Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s zero tolerance towards corruption, India’s record in checking graft at various levels leaves much scope for concerted action.

He could begin by abolishing the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), which has tarnished the reputation of MPs of all political parties.

According to the annual index released by a global anti-graft watchdog, the Transparency International in January this year, India improved its ranking in Corruption Perceptions Index for 2018 by just three points to 78 in the list of 180 countries in the world.

The watchdog noted: “Despite spectacular public mobilisation in 2011, where citizens demanded that the government take action against corruption and advocated for the passage of the comprehensive Jan Lokpal Act, these efforts ultimately fizzled and fell flat, with little to no movement on the ground to build the specialist anti-corruption infrastructure required.”

Though retired Supreme Court judge, Pinaki Chandra Ghose, was appointed the first Lokpal of India in March this year, the need for a relentless war against graft from top to bottom cannot be overemphasised.

With the new NDA government enjoying a more-than-comfortable majority and Narendra Modi at the pinnacle of his glory, he can probably afford to fix ethical deficits of yesterday, to leave behind a rich legacy.

Under MPLADS, a sum of Rs five crore per year is granted to every MP for undertaking development works of his/her choice, but the scheme has degenerated into being a byword for corruption.

It is an open secret in Bihar that a majority of MPs extract a cut of up to 40 per cent in the execution of works from their fund. This loot by the lawmaker-officer-contractor nexus is now prevalent across the country, with difference of degree only. Exceptions are very few. In states, the story of fund for legislators is no different.

A ‘surgical strike’ on this Gangotri of graft by scrapping the MP Local Area Development Scheme, or MP fund in common parlance, lock, stock and barrel is needed.

Having compromised themselves by claiming their pound of flesh, most MPs lack the moral authority to take officials to task for loot in implementation of dozens, or hundreds, of other welfare and development schemes of the Union and state governments.

The scheme was started way back in 1993 under dubious circumstances. A Joint Parliamentary Committee’s interim report in this regard was tabled in the Parliament on December 23, 1993, and accepted in apparent haste the same day, at a time when the then Union finance minister, Manmohan Singh, was abroad. The then Narasimha Rao government lacked a clear majority in Parliament!

The initial allocation of Rs 1 crore per year for every MP was increased to Rs 2 crore in 2003 by the Vajpayee government and to Rs 5 crore in 2011 by the Manmohan government.

It is perhaps not a coincidence that both were alliance governments. Incidentally, Manmohan Singh, the then leader of Congress parliamentary party in Rajya Sabha, had stoutly opposed the move to hike the amount to Rs 2 crore in 2003. But he, later, himself succumbed to pressure, to raise the amount.

In fact, a number of MPs had met Vajpayee during his prime ministership, urging him to scrap the fund. Getting wind of the move, a larger number of MPs met him, seeking not only continuation of the scheme, but also a hike in allocation. Vajpayee developed cold feet on the abolition move and ended up raising the allocation!

In sharp contrast to high percentage of expenditure under MPLADS, PM Modi’s Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana has not quite taken off, because there is no separate allocation under the latter, and MPs are expected to make model villages by monitoring effective and proper utilisation of funds allotted under various other schemes of the Centre. 
 
The Administrative Reforms Commission, helmed by Veerappa Moily, had in 2011 recommended scrapping of MP fund. But the recommendation has been gathering dust.

The scheme has sullied the image of MPs and also corrupted the country’s ‘steel frame’ — the bureaucracy. With rampant cuts, poor quality of the physical assets built under the scheme is no surprise.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-for-probity-in-public-life-mplads-needs-to-go-2757968">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s zero tolerance towards corruption, India’s record in checking graft at various levels leaves much scope for concerted action.

Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s zero tolerance towards corruption, India’s record in checking graft at various levels leaves much scope for concerted action. He could begin by abolishing the MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS), which has tarnished the reputation of MPs of all political parties. According to the annual index released by a global anti-graft watchdog, the Transparency International in January this year, India improved its ranking in Corruption Perceptions Index for 2018 by just three points to 78 in the list of 180 countries in the world. The watchdog noted: “Despite spectacular public mobilisation in 2011, where citizens demanded that the government take action against corruption and advocated for the passage of the comprehensive Jan Lokpal Act, these efforts ultimately fizzled and fell flat, with little to no movement on the ground to build the specialist anti-corruption infrastructure required.” Though retired Supreme Court judge, Pinaki Chandra Ghose, was appointed the first Lokpal of India in March this year, the need for a relentless war against graft from top to bottom cannot be overemphasised. With the new NDA government enjoying a more-than-comfortable majority and Narendra Modi at the pinnacle of his glory, he can probably afford to fix ethical deficits of yesterday, to leave behind a rich legacy. Under MPLADS, a sum of Rs five crore per year is granted to every MP for undertaking development works of his/her choice, but the scheme has degenerated into being a byword for corruption. It is an open secret in Bihar that a majority of MPs extract a cut of up to 40 per cent in the execution of works from their fund. This loot by the lawmaker-officer-contractor nexus is now prevalent across the country, with difference of degree only. Exceptions are very few. In states, the story of fund for legislators is no different. A ‘surgical strike’ on this Gangotri of graft by scrapping the MP Local Area Development Scheme, or MP fund in common parlance, lock, stock and barrel is needed. Having compromised themselves by claiming their pound of flesh, most MPs lack the moral authority to take officials to task for loot in implementation of dozens, or hundreds, of other welfare and development schemes of the Union and state governments. The scheme was started way back in 1993 under dubious circumstances. A Joint Parliamentary Committee’s interim report in this regard was tabled in the Parliament on December 23, 1993, and accepted in apparent haste the same day, at a time when the then Union finance minister, Manmohan Singh, was abroad. The then Narasimha Rao government lacked a clear majority in Parliament! The initial allocation of Rs 1 crore per year for every MP was increased to Rs 2 crore in 2003 by the Vajpayee government and to Rs 5 crore in 2011 by the Manmohan government. It is perhaps not a coincidence that both were alliance governments. Incidentally, Manmohan Singh, the then leader of Congress parliamentary party in Rajya Sabha, had stoutly opposed the move to hike the amount to Rs 2 crore in 2003. But he, later, himself succumbed to pressure, to raise the amount. In fact, a number of MPs had met Vajpayee during his prime ministership, urging him to scrap the fund. Getting wind of the move, a larger number of MPs met him, seeking not only continuation of the scheme, but also a hike in allocation. Vajpayee developed cold feet on the abolition move and ended up raising the allocation! In sharp contrast to high percentage of expenditure under MPLADS, PM Modi’s Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana has not quite taken off, because there is no separate allocation under the latter, and MPs are expected to make model villages by monitoring effective and proper utilisation of funds allotted under various other schemes of the Centre. The Administrative Reforms Commission, helmed by Veerappa Moily, had in 2011 recommended scrapping of MP fund. But the recommendation has been gathering dust. The scheme has sullied the image of MPs and also corrupted the country’s ‘steel frame’ — the bureaucracy. With rampant cuts, poor quality of the physical assets built under the scheme is no surprise. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

There's a need for a relentless war against corruption from top to bottom

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi while it's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has written to his Indian counterpart&nbsp;Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, pitching for talks between New Delhi and Islamabad.&nbsp;

According to Pakistan government sources, the letters underscored Pakistan's consistent policy of peaceful neighbourhood and the vision of working for durable peace and stability in South Asia.

