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Dravidian Model Egg Procurement Scandal: ₹301 Crore Embezzled Over Three Years

By
The Commune
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Dravidian Model Egg Procurement Scandal:

A massive egg procurement scam involving ₹301 crores has surfaced in Tamil Nadu, where allegations of corruption, underweight, and rotten eggs supplied to government and government-aided schools have raised serious concerns. This scandal, which has lasted over three years, stems from the nutritional egg program initiated by the Tamil Nadu Department of School Education, which supplies one boiled egg daily to students from Class 1 to Class 10. The Social Welfare Department manages the programme, which has come under scrutiny due to irregularities in the procurement process.

Egg Procurement Tender Worth ₹700 Crores

The supply of eggs to Tamil Nadu schools is conducted through an annual tender issued by the Social Welfare Department. The tender, valued at approximately ₹700 crores, has reportedly been monopolized by a few companies over the years, leading to severe allegations of malpractice. According to sources, the tender for 2024, floated in November 2023, was valued at ₹732 crores and involved the procurement of 126.2 crore eggs—32.24 crore more than the actual requirement, resulting in a loss of 187 crore rupees to the government.

Weight Loss And Rotten Eggs

Concerns about the quality of the eggs provided under this scheme are widespread. Eggs provided to students weigh less than 45 grams, fall below the market standard of 45-55 grams, and are purchased at prices higher than the market rate. Additionally, there have been instances of rotten eggs being supplied to schools. For instance, in December 2023, Erode Thamaraipallam Anganwadi Center reported receiving rotten eggs, and similar complaints have been filed in other districts such as Sivagangai and Virudhunagar.

Despite these complaints, no decisive action has been taken against the Social Welfare Department or the suppliers involved, leading to suspicions of rampant corruption within the procurement process.

RTI Revelations And Price Discrepancies

Yuvraj, an activist from Pollachi, obtained critical information regarding the egg procurement process through the Right to Information (RTI) Act. He pointed out significant price discrepancies between the market rate and the prices at which the government procured the eggs. For the 2022 tender, the government purchased eggs at ₹5.24 per egg in Zone 1, ₹5.23 in Zones 2 and 3, and ₹5.26 in Zone 4, despite the retail price being ₹4.38. This resulted in a loss of ₹96.80 crores over 220 working days.

For the 2023 tender, the government purchased eggs at ₹4.76 per egg while the market rate was ₹4.10, causing a further loss of ₹72.60 crores rupees. The 2024 tender, finalized in October 2023, saw eggs being purchased at ₹5.80 per egg, despite the market price being ₹4.60, leading to another ₹132 crores being embezzled.

Monopoly And Alleged Corruption

The companies responsible for the procurement, including Natural Food Commercials Pvt Ltd, Kisan Economics Pvt Ltd, and Gayathri Poultry Farm, have repeatedly won tenders. These firms are reportedly linked to Christie & Co., a company accused of corruption during the previous ADMK regime. Allegations suggest that despite promises made by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin during the 2021 assembly elections to investigate the egg procurement scandal, no substantial action has been taken.

Social activist Chandran from Namakkal Rasipuram criticized the role of the National Egg Coordination Committee (NEC), which sets the egg prices. He argued that this process has allowed for manipulation in the pricing and procurement process. In 2017, the Competition Commission of India intervened, acknowledging issues in the egg price-fixing process, but efforts to bring the case to the Supreme Court were unsuccessful.

Claims of Transparency from the Social Welfare Department

In response to the growing outcry, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan defended the department’s actions, claiming that all tenders were conducted transparently and that efforts were made to avoid monopolies. She also noted that companies supplying underweight eggs would be barred from future tenders. However, critics argue that Christie & Co.’s subsidiaries continue to win major contracts, leading to concerns about continued corruption.

Minister Jeevan further claimed that procuring additional eggs was based on previous requirements and that measures were taken to diversify the companies involved in the tender process. However, these explanations have done little to assuage public concerns about the scale of the fraud.

Escalating Prices As Tender Approaches

As the 2025 tender is set to open, the price of eggs has already begun rising. In September 2023, the price of eggs increased from ₹4.70 to ₹5.05 in anticipation of the upcoming tender. Activists warn that the price could go up to ₹6 per egg as the tender date approaches, further exacerbating the financial burden on the government and raising the spectre of additional corruption.

