The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has lauded the setting up of PM Mitra Mega Textiles Park across Lucknow and Hardoi districts in Uttar Pradesh.

Sharing a tweet by Union Minister for Commerce and Industry and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal about the inauguration of PM Mitra Mega Textiles Park in Uttar Pradesh today, the Prime Minister in a series of tweets said;

“Uttar Pradesh has rich tradition of textiles, a big market and consumer base. It is home to hardworking weavers and a skilled workforce. The setting up of the PM Mitra Mega Textiles Park across Lucknow and Hardoi districts will greatly benefit UP.”

“उत्तर प्रदेश के मेरे सभी भाइयों और बहनों के लिए आज एक बहुत अहम दिन है। लखनऊ और हरदोई में PM MITRA पार्क का शुभारंभ होने जा रहा है। इस अवसर पर आप सभी को मेरी बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं।”

“1000 एकड़ से ज्यादा में फैले ये PM MITRA पार्क स्थानीय अर्थव्यवस्था को गति देने के साथ ही रोजगार के अनेक नए अवसर लाने वाले हैं। देश के टेक्सटाइल सेक्टर को भी इनसे नई मजबूती मिलने वाली है।”

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah presided over a ‘Chintan Shivir’ of senior officers of Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi today.  The objective of the Chintan Shivir was to review the work of the Ministry and to evolve action plan to implement Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s “Vision 2047”. The discussions were held in two sessions.

The Chintan Shivir commenced with an in-depth review of the status of compliance of the instructions given by the Home Minister during an earlier discussion held with the officers of the Ministry. Home Minister also reviewed the functioning of MHA dashboard, Government Land Information System (GLIS), Budget Utilization, E-Office and Special Recruitment Drive etc. He also reviewed the work of various Divisions on their priorities and deliverables in the coming years, position on AatmaNirbhar Bharat, various Budget announcements and important pending issues.

In his remarks, the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah emphasised on developing ecosystem for cybercrime management, modernization of police forces, increased use of IT in criminal justice system, land border management and coastal security issues etc. Shri Shah said that enhanced use of Artificial Intelligence should be made to utilise the CCTNS database for critical analysis of crimes, thus, making cities safer for women, children and vulnerable sections.

Shri Amit Shah stressed on the need to fast-track the recruitment process and said that anticipating the future vacancies recruitment should be initiated well in advance. He said that meetings of Departmental Promotion Committees (DPC) should be held regularly so that employees get timely promotions. He also emphasised on taking various welfare measures for CAPF personnel like creating healthcare facilities, improving housing satisfaction ratio amongst others. Home Minister also emphasised on importance of training and said that regular training should be conducted by all wings of the MHA.

Union Home Minister suggested that MHA officials should make field visits to monitor development schemes. He also directed to fast-track construction of fencing and roads in border areas.

Home Minister emphasised the importance of sensitivity and the need to develop a personal touch by all senior officials. He offered valuable insights on the way forward for the Ministry and exuded confidence that the discussions held at the Chintan Shivir will help in better planning and coordination in these areas. He asked all senior officers that they should collectively work with full dedication. Shri Amit Shah lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Home Affairs and stressed the need to make constant endeavour to achieve the goal of making a safe and secure India.

PM Mitra Park in Lucknow and Hardoi will help generate employment opportunities for the skilled manpower of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Textiles, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Commerce and Industry during a programme of launch and signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of Integrated Textile Park in 1,000 acres in Lucknow and Hardoi districts under PM Mega Integrated Textile Sector and Apparel (PM Mitra) in Lucknow today.

While talking about the opportunities provided by the UP government to migrant labours who returned during Covid, he said that while the government made all efforts to provide livelihood opportunities in state, PM Mitra Park will help support that dream further. He said that the skilled manpower of UP is the backbone of various textile industries in Coimbatore and other places in the country.

