Irani takes charge of Textiles; says new role shows PM's faith

July 6, 2016

New Delhi, Jul 6: hunted out of HRD Ministry, Smriti Irani today put up a brave face saying her new Textiles portfolio signified the "faith" shown by the Prime Minister and the party in her capacity to perform.irani copy

Talking to reporters after taking charge of the new portfolio, she side-stepped questions about BJP president Amit Shah being behind her shift saying it is not individuals but the party who takes such decisions.

Asked if the move was to give her more time to focus on next year's assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, she quoted a line from a popular Hindi song, "Kuchh toh log kahenge logon ka kaam hai kehna" (people are bound to say things because it is their job to say something).

"I am happy that I have been given an opportunity especially when a special package (of Rs 6,000 crore for the apparel segment) has been announced for the sector. This signifies that my party and especially the Prime Minister has faith that I have the capacity to implement the roadmap that was projected through the Cabinet for the rest of the country," Irani said.

She said she was hopeful that the much-awaited new national textile policy "will soon see the light of day".

Asked about reports that Shah was behind the move to shift her to Textiles, Irani retorted that "it is not the individual that plans (such moves) it is the party".

Earlier in the day, she tweeted on her tenure in HRD, which was marred by controversies, "In last 2 years, all initiatives of @HRDMinistry have been towards increasing learning outcomes for students and improving quality of education."

"I thank officials from @HRDMinistry for the consistent support in realising PM @narendramodi's vision of ensuring quality education for all," she said in another tweet.

About her new portfolio, Irani vowed to strengthen textile and apparel sectors and said her efforts will be primarily directed towards skill development and engaging more youngsters.

"We will ensure that the weavers who are the bedrock of this Ministry get full support in order to enhance their incomes," she said.

In yesterday's Union Cabinet expansion, Irani lost her Human Resources Development Ministry to Prakash Javadekar and was moved to the Textiles Ministry. Santosh Gangwar, Minister of State for Textiles, has been made MoS (Finance).

Irani congratulated Gangwar on the initiatives taken by the Textiles Ministry during his tenure. Last month, the government had approved a Rs 6,000-crore package for the textile and apparel sector.

"Congratulated @santoshgangwar ji for his contribution to @TexMinIndia & thanked him for assuring his support as I begin my new assignment," she said.

"Look forward to working with officials at @TexMinIndia for strengthening the very important Textile & Apparel Sector of our country."

Irani preferred to sidestep questions on controversies surrounding her tenure in the HRD Ministry and said: "I feel your (media's) heavy presence here at the Textiles Ministry shows that you and I will continue to be together."

Asked about her critics saying that she has been demoted, Irani shot back by saying: I will only say that possibly there isn't much understanding of a sector which has the largest potential to employ and skill and potential to now scale up the Prime Minister's dream of Make in India.

Highlighting the significance of her new portfolio, Irani said she was "grateful" that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given her an opportunity to work for the textile sector, which is the largest employer in the country after agriculture and predominantly engages with women.

"I am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to serve in the sector. I recognise that it is one of the sectors that has been undertaken under the Make in India campaign of the Prime Minister. I am hopeful that the emphasis with regards to better engagement with industry in order to facilitate growth in exports will be the cornerstone of our efforts here.

"Also we will ensure that the weavers, who are the very bedrock of this Ministry, get full support in order to expand their incomes and to pass on the heritage and the culture ingrained in the textile sector onto the next generation.

Irani said she was aware of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to give a boost to the textile sector," Irani said.

"I am happy that Prakash Javadekar will further Prime Minister's vision in the (HRD) Ministry," Irani said.

Prakash Javadekar, who has assumed charge as the new HRD Minister, met Irani earlier in the day.

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Agencies
August 4,2020

Ayodhya, Aug 4: Ramarchan puja begins at Ram Janmabhoomi site ahead of the foundation laying ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
Ramarchan Puja is a prayer to invite all major gods and goddesses ahead of Lord Ram's arrival.

Mahesh Bhagchandka, one of the trustees of Ashok Singhal foundation as Yajman in the puja said, "This is being conducted at the temporary seat of Ramlalla. The pooja will be conducted in four phases."

Speaking about the third and fourth phases, he said: "In the third phase, Dashrath, father of Lord Ram with his wives will be worshipped and then all three brothers of Lord Ram - Laxman, Bharat and Shatrughan with their wives. Lord Hanuman ji will too be worshipped. Whereas in the fourth phase, Lord Ram will be worshipped."
Meanwhile, security has been heightened in Ayodhya ahead of the foundation laying ceremony.