Adding further, the sources said letter&nbsp;emphasised on the need to work together, on the basis of mutual respect and trust, to address challenges faced by people of both the countries, including poverty and underdevelopment.

The&nbsp;letter also called for the need to advance the goals of regional peace, progress and prosperity through collective endeavours was also underscored.

Ties between the two neighbouring countries have remained frayed since the February 14 Pulwama suicide bombing that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a United Nations-listed terror group, has claimed the responsibility for the attack

Pakistan's overture comes against the backdrop of the visit of Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood to India on Eid, during which he offered Namaz at Delhi's historic Jama Masjid. The Minister of External Affairs termed the visit purely "personal".

Meanwhile, the MEA has rejected the reports of a formal meeting between PM Modi and his counterpart Imran Khan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) next week in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan but a pull aside not ruled out.

"To the best of my knowledge no meeting has been planned between PM Modi and Pakistan PM Imran Khan at the SCO Summit in Bishkek," MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told WION.

Following the Pulwama attack, India went into overdrive to target Pakistan from multiple fronts. The country's military planes struck a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26, prompting a counter-offensive by Pakistan the next day. At the same time, New Delhi worked the diplomatic phone lines to isolate Pakistan internationally.

The first breakthrough came after China allowed the UN to list JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist.

Breaking the ice in bilateral ties, Imran Khan on May 26 spoke to PM Modi on phone and expressed his desire to work together for peace and prosperity in the region.

Modi on his part called for creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism for fostering peace and prosperity in the region.

India has rejected Pakistan's offer of talks, maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi while it's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has written to his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, pitching for talks between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi while it's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has written to his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, pitching for talks between New Delhi and Islamabad. According to Pakistan government sources, the letters underscored Pakistan's consistent policy of peaceful neighbourhood and the vision of working for durable peace and stability in South Asia. Adding further, the sources said letter emphasised on the need to work together, on the basis of mutual respect and trust, to address challenges faced by people of both the countries, including poverty and underdevelopment. The letter also called for the need to advance the goals of regional peace, progress and prosperity through collective endeavours was also underscored. Ties between the two neighbouring countries have remained frayed since the February 14 Pulwama suicide bombing that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a United Nations-listed terror group, has claimed the responsibility for the attack Pakistan's overture comes against the backdrop of the visit of Pakistan Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood to India on Eid, during which he offered Namaz at Delhi's historic Jama Masjid. The Minister of External Affairs termed the visit purely "personal". Meanwhile, the MEA has rejected the reports of a formal meeting between PM Modi and his counterpart Imran Khan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) next week in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan but a pull aside not ruled out. "To the best of my knowledge no meeting has been planned between PM Modi and Pakistan PM Imran Khan at the SCO Summit in Bishkek," MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told WION. Following the Pulwama attack, India went into overdrive to target Pakistan from multiple fronts. The country's military planes struck a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26, prompting a counter-offensive by Pakistan the next day. At the same time, New Delhi worked the diplomatic phone lines to isolate Pakistan internationally. The first breakthrough came after China allowed the UN to list JeM chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Breaking the ice in bilateral ties, Imran Khan on May 26 spoke to PM Modi on phone and expressed his desire to work together for peace and prosperity in the region. Modi on his part called for creating trust and an environment free of violence and terrorism for fostering peace and prosperity in the region. India has rejected Pakistan's offer of talks, maintaining that terror and talks cannot go together.

Pakistan's Imran Khan writes to PM Modi, seeks to maintain peaceful neighbourhood

On June 8, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will script history by addressing the Parliament of the Republic of Maldives. The address will be keenly watched across the neighbourhood.&nbsp;

Since Modi became prime minister in 2014, India’s foreign policy and camaraderie with various nations, saw a new lease of vibrancy. PM Modi completed various other milestones as well while making these trips. Significant among them is his address to parliaments of various countries, across continents which shows India’s rising profile of influence in the world order.

Modi was invited to address parliaments of 10 countries including US and Australia during his first term as prime minister.&nbsp;

Modi addressed the Joint Session of the Parliament of Bhutan on June 16, 2014 during which he appreciated the ''sense of unity'' between the two countries.

Similarly, during his address in Nepal, &nbsp;Modi said strengthening the relationship with Nepal was one of the top priorities of his government.

Fiji, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, &nbsp;Mongolia, Uganda are some of the other countries where Modi addressed the parliaments during his first tenure as prime minister of India.&nbsp;

“I applaud, India applauds the great sacrifices of the men and women from the land of the free and the home of the brave in service of mankind. India knows what this means, because our soldiers have fallen in distant battlefields for the same ideals. That is why the threads of freedom and liberty form a strong bond between our two democracies,” he said during address US Congress on June 10, 2016.

On June 8, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will script history by addressing the Parliament of the Republic of Maldives. The address will be keenly watched across the neighbourhood.

On June 8, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will script history by addressing the Parliament of the Republic of Maldives. The address will be keenly watched across the neighbourhood. Since Modi became prime minister in 2014, India’s foreign policy and camaraderie with various nations, saw a new lease of vibrancy. PM Modi completed various other milestones as well while making these trips. Significant among them is his address to parliaments of various countries, across continents which shows India’s rising profile of influence in the world order. Modi was invited to address parliaments of 10 countries including US and Australia during his first term as prime minister. Modi addressed the Joint Session of the Parliament of Bhutan on June 16, 2014 during which he appreciated the ''sense of unity'' between the two countries. Similarly, during his address in Nepal, Modi said strengthening the relationship with Nepal was one of the top priorities of his government. Fiji, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Uganda are some of the other countries where Modi addressed the parliaments during his first tenure as prime minister of India. “I applaud, India applauds the great sacrifices of the men and women from the land of the free and the home of the brave in service of mankind. India knows what this means, because our soldiers have fallen in distant battlefields for the same ideals. That is why the threads of freedom and liberty form a strong bond between our two democracies,” he said during address US Congress on June 10, 2016.

