The Modi government has so far succeeded in ensuring that India is least affected by challenges like immigration and working visas unveiled in the US under President Donald Trump, BJP leader Ram Madhav said Saturday, stressing that foreign policies cannot be guided by emotions or romanticism. 
 
Congress leader Anand Sharma said that foreign policy should uphold, secure and promote a country's national interest, but not be an extension of or reflect domestic narrative. 
 
They made these remarks during a discussion at the release of a book titled "Open Embrace: India-US Ties in the Age of Modi and Trump", by journalist Varghese K George. 
 
They were joined by academic C Rajamohan in the discussion moderated by journalist Suhasini Haider. 
 
"We are conscious of the challenges, whether it is his (Trump's) emphasis on domestic production, visa issues...We are negotiating, trying to ensure that India gets the best deal out of it. You cannot dictate Trump's policies. You can only try and ensure that India is least affected if there is anything adverse happening. We have more or less succeeded in ensuring that India is not affected," Madhav said. 
 
The BJP national general secretary said it could be easy to criticise the government but one must take note of the increment in trade and exports. 
"I am not saying that it has happened only in four years (of BJP), but we must acknowledge it," he said. 
 
Noting that the Indian diaspora played a role in the Indo-US nuclear agreement in 2005 during the Congress-led UPA regime, he said the current government had felt that it should leverage that not just in the US but other countries also. 
 
"We felt why not make it (diaspora) an important dimension in the foreign policy and with that objective in mind we started engaging with different diaspora in different countries," he said. 
 
On a continuum in the foreign policy, Sharma, who had served as a Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2006 to 2009 in the UPA government, said there cannot be abrupt changes in strategic engagements of a country as big as India. 
 
"But I would also like to say that the foreign policy of this country has evolved over a long period of time, not written in one day or one government. 
 
"Foreign policy is meant to uphold, secure and promote your supreme national interest. It is not de-linked to your national ambitions but you have to be careful not to allow the domestic narrative to reflect in the foreign policy," he said. 
 
"It cannot be personalised, it cannot be an extension of domestic politics particularly in our neighbourhood vis-a-vis Bangladesh, Pakistan or Sri Lanka. We have to be careful there. It is easy to say that we have moved or walked away from non-alignment movement...," Sharma said. 
 
BJP's Madhav said a lot of changes in the foreign policy were made by the Congress and held that the direction should be guided by national interest. 
"Congress has changed many things in our foreign policy. Who changed the foreign policy's focus from SAARC to BIMSTEC? Congress! Did we oppose it? We said no India needs BIMSTEC to engage with the extended neighbourhood because these are things that happen as per your requirement. 
 
"Foreign policy is not guided by emotions or romanticism, it is guided by national interest. Today your national interest demands, that you look for better platforms, look for reviving Commonwealth, which was also a Nehruvian-era creation, and we did it. 
 
"Where is the relevance of the NAM when there are no two poles in the world at all, it is a multi-polar world and who do we remain non-aligned with?" he asked. 
 
On the personal level relationship between PM Modi and President Trump, Madhav said, "The best relationship that we could have with the present leadership in the US we tried to establish it while maintaining strategic autonomy on many issues." 
 
On voting against the US on the Jerusalem issue in the UN, he said India is not influenced by any ideology except for the "nation-first" ideology and that is what happened. 
 
He said PM Modi is doing a stand-alone visit to Israel, then visiting Palestine also separately even as the country has the best of partners in the Middle East also. 
 
"We have strengthened the relationship with Israel but today our strongest relations are with the countries in the middle east, with the UAE, Saudi. We have a lasting strong legacy. We have strong ties with Iran also where we have not buckled under the pressure of any other power. 
 
"So, we are guided by the interest of our country. At that level it may be a continuum, but again it (BJP) is a new government, it has new ideas, it will implement them in a different way, that difference should be appreciated and the continuum should also be acknowledged," he said.&nbsp;

The Modi government has so far succeeded in ensuring that India is least affected by challenges like immigration and working visas unveiled in the US under President Donald Trump, BJP leader Ram Madhav said Saturday, stressing that foreign policies cannot be guided by emotions or romanticism.

The Modi government has so far succeeded in ensuring that India is least affected by challenges like immigration and working visas unveiled in the US under President Donald Trump, BJP leader Ram Madhav said Saturday, stressing that foreign policies cannot be guided by emotions or romanticism. Congress leader Anand Sharma said that foreign policy should uphold, secure and promote a country's national interest, but not be an extension of or reflect domestic narrative. They made these remarks during a discussion at the release of a book titled "Open Embrace: India-US Ties in the Age of Modi and Trump", by journalist Varghese K George. They were joined by academic C Rajamohan in the discussion moderated by journalist Suhasini Haider. "We are conscious of the challenges, whether it is his (Trump's) emphasis on domestic production, visa issues...We are negotiating, trying to ensure that India gets the best deal out of it. You cannot dictate Trump's policies. You can only try and ensure that India is least affected if there is anything adverse happening. We have more or less succeeded in ensuring that India is not affected," Madhav said. The BJP national general secretary said it could be easy to criticise the government but one must take note of the increment in trade and exports. "I am not saying that it has happened only in four years (of BJP), but we must acknowledge it," he said. Noting that the Indian diaspora played a role in the Indo-US nuclear agreement in 2005 during the Congress-led UPA regime, he said the current government had felt that it should leverage that not just in the US but other countries also. "We felt why not make it (diaspora) an important dimension in the foreign policy and with that objective in mind we started engaging with different diaspora in different countries," he said. On a continuum in the foreign policy, Sharma, who had served as a Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs from 2006 to 2009 in the UPA government, said there cannot be abrupt changes in strategic engagements of a country as big as India. "But I would also like to say that the foreign policy of this country has evolved over a long period of time, not written in one day or one government. "Foreign policy is meant to uphold, secure and promote your supreme national interest. It is not de-linked to your national ambitions but you have to be careful not to allow the domestic narrative to reflect in the foreign policy," he said. "It cannot be personalised, it cannot be an extension of domestic politics particularly in our neighbourhood vis-a-vis Bangladesh, Pakistan or Sri Lanka. We have to be careful there. It is easy to say that we have moved or walked away from non-alignment movement...," Sharma said. BJP's Madhav said a lot of changes in the foreign policy were made by the Congress and held that the direction should be guided by national interest. "Congress has changed many things in our foreign policy. Who changed the foreign policy's focus from SAARC to BIMSTEC? Congress! Did we oppose it? We said no India needs BIMSTEC to engage with the extended neighbourhood because these are things that happen as per your requirement. "Foreign policy is not guided by emotions or romanticism, it is guided by national interest. Today your national interest demands, that you look for better platforms, look for reviving Commonwealth, which was also a Nehruvian-era creation, and we did it. "Where is the relevance of the NAM when there are no two poles in the world at all, it is a multi-polar world and who do we remain non-aligned with?" he asked. On the personal level relationship between PM Modi and President Trump, Madhav said, "The best relationship that we could have with the present leadership in the US we tried to establish it while maintaining strategic autonomy on many issues." On voting against the US on the Jerusalem issue in the UN, he said India is not influenced by any ideology except for the "nation-first" ideology and that is what happened. He said PM Modi is doing a stand-alone visit to Israel, then visiting Palestine also separately even as the country has the best of partners in the Middle East also. "We have strengthened the relationship with Israel but today our strongest relations are with the countries in the middle east, with the UAE, Saudi. We have a lasting strong legacy. We have strong ties with Iran also where we have not buckled under the pressure of any other power. "So, we are guided by the interest of our country. At that level it may be a continuum, but again it (BJP) is a new government, it has new ideas, it will implement them in a different way, that difference should be appreciated and the continuum should also be acknowledged," he said.

Government ensured India least affected by challenges like immigration, US working visa issue: Ram Madhav

India's relations with the Arab world as well as other Muslim-majority nations has improved under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday.

Addressing the Indian community in the UAE, she said that ahead of the 2014 general elections, political analysts were of the view that if Modi becomes the Prime Minister then he won't be able to take along the West Asian countries.

Swaraj arrived here on Monday on a two-day visit to attend the UAE-India Joint Commission Meeting here.&nbsp;

India and the UAE Tuesday signed two agreements, including one on currency swap, as Swaraj held exhaustive discussions with her counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed to step up bilateral cooperation in areas like security, defence, counter-terrorism, trade and energy.

"India's relations with the Arab world as well as other Muslim-majority nations has improved under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government," she said.

Today, India is also having good relations with those countries who are traditional rivals, like the US and Russia, Israel and Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Iran, she said, adding this is possible due to the government's foreign policy, which is based on "nation's interest first".

Swaraj said that in the last four years the government has rescued around 2.33 lakh Indians, from around the world, stuck at various places including the Gulf countries or war-torn Yemen.

"It was due to our relations with Muslim-majority nations, like Saudi Arabia and Yemen that we were able to evacuate around 5,000 Indians and around 2,000 nationals of other countries, including three Pakistanis," she said.&nbsp; 
She also appreciated their contribution in enhancing relations with the UAE, which hosts a 33 lakh-strong Indian community - the largest number of Indians outside India.

About the India-UAE relations, the External Affairs Minister said the relations between the two countries from buyer and seller (of oil for energy) is changing.

"And with the signing of today's agreement, the cooperation between the two countries will achieve a new height. This is only a beginning," she said. 
She also praised an Emirati singer Yasir Habib who sang Mahathma Gandhi's favourite bhajan.&nbsp;

India's relations with the Arab world as well as other Muslim-majority nations has improved under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday.

India's relations with the Arab world as well as other Muslim-majority nations has improved under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Tuesday. Addressing the Indian community in the UAE, she said that ahead of the 2014 general elections, political analysts were of the view that if Modi becomes the Prime Minister then he won't be able to take along the West Asian countries. Swaraj arrived here on Monday on a two-day visit to attend the UAE-India Joint Commission Meeting here. India and the UAE Tuesday signed two agreements, including one on currency swap, as Swaraj held exhaustive discussions with her counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed to step up bilateral cooperation in areas like security, defence, counter-terrorism, trade and energy. "India's relations with the Arab world as well as other Muslim-majority nations has improved under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government," she said. Today, India is also having good relations with those countries who are traditional rivals, like the US and Russia, Israel and Palestine, Saudi Arabia and Iran, she said, adding this is possible due to the government's foreign policy, which is based on "nation's interest first". Swaraj said that in the last four years the government has rescued around 2.33 lakh Indians, from around the world, stuck at various places including the Gulf countries or war-torn Yemen. "It was due to our relations with Muslim-majority nations, like Saudi Arabia and Yemen that we were able to evacuate around 5,000 Indians and around 2,000 nationals of other countries, including three Pakistanis," she said. She also appreciated their contribution in enhancing relations with the UAE, which hosts a 33 lakh-strong Indian community - the largest number of Indians outside India. About the India-UAE relations, the External Affairs Minister said the relations between the two countries from buyer and seller (of oil for energy) is changing. "And with the signing of today's agreement, the cooperation between the two countries will achieve a new height. This is only a beginning," she said. She also praised an Emirati singer Yasir Habib who sang Mahathma Gandhi's favourite bhajan.

India's relations with Arab world, other Muslim nations has improved under Modi: Sushma Swaraj

A speech by a top Reserve Bank of India (RBI) official last Friday blew the lid off an increasingly toxic dispute between the central bank and the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over monetary policy and who controls the institution's reserves.

While historically there have been differences between the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-very-upset-with-rbi-for-making-rift-public-sources-174359">RBI and the nation's governments</a>, the extent of the rift and its public nature are unprecedented.

By Wednesday morning, there were Indian media reports saying that RBI Governor Urjit Patel was about to resign. The RBI declined comment.

This followed three letters to the RBI from the finance ministry <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-invokes-never-used-before-powers-to-issue-directions-to-rbi-report-174517">threatening to invoke Section 7</a> of the RBI Act that would allow the government to dictate policy to the central bank, according to a senior source with direct knowledge of developments.

But faced with declines in the rupee and government bond prices as investors got unnerved, the government issued a statement supporting the RBI's autonomy while indicating it would still be pressing very hard to have its own way.

In his speech, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/a-govt-that-does-not-respect-rbis-independence-will-incur-wrath-of-markets-rbi-deputy-governor-173752">RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya</a> said that undermining central bank independence could be "potentially catastrophic", and he even cited meddling by the Argentine government in the affairs of its central bank in 2010 - prompting big drops in that nation's financial markets - as a sign of how bad things can get.

The remarks were widely seen as a sign that the&nbsp; RBI was pushing back hard against government pressure to relax its policies and reduce its powers ahead of a general election due by May.

Finance ministry and RBI spokespersons declined comment.

The RBI is not statutorily independent, as the governor is appointed by the government, but it has enjoyed broad autonomy in regulating the banking sector. It is mandated to control inflation within a 2 to 6 percent range while keeping in mind India's economic growth objective.

HERE ARE SIX CRITICAL AREAS OF CONFLICT:

CASH GRAB

The government has made repeated calls for the RBI to hand over more money from the RBI's reserves to help fund its fiscal deficit. The RBI currently hands over its profits earned from various activities in the form of a dividend. But the government also wants to tap a share of the RBI's 3.6 trillion rupees ($48.73 billion) of capital reserves. The RBI has consistently pushed back against the demand.

OUT OF THE SHADOWS

The government wants the RBI to provide more liquidity to the shadow banking sector, which has been hurt by the defaults of major financing company, Infrastructure Leasing &amp; Financial Services (IL&amp;FS). Those defaults triggered sell-off in bonds and stocks of non-banking financial companies. The government has been asking the RBI for a dedicated liquidity window for these lenders similar to one allowed during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

JUST RELAX

The government has also been urging the RBI to relax its lending restrictions on 11 state-run banks. The curbs were imposed because the banks had a low capital base and major bad debt problems. The 11 are barred from lending unless they reduce their bad debt levels, improve their capital ratios and become profitable. The government says the restrictions have gone too far and have reduced the availability of loans for small- and medium sized businesses.

ENCROACHING

The RBI is also irked by the government's efforts to trim the central bank's regulatory powers by proposing to set up an independent payments regulator. Currently the RBI regulates all payments and settlements in the economy. The government says it wants a separate payment regulator which will be able to adapt to rapid changes in technology.

BOARD INFLUENCE

The government appointed S Gurumurthy, a prominent BJP supporter and an affiliate of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to the RBI board earlier this year along with Satish Marathe, a former banker with ties to the RSS. Such political appointments have been unusual in the past as the RBI board's external members have mostly been economists and industrialists. Traditionally, the RBI's board has approved decisions related to internal functions of the central bank and it has not interfered in its supervisory and monetary policy functions.

KEEPING MUM

Senior government officials, as well as BJP and RSS officials, are angry that the RBI decided to go public over the quarrels. Acharya made it clear he had been asked to address the independence question by Patel and in a show of unity the three other deputy governors attended his speech. In its statement concerning autonomy on Wednesday, the government stressed that it will keep discussions confidential.

WHY IT MATTERS

FOR GOVERNMENT

The central government has been under pressure ahead of regional polls due at the end of 2018 because of weak farm prices and surging fuel costs, which have been hurting rural incomes. The government recently cut excise duty on gasoline and diesel, adding to pressure on its deficit.

The Budget is also being undermined by muted revenue collection from recently introduced Goods and Service Tax (GST).

Added to this, the IL&amp;FS woes have led to a liquidity crunch across much of the shadow banking sector and throttled off some lending.

All of this could slow a $2.6 trillion economy, the world's sixth largest, only months before the general election. To prevent that from happening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to spend more on populist programmes, including boosts to rural wages, fuel subsidies and buying crops at a guaranteed minimum price.

FOR INVESTORS

The rift has created political and economic uncertainty. Investors want policy continuity from both the RBI and the government to ensure inflation is kept in check and economic stability is maintained.

A persistent fall in the inflation rate since 2014 in a country that was used to volatile price pressures instilled confidence in the central bank and attracted investors. However, investors fear such hard-earned economic gains could be at risk if the government can pull the RBI’s strings.

A speech by a top Reserve Bank of India (RBI) official last Friday blew the lid off an increasingly toxic dispute between the central bank and the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over monetary policy and who controls the institution's reserves.

