News Analysis India

Tag: Prime Minister

  • PM security breach: Disciplinary proceedings against then Punjab DGP, two police officers

    By PTI

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Monday ordered the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against former DGP S Chattopadhyaya and two other police officers over the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state in January last year.

    Apart from Chattopadhyaya who has since retired, the disciplinary proceedings will be initiated against Inderbir Singh, the then deputy inspector general (DIG) of police of Ferozepur range, and Harmandeep Singh Hans, the then senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Ferozepur.

    Official sources said these officers would be asked to submit their responses.

    According to the Home Affairs department’s communication to the Personnel department issued on Monday, Mann also decided that explanations be called from Naresh Arora, the then ADGP (Law and Order), G Nageshwara Rao, the then ADGP Cyber Crime, Mukhvinder Singh Chhina, the then IGP Patiala Range, Rakesh Agrawal, the then IG Counter Intelligence and Nodal Officer, Surjeet Singh, the then DIG Faridkot, and Charanjit Singh, the then SSP Moga, as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against them as recommended in the Supreme Court-constituted inquiry committee report.

    The move came after the Supreme Court-appointed committee, which probed the security breach during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Punjab in January 2022, had indicted several state officers for lapses.

    On January 5, 2022, Modi’s convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur after which he returned from Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.

    The top court on January 12 last year had appointed the committee to probe the breach, saying these questions cannot be left to “one­-sided inquiries” as they needed “judicially trained independent minds” to investigate.

    The Union Home Secretary had last month written to the Punjab chief secretary to submit an action taken report on the matter.

    A few days ago, Punjab Chief Secretary V K Janjua had said that the state government would send an action taken report to the Centre.

    The chief secretary had then said that penalties to the erring officials can include stopping increments, demotion and in worse case dismissal of those still in service.

    CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Monday ordered the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against former DGP S Chattopadhyaya and two other police officers over the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state in January last year.

    Apart from Chattopadhyaya who has since retired, the disciplinary proceedings will be initiated against Inderbir Singh, the then deputy inspector general (DIG) of police of Ferozepur range, and Harmandeep Singh Hans, the then senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Ferozepur.

    Official sources said these officers would be asked to submit their responses.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    According to the Home Affairs department’s communication to the Personnel department issued on Monday, Mann also decided that explanations be called from Naresh Arora, the then ADGP (Law and Order), G Nageshwara Rao, the then ADGP Cyber Crime, Mukhvinder Singh Chhina, the then IGP Patiala Range, Rakesh Agrawal, the then IG Counter Intelligence and Nodal Officer, Surjeet Singh, the then DIG Faridkot, and Charanjit Singh, the then SSP Moga, as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against them as recommended in the Supreme Court-constituted inquiry committee report.

    The move came after the Supreme Court-appointed committee, which probed the security breach during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Punjab in January 2022, had indicted several state officers for lapses.

    On January 5, 2022, Modi’s convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Ferozepur after which he returned from Punjab without attending any event, including a rally.

    The top court on January 12 last year had appointed the committee to probe the breach, saying these questions cannot be left to “one­-sided inquiries” as they needed “judicially trained independent minds” to investigate.

    The Union Home Secretary had last month written to the Punjab chief secretary to submit an action taken report on the matter.

    A few days ago, Punjab Chief Secretary V K Janjua had said that the state government would send an action taken report to the Centre.

    The chief secretary had then said that penalties to the erring officials can include stopping increments, demotion and in worse case dismissal of those still in service.

  • PM Modi lauds weightlifter Sargar’s exceptional effort at Commonwealth Games

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday praised Indian weightlifter Sanket Sargar for his “exceptional effort” after he opened the country’s medal count at the Commonwealth Games by claiming a silver.

    Sargar (21) won the silver in the men’s 55 kg category. Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq (249 kg) smashed the Games record in clean and jerk as he lifted 249 kg (107 kg + 142 kg) to win the gold, while Sri Lanka’s Dilanka Isuru Kumara clinched the bronze with 225 kg (105 kg + 120 kg).

    “Exceptional effort by Sanket Sargar! His bagging the prestigious Silver is a great start for India at the Commonwealth Games. Congratulations to him and best wishes for all future endeavours,” Modi tweeted.

    Exceptional effort by Sanket Sargar! His bagging the prestigious Silver is a great start for India at the Commonwealth Games. Congratulations to him and best wishes for all future endeavours. pic.twitter.com/Pvjjaj0IGm
    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 30, 2022

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday praised Indian weightlifter Sanket Sargar for his “exceptional effort” after he opened the country’s medal count at the Commonwealth Games by claiming a silver.

