News Analysis India

Tag: PM Narendra Modi

  • COVID-19: Maharashtra CM urges PM to frame national policy to stop gatherings

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to formulate a national policy to stop people from crowding at one place for social, political and religious purposes, in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.

    Thackeray made this suggestion in a virtual meeting held by the PM, during which he took stock of the coronavirus situation.

    “Even as the government is battling the COVID-19 pandemic, the crowding at public places is a huge challenge.

    The Centre should conceptualise a national level policy to prevent public crowding happening in the name of social, political and religious gatherings,” the chief minister said.

    He apprised the PM of the steps being taken in Maharashtra to fight the second wave of the pandemic and added that planning to counter the possible third wave was going on, a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said. 

  • All you need to know about newly-inducted ministers in Narendra Modi’s cabinet

    By Express News Service
    Mansukh Mandaviya and Anurag Thakur will be the new ministers for Health and Information and Broadcasting respectively replacing Harsh Vardhan and Prakash Javedekar who were among the 12 dropped in the revamped Union Cabinet on Wednesday.  

    Ahead of the key Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi  also brought in Sarbananda Sonowal, Narayan Rane and Jyotiraditya Scindia and 33 other new members.

    Here’s a brief insight into the new and old faces of Modi’s faces

    Narayan Rane

    First-time Rajya Sabha MP from Maharashtra; six-time MLA and CM for a few months in 1999. Expelled from Shiv Sena in 2005; joined Congress; formed own outfit in 2017 which then merged with BJP

    Sarbananda Sonowal

    A law graduate, he was CM of Assam from 2016-2021; two-time Lok Sabha MP; was minister of state (independent charge) in the Modi government earlier; has been an MLA twice; seen as a major figure 

    Virendra Kumar

    MP from Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh; elected to Lok Sabha seven times; a PhD in child labour, he has served as MoS for Women & Child Development and Minority Affairs in the Modi govt in the past

    Jyotiraditya Scindia

    Five-time MP, currently Rajya Sabha member; was a minister in the UPA govt; quit Congress and joined BJP last year with 22 MLAs and helped the saffron party regain power in Madhya Pradesh; just reward, it seems

    Ram Chandra Prasad Singh

    An alumnus of Jawaharlal Nehru University and a retired IAS officer of 1984 batch, he is a Rajya Sabha MP from Bihar; is the president of Janata Dal-United and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s close confidante

    Ashwini Vaishnav

    Is a former IAS officer from Odisha and Rajya Sabha MP; has done MBA from Wharton School, Pennysylvania University and MTech from IIT Kanpur; has held leadership positions in global companies

    Pashupati Paras

    A Lok Sabha MP from Hajipur in Bihar and brother of the late Ram Vilas Paswan; has been a 7-time MLA; is heading the breakaway faction of LJP following the recent coup against nephew Chirag Paswan

    Bhupendra Yadav

    A lawyer and two-time Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan; close to Amit Shah; known for his leadership across various parliamentary committees; played key role in BJP’s accession to power in several states  

    Kiren Rijiju

    A prominent leader of BJP from Northeast (Arunachal); gets a promotion with Cabinet rank; was minister of state for sports and youth affairs earlier; was MoS Home in Modi government’s first term

    RK Singh

    Bureaucrat-turned politician who steered Modi govt’s power sector reforms agenda; two-term Lok Sabha MP from Arrah in Bihar; was MoS for power and renewable energy and skill development earlier

    Hardeep Singh Puri

     Is Rajya Sabha MP; was a 1974 batch IFS officer and one of India’s top diplomats who held several key positions such as Permanent Represen-tative to UN; was earlier minister for civil aviation, housing and urban affairs 

    Mansukh Mandaviya

    Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat; was minister of state for port & shipping and chemical & fertilisers; started his political career as member of the BJP’s youth wing; became the youngest MLA in Gujarat in 2002

    G Kishan Reddy

    MP from Secunderabad, Telangana; was earlier MoS; was earlier a three-time MLA and BJP floor leader in Telangana and undivided Andhra assemblies; was BJP state president in Telangana and undivided Andhra

