Tag: Narendra Modi

Morning Digest: Modi, Gotabaya speak over telephone ahead of Geneva vote; Health Minister says pollution contributes to spread and virulence of SARS-CoV-2 infections, and more

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Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed “topical developments” during a telephone call on Saturday, an official press release said, just over a week before a crucial vote on Sri Lanka at the U.N. Human Rights Council, where Colombo has sought New Delhi’s support.

There is emerging evidence to suggest that exposure to ambient air pollutants, especially PM2.5 and NO2, contribute to the spread and virulence SARS-CoV-2 infections, said Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Saturday, while inaugurating the new green campus of Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) National Institute for Research in Environmental Health (NIREH), at Bhopal.

North Korea has not responded to behind-the-scenes diplomatic outreach since mid-February by President Joe Biden’s administration, including to Pyongyang’s mission to the United Nations, a senior Biden administration official told Reuters on March 13.

Politics seems to sit very well on Kamal Haasan. A ‘newbie’ in politics, this veteran of cinema, is comfortable with the new skin he wears. He says he hit the ground running with the launch of his party, the Makkal Needhi Maiam, in 2018, and he’s been running since. Things are hectic, possibly more than ever, but his demeanour says “relaxed” and “confident”. Here, he discusses, with The Hindu his ideology, reasons for choice of candidates, caste-politics in Tamil Nadu and missing his long-time friend Rajinikanth’s company in politics.

Sri Lanka will soon ban the burqa or face veil, a Cabinet Minister said on Saturday, as he announced the Rajapaksa administration’s latest policy decision impacting the minority Muslim community.

AIADMK leader and Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniwami on Saturday said the Puthiya Tamilagam (PT), which was in the forefront of the agitation to classify seven Dalit sub-sects under the common title ‘Devendrakula Velalar’ and to be delisted from the Schedule, has left the ruling alliance.

Eight months after the rebellion of former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, the discontent simmering in the ruling Congress in Rajasthan has come to the fore through three MLAs from the eastern parts of the State.

Just within six months of Srinagar being declared a militants-free zone, the J&K police on Saturday released a list of nine “wanted militants”, with seven recruits identified from the city and operating from the capital.

As Haryanvi singer Ajay Huda croons “Zindabad kisani, zindabad jawani”, his latest song on farmers’ protests, sons of farmers break into a jig at the Bhojpur panchayat called by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) against the contentious farm laws.

The BJP on Saturday joined the Valley-based Muslim religious organisation in condemnation of Shia leader Waseem Rizvi’s move to approach the Supreme Court to seek removal of 26 verses of the Quran, a holy book central to the faith of Muslims across the world.

China is no longer compliant with Hong Kong’s joint declaration after Beijing announced sweeping changes to the region’s electoral system, Britain said on Saturday. “The U.K. now considers Beijing to be in a state of ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The contradictions began even before a ball was bowled. A day after India skipper Virat Kohli had stated that Rohit Sharma and K.L. Rahul would be the first-choice opening pair, the team management decided to rest Rohit for the first T20 in Ahmedabad on Friday.

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PM Modi Asks BJP MPs to Turn ‘Facilitators’ For ‘Seva Hi Sangathan’ Vaccination Campaign

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In the parliamentary party meeting of the BJP on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi directed MPs to ensure they work towards increasing the scope of the Covid-19 vaccination drive and act as “facilitators” and “help people”.

The BJP has launched the hashtag “#SevaHiSangathan”, which has also been translated in various languages apart from Hindi and English. Through the campaign, the BJP karyakartas learn about the steps they need to take to aid people in the vaccination process.

Some of the instructions on the campaign is to go to door-to-door and sensitise citizens about the eligibility criteria of vaccination in the ongoing phase. Ministers have also been instructed to help people with registration on Co-Win and Aarogya Setu app and set up help desks at vaccination centres and in public places.

The MPS are needed to ensure clean drinking water at vaccination facilities and run awareness programmes through various social media platforms, share photographs of the vaccination of eminent personalities to encourage the general population.

All public representatives must play an active role in this massive vaccination drive and organise video conferences at various levels to kick start the program within a week’s time.

