Day: December 18, 2020
Why would the Swaminathan Committee report be implemented, if the Govt intended to remove the MSP: PM Narendra Modi
There is no reason for mistrust in the recent agricultural reforms done by the Government and there is no place for lies
PM Narendra Modi
Through the PM-Kisan scheme every year farmers will get about 75 thousand crore rupees, directly into their bank accounts
If the previous governments were concerned about farmers, then around 100 large irrigation projects in the country would not hang for decades
The government is spending more than Rs 500 crore on modernizing APMCs
Prime Minister’s Office via PIB India :
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed Kisan Sammelan held across Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing.
He also inaugurated and laid foundation stone for cold storage infrastructure and other facilities.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister stressed, no matter how hard the farmer works, if there is no proper storage of fruits-vegetables-grains, then the farmer is bound to suffer huge losses.
He urged the business world to contribute in developing modern storage facilities, cold storage and setting up new food processing ventures.
The Prime Minister stressed that Indian farmers should have access to the modern facilities available to the farmers in the developed countries, it cannot be delayed any longer.
Referring To the recent discussions on the agriculture laws, the Prime Minister emphasized that consultation for these agricultural reform laws has been going for the last 20-22 years and these laws were not brought overnight.
He said the agricultural reforms that have taken place now are not different from what was in discussion earlier.
The Prime Minister cited that the previous Governments did not implement the Swaminathan Committee report for over 8 years.
Even the peasants’ agitation did not shake the consciousness of these people. He said these people ensured that their government does not have to spend much on the farmer.
He criticized the opposition that farmers are used by them for politics whereas his government is dedicated to farmers and considers farmers as Annadata.
Shri Modi said the recommendations of the report of the Swaminathan Committee was implemented by this Government, giving MSP of one and a half times the cost to the farmers.
On debt waiver, the Prime Minister said it does not reach the small farmer who did not go to the bank, who did not take the loan.
He said in the PM-Kisan scheme every year farmers will get about 75 thousand crore rupees, directly into farmers’ bank accounts.
The Prime Minister criticized that if the previous governments were concerned about farmers, then around 100 large irrigation projects in the country would not hang for decades.
Now our government is spending thousands of crores of rupees to complete these irrigation projects in mission mode.
The Prime Minister remarked that to promote fisheries, the Blue Revolution Scheme is operationalized.
Some time ago, the Prime Minister Matsya Sampada Yojana was also launched. Due to these efforts, all previous records of fish production in the country have been broken.
He stressed that there is no reason for mistrust in the recent agricultural reforms done by the Government and there is no place for lies.
He asked the people to ponder, why would the Swaminathan Committee report be implemented, if the Government intended to remove the MSP.
The Prime Minister remarked that MSP is announced before sowing to put the farmer at ease.
He highlighted that even during the fight against the Corona pandemic, the procurement on MSP was done as usual.
He assured the farmers that MSP would continue to be given like before. He stressed that the government has not only increased the MSP, but has also procured a lot more on MSP.
The Prime Minister recalled the time when the country faced a pulse crisis. Pulses used to be sourced from abroad amid outcry in the country.
He said that his government changed the policy in 2014 and bought 112 lakh metric tonnes of pulses at MSP from farmers compared to procurement of just 1.5 lakh metric tonnes during the period of 5 years before 2014.
The Prime Minister clarified that the new law has given freedom to farmers to sell in the mandi or outside.
The farmer can sell his produce where he would get more benefit. Not a single mandi was closed after the new law. He added that the government is spending more than Rs 500 crore on modernizing APMCs.
He said in contract farming, only crops or produce are transacted but the land remains with the farmer, the agreement has nothing to do with the land.
Even if a natural disaster strikes, the farmer gets full money. The new law has ensured a share of windfall profits to the farmer.
He further promised to address the concerns of farmers who have apprehension even after these efforts.
He said that the Government is ready to talk on every issue. The Prime Minister said he would again talk about this subject in detail on 25th December, on the birth anniversary of revered Atal ji.
On that day, another instalment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi will be simultaneously transferred to the bank accounts of crores of farmers
Pic Credit : BJP India
Indian Railways draft National Rail Plan – Several new High Speed Rail Corridors have been identified
Ministry of Railways via PIB India :
In an endeavour to address the inadequacies of capacity constraints and improve its modal share in total freight eco system of the country, Indian Railways has come up with Draft National Rail Plan.