    Parshottam Rupala

    A Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat; was earlier minister of state for agriculture and panchayati raj; is known for his humour and oratory skills; the 66-year-old served as a minister in state earlier

    Anurag Thakur

    Is the youngest from Himachal Pradesh to hold Cabinet rank in Union council of ministers; was earlier minister of state for finance; has served three terms spanning  seven years as BJPs Youth Wing president

    Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma

    Lok Sabha MP from Jalaun in Uttar Pradesh, serving his fifth term in Parliament; in 2001, he became vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP’s SC Morcha and a decade later, he became its president

    Rajeev Chandrasekhar

    Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka; served on various parliamentary committees; has MTech in Computer Science from Illinois Institute of Technology and Advanced Management Program from Harvard University

    Meenakshi Lekhi

    Lawyer and two-time Lok Sabha MP from New Delhi; appointed vice-president of BJP’s Mahila Morcha in 2010; her contempt petition had forced Rahul Gandhi to apologise to Supreme Court for ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ jibe

    Shobha Karandlaje

    Lok Sabha MP from Udupi Chikmangalur in Karnataka; was an MLA and MLC earlier; is a close associate of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddiyurappa; was a minister in his cabinet earlier

    Pankaj Choudhary

    Six-time Lok Sabha MP from Maharajganj in UP; began his political career in 1989-91 as member of Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation, later became deputy mayor; became member of BJP working committee in 1990

    Anupriya Patel

    President of BJP’s ally Apna Dal (S) and Lok Sabha MP from Mirzapur, UP; serving her second term; was earlier MoS-health in the Modi government; was a professor before entering politics

    SP Singh Baghel

    Lok Sabha member from Agra and serving his fifth term; holds PhD and law degrees; was minister in the Uttar Pradesh government in th past; a prominent SC face in this crucial heartland state; was in SP and  BSP earlier

    Darshana Vikram Jardosh

    A three-time MP from Gujarat’s Surat; was a corporator earlier and member of the Gujarat Social Welfare Board; an OBC face of the party; has served as a member of different committees of Parliament

    Annpurna Devi

    First-time MP from Kodarma, Jharkhand; was a four-time MLA and also served as a minister in the states of Jharkhand as well as Bihar; she has done Masters in History from the Ranchi University

    A Narayana Swamy

    First-time Lok Sabha MP from Chitradurg, Karnataka; was MLA for four terms earlier and minister in the state; SC face of BJP; said to be close to party national general secretary BL Santosh

    Kaushal Kishore

    The 61-year-old two-time MP represents Mohanlalganj Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh; belongs to SC (Pasi) community; state chief of BJP’s Scheduled Caste wing; was in Samajwadi Party earlier

    Ajay Bhatt

    MP from Nainital, elected first time to Lok Sabha; was a practising lawyer before joining politics; Brahmin face from Kumaon in Uttarakhand; was three-time MLA and Cabinet minister in the hill state

    BL Verma

    The 59-year-old is first time Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh; hails from Badaun district; is prominent OBC face; became UP BJP vice-president in 2018; is in Parliament Committee on Welfare of OBCs

    Ajay Kumar

    Lok Sabha MP from Khiri constituency in Uttar Pradesh; is the lone Brahmin face from among the ministers appointed from the state; represent Terai region; the 60-year-old former MLA also holds a law degree

    Chauhan Devusinh

    A two-term Lok Sabha member from Kheda in Gujarat; an OBC, was 2-time MLA earlier; prior to his full-time political career, he has served as an Engineer in All-India Radio; holds a diploma in Electrical Engineering 

    Bhagwanth Khuba

    Elected to Lok Sabha from Bidar in Karnataka for second term; hails from politically dominant Lingayat community; holds BTech degree in Mechanical Engineering; in Parliament’s Standing Committee on Agriculture

    Kapil M Patil

    Is Lok Sabha MP from Bhiwandi in Maharashtra, serving his second term; is BJP’s OBC face; shifted to the party from NCP; has been member of standing committee on defence & committee on absence of members from House

