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Tag: Smriti Irani

  • Union Minister Smriti Irani attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of ‘insulting’ people of Amethi

    By PTI
    AMETHI: Union Minister Smriti Irani launched a scathing attack on former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday, accusing him of “insulting” the people of Amethi by comparing voters in the north with those in Kerala.

    The Amethi MP, who laid the foundation stone for a bus stand in Tiloi, said the people of the town gave Gandhi immense love for 15 years despite him “not doing anything for its development”.

    “It is wrong for Rahul Gandhi to say that there is a lack of understanding among the people of Amethi than those in Kerala. I believe that there is no dearth of understanding in the people of Amethi. Rather it is in Rahul Gandhi,” she said.

    Her remarks come after Gandhi at a public gathering in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram recently said, “For the first 15 years, I was an MP in the north, I had got used to a different type of politics. For me, coming to Kerala was very refreshing as suddenly I found that people are interested in issues, and not just superficially, but going into detail.”

    Attacking the Gandhi family, Irani said a political family of the country ruled Amethi for 30 years but never thought about its development.

    “Instead of developing Amethi and opening a medical college here, they continued to get their guest house constructed,” she claimed.

    Talking about farmers, Irani said in 2013, when Gandhi’s party was in power only 800 farmers got the benefit of minimum support price in Amethi while in 2020, as many as 23,800 farmers benefitted from MSP here.

    The Union minister said it is a matter of concern that there was not a single fertilizer rack centre in Amethi and claimed that the farmers had to face lathis for fertilizers.

    She said after the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, a fertilizer rack centre was formed in Gauriganj in Amethi and construction work for a bypass and over bridge started in the town.

    Irani said the benefits of development schemes are reaching the common man directly, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sammann Nidhi has given financial strength to the farmers and people have benefitted directly from Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana and Saubhagya Yojana.

    Earlier in the day, she took part in a ground-breaking ceremony of the bus stand to be constructed in Tiloi.

  • Fuel price hike: Youth Congress stages protest outside Smriti Irani’s house

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Indian Youth Congress activists staged a protest outside the residence of Union Minister Smriti Irani on Saturday against rising prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas, and demanded that the government roll back the hike with immediate effect.

    Irani, when in the opposition, would take to the streets even if prices of petrol and diesel rose by Rs 5 per litre, but today she is “completely silent” as the country faces an “all-round inflation”, said Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Srinivas B V.

    “Today, the Youth Congress has tried to awaken her from sleep. Petrol price has crossed Rs 100 a litre, diesel has crossed Rs 90 in many parts of the country, and the price of cooking gas cylinders are increasing day by day,” he said.

    “What is shameful is that despite this kind of open loot, the BJP government” is trying to shift the blame, he added. He said Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s statement that fuel prices will go down once the winter ends was “stupid” and demanded his resignation.

    The leader asked the central government to reduce the prices of petrol, diesel and gas with immediate effect.

    “People of the country had chosen PM Modi and his ministers on the promise of ‘aache din’, now the trust of PM Modi and his government has been broken.

    Farmers, youth, labourers, businessmen, women are badly suffering from inflation.

    The anti-people and anti-national face of RSS and BJP has come out,” he alleged.

    IYC National General Secretary Bhaiya Pawar and its Delhi co-incharge Khushboo Sharma also participated in the protest.

  • Smriti Irani buys land in Amethi, political experts term move significant

    Express News Service
    LUCKNOW: Union Minister and BJP MP from Amethi Smriti Irani has decided to make an abode for herself in Amethi, her Parliamentary constituency. 

    Irani, on Monday, sealed the deal for 11 bighas (around 14850 sq ft) land for Rs 12.11 lakh in Gauriganj area of Amethi, fulfilling one of her commitments to her people. This makes Irani the third MP from Amethi to have a residence in the high-profile constituency.

    She had arrived in Amethi on Monday to complete the purchase from a local resident Phoolmati Devi. Irani got the registry of the land done by paying a stamp duty of Rs 50,800.

    In fact, the BJP MP had made this promise to the people of Tiloi area of Amethi soon after defeating the then Congress president Rahul Gandhi in his bastion in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections by a margin of over 55,000 votes.

    Promising to invite people from Amethi and Rae Bareli to the ‘bhumi pujan’ ceremony of the residence that will be built shortly, Irani, after finalising the paperwork for the land, condemned at the Congress leadership for failing to strike a chord with the people of Amethi despite representing the constituency multiple times in the Lok Sabha. 