    Sargar (21) won the silver in the men’s 55 kg category. Malaysia’s Mohamad Aniq (249 kg) smashed the Games record in clean and jerk as he lifted 249 kg (107 kg + 142 kg) to win the gold, while Sri Lanka’s Dilanka Isuru Kumara clinched the bronze with 225 kg (105 kg + 120 kg).

    “Exceptional effort by Sanket Sargar! His bagging the prestigious Silver is a great start for India at the Commonwealth Games. Congratulations to him and best wishes for all future endeavours,” Modi tweeted.

    Exceptional effort by Sanket Sargar! His bagging the prestigious Silver is a great start for India at the Commonwealth Games. Congratulations to him and best wishes for all future endeavours. pic.twitter.com/Pvjjaj0IGm
    — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 30, 2022

  • Clear dues of Rs 2.5 lakh crore to power generation firms: PM Modi tells states

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the state governments to clear power sector companies’ dues which are estimated at around Rs 2.5 lakh crore.

    The Prime Minister regretted that the state governments are yet to clear subsidy commitments amounting to Rs 75,000 crore to power companies.

    About Rs 2.5 lakh crore of companies engaged in electricity generation and distribution are stuck, he said while speaking at the closing function of the ‘Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya – Power @2047′ event.

    Recalling the days of power shortages, the Prime Minister said that during the last eight years, about 1,70,000 MW of electricity generation capacity has been added.

    Power is necessary for the development of the nation, he said, adding the country needs “Rashtraneeti’ and not ‘Rajneeti”.

    India, he added, is among the top 4-5 countries of the world in terms of installed solar capacity and also has one of the world’s largest solar plants.

    Earlier, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of 735 MW Nokh solar project in Rajasthan, Green Hydrogen Mobility Project in Leh and Kawas Green Hydrogen Blending with Natural Gas project in Gujarat.

    The plant in Leh would produce green hydrogen for vehicles. Modi also launched Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme and National Solar rooftop portal.

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked the state governments to clear power sector companies’ dues which are estimated at around Rs 2.5 lakh crore.

    The Prime Minister regretted that the state governments are yet to clear subsidy commitments amounting to Rs 75,000 crore to power companies.

    About Rs 2.5 lakh crore of companies engaged in electricity generation and distribution are stuck, he said while speaking at the closing function of the ‘Ujjwal Bharat Ujjwal Bhavishya – Power @2047′ event.

    Recalling the days of power shortages, the Prime Minister said that during the last eight years, about 1,70,000 MW of electricity generation capacity has been added.

    Power is necessary for the development of the nation, he said, adding the country needs “Rashtraneeti’ and not ‘Rajneeti”.

    India, he added, is among the top 4-5 countries of the world in terms of installed solar capacity and also has one of the world’s largest solar plants.

    Earlier, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of 735 MW Nokh solar project in Rajasthan, Green Hydrogen Mobility Project in Leh and Kawas Green Hydrogen Blending with Natural Gas project in Gujarat.

    The plant in Leh would produce green hydrogen for vehicles. Modi also launched Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme and National Solar rooftop portal.

  • India’s Covid vaccination drive big on speed and scale: PM Narendra Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India’s vaccination drive against COVID-19 is big on speed and scale, and noted that people have shown remarkable faith in science and taken their doses in a timely manner.

    Modi made the remarks while responding to a tweet by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, congratulating the prime minister for the milestone of 200 crore Covid vaccine doses having been administered in India.

    “Congratulations @narendramodi for yet another milestone of administering #200crorevaccinations. We are grateful for our continued partnership with Indian vaccine manufacturers and the Indian government for mitigating the impact of COVID19,” Gates said in a tweet.

    Responding to him, Modi said India’s vaccination drive against the viral disease is big on speed and scale. It has been powered by the collective efforts of many, including scientists, doctors and nurses, he added.

    “At the same time, the people of India have shown remarkable faith in science and taken their doses in a timely manner,” the prime minister said.

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India’s vaccination drive against COVID-19 is big on speed and scale, and noted that people have shown remarkable faith in science and taken their doses in a timely manner.

    Modi made the remarks while responding to a tweet by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, congratulating the prime minister for the milestone of 200 crore Covid vaccine doses having been administered in India.

    “Congratulations @narendramodi for yet another milestone of administering #200crorevaccinations. We are grateful for our continued partnership with Indian vaccine manufacturers and the Indian government for mitigating the impact of COVID19,” Gates said in a tweet.

