PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat Express from Una in Himachal Pradesh to New Delhi


The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi flagged off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express from Amb Andaura, Una to New Delhi, today.

The Prime Minister inspected the train coaches of the Vande Bharat Express and took stock of the onboard facilities. Shri Modi also inspected the control centre of the locomotive engine of Vande Bharat Express. He also inspected Una railway station.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Jai Ram Thakur, Governor of Himachal Pradesh,  Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Minister of Railways, Ashvini Vaishnaw and Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur when he arrived at Amb Andaura Railway Station in Una district of Himachal Pradesh.

The introduction of the train will help boost tourism in the region and provide a comfortable and faster mode of travel. The travel time from Una to New Delhi will be reduced by two hours. Running from Amb Andaura to New Delhi, it will be the fourth Vande Bharat train to be introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speeds in a shorter duration. Vande Bharat 2.0 is equipped with more advancements and improved features such as reaching a speed of 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in just 52 seconds, and a maximum speed of up to 180 kilometres per hour. The improved Vande Bharat Express will weigh 392 tons when compared to the previous version of 430 tons. It will also have a Wi-Fi content on-demand facility. Every coach has 32” screens providing passenger information and infotainment compared to 24” in the previous version. Vande Bharat Express will also be environmentally friendly as the ACs will be 15 per cent more energy efficient. With dust-free clean air cooling of the traction motor, travel will become more comfortable. A side recliner seat facility provided only to Executive Class passengers earlier will now be made available for all classes. Executive Coaches have the added feature of 180-degree rotating seats

In the new design of Vande Bharat Express, a photo-catalytic ultraviolet air purification system is installed in the Roof-Mounted Package Unit (RMPU) for air purification.  As recommended by Central Scientific Instruments Organisation (CSIO), Chandigarh, this system is designed and installed on both ends of RMPU to filter and clean the air free from germs, bacteria, viruses etc. coming through fresh air and return air.

The Vande Bharat Express 2.0 offers a myriad of superior and aircraft-like travelling experiences. It is equipped with advanced state-of-the-art safety features including an indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System – KAVACH.

PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat Express at Una Railway Station, Himachal Pradesh l PMO

PM Modi shares glimpses of Mysuru Dasara celebrations

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has shared glimpses of the Mysuru Dasara celebrations and lauded the commitment of the people of Mysuru to preserving their culture and heritage in a beautiful way. The Prime Minister recalled fond memories of his visit to Mysuru, the most recent one on the occasion of 2022 Yoga Day.

Quoting a tweet by a citizen, the Prime Minister tweeted;

“Mysuru Dasara is spectacular. I commend the people of Mysuru for preserving their culture and heritage so beautifully. I have fond memories of my Mysuru visits, the most recent one being during 2022 Yoga Day.”

Mysuru-Dasara-2022

 

 

PM Narendra Modi greets everyone on Vijaya Dashami

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has greeted everyone on the occasion of Vijaya Dashami. Shri Modi also wished that may this auspicious occasion brings courage, restraint and positive energy in everyone’s life.
The Prime Minister tweeted;
“सभी देशवासियों को विजय के प्रतीक-पर्व विजयादशमी की बहुत-बहुत बधाई। मेरी कामना है कि यह पावन अवसर हर किसी के जीवन में साहस, संयम और सकारात्मक ऊर्जा लेकर आए।”

PM greets everyone on Vijaya Dashami

PM Narendra Modi to interact with winners of National Awards to Teachers on 5th Sep 2022

PM visits Ananda Temple, Bagan

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today visited the Ananda Temple, at Bagan in Myanmar.

This is a Buddhist temple built in the early 12th century. It is the second largest temple in the entire Bagan region. The Archaeological Survey of India has carried out structural conservation and chemical preservation work of this temple. Restoration work is being carried out after damage during the earthquake last year. The Prime Minister was shown a photo exhibit depicting the ongoing restoration work at the temple. He offered prayers and made a Parikrama of the temple, during which ASI representatives explained the restoration process.

