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Tag: Rajasthan CM

  • Rajasthan CM announces free jabs for all above 18; health minister says Centre ‘hijacking’ vaccine stocks

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government will provide free Covid-19 vaccine to all those above 18 years of age in the state. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced the move on Sunday which will cost Rs 3,000 crore to the state exchequer.

    “It would have been better that according to the demand of the State Governments, for the Government of India to have afforded the cost of vaccination of the youth from the age of 18 to 45 years. If the Centre had given free vaccines as it did for all those above the age of 45 years, the budget of the states would not have been disturbed,” Gehlot tweeted in Hindi. 

    While CM Gehlot’s decision is most welcome for the 18-45 age group which was waiting to get free inoculation, there is still considerable confusion on whether vaccines will be immediately available in Rajasthan in large scale.

    Earlier in the day, Health Minister Raghu Sharma had joined the health ministers of three other Congress ruled states to ask how they will vaccinate all adults when the Centre has already “taken away the stocks” and shots are not available to them. 

    Addressing a virtual joint press conference, the health ministers of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab and Jharkhand (ruled by Congress-JMM alliance) accused the Centre of “hijacking” vaccine stocks from manufacturers, and expressed doubts if it would be possible to launch the inoculation drive to cover those between 18-45 years of age from May 1. 

    Raghu Sharma said that when the state government reached out to the Serum Institute of India (SII) it was told that no vaccines were available till May 15, though the central government had announced opening of vaccines for all above the age of 18 from May 1.

    “When we reached out to the Serum Institute, to procure additional stock of vaccines for the drive to vaccinate all above 18 years of age from May 1, we were told that the Institute will not be able to give any doses till May 15. They said that they are booked till then delivering orders to the Centre,” Sharma said.

    “We have the capacity, but not the vaccine,” Sharma said. “States should get the supplies. The Government of India should provide vaccines as per their requirements,” Sharma added.

    The success of the drive depends on availability of shots, the Rajasthan Health Minister said.

  • Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Tweets On Shortage Of Covid-19 Vaccines Amid Tika Utsav

    Following Maharashtra’s claims of vaccine shortage, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that the stock of COVID-19 vaccine in the state will be exhausted in the next 2 days. Now, Ashok Gehlot in a series of tweets has talked about the shortage of vaccine amid the Tika Utsav festival. He has said that government should accept in public about lack of vaccine in the country.

    In his tweet, Gehlot has said that the Prime Minister has given a call to celebrate ‘Teeka Utsav’ from Jyotiba Phule Jayanti on April 11 to Ambedkar Jayanti on April 14, but the vaccine is not available in the states. He further said that how can a festival be celebrated if there is no vaccine. Gehlot said the statement made by the Union Ministers Amit Shah and Ravishankar Prasad about no vaccine deficiency in the states is completely wrong.

  • Will take strict measures to tackle coronavirus: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said strict measures will be taken to tackle the surge in coronavirus cases and detailed guidelines will be released soon.

    Gehlot said this after a virtual review meeting here.

    He said it is a priority for his government to stop the infection spread and save lives of people.

    “After the review meeting on coronavirus, it has been decided to take strict decisions for the next 15 days. Detailed guidelines and standard operating procedure will be released in this regard soon,” Gehlot said in a tweet.

  • Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot lends support to TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee​; says democracy under threat

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday supported TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee over her concerns on democracy and the constitution, saying he has echoed the same issues many times.

    “What Mamta Banerjee has said is right that the central government is working to weaken states. The Centre should think to strengthen the states instead of weakening them,” Gehlot, who is in Assam campaigning for the assembly polls, told PTI over phone.

    He was reacting to a letter written by Banerjee to non-BJP leaders, including Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, wherein she alleged that the Centre-state relations were at its worst since independence.

    As she faces a high-stakes poll battle in West Bengal, Banerjee said the time has come for a “united and effective” struggle against the BJP’s alleged attacks on democracy and the Constitution, and that opposition leaders should try present a “credible alternative” to the people of the country.

    Gehlot asserted that he has raised the same concerns inside and outside the assembly.

    “Democracy in the country is under threat and people should understand its gravity,” he said.

