Modi at Varanasi, assures region's development

November 7, 2014

Modi at Varanasi Varanasi, Nov 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said that he will work for "improving the living conditions of the poor and developing the region" as he laid the foundation stone of a Rs.200 crore Trade Facilitation Centre here.

This is Modi's maiden visit to the city after becoming the prime minister. "I believe in doing rather than making tall claims. You have expressed faith in me and showered me with love.

"I can assure the people of Kashi that I will never let them down and to the best of my abilities work for improving the living conditions of the poor and developing the region," said Modi who flew down Friday on a two-day visit to Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency.

Arriving in an air force chopper at the venue Bada Lalpur, the prime minister first went around a handicrafts exhibition where pottery, wooden toys, paintings, Banarasi sari, meenakari and carpets were at display.

Modi then laid the foundation stone of the Rs.200 crore Trade Facilitation Centre, spread over eight acres.

The centre would offer facilities from availability of raw material to sale and export facilities for the final product.

After seeing a model of the proposed centre, Modi suggested some changes to Minister of State for Textiles Santosh Gangwar.

He later laid the foundation of a Powerloom service centre and a crafts museum, which too will be part of the trade facilitation centre. Addressing the gathering, the prime minister said this was a beginning of his dream for Varanasi.

Referring to the immense potential of handicraft in Varanasi and eastern UP, Modi said after agriculture, the textile sector offered the maximum employment.

Calling for tapping of this potential and using the craft strategically for availing the trade opportunities in the world, Modi said that while he will make no big announcements during his maiden visit to Varanasi and he would ensure that there is no dearth of funds for various projects which will be set rolling in the time to come.

He also stressed on the need of technology upgrade and assimilation of the e-business environment in their trade arena.

He was received at Babatpur airport by Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Modi had a brief chat with Yadav on the tarmac.

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India would not discriminate among religions, we are not a theocratic country like Pakistan: Rajnath Singh

News Network

January 22,2020

New Delhi, Jan 22: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said Indian values consider all religions equal, and that is why the country is secular and never became a theocratic state like Pakistan.

Speaking at the NCC Republic Day Camp in Delhi, Singh said: "We (India) said we would not discriminate among religions. Why did we do that? Our neighbouring country has declared that their state has a religion. They have declared themselves a theocratic state. We didn't declare so."

"Even America is a theocratic country. India is not a theocratic country. Why? Because our saints and seers did not just consider the people living within our borders as part of the family, but called everyone living in the world as one family," the minister said.

Singh underlined that India had never declared its religion would be Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist and people of all religions could live here.

"They gave the slogan of 'Vasudev Kutumbakam' -- the whole world is one family. This message has gone to the whole world from here only," he added.

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Very thoughtful and eye-catching statement by Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh.

Sir, I kindly request you to convey this beautiful message to your Party’s comrades, who are deprived of this dosage for long times and are badly need of this.

Also, for those from your Party, who are, time and again, spitting the venomous rhetoric against Dalits, Muslims, Christians and others alike.

Yashwant Sinhaji is now doing a wonderful job in this regard.

You will also follow his suit for sure in the days to come; that’s what your honest statement indicates.

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India's 2020 gold demand may hit 26-year low as prices rally: WGC

Agencies

July 30,2020

New Delhi, Jul 30: India's gold demand in 2020 is expected to fall to the lowest level in 26 years with domestic bullion prices hitting a record high and as falling disposable incomes could curtail retail purchases, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Thursday.

Lower demand by the world's second-biggest bullion consumer could limit a rally in global prices, which hit a record high earlier this month, although it could also reduce India's trade deficit and support the ailing rupee.

"Fast rising gold prices could act as headwinds," said Somasundaram PR, the managing director of WGC's Indian operations.

Local gold futures have jumped 35% so far this year after rising a quarter in 2019.

India's gold consumption in the first half of 2020 plunged 56% on-year to 165.6 tonnes. Meanwhile, the coronavirus-triggered lockdown also slashed demand by 70% in the June quarter to 63.7 tonnes, the lowest in more than a decade, the WGC said in a report published on Thursday.

Millions of Indians have lost their jobs or taken a pay cut after the country imposed a lockdown on its 1.3 billion people to curb the spread of the virus that has infected more than 1.5 million Indians.

Consumption is generally high during the June quarter due to weddings and key festivals such as Akshaya Tritiya, but lockdown restrictions kept shoppers indoors this year.

The weak demand in the first half could drag down India's gold consumption in 2020 to the lowest since 1994, when demand stood at 415 tonnes, Somasundaram said, adding that it is still difficult to provide an estimate for full-year demand as the coronavirus crisis is still unfolding.

"Indian demand has previously jumped as much as 300 tonnes in a quarter. Latent demand could come out in the second half," Somasundaram said.

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Test for coronavirus should be conducted free of cost, SC suggests

News Network

April 8,2020

New Delhi, Apr 8: The Supreme Court on Wednesday suggested that all tests to identify coronavirus positive patients should be conducted free of cost and asked the Central government to look into creating a mechanism for providing reimbursement for the same.

A bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan, while hearing a PIL via video-conferencing, suggested that the test should be conducted free of cost in the identified private laboratories and said that the court will pass appropriate order on the matter.

The apex court was hearing a PIL filed by lawyer and petitioner Shashank Deo Sudhi seeking direction to the Centre and other respective authorities to provide free of cost the testing facility for COVID-19 to all citizens in the country.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that 118 laboratories were doing 15,000 test capacity per day and added that 47 private laboratory chains have also been involved for the same.

During the hearing, the court asked the Centre to ensure private labs don't charge a high amount for the test and suggested that the government can create an effective mechanism for reimbursement from the government for tests.

Mehta said that they will look into the suggestion and will try to devise what can be done best.

Sudhi, on the other hand, submitted that testing of coronavirus is very expensive and therefore the Central government should take all necessary steps to provide free of cost the testing facility for COVID-19 kits and others to all citizens in the country.

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