A speech by a top Reserve Bank of India (RBI) official last Friday blew the lid off an increasingly toxic dispute between the central bank and the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over monetary policy and who controls the institution's reserves. While historically there have been differences between the RBI and the nation's governments, the extent of the rift and its public nature are unprecedented. By Wednesday morning, there were Indian media reports saying that RBI Governor Urjit Patel was about to resign. The RBI declined comment. This followed three letters to the RBI from the finance ministry threatening to invoke Section 7 of the RBI Act that would allow the government to dictate policy to the central bank, according to a senior source with direct knowledge of developments. But faced with declines in the rupee and government bond prices as investors got unnerved, the government issued a statement supporting the RBI's autonomy while indicating it would still be pressing very hard to have its own way. In his speech, RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya said that undermining central bank independence could be "potentially catastrophic", and he even cited meddling by the Argentine government in the affairs of its central bank in 2010 - prompting big drops in that nation's financial markets - as a sign of how bad things can get. The remarks were widely seen as a sign that the RBI was pushing back hard against government pressure to relax its policies and reduce its powers ahead of a general election due by May. Finance ministry and RBI spokespersons declined comment. The RBI is not statutorily independent, as the governor is appointed by the government, but it has enjoyed broad autonomy in regulating the banking sector. It is mandated to control inflation within a 2 to 6 percent range while keeping in mind India's economic growth objective. HERE ARE SIX CRITICAL AREAS OF CONFLICT: CASH GRAB The government has made repeated calls for the RBI to hand over more money from the RBI's reserves to help fund its fiscal deficit. The RBI currently hands over its profits earned from various activities in the form of a dividend. But the government also wants to tap a share of the RBI's 3.6 trillion rupees ($48.73 billion) of capital reserves. The RBI has consistently pushed back against the demand. OUT OF THE SHADOWS The government wants the RBI to provide more liquidity to the shadow banking sector, which has been hurt by the defaults of major financing company, Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services (IL&FS). Those defaults triggered sell-off in bonds and stocks of non-banking financial companies. The government has been asking the RBI for a dedicated liquidity window for these lenders similar to one allowed during the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. JUST RELAX The government has also been urging the RBI to relax its lending restrictions on 11 state-run banks. The curbs were imposed because the banks had a low capital base and major bad debt problems. The 11 are barred from lending unless they reduce their bad debt levels, improve their capital ratios and become profitable. The government says the restrictions have gone too far and have reduced the availability of loans for small- and medium sized businesses. ENCROACHING The RBI is also irked by the government's efforts to trim the central bank's regulatory powers by proposing to set up an independent payments regulator. Currently the RBI regulates all payments and settlements in the economy. The government says it wants a separate payment regulator which will be able to adapt to rapid changes in technology. BOARD INFLUENCE The government appointed S Gurumurthy, a prominent BJP supporter and an affiliate of the Hindu nationalist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to the RBI board earlier this year along with Satish Marathe, a former banker with ties to the RSS. Such political appointments have been unusual in the past as the RBI board's external members have mostly been economists and industrialists. Traditionally, the RBI's board has approved decisions related to internal functions of the central bank and it has not interfered in its supervisory and monetary policy functions. KEEPING MUM Senior government officials, as well as BJP and RSS officials, are angry that the RBI decided to go public over the quarrels. Acharya made it clear he had been asked to address the independence question by Patel and in a show of unity the three other deputy governors attended his speech. In its statement concerning autonomy on Wednesday, the government stressed that it will keep discussions confidential. WHY IT MATTERS FOR GOVERNMENT The central government has been under pressure ahead of regional polls due at the end of 2018 because of weak farm prices and surging fuel costs, which have been hurting rural incomes. The government recently cut excise duty on gasoline and diesel, adding to pressure on its deficit. The Budget is also being undermined by muted revenue collection from recently introduced Goods and Service Tax (GST). Added to this, the IL&FS woes have led to a liquidity crunch across much of the shadow banking sector and throttled off some lending. All of this could slow a $2.6 trillion economy, the world's sixth largest, only months before the general election. To prevent that from happening, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to spend more on populist programmes, including boosts to rural wages, fuel subsidies and buying crops at a guaranteed minimum price. FOR INVESTORS The rift has created political and economic uncertainty. Investors want policy continuity from both the RBI and the government to ensure inflation is kept in check and economic stability is maintained. A persistent fall in the inflation rate since 2014 in a country that was used to volatile price pressures instilled confidence in the central bank and attracted investors. However, investors fear such hard-earned economic gains could be at risk if the government can pull the RBI’s strings.

Why Modi government wants to increase control over the RBI

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said the government is at war with its own people as it wants to impose "one imagination" on 1.3 billion Indians.

He also said aspiration is turning into anger and hatred due to unfulfilled promises.

Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, Gandhi said, India has been imagined and re-imagined for centuries and those courageous men and women who fought for country's liberty imagined a nation where all its children would be free, and where none would be discriminated on the basis of their caste, gender, religion or creed.&nbsp;

They imagined a tolerant and fair India, who would force no agenda on any of its friends or neighbours but guide them along the path that we had travelled: one of unity and brotherhood, Gandhi said.&nbsp;

"The Indian government has gone to war with its own people because it wants to impose one imagination on 1.3 billion of us. It wants to impose one singular, suffocating memory on our 1.3 billion memories," he said at the event.&nbsp;

Noting that the work of imagination is never over as it is always in constant flow and flux, he lamented that what one sees today is not a re-imagining."It is a defaming, a maligning of the Indian imagination."&nbsp;

He alleged that farmers are committing suicide by the thousands, the economy is decimated, the rupee "is on its knees", petrol prices at all-time high, the stock market has imploded and with Rs 12 lakh crore NPAs, the banking system is "jammed shut".&nbsp;

The informal sector, he said, was decimated as a result of demonetisation and an extremely complex multi-layered GST has led to small and medium businesses wiped out.

"Public confidence is in tatters. This my friends is the price of hatred. Aspiration is turning into anger," he noted.&nbsp;

Gandhi said Dalits and tribals are agitating across the country and minorities are under vicious attack, while those who criticised the prime minister are sacked.

"Fresh thinking is unwelcome," he said, adding that those in power hate thinkers like Raghuram Rajan, Amartya Sen, while institutions are being "destroyed".

"Today in India the fear is palpable. And while India burns, all they do is talk but their slogans. But their slogans have a shelf life: Make in India. Startup India. Clean India. What exactly have they translated into? Nothing.&nbsp;

"Because the people in charge are convinced that they have a monopoly on knowledge. They are convinced that only they understand. That no one in this country understands anything about India or the dreams of its people except them," he said.&nbsp;

The Congress chief said his career in politics has been about fighting for and alongside India's most vulnerable and told the gathering that he wants to be a mirror for their aspirations and voices. "I want to fight for you too", he said, adding that he has a record of delivering in the past.

"Everyone in India is a stakeholder - all of us, rich or poor, weak or strong, north or south, east or west, every voice is a part of the harmony that makes India. We don't subscribe to black or white ideologies, we don't believe in binaries. India is a partnership between all its people," he said.

Noting that "We must re-imagine that old India", he ended his brief speech at the summit with Rabindranath Tagore's poem, "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Where knowledge is free. Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls."

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said the government is at war with its own people as it wants to impose "one imagination" on 1.3 billion Indians. He also said aspiration is turning into anger and hatred due to unfulfilled promises.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said the government is at war with its own people as it wants to impose "one imagination" on 1.3 billion Indians. He also said aspiration is turning into anger and hatred due to unfulfilled promises. Speaking at the HT Leadership Summit, Gandhi said, India has been imagined and re-imagined for centuries and those courageous men and women who fought for country's liberty imagined a nation where all its children would be free, and where none would be discriminated on the basis of their caste, gender, religion or creed. They imagined a tolerant and fair India, who would force no agenda on any of its friends or neighbours but guide them along the path that we had travelled: one of unity and brotherhood, Gandhi said. "The Indian government has gone to war with its own people because it wants to impose one imagination on 1.3 billion of us. It wants to impose one singular, suffocating memory on our 1.3 billion memories," he said at the event. Noting that the work of imagination is never over as it is always in constant flow and flux, he lamented that what one sees today is not a re-imagining."It is a defaming, a maligning of the Indian imagination." He alleged that farmers are committing suicide by the thousands, the economy is decimated, the rupee "is on its knees", petrol prices at all-time high, the stock market has imploded and with Rs 12 lakh crore NPAs, the banking system is "jammed shut". The informal sector, he said, was decimated as a result of demonetisation and an extremely complex multi-layered GST has led to small and medium businesses wiped out. "Public confidence is in tatters. This my friends is the price of hatred. Aspiration is turning into anger," he noted. Gandhi said Dalits and tribals are agitating across the country and minorities are under vicious attack, while those who criticised the prime minister are sacked. "Fresh thinking is unwelcome," he said, adding that those in power hate thinkers like Raghuram Rajan, Amartya Sen, while institutions are being "destroyed". "Today in India the fear is palpable. And while India burns, all they do is talk but their slogans. But their slogans have a shelf life: Make in India. Startup India. Clean India. What exactly have they translated into? Nothing. "Because the people in charge are convinced that they have a monopoly on knowledge. They are convinced that only they understand. That no one in this country understands anything about India or the dreams of its people except them," he said. The Congress chief said his career in politics has been about fighting for and alongside India's most vulnerable and told the gathering that he wants to be a mirror for their aspirations and voices. "I want to fight for you too", he said, adding that he has a record of delivering in the past. "Everyone in India is a stakeholder - all of us, rich or poor, weak or strong, north or south, east or west, every voice is a part of the harmony that makes India. We don't subscribe to black or white ideologies, we don't believe in binaries. India is a partnership between all its people," he said. Noting that "We must re-imagine that old India", he ended his brief speech at the summit with Rabindranath Tagore's poem, "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high. Where knowledge is free. Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls."

Government is at war with its own people: Rahul Gandhi

The Indian government said it did not receive any expressions of interest in its planned Air India stake sale. The deadline for submission of expression of interest ended today.

"As informed by the Transaction Adviser, no response has been received for the Expression of Interest floated for the strategic disinvestment of Air India," the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a tweet.

"Further course of action will be decided appropriately," it added.

Ernst & Young is the transaction advisor for the process.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, keen to sell the loss-making, debt-ridden airline, finalised plans in late March to divest a 76 per cent stake and offload about $5.1 billion (3.8 billion pounds) of its debt.

Air India, known for its Maharaja mascot, has some of India's most lucrative international and domestic landing and parking slots that are key for airlines.

While a buyer would have got management control and gained access to more than 2,500 international slots and over 3,700 domestic slots, it would also have been required to take on Air India's 27,000 employees, 40 per cent of whom are permanent staff.

The terms had also stipulated that the government would have continued to hold a 24 per cent stake, with the need for the bidder to abide by conditions, not yet detailed, designed to safeguard employee interests.

The government had also restricted merging the airline with the buyer's existing businesses, but later relaxed the rule to allow some integration for business efficiency.

Jet Airways and rival IndiGo, owned by InterGlobe Aviation, have already opted out of the race.

(With inputs from agencies)

The government is planning to divest a 76 per cent stake in the loss-making state-owned carrier.

The Indian government said it did not receive any expressions of interest in its planned Air India stake sale. The deadline for submission of expression of interest ended today. "As informed by the Transaction Adviser, no response has been received for the Expression of Interest floated for the strategic disinvestment of Air India," the Civil Aviation Ministry said in a tweet. "Further course of action will be decided appropriately," it added. Ernst & Young is the transaction advisor for the process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, keen to sell the loss-making, debt-ridden airline, finalised plans in late March to divest a 76 per cent stake and offload about $5.1 billion (3.8 billion pounds) of its debt. Air India, known for its Maharaja mascot, has some of India's most lucrative international and domestic landing and parking slots that are key for airlines. While a buyer would have got management control and gained access to more than 2,500 international slots and over 3,700 domestic slots, it would also have been required to take on Air India's 27,000 employees, 40 per cent of whom are permanent staff. The terms had also stipulated that the government would have continued to hold a 24 per cent stake, with the need for the bidder to abide by conditions, not yet detailed, designed to safeguard employee interests. The government had also restricted merging the airline with the buyer's existing businesses, but later relaxed the rule to allow some integration for business efficiency. Jet Airways and rival IndiGo, owned by InterGlobe Aviation, have already opted out of the race. (With inputs from agencies)

No bids received for Air India stake sale, says government

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in last four years did politics which was in spirit different from his predecessors. He made every state important and ensured that his campaign makes a difference to the fortune of the party. 
&nbsp; 
Modi in a way became a factor in politics where he divided and united the electorate at the same time. The undivided Hindu vote will remain biggest of his legacy. His appeal brought different segments of Dalits, OBCs and upper castes into BJP's fold but at the same time his politics has ended up creating great anxiety in the minority and people with Left liberal ideology. He has united a diverse population under the new rubric of cultural nationalism but sidelined views who believe in constitutional nationalism. This debate has united and divided the country like never before. 
&nbsp; 
Modi's politics ended minority exceptionalism in Indian politics but at the same time allowed crude majoritarianism to dominate political discourse. It allowed people to write and talk about violence perpetrated by minorities too. But it also created viciousness where a small child's rape in Jammu was being seen from the prism of community. Same happened on the nationalism debate. This time BJP turned the table on Congress. Congress, which used to call BJP anti-national for not participating in freedom struggle, was tagged as anti-national by BJP when it lent its support to a protest in JNU. It became part of a larger debate on nationalism. For the first time in history, Congress was being called anti-national. It united and divided India at the same time. It disallowed any intellectual discussion on the issue of patriotism and nationalism in mainstream but allowed coarse majority's view of the world to prevail. 
&nbsp; 
Modi's politics allowed communities more say and share in the political discourse. Whether it was cow protection or conservative stand on films like Padmavat, Modi's politics allowed these individual voices to dominate. Individual voices were labelled as detached from the ethos of the Indian society. This led to violation of the spirit of the Constitution. Indian Constitution acknowledges individual rights. Communities are protected but do not enjoy right over an individual. But in case of Padmavat, community's honour became more important than individual right. BJP on this sided with community pride. It made liberals look undemocratic in world view as if they are not sensitive to the subaltern world view. It again created a divide. 
&nbsp; 
Modi's politics ended Congress arrogance by attacking the principle of dynasty. Modi made dynasty into an issue which he continues to use during every state elections. It divided and united lot of people at the same time. His attack on the Gandhi family was a first of its kind. He broke the political Omerta code. It also unnerved lot of people in his party.

Modi's politics also tried to make up for the bankruptcy of RSS as a major figure during independence. His politics successfully stole couple of Congress icons like Netaji and Sardar Patel. It again created a political divide. BJP was accused of using historical figures to serve contemporary political interest. The case in point is Netaji papers appearing a year before Bengal elections. 
&nbsp; 
The only place perhaps where Modi failed was to bridge the gap between industry and farming community through his personality. For this reason the land acquisition bill continues to languish. Modi had to over commit himself to the farming sector lest suit boot ki sarkar jumla extract its pound of flesh. 
&nbsp; 
Narendra Modi like Indira Gandhi has become a central pole of discussion. His party rules 20 states. He has become undisputed national leader uniting the cadre in his praise. But like Indira Gandhi, from strong he has started to look authoritarian. It has united the whole Opposition which feels that BJP under Modi will derail democracy by making one party hegemonic. 
&nbsp; 
His campaigns like demonetisation and Swachh Bharat have united and divided India at the same time. Both policies became political issues. Demonetisation went a step further an became an electoral issue. Modi, like Indira Gandhi, is loved and hated at the same time. He is a demon and God to many at the same time.

Bottomline is that Modi's strength does not flow from accommodation but by drawing strong political lines. He politically appropriates surgical strike. He criticises domestic Opposition abroad. He remains cold to the Opposition. His supports stems more from social media than mainstream and international media.

