Tag: Narendra Modi

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar lays foundation stone for 500-bed hospital in Ujiarpur.

Source – newkerala.com

Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary and state Health Minister Mangal Pandey were also present at the event. The medical facility is set to be named Shri Ram Janki Medical College and Hospital.

Speaking to ANI about the development, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, who represents Ujiarpur Lok Sabha constituency, expressed pleasure over the development.

“I had made a promise to the people of Ujiarpur that the government will open a hospital in this area. Today, we have come one step closer to fulfilling my promise to the people of the constituency and ‘Mithilanchals’,” Rai said in New Delhi.

He said that currently, people in the region have to travel to metro cities like Delhi and Mumbai to get proper medical treatment. “However, this 500-bed hospital will provide all kinds of medical facilities to the people right here,” Rai said.

“I especially thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Health Minister, Bihar Chief Minister, and Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar. Today, the foundation stone was laid and soon the dream of mega Hospital in Ujiarpur will become reality,” he added.

The hospital in Ujiarpur will be completed within 36 months at a cost of around Rs 591.77 crore.

Ramjanki Trust Samastipur had allotted 21 acres of land for the hospital and medical college, which is a joint effort of the state and central government. The hospital will be equipped with advanced medical facilities including ICU and dozens of operation theatres.

Once complete, this will be the second-biggest hospital in the state.

AIMIM Victory in Bihar Will Pave Way for Dalit-Muslim Unity, Says Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Source – news18.com

Patna: HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi on Saturday hailed the victory of Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM in Kishanganj assembly by-poll saying the maiden success of the Hyderabad MPs party in Bihar will pave the way for “dalit-muslim unity” across the country.

Manjhi, who is also a former chief minister, condemned the adverse remarks against Owaisi by some people and asserted that communalism and fake nationalism posed a greater threat to the nation.

We are a democracy in which every party can contest elections from anywhere. I congratulate Asaduddin Owaisi and his party for entering the fray in Kishanganj and emerging victorious, Manjhi said in a statement here.

I condemn the adverse remarks made by some people against Owaisi. The nation faces a bigger threat from communalism and fake nationalism than from the victory of AIMIM in Kishanganj, said Manjhi, a dalit leader, in a veiled criticism of the BJP and its firebrand leader Giriraj Singh.

Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) is a constituent of the five-party Grand Alliance led by RJD. One of the primary reasons why I welcome AIMIMs victory in Kishanganj is that in the Seemanchal region of Bihar, dalits and muslims face the threat of being dubbed as outsiders and terrorists in the name of implementation of NRC.

Results of the by-election will pave the way for nation-wide dalit-muslim unity, he added.

Formerly with the JD(U), Manjhi had quit it and floated HAM in 2015 in protest against having been made to step down as chief minister to make way for the return of his political mentor Nitish Kumar.

He had started off as a constituent of the NDA wherein he was welcomed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who called Manjhis forced resignation an insult to the ‘Mahadalit’ class.

He walked out of the BJP-led coalition in less than a year after Kumars return to the same in July, 2017. However, Manjhi has been sore with the RJD ever since the Grand Alliance was drubbed in the general elections this year.

Out of five assembly seats where by-polls were held earlier this week, the RJD had fielded its candidates in all except Kishanganj a seat which was held by the Congress. This time Congress ended up a distant third and forfeited its deposit.

The RJD won two seats and lost one Nathnagar by a margin of votes that was less than the tally of the HAM candidate whom Manjhi had fielded as a token of protest against Tejashwi Yadav, the son of Lalu Prasad.

Jharkhand: Vote for BJP even if candidates are dacoits or naughty men, says Godda MP Nishikant Dubey.

Source – scroll.in

Nishikant Dubey, the Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Godda in Jharkhand, told voters to support candidates of his party even if they are criminals, the Hindustan Times reported on Friday. The minister also said that voters should support “handicapped” BJP candidates as well.

