Page 40 - Modi Govt

Small in size, big in heart: PM Modi to Muslim-dominated Lakshadweep

Reaching out to the people of the Muslim-dominated Lakshadweep, which witnessed massive protests against reforms introduced by his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the archipelago is small, but its heart is large. The Prime Minister was here to inaugurate and lay the foundation for various projects worth Rs 1,150 crore in the Union Territory. "The area of Lakshadweep may be small, but its heart is huge. I am overwhelmed by the love and blessings I am receiving here. I express my gratitude to you all," said the Prime Minister who reached the islands on Tuesday. The projects were launched at a function attended by hundreds of islanders including women and children. Addressing the gathering after launching the projects, Modi took a dig at the previous non-BJP governments at the Centre, stating that their only priority for decades was the development of their own political parties. "Far-off states, border areas, or those in the middle of the ocean were not gi

Tax collection to grow 3 times to over Rs 19 trn in 10 years of Modi govt

Personal income and corporate tax collections are likely to rise to more than Rs 19 lakh crore in 10 years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, providing more leeway to come out with people-friendly tax measures. Driven by the increasing income of individuals, net direct tax collections after adjusting for refunds increased from Rs 6.38 lakh crore in FY 2013-14 to Rs 16.61 lakh crore in FY 2022-23. In the current financial year, the collections from net direct taxes -- personal income tax and corporate tax -- have so far grown by 20 per cent and at this pace, the mop-up is likely to be around Rs 19 lakh crore in the fiscal ending on March 31, 2024. The projected amount will exceed the estimate of Rs 18.23 lakh crore in the 2023-24 Budget. Over the years, the government has been trying to make the tax regime simpler with lower rates and fewer exemptions. In 2019, the government offered a lower rate of tax for corporates who forego exemptions. Similar scheme was introduced

PM to chair conference of chief secretaries in Delhi on Thursday-Friday

The key focus of the National Conference of Chief Secretaries this year will be 'Ease of Living'

BJP expects 'overwhelming' win in 2024, eyes big boost in vote share

The BJP has set its sights on an "overwhelming" win in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking key organisational leaders to work towards boosting the party's vote share by 10 per cent, sources said. Addressing the BJP's national office-bearers and state presidents on the concluding day of the two-day brainstorming meet on Saturday, Home Minister Amit Shah said that the BJP's performance should leave the opposition "stunned", the sources said. With the opposition INDIA bloc planning to put up a one-on-one fight against the BJP, Modi called for raising the BJP's vote share by 10 per cent from its show in the 2019 polls when the ruling party had fetched over 37 per cent of votes while the National Democratic Alliance led by it had bagged around 45 per cent votes. Since coming to power at the Centre in 2014, the BJP has continuously striven to raise its vote share to 50 per cent in state assembly polls and succeeded in this feat in many elections. Shah,

India making border infra robust with seriousness it deserves: Jaishankar

The country is making its border infrastructure robust with the seriousness it deserves to strengthen national security, with the construction of roads, bridges and tunnels along the China border at a much faster pace compared to what was achieved in previous decades, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said here Saturday. Despite the setback India faced in 1962, in the war with China, due to complacency and neglect for infrastructure along the border areas, it failed to learn a lesson until the government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi started approaching the domain of security with the seriousness it deserves, he said. Speaking at the third convocation of Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), the Union minister said India has deeply embedded security factors into its diplomatic strategy. Acquiring and developing weapons, and building related capacities have not only been at the core of our defence policies, but also of our diplomacy, he said. Even when logistics has been a key

Here is the list of Republic Day chief guests since Modi became PM

Republic Day celebrations: If Emmanuel Macron accepts the invitation, this will be the sixth time that a French President will be the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations

India could soon be left without an organized political opposition

Just this week, more than 140 opposition lawmakers - two-thirds of the opposition's entire contingent - were suspended

Modi ecosystem talking on caste after silence on caste census demand: Cong

Taking a swipe at the BJP over the mimicry issue, the Congress on Thursday said the "Modi ec(h)o system" has gotten hyper-vocal talking about farmers and caste after remaining silent on issues such as caste census demand and farmers' agitation. A political row broke out on Tuesday after Trinamool Congress leader Kalyan Banerjee derisively mimicked Dhankhar during the opposition's protest on the stairs of Parliament against the MPs' suspension, drawing strong condemnation from the ruling BJP. Several BJP leaders have also slammed the opposition over the issue, saying the mimicry was an insult to farmers and Dhankhar's community. In an apparent attack on the BJP, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said this is nothing but "the famed Modi 3D vision at work: Distortion, Diversion and Distraction". "The Modi ec(h)o system is completely silent on: Manipur. Over 700 deaths during farmers' agitation. Violence on women wrestlers by Delhi police and sexual harassment of wrestlers by a

India's foreign policy follows 'mix-and-match diplomacy,' says PM Modi

When questioned about India's relationship with the United States and whether it could be characterised as an alliance, PM Modi highlighted the "upward trajectory" of relations

LIVE news updates: Lok Sabha has passed The Telecommunications Bill, 2023

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Entire Modi ecosystem being galvanised on so-called mimicry non-issue: Cong

The Congress on Wednesday said the "entire Modi ecosystem" is now being galvanised on the "so-called mimicry non-issue" while it remains silent on how a BJP MP "facilitated entry of two intruders" into the Lok Sabha and on the suspension of over 140 MPs. The opposition party hit back at the BJP for its criticism of a TMC leader's mimicry of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, saying a "desperate attempt" is being made to divert attention from the unprecedented suspension of MPs by raising this issue. The Congress' attack came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Vice President Dhankhar and expressed great pain over the "abject theatrics" of some MPs in Parliament complex, the Vice President's office said. Referring to the mimicry issue, President Droupadi Murmu also said she was dismayed at the manner in which Vice President Dhankhar was "humiliated" in Parliament complex. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "The entire Modi ecosystem now being galvani

