments before 2014 with the government since and said while the previous governance efforts had become synonymous with scams, the current Government works with the ethos of ‘Pai Pai Se Gareeb Ki Bhalai’ (every penny for the benefit of the poor). This has been reflected in the way schemes and programmes have been implemented keeping the poor and the destitute as its central pillar, he added.

The Minister underlined that owning a house is a factor that brings a transformative change in a poor person’s life. To that end, today 3.5 crore houses have been constructed in the country under PM Awas Yojana bringing qualitative change in the lives of the poor.

The Minister said that the idea of connecting every house with piped water connection was always considered a behemoth, never to be attempted or achieved. But, he added, the Prime Minister took it up as a challenge and today 12 crore people have water connections. At the same time, he said the Government has strived to end the travesty that was traditional chulhas and provided 9.6 crore families with gas cylinders.

He further spoke about the efforts of the government to come through for the people in need and said that when the world was struggling to fight the travails of the COVID19 pandemic, the government overcame massive logistical challenges to bring free ration to 80 crore people. No government has spoken of fundamental human needs, like toilets, that are the indicators of inclusive growth, during Independence Day speeches. But PM Modi spoke about the construction of toilets in every house in his speech from Red Fort. This has caused a revolution in the field of women safety and sanitation with the construction of 11.72 crore toilets today.

Shri Vaishnav said that India today runs the world’s largest healthcare insurance programme under Ayushman Bharat that has created provisions for free medicare up to Rs five lakh for the needy, the total coverage which is more than the population of the USA and Russia combined.

Shri Vaishnav credited the Prime Minister with creating a new definition of social justice taking it away from appeasement and towards empowerment.

The Minister said that domestic infrastructure has seen an unprecedented makeover since 2014, which was largely missing earlier due to a lack of proper mindset and thought process in the past. He cited the creation of 74 airports in 9 years, a figure matching the number created till 2014. He added that where 91 thousand kilometers of road were created since independence, almost 54 thousand kilometers have been constructed since 2014. India has gone from having no waterways till 2014 to having 111 waterways today and India’s railway stations have world-class facilities like airports.

The Minister said that India had lagged in world economic rankings for a long time, but today India stands tall as the 5^th largest economy. He further said that India is well on its way to becoming the 4^th largest economy in another two years and the third largest in another six years.

The Minister spoke about the government’s strong commitment to national security and said that when in past India has been at the receiving end of major terror activities, today the country has the means and willingness to respond to attacks in kind.

Shri Anurag Thakur, while addressing the audience gathered at the conclave, said that the past nine years have seen a dramatic change in the life of the common people of India and the achievements of the Government have surpassed expectations of the people. He exemplified this by adding further that where India was a weak and ramshackle economy riddled with corruption in the past, today it has covered the distance from Fragile Five to Top Five economies of the world.

He further stated that while the benefits of government schemes used to reach only a few in the past, the government today works with the motto of Antyodaya, where the Government is committed to the upliftment of the last person standing at the end of the queue. Herein lies the secret of our efforts that have lifted 27% of people out of poverty, he added. A combination of a sense of service, big ideas, good governance, infusion of technology, and building transparency and accountability into the delivery mechanism, are the things that have gone into ensuring last-mile delivery of public services.

The Minister said that the government has been steadfast in shedding legacies of the colonial past and adopting modern and domestic symbols. This is evident in the creation of the Kartavya Path and will be evident in the new parliament.

The Minister highlighted that the Prime Minister had said that the youth had a critical role to play in shaping the future of this country. To that end, the Minister credited the youth for achieving a milestone where India can today boast of almost one lakh startups and over hundred Unicorns.

The Minister said that while on the one hand the country answered the Prime Minister’s call for Har Ghar Tiranga, the same tricolor was used by students of other countries to get out of a conflict zone during Operation Ganga. While surveys have called him the most popular leader, Shri Thakur said that he has in fact made the tricolour the strongest flag in the world.

Secretary Shri Apurva Chandra welcomed all the guests for the various thematic sessions during the day. He also welcomed the audience from various sections of society.

The National Conclave on 9 years of the Government is comprised of three thematic sessions after the inaugural session and a valedictory session.