PM Modi’s international visits and its transformative change in India’s foreign policy 

Ahead of his first foreign visit in the second term, PM Modi on Friday said the visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka will strengthen "close and cordial ties" with both the maritime neighbours and is in line with India's ‘<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-to-travel-to-sri-lanka-on-sunday-will-visit-places-of-terror-attacks-225263">Neighbourhood-First Policy</a>’ and SAGAR or Security and Growth for All in the Region doctrine.

Under the SAGAR doctrine, India has been focusing on regional collaboration while under neighbourhood first policy, New Delhi has accorded priority to its relations with neighbouring countries.

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The people of India stand firmly with the people of Sri Lanka, who suffered great agony and destruction in the wake of the horrific terror attacks on Easter. We fully support Sri Lanka in the fight against terror.
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PM will be going to the Maldives on Saturday, which will be the first bilateral state visit by an Indian PM to the country in 8 years. Manmohan Singh undertook a visit to the country in 2011. Apart from meeting the top leadership, PM will also address the Maldivian parliament or People's Majlis.&nbsp;

In a departure statement, PM said, 'My visit to the Maldives is reflective of the importance we both attach to our relationship as maritime neighbours and long-standing friends."

"We regard the Maldives as a valued partner with whom we share deep bonds of history and culture. Our bilateral relations with the Maldives have been greatly strengthened in the recent past. I am confident that my visit will further deepen our multifaceted partnership," he added.

During the visit, both PM Modi and President Solih will jointly inaugurate two <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/coastal-surveillance-radar-system-ferry-service-from-kochi-high-on-pm-modis-agenda-during-maldives-visit-225125">defence related projects</a> -- a coastal surveillance radar system and composite training centre for Maldives national defence forces (MNDF) at the total cost of $180 crores. Many MoUs are expected to be signed including training of civil servants, customs and white shipping.

Modi will be visiting Sri Lanka on Sunday, a visit that has been termed as a solidarity visit. The Indian PM will be the first foreign leader to visit Sri Lanka after the 21st April terror attacks that killed more than 250 people.&nbsp;

On Sri Lanka visit, PM said, "My visit to Sri Lanka is to express our solidarity with the government and the people of Sri Lanka in the wake of the terrible terrorist attacks there last Easter on 21 April 2019. India stands with Sri Lanka in the fight against terrorism."

During the visit, he will be visiting places impacted by the terror attacks which includes one of the churches in which the suicide attack took place.

Speaking to WION, Sri Lanka's envoy to India Austin Fernando told "Definitely he will like to visit places impacted sometimes because that is going to be standing with another set of people who have been victims of the disaster. His concerns once again, the human concern of the PM"

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena had visited India last week for the oath-taking ceremony of PM Modi.

Modi visited Sri Lanka twice in his first term.&nbsp;

Ahead of his first foreign visit in the second term, PM Modi on Friday said the visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka will strengthen "close and cordial ties" with both the maritime neighbours and is in line with India's ‘Neighbourhood-First Policy’ and SAGAR or Security and Growth for All in the Region doctrine.

Ahead of his first foreign visit in the second term, PM Modi on Friday said the visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka will strengthen "close and cordial ties" with both the maritime neighbours and is in line with India's ‘Neighbourhood-First Policy’ and SAGAR or Security and Growth for All in the Region doctrine. Under the SAGAR doctrine, India has been focusing on regional collaboration while under neighbourhood first policy, New Delhi has accorded priority to its relations with neighbouring countries. The people of India stand firmly with the people of Sri Lanka, who suffered great agony and destruction in the wake of the horrific terror attacks on Easter. We fully support Sri Lanka in the fight against terror. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 7, 2019 × PM will be going to the Maldives on Saturday, which will be the first bilateral state visit by an Indian PM to the country in 8 years. Manmohan Singh undertook a visit to the country in 2011. Apart from meeting the top leadership, PM will also address the Maldivian parliament or People's Majlis. In a departure statement, PM said, 'My visit to the Maldives is reflective of the importance we both attach to our relationship as maritime neighbours and long-standing friends." "We regard the Maldives as a valued partner with whom we share deep bonds of history and culture. Our bilateral relations with the Maldives have been greatly strengthened in the recent past. I am confident that my visit will further deepen our multifaceted partnership," he added. During the visit, both PM Modi and President Solih will jointly inaugurate two defence related projects -- a coastal surveillance radar system and composite training centre for Maldives national defence forces (MNDF) at the total cost of $180 crores. Many MoUs are expected to be signed including training of civil servants, customs and white shipping. Modi will be visiting Sri Lanka on Sunday, a visit that has been termed as a solidarity visit. The Indian PM will be the first foreign leader to visit Sri Lanka after the 21st April terror attacks that killed more than 250 people. On Sri Lanka visit, PM said, "My visit to Sri Lanka is to express our solidarity with the government and the people of Sri Lanka in the wake of the terrible terrorist attacks there last Easter on 21 April 2019. India stands with Sri Lanka in the fight against terrorism." During the visit, he will be visiting places impacted by the terror attacks which includes one of the churches in which the suicide attack took place. Speaking to WION, Sri Lanka's envoy to India Austin Fernando told "Definitely he will like to visit places impacted sometimes because that is going to be standing with another set of people who have been victims of the disaster. His concerns once again, the human concern of the PM" Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena had visited India last week for the oath-taking ceremony of PM Modi. Modi visited Sri Lanka twice in his first term.

With focus on 'neighbourhood first', PM Modi set for first foreign trip in second term   

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be leaving for the Maldives and Sri Lanka on Saturday which will be his first foreign visit after the general elections.&nbsp;

It is after 8 years that an Indian PM will be on a state visit to the Maldives, the last was by Manmohan Singh in 2011. During the visit, PM will address Maldivian Parliament, the Majlis and meet the top leadership. Many Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) are expected to be signed including training of civil servants, customs and white shipping.

While given details of the visit, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said, "The PM's visit is focused on three objectives, firstly it is to maintain contact at the highest level between the close neighbours, to assist the Maldives as a development partner, and to strengthen people to people contact" 
&nbsp; 
Defence

Both PM Modi and President Solih will jointly inaugurate two defence related projects -- One is the coastal surveillance radar system and composite training centre for Maldives national defence forces (MNDF) -- at a total cost of $180 crores. The composite training centre was requested by the Maldives to provide a central training facility and "will enhance the capability of MNDF", according to FS Gokhale. The coastal surveillance radar system will help Malé monitor white shipping and preserve its sovereignty in EEZ or exclusive economic zone.

Cricket

The Maldives is keen to have its own cricket team and a cricket stadium and asked for Indian assistance. India in May sent a team of BCCI to the Maldives for the training of Maldivian cricketers.&nbsp;

India has given cricket kits and is expected to coach Maldivian cricketers. Earlier, India had invited President Solih in April for an IPL match in Bengaluru. India sees it as important "people to people" exercise and has in the past helped countries like Afghanistan.