    Pratima Bhoumik

    First-time MP from Tripura West Lok Sabha seat; the 52-year-old BJP leader is from a humble background and holds a graduate degree in Bio-Science; is the first to be made minister from the state in three decades

    Subhas Sarkar

    Is a first-term Lok Sabha MP from Bankura in West Bengal; is a gynaecologist and board member of AIIMS Kalyani; has been BJP’s organisation man in the state; was made vice-president of West Bengal BJP in 2013 to 2017

    Bhagwat K Karad

    Rajya Sabha MP for Maharashtra, serving his first term; a doctor by profession, runs Dr Karad Multi Specialty Hospital & Research Center in Aurangabad; the 64-year-old has also served as mayor of Aurangabad

    Rajkumar Ranjan Singh

    Is a first-time MP of the BJP from Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency. The 68-year-old Singh was a professor of geography for four decades before becoming a lawmaker; holds MA and PhD degrees

    Shantanu Thakur

    Elected to Lok Sabha from Bongaon constituency of West Bengal; is an influential Matua dharma guru; has been actively involved in spreading Matua culture as a leader of All India Matua Mahasangha

    Bishweswar Tudu

    Is a Lok Sabha MP from Mayurbhanj in Odisha; hails from the Cuttack region; the 56-year-old holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering,  worked as an engineer in state water resources dept prior to joining politics

    Bharati Pravin Pawar

    Is first-time Lok Sabha MP from Dindori in Maharashtra; holds MBBS degree and was a medical practitioner before joining politics; the 42-year-old also served as member of Nashik Zila Parishad

    Munjapara Mahendrabhai

    Is Lok Sabha MP from Surendranagar, Gujarat, serving his 1st term; prior to his political career, he had a 3 decades long career as a Cardiologist and Professor of Medicine in Gujarat; is known to be a social worker at heart

    L Murugan

    Practised law in the Madras High Court for 15 years before joining public life; was Vice Chairman of the National Commission of SCs from 2017 to 2020; he holds a LLM and PhD in Law from Madras University

    John Barla

    Is a Lok Sabha MP from Alipurduars, West Bengal, serving his first term; he started off as a tea garden worker at the age of 14 and has worked for the rights of tea garden workers for more than two decades

    Nisith Pramanik 

    He is a Lok Sabha MP from Cooch Behar constituency in West Bengal, serving his first term as a member of Parliament; the 35-year-old has worked as an Assistant Teacher in a Primary School and has a BCA degree

  • PM Modi holds meeting with union ministers

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met union ministers, including Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, at his official residence here, sources said.

    Earlier this month, Modi held about five meetings with union ministers in different groups apparently to take stock of the work done by their respective ministries so far.

    Besides Shah and Singh, union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Piyush Goyal are also attending today’s meeting, the sources said.

    While details of the meeting were not known, political observers feel this could be an exercise before an expected cabinet expansion and reshuffle.

     

  • Tea vendor sends Rs 100 to PM Modi to get his beard shaved, adds a message

    By Online Desk
    A tea vendor from Baramati in Maharashtra has sent a money order of Rs 100 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking the latter to get his beard shaved, reported local media.

    In the last one and a half years, the unorganised sector has been hit hard because of the covid-induced lockdown.

    Upset over this, Anil More, owner of a small tea stall opposite to a private hospital on Indapur Road, says, “PM Modi has grown his beard. If he should increase something, it must be employment opportunities for the people of this country. Attempts must be made to accelerate vaccination for the population and there must be efforts to step up the existing medical facilities. The PM must make sure people are rid of their miseries that are caused by the last two lockdowns.”

    Furthermore, he claimed that the Prime Minister’s position is the highest in the country. “I have utmost respect and admiration for our Prime Minister. I am sending Rs 100 for my savings to him so that he shaves his beard. He is the supreme leader and I don’t intend to hurt him. But the way in which the problems of the poor are growing by the day due to the pandemic, this is a way to draw his attention,” he said. 

    In a letter to the PM, More also urged him to extend financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to families of those who have had a Covid death and Rs 30000 for families hit by the lockdown.