Senior party leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Dr Anil Jain, have also taken meetings with various state leaders to tell them how to go about this renewed vaccination drive.

A few MPs like Bangalore South representative Tejasvi Surya and Kutch MP Vinod Chavda have started taking such initiatives and have shared the pictures on Twitter.

On Tuesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that “encouraging people to vaccinate themselves as India fights covid should be considered as one of the greatest services to humanity and not a mere job.”

In the second phase, India is looking to innoculate close to 27 crore people, including senior citizens above 60 of age and people 45 years and above with certain comorbidities.

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Quad Meet an Extension of India’s Philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ as Democratic Values Unite Us, PM Modi Tells US, Oz, Japan

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The Quad has come of age and its agenda covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies makes it a force for global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the first summit of the coalition. In his opening remarks, he also talked about shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

“We are united by our democratic values, and our commitment to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Our agenda today covering areas like vaccines, climate change and emerging technologies makes the Quad a force for global good,” he said. The virtual summit was attended by US President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

“I see this positive vision as an extension of India’s ancient philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which regards the world as one family,” Modi said. “We will work together, closer than ever before for advancing our shared values and promoting a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said.

The prime minister said the holding of the summit shows that the Quad has come of age and it will now remain an important pillar of stability in the region. In his remarks, Biden said there was a need to focus on generating domestic demand and driving sustainable global growth. He also talked about having an ambitious new joint partnership that is going to boost vaccine manufacturing and strengthen vaccinations to benefit the entire Indo-Pacific region.

“We are establishing a new mechanism to enhance our cooperation and raise our mutual ambition as we address accelerating climate change,” he said. The US president also mentioned the commitment to ensure that the region is governed by international law and it is free from coercion.

“I am optimistic about our prospects,” he said. The most significant among the deliverables envisaged in the summit is a coronavirus vaccine initiative that will allow new manufacturing capacity to be added in India for exports to the Indo-Pacific region, sources said.

President Joe Biden said on Friday that a “free and open Indo-Pacific is essential” to all and the US was committed to working with its partners and allies in the region to achieve stability. Biden also described the Quad as a new mechanism to enhance cooperation and raise mutual ambition as the member states address accelerating climate change.

“A free and open Indo-Pacific is essential to each of our futures, our countries,” Biden told the top leaders of the Quadrilateral alliance, which has been often projected in the Chinese official media as an alliance against China’s rise. This is a group particularly important because it is dedicated to the practical solutions and concrete results,” he said at the virtual summit, which is the first conclave of the top leaders of the Quad.

“We know our commitments…Our region is governed by international law, committed to all the universal values and free from coercion but I am optimistic about our prospect, he said, in an apparent reference to China which is flexing its muscles in the strategically vital region. “The Quad is going to be vital in our cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and I look forward to looking closely to working with all of you in the coming years,” Biden told the Quad leaders as he requested Prime Minister Modi to speak.

“It’s great to see you,” Biden, who is attending the summit less than two months after he took charge as US President, told Prime Minister Modi. The other Quad leaders expressed similar excitement and willingness to collaborate in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked President Biden for brining in the four nations together and said that ”history teaches us that we are nations engaged together in a partnership of strategic trust of common hope and shared values, much can be achieved. Stating that it will be the Indo-Pacific which will now shape the destiny of the world in the 21st century, Scott said that “as leaders of four great liberal democracies in Indo-Pacific let our partnership be the enabler of peace, stability and prosperity.”

Morrison said it was important to do so inclusively with the many nations in the region in order to respect and support their sovereignty, independence and security by upholding the values and supporting international law and to address many challenges from COVID to climate change. He said that Australia was ready to look into these tasks and do its share of heavy lifting.

Earlier, Morrison dubbed the meet as “a historic meeting of four leaders from these nations, which are such close friends. “There have been meetings of foreign ministers. There have been many other meetings. But when governments come together at the highest level, this shows a whole new level of cooperation to create a new anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific and working with important other partners in the region, and particularly the ASEAN nations and their view of the Indo-Pacific that so much informs our own,” he said.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga recalled the 2004 Tsunami disaster when Quad first member states came together. “We received massive support from the US, Australia, and India in our response to the disaster. Joe visited the affected area soon after the disaster, and I think you once again,” he said.