While addressing the event, Shri Goyal highlighted the exemplary initiatives taken by the UP government with regard to good governance, enforcing law and order and building a holistic ecosystem in the state towards its development. He recalled former Prime Minister, Lt. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee and said he was the ambassador of the state. However, in past 6 years, under the leadership of PM and commitment of UP’s CM, Shri Yogi Adityanath, the state has reported exceptional development in infrastructural areas.

Shri Goyal assured that PM Mitra Park in Uttar Pradesh will be the first Park in the country to be inaugurated after completion. He added that soon Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi will be invited to do the bhumi pujan following which within a fortnight SPV and tendering process should start thereby ensuring basic amenities like electricity and water supply.

The Union Minister mentioned his observation during Global Investors Summit held in the state. He said that the investors queued for the investment in Uttar Pradesh. He said that Hon’ble PM started Investors Summit in Gujarat following which many States organized the same. But, what makes UP stands out is its commitment. Adding on he said that the industries needs water and electricity and they will take benefit from the 2002 decision of UP government in which it announced Rupees 2 rebate per unit on electricity. Decisions like rebate in land prices for setting up large scale units and others is the reason promoting development in the Hindi Heartland.

Shri Goyal said that UP has followed PM’s vision of Speed, Skill and Scale. In this regard, projects are monitored, there’s transparent system of governance, observation of ongoing works, officers and politicians are accountable for the deadline, all these detailing has led to a dream, a dream of achieving $1 trillion economy of UP.

He said that when he sees UP, he believes that a strong ecosystem has been developed which will promote MSMEs and small businesses. PLI Schemes will also help the state. He urged people to shun the colonial mindset and collectively work towards making India, a developed nation in next 25 years, as if the vision of Hon’ble PM.

He said that besides 5F: from Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign, an investor suggested another F which is Flyover. The Minister said that in last 6 years, UP has seen infrastructural development in terms of airport, highways, having the best expressways, Golden quadrilateral, better road services and others. He said that PM’s dream of India is: perform, reform and transform and UP is the classic example of that dream.

Pertinently PM Mitra Park Lucknow will be developed in Public Private Partnership mode througha Special Purpose Vehicle (S.P.V.),which will be owned by the Central and State Governments.

The total area of PM Mitra Park Lucknow will be1000 acres.In which an investment of Rs 10,000 crore is expected and it is likely to provide employment to 1 lakh people directly and 2 lakh people indirectly.

PM Mitra Park Lucknow is being developed in Attari village of Malihabad block of Lucknow district, which is well connected to major cities of the country by road, rail and air as follows:-

Road: The distance of the park from NH-20, SH-25 and 6lane outerringroadisjust20kms.

By Rail: The nearest railway station Malihabad is at the distance of 16 km from the park and Lucknow railway station is at40km.

By Air: The nearest international airport is Lucknow, which is 45 kilometers from the park.

And the nearest Dedicated Freight Corridor and Inland Container Depot is Kanpur, which is 95 kilometers away from the park.

PM Mitra Park Lucknow will have an incubation centre, common processing house and a common effluent treatment plant and other textile related facilities like design center and testing centre.

An Incubation Center is an organization that helps entrepreneurs to develop their business and solve problems related to it, especially in the early stages by providing arrange of business and technical services, initial seed funding ,laboratory facilities, mentorship networks and linkages.

The Special Purpose Vehicle (S.P.V.)/master developer will not only develop the industrial park but will also maintain it during the concession period.

Under  the scheme, the central government will provide development capital assistance of Rs500 crore to PM Mitra Park Lucknow for the development of common basic infrastructure.

PM Mitra Park Lucknow will strengthen the value chain of the textile sector to become globally competitive.

In the month of February 2023,a successful Global Investors Summit was organized in the state. In which investment proposals worth more than Rs 33 lakh 50 thousand crore were received. Out of which investment proposals worth more than Rs56,000 crore are related to the textile sector.

Investors are willing to set up their unit in PM Mitra Park

Lucknow and there is enthusiasm among the investors. So far, MOU proposals worth Rs 2396.85 crore have been received from 67 investors.Whose investment wise details are presented-

The Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, will provide incentives to the manufacturing units to be set up in PM Mitra Park Lucknow on the basis of first come first serve’.

