I'll do in 50 months what others failed to do in 50 years, PM Modi says in Varanasi

September 18, 2015

Varanasi, Sep 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi mocked opposition for raising questions against his ambitious Jan Dhan Yojana and asked, "Those who kept poor away from banking facilities even after four decades of nationalization of banks are seeking account of such a scheme of government which has brought Rs 30,000 crores cash in rotation in a record time."

modiWhile addressing a function of rickshaw distribution in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi on Friday, PM not only indirectly targeted the previous Congress-led governments referring to the popular slogan of 'Garibi Hatao' but also expressed his commitment of doing the task in 50 months what they failed to do in 50 years.

"Main hairan hoon, jinhone ek bhi khata nahi khola who hisab maang rahe hai ki khate operate nahi ho rahe hain. Main yeh batane ayah un ki jo kaam apne 50 saalon mein nahi kiya, main who 50 mahino mein karunga" (I am surprised that those who did not open a single account in bank are showing their concern that the accounts are not being operated properly. I am here to tell them that what they failed to do in 50 years, I will do in 50 months), he said.

Continuing attack on Congress Modi during his 18 minutes speech, said, "We have been hearing the slogan of 'Garibi hatao' for 40-50 years, but nothing concrete was done to eliminate poverty. Garibon kim mala japate rahane ki ek parampara ban gayi hai, isase bahar ane ki jaroorat hai. (Chanting only poverty mantra had become a tradition, there is a need to come out of it), he said adding that the country has not received desired results from whatever experiments had been done so far for poverty elimination. "I do not want to blame any government or party, but it is the need of the hour to make a new beginning for the welfare of the poor," he said and appealing the poor to send their wards to schools at any cost as education is the only best option to fight poverty.

Regarding ambitious skill development programmes of his government PM said, "How a little support to develop skill of hardworking poor is developing confidence among them was evident when I talked to some of beneficiaries here. A rickshaw puller has become aware about the works `skill development' and its importance. Carry on this programme at broader scale as the same rickshaw pullers and auto drivers creates first impression on any tourist or visitor hence their training how to behave with guests is also equally important."

Earlier, the sunny weather allowed Modi to reach his parliamentary constituency timely following cancellation of his two previous visits on June 28 and July 16 due to heavy rains.

The governor Ram Naik and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav welcomed the PM at LBS International Airport after his special flight landed. Later, PM reached Cantonment to address the function in which he distributed 101 e-rickshaw, 501 bicycle rickshaw, packages under Jan Dhan Yojana, solar lanterns to rickshaw, pushcart and street vendors. Later, he left for DLW to attend other events by chopper.

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Agencies
August 6,2020

Mumbai, Aug 6: Former Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan said on Thursday that overly focusing on what sovereign rating agencies think can take one's eyes off what needs to be done for the economy.

"It is also important to convince both domestic and international investors that after the crisis associated with the pandemic is over, we will return to fiscal responsibility over the medium term, and the government should do more to convince them of that," Rajan told the Global Markets Forum.

India was placed under one of the strictest lockdowns in the world in late March for more than two months to stem the spread of the coronavirus, but cases have continued to rise steadily since the government eased restrictions in June, stymieing hopes of an economic recovery.

The government has announced several initiatives to help the poor and small- and medium-size businesses, but actual cash outgo from the government's measures has been estimated at just about 1% of GDP.

Several attribute the fiscal prudence to fear of a downgrade after Moody's cut India's rating and outlook in early June followed closely by a change in outlook from Fitch.

The central bank on its part too has reduced the key lending rate by 115 basis points on top of the 135 bps last year and is widely expected to cut rates by another 25 bps later on Thursday.

"The RBI and government have certainly been cooperating, but it seems like it is elsewhere, the ball is in the government's court to do more," Rajan said.

He said the RBI needs to focus on whether credit is reaching the stressed areas of the economy and also if the viable firms were able to access credit and not the unviable ones.

"And I think that's where it has to focus its attentions, because resources, as you well know, are limited in India today."

Recently analysts, however, have cited the growing possibility the RBI may prefer to pause and cut rates only at its October meeting.

Government officials too have suggested the possibility of any more fiscal stimulus being announced, would only come in the second half of the fiscal year, once a recovery has taken root and coronavirus cases have peaked.

"What India should focus on at this point is protecting its economic capabilities, so that when it has dealt with the virus it can go resume activity in a reasonable way. That should be the focus," Rajan said.

"And if it does that, there is no reason why the rating agencies will not see that as an appropriate policy".

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Agencies
February 26,2020

Hyderabad, Feb 26: Hyderabad Police on Tuesday registered a case against well-known poet Imran Pratapgarhi for his statement asking why there was "no Shaheen Bagh in Hyderabad".

According to Charminar Police, the complaint was registered by Sub-Inspector S Guruswamy, who was on duty at the QQ Stadium on February 24 where an Ehtaji Mishaira (Poetry Program) against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register Commission and National Population Register was held.

Permission for the said event was granted by Hyderabad Additional Commissioner of Police to the program organisers with certain guidelines including that poetry program should be held on February 24 from 6 pm to 9 pm, and no speaker should give provocative speeches in the program.

However, police said that the program was started by the organisers at 6 pm and continued till 9:48 pm even after police officers asked them to end the event by 9 pm. The program was attended by around 3,000 members at QQ stadium.

According to police, while addressing the meeting Pratapgarhi said: "Mujhe hairath hai us Hyderabad mein koi Shaheen Bagh kyu nahi hai (I am surprised why there is no Shaheen Bagh in Hyderabad)", which is "provocative" and may cause fear to any section of the public.

In this regard, a case has been registered against organisers for disobeying public servants' orders and the poet has been booked for delivering provocative statements under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Further investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Mohammed Ali Shabbir took to Twitter to condemn the police action.

"Hyderabad Police booked a case against poet Imran Pratapgarhi for expressing surprise on why there is no Shaheen Bagh in Hyderabad. For police, this sentence is provocative. Is Shaheen Bagh not a part of India?," Shabbir tweeted.

"Shame on TRS Government and Hyderabad Police for targeting a poet for no-fault," he added.

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News Network
June 3,2020

Jun 3: Emphasising that airlines are clearly the safest mode of transportation, IndiGo CEO Ronojoy Dutta on Tuesday said there is no evidence yet of coronavirus infection getting transmitted among passengers onboard an aeroplane.

His comments against the backdrop of instances of some passengers, who had taken flights after resumption of domestic air services on May 25, testing positive for coronavirus.

"Those people had the virus before they got on to the aeroplane. What is noteworthy is that they have done the tracing after that. There is no evidence of transmission onboard there... that is a very encouraging sign on the safety of airline travel," he said during an earnings call.

According to him, airlines are clearly the safest mode of transportation and there is no evidence yet of contamination on an aircraft.

"You can come in contaminated but so far there is no evidence of passing it on to a fellow passenger," he noted.

Amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, aviation regulator DGCA has asked airlines to ensure that to the extent possible, middle seat in flights should be kept empty.

In this regard, Dutta said the airline would keep the middle seat empty wherever it can and "where we have to fill the middle seat, we will have the extra protective gown".

To a query about possible hedging of fuel prices, he said it would be a dumb idea and that airlines adjust to ups and downs in fuel prices.

"I can't overemphasise what a dumb idea it will be for an airline to hedge fuel prices. I looked at it from different angles and it is not a good idea... we looked at hedging and we talked about it at the board level and we said no," he noted.

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