PM Modi strengthens his Team with Experience, Expertise and Energy

1.     The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has decided to expand his Council of Ministers by inducting 19 new Ministers.

2.     The selection framework clearly laid out by the Prime Minister was to bring in doers and performers who would deliver on his vision of Development and Good Governance, and further his central priority of Gaon, Garib andKisan.

3.     The expansion comes after an exhaustive whetting and selection process to find the best talent. People were assessed on the value they would bring to the Union Council of Ministers.

4.     This marks a firm departure from the usual routine of frequent changes based on caste, religion and other time serving political considerations – and is a firm endorsement of the brand of Developmental politics that the Prime Minister champions.

A diverse range of factors were considered:

5.     Professional Expertise - new Ministers were identified from various walks of life, who would bring to bear their unique rich experience and expertise to their office:

o   Mr. PP Chaudhary is senior Supreme Court advocate with over 4 decades of experience in constitutional litigation

o   Mr. Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre is a well known doctor with a super specialisation in cancer surgery

o   Mr. MJ Akbar is a veteran editor and internationally acclaimed journalist

o   Mr. Arjun Ram Meghwal is a former government officer from Rajasthan with rich administrative experience

o   Mr. Anil Madhav Dave has published multiple books in Hindi and is active in Narmada River Conservation

6.     State Government Experience - State leaders having a hands-on understanding of State and Local-level reality have been identified in particular:

o   Mr. Ramesh Jigajinagi – has been Cabinet Minister of Home in Karnataka

o   Mr. Purshotam Rupala – has been Cabinet Minister of Agriculture in Gujarat

o   Mr. Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor – has been Minister of Tribal Affairs and Rural Development in Gujarat

o   Mr. Mahendra Nath Pandey – has been Minister of Urban Development in Uttar Pradesh

7.     Central Government Experience:

o   Mr. Faggan Kulaste – has been MoS for Tribal Affairs in Govt of India

o   Mr. Vijay Goel – has been MoS for Youth Affairs and Sports in Govt of India

8.     Youth Dynamism – fresh talent has been identified to bring their own fresh perspective and exuberance:

o   Mrs. Anupriya Singh Patel – comes with a strong academic base (LSR + MBA) as well as strong organisational skills

o   Mr. Mansukh Mandaviya – has spent a long time in Gujarat’s agricultural sector, including heading Gujarat Agro-Industries Corporation

9.     Political Experience - political veterans have been identified to leverage on their decades of experience and understanding:

o   6 term MP + 1 term MLA – Mr. Faggan Singh Kulaste

o   5 term MP + 3 term MLA – Mr. Ramesh Jigajinagi

o   5 term MP – Mr. SS Ahluwalia

o   4 term MP – Mr. Vijay Goel and Rajan Gohain

10.            Education – people with strong academic backgrounds have been inducted:

o   Mr. Mahendra Nath Pandey – has a PhD from Banaras Hindu University

o   Mr. Subhash Ram Rao Bhamre – has a Super Specialisation in cancer surgery

o   Mr. CR Chaudhary – studied rural development at University of Birmingham

11.            Social Diversity – people from all communities and social backgrounds have been brought in:

o   ST – 2 leaders (Mr. Jaswant Sinh Bhabhor & Mr. Faggan Singh Kulaste)

o   SC – 5 leaders (Mr. Ajay Tamta, Mr. Ramdas Athalwale, Mr. Arjun Ram Meghwal, Mr. Ramesh Jigajinagi & Mrs. Krishna Raj)

o   Minority – 2 leaders (Mr. MJ Akbar & Mr. SS Ahluwalia)

o   Women – 2 leaders (Mrs. Anupriya Singh Patel & Mrs. Krishna Raj)

12.            Geographic Diversity – leaders have been pulled in from all corners of India:

o   The 19 Ministers come from more than 10 states - UP, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Assam

The new Ministers are going to be strategically deployed to further the priority areas of the Government. 

Narendra Modi Biography

Narendra Modi is best known for rising from humble beginnings to become prime minister of India.