There is a reason too. The Lutyen's consensus never accommodated him so he ended up breaking the very consensus. His desire to conquer Delhi is married to his aversion to its durbar politics. For this reason he remains an eternal outsider to Delhi's politics. He continues to divide and unite India and this remains the crux of Modi's four year in Delhi's politics.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The only place perhaps where Modi failed was to bridge the gap between industry and farming community through his personality.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi in last four years did politics which was in spirit different from his predecessors. He made every state important and ensured that his campaign makes a difference to the fortune of the party. Modi in a way became a factor in politics where he divided and united the electorate at the same time. The undivided Hindu vote will remain biggest of his legacy. His appeal brought different segments of Dalits, OBCs and upper castes into BJP's fold but at the same time his politics has ended up creating great anxiety in the minority and people with Left liberal ideology. He has united a diverse population under the new rubric of cultural nationalism but sidelined views who believe in constitutional nationalism. This debate has united and divided the country like never before. Modi's politics ended minority exceptionalism in Indian politics but at the same time allowed crude majoritarianism to dominate political discourse. It allowed people to write and talk about violence perpetrated by minorities too. But it also created viciousness where a small child's rape in Jammu was being seen from the prism of community. Same happened on the nationalism debate. This time BJP turned the table on Congress. Congress, which used to call BJP anti-national for not participating in freedom struggle, was tagged as anti-national by BJP when it lent its support to a protest in JNU. It became part of a larger debate on nationalism. For the first time in history, Congress was being called anti-national. It united and divided India at the same time. It disallowed any intellectual discussion on the issue of patriotism and nationalism in mainstream but allowed coarse majority's view of the world to prevail. Modi's politics allowed communities more say and share in the political discourse. Whether it was cow protection or conservative stand on films like Padmavat, Modi's politics allowed these individual voices to dominate. Individual voices were labelled as detached from the ethos of the Indian society. This led to violation of the spirit of the Constitution. Indian Constitution acknowledges individual rights. Communities are protected but do not enjoy right over an individual. But in case of Padmavat, community's honour became more important than individual right. BJP on this sided with community pride. It made liberals look undemocratic in world view as if they are not sensitive to the subaltern world view. It again created a divide. Modi's politics ended Congress arrogance by attacking the principle of dynasty. Modi made dynasty into an issue which he continues to use during every state elections. It divided and united lot of people at the same time. His attack on the Gandhi family was a first of its kind. He broke the political Omerta code. It also unnerved lot of people in his party. Modi's politics also tried to make up for the bankruptcy of RSS as a major figure during independence. His politics successfully stole couple of Congress icons like Netaji and Sardar Patel. It again created a political divide. BJP was accused of using historical figures to serve contemporary political interest. The case in point is Netaji papers appearing a year before Bengal elections. The only place perhaps where Modi failed was to bridge the gap between industry and farming community through his personality. For this reason the land acquisition bill continues to languish. Modi had to over commit himself to the farming sector lest suit boot ki sarkar jumla extract its pound of flesh. Narendra Modi like Indira Gandhi has become a central pole of discussion. His party rules 20 states. He has become undisputed national leader uniting the cadre in his praise. But like Indira Gandhi, from strong he has started to look authoritarian. It has united the whole Opposition which feels that BJP under Modi will derail democracy by making one party hegemonic. His campaigns like demonetisation and Swachh Bharat have united and divided India at the same time. Both policies became political issues. Demonetisation went a step further an became an electoral issue. Modi, like Indira Gandhi, is loved and hated at the same time. He is a demon and God to many at the same time. Bottomline is that Modi's strength does not flow from accommodation but by drawing strong political lines. He politically appropriates surgical strike. He criticises domestic Opposition abroad. He remains cold to the Opposition. His supports stems more from social media than mainstream and international media. There is a reason too. The Lutyen's consensus never accommodated him so he ended up breaking the very consensus. His desire to conquer Delhi is married to his aversion to its durbar politics. For this reason he remains an eternal outsider to Delhi's politics. He continues to divide and unite India and this remains the crux of Modi's four year in Delhi's politics. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Modi, a unifier and divider, rolled into one

BSP chief Mayawati on Saturday termed the four years of the Narendra Modi-led government as "disappointing" and said the parting of ways by some of the NDA partners was its clear indication.

The Modi government completed four years in power today.

"NDA alliance partners are parting ways one by one and this proves that the four years of the BJP-led government have been most unsuccessful and disappointing at all levels," Mayawati said.

"This kind of exploitation of the poor, labourers, common people and women under the central government has never been seen before...Their 'chori aur seena jori' has also been unheard of in the past," the BSP chief said.

She had convened a meeting of her party office bearers later in the day.

"The BJP and PM's unfulfilled promises undermined the faith and effectiveness of this government," she said.

Their own people were not listening to the leaders and it was an indication that the countdown of the BJP government had started, Mayawati said.

The BSP chief claimed that the government had bowed down before the capitalists as a result of which the country's economy had suffered and the people were concerned whether their money was safe in banks or not.

She alleged that there was anarchy in all walks of life, which proved that the BJP's rule meant "jungle raj".

"It seems that they have given permission to their people to level all kind of unfounded allegations and indulge in illegal acts," she alleged.

"There had also been an unsuccessful attempt to hush up rape cases in Kathua and Unnao by the BJP, showing the reality of the party," Mayawati alleged.&nbsp;

The Modi government completed four years in power today.

BSP chief Mayawati on Saturday termed the four years of the Narendra Modi-led government as "disappointing" and said the parting of ways by some of the NDA partners was its clear indication. The Modi government completed four years in power today. "NDA alliance partners are parting ways one by one and this proves that the four years of the BJP-led government have been most unsuccessful and disappointing at all levels," Mayawati said. "This kind of exploitation of the poor, labourers, common people and women under the central government has never been seen before...Their 'chori aur seena jori' has also been unheard of in the past," the BSP chief said. She had convened a meeting of her party office bearers later in the day. "The BJP and PM's unfulfilled promises undermined the faith and effectiveness of this government," she said. Their own people were not listening to the leaders and it was an indication that the countdown of the BJP government had started, Mayawati said. The BSP chief claimed that the government had bowed down before the capitalists as a result of which the country's economy had suffered and the people were concerned whether their money was safe in banks or not. She alleged that there was anarchy in all walks of life, which proved that the BJP's rule meant "jungle raj". "It seems that they have given permission to their people to level all kind of unfounded allegations and indulge in illegal acts," she alleged. "There had also been an unsuccessful attempt to hush up rape cases in Kathua and Unnao by the BJP, showing the reality of the party," Mayawati alleged.

Four years of Modi government disappointing: Mayawati

PM Modi is known for his signature shots - grand gestures which have the ‘Modi hallmark’. The day May 26th, 2014 was no different.

The red carpet was laid out on this day 4 years ago – the day of Modi’s coronation as prime minister.

It was also a moment to play diplomacy and engage in the Great Game, after all a party had come to power with one of the biggest majorities in Indian parliamentary history and it was the time to set the agenda.

Modi, still a PM-designate made a diplomatic coup of sorts by inviting Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif to his inauguration which was widely seen as a political masterstroke and hopes of peace once again echoed in the sub-continent.

Modi and Pakistan

As PM Modi took over the reins of power at New Delhi, equations in Islamabad was changing too – as was always the case with the Army playing a key role.

During Manmohan’s Singh’s tenure, India and Pakistan had an off-again and on-again relationship.

In the initial years, Pervez Musharraf had travelled to New Delhi engaging in “cricket diplomacy” however as Musharraf was forced to give up power and a civilian government came to power, India’s equation with Pakistan began to undergo subtle changes.

Then came 26/11 and attacks on Mumbai by Pakistan’s “non-state” actors and things went downhill from there.

India stopped talking with Pakistan and during Manmohan’s second term Pakistan was almost always kept out of the picture.

As a grand foreign policy initiative, PM Modi played “stopover diplomacy” at Lahore in December 2015 to meet PM Nawaz Sharif while on his way back from Kabul.

The move is seen as the first attempt to kick-start India-Pak dialogue stalled since 26/11 created a media frenzy as both prime ministers did some chai pe charcha.

Then just days later came the Pathankot terror attack at India’s Air Force base on January 2nd, 2016 and relations nose-dived once again.

The final nail in the coffin was the Uri terror attack in J&K a few months later in September 2016 and India went ahead and refused to take part in the SAARC summit to be held in Kathmandu that year.

PM Modi’s government has been engaging in a war of words with Pakistan in what seems to be an unending game of one-upmanship in the sub-continental power game with no end in sight.

With just months for his tenure to get over and Pakistan elections near, PM Modi could be looking at another diplomatic coup to bring back Pakistan on the national agenda, although it may look a distant dream right now but for a prime minister who is used to think out of the box another trademark Modi miracle cannot be far away.

As PM Modi took over the reins of power at New Delhi, equations in Islamabad was changing too – as was always the case with the Army playing a key role.

PM Modi is known for his signature shots - grand gestures which have the ‘Modi hallmark’. The day May 26th, 2014 was no different. The red carpet was laid out on this day 4 years ago – the day of Modi’s coronation as prime minister. It was also a moment to play diplomacy and engage in the Great Game, after all a party had come to power with one of the biggest majorities in Indian parliamentary history and it was the time to set the agenda. Modi, still a PM-designate made a diplomatic coup of sorts by inviting Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif to his inauguration which was widely seen as a political masterstroke and hopes of peace once again echoed in the sub-continent. Modi and Pakistan As PM Modi took over the reins of power at New Delhi, equations in Islamabad was changing too – as was always the case with the Army playing a key role. During Manmohan’s Singh’s tenure, India and Pakistan had an off-again and on-again relationship. In the initial years, Pervez Musharraf had travelled to New Delhi engaging in “cricket diplomacy” however as Musharraf was forced to give up power and a civilian government came to power, India’s equation with Pakistan began to undergo subtle changes. Then came 26/11 and attacks on Mumbai by Pakistan’s “non-state” actors and things went downhill from there. India stopped talking with Pakistan and during Manmohan’s second term Pakistan was almost always kept out of the picture. As a grand foreign policy initiative, PM Modi played “stopover diplomacy” at Lahore in December 2015 to meet PM Nawaz Sharif while on his way back from Kabul. The move is seen as the first attempt to kick-start India-Pak dialogue stalled since 26/11 created a media frenzy as both prime ministers did some chai pe charcha. Then just days later came the Pathankot terror attack at India’s Air Force base on January 2nd, 2016 and relations nose-dived once again. The final nail in the coffin was the Uri terror attack in J&K a few months later in September 2016 and India went ahead and refused to take part in the SAARC summit to be held in Kathmandu that year. PM Modi’s government has been engaging in a war of words with Pakistan in what seems to be an unending game of one-upmanship in the sub-continental power game with no end in sight. With just months for his tenure to get over and Pakistan elections near, PM Modi could be looking at another diplomatic coup to bring back Pakistan on the national agenda, although it may look a distant dream right now but for a prime minister who is used to think out of the box another trademark Modi miracle cannot be far away.

PM Modi's ‘Lahore stopover’ and the Pakistan question

The BJP will launch a fortnight-long programme to mark the fourth anniversary of the Modi government, with its president Amit Shah leading an exercise to reach out to one lakh personalities from different walks of life to highlight its achievements.

The programme will start on May 27, in which all ministers -- both from the Centre and BJP-ruled states, MPs, MLAs, mayors and all other office-bearers of the party will reach out to personalities or experts or influential people across the country, BJP general secretary Arun Singh said in a letter.

It will also include a special contact drive in SC and ST localities and also with senior citizens, he said.

"As part of the programme, each BJP leader will interact with at least 25 renowned people from various fields such as retired judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, retired bureaucrats, retired army personnel, sports stars, writers among others and will inform them about the achievements of the Modi government in last four years," Singh said.

Singh further said all party leaders have also been instructed to organise various events such as a conference of beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, get-together of intellectuals, press conference and gram sabhas.

Besides, the leaders have been asked by the party to meet at least 50 polling booth workers of the BJP and brief them about the Modi government's works.

Singh also asked the party leaders to promote the use of Narendra Modi App during their interactions with the people.

The programme will start on May 27, in which all ministers -- both from the Centre and BJP-ruled states, MPs, MLAs, mayors and all other office-bearers of the party will reach out to personalities or experts or influential people across the country

The BJP will launch a fortnight-long programme to mark the fourth anniversary of the Modi government, with its president Amit Shah leading an exercise to reach out to one lakh personalities from different walks of life to highlight its achievements. The programme will start on May 27, in which all ministers -- both from the Centre and BJP-ruled states, MPs, MLAs, mayors and all other office-bearers of the party will reach out to personalities or experts or influential people across the country, BJP general secretary Arun Singh said in a letter. It will also include a special contact drive in SC and ST localities and also with senior citizens, he said. "As part of the programme, each BJP leader will interact with at least 25 renowned people from various fields such as retired judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, retired bureaucrats, retired army personnel, sports stars, writers among others and will inform them about the achievements of the Modi government in last four years," Singh said. Singh further said all party leaders have also been instructed to organise various events such as a conference of beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, get-together of intellectuals, press conference and gram sabhas. Besides, the leaders have been asked by the party to meet at least 50 polling booth workers of the BJP and brief them about the Modi government's works. Singh also asked the party leaders to promote the use of Narendra Modi App during their interactions with the people.

BJP to launch 15-day programme to mark fourth anniversary of Modi government

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has completed four years. During this time, his government launched several initiatives which garnered laurels as well as created a lot of buzz across the country.

As his party gears up for elections next year, here is a look at his pet schemes and how they have performed in these four years:

Goods and Services Tax

This was one of the most crucial reform introduced by the Modi government. Though the plan was in the works for more than a decade, the GST (as it is popularly called) was finally implemented in July, 2017. The GST replaced many indirect taxes (as many as 14) that previously existed and streamlined tax rates across the country under one umbrella. The implementation of GST altered the country's indirect tax regime for good.

The GST was meant to introduce single tax slab across the country, but after numerous discussions and political compulsions, there are now four slabs. However, it has reduced the number of taxes while moving goods within the country, or availing services at different locations. Initially, it resulted in drop in tax collection, but after nearly a year of GST, the numbers have gone up.

Demonetisation

On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the nation by surprise when he announced the discontinuation of existing high-values currency notes - Rs 500 and 1000 - which was termed as demonetisation. THe decision was taken essentially to wipe out all the black money, curb fake currency and terror financing.

This prompted people to embrace digital payment channels and reduced their dependence on cash. Post-demonetisation, the number of tax returns filed by individuals increased 25.3 per cent and 9.1 million taxpayers have been added to the tax net.

Demonetisation, like GST, was put to challenge both by opposition parties and people who were shocked at huge amounts of cash disappearing from the system. Many assembly elections and bypolls were fought solely on these two economic decisions of the BJP, and the party paid by losing some of these polls. The main criticism was ATM machines going dry and long queues outside, but the upheaval was contained a few months later. Government announced a slew of measures to make people's lives easier.

Demonetisation, the gamble which government played, directly hit sectors like real estate where presence of black money was highest. The growth rate, which had plunged initially, is back now and compliance among the business community has increased.

Make in India

Just a few months into his term, PM Modi launched the "Make in India" scheme to facilitate domestic investment, boost in-house research & development (R&D) and create skill-based jobs by developing manufacturing in the country and to make India a global manufacturing power.

A "Start-up India" programme was also launched with the objective of making India the start-up capital of the world. Modi promised an increase in manufacturing's share of the country's GDP from 16 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022 and to create 100 million additional jobs by that year.

Aadhaar linking

The Modi government introduced a policy to link PAN card, voter ID, LPG connection card, ration card and mobile number to a 12-digit unique number, known as Aadhaar. It was introduced on March 26, 2016.

Modi government projected and Parliament enacted the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act. Today, Aadhaar has become India's most credible identity currency, and is used while filing taxes, and buying financial products like mutual funds.

PM Modi said that the unique identification number will work as a "big weapon" in the fight against benami property. "Aadhaar has a played a big role in ensuring that ration at proper rates, scholarships, pension and government subsidies reached the poor," he said.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign)

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched on October 2, 2014, by PM Modi with hopes to increase the reach of sanitation facilities to every family. Under the scheme, toilets, solid and liquid waste disposal systems, cleanliness, and safe and adequate drinking water supply will be ensured in every village of the country so that they can become open-defecation free by October 2, 2019. Modi nominated notable personalities from film industry, sports, media, business and other celebrities to promote the initiative.

The mission's biggest component, the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin or SBM-G, which has the vital mission of constructing 10 crore toilets in India's villages, has been underfunded since 2014, research report shows. The gap between money the SBM-G needs and what it actually gets has extended from Rs 3,500 crore in 2016-17 to an astounding Rs 15,000 crore in the coming financial year.