A provision has been made by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India to provide Rs 300 crore as incentive to the manufacturing units to be set up in PM Mitra Park Lucknow.

The incentive amount will be 3 percent of the total annual turn over of the unit, whose limit per company will be as follows:

1. Investment of Rs300 Crore or above-Cap of Rs10 Crore/annum and a maximum cap of Rs 30 Crore on total incentive for one anchor investor company.
2. Investment of Rs 100-300 Crore – Cap of Rs 5 Crore/annum and a maximum cap of Rs 15 Crore on total incentive for one investor company.
3. Other investor companies and tenants-A cap of Rs1Crore/annum and a maximum cap of Rs 3 crore on total incentive But they must have employment of 100 persons and above.

Additional incentives to manufacturing Units setting up in PM Mitra Park Lucknow as per U.P.Textile and Garmentig Policy-2022.

1. Power Tariff Subsidy of Rs 2 per unit (up to Rs 60 Lakh per annum)for 5years to units setting up in PM MITRA Park and generating minimum employment of 50.
2. 100 percent exemption from Stamp Duty to manufacturing units setting up in the PM Mitra Park Lucknow.
3.  Permission for open access to electricity for the Master Developer.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, delivered the keynote address at the concluding session of the 2nd G20 Health Working Group Meeting today. “As G20 Health Working Group, we are heading in the right direction toward jointly creating a positive impact for future Global Health Architecture”, said the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister as he expressed his appreciation towards all the delegates from G20 member states, invited countries, and International Organizations for aligning their priorities with India’s proposed health priorities. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar also addressed the gathering.

Dr. Mandaviya emphasized the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the healthcare systems around the world and stated, “it is essential for us to collectively break the cycle of panic and neglect and not let the phenomenon of pandemic fatigue diminish our ongoing efforts on pandemic preparedness, prevention and response.” He also noted,  “India’s G20 Presidency plans to continue the momentum brought during Italy and Indonesian Presidency and consolidate the efforts made so far towards health emergencies preparedness, prevention, and response.”

Furthermore, Dr. Mandaviya highlighted the need for a formal global coordination mechanism for medical countermeasures and underscored the importance of converging and consolidating efforts on the Medical Countermeasures (MCM) Agenda. He also noted that India has proposed the agenda of digital health and innovation with a view to promoting the use of technology in health service delivery, bridging the digital divide across the world and promoting digital public goods.

Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, reiterated that the fulcrum of India’s G20 Presidency lies in the ancient Indian philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and emphasized the need to create resilient healthcare systems that ensure equitable access to affordable and quality healthcare to people across national borders.

Shri Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary, highlighted the need for an integrated global health framework through the approach of ‘One Health’ and on the need to counter the challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). He urged everyone to continue their discussions to collectively work towards ensuring ‘Universal Health Coverage’ for all.

Shri Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Dr. Rajiv Bahl, Secretary, Dept of Health Research and DG, ICMR; Shri Lav Agarwal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, representatives from the G20 member countries, special invitee countries, international organizations, forums and partners like WHO, World Bank, WEF etc., and senior officers of the Union Government were also present.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh today said that India is set to be a major contributor to world’s “Circular Economy”.

While speaking as chief guest at the Indian Institute of Petroleum (CSIR IIP) – MSME Meet & PAN CSIR – collaborations as part of “One Week -One Lab” program here, Dr Jitendra Singh said that India has huge unexplored amount of waste which is available to be converted to wealth that was not realised earlier as neither there was technology available, nor it was brought up as part of our social culture. But with increasing pace of technological development and, more and more social awareness happening, this will become a rich source of economy which will be exclusive to India. Moreover it will give India an edge over other major economies, he added.

The Minister highlighted that “waste is the wealth of the coming times” and it is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of India being central to global environmental action.

The Minister mentioned that CSIR – IIP Dehradun is the only lab in the country which celebrates not wealth, but ‘waste’. He added that this is an institute working for the next generation. The concept of waste to wealth is relatively new and you are its torch bearers, he said. The Minister urged the CSIR labs to work in synergy with the MSME sector and industry as part of a wider integration in order to grow sustainably.