Synopsis

Narendra Modi grew up poor in northern India, the son of a street merchant. He entered politics as a youth and quickly rose through the ranks of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist political party. In 2002, he was alleged to be responsible for the deaths of more than 1,000 Muslims during civil unrest, but he was later exonerated. In 2014 he was elected prime minister of India.

Early Life

Narendra Modi was born in the small town of Vadnagar, in northern Gujarat, India. His father was a street merchant who struggled to support the family. Young Narendra and his brother sold tea near a bus terminal to help out. Though an average students in school, Modi spent hours in the library and was known as a strong debater. In his early teens, he joined Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist political party. 

A Life Dedicated to Politics

He dedicated his life to politics in Gujarat, joining the RSS in 1971. During the 1975-77 political crisis, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency, banning political organizations such as the RSS. Modi went underground and wrote a book, Sangharsh ma Gujarat(Gujarat in Emergency), which chronicles his experiences as a political fugitive. In 1978, Modi graduated from Delhi University with a degree in political science and completed his master’s work at Gujarat University in 1983.

In 1987, Narendra Modi joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which stood for Hindu nationalism. His rise through the ranks was rapid, as he wisely chose mentors to further his career. He promoted privatization of businesses, small government and Hindu values. In 1995, Modi was elected BJP national secretary, a position from which he successfully helped settle internal leadership disputes, paving the way for BJP election victories in 1998.

The Gulbarg Massacre and Alleged Complicity

In February 2002, while Modi served as chief minister of Gujarat, a commuter train was attacked, allegedly by Muslims. In retaliation, an attack was carried out on the Muslim neighborhood of Gulbarg. Violence spread, and Modi imposed a curfew granting police shoot-to-kill orders. After peace was restored, Modi’s government was criticized for the harsh crackdown, and he was accused of allowing the killings of more than 1,000 Muslims. After two investigations contradicted one other, the Indian Supreme Court concluded there was no evidence Modi was at fault.

Narendra Modi was reelected chief minister of Gujarat in 2007 and 2012. Through those campaigns, Modi's hard-line Hinduism softened and he spoke more about economic growth. He is credited with bringing prosperity and development to Gujarat and is seen as a corrupt-free and efficient administrator. However, some say he has done little to alleviate poverty and improve living standards. 

Elected Prime Minister

In June 2013, Modi was selected to head the BJP’s 2014 election campaign to the Lok Sabha (the lower house of India’s parliament), while a grassroots campaign was already in place to elect him prime minister. Modi campaigned hard, portraying himself as a pragmatic candidate capable of turning around India’s economy. In May 2014, he and his party were victorious, taking 282 of the 534 seats in the Lok Sabha. The victory marked a crushing defeat to the Indian National Congress, which had controlled Indian politics for most of the previous 60 years, and sent a message that India’s citizens were behind an agenda of radical change.

Greetings on National Technology Day by PM

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has greeted citizens on National Technology Day.

“Greetings to our citizens on National Technology Day.

Best wishes to all citizens, especially our outstanding scientists and technology enthusiasts on National Technology Day. Lets further increase the use of technology in our daily lives and use technology to bring a positive difference in our society. Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan! ”, the Prime Minister said.

PM reviews drought and water scarcity situation at high level meeting with Madhya Pradesh CM

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today chaired a high level meeting on the drought and water scarcity situation in parts of Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, was present in the meeting. Senior officials from the Government of India, and the State of Madhya Pradesh, were also present.

Initiating the discussion, the Prime Minister said he is holding separate meetings with Chief Ministers of the drought-affected States, to assess the specific requirements of each, and to focus attention on both immediate and long term measures.

An amount of Rs. 1875.80 crore has been released to the State under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), after adjustments of the State balances. This is in addition to Rs 657.75 crore released as central share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for 2015-16 to the State. A further amount of Rs. 345.375 crore has been released as first instalment of SDRF for 2016-17.

The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister for his initiative to hold meetings with all drought-affected States. Apprising the Prime Minister of steps being taken for drought relief, he said that 61 lakh farmers have been given a total of Rs. 4664 crore as relief assistance. This is the highest ever in the State of Madhya Pradesh.