“I want to request you all that whoever the BJP fields, be it a handicap, thief, dacoit or a naughty man, we must support that candidate,” Dubey told BJP workers in Deoghar district’s Jamtara city on Wednesday. “We should have faith in the decision of national [BJP] president Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Raghubar Das.”

He later defended his statement and claimed he was speaking metaphorically. “I told the party workers that even if they personally feel that the candidates are handicaps or criminals, it was their duty to support them, as our national president Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Minister, Raghubar Das always chose good people to contest elections,” Dubey said.

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren said the statement showed the BJP’s fear about the upcoming elections. “It shows the rubbish and unparliamentary thinking of the BJP MP,” Soren said. “He describes himself as the second Chanakya but his statement is a reflection of the fear and desperation within the BJP over their electoral prospects.”

Soren added that the real problems in the state are unemployment, inflation, corruption and the shutdown of schools and colleges. “But the BJP wants to field thieves and dacoits with an invitation to further loot our homes,” he added. Elections to the Jharkhand Assembly are due by the end of the year.

Will make Jharkhand No. 1 state in country: Amit Shah

Source: indiatoday.in

Union home minister Amit Shah on Wednesday promised that the Bharatiya Janata Party governments at the Centre and in Jharkhand would work together to make the state the No. 1 state in the country. Shah said that since Narendra Modi came to power at the Centre, Naxalism has declined in the state and various welfare schemes have been successfully implemented in the state.

Shah was addressing a rally in Jharkhand’s Jamtara district. Jharkhand, along with Maharashtra and Haryana, is expected to go to the polls later this year. Shah was speaking after launching the BJP’s ‘Johar Jan Ashirwad Yatra’.

The yatra will crisscross Jharkhand’s 81 assembly constituencies ahead of the polls in the state.

Speaking at the rally, Amit Shah also Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed Pakistan its place by abrogating Article 370 and 35A and established that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India.

Shah said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should tell people of Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Haryana, when he goes to those election-bound states, whether he was with the decision to abrogate Article 370.

ATTACKS CONGRESS

“Removing Article 370, Modi ji showed Pakistan its place, and established that Kashmir is an integral part of India,” Shah said.

“Our stand has been to remove Article 370 ever since it had been there,” Shah said and asked “why the Congress felt a ‘stomach ache’ following its abrogation?”

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Amit Shah said the party had also opposed and sought evidence after the surgical strikes.

“They (Congress) should tell the people which direction they want to go,” he added.

Shah said even while being in the opposition, his party leaders had supported the government on important issues.

“Atal Bihari Vajpayee had supported former prime minister Indira Gandhi after winning the Bangladesh Liberation war.

‘CONGRESS DID NOT HEED JHARKHAND’S WISHES’

Amit Shah went on to question what the Congress did for the state and slammed the party for not heeding the decades-old demand to create a separate state. (Jharkhand was a part of Bihar until 2000).

Shah said that the Congress had not accepted Jharkhand people’s decades-old wishes for a separate state and that it was former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who fulfilled the dreams.

“I don’t hesitate to say that Atal ji created Jharkhand and Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji nursed it towards development during the last five years,” Shah said.

“There is Modi government above [at the Centre] and Raghubar Das government below [in the state]. The double engine governments have changed Jharkhand, and the evidence is that the people of Jharkhand gave 12 of the 14 Lok Sabha seats to Modi government in the Lok Sabha elections,” Shah said.

“Naxalism was there, but now Jharkhand is headed towards [becoming] almost naxal-free and moving forward with developmental initiatives,” Shah said. “The double engine governments will make Jharkhand the number one state in the country.”

Happy birthday PM Modi; here are some messages from those affected by Sardar Sarovar

Source: downtoearth.org.in

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrates his birthday on September 17. Unsurprisingly, his choice of venue is the Sardar Sarovar dam and the nearby statue of Vallabhbhai Patel. He spent the morning visiting the control room of the dam on the Narmada after “worshipping” the river. The water level at the dam reservoir was raised to 138.68 metres — the full reservoir level (FRL) — on the occasion.