Since the Modi government came to power there have been significant economic changes in the country. His government has taken the rightful steps towards a stable political and macroeconomic environment, redefining the tax system, as well as battled corruption by introducing demonetisation. These policies have helped India’s economy outperform most emerging markets in per capita GDP growth, and improved the country's business environment, as inflation has dropped.

India's economic growth collapsed in the quarters following demonetisation. However, it turned around with the December quarter clocking 7.2 per cent growth In the country's GDP. India's ranking in the World Bank's "Ease of doing business report" also moved from 130 to 100 this year.

Another noteworthy accomplishment of the Indian economy over the past few years has been the extraordinary growth in foreign flows, in particular the foreign direct investment (FDI).

But then it also led to some downfalls. Bad debts - now at more than Rs 9 trillion - linger profoundly not just on government-controlled banks but also on its economic well-being (e.g. the 13,000 crore PNB fraud). The oil prices have been steadily increasing over the last couple of months.

The agriculture sector has taken a hit with farmers' income dropping in real terms, primarily on account of food price deflation and the breakdown in the cash-based rural economy after demonetisation. In fact, if one compares India's real GDP growth to expansion of its farm sector, the latter has steadily lagged the former since 2012.

GDP growth is still above five per cent, but it has slowed down sharply from past rates of eight and nine per cent. And even the above-five per cent GDP growth is not creating jobs fast enough. In 2014, during its election campaign, the government had promised to create 10 million jobs a year. However, only less than a million jobs were created in the four years it has been in power.

GDP growth is still above five per cent, but it has slowed down sharply from past rates of eight and nine per cent.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has completed four years. During this time, his government launched several initiatives which garnered laurels as well as created a lot of buzz across the country. As his party gears up for elections next year, here is a look at his pet schemes and how they have performed in these four years: Goods and Services Tax This was one of the most crucial reform introduced by the Modi government. Though the plan was in the works for more than a decade, the GST (as it is popularly called) was finally implemented in July, 2017. The GST replaced many indirect taxes (as many as 14) that previously existed and streamlined tax rates across the country under one umbrella. The implementation of GST altered the country's indirect tax regime for good. The GST was meant to introduce single tax slab across the country, but after numerous discussions and political compulsions, there are now four slabs. However, it has reduced the number of taxes while moving goods within the country, or availing services at different locations. Initially, it resulted in drop in tax collection, but after nearly a year of GST, the numbers have gone up. Demonetisation On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the nation by surprise when he announced the discontinuation of existing high-values currency notes - Rs 500 and 1000 - which was termed as demonetisation. THe decision was taken essentially to wipe out all the black money, curb fake currency and terror financing. This prompted people to embrace digital payment channels and reduced their dependence on cash. Post-demonetisation, the number of tax returns filed by individuals increased 25.3 per cent and 9.1 million taxpayers have been added to the tax net. Demonetisation, like GST, was put to challenge both by opposition parties and people who were shocked at huge amounts of cash disappearing from the system. Many assembly elections and bypolls were fought solely on these two economic decisions of the BJP, and the party paid by losing some of these polls. The main criticism was ATM machines going dry and long queues outside, but the upheaval was contained a few months later. Government announced a slew of measures to make people's lives easier. Demonetisation, the gamble which government played, directly hit sectors like real estate where presence of black money was highest. The growth rate, which had plunged initially, is back now and compliance among the business community has increased. Make in India Just a few months into his term, PM Modi launched the "Make in India" scheme to facilitate domestic investment, boost in-house research & development (R&D) and create skill-based jobs by developing manufacturing in the country and to make India a global manufacturing power. A "Start-up India" programme was also launched with the objective of making India the start-up capital of the world. Modi promised an increase in manufacturing's share of the country's GDP from 16 per cent to 25 per cent by 2022 and to create 100 million additional jobs by that year. Aadhaar linking The Modi government introduced a policy to link PAN card, voter ID, LPG connection card, ration card and mobile number to a 12-digit unique number, known as Aadhaar. It was introduced on March 26, 2016. Modi government projected and Parliament enacted the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act. Today, Aadhaar has become India's most credible identity currency, and is used while filing taxes, and buying financial products like mutual funds. PM Modi said that the unique identification number will work as a "big weapon" in the fight against benami property. "Aadhaar has a played a big role in ensuring that ration at proper rates, scholarships, pension and government subsidies reached the poor," he said. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign) Swachh Bharat Abhiyan was launched on October 2, 2014, by PM Modi with hopes to increase the reach of sanitation facilities to every family. Under the scheme, toilets, solid and liquid waste disposal systems, cleanliness, and safe and adequate drinking water supply will be ensured in every village of the country so that they can become open-defecation free by October 2, 2019. Modi nominated notable personalities from film industry, sports, media, business and other celebrities to promote the initiative. The mission's biggest component, the Swachh Bharat Mission-Gramin or SBM-G, which has the vital mission of constructing 10 crore toilets in India's villages, has been underfunded since 2014, research report shows. The gap between money the SBM-G needs and what it actually gets has extended from Rs 3,500 crore in 2016-17 to an astounding Rs 15,000 crore in the coming financial year. Since the Modi government came to power there have been significant economic changes in the country. His government has taken the rightful steps towards a stable political and macroeconomic environment, redefining the tax system, as well as battled corruption by introducing demonetisation. These policies have helped India’s economy outperform most emerging markets in per capita GDP growth, and improved the country's business environment, as inflation has dropped. India's economic growth collapsed in the quarters following demonetisation. However, it turned around with the December quarter clocking 7.2 per cent growth In the country's GDP. India's ranking in the World Bank's "Ease of doing business report" also moved from 130 to 100 this year. Another noteworthy accomplishment of the Indian economy over the past few years has been the extraordinary growth in foreign flows, in particular the foreign direct investment (FDI). But then it also led to some downfalls. Bad debts - now at more than Rs 9 trillion - linger profoundly not just on government-controlled banks but also on its economic well-being (e.g. the 13,000 crore PNB fraud). The oil prices have been steadily increasing over the last couple of months. The agriculture sector has taken a hit with farmers' income dropping in real terms, primarily on account of food price deflation and the breakdown in the cash-based rural economy after demonetisation. In fact, if one compares India's real GDP growth to expansion of its farm sector, the latter has steadily lagged the former since 2012. GDP growth is still above five per cent, but it has slowed down sharply from past rates of eight and nine per cent. And even the above-five per cent GDP growth is not creating jobs fast enough. In 2014, during its election campaign, the government had promised to create 10 million jobs a year. However, only less than a million jobs were created in the four years it has been in power.

Four years of Modi government: 5 schemes and how they performed

It's been a year of hits and misses in foreign policy terms. India is struggling to reinforce its credentials in its own neighbourhood against a resurgent China. &nbspThe United States, under Donald Trump, conveys only incoherence. Ties with Russia are under strain as Moscow moves closer to China and Pakistan. &nbspHere's a look at four years of PM Modi's foreign policy.

In politics, as in diplomacy, gestures matter. &nbspSo when Russia's president Vladimir Putin personally saw off Narendra Modi in Sochi on Monday night, it conveyed much about the nature of their talks and the depth of the relationship. &nbsp&nbsp

"We can proudly say that the partnership that we had begun has already grown into a large tree of privileged, strategic partnership," PM Modi in Sochi.

But the fact also remains that the India-Russia relationship is struggling for relevance. Bilateral trade between both the countries is low at around $7 billion. India is diversifying its arms purchases away from Russia to ensure our strategic autonomy. &nbspother hiccups in the relationship are Russia's proximity to China.

On the 4th anniversary of the Modi government, it's clear that managing relations with China will remain India's major challenge. &nbspModi's informal summit with China's president Xi Jinping in Wuhan last month may have helped clarify the doubts and the lack of trust. &nbspBut China's growing power and status imply there will be difficulties ahead no matter what the two leaders may believe.&nbsp

"The two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border regions. They decided that they will strengthen communications between the two militaries in order to build trust and understanding," Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary, India.&nbsp

It doesn't help that Modi's reach out to Donald Trump last year has not given any political direction to the relationship. Trump has taken aim at India's small trade surplus with the US, he has cracked down on immigration and H-1b visas which has hit Indians, new sanctions on Iran will force up oil prices and complicate India's position. &nbsp

Trump has been harder on Pakistan for its support of terrorism but there is no sign that he's willing to hit them where it hurts the most. Pakistan continues to back terror groups in India and is seen to be working alongside China to undermine India in the region. &nbspDebt-laden Sri Lanka is beholden to China, so is the Maldives, so could Nepal and Bangladesh in a few years from now.

How Delhi manages the contradictions of being the big guy in the region without being seen as big brother is a challenge. &nbspYet there's no doubt Modi has single-mindedly moved to heighten India's profile in the world. &nbspIndia is seen and noticed but minus economic heft, will not get a seat at the high table.&nbsp

On the 4th anniversary of the Modi government, it's clear that managing relations with China will remain India's major challenge

It's been a year of hits and misses in foreign policy terms. India is struggling to reinforce its credentials in its own neighbourhood against a resurgent China. &nbspThe United States, under Donald Trump, conveys only incoherence. Ties with Russia are under strain as Moscow moves closer to China and Pakistan. &nbspHere's a look at four years of PM Modi's foreign policy. In politics, as in diplomacy, gestures matter. &nbspSo when Russia's president Vladimir Putin personally saw off Narendra Modi in Sochi on Monday night, it conveyed much about the nature of their talks and the depth of the relationship. "We can proudly say that the partnership that we had begun has already grown into a large tree of privileged, strategic partnership," PM Modi in Sochi. But the fact also remains that the India-Russia relationship is struggling for relevance. Bilateral trade between both the countries is low at around $7 billion. India is diversifying its arms purchases away from Russia to ensure our strategic autonomy. &nbspother hiccups in the relationship are Russia's proximity to China. On the 4th anniversary of the Modi government, it's clear that managing relations with China will remain India's major challenge. &nbspModi's informal summit with China's president Xi Jinping in Wuhan last month may have helped clarify the doubts and the lack of trust. &nbspBut China's growing power and status imply there will be difficulties ahead no matter what the two leaders may believe. "The two leaders underscored the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border regions. They decided that they will strengthen communications between the two militaries in order to build trust and understanding," Vijay Gokhale, Foreign Secretary, India. It doesn't help that Modi's reach out to Donald Trump last year has not given any political direction to the relationship. Trump has taken aim at India's small trade surplus with the US, he has cracked down on immigration and H-1b visas which has hit Indians, new sanctions on Iran will force up oil prices and complicate India's position. Trump has been harder on Pakistan for its support of terrorism but there is no sign that he's willing to hit them where it hurts the most. Pakistan continues to back terror groups in India and is seen to be working alongside China to undermine India in the region. &nbspDebt-laden Sri Lanka is beholden to China, so is the Maldives, so could Nepal and Bangladesh in a few years from now. How Delhi manages the contradictions of being the big guy in the region without being seen as big brother is a challenge. &nbspYet there's no doubt Modi has single-mindedly moved to heighten India's profile in the world. &nbspIndia is seen and noticed but minus economic heft, will not get a seat at the high table.

Four years of Modi government: A look at India's foreign policy

Days after the government <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/next-aim-to-electrify-each-household-in-the-country-by-december-31-2018-power-minister-133817">announced electrification had reached every </a>village in India, the World Bank backed the government's claim saying that India is doing more on electrification than any other country.

Leisang in Manipur was the last village to get an electricity connection, according to government records a village is considered electrified if 10% households, schools and health centres get access to electicity.

"India is doing extremely well on electrification. We are reporting India about 85 per cent of the population has access to electricity," said Vivien Foster, lead World Bank author of the latest report on Energy Progress.&nbsp

This, she said is higher than that of the Indian government figures.&nbsp

"That might surprise you. The government is currently reporting in low 80s," she said. &nbsp

Between 2010 and 2016, India providing electricity to 30 million people each year, more than any other country, the World Bank said.&nbsp

"In absolute terms, India is doing more on electrification than any other country. Thirty million a year, is really an astounding performance and it stands out from the crowd," Foster said.&nbsp

The World Bank report said 250 million people may gain electricity access by early 2020s, when India reaches full access.&nbsp

"We know that in some parts of India or having the connection doesn't necessarily guarantee the energy's reliable supply. So, getting the connection obviously is very important, but India still has a long way to continue to work on actually making that access meaningful in terms of hours of service," Foster said.

The rapid growth of electricity access in India is propelled by the country's $2.5 billion electrification programmes to reach universal electrification, the report said.&nbsp

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The World Bank report said 250 million people may gain electricity access by early 2020s, when India reaches full access.

Days after the government announced electrification had reached every village in India, the World Bank backed the government's claim saying that India is doing more on electrification than any other country. Leisang in Manipur was the last village to get an electricity connection, according to government records a village is considered electrified if 10% households, schools and health centres get access to electicity. "India is doing extremely well on electrification. We are reporting India about 85 per cent of the population has access to electricity," said Vivien Foster, lead World Bank author of the latest report on Energy Progress. This, she said is higher than that of the Indian government figures. "That might surprise you. The government is currently reporting in low 80s," she said. Between 2010 and 2016, India providing electricity to 30 million people each year, more than any other country, the World Bank said. "In absolute terms, India is doing more on electrification than any other country. Thirty million a year, is really an astounding performance and it stands out from the crowd," Foster said. The World Bank report said 250 million people may gain electricity access by early 2020s, when India reaches full access. "We know that in some parts of India or having the connection doesn't necessarily guarantee the energy's reliable supply. So, getting the connection obviously is very important, but India still has a long way to continue to work on actually making that access meaningful in terms of hours of service," Foster said. The rapid growth of electricity access in India is propelled by the country's $2.5 billion electrification programmes to reach universal electrification, the report said.

85 per cent India's population has access to electricity, more than government's figure: World Bank

Congress president Rahul<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/manohar-parrikar-was-buying-fish-when-pm-modi-changed-rafale-contract-rahul-gandhi-34150"> Gandhi today hit out at&nbsp;that the UPA</a> had negotiated the deal for &quot;526 crores per plane&quot; but the Modi government paid 1,670 crores.

This is not the first time <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-gave-rafale-contract-to-his-friend-rahul-gandhi-32416">the Congress president has </a>taken a swipe at the Modi government over the Rafale deal. He had earlier taken a dig at defence minister&nbsp;Nirmala Sitharaman over the issue and had asked her to &quot;come clean&quot;.

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The UPA negotiates the RAFALE down to 526 Cr. per plane. But Modi ji pays 1,670 Cr. instead. Loss to exchequer, over 40,000 Cr. 
 
RM&#39;s response? 
We paid &quot;our&quot; price. 
Who cares about &quot;their&quot; price? 
 
Answer: The PEOPLE care <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RafaleScam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RafaleScam</a>
&mdash; Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/975673350365294592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Rahul Gandhi in his tweet alleged that the Modi government&#39;s negotiations after the NDA took up the deal led to a loss of 40,000 crore.

The Congress president then cryptically noted: RM&#39;s response? We paid &quot;our&quot; price. Who cares about &quot;their&quot; price?

Answer: The people care

This is not the first time the Congress president has taken a swipe at the Modi government over the Rafale deal.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today hit out at that the UPA had negotiated the deal for "526 crores per plane" but the Modi government paid 1,670 crores. This is not the first time the Congress president has taken a swipe at the Modi government over the Rafale deal. He had earlier taken a dig at defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the issue and had asked her to "come clean". The UPA negotiates the RAFALE down to 526 Cr. per plane. But Modi ji pays 1,670 Cr. instead. Loss to exchequer, over 40,000 Cr. RM's response? We paid "our" price. Who cares about "their" price? Answer: The PEOPLE care #RafaleScam — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 19, 2018 × Rahul Gandhi in his tweet alleged that the Modi government's negotiations after the NDA took up the deal led to a loss of 40,000 crore. The Congress president then cryptically noted: RM's response? We paid "our" price. Who cares about "their" price? Answer: The people care

Loss to exchequer on Rafale deal over 40,000 crore, tweets Rahul Gandhi

Speaking at the second day of the Congress Plenary session, former Union minister Anand Sharma has accused the centre of disrupting the foreign policy of India.&nbsp;

He also said that the country has mismanaged its relations with immediate partners and major capitals of the world.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/nobody-can-stop-rahul-gandhi-to-become-pm-in-2019-says-siddaramaiah-congress-hints-at-possible-alliance-for-2019-36144" target="_blank">Congress hints at possible alliance for 2019 polls</a>

He said, &quot;Modi govt has disrupted India&#39;s foreign policy. In the last four years, they have made this a divisive policy. They have pursued this in a cavalier manner, non-serious manner&quot;.