The Tamil Nadu egg procurement scandal has highlighted widespread corruption, with over ₹301 crore rupees embezzled over the last three years. Allegations of underweight and rotten eggs being supplied to schools have raised serious concerns about the welfare of children dependent on this nutrition program. As activists call for greater accountability, all eyes are on the government to see whether Chief Minister Stalin will take decisive action to investigate and address these deep-rooted issues in the procurement process.

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Villagers Of Yadgarpally Successfully Halt Illegal Church Construction After Three-Year Struggle

By
The Commune
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Villagers Of Yadgarpally Successfully Halt Illegal Church Construction After Three-Year Struggle

In a significant victory for the residents of Yadgarpally village, located in Telangana’s Rangareddy district, a three-year battle against the unauthorized establishment of a church has come to a successful conclusion. The conflict began in 2021 when Pastor Isreal Naik, a non-local, purchased land in the village with no Christian residents and erected a small shed for church-related activities. Despite the villagers’ repeated objections over noise pollution and the absence of local Christian communities, Naik continued his operations, forcing the locals to seek police intervention. The authorities advised the pastor to secure official permission for the construction of a permanent church.

In response, Pastor Naik applied to the Gram Panchayat for approval. The villagers, alarmed by this, submitted a petition signed by all residents, opposing the construction on the grounds that it would not serve the village’s population. In October 2021, a special Gram Sabha convened and unanimously passed a resolution against the church’s establishment, leading the Gram Panchayat to halt the application process.

Pastor Naik escalated the issue to the District Collector and later filed a writ petition in the High Court, seeking a directive to compel district authorities to approve the construction. Surprisingly, reports submitted to the District Collector by the Panchayat, Revenue, and Intelligence departments recommended approval, overlooking the villagers’ strong opposition.

In 2023, unaware of the ongoing resistance, the High Court directed the District Collector to expedite the decision based on existing regulations. Concerned about potential administrative bias, the villagers intensified their efforts, resubmitting copies of the Gram Sabha resolution and other relevant objections to the District Collector. They also signaled their readiness to pursue legal action if necessary.

Faced with the prospect of a legal challenge, the officials eventually rejected Pastor Naik’s application, citing the lack of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the villagers. The Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), a legal advocacy group that supported the villagers, praised the community’s perseverance and legal acumen in preventing the unauthorized construction. LRPF hailed the outcome as a triumph for local governance and the preservation of the village’s cultural integrity.

A.S. Santosh, working president of LRPF, commented on the broader implications of the case, noting that illegal church constructions often exploit rural communities. “The Yadgarpally victory demonstrates the importance of Gram Sabha resolutions in protecting village interests against external forces,” he said to Organiser. LRPF encouraged other villages facing similar challenges to follow Yadgarpally’s example.

The Yadgarpally case highlights a larger issue in rural India, where external religious organizations, sometimes with foreign backing, attempt to bypass local governance and impose their presence. The residents’ success serves as a powerful reminder that informed local governance and community unity can protect rural areas’ cultural identity and integrity.

(With inputs from AriseBharat)

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“No Celebration, Going To Temple”: Mother Of Chess Grandmasters Praggnanandhaa And Vaishali After Her Children Win Gold In Chess Olympiad

By
The Commune
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Mother Of Chess Grandmasters Praggnanandhaa And Vaishali

Nagalakshmi, the proud mother of R Praggnanandhaa and R Vaishali, shared her joy as her children helped India secure double gold at the 45th Chess Olympiad. While Indians celebrated their victory, the mother chose a simple temple visit to mark the success over a grand celebration, making a humble religious statement amidst the backdrop of rising derision of Hindu practices by Dravidianists in Tamil Nadu.

Praggnanandhaa & Vaishali Made Chess History

India made chess history on Sunday (22 September 2024) when both its men’s and women’s teams secured their first-ever gold medals at the 45th Chess Olympiad. The men’s team triumphed over Slovenia, with D Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R Praggnanandhaa winning their matches in the decisive 11th round. The women’s team clinched the title by defeating Azerbaijan 3.5-0.5.

This achievement brought double celebration for the family of R Praggnanandhaa and R Vaishali, as both siblings were part of the gold-winning teams in this prestigious biennial chess competition. While Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa played a crucial role in the men’s victory, his sister Vaishali contributed significantly to the women’s success.

A Humble Mother – Nagalakshmi

But it’s not just Praggnanandhaa and his sister who have won hearts with their victory. Their proud mother Nagalakshmi, who is often admired for her simplicity and quiet strength, is an epitome of humility. Her calm and composed presence at chess tournaments, where she is frequently spotted accompanying her children, speaks volumes about her dedication to their success.