Known as the “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, representatives for the four member nations have met periodically since its establishment in 2007. The Quad member states have been resolving to uphold a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.

The foreign ministers of the Quad countries held a virtual meeting on February 18 during which they vowed to uphold a rules-based international order underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes. The evolving situation in the Indo-Pacific region in the wake of China’s increasing military muscle-flexing has become a major talking point among leading global powers. The US has been favouring making Quad a security architecture to check China’s growing assertiveness.

The foreign ministers of the Quad member nations met in Tokyo on October 6 last year and reaffirmed their collective vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The Quad foreign ministers held their first meeting under the Quadrilateral or Quad framework in New York in September 2019.

In November 2017, India, Japan, the US and Australia gave shape to the long-pending proposal of setting up the Quad to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence.

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Union minister Smriti Irani attacks Congress over women legislators pulling Hooda’s tractor | India News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: The BJP on Thursday attacked the Congress over its leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda riding a tractor which women legislators of his party pulled with ropes to protest against the rise in fuel prices, and asked if women in a political organisation be treated as “bonded labourers”.
Union minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani said it was “absolutely shocking” to see the former Haryana chief minister sitting calmly on a tractor while having woman members of his party pulling it physically.
“I understand he wants to protest. I understand he wants to make a political statement but should that be done at the cost of women? This is irrespective of our politics. Can women in political organisations, esp the scene we saw in this protest by the Congress, be treated as bonded labourers. It is shocking no male member of the Congress even intervened to stop that,” Irani said here.
Taking a swipe at Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Irani, who is women and child development minister, said her silence also speaks volumes about how the women in her party are reduced to tasks that even men refuse to do.
Noting that Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar expressed his anguish at the protest on the floor of the state assembly, Irani said it was ironical that on the one hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for celebrating female potential and enterprise on the International Women’s Day and on the other, Hooda reduced their stature and compelled them to pull a tractor atop which he sat.
This he did for a “family enterprise” called the Congress, she said, noting that the incident had happened on the International Women’s Day on March 8.
Asked if she had any demand, Irani quipped “Should not they (Congress) have been conscientious enough to act on their own”.
Khattar had turned emotional while criticising the protest, saying he could not sleep all night due to the visuals.
“This treatment to women MLAs was worse than bonded labour,” he had said in the state assembly on Tuesday.
Hooda had defended this, saying it was women who were feeling the pinch of the rising prices of cooking gas and other essentials.
However, Khattar said if he had to protest, he should have pulled the tractor.
On this, Hooda said, “The government has turned a blind eye to the pain of women who are sitting with farmers protesting on borders against farm laws. Power connections were cut at the protest site, you cannot see their pain.”

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We give free rice, let Modi give free LPG: Mamata | India News – Times of India

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KOLKATA: Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hit the streets of Kolkata on International Women’s Day, walking from College Street to Esplanade and tugging at women voters’ heartstrings while urging them not to vote for a party that has made “managing household budgets so difficult”.
“How do you feel when you get food rations free but have to spend Rs 900 to cook that food?” she said after leading a women’s rally. “We give free rice. Let him (PM Narendra Modi) give free gas,” she added, tearing into Modi for starting his regular Bengal visits just before the election to vilify the state and “spread canards” about it.
She appealed to Bengal’s “mothers and sisters” to give a befitting reply to the “pack of lies” being spread by “Modi babu” and “Shah-da” (Union home minister Amit Shah) on the safety and security of women in Bengal. “Jotoi koro jumla, jabab debe Bangla (Bengal will give an answer to your falsehoods),” Mamata said.

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PLI scheme likely to boost India’s manufacturing output by $520 billion in 5 years: PM Modi

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The Prime Minister said the government is working to reduce compliance burden, further improve ease of doing business and cut down logistics costs for the industry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said production linked incentive (PLI) scheme, which is aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing and exports, is expected to increase the country’s production by $520 billion in the next five years.

Addressing a webinar on PLI scheme, organised by Department of Industry and International Trade (DPIIT) and NITI Aayog, through video conference, Mr. Modi said the government is continuously carrying out reforms to boost domestic manufacturing.

