Centre extends ‘PM-GKAY’ Yojana for another 3 months (October 2022-December 2022)

Key Points:

  • Free good grains at 5 kg per person per month for all the beneficiaries of NFSA will be continued till December, 2022.
  • PMGKAY has so far had an estimated subsidy of Rs 3.45 lakh crore in six phases.
  • Phase VII of PMGKAY from Oct to Dec entails an estimated subsidy of Rs. 44,762 Crore.
  • The total outgo of foodgrains in Phase VII is expected to 122 LMT.
  • Decision will ensure that poor and vulnerable sections of society are supported for the forthcoming major festivals.

 

In pursuance of the pro-people announcement made by Hon’ble Prime Minister in 2021and successful implementation of additional food security under PMGKAY, the Union Cabinet has approved the extension for the  Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY-Phase VII) for a further  period of 3 months i.e. October to December 2022.

At a time when the world is battling with the effects of Covid on its decline and insecurity due to various reasons, India has been successfully maintaining food security for its vulnerable sections while taking necessary steps to keep availability and affordability for common man.

Recognising that people have gone through a difficult period of pandemic, Govt has decided to extend PMGKAY for a period of three months  so that  poor and vulnerable sections of society  are supported for the forthcoming major festivals like Navratri, Dussehra, Milad-un-nabi, Deepawali, Chhath pooja, Gurunanak dev Jayanti, Christmas, etc. which they can celebrate  with great gaiety and community for festivities.  With a view to ensuring this, Govt. has approved this extension of PMGKAY for three months, so that they continue to enjoy the benefits of easy availability of foodgrains without any financial distress.

Under this welfare scheme, 5 kg of food grain per person per month is provided free of cost for all the beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) [Antodaya Anna Yojana & Priority Households] including those covered under Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

Financial implication for the Government of India has been about  Rs. 3.45 Lakh Crore  upto Phase-VI of PMGKAY. With the additional expenditure of about Rs. 44,762 Crore for Phase-VII of this scheme, the overall expenditure of PMGKAY will be about Rs. 3.91 lakh crore for all the phases.

Rice/Ians

The total outgo in terms of food grains for PMGKAY Phase VII is likely to be about 122 LMT. The aggregate allocation of food grain for phases I- VII is about 1121 LMT.

So far, PMGKAY has been in operation for 25 months as under

  • Phase I and II ( 8 months) : April’20 to Nov.’20
  • Phase-III to V (11 months) : May’21 to March’22
  • Phase-VI    ( 6 months)  : April’22 to Sept.’22

PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PM-GKAY), started during difficult time of COVID-19 crisis, has provided food security to the poor, needy and the vulnerable households/beneficiaries so that they do not suffer on account of non-availability of adequate foodgrains. Effectively it has doubled the quantity of monthly foodgrains entitlements being normally delivered to beneficiaries.

Going by the experience of earlier phases, the performance of PMGKAY-VII is expected to be on the same high level as achieved before.

PM Modi congratulates Giorgia Meloni for leading in Italian General Elections

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has congratulated Giorgia Meloni for leading her party Fratelli d’Itaia in Italian General Elections.

The Prime Minister tweeted;

“Congratulations @GiorgiaMeloni for leading your party @FratellidItalia to victory in the Italian general elections. We look forward to working together to strengthen our ties.”

 

 

 

Japanese protesters oppose expensive state funeral to Shinzo Abe

For a pacifist nation like Japan, the assassination of Shinzo Abe would have been painful but the public outrage during the funeral is astounding in view of the state funeral at a cost of 1.7 billion yen ($12 million) at a time when the government is heavily indebted.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated during the campaign trail in July and the government’s plans to a state funeral have been opposed by many since then owing to the country’s fragile economy.

Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida has been unable to assuage public concerns as the controversy undermines his proposed record defense spending, which began with Shinzo Abe, whose legacy is left behind with the revision of the country’s post-war Pacifist Constitution and sending Japanese armed forces abroad.