Not all seemed thrilled:

  • Anti-dam activists were scheduled to protest at Barwani.
  • Several families were evacuated to tin sheds as their homes were to submerge.
  • Those left behind are living on islands
  • Sown fields are now under water
  • More than 30,000 families living in the submergence zone faced displacement and loss of livelihood, according to Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA).

Many distressed people in the submergence areas in Dhar, Barwani, and Alirajpur districts in Madhya Pradesh have already held up their grievances.

And they have a thing or two to say if the PM would listen.

‘Visit our villages’

If he can fly abroad so much, why can’t he visit a village in doob kshetra (submergence area)? asked Gangabai Patidar of Nisarpur. Her home was marked for submergence at 138 m; at 136 m, the water was at her door, she said.

Some 1,200 families there were declared out of danger but the village was sinking.

“The water has filled our streets, it comes up to our door steps but these homes are considered out of doob kshetra. How do we step out and commute? Are we supposed to fly?” asked Gangabai. 

Suresh Patidar, also from Nisarpur, found Modi’s recent tweet hardselling the area as a tourist destination, insensitive. “192 villages are starving, dying, and drowning; hardly anyone has received rehabilitation benefits they are entitled to. All the PM is concerned about is filling the dam’s reservoir before his birthday,” he said. A lack of media attention added insult to his injury.

Shyamabai of Pichodi village, a few kilometres from Barwani town, invited Modi to a public discussion with the oustees, underscoring that with the land drowned, farmers, fisherfolk and potters were starving.

“You forcibly evicted us from our homes and filled them with water. And then, you’re celebrating your birthday as so many humans suffer and animals die,” she said.   

‘Minister of a state’

In Kadmal (Dhar district), another sinking village, residents tried to protest in the few areas some not yet under water. They were on a chain hunger strike.

“People are getting ill, contracting infections because of the dirty water entering our streets,” said Ashutosh Radheshyam Sen, one of those on strike. He blamed the governments of Madhya Pradesh and the Centre for trying to “please” the Gujarat government: “The PM should think about the entire country, not just one state.”

“We want officials to come here, see our reality and complete rehabilitation and resettlement equitably,” said Ashutosh, a journalist who also owns a shop that is now submerged.

“Anyone who tried to move the (Sardar Sarovar) project was projected the saviour of Gujarat. But PM Modi seems to have taken the game to a new level to show that he completed it,” said Shripad Dharmadhikary, an activist and researcher.

“Even as chief minister of Gujarat, Modi went on dharna (demonstration) for the completion of this project, ignoring checks the then government wanted to put in place on humanitarian grounds,” he alleged.

“Work on the dam was stalled until 2014 because rehabilitation was incomplete. But when he became PM in 2014, permission to increase the height of the dam was granted in 15 days,” Dharmadhikary added.

Pointing out at an incomplete canal system, he called the closing of the dam gates a show of power. That MP now has Congress-led government, made the situation worse, according to him.

Himanshu Upadhyaya from Azim Premji University advised the PM to “keep in mind that the water storage in this dam has been achieved at huge social costs borne by people upstream in the submergence zone as well as those downstream in Narmada, Vadodara and Bharuch districts — whose land is eroded by intense flash floods created by dam authorities.”

These aspects can only be forgotten “when one is obsessed with PR” and with the “perfect visual appeal” created by an overflowing dam, he warned. 

‘Gujarat farmers not thrilled either’

In 2002, Ramsingh Chattarsingh Solanki of Rajghat village (in the submergence area in Barwani) moved to Gujarat as he was allotted land in Kesrol village in Bharuch district. But it was infertile and uncultivable, he alleged.

“The Gujarat government cheated us. We moved back to our old village and now this is drowning,” the 82-year-old man said.