  • Declaration on free vaccination by PM Modi is a decision taken late: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel

    By Express News Service
    RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel reacting to PM Narendra Modi’s announcement on free COVID-19 vaccines for all above 18-plus said, “It’s a late decision taken.”

    He asked on how is the Centre going to ensure the regular supply of the vaccines to states as it remains a major challenge. “During the last Assembly budget session, the state government had already declared that everyone in Chhattisgarh would get free vaccines. The chief ministers of all states have been repeatedly urging the prime minister for free supply of vaccines but our plea were unheeded following which the states had to arrange from its own coffer,” Baghel said.

    The opposition BJP however called the decision as historic during the pandemic and expressed gratitude to the prime minister.

  • PM Narendra Modi to address nation at 5 PM

    By Online Desk
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation at 5 PM on Monday.

    In a tweet, the Prime Minister’s Office announced that PM Modi will speak at 5 pm.

    Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi will address the nation at 5 PM today, 7th June.
    — PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 7, 2021

    Modi has addressed the nation a number of times since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, offering suggestions to people and outlining measures his government has been taking to deal with the situation.

    His last address was on April 20, just as cases due to the second wave of the virus began rising in the country.

    On June 7, India reported 1,00,636 fresh COVID-19 cases, the lowest in 61 days, taking the infection tally to 2,89,09,975. The number of active cases dropped to 14,01,609, according to the Union Health Ministry’s data updated on Monday.

    (With PTI inputs)

  • Bringing treatment to doorsteps of patients will reduce burden on health system: PM Modi

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that bringing treatment to the doorsteps of patients will reduce the burden on the health system and he also provided a new mantra in COVID management – ‘Jaha bimar, wahi upchaar’.

    The Prime Minister, while interacting with doctors and officials of Varanasi today through video conference, hailed the initiatives taken.

    “Creating micro containment zones and distributing medicines at the doorstep of the people is a good initiative. We have to follow the initiative comprehensively in villages,” the PM said.

    “Bringing doctors, labs and e-marketing companies together to provide a telemedicine facility named ‘Kashi Kavach’ is also a very innovative initiative,” he said.

    The Prime Minister emphasized the important role played by ASHA and ANM workers in the war against COVID-19 in the villages and urged the health officials to take maximum advantage of their potential and experience.

    The Prime Minister, during the video conference, lauded Varanasi for fighting efficiently against the second wave of the COVID-19 crisis.

    PM Modi also reviewed the working of various COVID hospitals in Varanasi including Pandit Rajan Mishra COVID Hospital, which was recently started through the joint efforts of DRDO and the Indian Army. 

  • INTERVIEW| PM Modi needs to talk about ‘Kaam ki baat’: Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge

    Express News Service
    BENGALURU: Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge speaks about the Central government faltering on the COVID front and why doles are necessary to the poor at this time:

    On March 17, 2021, in a COVID review meeting with Chief Ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had warned about the second wave in India, when we had only 30,000 new cases per day. Despite this, did the Centre falter on planning?

    Yes, they failed to plan and organise themselves. Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and myself have written letters offering suggestions, but instead of taking suggestions, they have criticised us.

    A man whose abilities as a doctor are suspect, replied to Manmohan Singh, someone else replied to me, nobody replied to Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Let us remember the Congress got 11 crore votes, while they got 19 crore votes, and they are not interested in our suggestions. There is no scope for discussion in this government.

    There is a serious vaccine shortage, they announce vaccines for 18-45 age group, but are not able to achieve it, they are unable to provide second dose of vaccine for the 45-60 age category, there is severe shortage of medicines, ICU beds, and thousands are dying.

    Instead of Mann ki Baat, the PM needs to talk about ‘Kaam ki baat’. It is loud and clear that they faltered on planning, and what’s worse, they are too arrogant to listen to anyone, as the replies to our letters indicate.

    The Congress has said people should be given Rs 10,000. Isn’t this a burden on the exchequer?

    Should people die of starvation? Is money more important than people? Should you save money or people? I would say we should give money to the poor and marginalised to tide over this crisis, because many have lost their livelihood and jobs, especially daily wage labourers.