The Chief Minister further said that due to preparatory steps taken over the last ten years, the State was relatively well placed to tackle the drought. These steps included creation of water storage structures. He said that despite the second successive year of deficient monsoon, transportation of water is required only in 113 villages. Even if it does not rain till the end of June, this number will be only around 400 villages out of approximately 50,000 villages. He also said that the State is giving highest priority to the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana.

The Chief Minister also outlined the preparations for implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister discussed various agriculture measures including micro-irrigation, use of liquid fertilizer, use of space technology, and focus on building farm ponds.

The Prime Minister and the Chief Minister discussed strategies to increase awareness about water conservation and storage, and involving the youth organizations such as NCC, NSS, NYKS, and Scouts and Guides, in these activities. They discussed enhanced steps for tree plantation and protection in the catchment area of the River Narmada.

The meeting ended with a resolve on the part of the Centre and State to work together.

PM reviews drought and water scarcity situation at high level meeting with Uttar Pradesh CM

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today chaired a high level meeting on the drought and water scarcity situation in parts of Uttar Pradesh. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Akhilesh Yadav, was present in the meeting. Senior officials from the Government of India, and the State of Uttar Pradesh, were also present. Initiating the discussion, the Prime Minister stated that the Centre and States have to work together to mitigate the problems faced by the people due to the drought. He also called for focus on medium and long term solutions for drought-proofing.

The Prime Minister stressed on the use of technologies like remote sensing and satellite imaging for planning of water conservation and recharge structures. The need to change cropping patterns based on scientific advice, use of drip and sprinkler irrigation, and fertigation for increasing water use efficiency, community participation, especially women, for better water management, was stressed. The Prime Minister also called for treated urban waste water to be used for farming in the adjoining areas. He mentioned the need to monitor delivery of water through tankers in the affected areas, using technology such as GPS.

The meeting also discussed how best the period before the upcoming monsoon can be utilized for water conservation and recharge efforts. This includes efforts at desilting, recharging of rivers, check dams and other water storage mechanisms.

The Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister of efforts undertaken for mitigation of problems faced by people because of drought conditions. These include provision of drinking water, food to the needy in Bundelkhand, employment, water and fodder for cattle, and efforts for long and medium term solutions. He further said that the State has undertaken preparatory steps to implement the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in right earnest.

The State shared the action plan for revival and restoration of 78,000 water-bodies including tanks, ponds, and farm ponds; one lakh new water-bodies and recharge structures. This will be achieved by utilizing funds available in schemes such as MNREGA and Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana.

An amount of Rs. 934.32 crore has been released to the State under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), after adjustments of the State balances. This is in addition to Rs 506.25 crore released as central share of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for 2015-16 to the State. A further amount of Rs. 265.87 crore has been released as first instalment of SDRF for 2016-17.

The State has submitted a fresh memorandum on 5th May, 2016 for assistance for the Rabi 2015-16 season. The Prime Minister directed that the process be completed, and assistance be provided without delay.

The NITI Aayog also outlined the steps taken already for the release of funds under the Bundelkhand package.

The Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister for this meeting, which he said was a welcome development, given the acute problems being faced by people on account of water shortage, especially in the Bundelkhand region.

The meeting ended with a resolve on the part of the Centre and State to work together.

PM reviews drought and water scarcity situation at high level meeting with Maharashtra CM

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today chaired a high level meeting on the drought and water scarcity situation in parts of Maharashtra. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri Devendra Fadnavis, was present in the meeting. Senior officials from the Government of India, and the State of Maharahtra, were also present.

Initiating the discussion, the Prime Minister stated that the Centre, States, Local Bodies, NGOs and citizens have to work together to resolve the problems posed by drought. He also called for focus on medium and long term solutions for drought-proofing.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of increasing water use efficiency through drip and sprinkler, stating that drip irrigation in sugarcane increases the quality of sugar. The Chief Minister of Maharashtra said that the State Government is working on a plan to ensure that 100 per cent of the sugarcane growing area in Maharashtra comes under drip irrigation in three years.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need to adopt a judicious mix of traditional and modern water conservation and storage mechanisms. He said that a lot can be learnt from the water management practices and measures adopted by Chhatrapati Shivaji. The Chief Minister stated that the State is working to rejuvenate the water-bodies of that era.