Thousands of acres of agricultural land downstream in Bharuch, Narmada, and Vadodara districts in Gujarat was getting destroyed, said Kamlesh S Madhiwala, president of fishers’ collective Samast Bharuch Jilla Machhimar Samaj.

“Crops ready for harvest drowned. Gujarat did benefit, but the water distribution has been mismanaged. Farmers don’t have water, but companies never face a shortage. Seems the dam’s water is primarily for them,” he said.

“Despite the dam getting the lion’s share of central funding under ‘Accelerated irrigation Benefit Programme’, successive Gujarat governments have failed to prioritise development of the canal network,” alleged Upadhyaya.

Figures in the government’s own Socio-economic Surveys show a shortfall between irrigation potential created and utilised. The ad hoc command area development plans and half-hearted implementation of participatory irrigation management were to be blamed too, he added. 

‘SSP, we have a problem’

According to the Narmada Control Authority’s daily updates, the Bargi reservoir and the Indira Sagar Project reservoir upstream were almost full. Any sudden release of water from the two reservoirs upstream could lead to flash floods. This is compounded by tremors felt in more than 12 villages along the banks of the Narmada.

“This is the time to generate power at full capacity. Technically that’s the way to operate the dam so that floods can be controlled, not aggravated,” said Vijay Paranjpye, water expert and chairman of Gomukh Environmental Trust For Sustainable Development, Pune. He was concerned about potential shock release of water and said water should have been released:

“It is more important for the Gujarat government and the authority to protect lives rather than celebrate someone’s birthday.”

PM Modi inaugurates New Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha building in Ranchi

Source: newkerala.com

He also inaugurated various development projects in Ranchi today. Modi was also scheduled to launch the Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (KMDY) here.

“The PM will launch the scheme — Prime Minister Kisan Man Dhan Yojana — and will also inaugurate 400 Ekalvya Model Residential schools to provide quality upper primary, secondary, and senior secondary level education to ST students in tribal-dominated areas,” an official statement had earlier said.

The KMDY will secure the lives of 5 crore small and marginal farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3,000 per month to those who have attained the age of 60. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 10,774 crore for the next three years.

All the small and marginal farmers who are currently between the age of 18 to 40 years are eligible to avail the benefits.

The Eklavya Model Residential Schools are aimed at providing quality education to the students of Scheduled Tribes. This scheme will be implemented in blocks with a tribal population of at least 20,000.

The residential schools will have tribal students from Class 6 to 12. Around Rs 10,000 crore will be spent on the construction of these schools in Jharkhand, Odisha, Northeastern and other states in the next two years.

PM Modi inaugurates Jharkhand assembly building, lays foundation of state secretariat

Source: hindustantimes.com

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the Rs 465 crore newly constructed state-of-the-art Jharkhand assembly building, putting an end to the state’s 19-year wait for construction of its own assembly building and laid foundation stone of the Rs 1238 crore proposed construction of state secretariat.

The ground plus three floors magnificent structure of the assembly building has come up on a site of 39 acres of land at HEC township near Jagannath temple. A symbolic one-day special assembly session has been convened on September 13 in this new building.

Inaugurating the assembly complex, Modi said, “It’s a historic day for Jharkhand. After 19-years of its creation, the state now gets its own assembly building and foundation stone of the proposed state secretariat has been laid.”

Appealing to the youths to must visit this assembly complex, Modi said, “One should not consider this building as a structure with walls only. It will lay foundation of the better future of state’s citizens. It will help in realizing the dreams of coming generations.”

Recalling the importance of these buildings, the Prime Minister said, “The recently concluded monsoon session was one of the most productive sessions of the Parliament after independence. The houses worked till night to discuss and pass important legislations. People felt happy to see it going. Credit goes to all MPs and political parties for giving effect to a healthy discourse.”