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    “They (Gandhis) did not find it necessary to have a base among their people,” she said.

    “I have fulfilled my promise to my people of Amethi which has been my home since 2014. People feel the difference then and now after the exit of Gandhi scion. We have a long list of development works done in Amethi. Look at neighbouring Rae Bareli, its MP (Sonia Gandhi) is missing and no development work is taking place there,” commented the Union Minister.

    Irani’s decision makes her only the third MP from Amethi to also have a residence there. Interestingly, her 2019 Lok Sabha win from Amethi was also the third Congress defeat from this seat since it came into being. The other two MPs — Ravindra Pratap Singh of Janata Party and Dr Sanjay Sinh —  who chose to have a residence here were the only two non-Congress MPs to have held this seat. Ravindra Pratap Singh had won from Amethi post-emergency 1977 election, and Dr Sanjay Sinh had contested on a BJP ticket defeating Congress leader Captain Satish Sharma in the 1998 elections.

    “The people who have showered me with their love and affection wanted an MP who is available among them. During the pandemic, we connected with the people through e-chaupals and, before that, I reached out to them through programmes like Didi Aapke Dwar (Didi at your doorstep),” said Irani, who is fondly called ‘didi’ in her constituency.

    She added, “People always wondered if they will ever have an MP who would reach out to the villages. At least, I consider myself fortunate that I was able to fulfill this.”

    However, political experts feel Irani’s decision to buy land in Amethi, just two years after her win, shows the BJP’s intent to retain its grip on this Congress bastion that the saffron brigade wrested from them in 2019.

  • Smriti Irani buys land in Amethi to make house for herself, takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI
    AMETHI: Union minister Smriti Irani on Monday bought a plot of land in Amethi to make a house for herself and, in an apparent dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, said no MP from here ever made the constituency his house.

    Without taking any name, she said the history is witness to the fact that no Amethi MP ever made his house here and stayed.

    “The people of Amethi always wondered if their MP would ever reside here after making his house,” she claimed while talking to reporters.

    Irani had won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Amethi after defeating the then MP, Rahul Gandhi.

    “During the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, I had promised that I would make my house here and do all my work from here. For this I have got a plot of land registered,” she added.

    Irani bought the land at Medan Mawai area of Gauriganj in Amethi for a sum of Rs 12 lakh and got it registered here on Monday.

    “I have been residing in a rented accommodation here till now,” she said, adding she would invite all the people from her constituency during the “bhoomi poojan” for the construction of her house here.

    She said she had promised to set up a medical college and an army school in Amethi besides getting built a bypass road for the city.

    She said she has fulfilled all her promises till now.

  • DMs, ADMs to monitor agencies implementing Juvenile Justice Act in every district: Smriti Irani

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave approval for bringing amendments to the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act, 2015 in which it is proposed that DMs, ADMs will monitor the functioning of agencies implementing the JJ Act in every district.

    Addressing a press conference here, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accepted the proposal to bring amendments in the Juvenile Justice Care and Protection of Children Act 2015. Now, District Magistrate (DMs) along with the Additional District Magistrate (ADMs) will monitor the functions of the agencies implementing the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act in every district.”

    Irani said with amendments in place, Child Protection Unit of districts will function under DM.

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    “DMs can independently evaluate the Child Welfare Committee, Specialised Juvenile Police Unit. DMs will check capacity and background of a Child Care Institute, after which they will be recommended for registration,” she added.

    According to an official release of the Union Cabinet, the amendments include authorising District Magistrate along with Additional District Magistrate to issue adoption orders under Section 61 of the JJ Act, in order to ensure speedy disposal of cases and enhance accountability.

    The District Magistrates have been further empowered under the Act to ensure its smooth implementation, as well as garner synergized efforts in favour of children in distress conditions.

    Defining eligibility parameters for the appointment of CWC members, and categorizing previously undefined offences as “serious offence” are some of the other aspects of the proposal.

    Several difficulties faced in the implementation of various provisions of the Act have also been addressed. (ANI)

  • 80 % of children adopted within country since 2015 are in 0-2 age group: WCD

    Irani said the number of infants below the age of three months adopted during 2016-2017 to 2020-2021 (as on February 3, 2021) is 725.

  • Bengal polls: BJP to unleash Rajnath, Adityanath to breach TMC citadel Birbhum

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: BJP high command has decided to engage its heavyweights to wrest the ruling Trinamool Congress’ citadel of Birbhum that comprises 14 Assembly constituencies. 