Connectivity

India is planning to start a ferry service from Kochi to the Maldives which the foreign secretary said will "significantly enhance connectivity".&nbsp;

India is also working on 14 high impact community projects which involves connectivity within the island, drug rehab centre and the total cost is Rs 50 crore. New Delhi also plans to provide speed boats for students.

Earlier this year, India and Maldives signed a visa facilitation agreement that came to force in March 2018 and New Delhi has pledged budgetary support of $ 200 million, of which $ 50 million has been given in cash and rest $150 in treasury bills. Both are finalising a currency swap agreement.&nbsp;

A line of credit of $ 800 million has been granted for water supply and sewerage for 36 islands, Addu urban development centre and SME development financing project, among several projects. In fact, India is also supporting Male's climate change efforts with the grants of LED bulbs for the capital.

In the last 8 months, since the new government led by President Solih took charge in November 2018, there have been a number of high-level visits.&nbsp;

While President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, ForeignMinister Abdulla Shahid &amp; Defence minister Mariya Ahmed Didi all have visited India, PM Modi was in the country for the swearing-in ceremony of Solih and former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj visited the country in March of 2019.

Relationship between the two countries had suffered under the previous Yameen regime who had junked pro-India policy for a pro-china policy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be leaving for the Maldives and Sri Lanka on Saturday which will be his first foreign visit after the general elections. It is after 8 years that an Indian PM will be on a state visit to the Maldives, the last was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be leaving for the Maldives and Sri Lanka on Saturday which will be his first foreign visit after the general elections. It is after 8 years that an Indian PM will be on a state visit to the Maldives, the last was by Manmohan Singh in 2011. During the visit, PM will address Maldivian Parliament, the Majlis and meet the top leadership. Many Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) are expected to be signed including training of civil servants, customs and white shipping. While given details of the visit, foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale said, "The PM's visit is focused on three objectives, firstly it is to maintain contact at the highest level between the close neighbours, to assist the Maldives as a development partner, and to strengthen people to people contact" Defence Both PM Modi and President Solih will jointly inaugurate two defence related projects -- One is the coastal surveillance radar system and composite training centre for Maldives national defence forces (MNDF) -- at a total cost of $180 crores. The composite training centre was requested by the Maldives to provide a central training facility and "will enhance the capability of MNDF", according to FS Gokhale. The coastal surveillance radar system will help Malé monitor white shipping and preserve its sovereignty in EEZ or exclusive economic zone. Cricket The Maldives is keen to have its own cricket team and a cricket stadium and asked for Indian assistance. India in May sent a team of BCCI to the Maldives for the training of Maldivian cricketers. India has given cricket kits and is expected to coach Maldivian cricketers. Earlier, India had invited President Solih in April for an IPL match in Bengaluru. India sees it as important "people to people" exercise and has in the past helped countries like Afghanistan. Connectivity India is planning to start a ferry service from Kochi to the Maldives which the foreign secretary said will "significantly enhance connectivity". India is also working on 14 high impact community projects which involves connectivity within the island, drug rehab centre and the total cost is Rs 50 crore. New Delhi also plans to provide speed boats for students. Earlier this year, India and Maldives signed a visa facilitation agreement that came to force in March 2018 and New Delhi has pledged budgetary support of $ 200 million, of which $ 50 million has been given in cash and rest $150 in treasury bills. Both are finalising a currency swap agreement. A line of credit of $ 800 million has been granted for water supply and sewerage for 36 islands, Addu urban development centre and SME development financing project, among several projects. In fact, India is also supporting Male's climate change efforts with the grants of LED bulbs for the capital. In the last 8 months, since the new government led by President Solih took charge in November 2018, there have been a number of high-level visits. While President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, ForeignMinister Abdulla Shahid & Defence minister Mariya Ahmed Didi all have visited India, PM Modi was in the country for the swearing-in ceremony of Solih and former external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj visited the country in March of 2019. Relationship between the two countries had suffered under the previous Yameen regime who had junked pro-India policy for a pro-china policy.

Cricket, connectivity and defence top focus during PM Modi's Maldives visit  

India signs deal with Israel to procure 100 SPICE bombs used in Balakot strikes

People of India through the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections have decisively settled the debate on cultural primacy of Hinduism by delivering an overwhelming mandate to the BJP government.

It is beyond doubt that old order has crumbled and a new order has stepped in whereby assertion of cultural and religious symbols in public life and political discourse by the majority community will not be met with snigger or a tag of him being a closet ‘Sanghi.’

Does it change our lives radically? It is both yes and no at the same time. I live in a suburb of Delhi called NOIDA. In the middle of Ramzan, both my fridge and A/C gave away.&nbsp;

After frantic calls to my odd job guys, it dawned upon me that all of them are Muslims and workers had gone back to their villages to celebrate Eid.&nbsp;

My wife suggested me to go to professional service centres but I refused as all these chaps had been servicing my utilities for years.

Such was my frustration that, it became a topic of discussion with my friends during the morning walk. One of them told me with surprise that try getting your car serviced in stand-alone shops?&nbsp;

I asked why? He said,” You will find most of them functioning on bare minimum capacity, as most of them are Muslims.” It is not as if, this fact was unknown to me but it would touch me so closely this summer was stunning as I had to move to a different room and food had to be ordered every night.&nbsp;

Even the local chap, who would sit right in front of our society repairing gas, mixie and common kitchen equipment was no-where to be seen. In frustration, I again called the odd boy Zafar and asked him bluntly, "Boss, there has to be someone who can do my fridge while you celebrate Eid.” He said, "Sir, Most of us are Muslims and we would do the job once boys are back after Eid.”

I don’t think that this reality will change quickly. Most of the sanitation workers in the society come from the lowest rung of the society and especially from poor Dalit sections, however,&nbsp;most of the guards and security officers are upper caste Thakurs and Brahmins, which showcases&nbsp;that old village order of caste privilege is slowly giving way to more robust order determined by economic success and migration.&nbsp;

Most of the maids in the society are migrants from Bangladesh who all happen to come from Midnapur district. I do not know, what will happen if all of them disappear one day. The middle-class kitchens, at least in my part of the world, would come to a grinding halt.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after his victory said that there are only two types of people in India," Haves and have-nots.”&nbsp;

It is a good start and worth investing your faith in. Dalits and Muslims for long have been the victim of the politics of empowerment. None of them has really been empowered.&nbsp;

They have been kept as vote banks to be electorally milked every five years. I sincerely hope that like other old orders, this reality should also melt away by creating more vibrant and inclusive India where feudal linkage of job, religion and caste gives way to a more diverse representation of haves, have-nots in prosperous India.