In this year’s Budget, about ₹2 lakh crore was earmarked for the PLI scheme for the next five years and “there is an expectation that the scheme would result in increasing the production by about $520 billion in the next five years”, he said.

He added that there is also an expectation that the current workforce in the sectors, which will avail the benefits of the PLI scheme, will be doubled and job creation will also increase.

The Prime Minister said the government is working to reduce compliance burden, further improve ease of doing business and cut down logistics costs for the industry.

“An average of 5% of production is given as incentive. This means that PLI schemes will lead to production worth USD 520 billion in India in the next five years,” he said.

Mr. Modi said that over the past 6-7 years, several successful efforts have been made to encourage ‘Make in India’ at different levels.

He stressed on the need to take a big leap, as well as increase the speed and scale to boost manufacturing as it would increase employment generation in the country.

The Prime Minister said the government is working at every level to promote the industry through measures like ease of doing business, reducing the compliance burden, creating multi-modal infrastructure to reduce logistics costs, and constructing district-level export hubs.

“Our effort is to reduce over 6,000 compliance burden (for industry),” he said.

The government, he said, believes that its interference in everything creates more problems than solutions and “therefore, self-regulation, self-attesting, self-certification are being emphasised”.

“We have to attract cutting-edge technology and maximum investment in the sectors related to our core competency,” he added.

Underlining the difference between the earlier schemes and those of the current government, the Prime Minister said that earlier industrial incentives used to be open ended input-based subsidies, now they have been made targeted and performance based through a competitive process. About PLI benefits, he said 13 sectors have been brought under the ambit of the scheme and it would benefit the entire ecosystem associated with these sectors.

“With PLI in auto and pharma, there will be very less foreign dependence related to auto parts, medical equipment and raw materials of medicines. The energy sector will be modernised in the country with the help of advanced cell batteries, solar PV modules and specialty steel,” he said adding the PLI for the textile and food processing sector will benefit the entire agriculture sector.

Mr. Modi added that recently approved PLI scheme in IT hardware and telecom equipment manufacturing will lead to tremendous increase in production and domestic value addition.

“IT hardware is estimated to achieve Rs 3 lakh crore worth production in four years and domestic value addition is expected to rise from current 5-10 per cent to 20-25 per cent in 5 years,” he said adding similarly telecom equipment manufacturing will witness an increase of about Rs 2.5 lakh crore in five years.

“We should be in a position to export worth Rs 2 lakh crore from this,” the Prime Minister said.

In the pharma sector, he said, there is an expectation of more than Rs 15,000 crore investment in the next 5-6 years under PLI, which will lead to Rs 3 lakh crore in pharma sale and export increase of worth Rs 2 lakh crore.

Further, he said trust has increased in Indian medicines, medical professionals and equipment across the world and to honour this trust, the pharma sector should work on chalking out a long-term strategy to take advantage of this.

Even during the pandemic, mobile phones and electronic components sector saw a fresh investment of about ₹1,300 crore and created thousands of new jobs, he added.

The Prime Minister also stated that the United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets and more than 70 countries came to support India’s proposal and unanimously accepted it in the UN General Assembly.

“This is also a big opportunity for our farmers,” he said and urged the industry to start a worldwide campaign in 2023 on the nutritional potential of millets or coarse grains to protect people from getting sick.

The demand for millets at the domestic market and abroad will increase rapidly with this announcement and this will greatly benefit Indian farmers.

He also urged the agriculture and food processing sector to take full advantage of this opportunity.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s updated ‘Exam Warriors’ to hit stands soon

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NEW DELHI: The new and updated edition of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Exam Warrior”, including mantras for parents, awareness on crucial topics like mental health, role of technology and time management, will hit the stands this month, announced Penguin Random House India on Friday.

Touted to be a wholesome and inspirational guide for anyone who considers life an endless learning experience, the latest version also takes into account the effects of the pandemic, the disruptions, the uncertainties, the sudden shift to a ‘new normal’, read a statement issued by the publishing house.

“The pandemic gave me the opportunity to take out some time to add new mantras in the new edition of Exam Warrior. Now it has few mantras for parents, as well as a lot of interesting activities related to the Narendra Modi App, which will help ignite the ‘Exam Warrior’ in students,” said PM Modi while announcing the new edition of the book at his last ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme on February 28.