Speaking about her children’s victory she said that she was feeling very happy and was at a loss of words.

Nagalakshmi’s simplicity is not just in her appearance but also in her approach to life. Despite the international fame her children have gained, she remains grounded. When asked how she would celebrate she said “No celebration but going to temple.”

Her statement holds even more sweet significance given how Dravidiainsts in Tamil Nadu often derogate Hindu faith and deride going to temples.

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DRDO Develops Indigenous ABHED Bulletproof Jackets

By
The Commune
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DRDO Develops Indigenous ‘ABHED’ Bulletproof Jackets

The Ministry of Defence on Wednesday said the DRDO developed the Indigenous Advanced Ballistics for High Energy Defeat (ABHED) bulletproof jackets. The jackets were produced at the DRDO Industry Academia Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi.

“This is an indigenous product and the jackets have been created from polymers and indigenous boron carbide ceramic material. The design configuration is based on characterisation of various materials at high strain rate followed by appropriate modelling and simulation in collaboration with DRDO,” the ministry said. It added that the armour plates for the ABHED jackets have passed all necessary research and development (R&D) trials as per the protocols.

“The jackets meet the highest threat level and are lighter than the maximum weight limits stipulated in respective General Staff Qualitative Requirement of the Indian Army. With a minimum possible weight of 8.2 kgs and 9.5 kgs for different BIS Levels, these modular-design jackets having front and rear armours provide 360-degree protection,” the ministry said. It added that based on the selection-criteria matrix, some Indian industries were shortlisted for the Transfer of Technology and handholding. “The government is ready to transfer the technology to three industries,” the ministry informed. Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Samir V Kamat said that the lightweight bulletproof jacket exemplifies the effective ecosystem of successful defence R&D by DRDO, academia and the industry.

The DIA-CoE was formed by modifying the Joint Advanced Technology Center of DRDO at IIT Delhi in 2022 to involve Industry and Academia in defence R&D. It has been actively pursuing various projects on advanced technologies, involving DRDO scientists, academic researchers and industry partners, official added.

–IANS

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Reforms Of International Financial, Political Structures Including UNSC Needed Urgently: EAM Jaishankar

By
The Commune
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Reform Of International Financial, Political Structures Including UNSC Needed Urgently: EAM Jaishankar

On Wednesday, India called for urgent reforms of the international decision-making structures, especially the Security Council, to give the Global South its due representation. Speaking at the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the G20, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said reforming the UN to ensure it was representative, credible, and effective was imperative and urgent.

EAM Jaishankar said the reforms should include expanding permanent and elected Security Council seats. The ministers of the G20, the group of major developed and emerging countries, met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly’s high-level meeting. In a speech that dealt at length with the international financial and development organisations, Jaishankar said it was imperative to bring reforms to make the global economic architecture more “robust, expansive, and effective”.

In this context, he mentioned India’s efforts when it was the chair of the G20 to reform multilateral development banks (MDBs) to meet the aspirations of the developing world. During its presidency of the G20, India set up a panel of international economic experts to recommend reforms to the MDBs and their suggestions were adopted by the G20. The panel’s recommendations included raising capital, tripling 2030 lending for sustainable development by streamlining procedures, and encouraging more risk-taking in funding programmes. Jaishankar aimed at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), calling for its comprehensive reform to ensure a rules-based, non-discriminatory and fair multilateral trading system.

Before the meeting, he also briefly talked with WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. He said that protectionism and market-distorting practices of the international trading system worked against developing countries. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the G20 countries should be strongly engaged in reforming the UN and making “the Security Council truly representative by addressing the under-representation of Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean”. The External Affairs Minister stressed the role of the G20 in promoting reforms in all areas of the international structures. The G20, the UN and the so-called Bretton Woods institutions – which include the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank – are trying to deal with “some of the most important challenges of our time: inequality, financing for development, the climate crisis, the impact of new technologies”, he said.

“In all these areas, progress is slipping out of reach as our world becomes more unsustainable, unequal, and unpredictable,” S. Jaishankar said. “I look to all G20 countries to push for deep reforms so that global financial institutions reflect today’s world and respond to today’s challenges,” he said.

The External Affairs Minister also said: “We need ambitious reforms of the international financial architecture to make it fully representative of today’s global economy, so it can provide strong support to implement the Sustainable Development Goals.”