    The senior Congress leader said the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax department and other agencies are working under pressure from the central government, adding that those who express disagreement are labelled ‘anti-nationals’.

  • Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot attacks Modi government over rising fuel prices

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said fuel prices have been increasing for 11 days and the common man is suffering as a result of ‘wrong’ economic policies of the Centre.

    In a series of tweets, Gehlot targeted the Centre and cleared his stand on the rumours that Rajasthan levies highest tax on fuel prices.

    “The Modi government imposes excise duty of Rs 32.90 on petrol and Rs 31.80 per litre on diesel. Whereas during the UPA government in 2014 there was an excise duty of only Rs 9.20 on petrol and just Rs 3.46 on diesel. The Modi government should reduce excise duty in the interest of the public without delay,” he tweeted in Hindi.

    “People are affected by petrol and diesel prices. Prices have been increasing continuously for the last 11 days. This is the result of wrong economic policies of the Modi government. Crude oil prices in the international market are currently half of what it used to be during the UPA rule, but petrol-diesel prices have reached an all-time high,” Gehlot said in another tweet.

    The chief minister claimed that the Centre has continuously reduced the part of basic excise duty of the states and increased the additional excise duty and special excise duty on the central portion “only to fill its treasury”.

    Consequently, the state governments have to increase VAT (value-added tax) to raise their economic resources, the chief minister said.

    Gehlot said the economy of Rajasthan has been badly affected due to COVID-19 and the state’s revenue has decreased.

    But, the state government reduced VAT by 2 per cent in the last month to give relief to the common people, he added.

    “Instead of giving any such relief, the Modi government is increasing the prices of petrol and diesel every day,” Gehlot said.

    He further said, “Some people spread rumours that the Rajasthan government imposes the highest tax on petrol, so the price is high here. Petrol in BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh is taxed more than Rajasthan, so the price of petrol in Jaipur is less than Bhopal.”

  • Country’s democracy threatened, institutions working under government pressure: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Tuesday alleged the country’s democracy was under threat, claiming that institutions like the judiciary, Election Commission, Enforcement Directorate, CBI and Income Tax Department were “working under pressure” of the Central government.

    In a video message in support of the ‘Join Congress Social Media’ campaign, he alleged the RSS and the BJP for the past 50 years have been “working to tarnish the image” of Congress leaders like Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and also Rahul Gandhi.

    “Democracy in the country is under threat. The judiciary, the ED, the CBI, the Income Tax Department, the Election Commission, all are working under pressure of the NDA government. Intellectuals, farmers and other sections of the society are concerned about the future of the country,” he said.

    The ‘Join Congress Social Media’ campaign was launched in Delhi Monday with an aim to have five lakh online “warriors” across the country to counter hate and “defend the idea of India”.

    The campaign started in the state on Tuesday.

    In his video message, Gehlot appealed to youths to join the movement, saying the party has always promoted young people, and many of those who are in the leadership position today — whether in the All India Congress Committee or as chief ministers — started out either as Youth Congress members or had joined the party’s student wing NSUI in the 70s.

    Citing his own example, Gehlot said he started with the NSUI and became union minister thrice, AICC general secretary as many times and is serving his third term as the chief minister.

    He said that the campaign was important in reaching out to the masses at a time when there is pressure on the mainstream media.

    Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Dotasra alleged the mainstream media was working under pressure of the Modi government, and therefore, the social media campaign will play an important role in shaping the party.

  • Particiaption of all sections of society needed for state’s development: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said on Saturday the participation of all sections of society is necessary for development of the state.

    Gehlot was interacting with representatives of voluntary organisations, civil society and consumer forums through video conference from the chief minister’s residence.

    He said in a statement that the state government will make every effort to increase their participation in the development of the state by making appropriate provisions in the state Budget for every section of society.

    He said during the coronavirus pandemic, voluntary organisations had supported the state government in helping the needy.

    The chief minister said the state government has always taken decisions with progressive thinking in matters related to social security.

    Several steps were taken to raise the standard of living of the poor, he said.

    Gehlot said in 2020-21, 37.19 crore man days were created and 70.93 lakh families of the state were provided employment under the MGNREGA.

