by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, Corporate Governance, Economy, News, Politics
Varanasi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off the world’s first diesel to electric converted locomotive here.
Modi was received at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport by Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Mahendra Nath Pandey and other senior officials.
After the flag-off from the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) campus, he also interacted with differently abled persons.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to spend around six hours in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, during which he will launch projects worth Rs 3,300 crore.
He will also visit the Sant Ravidas temple.
This is Modi’s 17th visit to the temple town after becoming its representative in 2014.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | News, Politics
New Delhi : In a stern message to Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the terrorists have committed their “worst mistake” by killing 45 CRPF troopers in Jammu and Kashmir and said their backers will pay “a very big price”.
Modi’s remarks a day after the Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the Thursday attack in Pulwama.
“We have given complete freedom to the security forces. We have full faith in their bravery and valour,” Modi said while addressing a programme to flag off the first indigenous engine-less Train 18, renamed as Vande Bharat Express, at the New Delhi Railway Station.
He said: “The terrorist groups and those who are giving them shelter are responsible and have committed their worst mistake. They have to pay a very big price.”
Modi also assured the nation that “those powers who are behind the attack will be punished for their deeds”.
Hitting out at Pakistan but without naming it, Modi said: “If our neighbour which is totally isolated in the world thinks it can destabilize India through its tactics and conspiracies, it is making a huge mistake.”
“If our neighbour which is facing the worst ever economical crisis thinks that it can make India unstable, then their dreams will not be fulfiled.”
The Prime Minister’s remarks came minutes after the Cabinet Committee on Security decided to withdraw the “Most Favoured Nation” (MFN) status given to Pakistan. The MFN status to Pakistan was given by India in 1996.
Modi urged the political parties to stay away from politicizing the issue.
“This moment is very important and emotional. All of us should stay away from politics and we should unite together against them,” he said.
The Prime Minister thanked the countries which have supported India and condemned this incident in the strongest of terms. “A strong reply will be given to this attack,” he said.
“When all the countries will fight together against terror, terrorism will be eliminated. The soldiers have sacrificed their lives for the country. I assure everyone that we will take every step to bring the perpetrators of the crime to book,” he said.
Modi then inspected the engine-less Vande Bharat Express along with Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and flagged it off at 11.20 a.m.
Manufactured by the Integral Coach Factory in Chennai, it left from New Delhi at 10 a.m. for Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Modi.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Business, Economy, Investing, Markets, News, SMEs
New Delhi : The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the signing of three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with Saudi Arabia for strengthening cooperation in the fields of tourism, customs and investment.
The MoU would facilitate sharing information and expertise in tourism development, hotels, resorts and tourist accommodation facilities, tourism data and statistics, events and other tourism activities.
Saudi Arabia is one of the potential tourist markets for India from Middle East.
Another MoU is on establishing a mechanism for making investment in infrastructure in India, according to an official release.
The MoU will be a step forward in engaging with the institutions of Saudi Arabia to attract a potential investment into the infrastructure sector in the country.
It will lead to boosting infrastructure development in the country, creation of more jobs, growth of ancillary industries/ sectors which will lead to growth in GDP and overall economic prosperity.
The third MoU pertains to cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters, said the release.
The Agreement will help in making available reliable, quick and cost-effective information and intelligence for the prevention and investigation of customs offences and apprehending of customs offenders.
The MoUs between the two countries are likely to be signed during the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud’s visit to India next week.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Commodities, Commodities News, Commodity Market, Economy, Investing, Markets, News, Politics
Greater Noida : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the world has seen crude prices on a roller-coaster ride for too long and there was a need to move to responsible pricing which balances the interests of both the producer and consumer.
Addressing the Petrotech 2019 global energy conference here, Modi also emphasised on transparent and flexible markets for oil and gas.
Modi said he has always maintained that oil and gas were not only a commodity of trade but also of necessity and energy is essential whether it is for the kitchen of a common man or for an aircraft.
“For too long, the world has seen crude prices on a roller-coaster. We need to move to responsible pricing, which balances the interests of both the producer and consumer. We also need to move towards transparent and flexible markets for both oil and gas. Only then can we serve the energy needs of humanity in an optimal manner,” he said.