According to the publishers, the new edition proposes a systematic approach to tackling challenges “students face outside and inside classrooms, touching upon diverse themes such as competing with oneself, discovering oneself, time management, technology, gratitude and goal setting”.

“This edition will also have a special impactful address from the author and our honourable Prime Minister for the educators and teachers, thanking them for their service and sharing some insights that will lead them to give their students an immersive and enriching learning experience,” it added.

“Exam Warriors”, first published in 2018, was written by PM Modi to help young students deal with the stress of exams. Published in 15 languages, its Braille version was launched on World Braille Day (January 4) in 2020.



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At Tamil Nadu Rally, Rahul Calls PM Modi ‘Formidable Enemy,’ Slams CM Palaniswami for ‘Surrender’

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi a ‘formidable enemy’ who ‘crushed’ his opponents and vowed to send him to political oblivion by following the path of love and non-violence. Accusing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami of ‘bowing’ and ‘surrendering’ to the Prime Minister, Gandhi, addressing public meetings and road shows said the CM does not work for Modi but the people of the state.

“I don’t care if the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has a history of corruption. I want to know why he does not stand up to Narendra Modi,” he said. Rahul Gandhi is touring southern Tamil Nadu for the second day today as part of his second leg of campaign for the April 6 Assembly polls. Congress is an ally of the main opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu and BJP is a partner of the ruling AIADMK.

During an interaction with professors at the St Xavier College here, Gandhi said he counted on people’s support to defeat the BJP. When a participant wanted to know if Gandhi felt it was possible to nudge the Modi government to implement his ‘good ideas’ rather than waiting to assume power which seemed ‘Utopian’, he said it could be done with the ‘powerful’ and ‘valuable’ support of the people.

It was important to dream big, though some of it may not come true, he said in an obvious reference to snatching the reins of power from the BJP at the Centre. Continuing, he said, “yes we are fighting a formidable enemy (Modi). We are fighting an enemy that is dominating the money in this country. We are fighting an enemy that is crushing its opponents. But we have done this before. We have defeated a much bigger enemy (British) than this new enemy that has come.” Recalling the country’s independence movement, he said the Britishers were much more powerful than Modi would ever be.

“Who is Narendra Modi in comparison to the British empire? Nobody.. People of this country sent the British empire back and in the same way we will send Narendra Modi back to Nagpur (RSS headquarters in Maharashtra),” he said. Apparently, he meant that Modi would go into political oblivion after defeat by the Congress with people’s support.

Gandhi said this would be achieved without any hatred, anger or violence towards PM Modi or his party even if they may ‘abuse’ or unleash ‘violence’ against them. Former Chief Minister and Congress stalwart K Kamaraj implemented the mid-day meal scheme for school children after listening to the voice of the people and later that plan was replicated by the rest of the nation, the Lok Sabha MP said.

Though economists initially dubbed it a bad idea, later they changed their stand and welcomed it as a good initiative. “That is the type of leadership we want (in Tamil Nadu).

A leader who listens to and believes in the wisdom of the people.” A most important trait for such a leader should be a commitment to defend Tamil language, culture and tradition, the Congress leader said. “We do not want somebody who sells out the people of TN.

That is the main issue in the election.” If Palaniswami wanted people’s votes, he should stop bowing and surrendering in front of Modi and rather surrender himself to the people and he should only then solicit the support of the general public, he said. The Congress leader said he looked forward to a state government that worked for the poorest people and realised Tamil Nadu’s full potential and yet again be a model for the rest of the nation.

Alleging Modi remote-controlled Palaniswami, the Congress MP said the Prime Minister does not understand that he cannot control Tamil Nadu through the Chief Minister. Only the people determined their future, he said. “When PM says that one history, one culture, and one language should dominate this country, he insults every single Tamil person.” India is home to several religions, languages and cultures and Modi should respect diverse cultures and faiths.

Palaniswami should not accept Modi’s views on Tamil Nadu,’ he said apparently reiterating his accusation that the Prime Minister slighted Tamil and its culture. Interacting with salt pan workers, he alleged that disparity in wealth distribution has become much stronger during the BJP rule at the Centre.