The dome shaped Jharkhand’s new assembly complex consists of Central, East and West wings and service buildings including covered car parking. A rooftop solar power plant of 500 KVA capacity have been set up over the car parking area. The campus is beautifully landscaped with three stage fountains in the south (front) and north (back). Besides, work is in progress to set up four half ball fountains.

The main attraction of the building is its large dome just overhead of the assembly hall. The dome has been decorated with traditional Jharkhandi arts from the inside. These arts will be illuminated with high quality lights.

The building’s central wing consists of a assembly hall of seating capacity of 150 persons, chambers of chief minister, assembly speaker and deputy speaker, a conference hall with seating capacity of 400 persons, MLAs lobby, press gallery, media lobby, library, canteen and others.

While the building’s East wing would have 22 minister rooms, six committee rooms, establishment, budget, pension, question and answer sections, accounts, legislative section and others, the west wing would house chamber of leader of opposition, five committee rooms, parliament, public information, dispatch, whip sections, bank, post office and other services.

The four-storied proposed state secretariat building will be constructed on an area of 33.60 lakh square feet in HEC township.

Central Wing: Assembly hall (150 seating capacity), chambers of CM, Speaker, deputy speaker with rest rooms, 400 seater conference hall, MLA lobby, press, officers, visitors galleries, library, canteen, dispensary and others

East Wing: 22 minister rooms, six committee rooms, establishment, budget, pension, question and answer sections, accounts, legislative section and others

West Wing: Chamber of leader of opposition, five committee rooms, parliament, public information, dispatch, whip sections, bank, post office and other services.

Service building: Electrical sub-station, AC plant room, police barrack, maintenance room, covered car parking (400 vehicles)

PM Modi launches Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana in Ranchi

Source: ddinews.gov.in

Following on the foosteps of the Krishi Maan-dhan Yoajana that kicked off from the first week of August this year, the scheme ensures Rs 3000 per month for traders with a turn over of less than Rs 1.5 crore per annum.

Farmers who feed the nation have been bearing the brunt of floods and drought for decades. 70 years after independence, the Modi government that took on the pledge of improving their lot promising to double farmers income by 2022. And it didn’t stop there.

Taking welfare to the next level Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-dhan yojana, the first ever pension scheme for farmers. He rolled out the scheme in Ranchi on Thursday making the first online transfer.

So far over 13 lakh,29 thousand farmers have joined the scheme across the country since 9th of August, when the registration began.

Farmers who own 2 hectares or less of land and are between 18 and 40 years of age are eligible for the scheme. Depending on their age they need to make a monthly contribution ranging between Rs 55 and Rs 200. 

Within a month, the union government’s contribution stands at over Rs 16 crore. 

Rs 3000 per month will be paid as a pension after farmers turn 60. Prime Minister Modi also launched a national pension scheme for small and medium traders and self employed entrepreneurs.

Traders with a turnover of less than Rs 1.5 crore per annum will be eligible for a pension of Rs 3000 per month. An estimated 3 crore Vyaparis in the country are expected to be benefitted under this scheme.

Adding social justice to the script of social security, Prime Minister Narendra Modi digitally launched the beginning of work for 462 Ekalvya Model Residential Schools across the country. These schools will provide quality upper primary, secondary, and senior secondary level education to ST Students in Tribal dominated areas.
 
Clearly, Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwaas isn’t just a motto for the Modi government. 

Modi in Ranchi today, to launch slew of welfare schemes, development projects

Source: hindustantimes.com

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a slew of welfare and development projects from Ranchi’s Prabhat Tara ground on Thursday, weeks ahead of the assembly polls scheduled this year-end.

Modi will dedicate country’s second Multi Model Terminal built at Sahibganj to the nation, inaugurate newly constructed state-of-the-art Assembly Building in Ranchi and lay the foundation of new secretariat building in Jharkhand capital.

He will also launch the Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana, Khudra Vyapari Dukandar Swarojgar Pension scheme and Ekalvya Model Residential School scheme.

“The PM will also launch several national projects from Jharkhand, which will help the country as well as state’s development and welfare schemes,” said CM Raghubar Das.