PM Modi paying homage at the State Funeral Ceremony of the Former Prime Minister of Japan, Late Mr. Shinzo Abe, in Tokyo, Japan on September 27, 2022 / PIB

PM Kishida’s approval ratings have reached the lowest level since he became the country’s Prime Minister in October. Last week, a man has allegedly set himself on fire near the office of Japanese Prime Minister protesting against the expensive state funeral.

The funeral on Tuesday kept the capital under maximum security due to protests which began just before the funeral. About 4,300 attendees gathered in Tokyo to pay their respects at the funeral.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo were among 700 foreign dignitaries from 218 countries, regions and international organizations who attended the funeral.

 

PM greets people on the auspicious occasion of Navratri; Wishes happiness, prosperity, health

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has greeted people on the auspicious occasion of Navratri. On the beginning of Navratri, Modi also prayed to Goddess Shailaputri and wished happiness, health and fortune the grace of the goddess.

In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister tweeted;

“शक्ति की उपासना के महापर्व नवरात्रि की आप सभी को बहुत-बहुत शुभकामनाएं। आस्था और विश्वास का यह पावन अवसर हर किसी के जीवन में नई ऊर्जा और नए उत्साह का संचार करे। जय माता दी!”

“वन्दे वाञ्छितलाभाय चन्द्रार्धकृतशेखराम्‌।

वृषारूढां शूलधरां शैलपुत्रीं यशस्विनीम्‌ ।।

देवी शैलपुत्री की आराधना के साथ आज से नवरात्रि का शुभारंभ हो रहा है। मेरी कामना है कि उनकी कृपा से हर किसी का जीवन सुख, सौभाग्य और आरोग्य से परिपूर्ण हो।”

 

India wins UN awards for Initiative against Hypertension

In a significant achievement and recognition to country’s efforts against hypertension, India has won an UN award for its “India Hypertension Control Initiative (IHCI)”, a large-scale hypertension intervention under National Health Mission. IHCI has been recognized for its exceptional work within India’s existing primary healthcare system.

Complimenting the healthcare initiative, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare stated in a tweet: “IHCI has strengthened PM @NarendraModi  Ji’s mission to ensure health & wellness for all”. We are committed to building a healthy & fit India, he further noted.

A collaborative initiative of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), State Governments and World Health Organization-India, IHCI has won the ‘2022 UN Interagency Task Force, and WHO Special Programme on Primary Health Care Award’ at the UN General Assembly side event held on 21st September 2022 at New York, USA. The award recognizes outstanding commitment and action of India to: (i) prevent and control Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and (ii) deliver integrated people-centric primary care. The UN Task Force has identified organisation which has multisectoral approach in prevention and control of NCDs and multisectoral action with demonstrated results at primary care for prevention and control of NCDs and related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Significance of the initiative can be adjudged from the fact that one in four adults in India has high blood pressure. The control of hypertension at primary care system level will contribute  to reducing deaths due to heart attacks, stroke and kidney failures.

IHCI has been able to leverage and strengthen the existing healthcare delivery system, hypertension control interventions under National Health Mission and improve the linkages between populations-based screening initiative with health care.  The initiative was launched in 2017 and expanded in a phased manner to cover more than 130 districts across 23 states. Under the initiative, more than 34 lakh people with hypertension are taking treatment in government health facilities, including Ayushman Bharat Health Wellness Centres (HWCs).  The project strategies are easily scalable within the health system. The strategies include a simple drug-dose-specific standard treatment protocol, ensuring adequate quantity of protocol medications, decentralization of care with follow-up and refills of medicines at Health Wellness Centres, task sharing involving all health staff and a powerful real-time information system which can track every patient for follow-up and blood pressure control. Under IHCI, nearly half of those who were treated had blood pressure under control.

The IHCI complements the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke (NPCDCS) of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India. IHCI accelerates the achievement of targets of the Government of India by ensuring a continuum of care and giving a boost to the ongoing “Ayushman Bharat” programme.

Sudha Murthy nominated to Board of Trustees of PM CARES Fund

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the PM CARES Fund on Tuesday in which new member Sudha Murthy from Bengaluru was appointed recently.