The Prime Minister signed the visitors’ book at the Temple, and unveiled a plaque signifying the contribution of India, in the restoration of the Ananda Temple.

The ASI has undertaken several major conservation works across various countries of Asia. Besides the Ananda Temple, these include the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan, the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia, the Vat Phou Temple in Laos, and the My Son Temple in Vietnam.

Visit of Prime Minister to China and Myanmar (September 3-7, 2017)

At the invitation of the President of People’s Republic of China, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Xiamen in China’s Fujian province during September 3-5, 2017 to attend the 9th BRICS Summit.

Subsequently, Prime Minister will pay a State visit to Myanmar from September 5-7, 2017 at the invitation of H.E. U Htin Kyaw, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first bilateral State visit to Myanmar. During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, he will visit Yangon and Bagan.

Cabinet approves New Central Sector Scheme – “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana”

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the renaming of the new Central Sector Scheme – SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) as “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) ” for the period of 2016-20 coterminous with the 14th Finance Commission cycle. Earlier, CCEA in its meeting held in May, 2017 approved the new Central Sector Scheme – SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) with same allocation and period .

Objective:

The objective of PMKSY is to supplement agriculture, modernize processing and decrease Agri-Waste.

Financial Allocation:

PMKSY with an allocation of Rs. 6,000 crore is expected to leverage investment of Rs. 31,400 crore, handling of 334 lakh MT agro-produce valuing Rs. 1,04,125 crore, benefit 20 lakh farmers and generate 5,30,500 direct/ indirect employment in the country by the year 2019-20.

Impact:

• The implementation of PMKSY will result in creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet.

• It will provide a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country.

• It will help in providing better prices to farmers and is a big step towards doubling of farmers’ income.

• It will create huge employment opportunities especially in the rural areas.

• It will also help in reducing wastage of agricultural produce, increasing the processing level, availability of safe and convenient processed foods at affordable price to consumers and enhancing the export of the processed foods.

Measures to give a boost to Food Processing Sector:

Food Processing Sector has emerged as an important segment of the Indian economy in terms of its contribution to GDP, employment and investment. During 2015-16, the sector constituted as much as 9.1 and 8.6 per cent of GVA in Manufacturing and Agriculture sector respectively.

The manifesto of NDA Government stresses upon incentivizing the setting up of food processing industry for providing better income for the farmers and creating jobs.

Government has taken various other measures to boost food processing sector as follows:

(a) To provide impetus to investment in food processing and retail sector, govt. has allowed 100% FDI in trading including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured and / or produced in India. This will benefit farmers immensely and will create back – end infrastructure and significant employment opportunities.

(b) The govt. has also set up a Special Fund of Rs. 2000 crore in NABARD to make available affordable credit at concessional rate of interest to designated food parks and agro processing units in the designated food parks.

(c) Food and agro-based processing units and cold chain infrastructure have been brought under the ambit of Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to provide additional credit for food processing activities and infrastructure thereby, boosting food processing, reducing wastage, create employment and increasing farmers’ income.

Background:

PMKSY is an umbrella scheme incorporating ongoing schemes of the Ministry like Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure, etc. and also new schemes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities.

Cabinet approves creation of one post of Director and three non-teaching posts for NIT, Andhra Pradesh

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval to the creation of one post of Director with basic pay of Rs. 75,000/- + a special allowance of Rs,5000/- and three non-teaching posts (Registrar, Librarian and Principal Students Activity & Sports (SAS) Officer) with Grade Pay of Rs.10,000/- for National institute of Technology (NIT), Andhra Pradesh.

Background:

NITs are Institutions of National Importance known to be among the best teaching Institutions in the field of engineering and technology which have made a remarkable presence with their high quality technical education. The job opportunities will be for the post of Director and three Non Faculty posts i.e. Registrar, Librarian and Principal Students Activity & Sports (SAS) Officer. They will be responsible for running of NIT Andhra Pradesh which will produce high quality, technical manpower which will fuel entrepreneurship and generation of job opportunities throughout the country.