    We have our trained workforce, the government has invested so much to train them as doctors and engineers, what happens if they die because there are no jobs? Isn’t it a loss for the nation? Look at the condition of migrant workers. There has to be some provision to help the poor.

    There has been an uproar over Youth Congress National President BV Srinivas, who was questioned by Delhi Police.

    Srinivas was doing an excellent job, serving people during the COVID crisis. The government will not tolerate that. It is Youth Congress volunteers who are working on the direction of former party president Rahul Gandhi.

    They are trying to stop our volunteers and demoralise them. They want to know who has given the money and resources for oxygen and other help we are providing. Now some donors prefer to remain anonymous, this is an effort to expose them and try to embarrass them.

    There have been complaints that NGOs have been stopped from distributing oxygen concentrators…

    In any crisis, everyone steps in to help. While the government has not done its bit, it doesn’t want others to help either. They are concerned that NGOs should not take the credit for help received by people.

    Your party has said it will chip in with Rs 100 crore?

    Yes, our MLAs will offer this amount from Local Area Development grants. Each MLA is entitled to spend a certain sum of money for development, and they are putting together this amount from those funds.

    At the Working Committee meeting, Sonia Gandhi asked Congressmen to do this. These are difficult days and we need to do our bit to help.

    What would you have done differently if your government was in power?

    Our party has a consultative democratic process. Because we consulted so much, some criticised our government as weak. We inherently believe in participation of all, we are not dictatorial. There was an interesting article recently about what Nehru would have done in this situation.

    Remember we took everyone along. In 1971, because of the war, Indira Gandhi was praised by BJP leader Atal Behari Vajpayee simply because everyone was consulted and united in tackling problems.

  • PM Modi wishes Farooq Abdullah speedy recovery from COVID-19

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday wished National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah speedy recovery from the COVID-19 infection.

    “Praying for the good health and speedy recovery of Dr Farooq Abdullah Ji. Also praying for your and the entire family’s good health, Omar Abdullah,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

    Prime Minister’s tweet came after NC vice-president Omar Abdullah, also the son of Farooq Abdullah, informed that his father contracted coronavirus.

    “My father has tested positive for COVID-19 and is showing some symptoms. I will be self-isolating along with other family members until we get ourselves tested. I request anyone who has come in to contact with us over the last few days to take all the mandated precautions,” Omar said.

    Farooq Abdullah, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, received his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science in Srinagar on March 2.

    India has been witnessing a second wave of COVID-19 with a massive surge in new infections being reported on a daily basis. 

  • Modi attacks Congress at Assam poll rally, says NDA ensured peace and development

    By Express News Service
    GUWAHATI:  Stepping up attack on the Congress during his poll campaign in Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday termed the grand old party a “loot engine” which is desperate to come to power in the northeastern state “at any cost” to fill its “empty coffers”. Making fun of the guarantees given by Congress to the people if it is voted to power in Assam, Modi said the opposition party gave “false guarantees” of providing jobs and empowering women but did nothing when it was in power at the Centre and also in Assam at the same time earlier.

    The Congress can go to any extent for coming to power and this is evident from the “lies” that they are spreading through their manifesto and the alliances they are entering to gain power, the Prime Minister said at an election rally in Bokakhat in Golaghat district.

    “When there was a Congress government at the Centre and the state at the same time, there was double neglect, double corruption and  double infiltration,” he mockingly said. There was nobody to listen to the people either in Assam or at the Centre and now they should keep the “loot engine Congress” far away from them as the party only makes “false promises and gives false hopes to the poor,” he said.

    “The Congress is now giving guarantees… Their manifesto is guarantees of lies, of confusion, instability, bomb, bandook aur blockade (bomb, guns and blockades), insurgency and separatism, corruption and nepotism,” Modi said. “The party’s coffers are empty and they want to come to power at any cost to fill it. They have no vision and unke toh kursi hi dost hain (the chair is the friend) and to attain that they can go to any extent,” he added.

    They have entered into alliances with the sole motive of coming to power. In West Bengal, they have entered into alliance with the Left and in  Kerala they are fighting against them, he said to drive home the point.