CSIR IIP Dehradun Director Dr. Anjan Ray said that the two-pronged mandate of CSIR-IIP is:(a) Helping India reduce its imported fuels burden, and (b) Aiding the nation in decarbonization of our energy usage while continuing to enhance energy access and affordability using evidence-based research, development and field deployment.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that the “One Week – One Lab” (OWOL) program should be an opportunity to strengthen partnership between the CSIR labs since each lab has unique mandate and specializes in diverse areas from food to fuel, drugs, environment, materials, leather, genomics, geology and so on. Moreover the OWOL enables CSIR labs to deeply analyse and appreciate their work and use it further for the betterment of the society.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that India is pledged to ensure reliable, affordable and sustainable energy to a growing population, attaining Net Zero GHG Emissions by 2070, but this ambitious target will require focused and concerted attention. India’s energy generation depends on fossil fuel (59.8 per cent), with coal contributing to about 51 per cent even though renewable energy has grown to an impressive 38.5 per cent. There is therefore still a pressing need to further decarbonise the energy sector, which would require replacing fossil fuels with renewables, reducing fossil CO2 emissions from old power plants, and removing unavoidable carbon emissions through carbon sequestration. This is where Science and Technology has to play a major role.

The Minister concluded by appreciating the efforts of CSIR IIP for its remarkable adaptability and flexibility during the pandemic in serving the nation during the COVID-19 pandemic. He further urged all the CSIR labs to utilise this “One week-One Lab” program as an opportunity to engage in persistent and persuasive efforts to involve all stakeholder’s participation to grow sustainably.
The MSME meet, and PAN CSIR Collaboration will showcase CSIR-IIP’s outreach to its esteemed MSME partners who have not only been instrumental in the implementation of its technologies but rightly perceived to be an integral part of India’s growth story. The event shall be an apt opportunity for MSME partners of CSIR-IIP to provide feedback and fraternise with other motivated MSME colleagues. CSIR-IIP’s Medical Oxygen Technology, Biogas Purification Technology, Advanced PNG burners and improved Gur Bhatti shall be the key highlights of the discourse.

The PAN-CSIR collaboration showcase will provide a platform to exhibit CSIR-IIP’s intra-CSIR collaborative research. Joint presentations by CSIR-IIP scientists and their partners from other CSIR labs will highlight recent activities and achievements aligned with the national leadership’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has lauded the 100th G20 meeting during India’s G20 Presidency.

In response to a tweet thread by G 20 India, the Prime Minister said;

“Guided by the principle of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’ and in line with our ethos of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, India’s G20 Presidency has worked to further global good and create a better planet.”

India has ushered into the era of cultural renaissance under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. This was stated by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh during his address at Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam in Somnath, Gujarat on April 17, 2023. He stated that the Government is taking a number of steps to connect the people with the nation’s centuries-old traditions and cultures. He added that India’s deep-rooted traditions depict strength & unity, providing ability & capability to withstand any challenge.

The Raksha Mantri stressed the need to ensure ‘cultural security’, describing it as equally essential as security of the borders and other aspects such as food, energy, environment, cyber and space. He asserted that the Government is laying emphasis on cultural security and special attention is being paid towards maintaining cultural unity. He termed the event – a confluence of Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu – as a celebration of India’s cultural unity and a shining example of ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’.

On the cultural connect between Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the ties date back more than a thousand years. “Saurashtra was attacked several times by foreign invaders around the eleventh century. It was that period when a large number of people from Saurashtra migrated to South India. During that time the people of Tamil Nadu welcomed them and helped in starting a new life,” he said. He gave numerous examples of the centuries-old connect between Saurashtra and Tamil Nadu, describing it as one of the shining chapters of a unified India.

Governor of Telangana Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel were among the dignitaries present on the occasion.

Addressing the inaugural session of G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting here today, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh described India as an emerging Space economy.