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

People of India through the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections have decisively settled the debate on cultural primacy of Hinduism by delivering an overwhelming mandate to the BJP government.

People of India through the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections have decisively settled the debate on cultural primacy of Hinduism by delivering an overwhelming mandate to the BJP government. It is beyond doubt that old order has crumbled and a new order has stepped in whereby assertion of cultural and religious symbols in public life and political discourse by the majority community will not be met with snigger or a tag of him being a closet ‘Sanghi.’ Does it change our lives radically? It is both yes and no at the same time. I live in a suburb of Delhi called NOIDA. In the middle of Ramzan, both my fridge and A/C gave away. After frantic calls to my odd job guys, it dawned upon me that all of them are Muslims and workers had gone back to their villages to celebrate Eid. My wife suggested me to go to professional service centres but I refused as all these chaps had been servicing my utilities for years. Such was my frustration that, it became a topic of discussion with my friends during the morning walk. One of them told me with surprise that try getting your car serviced in stand-alone shops? I asked why? He said,” You will find most of them functioning on bare minimum capacity, as most of them are Muslims.” It is not as if, this fact was unknown to me but it would touch me so closely this summer was stunning as I had to move to a different room and food had to be ordered every night. Even the local chap, who would sit right in front of our society repairing gas, mixie and common kitchen equipment was no-where to be seen. In frustration, I again called the odd boy Zafar and asked him bluntly, "Boss, there has to be someone who can do my fridge while you celebrate Eid.” He said, "Sir, Most of us are Muslims and we would do the job once boys are back after Eid.” I don’t think that this reality will change quickly. Most of the sanitation workers in the society come from the lowest rung of the society and especially from poor Dalit sections, however, most of the guards and security officers are upper caste Thakurs and Brahmins, which showcases that old village order of caste privilege is slowly giving way to more robust order determined by economic success and migration. Most of the maids in the society are migrants from Bangladesh who all happen to come from Midnapur district. I do not know, what will happen if all of them disappear one day. The middle-class kitchens, at least in my part of the world, would come to a grinding halt. Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after his victory said that there are only two types of people in India," Haves and have-nots.” It is a good start and worth investing your faith in. Dalits and Muslims for long have been the victim of the politics of empowerment. None of them has really been empowered. They have been kept as vote banks to be electorally milked every five years. I sincerely hope that like other old orders, this reality should also melt away by creating more vibrant and inclusive India where feudal linkage of job, religion and caste gives way to a more diverse representation of haves, have-nots in prosperous India. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Blog: India, the churn within

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was added in only two key cabinet committees initially, will now chair the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/home-minister-amit-shah-emerges-as-clear-no-2-224821">Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary</a> Affairs and be a part of the all-important panel on political affairs, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs takes all important political decisions in the ruling dispensation.&nbsp;

Singh was made a member of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) earlier and he is now a part of six key panels of the government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads various committees except the one on Parliamentary Affairs.&nbsp;

While the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has only Prime Minister Modi and Shah in it, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has Modi, Shah and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, besides Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Modi, has Singh, Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Sitharaman as its members.

The panel looks after issues related to national security and foreign affairs.

Shah will head the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Sitharaman and Goyal are its members.

Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri are special invitees of the&nbsp; 
accommodation committee.

The key Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) will have Singh, Shah, Gadkari, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, Sitharaman, Tomar, Prasad and Badal among its members.

The others in the CCEA include Jaishankar, Goyal and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, which recommends dates for holding parliament sessions, will be headed by Singh and will have Shah, Sitharaman, Paswan, Tomar, Prasad, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi as its members.

Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and V Muraleedharan are special invitees.

Shah was to head the committee according to a government order earlier, which has since been amended.

The cabinet committees are constituted or reconstituted when a new government takes over or the cabinet undergoes a reshuffle.&nbsp;

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was added in only two key cabinet committees initially, will now chair the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs and be a part of the all-important panel on political affairs, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was added in only two key cabinet committees initially, will now chair the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs and be a part of the all-important panel on political affairs, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs takes all important political decisions in the ruling dispensation. Singh was made a member of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) and the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) earlier and he is now a part of six key panels of the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads various committees except the one on Parliamentary Affairs. While the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has only Prime Minister Modi and Shah in it, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has Modi, Shah and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, besides Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Modi, has Singh, Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Sitharaman as its members. The panel looks after issues related to national security and foreign affairs. Shah will head the Cabinet Committee on Accommodation. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, Sitharaman and Goyal are its members. Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh and Housing and Urban Affairs and Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Puri are special invitees of the accommodation committee. The key Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) will have Singh, Shah, Gadkari, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, Sitharaman, Tomar, Prasad and Badal among its members. The others in the CCEA include Jaishankar, Goyal and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, which recommends dates for holding parliament sessions, will be headed by Singh and will have Shah, Sitharaman, Paswan, Tomar, Prasad, Social Justice Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi as its members. Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and V Muraleedharan are special invitees. Shah was to head the committee according to a government order earlier, which has since been amended. The cabinet committees are constituted or reconstituted when a new government takes over or the cabinet undergoes a reshuffle.

Initially left out, Rajnath Singh included in all important Cabinet Committees

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting a second term in a landslide victory, the affordable housing segment is expected to continue to get the much-needed boost to reach its true potential. &nbsp;

Modi’s ‘Housing For All By 2022’ policy is largely dependent on providing affordable housing pan-India by incentivising developers and homebuyers with schemes and benefits. Now, armed with an approval from the public for his various policies, which led to NDA getting a second term, one will witness a refreshed approach that provides the right ecosystem for the affordable and mid-income housing segment to grow. &nbsp;

What we have witnessed in the last five years of Modi government’s policies, including RERA, GST and demonetisation, has definitely helped the segment to build a stronger foundation and to weather storms that come its way. &nbsp;

The affordable and mid-income housing has seen consistent growth in new launches and absorption of housing units over the last five years, with all market indicators pointing to an upward trend. &nbsp;In the last five years, the Indian government has also provided various benefits to promote affordable housing, including the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’ (PMAY), an initiative in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million low-cost houses. &nbsp;

Apartments qualifying under the PMAY scheme, wherein various concessional schemes of the government, like interest subvention under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) and concessions on GST, among others, are available. &nbsp; Developers pass on these benefits to the customers on the basis of their eligibility, which significantly reduces the end cost of ownership of the housing units. &nbsp;

We expect these benefits to continue under Modi 2.0, as this has helped many first-time homebuyers to directly benefit from government schemes. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The sector has a lot of expectations from the new government to bring in more liquidity into the realty sector and provide conducive environment for other developers to finish stuck and stressed housing projects. &nbsp;In the recent past, many top developers have taken over the stuck projects from developers, who were able to deliver it after several years of delay. &nbsp;The biggest impact on real estate, which happened in Modi 1.0, was the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). But even the almighty RERA has not been implemented in letter and spirit in several states in the country. &nbsp; &nbsp;We expect the Centre to convince state governments reluctant to follow RERA in its current avatar. This would further help boost buyers’ confidence. &nbsp; &nbsp;In the next few years, there is a very strong possibility that India will have single-window clearances for real estate projects. Taking various clearances leads to wasting several months before a developer can launch a project. That, in turn, impacts its marketing strategies.