The Chief Minister informed that good progress has been made in preparatory works for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

The Prime Minister also called for modern solid and liquid waste management practices in urban areas, which could yield enhanced water and organic fertilizer availability in adjoining rural areas.

The Chief Minister informed the Prime Minister that the State is focusing on Climate Resilient Agriculture; and has proposed a Climate Resistant Agriculture Modernization Project for a World Bank loan, to ensure water security at the farm level. He thanked the Government of India for expeditiously recommending this project to the World Bank.

The Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister about the progress of the Jal Yukt Shivar Abhiyan for water conservation and storage. He said the State has set a target of 51,500 farm ponds for Financial Year 2016-17, which may be scaled up further, in view of the enthusiastic response of farmers.

The Chief Minister also explained the State’s efforts to complete critical irrigation projects in the Marathwada and Vidarbha regions in a time-bound manner. He also spoke of the work done to bring more farmers under the umbrella of institutional credit.

The Chief Minister also informed about the efforts towards “doubling farm incomes and drought-free Maharashtra.”

Appreciating the efforts of the State Government, the Prime Minister emphasized crop diversification, value-addition, and broadbasing the sources of income for farmers, by connecting dairying, fishery, poultry, bee-keeping etc. He also underlined the natural hedging from vagaries of nature because of broadbasing of income.

PM reviews drought and water scarcity situation at high level meeting with Karnataka CM

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today chaired a high level meeting on the drought and water scarcity situation in parts of Karnataka. The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah, was present in the meeting. Senior officials from the Government of India, and the State of Karnataka, were also present.

Initiating the discussion, the Prime Minister said he is holding separate meetings with Chief Ministers of 11 drought-affected States, to see what can be done to mitigate the problems posed by drought, and also to focus attention on medium to long term measures.

The Chief Minister of Karnataka thanked the Government of India for the assistance of Rs. 1540.20 crore against the Kharif memorandum, and said that this has been fully utilized to assist the farmers. He said that this amount was transferred to farmers through Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS). He further said that Rs. 723.23 crore had recently been approved for the Rabi memorandum, which should be released expeditiously.

It was informed that this was in addition to the Rs. 207 crore released as central share of SDRF for 2015-16. Further, Rs. 108.75 crore has already been released as first instalment of SDRF for 2016-17.

It was further informed that Rs 603 crore would be made available with Karnataka during 2016-17 for water conservation and drought proofing under various schemes of Government of India. Similarly, Rs 830 crore would be available under various agriculture schemes.

The Chief Minister described the problems being faced by people owing to the severe drought. He said that major rivers and reservoirs in the State are facing acute water shortage. He explained the various measures undertaken by the State Government, including desilting, construction of farm ponds, steps towards drip irrigation, and ensuring adequate drinking water supply.

The Prime Minister discussed various measures for desilting, water conservation and recharging of ground water, with the Chief Minister. He urged the State Government to give maximum attention to desilting, farm tanks and check dams over the next 30 to 40 days, before the onset of the monsoon.

The Chief Minister apprised the Prime Minister about the steps taken by Karnataka, for waste water management. Appreciating these efforts, the Prime Minister emphasized that this should be taken up in a big way in the towns and cities.

Shri Siddaramaiah apprised the Prime Minister about the preparatory steps taken towards implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. The State Government also made some suggestions regarding crop insurance.

The Chief Minister presented a memorandum to the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister assured him of all possible support.

The Prime Minister said that the Centre and the State should work together to tackle the problem of drought, which he described as “our” problem. He said that solutions to the problem would have to be found together.

The Prime Minister said that the time has come when there should be healthy competition among States to speak of efforts in water conservation and management, the way efforts to increase GSDP and investment are spoken about. The Prime Minister also asked NITI Aayog to develop an index to measure water conservation and management.