On fighting climate change, S. Jaishankar noted that clean energy investments have increased in India and China but have remained low in other emerging and developing economies since 2015. “The energy transition must be based on justice and equity so that all countries benefit,” Jaishankar said.

–IANS

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Telangana: BRS Slams Congress Govt For Demolishing Houses Of Poor

By
The Commune
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BRS Slams Congress Govt For Demolishing Houses Of Poor

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Wednesday slammed the Congress government in Telangana for selective action against the poor while turning a blind eye to the rich and influential in the demolition of unauthorized structures in Greater Hyderabad.

He accused the government of creating unnecessary drama under the guise of HYDRAA (Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency). The BRS head condemned the selective actions against the poor. “There cannot be one law for the powerful and another for the poor. We will not stay silent,” he stated during an interaction with media persons following a visit to the city’s Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs). KTR, as the former minister is popularly known, accused the government of practising double standards. “If you have the courage, take action against those who issued permissions and the builders who violated the rules,” he said.

Rao blamed the previous Congress governments in united Andhra Pradesh for encroachments and faulty permissions in the city. The BRS leader expressed outrage over the demolition of homes of the poor.

“A seven-year-old girl named Vedashree wasn’t even given time to collect her books before her house was bulldozed. Pregnant women and small shop owners were also victims of these heartless actions,” KTR said. He assured that the BRS legal team would provide full support to the victims of the ‘HYDRAA’ demolitions. “Contact Telangana Bhavan or reach out to your local BRS MLAs. We will fight for justice,” KTR promised.

KTR demanded strict action against those who had issued illegal building permits, particularly in buffer zones. “If a building was constructed in violation of regulations, why are the poor paying the price? Hold the officials and builders accountable,” he demanded. He urged the Chief Minister to prove his integrity by demolishing illegal properties belonging to ministers and influential individuals, including his own family’s houses, if found in buffer zones. KTR also raised concerns about alleged attempts to award a contract related to the Musi River project to a blacklisted company from Pakistan. “We are watching the corrupt intentions behind the Musi project. At the right time, we will expose the truth,” he warned.

He said ministers gave varying figures ranging from Rs.50,000 crore to Rs1,50,000 crore as the estimated project cost. He announced that if the oppressive actions against the underprivileged continue, BRS would stand as a shield for the victims. “We will block the bulldozers if necessary,” he asserted. KTR called for the judiciary to take suo moto cognizance of the government’s attempts to sideline justice and suppress the voices of the vulnerable. KTR contrasted the current government’s actions with the BRS government’s work during its tenure. “We constructed homes for the poor and initiated numerous projects for Hyderabad’s development. Because of the Former CM KCR’s leadership, Hyderabad is set to become the first South Asian city to achieve 100 per cent wastewater treatment,” he added, citing the construction of 31 STPs across the city.

–IANS

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Work With Resolve For MahaYuti’s Victory In Assembly Polls: Amit Shah Tells BJP Workers Nashik

By
The Commune
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Work With Resolve For MahaYuti’s Victory In Assembly Polls: Amit Shah Tells BJP Workers Nashik

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday asserted in Nashik that the MahaYuti government will come back to power while asking the BJP functionaries to work in close coordination and unity with allies Shiv Sena and NCP and also bring the workers of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) into the party fold.

On his second-day visit to Maharashtra, Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the interactive meetings with the party functionaries in Nashik and Kolhapur. He encouraged them to demolish the opposition’s fake narratives as the country focused on the upcoming state Assembly election.

On Tuesday, the Home Minister addressed the meetings at Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and warned that the party will not tolerate rebellion, factionalism and dissent after announcing the party nominations. At the meeting in Nashik, HM Amit Shah reiterated that the MahaYuti, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, will contest the state Assembly election with full strength and with the sole objective of retaining power in Maharashtra.

“BJP is in power in 16 states with more seats than all others put together. BJP will come back to power with full majority in the coming assembly election,” he said. The senior BJP leader also added that India is on the way to becoming the third-largest economy in the world, adding that the opposition only wants to play politics.

“The Assembly election is quite crucial as it will change the face of Maharashtra. It is an ideological battle,” he said while asking the party functionaries to work hard for MahaYuti’s victory. “Once we win the election, we will cross 300 seats again in 2029,” HM Shah said.