&quot;The PM is carried away by his own propaganda. Today it is a matter of concern that we have mismanaged our relations with major capitals of the world, with major strategic partners and our immediate neighbourhood&quot; Anand Sharma said.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh has blamed the Modi led government of mismanaging the Jammu and Kashmir issue.

He said, &quot;Modi Govt has mismanaged Jammu and Kashmir like never before, the atmosphere is deteriorating day in and day out, its obvious from the fact that our borders are insecure, be it cross-border terror or internal&quot;&nbsp;

He added,&nbsp;&quot;When Modi Ji was campaigning he made lots of tall promises, those promises have not been fulfilled. He said we will provide 2 crore jobs, we have not seen even 2 lakh jobs&quot;.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/son-mom-moment-captured-at-congress-plenary-session-36175" target="_blank">&#39;Son-mom&#39; moment captured at Congress plenary session</a>

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When Modi ji was campaigning he made lots of tall promises, those promises have not been fulfilled. He said we will provide 2 crore jobs, we have not seen even 2 lakh jobs: Dr.Manmohan Singh at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongressPlenary?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongressPlenary</a> <a href="https://t.co/3robxOvYTi">pic.twitter.com/3robxOvYTi</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975256950156988416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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P Chidambaram, former Finance Minister has said that number of people below the poverty line went up under the BJP government.

He said, &quot;It&#39;s the biggest achievement of Dr Manmohan Singh that 14 crore people were listed out of poverty. BJP government&nbsp;pushed people into poverty. Number of people below poverty line went up. It&#39;s the greatest disservice BJP govt did to people of India&quot;.

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The current phase of economic growth started in 1990s when Rajiv Gandhi sowed seeds of liberalisation. This gained momentum under Dr Manmohan Singh. Whatever the BJP, the NDA may say, records speak for itself: P Chidambaram at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongressPlenarySession?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongressPlenarySession</a> <a href="https://t.co/sVuenLSCDE">pic.twitter.com/sVuenLSCDE</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975264084781338624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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I would like to tell the RBI officials why don&#39;t you go to Hundi collectors in Tirupati? They count money faster than you - P Chidambaram on demonetisation at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CongressPlenarySession?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CongressPlenarySession</a> <a href="https://t.co/oA5e58GMvv">pic.twitter.com/oA5e58GMvv</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/975265140550627328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The Congress party organised the plenary session on Saturday to unveil its political roadmap and vision for the next five years.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Former union minister Anand Sharma said that the country has mismanaged its relations with immediate partners and major capitals of the world

Speaking at the second day of the Congress Plenary session, former Union minister Anand Sharma has accused the centre of disrupting the foreign policy of India. He also said that the country has mismanaged its relations with immediate partners and major capitals of the world. Also read: Congress hints at possible alliance for 2019 polls He said, "Modi govt has disrupted India's foreign policy. In the last four years, they have made this a divisive policy. They have pursued this in a cavalier manner, non-serious manner". "The PM is carried away by his own propaganda. Today it is a matter of concern that we have mismanaged our relations with major capitals of the world, with major strategic partners and our immediate neighbourhood" Anand Sharma said. Former prime minister Manmohan Singh has blamed the Modi led government of mismanaging the Jammu and Kashmir issue. He said, "Modi Govt has mismanaged Jammu and Kashmir like never before, the atmosphere is deteriorating day in and day out, its obvious from the fact that our borders are insecure, be it cross-border terror or internal" He added, "When Modi Ji was campaigning he made lots of tall promises, those promises have not been fulfilled. He said we will provide 2 crore jobs, we have not seen even 2 lakh jobs". Also read: 'Son-mom' moment captured at Congress plenary session When Modi ji was campaigning he made lots of tall promises, those promises have not been fulfilled. He said we will provide 2 crore jobs, we have not seen even 2 lakh jobs: Dr.Manmohan Singh at #CongressPlenary pic.twitter.com/3robxOvYTi — ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2018 × P Chidambaram, former Finance Minister has said that number of people below the poverty line went up under the BJP government. He said, "It's the biggest achievement of Dr Manmohan Singh that 14 crore people were listed out of poverty. BJP government pushed people into poverty. Number of people below poverty line went up. It's the greatest disservice BJP govt did to people of India". The current phase of economic growth started in 1990s when Rajiv Gandhi sowed seeds of liberalisation. This gained momentum under Dr Manmohan Singh. Whatever the BJP, the NDA may say, records speak for itself: P Chidambaram at #CongressPlenarySession pic.twitter.com/sVuenLSCDE — ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2018 × I would like to tell the RBI officials why don't you go to Hundi collectors in Tirupati? They count money faster than you - P Chidambaram on demonetisation at #CongressPlenarySession pic.twitter.com/oA5e58GMvv — ANI (@ANI) March 18, 2018 × The Congress party organised the plenary session on Saturday to unveil its political roadmap and vision for the next five years.

Modi govt has disrupted India's foreign policy: Anand Sharma at Congress plenary session

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday once again attacked the Modi government over Rafale plane deal.&nbsp;

Rahul Gandhi's tweet comes days after Congress targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it was turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean.

The grand-old-party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the over price India had paid to France for the purchase of the fighter aircraft compared to other countries including Egypt and Qatar was not some charity and the Modi government should answer as to where the money had gone.

The party used the annual report of Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale fighter jets, to claim that the deal inked by Prime Minister Modi caused a loss of Rs 12,632 crore to the national exchequer.&nbsp;

According to the report, Dassault sold 36 Rafale jets to India at £7.5 billion in 2016, while 48 jets were sold to Qatar and Egypt at £7.9 billion in 2015. This amounted to Rs 1,670.7 crore per aircraft for India and Rs 1,319.8 crore to Qatar and Egypt.

The Congress also stressed that the current government's purchase price was much higher than the Rs 526 crore bid by the UPA regime.

Rahul Gandhi's tweet comes days after Congress targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it was turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday once again attacked the Modi government over Rafale plane deal. Rahul Gandhi's tweet comes days after Congress targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it was turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean. The grand-old-party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the over price India had paid to France for the purchase of the fighter aircraft compared to other countries including Egypt and Qatar was not some charity and the Modi government should answer as to where the money had gone. The party used the annual report of Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale fighter jets, to claim that the deal inked by Prime Minister Modi caused a loss of Rs 12,632 crore to the national exchequer. According to the report, Dassault sold 36 Rafale jets to India at £7.5 billion in 2016, while 48 jets were sold to Qatar and Egypt at £7.9 billion in 2015. This amounted to Rs 1,670.7 crore per aircraft for India and Rs 1,319.8 crore to Qatar and Egypt. The Congress also stressed that the current government's purchase price was much higher than the Rs 526 crore bid by the UPA regime.

Rafale deal: Dassault called government's lie, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday once again attacked the Modi government over Rafale plane deal.&nbsp;

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Dassault called RM&#39;s lie and released prices paid per RAFALE plane in report: 
 
Qatar = 1319 Cr 
MODI = 1670 Cr 
MMS = 570 Cr 
 
1100 Cr per plane or 36,000 Cr i.e 10 % of our Defence budget, in the pocket. 
 
Meanwhile, our Army begs our Govt. for money. <a href="https://t.co/fE5tj4IaeN">pic.twitter.com/fE5tj4IaeN</a>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/974611317960175616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Rahul Gandhi&#39;s tweet comes days after Congress targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it was turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean.

The grand-old-party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the over price India had paid to France for the purchase of the fighter aircraft compared to other countries including Egypt and Qatar was not some charity and the Modi government should answer as to where the money had gone.

The party used the annual report of Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale fighter jets, to claim that the deal inked by Prime Minister Modi caused a loss of Rs 12,632 crore to the national exchequer.&nbsp;

According to the report, Dassault sold 36 Rafale jets to India at &pound;7.5 billion in 2016, while 48 jets were sold to Qatar and Egypt at &pound;7.9 billion in 2015. This amounted to Rs 1,670.7 crore per aircraft for India and Rs 1,319.8 crore to Qatar and Egypt.

The Congress also stressed that the current government&#39;s purchase price was much higher than the Rs 526 crore bid by the UPA regime.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday once again attacked the Modi government over Rafale plane deal. Dassault called RM's lie and released prices paid per RAFALE plane in report: Qatar = 1319 Cr MODI = 1670 Cr MMS = 570 Cr 1100 Cr per plane or 36,000 Cr i.e 10 % of our Defence budget, in the pocket. Meanwhile, our Army begs our Govt. for money. pic.twitter.com/fE5tj4IaeN — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) March 16, 2018 × Rahul Gandhi's tweet comes days after Congress targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it was turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean. The grand-old-party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the over price India had paid to France for the purchase of the fighter aircraft compared to other countries including Egypt and Qatar was not some charity and the Modi government should answer as to where the money had gone. The party used the annual report of Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of Rafale fighter jets, to claim that the deal inked by Prime Minister Modi caused a loss of Rs 12,632 crore to the national exchequer. According to the report, Dassault sold 36 Rafale jets to India at £7.5 billion in 2016, while 48 jets were sold to Qatar and Egypt at £7.9 billion in 2015. This amounted to Rs 1,670.7 crore per aircraft for India and Rs 1,319.8 crore to Qatar and Egypt. The Congress also stressed that the current government's purchase price was much higher than the Rs 526 crore bid by the UPA regime.

The Congress party on Saturday again targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it is turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean.

The comments came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with French President Emannuel Macron.

The grand-old-party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the over price India had paid to France for the purchase of the fighter aircraft compared to other countries including Egypt and Qatar was not some charity and the Modi government should answer as to where the money had gone.

&quot;People are asking in whose pockets this money has gone&quot;, he added.&nbsp;

Vadakkan said his party had been raising the issue for the last three days but not a word from the government or the BJP was heard in response. Not even a denial, he said.

The BJP yesterday rejected the Congress&#39; charge, claiming the party was spreading lies and confusion to mislead the nation.&nbsp;

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said it is irresponsible and anti-national to allege corruption in the Euro 7.5 billion deal with France to supply the fighter jets.

&quot;Where is the corruption? It is irresponsible and anti-national to make such allegations,&quot; he said speaking at a media event.

The Congress, however, again raised the issue today and likened the government&#39;s stand to a cat drinking milk with its eyes shut in the belief that nobody will watch it.

&quot;The government, the defence ministry must come clean. What are they trying to hide?. You called the UPA corrupt. If this is not corruption then what is. It is turning out to be a mother scam on which the NDA must come clean,&quot; he said.

"People are asking in whose pockets this money has gone", Congress asked.

The Congress party on Saturday again targeted the NDA government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it is turning out to be a mother scam, and asked the government to come clean. The comments came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with French President Emannuel Macron. The grand-old-party spokesperson Tom Vadakkan said the over price India had paid to France for the purchase of the fighter aircraft compared to other countries including Egypt and Qatar was not some charity and the Modi government should answer as to where the money had gone. "People are asking in whose pockets this money has gone", he added. Vadakkan said his party had been raising the issue for the last three days but not a word from the government or the BJP was heard in response. Not even a denial, he said. The BJP yesterday rejected the Congress' charge, claiming the party was spreading lies and confusion to mislead the nation. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari today said it is irresponsible and anti-national to allege corruption in the Euro 7.5 billion deal with France to supply the fighter jets. "Where is the corruption? It is irresponsible and anti-national to make such allegations," he said speaking at a media event. The Congress, however, again raised the issue today and likened the government's stand to a cat drinking milk with its eyes shut in the belief that nobody will watch it. "The government, the defence ministry must come clean. What are they trying to hide?. You called the UPA corrupt. If this is not corruption then what is. It is turning out to be a mother scam on which the NDA must come clean," he said.

Modi government should come clean on Rafale deal: Congress

The TDP on Wednesday night decided to pull out of the NDA government at the Centre and asked two of its ministers in the Modi government to tender their resignation but kept the door for ties with the BJP ajar.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/finance-minister-arun-jaitley-promises-funds-equivalent-of-special-status-to-andhra-pradesh-35020">Also read: Will give money equivalent </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/finance-minister-arun-jaitley-promises-funds-equivalent-of-special-status-to-andhra-pradesh-35020">of</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/finance-minister-arun-jaitley-promises-funds-equivalent-of-special-status-to-andhra-pradesh-35020"> special status to Andhra Pradesh, says&nbsp;Arun Jaitley</a>

The TDP took the painful decision in the interest of the state as it was left with no other option, party chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said at an emergency press briefing.

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It&#39;s a crucial time. 
We have to stand, we have to fight, we have to get it done.
&mdash; N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) <a href="https://twitter.com/ncbn/status/971447691489239040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The two ministers in the Modi government are Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary.

In a tit-for-tat action, the two BJP ministers in the Naidu government--K Srinivasa Rao and T Manikyala Rao--too announced their decision to quit.

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I tried reaching out to the Prime Minister to inform him about our decision. But sadly, he was unavailable.
&mdash; N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) <a href="https://twitter.com/ncbn/status/971446399316385792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;When the intended purpose (of joining the Union Cabinet) has not been served, there is no point in continuing. For me the sole agenda is to safeguard the interests of the state, he said.

The TDP has 16 MPs in the Lok Sabha.

Naidu&#39;s announcement came barely hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference in New Delhi this evening that funds equivalent to what a special category state receives would be extended to Andhra Pradesh, but drew a line saying politics cannot increase the quantum of money.

We have now come out of the NDA. Party-to-party (TDP-BJP ties) issue will be decided later, he added, hinting that their alliance may continue in the future.

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I am not angry with anyone. This decision has been taken only to benefit the people of Andhra Pradesh.
&mdash; N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) <a href="https://twitter.com/ncbn/status/971446279287988224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Jaitley said giving special category status, as demanded by Naidu, to any state apart from those in the North-East and three hill provinces were not constitutionally possible after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations.

For special category status category states, the Centre meets 90 per cent of the funds required in a centrally sponsored scheme as against 60 per cent in case of normal category states. The remaining funds are provided by the state governments.

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The Centre has been taking one sided decisions and our patience has run out now. When the purpose of joining the union cabinet hasn&rsquo;t been fulfilled, it&rsquo;s best to resign now.
&mdash; N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) <a href="https://twitter.com/ncbn/status/971446230088691712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Naidu said Jaitley&#39;s announcement was the &quot;last straw&quot; for the TDP. Naidu had repeatedly insisted on special category state status for Andhra Pradesh following mounting pressure from the opposition.

Jaitley&#39;s statement was nothing but insulting us, he maintained.

&#39;&#39;I made every effort to get our issues resolved by the Centre in the last four years. I told them about the people&#39;s sentiment and tried to convince them in every manner but to no avail, he said.

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We&rsquo;ve waited enough. We&rsquo;ve believed in false promises enough. Our ministers are resigning from the Union Cabinet. We will do whatever it takes to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh.
&mdash; Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) <a href="https://twitter.com/naralokesh/status/971437418027995136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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They (Centre) are with a predetermination and there appears to be no way they will help us. Under such inevitable circumstances, we have decided to come out of the NDA, Naidu said, after a three-hour teleconference with party MPs and state ministers following Jaitley&#39;s assertions.

He said the TDP joined the NDA government only to protect the state&#39;s interests following its bifurcation but claimed the Centre was taking unilateral decisions without thinking about the solutions to the state&#39;s problems.

The chief minister said he tried to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone as a courtesy to inform him about the decision to pull out of the NDA government. It is my responsibility as a coalition partner to inform the prime minister about our party decision. My OSD spoke to his OSD but the prime minister did not come online, he said.

Naidu hoped the Centre would at least now respect the sentiments of people of Andhra Pradesh.&nbsp;

The TDP took the painful decision in the interest of the state as it was left with no other option, party chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said at an emergency press briefing.