Almost all housing finance companies (HFCs) are now more than interested in backing affordable and mid-income housing segment, as they have clearly seen the level of interest that the government has shown to ensure that Housing For All is a success. &nbsp;&nbsp;

There are now dedicated funds by leading investment banks to put money only in affordable housing projects, a scenario that was talked about at various housing summits and events, but never implemented on ground. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Fortunately, the buyers’ market —which the current real estate sector is at the moment — makes for a scenario that promotes healthy competition. It will also wean out fly-by-night and unorganised developers from the market. &nbsp;

It is not surprising that the housing sector’s contribution to the Indian GDP is expected to reach 11 per cent by 2020, as several ancillary industries are codependent on its growth. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Going ahead, we will experience a cohesive approach by the central and state governments to make housing a reality for the common Indian and quicker delivery of homes by developers. &nbsp;

The Modi government has made an ambitious attempt to put a roof over every Indian’s head under the policy. And now with this historic win under its belt, the Modi-led NDA will ensure that the policy will be implemented. &nbsp;

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-modi-20-would-propel-affordable-housing-in-india-2757571">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting a second term in a landslide victory, the affordable housing segment is expected to continue to get the much-needed boost to reach its true potential.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi getting a second term in a landslide victory, the affordable housing segment is expected to continue to get the much-needed boost to reach its true potential. Modi’s ‘Housing For All By 2022’ policy is largely dependent on providing affordable housing pan-India by incentivising developers and homebuyers with schemes and benefits. Now, armed with an approval from the public for his various policies, which led to NDA getting a second term, one will witness a refreshed approach that provides the right ecosystem for the affordable and mid-income housing segment to grow. What we have witnessed in the last five years of Modi government’s policies, including RERA, GST and demonetisation, has definitely helped the segment to build a stronger foundation and to weather storms that come its way. The affordable and mid-income housing has seen consistent growth in new launches and absorption of housing units over the last five years, with all market indicators pointing to an upward trend. In the last five years, the Indian government has also provided various benefits to promote affordable housing, including the ‘Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana’ (PMAY), an initiative in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million low-cost houses. Apartments qualifying under the PMAY scheme, wherein various concessional schemes of the government, like interest subvention under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) and concessions on GST, among others, are available. Developers pass on these benefits to the customers on the basis of their eligibility, which significantly reduces the end cost of ownership of the housing units. We expect these benefits to continue under Modi 2.0, as this has helped many first-time homebuyers to directly benefit from government schemes. The sector has a lot of expectations from the new government to bring in more liquidity into the realty sector and provide conducive environment for other developers to finish stuck and stressed housing projects. In the recent past, many top developers have taken over the stuck projects from developers, who were able to deliver it after several years of delay. The biggest impact on real estate, which happened in Modi 1.0, was the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA). But even the almighty RERA has not been implemented in letter and spirit in several states in the country. We expect the Centre to convince state governments reluctant to follow RERA in its current avatar. This would further help boost buyers’ confidence. In the next few years, there is a very strong possibility that India will have single-window clearances for real estate projects. Taking various clearances leads to wasting several months before a developer can launch a project. That, in turn, impacts its marketing strategies. Almost all housing finance companies (HFCs) are now more than interested in backing affordable and mid-income housing segment, as they have clearly seen the level of interest that the government has shown to ensure that Housing For All is a success. There are now dedicated funds by leading investment banks to put money only in affordable housing projects, a scenario that was talked about at various housing summits and events, but never implemented on ground. Fortunately, the buyers’ market —which the current real estate sector is at the moment — makes for a scenario that promotes healthy competition. It will also wean out fly-by-night and unorganised developers from the market. It is not surprising that the housing sector’s contribution to the Indian GDP is expected to reach 11 per cent by 2020, as several ancillary industries are codependent on its growth. Going ahead, we will experience a cohesive approach by the central and state governments to make housing a reality for the common Indian and quicker delivery of homes by developers. The Modi government has made an ambitious attempt to put a roof over every Indian’s head under the policy. And now with this historic win under its belt, the Modi-led NDA will ensure that the policy will be implemented. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Narendra Modi 2.0 would propel affordable housing in India

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be visiting India from June&nbsp;25-27.&nbsp;

US envoy to India Kenneth Jester speaking at the American Independence Day celebrations in Delhi announced that Pompeo will visit India later this month.

Pompeo last visited India in September of 2018 for the ''2+2 dialogue'' between the then Indian defence and foreign ministers with their American counterparts.

The visit will come just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan from June 28-29.

After Trump's congratulatory call to Modi after re-election, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "The two leaders agreed to meet at the forthcoming G-20 Summit in Japan, to discuss bilateral relations and global matters."

Trump, Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met for the first meet of JAI--Japan, America and India grouping--on the sidelines of G20 summit in Argentina in December 2018.

Lauding India-US ties, American envoy said, "US-India partnership is durable and effective because it is based on the foundation of common values are societies cherish, like individual liberties, free enterprise, human rights, open societies and rule of law"

India-US ties have grown in last few years, but thorny issues, especially on trade, remains. On Wednesday, Washington's Generalized System of Preference (GSP) which is a trade preference programme for developing countries came to an end for New Delhi. India was the largest beneficiary of GSP in 2017 and was able to export $5.7 billion Indian goods to US duty-free.&nbsp;

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be visiting India from June 25-27. US envoy to India Kenneth Jester speaking at the American Independence Day celebrations in Delhi announced that Pompeo will visit India later this month.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will be visiting India from June 25-27. US envoy to India Kenneth Jester speaking at the American Independence Day celebrations in Delhi announced that Pompeo will visit India later this month. Pompeo last visited India in September of 2018 for the ''2+2 dialogue'' between the then Indian defence and foreign ministers with their American counterparts. The visit will come just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meet with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan from June 28-29. After Trump's congratulatory call to Modi after re-election, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "The two leaders agreed to meet at the forthcoming G-20 Summit in Japan, to discuss bilateral relations and global matters." Trump, Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met for the first meet of JAI--Japan, America and India grouping--on the sidelines of G20 summit in Argentina in December 2018. Lauding India-US ties, American envoy said, "US-India partnership is durable and effective because it is based on the foundation of common values are societies cherish, like individual liberties, free enterprise, human rights, open societies and rule of law" India-US ties have grown in last few years, but thorny issues, especially on trade, remains. On Wednesday, Washington's Generalized System of Preference (GSP) which is a trade preference programme for developing countries came to an end for New Delhi. India was the largest beneficiary of GSP in 2017 and was able to export $5.7 billion Indian goods to US duty-free.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to visit India later this month

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-modi-imran-meeting-planned-on-the-sidelines-of-sco-says-mea-224962">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> on Thursday reconstituted the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog retaining Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar and three other members. Names of high profile member Bibek Debroy and Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant do not figure in the new team.