Home Minister Amit Shah urged the party functionaries in Nashik to fight the assembly election with a resolve for a victory, thereby erasing the failure of winning fewer seats in the Lok Sabha elections. “An attempt is being made to break your confidence but neglect that to fight with full strength,” he said. The Home Minister took a dig at the opposition, saying that some contest elections to become Prime Minister or Chief Minister. However, he said that the BJP is contesting elections to build India. “Did anyone think that Article 370 will be abolished? Did anyone think that Ram Mandir will be built,” Shah said.

He further noted that it was possible as the BJP was in power at the Centre. He said the Waqf Board Act will be passed in the winter session. He strongly defended the Center’s policies to curb terrorism and naxal activities in the country, saying that Maoists and terrorists are counting their days. “There were attacks from terrorists and Pakistan. If anyone tampers with the border of the country, they will be beaten by entering their homes,” the Home Minister said. On Tuesday, the Home Minister had set an ambitious target of winning 45 of the total 62 seats in Vidarbha and 30 of the total 46 seats in Marathwada by MahaYuti in the Assembly election.

He asked the party functionaries to focus on increasing the voting by 10 per cent, especially by stepping up outreach with voters up to the booth level. Meanwhile, the Home Minister on Tuesday met the Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP national president and DCM Ajit Pawar at Sambhajinagar and discussed the MahaYuti’s seat-sharing arrangement for the assembly election. Shinde declined to divulge further details but said that the MahaYuti’s seat sharing will be announced soon.

–IANS

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MUDA Case: Special Court Gives Nod For Probe By Lokayukta Against Karantaka Congress CM Siddaramaiah

By
The Commune
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Karnataka Congress Govt Mulls 4% Muslim Quota In Public Contracts, Total Quota May Hit 47%.

In a major development, the Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru on Wednesday gave the nod for an investigation against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam case. Judge Santhosh Gajanana Bhat passed the order and designated the Superintendent of Lokayukta, Mysuru district to probe the case.

The court has asked Mysuru Lokayukta to submit the report on the MUDA scam involving Siddharamaiah in three months by December 24. The court has stated that the case would be investigated under the provisions of 156 (3) of the CrPC.

Snehamayi Krishna, one of the petitioners against CM Siddaramaiah, had filed a private complaint with the court in the MUDA case.

Following the order, an FIR will be lodged against CM Siddaramaiah, and an investigation will be launched. The investigation officer will have the power to question and arrest CM Siddaramaiah. Snehamayi Krishna also submitted a petition to the Governor, in which prosecution permission was given, and the Karnataka High Court upheld the order of the Governor.

Krishna submitted the High Court order to the Special Court on Wednesday. The investigating officer will now have the power to lodge an FIR against CM Siddaramaiah, also take him into custody and arrest him. Laxmi Iyengar, senior counsel appearing for Snehamayi Krishna stated that this is the first step.

The direction to Mysuru Lokayukta to register the FIR and proceed with the investigation has been given. The Special Court for MLAs/MPs stated that the High Court has upheld Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s order to allow prosecution in the MUDA case. It also mentioned that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should not hesitate for an investigation. The court also noted the allegations by the petitioner against CM Siddaramaiah that he was in the CM, Dy CM and Leader of Opposition (LoP) positions when the critical decisions were taken while the land allotment was made to his family.

The court mentioned that the charges include that though one Devaraju was not the land owner, the de-notification was done in his name. Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law purchased the land from Devaraju.

–IANS

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Congress Had Handed Over Haryana To ‘Dalal’ And ‘Damad’, Says PM Modi At Gohana Rally

By
The Commune
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An Important Step Towards Democracy, PM Modi Hails Nod To Simultaneous Elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, saying that the grand old party, during its helm, had handed over Haryana to ‘dalals’ (middlemen) and ‘damads’ (sons-in-law).

Stepping up the attack, PM Modi, who returned from his three-day hectic tour of the US on Tuesday night, in a power-packed election speech in Gohana town in Haryana’s Sonipat district, said there was no party more “dishonest” than the Congress.

“Congress ne Haryana ko dalalon aur damadon ke hawale kar diya (the state was handed over to brokers and son-in-law,” he said. Appealing to vote for the BJP for its record third straight win in the October 5 Assembly polls as the state is now a hub of multinational firms, PM Modi in a frontal attack on the Gandhi family raked up Robert Vadra’s controversial land deals in the state during the Congress government from 2004 to 2014 said, “Haryana ko damad and dalal se bachana hai”.

