News Analysis India

Tag: Kishan Reddy

  • Kishan Reddy slams Telagana Minister for ‘threatening’ to cut water, power supply to military authorities in Hyderabad

    By PTI

    HYDERABAD: Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy has slammed Telangana Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao for allegedly threatening to cut water and power supplies to military authorities in Cantonment limits here over their “unilateral” actions of closing roads and others.

    Alleging that the ruling TRS has a history of insulting our Armed forces, Kishan Reddy said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had “mocked Indian Armed forces saying they ran away against China”.

    Rao, popularly known as KCR, and a TRS MLA had asked for proof for surgical strikes, Reddy said. “Now KTR is threatening armed forces saying he won’t give them power and water,” he tweeted.

    K T Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao, is known as KTR. Rama Rao’s statement is an insult to the services of defence personnel, Kishan Reddy said.

    “Power Corrupts! Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely!” “Even for one to entertain the thought of cutting supplies to our defence establishments, much less by a Minister, is absolutely deplorable “The statement of KTR is an insult to the service & sacrifice of our defence personnel,” Kishan Reddy said.

    The issue of cantonment roads needs to be handled sensitively as Cantonment feels that there is a threat to security and installations within the area, he said. Hence, to threaten the defence authorities shows “TRS arrogance and ungratefulness”, he said.

    Kishan Reddy was responding to media reports over Rama Rao’s comments that the state government would cut power and water supply if needed to military authorities (Cantonment limits) because it is not fair to close the roads whenever they want.

  • Ganga most visited pilgrim site in world, attracts over 2 crore people every year, says Union Minister

    By PTI

    NEW DLEHI: Union Tourism and Culture Minister G.Kishan Reddy on Tuesday said Ganga is the most visited pilgrim site in the world and over 2 crore people come to pay their respect every year to it.

    “Hinduism teaches that Ganga is not just a river for bathing, it is a sacred river that is why cleaning it is our prime responsibility. People should make it a custom to keep Ganga clean,” he said at the Ganga Utsav.

    Stressing that Ganga is the most visited pilgrim site in the world with over 2 crore people coming to pay their respect to the river every year, he said: “In the same way, people should also play a role in keeping the river clean,” he added.

    He further said that Ganga is “not just a spiritual lifeline but also the economic lifeline” of the people in India.

    Reddy called on NGOs and institutions to play their part in keeping the river clean.

    Minister of State for Jal Shakti Prahlad Patel said: “We should think of our contribution and not raise our fingers.

    I can say with responsibility that those who are contributing towards Ganga cleaning are saviours.

    Rivers should not be looked at as canals.

    A canal flows as per our wish but rivers like Ganga are independent, which has the capability of cleansing itself if we do not add dirt to it.

    ” Reddy and Patel also released a book and music video on Ganga.

    They also released comic series ‘Ganga ki Baat – Chacha Chaudhary ke Saath’, a public engagement activity, which aims to spread awareness about Ganga Rejuvenation through iconic Indian comic superhero, Chacha Chaudhary.

  • Government determined to vaccinate everyone by December this year: Union Minister Kishan Reddy

    By PTI

    HYDERABAD: The Government of India is determined to vaccinate everyone by December this year under the COVID-19 vaccination programme, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said here on Sunday.

    The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is running the world’s biggest vaccination programme and have till date vaccinated 69 crore people free of cost, which is a major accomplishment by itself, the Union Culture and Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, said, according to a release.

    “We want to reach out to the last person to be vaccinated in the country, in the most remotest part by December this year. It is also a matter of great pride that India was one of the two countries which invented a vaccine for COVID, besides USA, this raised the stature of Indian scientists and the country in the world,” the release quoted Kishan Reddy as saying.

    “As many as 153 countries have sought our vaccines and some even paid the respective companies advance amount, but the government placed an embargo on export till people in our country are vaccinated,” he said.

    The Union Minister said recently 1.33 crore people were vaccinated in a day and the government is proactively trying to vaccinate everyone by December (2021), which will enable to open up the country’s tourism sector by January 2022.

    The tourism sector was adversely impacted in the last two years, be it travel agents, tour operators and employees from the tourism sector encountered a lot of hardship during this time, he said.

    The Centre is working to provide succour to them from September 15, Kishan Reddy said, adding “We are planning to provide Rs one lakh financial assistance to Tour Guides from Tourism Department, similarly Rs 10 lakhs to Tour Operators we will call for applications from these people from September 15.” He further said massive publicity will be done abroad about India’s tourism sector from January 2022.