A presentation was made on the various initiatives undertaken with the help of PM CARES Fund, including the PM CARES for Children scheme which is supporting 4345 children. Trustees appreciated the role played by the fund at a crucial time for the country. PM Shri Narendra Modi appreciated the people of the country for contributing wholeheartedly to PM CARES Fund.

It was discussed that PM CARES has a larger vision on effectively responding to emergency and distress situations, not only through relief assistance, but also taking mitigation measures and capacity building.

Prime Minister welcomed the Trustees for becoming an integral part of the PM CARES Fund.

The meeting was attended by Trustees of the PM CARES Fund, i.e. Union Home Minister and Union Finance Minister as also, the newly nominated trustees of the PM CARES Fund:

  • Justice K.T. Thomas,  Former Judge, Supreme Court,
  • Kariya Munda, Former Deputy Speaker,
  • Ratan Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons.

The Trust further decided to nominate following eminent persons for constitution of Advisory Board to PM CARES Fund:

  • Rajiv Mehrishi, Former Comptroller and Auditor General of India
  • Sudha Murthy, Former Chairperson, Infosys Foundation
  • Anand Shah, Co-founder of Teach for India and Former CEO of Indicorps and Piramal Foundation.

Prime Minister said that participation of new Trustees and Advisors will provide wider perspectives to the functioning of the PM CARES Fund. Their vast experience of public life would impart further vigour in making the fund more responsive to various public needs.

PM Modi condoles the demise of Bollywood comedian Raju Srivastava

The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has condoled the demise of renowned comedian Raju Srivastava.

The Prime Minister tweeted;

“Raju Srivastava brightened our lives with laughter, humour and positivity. He leaves us too soon but he will continue to live in the hearts of countless people thanks to his rich work over the years. His demise is saddening. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”

Dalai Lama, others extend birthday greetings to PM Modi

Sep 17 (IANS) On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 72nd birthday, Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama has written to him offering his warmest wishes and prayers for his continued good health.

“It’s wonderful that India has successfully met the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. Although we have not seen the complete end to it, India today is better placed to address similar challenges in the future,” His Holiness wrote in a letter.

“As the longest-staying guest in India I have observed its development first hand. Now the country is also a rising economic power and a leader in science and technology.

“India’s strong democratic foundation is an example of peace and stability. Having one of the youngest populations is an asset that will enable further development and the fulfilment of positive aspirations. I am delighted to say India is poised to assume its rightful place in the world.

“I have great admiration for the way Mahatma Gandhi made the age-old practice of ‘ahimsa’ appreciated across the world.”

The spiritual leader ended his letter with thanks.

“Once again, I would like to take this opportunity to express deep gratitude to the government and people of India for the warm and generous hospitality we Tibetans have enjoyed since we were forced into exile in 1959.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Wishes kept pouring in for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 72nd birthday on Saturday amidst a packed schedule for the day.

In her message on Twitter in Hindi, President Droupadi Murmu wished that the “nation-building campaign” being carried out by the Prime Minister with “incomparable hard work, dedication and creativity, continues to progress” under his leadership

Union Home Minister Amit Shah called him the creator of a “safe, strong and self-reliant New India” and a symbol of service and dedication.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, he said with the parallel coordination of welfare of poor, good governance, development, national security and historical reforms, the Prime Minister has fulfilled his resolve to establish ‘Maa Bharti’ again at the top of the world.

Shah said all this has been possible only because of a decisive leadership and the firm faith of the people.

“The life of the creator of a safe, strong and self-reliant New India Narendra Modi is a symbol of service and dedication. For the first time after independence, by giving their rights to crores of poor, Modi has instilled a sense of hope and faith in them. Today, every section of the country is standing with Modi like a rock,” the Union Minister said.

In his tweet, Shah hailed the Prime Minister as the flag-bearer of Indian culture and “someone who has connected the country to its roots and led it forward in every field”.

He said that under Modi’s farsighted leadership, India has emerged as a world power and the Prime Minister has distinguished himself as a global leader.