    The saffron camp is likely to send Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, and UP CM Yogi Adityanath to the south Bengal district shortly as the party showed impressive performance by bagging leads in four Assembly seats out of 14 in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

    The saffron camp gained remarkable momentum by taking its vote share to more than 40% in 2019 from 8% in 2016.

    “Since we have made deep inroads in north Bengal in 2019 general elections by bagging seven Lok Sabha seats out of eight, now we are giving stress in south Bengal. We are expecting a tooth and nail battle with the TMC in Birbhum district as our performance in the previous Lok Sabha elections was impressive,” said a BJP leader.

    Eyeing the 14 Assembly seats in the district’s two Lok Sabha constituency — Birbhum and Bolpur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a roadshow in Bolpur on December 20.

    The four Assembly seats — Dubrajpur, Suri, Sainthia, and Rampurhat — in the Birbhum Lok Sabha constituency witnessed BJP’s aggressive onslaught in the general elections in 2019. When the saffron camp secured the lead with a razor-thin margin in Sainthia seat, the difference was between 5% to 9% in three other seats. Among the four seats, two are reserved for candidates belonging to Scheduled Caste communities. 

    “In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, we performed well in the regions dominated by the voters belonging to SC communities. In Birbhum districts, Dalits form more than 35% of total electorates as Scheduled Tribe voters have more than 6% electoral stake. So, we are preparing for an all-out battle in Birbhum as the district turned to be a fertile ground for us in the previous general elections,” said a BJP leader.

  • Rahul Gandhi still looking for flaws in Budget: Union Minister Smriti Irani

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Union Minister Smriti Irani Monday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was still looking for flaws in the Budget instead of supporting something that would save lives.

    Speaking at a traders’ meet here at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Irani said the Budget was an expansion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of a nation.

    “If we look at the budget not only as an economic activity but as a nation-building and social activity, then you’ll realise it is an expansion of Narendra Modi’s idea of a nation.

    “I am aware that the former MP of amethi is still looking for flaws in this budget. He hasn’t found one yet. But an Indian, who is dedicated to the nation, shouldn’t have grief that this budget would save lives. it should be supported,” said Irani, who had defeated the Congress leader from his bastion of Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

    She criticised Gandhi for not supporting the government’s announcement of making available pneumococcal vaccine in every state of the country, saying that perhaps “he could not understand it”.

    “The representatives of the medical fraternity know that because of non-availability of pneumococcal vaccine 50,000 children die every year in the country. I was surprised that when the finance minister announced in the budget that pneumococcal vaccine will now be available in every state, that 50,000 innocent lives will be saved even then the former Amethi MP didn’t say a word. Maybe he could not understand pneumococcal,” she said.

    She added Gandhi did not show support for the government’s decision to provide Rs 35,000 crore for the COVID-19 vaccination program in India “so that a common Indian citizen’s life can be saved”.

    She said the Congress is today opposing farm laws while its own government in Punjab has made provision for contract farming there.

    The Textiles Minister also criticised the Congress party for opposing the building of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s statue in Gujarat, saying the party never wanted to hear any other name but of one family’s only.

    “The opposition leaders said why do we need a statue? The people of India were surprised that why was the Congress party opposing the statue of a man who played an important role in the nation’s freedom struggle and in making the Constitution, that why were they so bothered. Perhaps the party hasn’t even wanted that there should be any other name on people’s tongue than one family’s,” she said.

  • Centre trying best to reduce fuel prices, but onus also on state government: Union Minister Smriti Irani in Rajasthan

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday said the Centre is trying its best to reduce fuel prices and the Rajasthan government should also do its part.

    “While the Centre is trying its best to reduce the fuel prices, the Ashok Gehlot government in the state has enough allocation to reduce fuel prices. Now, it is up to him how much burden he wants to reduce on the people of the state,” Irani told reporters at a press conference here.

    The Rajasthan government had recently reduced the value-added tax (VAT) rate by two per cent on petrol and diesel.

    Responding to a separate query, the BJP leader said even the Congress’ students’ wing is now collecting money for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

    She took a dig at the Congress, saying the party had once submitted an affidavit questioning the existence of Lord Ram.

    On the farmers’ issues, Irani said 11 rounds of talks have already been held between the government and farmers.

    “As our (Union Agriculture) minister said, we are ready to talk with them (farmers),” she said.

    Irani, who holds textiles and women and child development portfolios, said the 2021-22 Union budget will play a key role in the nation-building.