The TDP on Wednesday night decided to pull out of the NDA government at the Centre and asked two of its ministers in the Modi government to tender their resignation but kept the door for ties with the BJP ajar. Also read: Will give money equivalent of special status to Andhra Pradesh, says Arun Jaitley The TDP took the painful decision in the interest of the state as it was left with no other option, party chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said at an emergency press briefing. It's a crucial time. We have to stand, we have to fight, we have to get it done. — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 7, 2018 × The two ministers in the Modi government are Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary. In a tit-for-tat action, the two BJP ministers in the Naidu government--K Srinivasa Rao and T Manikyala Rao--too announced their decision to quit. I tried reaching out to the Prime Minister to inform him about our decision. But sadly, he was unavailable. — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 7, 2018 × "When the intended purpose (of joining the Union Cabinet) has not been served, there is no point in continuing. For me the sole agenda is to safeguard the interests of the state, he said. The TDP has 16 MPs in the Lok Sabha. Naidu's announcement came barely hours after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference in New Delhi this evening that funds equivalent to what a special category state receives would be extended to Andhra Pradesh, but drew a line saying politics cannot increase the quantum of money. We have now come out of the NDA. Party-to-party (TDP-BJP ties) issue will be decided later, he added, hinting that their alliance may continue in the future. I am not angry with anyone. This decision has been taken only to benefit the people of Andhra Pradesh. — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 7, 2018 × Jaitley said giving special category status, as demanded by Naidu, to any state apart from those in the North-East and three hill provinces were not constitutionally possible after the implementation of the 14th Finance Commission recommendations. For special category status category states, the Centre meets 90 per cent of the funds required in a centrally sponsored scheme as against 60 per cent in case of normal category states. The remaining funds are provided by the state governments. The Centre has been taking one sided decisions and our patience has run out now. When the purpose of joining the union cabinet hasn’t been fulfilled, it’s best to resign now. — N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 7, 2018 × Naidu said Jaitley's announcement was the "last straw" for the TDP. Naidu had repeatedly insisted on special category state status for Andhra Pradesh following mounting pressure from the opposition. Jaitley's statement was nothing but insulting us, he maintained. ''I made every effort to get our issues resolved by the Centre in the last four years. I told them about the people's sentiment and tried to convince them in every manner but to no avail, he said. We’ve waited enough. We’ve believed in false promises enough. Our ministers are resigning from the Union Cabinet. We will do whatever it takes to fulfill the aspirations of the people of Andhra Pradesh. — Lokesh Nara (@naralokesh) March 7, 2018 × They (Centre) are with a predetermination and there appears to be no way they will help us. Under such inevitable circumstances, we have decided to come out of the NDA, Naidu said, after a three-hour teleconference with party MPs and state ministers following Jaitley's assertions. He said the TDP joined the NDA government only to protect the state's interests following its bifurcation but claimed the Centre was taking unilateral decisions without thinking about the solutions to the state's problems. The chief minister said he tried to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone as a courtesy to inform him about the decision to pull out of the NDA government. It is my responsibility as a coalition partner to inform the prime minister about our party decision. My OSD spoke to his OSD but the prime minister did not come online, he said. Naidu hoped the Centre would at least now respect the sentiments of people of Andhra Pradesh.

TDP pulls out of NDA government, keeps door for alliance with BJP ajar

The Supreme Court has asked the Modi government to take a stand on the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and communicate its decision within three months.&nbsp;

The Tamil Nadu government had previously remitted jail sentences of the seven convicts.&nbsp;

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Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case: Supreme Court asks Central Government to take a stand and make it clear within three months whether it agreed with the move of the Tamil Nadu government to remit jail sentences of seven convicts in the case, or else convey what it wants
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/955695097005289472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The central government has been asked to communicate if it stands by the Tamil Nadu government&#39;s decision or has anything else to communicate on the matter.&nbsp;

The Tamil Nadu government had written a letter to the Modi government seeking relief for the seven convicts in May 2016.

&nbsp;

The Tamil Nadu government had previously remitted jail sentences of the seven convicts

The Supreme Court has asked the Modi government to take a stand on the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and communicate its decision within three months. The Tamil Nadu government had previously remitted jail sentences of the seven convicts. Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case: Supreme Court asks Central Government to take a stand and make it clear within three months whether it agreed with the move of the Tamil Nadu government to remit jail sentences of seven convicts in the case, or else convey what it wants — ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2018 × The central government has been asked to communicate if it stands by the Tamil Nadu government's decision or has anything else to communicate on the matter. The Tamil Nadu government had written a letter to the Modi government seeking relief for the seven convicts in May 2016.

Rajiv Gandhi assassination case: Supreme Court asks Modi government to communicate final word on 7 convicts

All 10 ASEAN leaders conveyed to India their desire for it to play a more assertive role in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region while recognising the country&#39;s growing stature in ensuring regional peace and stability.

&quot;Yes,&quot; said Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs Preeti Saran when asked during a media briefing whether the leaders of the powerful ASEAN grouping favoured a more assertive role for India in the Indo-Pacific region where China has been ramping up its military presence.

On whether ASEAN wants India to play a more pro-active role in the Indo-Pacific in the wake of China&#39;s growing expansionism in the area, Saran said India-ASEAN relationship stands on its own. 
&quot;All the leaders conveyed their desire for a greater participation of India (in the Indo-Pacific region),&quot; she said.

The desire by the ASEAN countries for a greater role by India in the Indo-Pacific region assumes significance in the wake of rising tensions between China and a number of countries of the grouping over the South China Sea dispute.

Leaders of all 10 ASEAN member countries were here to participate at a summit meeting to mark 25 years of India- ASEAN ties and to attend India&#39;s Republic Day celebrations.

Indo-Pacific broadly refers to the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions, which also include the disputed South China Sea where Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei question China&#39;s claims over almost the entire waterway.

The US has also been pitching for greater Indo-US cooperation in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Laos and Brunei.

Saran said all the ASEAN leaders appreciated India&#39;s positive role in the Indo-Pacific region.

A number of pressing issues including the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to tackle threat of terrorism figured during the summit meeting as well as in bilateral talks Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with the ASEAN leaders.

Referring to the challenge of terrorism, Saran said that ASEAN leaders emphasised on the need for concerted global efforts to contain the menace.

&quot;Terrorism does not know any boundaries. You know what is cross border terrorism, you cannot be selective in tackling terrorism.... They (ASEAN leaders) recognised the need for the menace to be fought collectively,&quot; said Saran.

She said India will host a conference on ways to counter radicalisation.

Referring to the deliberations at the Plenary session at the summit, Saran said Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered India&#39;s digital expertise and expressed readiness to set up digital villages in some of the countries as part of a pilot project.

He also said that India will host an ASEAN-India start up festival this year.

She said next year will be celebrated as the year of India-ASEAN tourism by both the sides.

India also offered 1,000 scholarships in IIT for PhD students from ASEAN countries.

Saran and several other officials of the MEA also talked about the meticulous planning that went into hosting the ASEAN leaders including choosing fabric for pillow covers and arranging for various recepies considering the food habits of the leaders.

They also talked about how External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was involved in minute details for successful hosting of leaders.

The leaders lauded India’s growth story as it was “one of fastest growing economies” and the Modi government has undertaken “amazing reforms”, said the official

All 10 ASEAN leaders conveyed to India their desire for it to play a more assertive role in the strategically important Indo-Pacific region while recognising the country's growing stature in ensuring regional peace and stability. "Yes," said Secretary East in the Ministry of External Affairs Preeti Saran when asked during a media briefing whether the leaders of the powerful ASEAN grouping favoured a more assertive role for India in the Indo-Pacific region where China has been ramping up its military presence. On whether ASEAN wants India to play a more pro-active role in the Indo-Pacific in the wake of China's growing expansionism in the area, Saran said India-ASEAN relationship stands on its own. "All the leaders conveyed their desire for a greater participation of India (in the Indo-Pacific region)," she said. The desire by the ASEAN countries for a greater role by India in the Indo-Pacific region assumes significance in the wake of rising tensions between China and a number of countries of the grouping over the South China Sea dispute. Leaders of all 10 ASEAN member countries were here to participate at a summit meeting to mark 25 years of India- ASEAN ties and to attend India's Republic Day celebrations. Indo-Pacific broadly refers to the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean regions, which also include the disputed South China Sea where Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei question China's claims over almost the entire waterway. The US has also been pitching for greater Indo-US cooperation in the strategically key Indo-Pacific region. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Saran said all the ASEAN leaders appreciated India's positive role in the Indo-Pacific region. A number of pressing issues including the situation in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to tackle threat of terrorism figured during the summit meeting as well as in bilateral talks Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with the ASEAN leaders. Referring to the challenge of terrorism, Saran said that ASEAN leaders emphasised on the need for concerted global efforts to contain the menace. "Terrorism does not know any boundaries. You know what is cross border terrorism, you cannot be selective in tackling terrorism.... They (ASEAN leaders) recognised the need for the menace to be fought collectively," said Saran. She said India will host a conference on ways to counter radicalisation. Referring to the deliberations at the Plenary session at the summit, Saran said Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered India's digital expertise and expressed readiness to set up digital villages in some of the countries as part of a pilot project. He also said that India will host an ASEAN-India start up festival this year. She said next year will be celebrated as the year of India-ASEAN tourism by both the sides. India also offered 1,000 scholarships in IIT for PhD students from ASEAN countries. Saran and several other officials of the MEA also talked about the meticulous planning that went into hosting the ASEAN leaders including choosing fabric for pillow covers and arranging for various recepies considering the food habits of the leaders. They also talked about how External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was involved in minute details for successful hosting of leaders.

ASEAN leaders want India to be more assertive in Indo-Pacific region

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that his government&#39;s only <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/arun-jaitley-chairs-pre-budget-meeting-in-delhi-29924">agenda for the Budget</a> is development.

&quot;My government has only one agenda for Budget - and that is development. And that&#39;s what you will see,&quot; PM Modi said in an exclusive interview to Zee News.

Modi government is going to present its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-plans-to-raise-health-spending-by-11-in-budget-less-than-requested-29949">last full Budget</a> ahead of the general elections 2019. The financial statement for the year ahead is being keenly watched by critics because of tough decisions taken by the Modi government like launching the unified Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation.

When asked about the bold financial decisions taken by his government, PM Modi said, &quot;If you measure the work done by our government in these four years by only these two parametres, it&#39;s unfair. After nationalisation of banks, about 30-40 per cent of population was out of banking system. We brought them into the system. Isn&#39;t that an achievement? Thousands of girls skipped schools because there were no toilets. We built those toilets for them. Isn&#39;t that an achievement?&rdquo;

Modi also said that he is in favour of holding general elections and state polls together.

&quot;Logically speaking, holding different elections in different dates creates burden on the exchequer. Politicians are always under stress. So I think both Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections should be organised simultaneously. It will save money and manpower,&quot; the PM said.

Modi said that his government&#39;s achievements can&#39;t be measured on just two decisions - the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation.

He also said that every atom of his body is indebted to the country and he wants to keep serving the people of the country. &quot;When I see satisfaction in the eyes of a common man, it gives me power,&quot; PM Modi said.

These are the highlights of the interview.&nbsp; Catch the full interview on Zee News at 8pm on Saturday.

Modi government is going to present its last full Budget ahead of the general elections 2019.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that his government's only agenda for the Budget is development. "My government has only one agenda for Budget - and that is development. And that's what you will see," PM Modi said in an exclusive interview to Zee News. Modi government is going to present its last full Budget ahead of the general elections 2019. The financial statement for the year ahead is being keenly watched by critics because of tough decisions taken by the Modi government like launching the unified Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation. When asked about the bold financial decisions taken by his government, PM Modi said, "If you measure the work done by our government in these four years by only these two parametres, it's unfair. After nationalisation of banks, about 30-40 per cent of population was out of banking system. We brought them into the system. Isn't that an achievement? Thousands of girls skipped schools because there were no toilets. We built those toilets for them. Isn't that an achievement?” Modi also said that he is in favour of holding general elections and state polls together. "Logically speaking, holding different elections in different dates creates burden on the exchequer. Politicians are always under stress. So I think both Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections should be organised simultaneously. It will save money and manpower," the PM said. Modi said that his government's achievements can't be measured on just two decisions - the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation. He also said that every atom of his body is indebted to the country and he wants to keep serving the people of the country. "When I see satisfaction in the eyes of a common man, it gives me power," PM Modi said. These are the highlights of the interview. Catch the full interview on Zee News at 8pm on Saturday.

My government's only agenda for Budget is development: PM Modi to Zee News

PM Modi-led government plans to abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than five years. Various ministries and government departments have been directed to submit a comprehensive report on the matter.

The Finance Ministry, in an official memorandum, has asked all ministries and departments to submit a report regarding the same.

According to the directive, financial advisors and joint administrative secretaries of all ministries and departments are requested to identify the posts which are vacant for more than five years.

A comprehensive report on the abolition of such posts is to be submitted at the earliest, the office memorandum, dated January 16, 2018, said.

According to government estimates, several thousand central government posts have been lying vacant for five or more years.&nbsp;

(With inputs from PTI)

Various ministries and government departments have been directed to submit a comprehensive report on the matter

PM Modi-led government plans to abolish all posts which have been vacant for more than five years. Various ministries and government departments have been directed to submit a comprehensive report on the matter. The Finance Ministry, in an official memorandum, has asked all ministries and departments to submit a report regarding the same. According to the directive, financial advisors and joint administrative secretaries of all ministries and departments are requested to identify the posts which are vacant for more than five years. A comprehensive report on the abolition of such posts is to be submitted at the earliest, the office memorandum, dated January 16, 2018, said. According to government estimates, several thousand central government posts have been lying vacant for five or more years. (With inputs from PTI)

Modi government to abolish posts vacant over five years

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday tabled the economic survey in Parliament which noted that the reform measures undertaken in 2017-18 can be strengthened further in 2018-19. The survey points out that India can be rated as among the best performing economies in the world as the average growth during last three years is around four percentage points higher than global growth and nearly three percentage points higher than that of emerging market and developing economies.

It said that the GDP growth has averaged 7.3 per cent from 2014-15 to 2017-18, which is the highest among the major economies of the world.

Here are the key takeaways from economic survey 2017-18:

GROWTH

<ul>
	<li>India&#39;s gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2018-19 pegged at 7-7.5 per cent, current high oil prices a major concern.</li>
	<li>GDP to expand by 6.75% in 2017-18, re-instating India as world&#39;s fastest growing major economy.</li>
	<li>Economic management will be challenging in the coming year.</li>
	<li>Biggest source of upside to growth to be from exports.</li>
	<li>Cyclical conditions may lead to lower tax and non-tax revenues in 2017-18.</li>
	<li>Private investment poised for rebound.</li>
	<li>2017-18 farm sector growth seen at 2.1 per cent.</li>
</ul>

FISCAL DEFICIT

<ul>
	<li>Target for fiscal consolidation specially in a pre-election year can carry a high risk of credibility</li>
	<li>Current account deficit for 2017/18 expected to average 1.5-2 per cent of GDP</li>
	<li>Pause in general govt fiscal consolidation cannot be ruled out in 2017-18</li>
	<li>Suggests modest (fiscal) consolidation that signals a return to the path of gradual but steady deficit reductions</li>
</ul>

INFLATION, POLICY RATES

<ul>
	<li>Persistently high oil prices remain a key risk, to affect inflation</li>
	<li>If inflation doesn`t deviate from current levels policy rates can be expected to remain stable</li>
	<li>Average CPI inflation seen at 3.7 per cent in 2017-18</li>
</ul>

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

<ul>
	<li>Economy accelerated in second half of current fiscal due to GST, bank recapitalisation, liberalisation of FDI and higher exports.</li>
	<li>Gross Value Added (GVA) expected to grow by 6.1 per cent in 2017-18 as compared to 6.6 per cent in 2016-17.</li>
	<li>Preliminary analysis of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) data reveals 50% increase in the number of indirect taxpayers.</li>
	<li>There is need to address pendency, delays and backlogs in the appellate and judicial arenas.</li>
	<li>&quot;Policy vigilance&quot; in coming year if high oil prices persist or stock prices correct sharply.</li>
	<li>India has performed better on 14 out of 17 key indicators.</li>
</ul>

The survey points out that India can be rated as among the best performing economies in the world as the average growth during last three years is around four percentage points higher than global growth.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday tabled the economic survey in Parliament which noted that the reform measures undertaken in 2017-18 can be strengthened further in 2018-19. The survey points out that India can be rated as among the best performing economies in the world as the average growth during last three years is around four percentage points higher than global growth and nearly three percentage points higher than that of emerging market and developing economies. It said that the GDP growth has averaged 7.3 per cent from 2014-15 to 2017-18, which is the highest among the major economies of the world. Here are the key takeaways from economic survey 2017-18: GROWTH India's gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2018-19 pegged at 7-7.5 per cent, current high oil prices a major concern. GDP to expand by 6.75% in 2017-18, re-instating India as world's fastest growing major economy. Economic management will be challenging in the coming year. Biggest source of upside to growth to be from exports. Cyclical conditions may lead to lower tax and non-tax revenues in 2017-18. Private investment poised for rebound. 2017-18 farm sector growth seen at 2.1 per cent. FISCAL DEFICIT Target for fiscal consolidation specially in a pre-election year can carry a high risk of credibility Current account deficit for 2017/18 expected to average 1.5-2 per cent of GDP Pause in general govt fiscal consolidation cannot be ruled out in 2017-18 Suggests modest (fiscal) consolidation that signals a return to the path of gradual but steady deficit reductions INFLATION, POLICY RATES Persistently high oil prices remain a key risk, to affect inflation If inflation doesn`t deviate from current levels policy rates can be expected to remain stable Average CPI inflation seen at 3.7 per cent in 2017-18 OTHER HIGHLIGHTS Economy accelerated in second half of current fiscal due to GST, bank recapitalisation, liberalisation of FDI and higher exports. Gross Value Added (GVA) expected to grow by 6.1 per cent in 2017-18 as compared to 6.6 per cent in 2016-17. Preliminary analysis of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) data reveals 50% increase in the number of indirect taxpayers. There is need to address pendency, delays and backlogs in the appellate and judicial arenas. "Policy vigilance" in coming year if high oil prices persist or stock prices correct sharply. India has performed better on 14 out of 17 key indicators.