A pension scheme for small and marginal farmers will secure lives of estimate five crore farmers across the country including 10 lakh in Jharkhand by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3,000 per month to those who attain 60 years of age. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 10,774 crores for the next three years.

In Jharkhand, more than 1.16 lakh farmers have registered themselves under the scheme so far. Only small and marginal farmer, who own cultivable land up to two hectares, would be eligible for the scheme. Besides, the farmers, who are between the age group of 18 years and 40 years, would qualify for the scheme.

India’s second riverine Multi Model Terminal built at Sahibganj will be inaugurated by the PM through a two-way digital communication system from Ranchi.

The minister of state for shipping (independent charge) Mansukh Mandaviya will be present at Sahibganj.

Constructed at Rs 290 crore, the MMT is expected to open up industries of Jharkhand and Bihar to global market and provide Indo-Nepal cargo connectivity through waterways route. Besides coal, stone chips, fertilizers, cement and sugar and other commodities expected to be transported through the terminal.

The Sahibganj Multi Model Terminal is estimated to generate 2,500 jobs.

The PM will launch construction of 462 Ekalvya Model Residential School in tribal dominated blocks across the country by 2022. A total of 69 such schools will be started in Jharkhand. These will be opened in every block with more than 50% tribal population as well as those that have at least minimum 20,000 tribal population.

Jharkhand will get its new assembly building after 19 years of its creation. Built at Rs 465 crore on 39 acres of land, the assembly building has the seating arrangement for 162 members. Separate press gallery, officers’ gallery and visitors’ gallery have also been constructed in the building. Besides, it has 22 rooms for ministers and 17 for assembly committees.

The Prime Minister will lay foundation of Jharkhand secretariat building, which will come up on 40 acres of land next to the new assembly building in the core capital. The state cabinet has recently approved Rs 1238.92 crore for construction of the building.

PM Modi to launch farmers’ pension scheme in Ranchi on Sept 12

Source: avenuemail.in

Ranchi, Sep 10 (IANS) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would launch three national level and two state level schemes from here on September 12.

“The Prime Minister will launch three national and two state level schemes here on September 12. The first scheme is Kisan Mandhan Yojna, under which farmers will get Rs 3,000 pension; the second is laying the foundation stone for 462 Eklavya schools exclusively for quality education; the third is a pension scheme for small shopkeepers,” the Chief Minister said in a press conference here on Tuesday.

Das said that under the farmer’s scheme, more than one lakh farmers have been registered in the state. As per the available data, Jharkhand is fifth largest state in terms of farmers pension registration. Farmers between the age of 18 and 40 years will get the benefits of the pension scheme after turning 60, Das said.

“Similarly, small shopkeepers between the age of 18 and 40 years will be eligible to get pension after turning 60. The small shopkeepers registered with the government will get Rs 3,000 pension per month. Of the 462 Eklavya schools, 69 will be set up in Jharkhand for providing quality education to the tribal children.

“The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the two state level schemes. First, the inauguration of the state Assembly building and the second is a multi-modal terminal at Sahebganj,” said the Chief Minister.

Jharkhand is set to get it’s own Assembly building, which has been constructed on a 39-acre land costing Rs 465 crore. It will have a sitting capacity of 162 legislators.

Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the new Secretariat which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1,238 crore on 68 acres of land.

The Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation India’s second riverine multi-modal terminal in Sahibganj built at a cost of Rs 290 crore in a record time of about two years.

Modi had himself laid the foundation stone for the IWAI’s Sahibganj multi-modal terminal (MMT) in April, 2017. It is the second of the three multi-modal terminals being constructed on river Ganga under the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP). In November 2018, the Prime Minister had inaugurated the MMT at Varanasi.

The MMT at Sahibganj will open up the industries of Jharkhand and Bihar to the global market and provide Indo-Nepal cargo connectivity through waterways route.