G20 Space Economy Leaders Meeting is being organised under India’s G20 presidency by the Department of Space, Government of India,

The Minister said that India is one of the very few countries who have built end to end capability in space. Over these years, space technology has penetrated to all walks of life. As a result, there is a huge demand for space based services which have huge commercial potential, he said.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that under the able leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government has decided to open up the space sector for the Indian private industry through the 2020 Space Sector reforms to enhance their participation in end-to-end space activities with hand holding of ISRO.

The Minister further said that the reforms aim to make private industries a co-traveller in India’s Space journey by allowing them to undertake independent end to end space activities. The increased private industry participation will eventually result in increased contribution of India in the global space economy.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that a nodal entity called Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Center IN-SPACehas been created towards promoting and authorising private industries participation. The creation of IN-SPACe has received overwhelming response from the Indian space industry. The first privately built sounding rocket was launched last November and a space start-up has established a launch pad inside ISRO’s launch complex. A few start-ups have built and launched satellites, he added.

The Minister said that in order to give further boost to private investments, the Union Cabinet had approved India’s space policy which envisages and encourages private participation in all areas of space activities.

Dr Jitendra Singh appreciated the Department of Space for organising the Space Economy Leaders Meeting at Bengaluru and a Precursor event at Shillong. He added that the major objective of these events should be to make Space as a formal element of G20 discussions, in future. The Minister concluded by wishing all the best to the diplomats, heads of national space agencies and the space industries from G20 and guest countries for participating in the deliberations.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has conveyed his best wishes to the participants of Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam.

Sharing a tweet by Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam, the Prime Minister tweeted:

“As the landmark STSangamam commences, my best wishes to all participants. The bond between the Saurashtra region in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu is a very old and strong one. May this Sangamam boost cultural linkages and the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.’”

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has appreciated the work done under Swachh Bharat Mission in Tuensang, Nagaland.

Replying to a tweet by Member of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Shri Jacob Zhimomi, the Prime Minister tweeted:

“Good! We’ve seen tremendous energy towards Swachhata all across India, which has led to tangible benefits in various sectors including health and women empowerment.”

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah presented the “Maharashtra Bhushan” award for the year 2022 to Dr. Appasaheb Dharmadhikari at Raigarh, Maharashtra today. On this occasion, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis and many other dignitaries were present.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah said that people have immense respect and devotion for Appasaheb, a social worker who did social service in public life without aspiring for any fame. He said that such respect and devotion can be achieved only through sacrifice, dedication and service done by Appasaheb. People’s love, trust and respect for Appasaheb is a tribute to his work and value, and the teachings of Nanasaheb. Shri Shah said that like Appasaheb, instead of following the people, one should act in such a way that people follow him.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that it is rarely seen in history that the culture of social service remain in the same family for three generations. First Nanasaheb, then Appasaheb and now Sachin Bhau and his brothers are carrying forward this tradition of social service. He said that by giving him the Maharashtra Bhushan Award the Maharashtra government has not only honored Appasaheb, but has also inspired crores of people to live life like him.

Shri Amit Shah said that this land of Raigad in Maharashtra is the holy land of the great Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This land has continued three traditions in the country. First- the tradition of valor and sacrifice for the nation, which was started by the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Rising from the land of Maharashtra across the country, great freedom fighters like Veer Savarkar, Vasudev Balwant Phadke, Chapekar brothers and Lokmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak laid down their lives for Swaraj and respect. Second – in the field of ‘Bhakti’ great people from Saint Samarth Ramdas and Saint Tukaram to Saint Namdev have always shown the way to this country. Third- The tradition of social consciousness, which started from Maharashtra itself. Social reformers like Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Savitri Bai Phule, Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and forerunners of many social movements are the gift of the great land of Maharashtra. In this tradition, Nanasaheb and Appasaheb have done a huge work of awakening this social consciousness and taking it forward.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that it is very difficult to implement the spirit of “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramaya” mentioned in our Upanishads. He said that under this spirit, a person has to live a large part of his social life by his actions not for himself, but for society and others. The lessons given through speech are short-lived and forgotten with time but the lessons given through one’s action are eternal. Shri Shah said that Appasaheb has taught lakhs and crores of people to work for the society and others besides themselves. When the country was in great need, Appasaheb brought together lakhs of people who lived for other people on the basis of the mantra of Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah. It is because of these works that the government led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi honored Appasaheb with the Padma Award.

