Narendra Modi, BJP MPs to observe fast to protest budget session washout

Agencies
April 11, 2018

New Delhi, Apr 11: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will observe a day-long fast on Thursday along with all members of Parliament (MPs) of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to protest against the recent washout of the second half of the budget session of Parliament.

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has blamed the opposition led by Congress party for the washout. The budget session was the worst session in terms of productivity in the last 18 years.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi will observe a day-long fast on 12 April but he will continue with his official engagements. He will continue to clear the files and hold regular meetings,” said a senior BJP leader aware of the plan. BJP president Amit Shah will hold a meeting in Hubli, Karnataka, to protest against the state’s Congress government.

Speaking at centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi’s fast at Champaran in Bihar on Tuesday, Modi alleged that opposition parties were creating hurdles for the NDA while it was working for the upliftment of financially weaker sections.

“From the streets to Parliament, roadblocks are being created in the government’s work. While the government is working towards uniting people and their hearts, some opponents are working towards breaking up society,” said Modi.

Without naming any political party, Modi said there are people who don’t want any improvement in the condition of the poor as they feel it would become difficult to mislead financially weaker sections if the government succeeds in its efforts to uplift the poor.

Modi also reiterated the need to end the menace of caste, religious differences and corruption, and said that these issues were affecting society and weakening the country.

“We have to eradicate the problems affecting our society which are weakening the country. We have to build a new India which is free from corruption, caste differences and religious divide. The entire country is one big family, we have to work together, only then we would be able to pay respects to the people who fought for the independence of the country,” Modi said.

Modi’s remarks come at a time when the country has witnessed protests by Dalits against the alleged dilution of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Several organizations working for the rights of Dalits organized a nationwide protest on 2 April.

The Prime Minister also praised the Bihar government under chief minister Nitish Kumar and said the state government would never compromise on corruption and would continue making honest efforts for the betterment of the people.

Comments

Kalimama
 - 
Wednesday, 11 Apr 2018

one of the lofar PM ever india had, completly chitiya man.

MAX
 - 
Wednesday, 11 Apr 2018

Modiji Fasting ke waqt jhoot bolna bhi mana hai

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News Network
May 15,2020

New Delhi, May 15: The World Bank on Friday approved $1 billion 'Accelerating India's COVID-19 Social Protection Response Program' to support the country's efforts for providing social assistance to the poor and vulnerable households, severely impacted by the pandemic.

This takes the total commitment from the World Bank towards emergency COVID-19 response in India to $2 billion.

A $1 billion support was announced last month to support India's health sector.

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic around the world has required governments around the world to introduce social distancing and lockdowns in unprecedented ways, said Junaid Ahmad, World Bank Country Director in India in a webinar interaction with the media.

These measures, intended to contain the spread of the virus have, however, impacted economies and jobs – especially in the informal sector. India with the world's largest lockdown has not been an exception to this trend, he said.

Of the $1 billion commitment, $550 million will be financed by a credit from the International Development Association (IDA) – the World Bank's concessionary lending arm and $200 million will be a loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), with a final maturity of 18.5 years including a grace period of five years.

The remaining USD 250 million will be made available after June 30, 2020.

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News Network
June 3,2020

Mumbai, Jun 3: With an expected increase in wind conditions up to 120 kilometres, cyclone Nisarga is likely to make landfall on the north coast of Maharashtra later today, as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday.

"Wind conditions will further increase up to 100-110 gusting to 120 kmph as conditions are favourable for intensification. The higher sea surface temperature and low vertical wind shear favoured the intensification of severe cyclonic circulation," said IMD in a series of tweets.

Explaining the nature of wind speed, IMD further tweeted, "Eye diameter is about 65 km as observed through Radar. thus the diameter has decreased during past 01 hours indicating intensification of the system. hence wind speed has increased from 85-95 kmph to 90-100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph."

Several National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed across Maharashtra to ensure preparedness for the impending cyclone. A total of eight teams have been deployed in Mumbai, five teams in Raigad, two teams in Palghar, Thane, and Ratnagiri and one team in Sindhudurg, said NDRF.

Besides, five NDRF teams were airlifted by IL-76 from Vijaywada for Mumbai on June 2, as per the Indian Air Force (IAF)

"Around 60 per cent of people, from the coastal areas around this area, have gone to their relatives' places. The remaining ones have been sent to the evacuation centre. We have also taken into account the COVID-19 guidelines and ensured social distancing," NDRF officer Shiv Parada Rao, deployed with his team in the Dahanu area, spoke to ANI.

"From the information we have received cyclone Nisarga is likely to hit here by tonight. The exact time is not confirmed yet. We are taking all preparedness measures to tackle the situation," he added.

NDRF teams also conducted evacuation in Alibaug during the early hours on Wednesday morning, as per NDRF Director General SN Pradhan.

As per the 5 am bulletin released by IMD, cyclone Nisarga was heading towards north Maharashtra coast at a speed of 11 kmph. It was about 200 km South -SouthWest of Alibag and about 250 km south-southwest of Mumbai at 2.30 AM today, stated the bulletin.

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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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