Modi said energy is also a key driver of socio-economic growth.
“Suitably priced, stable and sustainable energy supply, is essential for rapid growth of the economy. It also helps the poor and deprived sections of society, to partake of economic benefits.
“At the macro level, the energy sector is a pivot and key enabler of growth,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that energy supply, source and consumption patterns were changing and this could be a historic transition.
“There is a shift in energy consumption from the West to East. The US has become the world’s largest oil and gas producer after the shale revolution.”
He said solar energy and other renewable sources of energy had become more competitive and were emerging as sustainable substitutes for traditional energy forms while natural gas is fast becoming one of the largest fuels in the global energy mix.
Modi said people must have universal access to clean, affordable, sustainable and equitable supply of energy.
He said India’s contribution in the onset of an era based on energy justice is significant and the country has shown tremendous resilience as an anchor of the world economy in an uncertain global economic environment.
He said India is the sixth largest economy in the world and could be the second largest global economy by 2030.
“We are also the third largest energy consumer in the world, with demand growing at more than five percent annually. India remains an attractive market for energy companies with energy demand expected to more than double by 2040.”
Modi said India has taken a lead in energy accessibility and will achieve 100 per cent household electrification by the end of this year.
He also noted that the country’s progress is moving to a gas-based economy by bringing clean cooking fuel to poor households.
“Electricity has already reached all rural areas. This year, 100 per cent electrification of households will be achieved through the Saubhagya scheme,” he said.
“Over 6.4 crore households were given LPG connections in just three years under the Ujjwala Scheme. A ‘Blue Flame’ revolution is underway and LPG coverage has reached more than 90 per cent of the population,” said Modi.
Noting that “energy justice” is a priority for his government, the Prime Minister said: “India’s World Bank Ease of Getting Electricity ranking had improved from 111 in 2014 to 29 in 2018.”
He said globally the perception of energy consumption and supply is changing and nations are coming together to tackle climate change.
The Prime Minister also said that signs of convergence between cheaper renewable energy, technologies and digital applications was also becoming evident.
“This may expedite the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nations are coming together to tackle climate change,” he stated.
Modi said Petrotech provides “the perfect setting” to ponder over the future of energy sector.
—IANS
by admin | May 25, 2021 | Corporate, Corporate Governance, News, Politics
New Delhi : Charging the Centre with betrayal by not granting special status to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday claimed there is a threat to democracy and the country under the Narendra Modi-led BJP regime.
With a host of opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal extending their support, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President sat on the fast in the national capital demanding the Centre to accord Special Category Status and fulfil other commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014.
A day after Modi addressed a rally in Andhra Pradesh and made a bitter attack on Naidu, a number of opposition leaders turned up at the Andhra Bhavan here and launched a scathing attack on the Prime Minister.
Pointing to the issue being repeatedly raised in Parliament by the TDP, Naidu said his agitation was a way to communicate to the nation “the betrayal by the Modi government of Andhra Pradesh”.
“Modi is threatening everybody — the opposition, bureaucracy, corporates and even the media. He is using the CBI, ED and the IT Department to crush the opposition and dissent,” said Naidu claiming democracy and the nation was “under threat” under Modi.
“We want to save democracy. Today there is a democratic compulsion for all political parties to join together to save the country,” he said.
Calling upon the opposition parties to unite, Naidu said: “We need to keep this in mind. Modi was given absolute majority. What did he do? Nothing. The BJP and Modi were playing games to divide the opposition by asking who’s their leader.
“He is responsible for the falling standard of public discourse. PM must stop first hitting below the belt. Then everyone will stop and then we will maintain dignity and discourse of politics.”
Naidu said his protest was against the injustice done to the state, to remind the Centre of its promises and to demonstrate the strength of Andhra Pradesh.
Warning the Prime Minister to stop the attacks, Naidu said he should act immediately to fulfil the commitments as only “two days were left” to the ongoing Parliament session, which could be the last session before the Lok Sabha elections.
“If you don’t fulfil the promises you have made, we know how to get it done,” he said, adding that the Centre failed to implement the provisions of Bifurcation Act, including funds to bridge the revenue deficit, railway zone in Visakhapatnam, steel plant in Kadapa and a petrochemical corridor.
—IANS