Temples across the city is decorated with lights, diyas and flowers ahead of the grand event. Patna's Mahavir Mandir Trust is preparing over 1.25 lakh 'Raghupati Laddoos' for the occasion. Thes laddoos will be distributed as 'prasad' to devotees.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday offered prayers at the Hanuman Garhi temple during his visit to Ayodhya to take stock of the preparations for the 'bhoomi pujan'.
He along with officials also visited 'Ram ki Paudi' to inspect the arrangements ahead of the foundation stone laying ceremony.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on August 5. 

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News Network
July 5,2020

New Delhi, Jul 5: World's largest, 10,000-bed Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre and Hospital (SPCCCH) at Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Chhatarpur area of the national capital has made operational on Sunday.

Inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijal, the facility has been created on an emergency basis by the South Delhi District Administration with support of the Ministry of Home Affairs in a record time of 10 days.
Notably, this coronavirus treatment centre which is set up in Chhatarpur area of the national capital is said to be the "largest" of its kind in the world.
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"The Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre and Hospital has been developed to help the citizens of Delhi and NCR who are affected by the coronavirus. Our team of doctors and medical staffs will take care of this facility. Sardar Patel COVID Care Centre and Hospital will have 10 per cent of beds with oxygen facility," the Delhi LG said after the inaugural.
Talking about the facilities at the new coronavirus centre, Baijal further stated, "We have counsellors for mentally traumatised patients. We have a team of good psychiatrists and specialists in medicine."

The facility will function as an isolation centre for mild and asymptomatic COVID positive patients. 10 per cent of the beds will have oxygen facility in case the patient develops severe breathlessness and requires tertiary hospital care, read a statement.

Operationally, the facility has been linked to the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital and Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital. The referral tertiary care hospitals are Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.

ITBP will be running the first 2,000 beds with their 170 doctors/specialists and more than 700 nurses and paramedics, the statement added.
Most of the basic infrastructure such as beds, mattresses and linen has been donated by various civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations. 

A recreational centre has been made available to the patients along with a library, board games and skipping ropes. People admitted to the facility will be provided five healthy meals a day along with immunity-boosting chawanprash, juices and hot kadha, the statement added.

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News Network
June 19,2020

Jun 19: Ten Indian Army soldiers including four officers were released by the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Friday capping three days of hard negotiations that followed the bloody battle at the eastern Ladakh’s Galwan valley on Monday.

The 10 jawans returned around 5.30 PM on Friday to Patrol Point 14 (PP-14) after Indian team leader Major Gen. Abhijit Bapat, the commanding officer of the Third Div made it clear to the Chinese that there couldn’t be any progress in the disengagement talks unless the soldiers were returned safely.

Asked to comment on the release of Indian soldiers, the Indian Army maintained silence. The force released a brief statement on Thursday stating that all its men were accounted for.

However, the extent of the brutal clash can be gauged from the fact that 76 Indian Army soldiers are still in the hospital out of which 58 soldiers have “minor injuries” and “should be back on duty within a week”, according to Army sources.

Return of the Indian soldiers has been the main point of negotiations for the last two days. The situation is now calmer at areas near PP-14 in the Galwan valley after the return of Indian soldiers even though large numbers of troops from both sides are still present in the area.

Meanwhile analysis of satellite images has revealed a large presence of Chinese troops in the northern banks of Pangong Tso, a disputed territory for years.

“In the past month, Chinese forces have become an overwhelming majority in the disputed areas (on the north bank of the 135 km long lake). Significant positions have been constructed between Fingers 4 and 5, including around 500 structures, fortified trenches and a new boat shed over 20 km further forward than previously. More structures appear to be under construction,” says a report published in the Strategist, the journal of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

“The scale and provocative nature of these new Chinese outposts is hard to overstate: 53 different forward positions have been built, including 19 that sit exactly on the ridge line separating Indian and Chinese patrols,” says the report, accompanied by satellite images showing overwhelming PLA presence.

The June 6 Corps Commander level meeting between the Indian and PLA armies did not result in a solution to the contentious muscle flexing by the Chinese on the shores of the Pangong lake. The meeting ended with the conclusion that more Lt Gen level talks between the two armies were needed to resolve such issues.

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