    Responding to him, Modi said India’s vaccination drive against the viral disease is big on speed and scale. It has been powered by the collective efforts of many, including scientists, doctors and nurses, he added.

    “At the same time, the people of India have shown remarkable faith in science and taken their doses in a timely manner,” the prime minister said.

  • Take precautionary dose of Covid vaccine on time: PM Modi to people

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday urged people to ensure that they along with their family members, especially the elderly, get the precautionary dose of the vaccine against coronavirus on time and take necessary precautions like hand hygiene and masks.

    In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Modi also said that it is a matter of satisfaction that today the country has a comprehensive protective shield of vaccines.

    “We have reached close to 200 crore vaccine doses. The precaution dose is also being rapidly administered in the country,” he noted.

    “If it is time for a precaution dose after your second dose, then you must take this third dose. Make your family members, especially the elderly, take a precautionary dose. We also have to take necessary precautions like hand hygiene and masks,” Modi said.

    The prime minister also called on people to be alert to diseases caused by the surrounding filth during the rainy season.

    “All of you stay alert, stay healthy and keep moving forward with similar positive energy,” he said in his radio broadcast.

    The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country crossed 197 crore on Saturday, according to the Union Health Ministry.

    India began administering precaution doses of vaccines to healthcare and frontline workers and those aged 60 and above with comorbidities from January 10.

    The country began inoculating children aged 12-14 from March 16 and also removed the comorbidity clause, making all people aged above 60 eligible for the precaution dose of Covid vaccine. India on April 10 began administering precaution doses of COVID-19 vaccines to all aged above 18 years.

  • PM Modi dials Himanta to take stock of Assam flood situation

    By PTI

    GUWAHATI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called up Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to enquire about the current flood situation in the state and assured all possible help from the Centre.

    Modi expressed concern over the hardships faced by the people affected by the deluge. “At 6 am today, Hon PM Shri @narendramodi ji called me to enquire about #flood situation in #Assam. While expressing his concerns over the hardships being faced by people due to this natural calamity, Hon PM assured all help from Central Govt. Humbled by his reassuring generosity,” Sarma tweeted.

    ALSO READ: 20 killed in floods, landslides in Assam, Meghalaya; rivers in spate

    Assam is severely affected by floods with 18. 95 lakh people suffering in 28 districts and 55 people dying due to the deluge and landslides in the state this year.

  • India achieved new milestones in ‘gram swaraj’, democratic empowerment of panchayats: PM Modi

    He asked them to work to make the eighth International Yoga Day, which falls on July 21, special and to encourage everyone in their village to join the exercise.

  • People have great faith in Modi’s leadership, love him immensely: Amit Shah

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The people of India have great faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and love him from the bottom of their heart and it is very significant that he became the leader of the nation without any family background, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday.

    Addressing a function organised to release a book “Modi @ 20: Dreams Meet Delivery”, he said under Modi’s leadership, the BJP reached every nook and corner of the country and broke several myths like it was a party of Hindi-speaking people, had influence only in urban areas and not a party of farmers.

    Shah said the Modi government does not take decisions which people would like, but which would be good for the people and without any political consideration.

    “Getting such a huge mandate (in 2014), without any surprise, without any family background, without political upbringing and again people giving him another mandate (in 2019) as prime minister is significant. It shows that people of India accepted Modi as their leader and loves from the bottom of their hearts. He won people’s trust,” he said.

    The home minister said Modi was the only leader who has been working with equally great dedication both in the party as well as in the government.

    He said under Modi’s leadership, the BJP has become the largest party in the world and became the party which works in the highest number of states.

    “He broke many myths. That this is a party which works for the Hindi-speaking people. We are now ruling states from Gujarat to Northeast, from Assam to Manipur, this myth has been broken when we formed the governments in all these states.

    “They said it was an urban party but we won village after village. We broke this myth. They said this was not a party of farmers. But when BJP won in the cooperatives and the farmers voted for us, this myth was broken too. It has been established now that the BJP has been spread from east to west and north to south and it is a party acceptable to everyone. It happened under Modi’s leadership,” he said.

    Referring to the previous UPA government, Shah said during 2012-14, people’s trust in multi-party democracy was gradually eroding and people had started thinking that the country’s (governance) system has failed and this system can’t take the country forward.

    “At that time, the BJP made him (Modi) the party’s prime ministerial candidate. He gave leadership to the party. People chose him as the country’s leader, as their Prime Minister, on the basis of his governance record in Gujarat.