In his message, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised Modi’s governance and leadership.

“Hearty congratulations and best wishes to the illustrious Prime Minister of India on his birthday. He has given unprecedented strength to progress and good governance in the country under his leadership and has given new heights to India’s prestige and self-respect all over the world,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP national president J.P. Nadda called Modi the “world’s most popular leader”, adding that the Prime Minister’s leadership has “given a new direction to the destiny and future of India”.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted a one-line greeting, saying: “Wishing PM Narendra Modi a happy birthday.”

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wished for the Prime Minister’s long and healthy life. “Birthday greetings to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji. Praying for your long and healthy life,” he said on Twitter.

To mark the Prime Minister’s birthday, the BJP has planned several events.

Nadda will inaugurate an exhibition on Modi’s life and leadership at the party headquarters in New Delhi.

But the most notable project planned for the day will take place in Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park where Modi will release eight African cheetahs from Namibia, into the wild.

A special Jumbo Jet Boeing 747 carrying the big cats landed at the Gwalior airport on Saturday morning.

Besides this, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to launch the National Logistic Policy at the Vigyan Bhawan later in the day.

PM releases wild Cheetahs in Kuno National Park, which had become extinct from India

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today released wild Cheetahs – which had become extinct from India – in Kuno National Park. Cheetahs – brought from Namibia – are being introduced in India under Project Cheetah, which is world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project. Out of the eight Cheetahs there are five female and three male Cheetahs.

The Prime Minister released Cheetahs at two release points in Kuno National Park. The Prime Minister also interacted with Cheetah Mitras, Cheetah Rehabilitation Management Group and students at the venue. The Prime Minister addressed the Nation on this historic occasion.

The release of wild Cheetahs by the Prime Minister in Kuno National Park is part of his efforts to revitalise and diversify India’s wildlife and its habitat. The cheetah was declared extinct from India in 1952. The Cheetahs that would be released are from Namibia and have been brought under an MoU signed earlier this year. The introduction of Cheetah in India is being done under Project Cheetah, the world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.

Cheetah

Cheetahs will help restore open forest and grassland ecosystems in India. This will help conserve biodiversity and enhance the ecosystem services like water security, carbon sequestration and soil moisture conservation, benefiting society at large. This effort, in line with the Prime Minister’s commitment to environmental protection and wildlife conservation, will also lead to enhanced livelihood opportunities for the local community through eco-development and ecotourism activities.

The historic reintroduction of Cheetahs in India is part of a long series of measures for ensuring sustainability and environment protection in the last eight years which has resulted in significant achievements in the area of environment protection and sustainability. . The coverage of Protected Areas which was 4.90% of the country’s geographical area in 2014 has now increased to 5.03%. This includes an increase in Protected Areas in the country from 740 with an area of 1,61,081.62 sq.kms. in 2014 to present 981 with an area of 1,71,921 sq.kms.

Forest and tree cover has increased by 16,000 square kms in the last four years. India is among few countries in the world where forest cover is consistently increasing.

Kuno national park

There has also been an increase in the number of community reserves. From just 43 in 2014 their numbers are more than 100 in 2019.

India is home to 52 Tiger Reserves covering approximately 75,000 Sq Km area in 18 States with  approximately 75% population of the wild tiger at global level. India achieved the goal of doubling the tiger numbers in 2018 itself, four years in advance from the targeted year 2022.  The Tiger Population in India has increased from 2,226 in 2014 to 2,967 in 2018.

The budgetary allocation for tiger conservation has increased from Rs 185 crore in 2014 to Rs 300 crore in 2022.

The population of Asiatic Lions has shown a steady increase with a population of 674 individuals with an increase rate of 28.87 per cent (one of the highest growth rates so far) from the 523 lions in 2015.

India now (2020) has 12,852 leopards as compared to the previous estimate of 7910 conducted in 2014. More than 60% increase in population has been recorded.

Governor, Madhya Pradesh Shri Mangubhai Patel; Chief Minister, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan; Union Ministers, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Shri Bhupender Yadav, Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia and Shri Ashwini Chobey were among those present on the occasion.