    “Rs 2.23 lakh crore were allocated to strengthen the health infrastructure. The prime minister has allocated capital expenditure of Rs 1 lakh crore for construction of road. Through Ujjwala Scheme, eight lakh families were provided clean energy. And in this budget it was announced that one crore more families will be connected,” she said.

  • Urgent need to increase share of budget of Women and Child Development Ministry: Parliamentary panel

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: A Parliamentary Standing Committee has underlined an urgent need to increase the share of budget of the Ministry of Women and Child Development to meet the needs and requirements of growing population of women and children.

    The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports on Demand for Grants (2020-21) of the Ministry of Women and Child Development said the schemes and programmes being run for them do not suffer any shortfall in resources.

    The WCD ministry, in its response, said it has been pursuing the issue with the Ministry of Finance and underlined the fund allocation for its various schemes.

    “That there is an urgent need to increase the percentage share of budget of the Ministry of Women and Child Development in the GOI budget to meet the needs and requirements of the growing population of women and children, so that schemes and programmes being run for them do not suffer any shortfall in resources,” the committee recommended.

    For the national nutrition mission to fight malnutrition, the committee said the gap between the projected demand of the ministry for each of its programmes and the actual allocations needs to be bridged completely.

    “As any gap would mean either targets are being compromised or intended beneficiaries are not being covered. Both the things would defeat the purpose of the schemes meant for the benefit of the most vulnerable section of the society i.e.women and children,” the committee said.

    The committee recommended that the WCD Ministry make “realistic demands” and convince the Ministry of Finance to get its projected demands met. Responding to which the WCD Ministry said it has been making realistic demands based on the actual needs as communicated by various states and UT governments.

    “However, as recommended by the Committee, the proposal will be fine tuned further in consultation with other stakeholders in future,” the WCD Ministry said in its response.

    The committee also recommended that the WCD Ministry be more vigilant in preparing their Annual Action Plan and presenting their proposals before the Ministry of Finance in a structured manner so that variations in budget allocations are observed to which the ministry said that “due care shall be taken in future”.

    On women welfare schemes, the committee said there is a need for effective implementation of the schemes meant for providing immediate institutional relief to women in distress. “It would be a complete irony that on the one hand crime against women is rising and on the other hand fund allocated to enhance the safety and security of women remaining underutilised,” it said.

    The committee recommended optimum utilization of funds under both the schemes and better implementation by States/UTs in coordination with Ministry of Women and Child Development. The committee sought status of the District Level Centres for Women (DLCW) under the Mahila Shakti Kendras Scheme.

    “It is noted by the Committee that only 24 districts have functional DLCWs so far. Of the most backward districts in India, ten which are situated in Bihar, not a single DLCW has been set up yet. Similarly, of the 19 districts of Jharkhand and in Chhattisgarh no DLCW has been made operational. The status on the number of DLCWs set up and the number of women who benefitted from them shows that the scheme was not properly implemented,” the committee said.

    The committee noted that the Anganwadis are “quite deficient” in supplies and infrastructure for education and as a result, they tend to contain fewer children from 4-6 years of age range.

    The committee also sought to know about the outcome of delegating the power to recruit anganwadi workers and anganwadi helpers and supervisors (against promotion quota) to the District Magistrates/District Collectors in 115 districts of the country for filling up of vacancies of Anganwadi functionaries.

    The committee said that although in Financial Year 2020-21 Budget Estimates (BEs), allocated Rs 3,700 crore for the Poshan Mission, which is a 9 per cent increase from previous year’s Revised Estimates (REs), the utilization of funds under the scheme has been consistently low.

    “On average, only 34 per cent of fund was spent over the cumulative period from FY 2017-18 to FY 2019-20. Further, there are differences in the quantum of funds received by States. The variance in utilisation of funds is also serious concern, specifically due to stunting of children less than 5 years in 267 districts across 22 states which is higher than the national average,” it said.

    It underlined that Information and Communication Technology enabled Real Time Monitoring (ICT-RTM) scheme is one of the largest activities within Poshan Abhiyaan. “However, 74 per cent of the total expenditure incurred under ICT-RTM was on the procurement of mobile phones. This was followed by 11 per cent for recharge and maintenance of mobile phones and 7 per cent for training. In this context, the committee strongly feels that the mission calls for evidence-based research and planning at a grassroots level in order to employ resources on a need-based framework,” the parliamentary panel said.