Big takeaways from economic survey

The Congress on Sunday attacked the Centre over the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-3-soldiers-killed-in-pakistan-ceasefire-violation-in-keri-27540">killing of four Indian soldiers </a>along the Line of Control (LoC)&nbsp;by Pakistani troops, saying the incident raises questions over the government&rsquo;s ability to protect the country&#39;s borders.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said Saturday&#39;s incident along the LoC was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi&#39;s &quot;flip-flops and somersaults&quot;&nbsp;on Pakistan.

Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a Major and three soldiers in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir&rsquo;s Rajouri district on Sunday.

Manish Tewari claimed that there have been 900 attempts of incursion by Pakistan this year, out of which 780 cases have been reported along the LoC and 120 along the International Border (IB).

&ldquo;There were 583 major ceasefire violations in 2014 (between June-December), 400 in 2015, 450 in 2016 and 900 this year. The prime minister points fingers at others, accuses people who have occupied top posts of committing treason but this government seems incapable of protecting our borders,&rdquo; the former union minister told reporters.

Modi, during the Gujarat assembly polls campaign, had suggested that Pakistan was trying to influence the Assembly polls in the state.

The government and the Congress are involved in a face-off over prime minister Modi&rsquo;s &lsquo;conspiracy with Pakistan&rsquo; remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh.

Tewari said that the BJP government&rsquo;s Pakistan policy is driven by &ldquo;flip-flops, somersaults and adhocism&rdquo; and demanded that the prime minister comes clear on his agenda behind his 2015 stopover in Lahore or the Centre&rsquo;s decision to allow ISI personnel at the Pathankor terror attack site.

He said India&rsquo;s neighbourhood policy was in tatters under the BJP dispensation as apart from the &ldquo;frequent&rdquo; Pakistani shelling along the border and incursions, the new Nepalese government was overtly tilting towards China.

&ldquo;In Sri Lanka, growing Chinese influence is a matter of concern. Maldives has signed an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with China disregarding India&rsquo;s position. China has constructed permanent structures in Dokalam,&rdquo; he said.

Drawing attention to the attempts of incursion, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said the Modi government was 'incapable of protecting our borders'

The Congress on Sunday attacked the Centre over the killing of four Indian soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) by Pakistani troops, saying the incident raises questions over the government’s ability to protect the country's borders. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said Saturday's incident along the LoC was an outcome of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "flip-flops and somersaults" on Pakistan. Pakistani troops opened fire on an Indian Army patrol, killing a Major and three soldiers in Keri sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Sunday. Manish Tewari claimed that there have been 900 attempts of incursion by Pakistan this year, out of which 780 cases have been reported along the LoC and 120 along the International Border (IB). “There were 583 major ceasefire violations in 2014 (between June-December), 400 in 2015, 450 in 2016 and 900 this year. The prime minister points fingers at others, accuses people who have occupied top posts of committing treason but this government seems incapable of protecting our borders,” the former union minister told reporters. Modi, during the Gujarat assembly polls campaign, had suggested that Pakistan was trying to influence the Assembly polls in the state. The government and the Congress are involved in a face-off over prime minister Modi’s ‘conspiracy with Pakistan’ remarks against his predecessor Manmohan Singh. Tewari said that the BJP government’s Pakistan policy is driven by “flip-flops, somersaults and adhocism” and demanded that the prime minister comes clear on his agenda behind his 2015 stopover in Lahore or the Centre’s decision to allow ISI personnel at the Pathankor terror attack site. He said India’s neighbourhood policy was in tatters under the BJP dispensation as apart from the “frequent” Pakistani shelling along the border and incursions, the new Nepalese government was overtly tilting towards China. “In Sri Lanka, growing Chinese influence is a matter of concern. Maldives has signed an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) with China disregarding India’s position. China has constructed permanent structures in Dokalam,” he said.

Congress slams Modi government over killing of soldiers along LoC

Former prime minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Thursday hit out at Modi government&#39;s economic policies and said that to equal the UPA&#39;s ten year average, the economy will have to grow at 10.6 per cent in the fifth year.&nbsp;

&#39;&#39;To equal the UPA&#39;s ten year average, the economy will have to grow at 10.6 per cent in the fifth year, I would be happy if it were to happen but I frankly do not think it will,&#39;&#39; he said in Rajkot.

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Whoever faced corruption allegations during UPA was dealt with strictly, but the same cannot be said about BJP, they have not acted on corruption in their rule: Dr.Manmohan Singh <a href="https://t.co/H1KXMekAgA">pic.twitter.com/H1KXMekAgA</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/938674545283579905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Accusing the BJP led NDA government at the centre of corruption, he said whoever faced corruption allegations during UPA was dealt with strictly, but the same cannot be said about BJP, they have not acted on corruption in their rule.&nbsp;

Criticising Modi&#39;s foreign policy, Manmohan said &#39;&#39;Our national security has been hurt by the inconsistent foreign policies of the Government. Some steps taken by Modi Govt were not in the best interest of the country, he added.

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To equal the UPA&#39;s ten year average, the economy will have to grow at 10.6% in the fifth year, I would be happy if it were to happen but I frankly do not think it will: Dr.Manmohan Singh in Rajkot <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GujaratElection2017?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GujaratElection2017</a> <a href="https://t.co/kFEq1MPIHa">pic.twitter.com/kFEq1MPIHa</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/938672014037958656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&#39;&#39;Modiji says he took up Narmada issue with me but I don&#39;t remember him talking to me about this issue, though whenever he wanted to meet me I never refused,was always ready as being PM it was my responsibility to meet all CMs,&#39;&#39; the former PM said.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

National security has been hurt by the inconsistent foreign policies of the Government. Some steps taken by Modi Govt were not in the best interest of the country, he said

Former prime minister and Congress leader Manmohan Singh on Thursday hit out at Modi government's economic policies and said that to equal the UPA's ten year average, the economy will have to grow at 10.6 per cent in the fifth year. ''To equal the UPA's ten year average, the economy will have to grow at 10.6 per cent in the fifth year, I would be happy if it were to happen but I frankly do not think it will,'' he said in Rajkot. Whoever faced corruption allegations during UPA was dealt with strictly, but the same cannot be said about BJP, they have not acted on corruption in their rule: Dr.Manmohan Singh pic.twitter.com/H1KXMekAgA — ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2017 × Accusing the BJP led NDA government at the centre of corruption, he said whoever faced corruption allegations during UPA was dealt with strictly, but the same cannot be said about BJP, they have not acted on corruption in their rule. Criticising Modi's foreign policy, Manmohan said ''Our national security has been hurt by the inconsistent foreign policies of the Government. Some steps taken by Modi Govt were not in the best interest of the country, he added. To equal the UPA's ten year average, the economy will have to grow at 10.6% in the fifth year, I would be happy if it were to happen but I frankly do not think it will: Dr.Manmohan Singh in Rajkot #GujaratElection2017 pic.twitter.com/kFEq1MPIHa — ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2017 × ''Modiji says he took up Narmada issue with me but I don't remember him talking to me about this issue, though whenever he wanted to meet me I never refused,was always ready as being PM it was my responsibility to meet all CMs,'' the former PM said.

To equal the UPA's 10-year average, economy will have to grow at 10.6%: Manmohan

Over the past few months, the question of job creation, or lack thereof, in the formal sector of the economy has steadily been in the news. Clearly, the Modi government is feeling the pressure to do something, or at least to be seen to be doing something, about it. The first response to the accusation that the Indian government has failed on the job creation front was in the form of Amit Shah&rsquo;s statement that it was not jobs that were promised, but livelihoods. So the government would encourage self-employment. Never mind that self-employment has always been the fallback option for those not able to secure jobs. Half of the Indian workforce is self-employed.

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<h5>The revelation that 10 million workers left out of the Employee Provident Fund Organization (EFPO) because of employers defaulting on their responsibilities have been registered during the EFPO amnesty program this year.</h5>
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Since this response was unlikely to cut much ice, a second response has emerged over the last few weeks. This is to argue that in fact, India has a <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Politics/Le8m9TN1AqTmPQHwIilrBK/Formal-jobs-in-India-may-be-more-than-estimated.html">much larger formal workforce</a> than previously estimated. 15-25 per cent instead of the usually quoted figure of 7-10 per cent. This is asserted on the basis of the revelation that 10 million workers left out of the Employee Provident Fund Organization (EFPO) because of employers defaulting on their responsibilities have been registered during the EFPO amnesty program this year. The program (running from January 1st to June 30th) gave firms the opportunity to register workers that were off the books so far and pay their PF dues for a nominal fine of INR 1 per year.

The sudden 26 per cent increase in the size of the workforce that qualifies for PF is being billed as an increase in formal sector employment. Following up on this, a few days ago, <a href="http://www.livemint.com/Industry/IVO6Nu4mg8DaGzKR4czKJL/Panagariya-panel-suggests-redefining-formal-workforce.html">the NITI Aayog task force</a>, led by Chairman Arvind Panagariya and charged with reviewing the state of employment data, recommended that formal employment is redefined more &ldquo;pragmatically&rdquo; to include workers that are covered under PF, insurance, or pension schemes.&nbsp;

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<h5>Of course, if receiving the &ldquo;formal&rdquo; label means these workers can now fight for better working conditions and more benefits, this would be welcome!&nbsp;</h5>
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Now, bringing workers who qualify for PF, insurance, or pension schemes into the system so that they actually get the benefits they are supposed to and making sure companies are actually paying into the system, is, of course, a good idea. But using this as a way to underplay the jobs crisis is simply playing a numbers game.

Redefining informal workers as formal will look good on paper but does not change anything on the ground. In fact, it may even make things worse if the &ldquo;formal&rdquo; label ends up taking all such jobs off the radar for improvement in working conditions. This is because even jobs in which workers qualify for various benefits are often precarious, hazardous, or otherwise prone to malpractices (such as stealing of PF). Even contract workers can be on PF schemes. Of course, if receiving the &ldquo;formal&rdquo; label means these workers can now fight for better working conditions and more benefits, this would be welcome!&nbsp;

But the cynical use of data does not stop there. An article from a few days ago in the <a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/economy/job-creation-boost-pradhan-mantri-awas-yojna-urban-birthed-1-7-cr-jobs/769103/">Financial Express</a> is a master class in how media can be used for manipulation even in the staid world of economic statistics. The headline reads &ldquo;Job Creation Boost: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban birthed 1.7 crore jobs.&rdquo; The highlighted summary goes: &ldquo;Two years after its launch, the Prime Minister Awas Yojna Urban (PMAY-U) may be off to a slow start, but the scheme has already employed close to 1.7 crore people so far, says a study.&rdquo; This article has been tweeted and retweeted as proof of the success of the Modi government in job creation.

Closer examination reveals that the Express report is based on a study by the National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) published in April 2014. This study uses input-output data from the Central Statistical Organisation and employment data from the National Sample Survey from the year 2009-2010 to show that for every lakh rupees invested in the housing sector, 2.69 new jobs (2.65 informal and 0.4 formal) are created in the economy. So with an estimated investment of Rs 42,160 crore under the Awas Yojana, employment of 1.71 crores should be generated. Thus, we arrive at the 1.7 crore jobs figure.

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<h5>What we need is a genuine policy response that can increase the number of decent, secure jobs, paying at the minimum the government class IV monthly salary.</h5>
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So note the data gymnastics here. Firstly, the study is based on data from the UPA-II regime and was published before the present government came to power. Secondly, it is based on indirect input-output analysis, not on any survey of actually created jobs. Thirdly, according to the study, 87 per cent of the jobs created would be informal. Fourthly, it is well known that the construction sector has been a principal source of (informal) jobs in the past few years.

So in sum, a three old study based on seven-year-old data confirms what we know about informal job creation in the construction sector and is not designed to say anything about the current debate on how to create decent, formal jobs. What we need is a genuine policy response that can increase the number of decent, secure jobs, paying at the minimum the government class IV monthly salary. What we are getting instead is a juggling of the numbers and misleading headlines.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Even jobs in which workers qualify for various benefits are often precarious, hazardous, or otherwise prone to malpractices

Over the past few months, the question of job creation, or lack thereof, in the formal sector of the economy has steadily been in the news. Clearly, the Modi government is feeling the pressure to do something, or at least to be seen to be doing something, about it. The first response to the accusation that the Indian government has failed on the job creation front was in the form of Amit Shah’s statement that it was not jobs that were promised, but livelihoods. So the government would encourage self-employment. Never mind that self-employment has always been the fallback option for those not able to secure jobs. Half of the Indian workforce is self-employed. The revelation that 10 million workers left out of the Employee Provident Fund Organization (EFPO) because of employers defaulting on their responsibilities have been registered during the EFPO amnesty program this year. × Since this response was unlikely to cut much ice, a second response has emerged over the last few weeks. This is to argue that in fact, India has a much larger formal workforce than previously estimated. 15-25 per cent instead of the usually quoted figure of 7-10 per cent. This is asserted on the basis of the revelation that 10 million workers left out of the Employee Provident Fund Organization (EFPO) because of employers defaulting on their responsibilities have been registered during the EFPO amnesty program this year. The program (running from January 1st to June 30th) gave firms the opportunity to register workers that were off the books so far and pay their PF dues for a nominal fine of INR 1 per year. The sudden 26 per cent increase in the size of the workforce that qualifies for PF is being billed as an increase in formal sector employment. Following up on this, a few days ago, the NITI Aayog task force, led by Chairman Arvind Panagariya and charged with reviewing the state of employment data, recommended that formal employment is redefined more “pragmatically” to include workers that are covered under PF, insurance, or pension schemes. Of course, if receiving the “formal” label means these workers can now fight for better working conditions and more benefits, this would be welcome! × Now, bringing workers who qualify for PF, insurance, or pension schemes into the system so that they actually get the benefits they are supposed to and making sure companies are actually paying into the system, is, of course, a good idea. But using this as a way to underplay the jobs crisis is simply playing a numbers game. Redefining informal workers as formal will look good on paper but does not change anything on the ground. In fact, it may even make things worse if the “formal” label ends up taking all such jobs off the radar for improvement in working conditions. This is because even jobs in which workers qualify for various benefits are often precarious, hazardous, or otherwise prone to malpractices (such as stealing of PF). Even contract workers can be on PF schemes. Of course, if receiving the “formal” label means these workers can now fight for better working conditions and more benefits, this would be welcome! But the cynical use of data does not stop there. An article from a few days ago in the Financial Express is a master class in how media can be used for manipulation even in the staid world of economic statistics. The headline reads “Job Creation Boost: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Urban birthed 1.7 crore jobs.” The highlighted summary goes: “Two years after its launch, the Prime Minister Awas Yojna Urban (PMAY-U) may be off to a slow start, but the scheme has already employed close to 1.7 crore people so far, says a study.” This article has been tweeted and retweeted as proof of the success of the Modi government in job creation. Closer examination reveals that the Express report is based on a study by the National Council for Applied Economic Research (NCAER) published in April 2014. This study uses input-output data from the Central Statistical Organisation and employment data from the National Sample Survey from the year 2009-2010 to show that for every lakh rupees invested in the housing sector, 2.69 new jobs (2.65 informal and 0.4 formal) are created in the economy. So with an estimated investment of Rs 42,160 crore under the Awas Yojana, employment of 1.71 crores should be generated. Thus, we arrive at the 1.7 crore jobs figure. What we need is a genuine policy response that can increase the number of decent, secure jobs, paying at the minimum the government class IV monthly salary. × So note the data gymnastics here. Firstly, the study is based on data from the UPA-II regime and was published before the present government came to power. Secondly, it is based on indirect input-output analysis, not on any survey of actually created jobs. Thirdly, according to the study, 87 per cent of the jobs created would be informal. Fourthly, it is well known that the construction sector has been a principal source of (informal) jobs in the past few years. So in sum, a three old study based on seven-year-old data confirms what we know about informal job creation in the construction sector and is not designed to say anything about the current debate on how to create decent, formal jobs. What we need is a genuine policy response that can increase the number of decent, secure jobs, paying at the minimum the government class IV monthly salary. What we are getting instead is a juggling of the numbers and misleading headlines.