Putin tells Modi: “Want Ukraine war to end”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he is aware of India’s concerns over his country’s conflict with Ukraine, and wanted the war to end.

During the bilateral meeting between both the leaders on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Samarkand, Putin was quoted on Friday as saying, “I know about your position on the conflict in Ukraine, and I know about your concerns. We want all of this to end as soon as possible. We will keep you abreast of what is happening there.”The Russian President said this after Modi told him that “today’s time is not the time for war”. This was the first face-to-face meeting between Modi and Putin after Russia had attacked Ukraine in February this year.

Aadhaar authentication mandatory in E-auction of PM mementos, gifts

You will have to get verified through Aadhaar registration if you want to buy the memorable mementos and gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The e-auction is set to begin from Saturday.

A senior official of the Ministry of Culture said that Aadhaar authentication will be done to bring transparency in the auction of gifts and mementos. Aadhaar authentication was not necessary during last year’s auction.

To participate in this online auction, interested buyers have to register themselves on this portal and the registration is open to Resident Indians only.

Aadhaar /IANS

“To identify the authenticity of the buyer, Aadhaar authentication is being done during the registration process for both new buyers and those who have already registered in the portal. This Aadhaar authentication process is a one time process and only authenticated buyers can participate in the auction,” said an official of the ministry.

The buyer can participate in the auction by selecting the product listed for live auction. The highest bidder will be approved by the department for making payment.

The Ministry of Culture is organising the fourth edition of the e-auction of the gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is scheduled from September 17 to October 2.

Addressing the media on Friday, Union Minister of Culture G Kishan Reddy said, “In 2019 these items were auctioned for people by open bidding. That time 1805 gifts were put on auction in the first round, and in the second round 2772 gift items were put on auction. In 2021, also e-auction was organised in September and we had 1348 items on auction. This year approximately 1200 mementos and gift items have been put on e-auction. The display of the mementos has been done at the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi. These items can also be viewed on the website.”

Aadhaar card/IANS

Giving more details, the Union Minister said, “Mementos in the auction include exquisite paintings, sculptures, handicrafts and folk artefacts. Several of these are items customarily offered as gifts, such as traditional angavastrams, shawls, headgear, ceremonial swords. Other memorabilia of interest include replicas and models of the Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya and the Kashi-Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. We also have an exciting section of sports memorabilia”.

He said that Team India’s stellar performance at the Commonwealth Games 2022, the Deaflympics 2022 and Thomas Cup Championship 2022 earned us a place in history and a rich haul of medals. On auction are the memorabilia presented by the teams and winners of the sporting events. There are 25 new sports memorabilia in this edition of the auction, the minister disclosed.

Namami Gange: E-auction of 1200 prestigious, memorable mementos, gifts presented to PM Modi to begin tomorrow

E- auction of more than 1200 prestigious and memorable mementos and gifts presented to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi  to begin tomorrow. The e-auction will continue up to 2nd October, 2022.

PM Narendra Modi is the first ever Prime Minister of India, who has decided to auction all the gifts he receives for the noble cause of Namami Gange.

The Ministry of Culture is organizing the fourth edition of e- auction of prestigious and memorable gifts presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is scheduled from 17th September to 2nd October, 2022.

Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and DoNER, G. Kishan Reddy briefed the media about the upcoming auction. Minister of State for Culture and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Minister of State for Culture and External Affairs  Smt. Meenakashi Lekhi were also present during the briefing.

Briefing the media, Union Minister of Culture, Tourism and DoNER, G. Kishan Reddy said , “ In 2019 these items were auctioned for people by open bidding. That time 1805 gifts were put on auction in the first round, and in second round 2772 gift items were put on auction. In 2021, also e-auction was organised in September and we had  1348 items on auction. This year approximately 1200 mementos and gift items have been   put on e-auction. The display of the mementos have been done at the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi. These items can also be viewed on the website”.