Consequent upon the assent of the President of India on 1st March, 2014 to the bifurcation of the State of Andhra Pradesh, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has established NIT at the successor State of Andhra Pradesh as per Schedule 13 (Education) of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014.

PM expresses grief over loss of lives due to landslide in HP

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the loss of lives due to landslide related accidents in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district.

“Pained by the loss of lives due to landslide related accidents in HP’s Mandi district. My condolences with the families of the deceased.

I pray for the quick recovery of those injured in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh.

Team of NDRF is going to Mandi to take part in the rescue and relief operations and provide all possible assistance required.” the Prime Minister said.

Modi Ponders Make in India Initiative

Defence sector being a User driven sector, Defence Forces are actively involved in various policies & procedures related to procurement, indigenous design, development & manufacture of defence equipment, co-development & co-production with foreign OEMs, thus contributing towards ‘Make in India’ . Some of the major areas, where defence personnel are involved, are listed below:

‘Make Procedure’: ‘Make’ procedure as given out at Chapter-III of Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP)-2016, envisages involvement of Defence personnel at various stages of development of a defence equipment. The ‘Make’ projects are identified through a consultative process with involvement of members from Services Head Quarters (SHQs). Project Management Unit (PMU) headed by Service officer, established at SHQs, is responsible for monitoring the implementation of ‘Make’ projects of respective SHQ. The Integrated Project Management Team (IPMT) mandated to steer the Make project, is also headed by Service Officer.

Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme: TDF scheme launched by the Government aims at funding the development of defence and dual use technologies that are currently not available with the Indian defence industry, or have not been developed so far, thus creating an Eco-system for enhancing cutting edge technology capability for Defence application. The scheme envisages constitution of Empowered Committee and Technical Committee with representation from Armed Forces as members, which are involved in identification of technologies, Project Monitoring & Mentoring activities.

‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ and ‘Buy & Make’ Categories of Capital Acquisition: ‘Buy & Make (Indian)’ and ‘Buy & Make’ categories of capital acquisition under DPP, envisage tie-up between Indian Vendor/ Indian Production Agency & foreign OEM, for indigenous production of defence equipment involving Transfer of Technology (ToT) of critical technologies to promote ‘Make in India’. The Defence Personnel are engaged at various stages of procurement to progress the projects categorized under these categories.

Army Design Bureau (ADB): SHQ (Army) has established an Army Design Bureau (ADB) in August – 2016 as a single point coordination with Industry & Academia. The mandate of ADB, inter- alia is to act as a central repository of technical know-how, to bring forward the innovation undertaken by field formation, to generate long-term research requirement for Indian Army etc.

In addition, a large number of personnel from the Armed forces are posted in DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation) to provide impetus to design & development of projects of the Armed forces, thus contributing to indigenization process.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre to Shri Raghav Lakhanpal in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

India Invited as Guest Nation at St. Petersburg Economic Forum 2017

India has been invited as a Guest Country in the St. Petersburg International Forum, Official Spokesperson said, confirmin the news on Wednesday in a briefing to the reporters.

“This is to confirm that India has been invited as a Guest Country at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) which will be held in the city of St. Petersburg, Russia from June 1 to 3, 2017,” said MEA spokesperson Mr. Vikas Swarup.

The invite comes following the current visit of Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor (NSA), who visited Moscow to discuss security and anti-terrorism issues with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov. Recent media reports have said that Iran, Russia and India trilateral security arrangement is on the cards.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Forum as a Guest of Honour and other details of the visit are being worked out, and “we will announce them as and when they are finalized,” he said.

Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russia attaches great importance to Modi’s visit.

The St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) is an annual event held in St. Petersburg devoted to discuss global economic and business issues. It is also called the “Russian Davos,” and the first conference was held in 1997.