    “Now there is no doubt in the minds of the people whether multi-party democracy can deliver or not. He has brought back people’s faith in democracy,” he said.

    Talking about Modi’s governance model, the home minister said there used to be discord between India’s foreign policy and national security policy and the country’s security policy could never come out of the foreign policy.

    “But Modi’s foreign policy has clarified that India wants to make friendship with all countries and our primary goal is India’s security.

    Such clarity was not made by any leader in the last seven decades,” he said.

    Shah said there has not been a single opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP) despite the fact that it was formulated by a BJP prime minister.

    “So far all educational policies were framed to provide employment to the children.

    But this policy has given thrust on improving the skills of the children, their understanding and learning power,” he said.

    The home minister said that the previous government was marked by policy paralysis but Modi has set an example how policies could be framed.

    Modi framed a policy on space which no one has ever thought of and through this space policy, he had opened a big market for India, he said.

    Similarly, Shah said, there was no policy on drones and by making drone policy he took a big step and created space for business.

    He said people have seen the work of Modi in the last 20 years, his successes in the last 20 years and his role as a head of the governments.

    “But as a student of political science, we should go beyond this. Unless we study the 30 years prior to his successful 20 years in power, study on him will remain incomplete.

    “In those 30 years, he had seen India closely, its people, poverty, the social and administrative ills, which made him understand the problems and find their solutions,” he said.

    Edited and compiled by BlueKraft Digital Foundation and published by Rupa, “Modi @ 20: Dreams Meet Delivery” looks into 20 years of Modi’s model of governance in Gujarat and at the Centre.

    It is a compilation of chapters authored by the likes of Shah, Ajit Doval, Sudha Murty, Nandan Nilekani, Arvind Panagariya, S Jaishankar, Lata Mangeshkar, P V Sindhu and Nripendra Misra among others.

  • PM to chair review meeting on preparedness to deal with heatwave, monsoon season

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair here on Thursday an important review meeting on preparedness to deal with the heatwave affecting parts of the country and the upcoming monsoon season, government sources said.

    They said Modi is expected to hold seven to eight meetings during the day following his return from the three-day visit to as many European countries.

    The prime minister will immediately attend office after arriving here, they said.

    Several parts of the country have logged all-time high temperatures under the impact of the torrid heatwave.

  • PM meets UAE delegations; says investment proposals in J&K has reached Rs 38,000 cr 

    By PTI

    PALLI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met delegations from the United Arab Emirates looking for opportunities to invest in Jammu and Kashmir, and said private investment proposals in the union territory has reached around Rs 38,000 crore.

    Modi visited Jammu and Kashmir to participate in the celebrations for the National Panchayati Raj Day and addressed all gram sabhas of the country from here.

    Before arriving at the dais for his speech, the prime minister met the delegations from the UAE, an official spokesman said.

    ALSO READ | Work going on in Jammu and Kashmir for fast pace development: PM Narendra Modi

    Later in his speech, he said a new story of development is being written and many private investors are interested in Jammu and Kashmir.

    “For seven decades of independence, private investment of only Rs 17,000 crore could be made in Jammu and Kashmir. But now it is reaching around Rs 38,000 crore. Tourism also is thriving once again,” the prime minister said.

    Modi, who was wearing a white kurta-pajama with a stole around his neck, also interacted with renowned local sculptor Ravinder Jamwal.

    He had sculpted a six-foot-long statue of the prime minister which was installed during the event.

    The prime minister also posed for a photo with the sculptor in front of his artwork, officials said.

    He also went around various stalls put up at a technology exhibition by the ministry of science and technology to motivate start-ups and help create awareness about the enormous new avenues of livelihood, they said.

    The stalls put up by various departments and wings of the ministry will display latest technologies and innovations beneficial for rural areas and farming till Tuesday, the officials said, adding that the stalls showcase integration of science and technology with the themes of rural development and Panchayati Raj.

    Lt Governor Manoj Sinha honoured the prime minister by presenting a shawl and a painting.

    Modi lauded the administration and said since the introduction of constitutional reforms with regard to Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, the government has been focused on bringing about wide ranging reforms to substantially improve governance and enhance ease of living for the people of the region at an unprecedented pace.

    “The projects inaugurated and whose foundation stone was laid will go a long way in facilitating provision of basic amenities, ensuring ease of mobility and development of infrastructure in the region,” he said.

    During his visit, Prime Minister Modi also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for multiple development initiatives worth Rs 20,000 crore for Jammu and Kashmir.