Giving more details, the Union Minister said, “ Mementos in the auction include exquisite paintings, sculptures, handicrafts and folk artefacts. Several of these are items customarily offered as gifts, such as traditional angavastrams, shawls, headgears, ceremonial swords. Other memorabilia of interest include replicas and models of the Shri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya and the Kashi-Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi. We also have an exciting section of sports memorabilia”. Union Minister said that team India’s stellar performance at the Commonwealth Games 2022, the Deaflympics 2022 and Thomas Cup Championship 2022 earned us a place in history and a rich haul of medals. On auction are the memorabilia presented by the teams and winners of the sporting events. There are 25 new sports memorabilia in this edition of auction, the minister disclosed.

Union Minister G.K Reddy added, “Narendra Modi is the first ever Prime Minister of India, who has decided to auction all the gifts he receives for a noble cause of conserving the lifeline of the country- the river Ganges through Namami Gange. I urge everyone to participate in the auction liberally and contribute towards the noble mission”.

On the occasion, Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “In the last auction people from every state and origin participated in the auction actively”. The minister also urged people this year to participate in the auction of prestigious and memorable gifts presented to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

Meenakashi Lekhi highlighted the significance of various momentos presented to the Prime Minister and how the e-auction offers an exceptional occasion to the people to contribute to Namami Gange.

To make the visit even more enjoyable, guided tours in general and guided tours in sign language for the hearing impaired have been arranged. Catalogues in braille will also be made available for the visually challenged. The display area will be open to the public from 17th September to 2nd October and is free for all. The funds raised through the auction will contribute to a worthy cause, the Namami Gange Programme, the flagship project that seeks to conserve and rejuvenate our National River, Ganga.

General public can participate in the e-auction by logging on / registering on this link-

https://pmmementos.gov.in

Decades long wait will end, 8 wild African cheetahs from South Africa to arrive on Friday

Sep 15 (IANS) After waiting for seven decades for the fastest moving wild animal cheetah, India will finally receive the first batch from South Africa by Friday afternoon. A special Jumbo Jet Boeing 747 plane, having all arrangements for specially housing eight cheetahs for 16 hours journey to Rajasthan capital Jaipur, landed in Namibia capital Windhoek on Thursday.

Officials in Madhya Pradesh forest department told IANS that the aircraft with the eight cheetahs, including five females and three males (among them two male siblings) will land in Jaipur on Friday. Thereafter, the fastest moving animals will be flown from Jaipur to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday morning, three to four hours before the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive in Sheopur district for the memorable birthday.

Windhoek: An Indian aircraft touches down in the Land of the Brave to carry goodwill ambassadors to the Land of the Tiger, in Windhoek, Namibia on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. The flight will receive cheetahs to be brought to Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park. PM Narendra Modi will be present in the park on Sept 17 for the reintroduction.

PM Modi will celebrate his 72nd birthday in style – by releasing the cheetahs into Kuno National Park. “A 10-feet high platform has been put up for the PM at Kuno National Park. Cheetahs will be housed in a six-foot cage below that platform. The PM will turn a lever to open the sliding gates of the cage and release the cheetahs in the enclosure created for them,” officials privy with the project said.

After releasing the cheetahs, PM Modi will address ‘Cheetah Mitras’ (friends of cheetahs surrounding villages). These Cheetah Mitras have been tasked with educating people living in some 45 villages near the national park, about how to handle the big cats, should any stray into their neighbourhood.

The cheetahs will be quarantined in a special enclosure for a month after being released in the Kuno National Park. Once the mandatory isolation is over, they will be moved to a larger enclosure for around three months, before being freed in the jungles of the 748 square km Park.

Besides releasing the cheetahs, the Prime Minister will also grace the women self-help groups Sammelan being organised at Karahal in the same Sheopur district. The Sammelan will be attended by women Self Help Group (SHG) members/community resource persons that are being promoted under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

During the programme, the Prime Minister will also be inaugurating four Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) skilling centres under PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

PM Narendra Modi to visit Madhya Pradesh on 17th September to release wild Cheetahs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Madhya Pradesh on 17th September. At around 10:45 AM, Prime Minister will release Cheetahs in Kuno National Park. After that, at around 12 Noon, he will participate in SHG Sammelan with women SHG members/community resource persons at Karahal, Sheopur.