    Timely payment to workers was ensured, the CM added.

    The chief minister said along with preparing programmes of the state government, civic organisations and NGOs have an important role to play in their effective implementation.

    Representatives of voluntary organisations participating in the meeting praised the steps taken by the state government to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Week’s gap before next meeting with farmers shows Centre’s insensitivity: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday slammed the Centre for scheduling the next meeting with agitation farmer leaders after a gap of a week and said it shows the height of its insensitivity.

    Gehlot’s comments came after Friday’s meeting between the Centre and the farmers leaders failed to yield any result.

    The next meeting has been fixed for January 15, amid indications that any headway will now depend on a Supreme Court hearing scheduled for January 11 on a batch of petitions related to the protest.

    Gehlot expressed hope that the Supreme Court will hear the matter soon and decide on it.

    “Farmers have been sitting on the road in the cold for 45 days. Despite this, the Union government has taken seven days for the next meeting. This shows the height of the Modi government’s insensitivity,” Gehlot said.

    “I hope that the Supreme Court will hear the matter soon and decide so that justice can be done to farmers,” he added.

  • ‘New COVID strain spreading in India’: Rajasthan CM Gehlot urges Centre to rethink revival of UK flights

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has asked the Centre to rethink the plan to resume flights from the UK.

    Gehlot reminded the Centre that India was late in banning international flights in early 2020 when COVID-19 had started spreading which ultimately led to a huge crisis in the country. 

    In Sri Ganganagar district, 3 people of one family who had returned from the UK on December 18 have been confirmed to be infected with the new coronavirus strain in the UK. They are currently being treated at a government hospital in the district. 

    In a tweet, Gehlot remarked: “Cases of the new strain of coronavirus emerging in the UK are rising rapidly in India is a matter of great concern. The GoI must rethink the earlier decision to revive flights from the UK from January 7. In January 2020, if we had banned international flights when COVID-19 had started spreading, we may not have seen the critical situation that we now see in the country.” 

    In a second tweet, Gehlot asserted: “The GoI must ensure that the revival of flights from the UK does not create the kind of crisis that the new Corona strain does not lead to the same crisis as in the past.”   

    Dozens of countries have put in place travel restrictions to and from the UK owing to the new and more contagious variant of the novel coronavirus reported in Britain. 

    Due to the new strain of novel coronavirus in the UK, Britain has issued “stay at home” orders and the entire country is now in lockdown.

  • People stand with protesting farmers, PM Narendra Modi’s misconception will be cleared: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said that the “misconception” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will get cleared as people of the country were with the farmers protesting in Delhi against the farm laws passed by the Centre.

    He said it is “height of insensitivity” of the Centre that even after 39 days of farmers protest, it is not paying any heed.

    The government believes that farmers will get tired and the issue will gradually meet an end.

    “Farmers are sensible that they are protesting peacefully. The feelings of people in six lakh villages are with the protesting farmers. Misconception of Modi ji and Shah ji will get cleared in the times to come,” Gehlot said here.

    The Congress organised a day-long protest on Sunday in support of farmers against the farm laws.

    Congress leader and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot also joined the protest organised by state Congress at Shaheed Smarak here.

    CM Gehlot said the Centre does not have the right to decide the fate of farmers.

    He said the “fascist” government at the Centre does not believe in democracy and wants to destroy the country.

    They are working to divide Hindu and Muslims and their intention is not right, Gehlot said.

    He said that this time the government has messed up with farmers, who are wise enough and no one is instigating them.

    The situation is serious so Congress wants to give a message that each party worker is with farmers and will join the protests with them if it is necessitated, he added.

    Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said the Central government was not paying heed to farmers as it was working to give benefit to the big industrialists.

    He said the NDA government in its previous term had to withdraw a land acquisition bill owing to protests and in the same manner the government will have to take back the farm laws.

    Dotasra said the party will keep supporting farmers untill the new laws are not taken back.

    Congress leader Pilot said the Centre enacted the farm laws in an “autocratic manner”.

    The CM advocated that farmers should get more than the fair price for their produce.

    The Centre should withdraw the farm laws and if supporting farmers is politics, then Congress will continue to do it.