Let us not make job creation in India a number game

&ldquo;The recommendations aim to strengthen the ecosystem to promote digital payments with a focus on reaching financially and socially excluded groups,&rdquo; the report said.

The committee said that it had studied the domestic scenario and drew on the best practices in the developed world in understanding the trajectory of development in payments industry and various interventions undertaken to promote digital payments.

Here are the 13 recommendations by the committee:

1. Make regulation of payments independent from the function of central banking:

The Committee weighed two options on how best this be implemented: (i) create a&nbsp;new payments regulator, or (ii) make the current Board for Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems (BPSS) within RBI more independent. While both&nbsp;options would serve the intended objective, the Committee recommends that the BPSS be given an independent status which it today lacks by being a sub-committee of the Central Board of RBI. The statutory status of the new Board, within the overall structure of RBI, called Payments Regulatory Board (PRB) should be enshrined in the Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 &ndash; Implementation by MoF: Finalisation of structure of PRB may be done in 30 days.

&nbsp;

2. Update the current Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007:

To include explicit mandate for (i) competition and innovation, (ii) open access and interoperability, (iii) consumer protection including penalties and independent appeal mechanism, (iv) regulations on systemic risks, (v) data protection and security and (v) a process of regulatory governance. The Committee has provided drafting instructions for the new Payments and Settlement Systems Act and this may be initiated at the earliest &ndash; Implementation by MoF: Finalisation of amendment bill and placing the same before the Union Cabinet may be done 30 days.

&nbsp;

3. Promote digital payments and receipts within Government:&nbsp;

By (i) adopting digital payments for all its needs, (ii) withdraw all charges levied by Government department and utilities on digital payments and bear the cost of such transactions, (iii) mandate government departments and agencies to provide option to consumers to pay digitally, (iv) incentivise consumers to make payments (including payment of fines and penalties) to Government electronically by giving a discount or cash back, (v) enable consumers to make payments (including taxes) to Government through suitable digital means like cards and wallets, (vi) special emphasis to promote digital payments for recurring low value transactions and (vii) reduce custom duties on payments acceptance equipment.&nbsp;Implementation agencies listed in recommendation section. Steps may be initiated in 30 days and reviewed fortnightly.

4. Create a fund proposed as DIPAYAN from savings generated from cash-less transactions to expand digital payments. Build audit capability to measure savings &ndash; Implementation by MoF, Ministry of Social Justice, Ministry of tribal Affairs and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. A time period of 60 days may be considered for initiating implementation by user agencies.

5. Create a ranking and reward framework to encourage and recognise government departments, State Governments, districts and panchayats and other market participants who lead the efforts on enabling digital payments &ndash; Implementation by NITI Aayog along with State Governments. Development of the framework maybe achieved in 60-90 days.

6. Implement other measures to promote digital payments including (i) promoting Aadaar based eKYC and paperless authentication (including where Permanent Account Number (PAN) has not been obtained), (ii) providing disincentives for usage of cash and (iii) creating awareness and transparency on cost of cash &ndash; Implementation by MoF, UIDAI, CBDT, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Ministry of HRD, DoPT and RBI. May be initiated over 60-90 days.

7. Consider outsourcing the function of operation of payment systems like Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Fund Transafer (NEFT). While moving RTGS to a separate operator is not envisaged for now &ndash; a cost benefit analysis may be initiated as an initial step. Overtime, multiple payment system operators should be encouraged and payment systems should be operated by market entities &ndash; Consultation paper may be released over 180 days.

8. Upgrade payment systems like RTGS and NEFT to operate on 24x7 basis in due course of time. RBI should progressively increase their timings over due course &ndash; A consultation paper may be released over 90 days.

9. Allow non-bank PSPs to directly access payment systems &ndash; Regulations may be released for consultation over 60 days.

10. Require NPCI, to be payments centric in its ownership and objectives. Ownership of NPCI should be diversified widely to include more banks and include non-banks. Its Board should be represented by majority public interest directors and include shareholder directors. NPCI should be allowed to function independently &ndash; Regulations may be released for consultation over 60 days.

11. Enable payments to be inter-operable between bank and non-banks as well as within non-banks. Mobile number and Aadhaar based fully inter-operable payments should be prioritised &ndash; NPCI may enable this on its platforms over 60 days.

12. Create a formal mechanism to enable innovations and new business models &ndash; Consultation paper may be released over 90-120 days.&nbsp;

13. Implement other measures to promote digital payments including issuing regulations on Systemically Important Payment System (SIPS) and Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs), growing acceptance network, enabling faster and cheaper credit and promoting cross border payments &ndash; Regulations may be released for consultation over 60-180 days. The RBI may within two weeks of releasing this Report, develop a comprehensive metric to quantitatively measure and monitor the enhancement of digital payment services in India.

(To learn more read <a href="http://www.zeebiz.com/">zeebiz.com</a>)

The committee to review the framework related to digital payments presented its report to the government Tuesday

“The recommendations aim to strengthen the ecosystem to promote digital payments with a focus on reaching financially and socially excluded groups,” the report said. The committee said that it had studied the domestic scenario and drew on the best practices in the developed world in understanding the trajectory of development in payments industry and various interventions undertaken to promote digital payments. Here are the 13 recommendations by the committee: 1. Make regulation of payments independent from the function of central banking: The Committee weighed two options on how best this be implemented: (i) create a new payments regulator, or (ii) make the current Board for Regulation and Supervision of Payment and Settlement Systems (BPSS) within RBI more independent. While both options would serve the intended objective, the Committee recommends that the BPSS be given an independent status which it today lacks by being a sub-committee of the Central Board of RBI. The statutory status of the new Board, within the overall structure of RBI, called Payments Regulatory Board (PRB) should be enshrined in the Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 – Implementation by MoF: Finalisation of structure of PRB may be done in 30 days. 2. Update the current Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007: To include explicit mandate for (i) competition and innovation, (ii) open access and interoperability, (iii) consumer protection including penalties and independent appeal mechanism, (iv) regulations on systemic risks, (v) data protection and security and (v) a process of regulatory governance. The Committee has provided drafting instructions for the new Payments and Settlement Systems Act and this may be initiated at the earliest – Implementation by MoF: Finalisation of amendment bill and placing the same before the Union Cabinet may be done 30 days. 3. Promote digital payments and receipts within Government: By (i) adopting digital payments for all its needs, (ii) withdraw all charges levied by Government department and utilities on digital payments and bear the cost of such transactions, (iii) mandate government departments and agencies to provide option to consumers to pay digitally, (iv) incentivise consumers to make payments (including payment of fines and penalties) to Government electronically by giving a discount or cash back, (v) enable consumers to make payments (including taxes) to Government through suitable digital means like cards and wallets, (vi) special emphasis to promote digital payments for recurring low value transactions and (vii) reduce custom duties on payments acceptance equipment. Implementation agencies listed in recommendation section. Steps may be initiated in 30 days and reviewed fortnightly. 4. Create a fund proposed as DIPAYAN from savings generated from cash-less transactions to expand digital payments. Build audit capability to measure savings – Implementation by MoF, Ministry of Social Justice, Ministry of tribal Affairs and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. A time period of 60 days may be considered for initiating implementation by user agencies. 5. Create a ranking and reward framework to encourage and recognise government departments, State Governments, districts and panchayats and other market participants who lead the efforts on enabling digital payments – Implementation by NITI Aayog along with State Governments. Development of the framework maybe achieved in 60-90 days. 6. Implement other measures to promote digital payments including (i) promoting Aadaar based eKYC and paperless authentication (including where Permanent Account Number (PAN) has not been obtained), (ii) providing disincentives for usage of cash and (iii) creating awareness and transparency on cost of cash – Implementation by MoF, UIDAI, CBDT, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Ministry of HRD, DoPT and RBI. May be initiated over 60-90 days. 7. Consider outsourcing the function of operation of payment systems like Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) and National Electronic Fund Transafer (NEFT). While moving RTGS to a separate operator is not envisaged for now – a cost benefit analysis may be initiated as an initial step. Overtime, multiple payment system operators should be encouraged and payment systems should be operated by market entities – Consultation paper may be released over 180 days. 8. Upgrade payment systems like RTGS and NEFT to operate on 24x7 basis in due course of time. RBI should progressively increase their timings over due course – A consultation paper may be released over 90 days. 9. Allow non-bank PSPs to directly access payment systems – Regulations may be released for consultation over 60 days. 10. Require NPCI, to be payments centric in its ownership and objectives. Ownership of NPCI should be diversified widely to include more banks and include non-banks. Its Board should be represented by majority public interest directors and include shareholder directors. NPCI should be allowed to function independently – Regulations may be released for consultation over 60 days. 11. Enable payments to be inter-operable between bank and non-banks as well as within non-banks. Mobile number and Aadhaar based fully inter-operable payments should be prioritised – NPCI may enable this on its platforms over 60 days. 12. Create a formal mechanism to enable innovations and new business models – Consultation paper may be released over 90-120 days. 13. Implement other measures to promote digital payments including issuing regulations on Systemically Important Payment System (SIPS) and Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs), growing acceptance network, enabling faster and cheaper credit and promoting cross border payments – Regulations may be released for consultation over 60-180 days. The RBI may within two weeks of releasing this Report, develop a comprehensive metric to quantitatively measure and monitor the enhancement of digital payment services in India. (To learn more read zeebiz.com)

Watal Committee on Digital Payments: Here are 13 recommendations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Rs 45 crore ($6.6 million) from Sahara -- a large business conglomerate in India -- before he became came to power in 2014, according to opposition leader Rahul Gandhi.

At a rally in the western state of Gujarat, the Congress vice-president&nbsp;claimed that during a raid in 2014,&nbsp;taxmen found documents which suggested that Sahara company made multiple payments to Modi between October 2013 and February 2014.

Earlier in the day, Gandhi tweeted that the Modi government is behaving like a &quot;confused&quot; traffic signal exhibiting different colours at the same time. He was attacking the government&#39;s &#39;repeated&#39; changes in the rules regarding deposit of old currency notes in banks.

He posted the picture of a huge traffic signal showing red, yellow, blue and a few other colours at the same time, on Twitter with the caption, &quot;Government orders after demonetisation.&quot;

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Government orders after demonetisation: <a href="https://t.co/5D5p0XX4MO">pic.twitter.com/5D5p0XX4MO</a>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/811452231413207040">December 21, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<h5>Chief Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala was equally critical of the latest order. He gave the RBI the sobriquet &#39;Reverse Bank of India&#39;</h5>
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The Congress leader had yesterday likened the repeated changes in the rules to Modi&#39;s changing of &quot;clothes&quot; and had said that the message going out was that the Prime Minister&#39;s words were &quot;hollow&quot;.

He was commenting on the new decision of the government under which an amount more than Rs 50,00 in scrapped currency can be deposited only once per account till December 30.

Earlier, the Prime Minister, while announcing the demonetisation decision on November 8, had said old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes could be deposited in banks till December 30 without any questions asked.

Party chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala was equally critical of the latest order, with him giving RBI the sobriquet of &quot;Reverse Bank of India.&quot;

In a series of tweets, he said, &quot;Unfortunately, Reserve Bank of India has become &#39;Reverse Bank of India&#39;!&quot;

Surjewala also posted two cartoons stating &quot;the rules of RBI are like weather, which keeps on changing and therefore, requires hourly bulletins to inform people.&quot;

&quot;Daily &#39;headline management&#39; is the norm for Modi Govt. If Ind. Owner has a choice to pay in cash or cheque, futile to amend the Wages Act,&quot; he said in response to the government bringing an ordinance to amend the Payment of Wage Act for allowing business and industrial establishments to pay salaries through cheques or by using electronic modes.

&quot;2ndly, it reflects massive shortage of currency with Modi Govt. Instead of admitting it, it is forcing daily wage earners to stand in bank queues,&quot; he said.

Surjewala also latched on to the remarks of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who after supporting demonetisation initially, did a volte face and said the move has created many troubles for the common man.

&quot;AP CM, NDA ally &amp; head of #DeMonetisation Committee is breaking his head over the mess. Do u need more proof Modiji?&quot;, he said.

Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was equally caustic. &quot;50 days, 60 rules #DeMonetisation,&quot; he said in a tweet.

(PTI)

Gandhi said Modi received Rs 45 crore from a business conglomerate and also attacked the government's haywire demonetisation policy

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received Rs 45 crore ($6.6 million) from Sahara -- a large business conglomerate in India -- before he became came to power in 2014, according to opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. At a rally in the western state of Gujarat, the Congress vice-president claimed that during a raid in 2014, taxmen found documents which suggested that Sahara company made multiple payments to Modi between October 2013 and February 2014. Earlier in the day, Gandhi tweeted that the Modi government is behaving like a "confused" traffic signal exhibiting different colours at the same time. He was attacking the government's 'repeated' changes in the rules regarding deposit of old currency notes in banks. He posted the picture of a huge traffic signal showing red, yellow, blue and a few other colours at the same time, on Twitter with the caption, "Government orders after demonetisation." Government orders after demonetisation: pic.twitter.com/5D5p0XX4MO — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 21, 2016 × Chief Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala was equally critical of the latest order. He gave the RBI the sobriquet 'Reverse Bank of India' × The Congress leader had yesterday likened the repeated changes in the rules to Modi's changing of "clothes" and had said that the message going out was that the Prime Minister's words were "hollow". He was commenting on the new decision of the government under which an amount more than Rs 50,00 in scrapped currency can be deposited only once per account till December 30. Earlier, the Prime Minister, while announcing the demonetisation decision on November 8, had said old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes could be deposited in banks till December 30 without any questions asked. Party chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala was equally critical of the latest order, with him giving RBI the sobriquet of "Reverse Bank of India." In a series of tweets, he said, "Unfortunately, Reserve Bank of India has become 'Reverse Bank of India'!" Surjewala also posted two cartoons stating "the rules of RBI are like weather, which keeps on changing and therefore, requires hourly bulletins to inform people." "Daily 'headline management' is the norm for Modi Govt. If Ind. Owner has a choice to pay in cash or cheque, futile to amend the Wages Act," he said in response to the government bringing an ordinance to amend the Payment of Wage Act for allowing business and industrial establishments to pay salaries through cheques or by using electronic modes. "2ndly, it reflects massive shortage of currency with Modi Govt. Instead of admitting it, it is forcing daily wage earners to stand in bank queues," he said. Surjewala also latched on to the remarks of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who after supporting demonetisation initially, did a volte face and said the move has created many troubles for the common man. "AP CM, NDA ally & head of #DeMonetisation Committee is breaking his head over the mess. Do u need more proof Modiji?", he said. Ahmed Patel, Political Secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, was equally caustic. "50 days, 60 rules #DeMonetisation," he said in a tweet. (PTI)

Demonetisation: Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi accuses PM Modi of graft

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