An official release said that Modi who will continue to be Chairman has retained VK Saraswat, Ramesh Chand and Dr VK Paul.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will be ex-officio members of the reconstituted body while Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Social Justice Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will be special invitees.

Minister of State for the Ministry of Statistics, Rao Inderjit Singh, will also be a special invitee.

The reconstitution comes ahead of the first meeting of NITI Aayog's Governing Council on June 15, after the Modi government returned to power following the elections.

Chief Ministers of all states, Governors, Lieutenant-Governors, Union Ministers, and senior officials are slated to participate in the meeting.

The National Institution for Transforming India Aayog was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015, by the Modi government after scrapping the Planning Commission, which was instituted in 1950.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reconstituted the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog retaining Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar and three other members.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reconstituted the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog retaining Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar and three other members. Names of high profile member Bibek Debroy and Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant do not figure in the new team. An official release said that Modi who will continue to be Chairman has retained VK Saraswat, Ramesh Chand and Dr VK Paul. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will be ex-officio members of the reconstituted body while Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Social Justice Minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot, and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will be special invitees. Minister of State for the Ministry of Statistics, Rao Inderjit Singh, will also be a special invitee. The reconstitution comes ahead of the first meeting of NITI Aayog's Governing Council on June 15, after the Modi government returned to power following the elections. Chief Ministers of all states, Governors, Lieutenant-Governors, Union Ministers, and senior officials are slated to participate in the meeting. The National Institution for Transforming India Aayog was formed via a resolution of the Union Cabinet on January 1, 2015, by the Modi government after scrapping the Planning Commission, which was instituted in 1950.

PM Modi reconstitutes NITI Aayog, Rajiv Kumar to continue as vice chairman

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/ready-for-floor-test-madhya-pradesh-chief-minister-kamal-nath-220240">Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath</a> Thursday called on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/narendra-modi-20-would-propel-affordable-housing-in-india-224832">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> and discussed issues pertaining to his state.

The meeting at the prime minister's residence lasted about half an hour during which Nath wished Modi for assuming office for the second term, a statement from the Madhya Pradesh government said.

Nath, a senior Congress leader, also discussed in detail about various issues pending with the central government for approval and release of funds to the state government, it said.&nbsp;

He urged Modi to intervene in the matter and get the pending issues cleared and fund released at the earliest, it said.&nbsp;

Modi assured Nath that he will instruct the ministries concerned to clear various pending issues and disburse the funds as early as possible. He further assured him of all possible help in future too, the statement added.

The Prime Minister's Office later posted a photograph of the two on its Twitter handle.

Nath was sworn in as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh in December 2018.&nbsp;

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed issues pertaining to his state. The meeting at the prime minister's residence lasted about half an hour during which Nath wished Modi for assuming office for the second term, a statement from the Madhya Pradesh government said.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed issues pertaining to his state. The meeting at the prime minister's residence lasted about half an hour during which Nath wished Modi for assuming office for the second term, a statement from the Madhya Pradesh government said. Nath, a senior Congress leader, also discussed in detail about various issues pending with the central government for approval and release of funds to the state government, it said. He urged Modi to intervene in the matter and get the pending issues cleared and fund released at the earliest, it said. Modi assured Nath that he will instruct the ministries concerned to clear various pending issues and disburse the funds as early as possible. He further assured him of all possible help in future too, the statement added. The Prime Minister's Office later posted a photograph of the two on its Twitter handle. Nath was sworn in as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh in December 2018.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath calls on PM Modi, discusses issues concerning his state

The landslide victory of the BJP-led coalition under the leadership of Narendra Modi in the 2019 parliamentary elections is indeed historic. In the next five years, Modi will have the opportunity to make a new India. In doing so, his government will surely continue to reinvent Indian foreign policy.

True, in Modi’s first term, Indian foreign policy had undergone a remarkable transformation. First, India aggressively pursued a multi-aligned policy in engagement with the word. This change saw India fostering engagement with all the global powers. While the US designated India as a defence partner, New Delhi expanded military ties with Russia, France and Japan. &nbsp;

Under the Modi government, India became a member of the Missile Technology Regime, which aims to check proliferation of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicle capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. &nbsp;

In another major development, India succeeded in getting Masood Azhar designated as a global terrorist at the UN. India’s ties with East and Southeast Asian countries have touched a new high under Modi’s Act East Policy and its relations with its South Asian neighbours, except Pakistan, have also been on an upward trajectory.

At the same time, the BJP government has sent a clear signal to India’s neighbours and beyond that its efforts to foster friendly ties should not be seen as the sign of weakness. This is in the context of the Balakot strike in Pakistan and India’s position during the Doklam crisis with China. &nbsp;

Thus, in his first term, Modi did not just set the agenda for Indian foreign policy, but its efforts boosted the country’s image as an important player in shaping regional and global geopolitical, strategic and economic landscapes.

Consequently, as Modi begins his second term, there would be more of continuity than change in Indian foreign policy. India’s invitation to the member states of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) – Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan for the swearing-in ceremony of Modi, clearly underscores his continued efforts to boost India’s Neighbourhood First policy. &nbsp;

BIMSTEC, which covers a vast regional geographical area, can play an important role in meeting India’s economic aspirations. At the same time, there is also an indication that the Modi government would take further efforts to isolate Pakistan at the regional and global level for providing shelter to terrorists operating against India. &nbsp;

The invitation to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic indicates India’s seriousness about strengthening ties with Central Asian countries to effectively protect its strategic, economic and energy interests. &nbsp;

Strong ties with Bishkek will also help India promote its agenda at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), since the Kyrgyz Republic heads this grouping. &nbsp;

As Mauritius has been a major source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India, the presence of the leader from this country at the oath-taking ceremony of the Modi government will surely help deepen ties between the two countries. &nbsp;

Of course, the rise of China and its deepening engagement in the Indian Ocean and in South Asia, has posed a serious security concern in India. Though New Delhi has been looking to ‘reset’ ties with Beijing, it is highly unlikely that China, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, will end its hostile approach towards India, especially when both the Asian powers are aspiring for a similar status in the same geography. &nbsp;

Thus, fully aware of these structural and other compulsions, India has endorsed America’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy. Last month, New Delhi also established the Indo-Pacific Desk to bring more clarity to its Act East Policy, thereby playing its role in promoting a multipolar order in the region. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Nevertheless, China’s assertive posturing, Trump’s unpredictable behaviour and his America First Policy, the impact of the Iran sanctions on India’s energy requirement and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism are some major issues facing the Modi government in his second term. &nbsp;

Last but not least, this time India’s induction as a permanent member of the UN Security Council could be a top foreign policy priority of the Modi government.