    “Even in our country, we will run “Dekho Apna Pradesh” to target homegrown tourists. Prime Minister in fact wanted every Indian who can afford, to visit at least 15 tourist places in the country and we will encourage Indians to opt for tourism in the country,” he said.

    He further said the government has begun to draft a tourism policy, which will be accessible to public on the website. In that golf tourism will be given special emphasis, that will attract lot of golf players and enthusiasts, he said.

    “We will consult with the golf associations in the country and create a plan, which will be publicised through Indian Embassies across the globe and in a big way encourage Golf Tourism to attract Golf Tourists,” the Union Minister said.

    Kishan Reddy, earlier gave away prizes to the winners of the PGTI Golconda Masters Telangana Open Golf Championship.

    Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the official body representing professional Golf in India, concluded its first tournament of this season at Hyderabad Golf Association golf course, on Sunday, the release added.

  • Appeal to tourists to maintain Covid protocol: Tourism Minister Kishan Reddy

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The government does not want to stop tourists but certain protocols must be followed to keep Covid at bay, Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Monday amid concerns about burgeoning crowds at popular hill destinations and other tourist spots.

    Every individual must be a Covid warrior if the pandemic is to be defeated, Reddy, who is also minister for culture and DoNER (Development of North-Eastern Region), said while appealing to people to exercise caution.

    “While this is the responsibility of the state governments, we have issued advisories to follow Covid protocol. The only way to stop Covid is through partnership with the general public. I appeal to all tourists on behalf of the government of India to follow protocols that have been placed for their own safety,” the minister told reporters during a visit to the National Archive of India.

    “Each individual of this country has to be a Covid warrior and only then can we defeat this. The government does not want to stop tourists but it is our responsibility to keep everyone safe,” he added.

    People, Reddy said, should keep in mind what happened in their cities, towns and districts during the coronavirus crisis when thousands lost their lives, and thus think twice before breaking any rules.

    The Indian Medical Association has also expressed concern over governments and people being complacent and engaging in mass gatherings without following COVID-19 protocols, saying these events are potential super spreaders for a third wave of the pandemic.

    “Tourist bonanza, pilgrimage travel, religious fervor, all are needed, but can wait for a few more months.”

    “Opening up these rituals and enabling people without vaccination to go scot-free in these mass gatherings are potential super spreaders for the Covid third wave,” the IMA said in a statement.

    With 37,154 new coronavirus infections, India’s tally of COVID-19 cases has risen to 3,08,74,376 (30.8 million/3.08 crore) while total recoveries have crossed three crore, according to Union Health Ministry data on Monday.

    The death toll has climbed to 4,08,764 with 724 fresh fatalities.

    The daily positivity rate was recorded at 2.59 percent — less than three percent for 21 consecutive days and the weekly positivity rate at 2.32 percent.

    While the numbers are encouraging, several states are still reporting worrying number of cases.

  • 93,000 cybercrimes related to sexual exploitation, hate in three years: MHA

    Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said the enhanced use of the internet, the number of cybercrimes was also increasing.

  • Farmers aggressively resorted to rioting during protests: Government tells Lok Sabha

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday informed Lok Sabha that 39 cases were registered between September and December 2020 against farmers protesting against the agri laws at Delhi’s borders and said they “aggressively resorted to rioting, damage to property and used criminal force” against public servants.

    Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy also said that the protesting farmers were not following social distancing and gathered in large numbers without face masks amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Insofar NCT of Delhi is concerned, the Delhi Police has informed that 39 cases have been registered against the farmers protesting the recently passed ‘farm laws’ between September and December, 2020 at Delhi border,” he said in a written reply.

    Reddy’s reply implies that these 39 cases were excluding those registered after the farmers’ tractor rally violence on January 26.

    He said the Delhi Police has also informed that one suicide case has been reported to it during the protest against the contentious farm laws.

    On police using tear gas and resorting to baton charge against protesting farmers, the minister said it has been reported that at Delhi borders, large convoys of agitating farmers in tractor trolleys tried to furiously force their way and go past police barricades to enter Delhi.

    “They aggressively resorted to rioting, damage to government property and used criminal force to deter public servants from the discharge of their duty, thereby inflicting injuries to the on-duty police personnel.

    “Moreover, social distancing was not followed by the farmers and protestors and they gathered in large numbers without face masks amid COVID-19 pandemic.

    The farmers’ actions left the Delhi Police with no option but to use tear gas, water cannons and mild force to control the crowd,” Reddy said.