Kharge appoints 9 AICC Secretaries to coordinate 'Hai Taiyaar Hum' rally

The AICC members include P.C. Vishnunadh, MLA, Qazi Nizamuddin, Sanjay Kapoor, Dheeraj Gurjar, Chandan Yadav, B.M. Sandeep, Chetan Chauhan, Pradeep Narwal and Abhishek Dutt

BJP govt's arrogance not acceptable: Gehlot on suspension of MPs

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday expressed concern over the suspension of MPs from both houses of Parliament. He said the BJP-led NDA government's arrogance was not acceptable. "The country is worried about what is happening in Parliament. Everyone knows their (BJP) agenda," Gehlot told reporters here. "The way they are behaving is not acceptable to the opposition. This is not a game of enmity; politics is a battle of ideology," he added. As many as 49 Lok Sabha MPs were suspended from the House for disrupting proceedings on Tuesday, a day after 78 opposition members were suspended from Parliament. Gehlot said protests in the House are not uncommon and on one occasion during the Congress-led UPA government's rule, Parliament was not allowed to function for 12 days due to the protests by the BJP and other opposition parties. He said a way must be found to end the deadlock. Gehlot further said the BJP won the Assembly elections in Rajasthan by polarising vot

INDIA bloc's crucial meet today; seat sharing, 2024 poll strategy on agenda

The opposition INDIA bloc will hold a meeting here on Tuesday to deliberate on a blueprint for a joint campaign, seat sharing and redrawing the strategy for taking on the BJP in the 2024 general elections after the setback in the recent assembly polls. Evolving a "core positive agenda" will also be among the main challenges before the INDIA bloc. According to a senior Congress leader, the constituents of the opposition alliance intend to move forward with the theme "Main Nahin, Hum (We, Not Me)" at the meeting. A day before the meeting, to be held at the Ashoka Hotel here around 3 pm, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said the INDIA bloc's prime ministerial candidate will be decided after the 2024 general elections. She expressed confidence that the alliance will iron out all issues and defeat the BJP. Dismissing suggestions that the alliance has lost time in putting things in order, Banerjee said, "It is better late than never." The TMC chief expressed ...

PM Modi to flag off 2nd Vande Bharat train connecting Varanasi to New Delhi

The Indian Railways is set to commence operations of an advanced semi-high-speed train, Vande Bharat, enhancing connectivity between Uttar Pradesh and the national capital.

Mehngaai-nomics: Kharge slams govt over price rise of essential commodities

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday hit out at the Centre over the rise in prices of essential commodities during the Modi government's tenure and wondered what kind of "developed India" is this. In a post on X, Kharge shared a video montage comparing the 2014 prices of essential items such as milk, onion, tomatoes, and sugar with their current prices to highlight inflation. "Mehngaai-nomics. What kind of 'viksit Bharat' is this'? Where the BJP has mastered looting," the Congress chief said in his post in Hindi. The Congress has been attacking the government over its handling of the economy and raising concerns over "increasing" unemployment and price rise.

Space economy now worth $8 bn, tech being used to boost development: BJP

The government has used space technology to boost development by tracking a host of projects, the BJP said on Friday, noting that ISRO has conducted twice as many satellite launches since 2014 than it did during the 10 years before that. India's space economy is now worth USD 8 billion and it employs 45,000 people, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said here. Puri also expressed confidence that the sector will reach USD 100 billion in the next 15 years and its global share will zoom to 10 per cent from the current two per cent. Speaking to reporters, Puri credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for using space technology to track a host of projects related to urban development, infra work and MNREGA and said it has boosted growth. Since the days when foreign governments worked to sanction India's space outreach in the early 90s, the country has emerged as a "confident and respected global space technology power under the visionary, firm and decisive leadership of PM Modi."

BJP slams Cong, says strict action against corruption is Modi's guarantee

The BJP on Tuesday targeted the Congress and its allies, saying they have spread the "disease of corruption" against which a movement has to be started not just by the government but also by the people. Addressing a press conference here, Union minister and BJP leader Kiren Rijiju listed various cases of alleged scams and corruption against the leaders of the Congress and its allies, including those of the RJD, TMC and DMK. The Congress and its friends have spread a disease of corruption against which a movement has to be started not just by the government but the people of the country as well, Rijiju said. The Congress' corruption ki dukan' must be closed down and for that strict action is being taken. Strict action against corruption is Modi's guarantee. Probe agencies have been given a free hand (to take action against graft). They are not going to stop, he added. The BJP has stepped up the heat on the Congress on the issue of corruption after the Income Tax department recovered

Manufacturing sector lags despite over 13% growth in GVA in Q2FY24

Though this was higher than 12.9% in the first quarter, it was nowhere close to 25% that the Modi government wants it to be

Modi government following footsteps of Father of the Nation: Rajnath

Mahatma Gandhi envisioned a "strong, prosperous and clean" India and the Modi government is following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation and rolling schemes based on his ideas, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday. The defence minister made the remarks after inaugurating a 10-feet tall statue of Mahatma Gandhi near Rajghat in the national capital. "Gandhiji was a great freedom fighter who envisioned a strong, prosperous and clean India. Our government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation," he said. "Schemes such as Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana and Swachh Bharat are based on his ideas," he said. Mahatma Gandhi continues to live in the heart of every Indian, he said. Singh also recalled the contributions of Gandhi and other leaders such as Babasaheb B R Ambedkar and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay, saying they worked for the upliftment of the marginalised