A long term strategic plan called the National Rail Plan has been developed to plan infrastructural capacity enhancement along with strategies to increase modal share of the Railways.
The National Rail Plan will be a common platform for all future infrastructural, business and financial planning of the Railways.
This plan is being circulated among various Ministries for their views now. Railways aim to finalise the Final plan by January 2021.
The objective of the Plan is:
• To create capacity ahead of demand by 2030, which in turn would cater to growth in demand right up to 2050 and also increase the modal share of Railways from 27% currently to 45% in freight by 2030 as part of a national commitment to reduce Carbon emission and to continue to sustain it. Net Zero Carbon emission by 2030.
• To assess the actual demand in freight and passenger sectors, a year long survey was conducted over hundred representative locations by survey teams spread all over the country.
• Forecast growth of traffic in both freight and passenger year on year up to 2030 and on a decadal basis up to 2050.
• Formulate strategies based on both operational capacities and commercial policy initiatives to increase modal share of the Railways in freight to 45% by 2030.
• Reduce transit time of freight substantially by increasing average speed of freight trains from present 22Kmph to 50Kmph.
• Reduce overall cost of Rail transportation by nearly 30% and pass on the benefits to the customers.
• Map the growth in demand on the Indian Railway route map and simulate the capacity behaviour of the network in future.
• Based on above simulation identify infrastructural bottlenecks that would arise in future with growth in demand.
• Select projects along with appropriate technology in both track work, signalling and rolling stock to mitigate these bottlenecks well in advance.
As part of the National Rail Plan, Vision 2024 has been launched for accelerated implementation of certain critical projects by 2024 such as
100% electrification,
multitracking of congested routes,
upgradation of speed to 160 kmph on Delhi-Howrah and Delhi-Mumbai routes,
upgradation of speed to 130kmph on all other Golden Quadrilateral-Golden Diagonal (GQ/GD) routes and
elimination of all Level Crossings on all GQ/GD routes.
• Future projects for implementation beyond 2024 in both track and signalling have been identified with clear cut timelines for implementation.
• Three Dedicated Freight Corridors, namely East Coast, East-West & North-South identified along with timelines. PETS survey already underway.
• Several new High Speed Rail Corridors have also been identified. Survey on Delhi-Varanasi High Speed Rail already under way.
• Assess rolling stock requirement for passenger traffic as well as wagon requirement for freight.
• Assess Locomotive requirement to meet twin objectives of 100% electrification (Green Energy) by December 2023 and also the increasing traffic right up to 2030 and beyond up to 2050.
• Assess the total investment in capital that would be required along with a periodical break up.
• Identify new streams of finance and models for financing including those based on PPP.
• For successful implementation of the National Rail Plan ,the Railways will be looking to engage with Private Sector, PSUs, State Governments and Original Equipment Manufacturers(OEM)/Industries.
• Sustained involvement of the Private Sector in areas like operations and ownership of rolling stock, development of freight and passenger terminals, development/operations of track infrastructure etc.
In effect the National Rail Plan envisages an initial surge in capital investment right up to 2030 to create capacity ahead of demand and increase the modal share of the Railways in freight by 45%.
Post 2030 , the revenue surplus generated would be adequate to finance future capital investment and also take the burden of debt service ratio of the capital already invested. Exchequer funding of Rail projects would not be required.
Have written to President of India, urging him to intervene for immediate convening of winter session of Parliament: Sukhbir Singh Badal
Sukhbir Singh Badal – President, Akali Dal:
Have written to President of India, urging him to intervene for immediate convening of winter session of Parliament.
COVID is no excuse, as Parliament met to pass Agri bills during peak of pandemic.
Govt admits no requirement of lockdown now so by that rationale cancellation not justified!
Ironical that ruling party sees no danger to public health during gatherings of thousands in Bihar & Bengal election rallies but believes MPs meeting would flare up pandemic!
Govt has the might of the state at its beck, but farmers are armed with righteousness of their cause.
Govt of India is making a laughing stock of itself.
Allowing Annadata to die within a few 100 meters of Parliament will be remembered as a case of insensitive govt at war with its own people.
Parliament meet is national priority, as Farmers Protest affects nearly 100 cr people directly & rest indirectly.
Today we have inaugurated India’s first, one-of-its kind Paddy Straw based briquetting plant: Capt Amarinder Singh
Capt Amarinder Singh – Chief Minister, Punjab:
Today we have inaugurated India’s first, one-of-its kind Paddy Straw based briquetting plant in Patiala with 100 tons of per day processing capacity.