  • PM to release wild Cheetahs – which had become extinct from India – in Kuno National Park.
  • Cheetahs – brought from Namibia – are being introduced in India under Project Cheetah, which is world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.
  • Bringing Cheetahs back to India will help in the restoration of open forest and grassland ecosystems and also lead to enhanced livelihood opportunities for the local community.
  • In line with the Prime Minister’s commitment towards environment protection and wildlife conservation.
  • Prime Minister to participate in SHG Sammelan at Karahal, Sheopur.
  • Thousands of women SHG members/community resource persons to attend the Sammelan.
  • PM to also inaugurate four Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups skilling centres under PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

PM at Kuno National Park

The release of wild Cheetahs by the Prime Minister in Kuno National Park is part of his efforts to revitalise and diversify India’s wildlife and its habitat. Cheetah was declared extinct from India in 1952. The Cheetahs that would be released are from Namibia and have been brought under an MoU signed earlier this year. The introduction of Cheetah in India is being done under Project Cheetah, which is world’s first inter-continental large wild carnivore translocation project.

Cheetah

Cheetahs will help in the restoration of open forest and grassland ecosystems in India. This will help conserve biodiversity and enhance the ecosystem services like water security, carbon sequestration and soil moisture conservation, benefiting the society at large. This effort, in line with the Prime Minister’s commitment towards environment protection and wildlife conservation, will also lead to enhanced livelihood opportunities for the local community through eco-development and ecotourism activities.

Kuno national park

PM at SHG Sammelan

Prime Minister will participate in the SHG Sammelan being organised at Karahal, Sheopur. The Sammelan will witness the attendance of thousands of women Self Help Group (SHG) members/community resource persons that are being promoted under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM).

During the programme, Prime Minister will also be inaugurating four Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) skilling centres under PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana.

DAY-NRLM aims at mobilising rural poor households into SHGs in a phased manner and provide them long-term support to diversify their livelihoods, improve their incomes and quality of life. The Mission is also working towards empowering the women SHG members through awareness generation and behaviour change communication on issues like domestic violence, women’s education and other gender related concerns, nutrition, sanitation, health etc.

President Murmu to represent India at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in London

New Delhi, Sep 14 (IANS) President Droupadi Murmu will represent India at the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London on September 19.

Murmu will be visiting London from September 17 to 19 to offer condolences on behalf of the Government of India.

Queen Elizabeth, the former head of state of the UK and Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, passed away on September 8.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away, Charles III becomes UK’s new King

President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences at the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited the British High Commission in New Delhi on September 12 to convey India’s condolences. India also observed a day of national mourning on Sunday (September 11).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted, “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be remembered as a stalwart of our times. She provided inspiring leadership to her nation and people. She personified dignity and decency in public life. Pained by her demise. My thoughts are with her family and people of UK in this sad hour.”

“In the 70 years of reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, India-UK ties have evolved, flourished and strengthened immensely. She played an important role in the welfare of millions of people around the world as Head of the Commonwealth,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Modi makes telephone call to new UK PM [Details]

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on phone today with The Rt. Hon. Elizabeth Truss, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

PM Modi congratulated PM Truss on assuming the office of the Prime Minister of UK. He also appreciated her contributions to the India-UK bilateral relationship in her previous roles as Trade Secretary and Foreign Secretary. Both leaders committed to further strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and UK.

The two leaders discussed various issues of bilateral interest including the progress in the implementation of the Roadmap 2030, ongoing FTA negotiations, defence & security cooperation, and the people-to-people ties between both countries.

 

On behalf of the people of India, Prime Minister Modi conveyed deep condolences to the Royal family and the people of UK on the sad demise of Queen Elizabeth II.

 

 

PM pays condolences over the demise of renowned archeologist Braj Basi Lal

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has paid his condolences after the demise of renowned archeologist Shri Braj Basi Lal.

