PM deputes four Union ministers to quake-hit areas

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has deputed four Union ministers to assess the loss of life and property in quake-hit areas of the country, especially Bihar, and oversee the relief and rescue operations there.
While Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is already deputed at the Indo-Nepal border and in overseeing relief operations in quake-hit areas, the other Ministers deputed are Ananth Kumar, Radha Mohan Singh and J P Nadda.
All the three ministers have been deputed in Bihar, which has been the worst affected due to the earthquake and has seen the maximum deaths. They will assess and monitor the rescue and relief work, besides interacting with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and will submit a report to the Prime Minister.

This was stated by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu at the meeting of BJP Parliamentary Party here, where senior party leaders including Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and party veteran L K Advani were present. The Prime Minister was unable to attend the meeting of party MPs.
"While Dharmendra Pradhan is already there along the Nepal border in Bihar, overseeing the evacuation process of Indians from quake-hit Nepal and sending relief material there, the other three Union Ministers will be leaving for Bihar by tomorrow," Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters.
"All BJP MPs have donated their one month's salary for Nepal quake relief," Naqvi said.

The meeting of BJP MPs also condoled the loss of lives in the massive quake both in India and Nepal and lauded the Centre's initiative and the Prime Minister display of sensitivity in providing immediate relief to the affected people.

Jaitley later informed the meeting about the GST Bill, which has been brought after taking all states on board, and will be passed in the Lok Sabha soon and then in Rajya Sabha.
He said the legislation will bring uniformity in the tax system and simplify tax regime in the country and stop double taxation. It will help improve the country's GDP and will help both consuming and manufacturing states, Jaitley said.

Speaking on the land bill, he said the "disinformation" campaign launched by the opposition against the government on land bill has lost its steam and government will not allow any such 'propaganda'.
"The party MPs felt happy that truth will prevail and the lies is being exposed," Naqvi said, adding that government will protect the interests of poor and downtrodden and will not allow any propaganda against the government on land bill.