Shri Amit Shah said that ‘Maharashtra Bhushan Award’ was instituted in 1995 and since then many people who has contributed to the social life of Maharashtra and the country have been awarded. He said that starting from Purushottam Laxman Deshpande, Swar Kokila Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Scientist Vijay Bhatkar, Raghunath Mashelkar, Jayant Narlikar, Anil Kakodkar, Shivshahir Babasaheb Purandare, well-known artists Sulochana ji and Nanasaheb have been awarded with Maharashtra Bhushan. He said now Appasaheb from Nanasaheb’s family has got the award. This is the first time that the Maharashtra Bhushan award has been given in the same family for the second time. Shri Shah said that Appasaheb guided the society through his actions with the slogan “Let’s March On”. He worked for the improvement of children, distribution of free educational material, tree plantation, cleanliness, blood donation, unique process of collecting waste during festivals, cleaning of wells, women empowerment, welfare of tribals, drug free society, eradication of superstition and illiteracy and has set many examples in these areas. Shri Amit Shah prayed for Appasaheb’s long life and wished lakhs of his followers to continue working in the society for many years as per Appasaheb’s directions. He thanked the Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis for conferring Maharashtra Bhushan on a deserving personality like Appasaheb.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had accomplished Sardar Patel’s unfinished task in Jammu & Kashmir.

Speaking as chief guest at “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” celebration here, Dr Jitendra Singh said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel played a pivotal role in the integration of more than 560 princely states to constitute the post-independence Indian Union. Unfortunately, Patel was not allowed to handle Jammu & Kashmir because the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru thought that he knew J&K better. Later, Nehru also declared a unilateral ceasefire and thus prevented Indian forces from retrieving back the present ‘Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir’(PoJK) from the Pak intruders, he said.

The Minister further said, had Sardar Patel been given a free hand, the history of Indian subcontinent would have been different. PoJK would not have been there, whole of Jammu & Kashmir would have been a part of India and this issue would not have lingered on for so many decades, he said.

The anomaly of Article 370 and 35A, said Dr Jitendra Singh, persisted for more than 70 years and the nation had to wait for Prime Minister Modi to come and do the course correction. Therein lies the significance of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ and it is a providential coincidence that the vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ was declared by Prime Minister Modi on 31st October, 2015 which happened to be the 140th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that in J&K, in the garb of Article 370, those who were votaries of the Article were actually misusing it to sustain themselves in power. Otherwise, what was the political logic of holding back social reforms like the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006 etc. if not to appease certain sections of society for vote bank, he asked.

Talking about the North East of India, Dr Jitendra Singh said that before 2014, North East used to show up in the news for all the wrong reasons mainly encounters, Dharnas, road blockades, poor rail and road connectivity and violence. But all that has dramatically changed. In the last 9 years, Prime Minister Modi has visited the North East more than 60 times which may be more than the total number of visits made by all the previous PMs put together. He added that earlier governments took North East for granted but today the region is a model of ‘Vikas’ for the rest of the country.

The Minister further added that Prime Minister Modi has won the trust of the people of North East by ensuring all round development in the region. Now the youth of North East are in high demand throughout the country for their skill and are excelling in different fields. Business houses are looking upto North East as an attractive destination for investment. For example, a small Northeastern state like Mizoram with a population of hardly 10 lakh has set up Indian’s subcontinent’s first-of-its-kind specialised “Citrus Food Park” with Israel’s collaboration which has been hailed as a “Centre of Excellence”.

Dr Jitendra Singh concluded by saying that the new political culture brought in by Prime Minister Narendra Modi coupled with the tremendous pace in development has broken the mental and physical barriers, and united the country as ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.