The Prime Minister tweeted;

“Shri BB Lal was an outstanding personality. His contributions to culture and archaeology are unparalleled. He will be remembered as a great intellectual who deepened our connect with our rich past. Pained by his demise. My thoughts are with his family and friends. Om Shanti.”

Narendra Modi has paid his condolences
over the demise of Braj Basi Lal

 

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva calls on President Murmu

Ms Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called on the President of India, Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (September 9, 2022).

Welcoming Ms Georgieva to Rashtrapati Bhavan, the President said that the world is passing through the third year of the Covid pandemic. She noted that significant assistance has been provided to many low-income countries by multilateral institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank. She said that IMF has to play an important role in maintaining the stability of the International Monetary System.

The President said that today, India is one of the fastest growing major economies of the world. India’s start-up ecosystem ranks high in the world. The success of start-ups in our country, especially the growing number of Unicorns, is a shining example of our industrial progress. What is even more gratifying is that the development of our country is becoming more inclusive and regional disparities are also reducing. The basic mantra of today’s India is compassion – compassion for the downtrodden, compassion – for the needy and compassion – for the marginalized.

President Droupadi Murmu (PIB)

Speaking about the upcoming G-20 Summit in India in 2023, the President said that multilateral cooperation in the G-20 should be based on the principles of inclusion and flexibility, keeping in mind diversity. She expressed confidence that during India’s presidency, the G-20 Forum will move forward with an aspiration to make efforts to further strengthen multilateralism and global governance, in the direction of building a peaceful, sustainable and prosperous world for all.

 

India to mourn on Sept 11 as mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II

As British Queen Elizabeth II passed away on 8th September 2022, India has declared one day State Mourning on September 11 as a mark of respect to her.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away, Charles III becomes UK’s new King

On the day of Mourning, the National Flag will be flown at half mast throughout India on all buildings where the National Flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day.

Award Of Meritorious service medal(military) to Admiral Sunil Lanba(Retd) by Singapore Govt

Singapore President  Halimah Yacob conferred the prestigious Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) [Meritorious Service Medal (Military)] on Admiral Sunil Lanba (Retd), the former Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy. Dr Ng Eng Hen, Defence Minister of Singapore presented the award to Admiral Sunil Lanba (Retd), on behalf of the President, in a solemn Investiture Ceremony, held on 08 Sep 22 at the Ministry of Defence, Singapore.

The award is a recognition of strong bilateral defence ties between India and Singapore as well as stellar contribution of Adm Sunil Lanba to strengthen the engagements between the two Navies. During his tenure as the Chief of Naval Staff, the Indian Navy hosted the 25th edition of Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) at Visakhapatnam in Oct 2018. Adm Sunil Lanba (Retd) fondly recalled having hosted Dr Ng Eng Hen, Defence Minister of Singapore along with Rear Adm Lue Chuan Hong, the then Chief of Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy onboard INS Shakti for the concluding day of the Sea Phase of the Exercise. During the sea phase the Defence Minister of Singapore and other dignitaries witnessed, first hand, the level of interoperability achieved by the two Navies wherein high end operational manoeuvres including live missile firings were executed successfully by participating ships, aircraft and submarines of both navies.

Under the leadership of Adm Sunil Lanba, several milestone defence agreements were also signed between the two Navies, including the Bilateral Agreement on Navy Cooperation and Mutual Logistics Support Agreement. Adm Lanba also hosted the inaugural Goa Maritime Conclave in 2017, in which Singapore is one of the participants. During his term as the Chief of Naval Staff, Adm Lanba had attended the International Maritime Review (IMR) commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), the International Maritime and Defence Expo (IMDEX) and the International Maritime Security Conference, co-hosted by the RSN alongside IMDEX-Asia in May 2017.

During his visit to Singapore to receive the Award, Adm Sunil Lanba (Retd) also held interactions with Lt Gen Melvyn Ong, Chief of Defence Force, Singapore Armed Forces and Rear Adm Aaron Beng, Chief of Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy. During these interactions, Adm Lanba complimented the leadership of Singapore for sustaining the momentum of bilateral engagements and shared views on new avenues of cooperation.