Session 1 “India: Surging Ahead” moderated by Shri Nitin Gokhale, Senior Journalist will see participation from

• Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises
• Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director of Apollo Hospitals
• Debjani Ghosh, President of NASSCOM
• Surjit Bhalla, Former Executive Director for International Monetary Fund, India
• Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Group Chief Economic Advisor, State Bank of India
• Deepa Sayal, President and Patron in Chief, IWIL India

Session 2: Jan Jan Ka Vishwas moderated by Richa Anirudh, Journalist will see participation from

• Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Actor
• Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF Representative to India
• Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited (Video message)
• Padma Shri Shanti Teresa Lakra, Nurse
• Nikhat Zareen, Boxer
• Anil Prakash Joshi, Environmentalist Divya Jain, Co-founder, Seekho

Session 3: Yuva Shakti: Galvanizing India moderated by Raunac, Radio Jockey, Red FM with the following panelists

• Ritesh Agarwal, CEO, OYO Rooms Rishab Shetty, Actor
• Amaan Ali Bangash, Musician
• Viren Rasquinha, Former Indian Hockey Captain
• Yashodhara Bajoria, Director, Espresso Technologies
• Akhil Kumar, Boxer

Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, and Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya chaired a roundtable meeting with the leading CEOs of pharmaceutical industry in the country on the second day of 8th International Conference on Pharma and Medical Device Sector, here today. Ms. S Aparna, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals was also present.

Lauding the growth momentum of the industry, the Minister said “the industry is progressing at a rapid rate, and to maintain our stature as the ‘Pharmacy of the World’, we need to focus on quality and affordable manufacturing with an increased focus on research and innovation.” Adding further Dr. Mandaviya urged the stakeholders to capitalize on the current opportunities, stating “substantial investment in terms of Production Linked Incentive schemes as well as upcoming drug parks are bearing fruitful results. To catalyze growth, we must maintain a degree of competitiveness to consolidate our presence in the world.”

Reiterating the government’s commitment and resolve, the Union Health Minister stated “the government is industry friendly and welcomes opportunities for collaboration. The government and industry, both integral to the nation’s progress, must work cohesively to achieve holistic growth.”

Affirming government support, Dr. Mandaviya invited the stakeholders to put forth their suggestions addressing the aspects of pricing, regulatory, policy and strategy, with the respective action points in a detailed presentation and due consideration will be given to facilitate further policy support and growth.

Underscoring the potential future growth of the industry, Ms. S Aparna, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals urged the attending representatives to collate and collectively represent their perspectives adhering to the aforementioned four categories to facilitate policy makers, government in fostering a stronger ecosystem for all.

The roundtable brought together participants from over 60 companies represented by senior leadership, with several key players having a presence in the national as well as international markets. Shri N Yuvaraj, Joint Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Shri Awadhesh Kumar Choudhary, Senior Economic Advisor, Smt. Vinod Kotwal Member Secretary, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, DCGI Dr. Rajeev Raghuvanshi, Chairman NPPA Shri Kamlesh Pant, various industry stakeholders and representatives of academia and associations were also present in the conference.

About International Conference on Pharma and Medical Device Sector:

The annual flagship conference will be conducted over two days – 26th May 2023 dedicated for India Medical Device sector on the theme “Sustainable MedTech 5.0: Scaling and Innovating Indian MedTech,” and 27th May 2023 dedicated for the Pharmaceutical sector on the theme “Indian pharma industry: Delivering Value through Innovation.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia on 24 May 2023 at Admiralty House in Sydney, Australia.

Prime Minister was accorded a Ceremonial Welcome and Guard of Honour on arrival at Admiralty House.

Both leaders recalled their productive 1st Annual Leaders’ Summit held in March 2023 in New Delhi and reaffirmed their commitment to further broadening and deepening of the multifaceted India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The discussions focused on cooperation in defense and security, trade and investment, new and renewable energy, green hydrogen, critical minerals, education, migration and mobility and people to people ties.

Both leaders welcomed the signing of the India-Australia Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA), which will further facilitate mobility of students, professionals, researchers, academics and others, including through a new skilled pathway named MATES (Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early Professionals Scheme) specifically created for India.

They also welcomed the finalization of Terms of Reference of the India-Australia Hydrogen Task Force, which will advise on opportunities to accelerate manufacture and deployment of clean hydrogen, focusing on hydrogen electrolysers, fuel cells as well as supporting infrastructure and standards and regulations.

Prime Minister Modi thanked Australia for its support in establishing a Consulate General of India in Brisbane.

The two leaders reiterated their determination to ensure a peaceful, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by a rules-based international order. They also discussed reform of UN Security Council.

Prime Minister Albanese expressed Australia’s strong support to India’s G20 Presidency and initiatives. Prime Minister looked forward to welcoming Prime Minister Albanese for the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September 2023.