This will not only help check environmental pollution but will also enable farmers to earn extra income from sale of stubble.
The truth has prevailed once again: Priyanka Gandhi
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – General Secretary, Congress :
The truth has prevailed once again.
The CBI charge sheet filed today in the Hathras case has stated that the victim was brutally gangraped & murdered.
I hope this will bring the victim’s family some comfort amidst their immense suffering.
To facilitate seamless e-learning in our Govt Schools we had decided to give Smart phones to Class XII students: Capt Amarinder Singh
Capt Amarinder Singh – Chief Minister, Punjab:
To facilitate seamless e-learning in our Govt Schools we had decided to give Smart phones to Class XII students.
We will be giving mobile phones to all 1,75,443 Class XII students of which 1,30,000 have been covered till today.
Will soon distribute the rest to students as well.
A Railway gauge conversion project that will benefit farmers & freight traffic
Piyush Goyal – Union Minister for Railways:
- Inspection of the Usilampatti – Andipatti stretch, of Madurai – Bodinayakkanur broad gauge conversion project in Tamil Nadu, was successfully conducted on 16th December.
- The project will
- Benefit farmers & freight traffic
- Boost tourism in the region
- Enhance connectivity
Visited SAIL’s IISCO Steel Plant at Burnpur, one of India’s oldest steel plant: Dharmendra Pradhan
Dharmendra Pradhan – Union Minister of Steel :
Visited SAIL’s IISCO Steel Plant at Burnpur, one of India’s oldest established steel plant.
A full-fledged integrated steel plant, IISCO also has the distinction of having the single-largest blast furnace among all SAIL steel plants in the country.
Overviewed a presentation on the overall performance of SAIL’s IISCO Steel Plant.
Was briefed about several aspects related to production, efficiency and operational profitability of the plant.
Suggested to chalk out ways for cost reduction & 100% capacity utilisation.
Just like steel adds strength to society, my dear colleagues add their passion and skill to steel making.
They are our real brand ambassadors!
Catching up with them amidst busy official engagements is always refreshing and satisfying.
A pleasure to witness the first performance of Sunshine Orchestra Nagaland Chapter under the aegis of AR Rahman Foundation: Neiphiu Rio
Neiphiu Rio – Chief Minister, Nagaland :
A pleasure to witness the first performance of Sunshine Orchestra Nagaland Chapter under the aegis of AR Rahman Foundation.
Also, happy to launch Bright Lights children’s choir under Task Force for Music & Arts – TAFMA Naga.
My best wishes and look forward to them become future musical leaders from Nagaland.
Heartening to learn about robust immune response in the ( COVID Vaccine ) trials : Amitabh Kant
India’s very own Bharat Biotech, after the success of Rotavirus Vaccine, is working on mission mode to deliver affordable,safe & high-quality COVID19 vaccines.
.
Heartening to learn about robust immune response in the trials. Country is rooting for your success!
Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog
Since 2011, 2.03 crore scholarships worth Rs 5,657 crore have been provided to minority students, the highest in the country : Mamata Banerjee
Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister, West Bengal :
Today is Minority Rights Day. India is the land of unity in diversity, and it is our duty to protect the rights of people of all faiths, communities, castes and creeds.
We believe in communal harmony. Unity is strength. Divided we fall.
Govt. of West Bengal runs the “Aikyashree”scheme to provide scholarships to minority students.
Since 2011, 2.03 crore scholarships worth Rs 5,657 crore have been provided to minority students, the highest in the country.
One more Japan Industrial Township to be setup in Chittoor : Vijayasai Reddy
Vijayasai Reddy, MP, Rajya Sabha :
Series of investments by Japan Inc reiterates the investor confidence in our Hon. CM Jagan garu.
- One more Japan Industrial Township to be setup in Chittoor.
- 10lakh Sq.Ft Japanese Enclave to be built in Vizag .
- JICA to fund 1,300 cr to develop Industrial Park near Krishnapatnam.
We believe users should have the choice over the data that is being collected about them and how it’s used : Tim Cook
We believe users should have the choice over the data that is being collected about them and how it’s used. Facebook can continue to track users across apps and websites as before, App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14 will just require that they ask for your permission first.
TIM COOK, CEO, APPLE
Pic Credit : Tim Cook