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PM Modi Asks Toy Manufacturers to Use Less Plastic, More Eco-friendly Material

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday exhorted toy manufacturers to use less plastic and more eco-friendly and recyclable material in a bid to increase the share of the domestic industry in the global market. Inaugurating the first India Toy Fair, the Prime Minister said, “We have to become Aatmanirbhar in the toy sector and also cater to the global market”.

Observing that India’s share in the USD 100 billion global toy market is very small, and 85 per cent of the toys in the country are sourced from abroad, Modi said there is a need to change this situation. “In the field of toys, India has tradition and technology, India has concepts and competence. We can take the world back towards eco-friendly toys. Through our software engineers, computer games can bring the stories of India to the world,” he said.

While referring to the traditional toy industry, the Prime Minister underlined the need for promoting Handmade in India. If there is a demand for Made in India today, then the demand for Handmade in India is also increasing equally, he said, adding “today people do not only buy toys as a product, but also want to connect with the experience associated with that toy. So, we have to promote Handmade in India as well”.

The Prime Minister appealed to the manufacturers to make toys that are better for both ecology and psychology, using less plastic and more of such things that can be recycled. Referring to the initiatives of the government, Modi said the country has now graded the toy industry in 24 major sectors.

The National Toy Action Plan has also been prepared, he said, adding, “it has included 15 ministries and departments to make these industries competitive, the country to become self-reliant in toys, and India’s toys also go into the world. Throughout this campaign, state governments have been made an equal partner in developing the toy clusters”. He said along with this, efforts are made to strengthen the possibilities of toy tourism. Toyathon-2021 was also organised to promote Indian sports-based toys and more than 7,000 ideas were brainstormed.

The Prime Minister also used the occasion to interact with traditional toymakers from Chennapatnam, Varanasi and Jaipur and impress upon them the need to innovate and make toys more relevant keeping in view the changing taste of children. More than 1,000 exhibitors participated in the Toy Fair 2021, which will continue till March 2.

The first toy fair is not just a business or economic event, he said, adding that it seeks to strengthen the country’s age-old culture of sports and cheer. This toy fair is one such platform where one can discuss toy design, innovation, technology, marketing and packaging and also share their experiences, he said, adding the world has done research on toys from the era of Indus Valley civilisation, Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.



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‘Are Poll Dates Announced As Per Modi’s Suggestion?’: Mamata Questions 8-phase Bengal Elections

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Questioning the eight-phase assembly elections in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she suspects the dates were announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for better management of the BJP’s poll campaign.

Addressing a press conference at her residence in Kalighat, Banerjee said the Election Commission should not look at the state “through the eyes of the saffron camp” — a reference to the BJP.

“With all due respect to the Election Commission, I want to say that questions are being raised on why elections will be held in so many phases in Bengal while other states will be voting in one phase. If EC doesn’t provide justice to the people, where will the people go,” she said, adding that despite “all these tricks”, she will win the elections.

”I have information from my sources that the poll dates are similar to the ones BJP wanted. Have the dates been announced as per the suggestions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah? The PM and the home minister cannot misuse their power for the state elections,” she added.

Banerjee said she is the daughter of the state and knows Bengal better than the BJP, exuding confidence about her party Trinamool Congress winning the elections.

The first phase of polling in West Bengal will be on March 27, the second phase on April 1, the third phase on April 6 and the fourth on April 10. The fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth phases will be held on April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29, respectively.

The EC will appoint two special observers for Bengal and a third can also be sent if required, said Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora in response to queries on whether enough arrangements are in place for the polls in the state where many have been raising questions about political violence.

Responding to questions on the increased number of phases in Bengal, Arora said when the EC assesses the law and order situation, it is based on several factors. “After all the elections to West Bengal (assembly) in 2016 was in seven phases. The Lok Sabha was in seven phases. So, seven to eight (phases) is not such a big deal because we also have to see the movement of forces, we also have to see the current charges and counter-charges (by political parties),” he said.

“We have to kind of find a way out. That is why we are sending two expenditure observers to Tamil Nadu and two police observers to West Bengal,” he explained.



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