He said: “As the Assembly elections in Haryana are approaching, the Congress is getting weaker. The support for BJP in Haryana is increasing…The entire Haryana is saying ‘phir ek baar BJP sarkar‘.”

Also he warned, “Remember, if the Congress comes to power by mistake, they will ruin Haryana with their infighting. There is a fight going on in Congress here. In Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, their Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are fighting.” “Voting for the Congress means putting Haryana’s stability, and development at stake,” PM Modi claimed.

“The world’s trust in India has increased in the past 10 years. When I went to New York, many people from Haryana who grew up in America performed the Haryanavi traditional dance to welcome me…India is progressing after getting free from corruption…Big companies from across the world are eager to invest in India.

“When these companies will invest in India, it will benefit the farmers and youth of Haryana. The BJP has announced that many industrial cities will be established in Haryana to provide job opportunities to the youth,” the Prime Minister said.

Acknowledging a boy amongst the crowd who had made a portrait of PM Modi, he asked the boy from the dais to hand over the photo to his security personnel and promised to write a letter to him.

Taking a jibe at the Congress for “ignoring” the Dalits, PM Modi said, “Today, the Dalit community of Haryana is once again observing the drama that the Congress is playing.

The Congress has always deprived Dalits, OBCs (Other Backward Classes), and tribals of participation. Baba Saheb Ambedkar granted reservations to the Dalits. Otherwise, like the OBCs, Dalits would also have to wait for Congress’ defeat to claim their rights.

After wrapping up the three-day “successful” US visit, PM Modi held his second public meeting in Haryana to woo electorates of 22 Assembly constituencies. Several senior BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, shared the dais with the Prime Minister. The PM’s rally is a crucial political platform as 18 Assembly constituencies falling under the Sonipat and Rohtak Lok Sabha constituencies and four Assembly constituencies of the Panipat district were covered.

Prime Minister Modi held his first rally in Kurukshetra on September 15 by launching the BJP’s campaign to retain the helm in the state for the third straight term. In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP, which won 40 seats, well below the 75-plus target, and was six short of a majority in the 90-member Assembly, announced an alliance with the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) led by Dushyant Chautala, a great-grandson of former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal.

The rival Congress had won 31 seats, while the less-than-year-old JJP, which broke away from the state’s once prominent regional Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) owing to family disputes, won 10 seats. Seven Independents and one each of the INLD and the Haryana Lokhit Party had also won.

–IANS

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Two-Fold Increase In Container Handling Capacity In 5 Years, 2 Million New Jobs: Minister Of Ports, Shipping And Waterways

By
The Commune
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Two-Fold Increase In Container Handling Capacity In 5 Years, 2 Million New Jobs: Minister Of Ports, Shipping And Waterways

Centre said on Wednesday that the country’s container handling capacity will double in the next five years to reach 40 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), creating two million job opportunities nationwide. Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) alone will scale its handling capacity from 6.6 million TEUs to 10 million.

Addressing an event to mark significant milestones achieved by the ministry during the first 100 days, Sonowal said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s focus on holistic development and his mantra of ‘Transformation through Transportation’ are creating a paradigm shift in the maritime sector. “The government’s commitment to strengthening maritime infrastructure is paving the way for unprecedented economic growth and generating significant employment opportunities across the country. Waterways are becoming the new highways of India,” said Sonowal.

The performance of major ports in the country has improved, with traffic increasing by 4.87 per cent in 2024.

“After 25 years since the establishment of Kamarajar Port, the addition of Vadhvan Port marks a significant milestone in India’s maritime journey, alongside the recent notification of Galathea Bay as a major port,” said the minister. The ministry is developing dedicated clusters in Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Gujarat, recognising the strategic importance of shipbuilding and ship repair. “We are also allocating more than 3,900 acres in Kandla and VOC Port for the development of hydrogen manufacturing hubs, positioning India as a leader in clean energy,” the minister informed.

Vadhvan Port is poised to become one of the largest all-weather deep-water ports, with a capacity of 298 MMTPA. This mega port is expected to create 1.2 million employment opportunities and place an Indian port among the top 10 container ports globally. Another key project is the Tuticorin International Container Terminal on the East Coast, which will serve as a major trans-shipment hub, saving up to $200 per container and providing an estimated annual foreign exchange savings of $4 million. The Ministry also successfully executed a landmark Deendayal Port Encroachment Drive, reclaiming 200 acres of encroached land for port-led industrial development.

–IANS

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