 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-modi-s-second-term-spells-foreign-policy-continuity-2756865">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The landslide victory of the BJP-led coalition under the leadership of Narendra Modi in the 2019 parliamentary elections is indeed historic. In the next five years, Modi will have the opportunity to make a new India.

The landslide victory of the BJP-led coalition under the leadership of Narendra Modi in the 2019 parliamentary elections is indeed historic. In the next five years, Modi will have the opportunity to make a new India. In doing so, his government will surely continue to reinvent Indian foreign policy. True, in Modi’s first term, Indian foreign policy had undergone a remarkable transformation. First, India aggressively pursued a multi-aligned policy in engagement with the word. This change saw India fostering engagement with all the global powers. While the US designated India as a defence partner, New Delhi expanded military ties with Russia, France and Japan. Under the Modi government, India became a member of the Missile Technology Regime, which aims to check proliferation of missiles and unmanned aerial vehicle capable of carrying weapons of mass destruction. In another major development, India succeeded in getting Masood Azhar designated as a global terrorist at the UN. India’s ties with East and Southeast Asian countries have touched a new high under Modi’s Act East Policy and its relations with its South Asian neighbours, except Pakistan, have also been on an upward trajectory. At the same time, the BJP government has sent a clear signal to India’s neighbours and beyond that its efforts to foster friendly ties should not be seen as the sign of weakness. This is in the context of the Balakot strike in Pakistan and India’s position during the Doklam crisis with China. Thus, in his first term, Modi did not just set the agenda for Indian foreign policy, but its efforts boosted the country’s image as an important player in shaping regional and global geopolitical, strategic and economic landscapes. Consequently, as Modi begins his second term, there would be more of continuity than change in Indian foreign policy. India’s invitation to the member states of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) – Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan for the swearing-in ceremony of Modi, clearly underscores his continued efforts to boost India’s Neighbourhood First policy. BIMSTEC, which covers a vast regional geographical area, can play an important role in meeting India’s economic aspirations. At the same time, there is also an indication that the Modi government would take further efforts to isolate Pakistan at the regional and global level for providing shelter to terrorists operating against India. The invitation to the President of the Kyrgyz Republic indicates India’s seriousness about strengthening ties with Central Asian countries to effectively protect its strategic, economic and energy interests. Strong ties with Bishkek will also help India promote its agenda at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), since the Kyrgyz Republic heads this grouping. As Mauritius has been a major source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in India, the presence of the leader from this country at the oath-taking ceremony of the Modi government will surely help deepen ties between the two countries. Of course, the rise of China and its deepening engagement in the Indian Ocean and in South Asia, has posed a serious security concern in India. Though New Delhi has been looking to ‘reset’ ties with Beijing, it is highly unlikely that China, under the leadership of Xi Jinping, will end its hostile approach towards India, especially when both the Asian powers are aspiring for a similar status in the same geography. Thus, fully aware of these structural and other compulsions, India has endorsed America’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy. Last month, New Delhi also established the Indo-Pacific Desk to bring more clarity to its Act East Policy, thereby playing its role in promoting a multipolar order in the region. Nevertheless, China’s assertive posturing, Trump’s unpredictable behaviour and his America First Policy, the impact of the Iran sanctions on India’s energy requirement and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism are some major issues facing the Modi government in his second term. Last but not least, this time India’s induction as a permanent member of the UN Security Council could be a top foreign policy priority of the Modi government. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Narendra Modi’s second term spells foreign policy continuity

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/videos/kiren-rijiju-takes-oath-as-cabinet-minister-222915&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjLwL7_38_iAhWHLY8KHTeOBRAQFjAEegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw1A0ic9XH-5VovK182MvAxj">Kiren Rijiju</a> on Tuesday finalised the blueprint of the National Sports University which will be set up in Imphal.

The sports minister in a meeting said that the work must begin at the earliest and the project must be expedited.

A detailed presentation was made to the minister regarding the design, layout and architectural specifications of the project.

The construction work of the university is expected to start at an early date.

The National Sports University is going to be first-of-its-kind and it will be a specialised sports university which will impart courses on sports science, sports technology, sports management, sports coaching.

It will also function as the national training centre for select sports disciplines, at par with international practices.

The foundation stone of the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/india-news/countrys-1st-national-sports-university-to-be-set-up-in-manipur-141754&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiMqIig4M_iAhVO73MBHeKICk8QFjAAegQIAhAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0yQ4NmeP-Fo0SnxIbGy5S9">first sports university</a> in the country was laid in March 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kiren Rijiju was announced as the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports on May 31.

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday finalised the blueprint of the National Sports University which will be set up in Imphal.

The Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday finalised the blueprint of the National Sports University which will be set up in Imphal. The sports minister in a meeting said that the work must begin at the earliest and the project must be expedited. A detailed presentation was made to the minister regarding the design, layout and architectural specifications of the project. The construction work of the university is expected to start at an early date. The National Sports University is going to be first-of-its-kind and it will be a specialised sports university which will impart courses on sports science, sports technology, sports management, sports coaching. It will also function as the national training centre for select sports disciplines, at par with international practices. The foundation stone of the first sports university in the country was laid in March 2018 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kiren Rijiju was announced as the Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports on May 31.

Sports minister Kiren Rijiju finalises blueprint for National Sports University

In India, prime ministers (PM) have always been more than just primus inter pares (first among equals). The most effective among them have personified the combination of three main roles — as a public figure of mass appeal, as one who is not merely a leader of the ruling party in the Parliament, but one having considerable influence on it and as the head of the government. &nbsp;

Each of these three roles influences the other two. Despite differences in personality and style of functioning, as between Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, AB Vajpayee and Narendra Modi, the success of the prime minister has depended to a large extent, on one’s ability to balance these functions. &nbsp;

Hopes and aspirations of multitudes of people have to be raised by the nation’s most important functionary in such a way as can be substantially met by him as the head of the government. &nbsp;

Herein lies the problem. Our best PMs have all been tall in stature, but their performance records, almost inevitably, have been mixed and short of expectations. &nbsp;

There are a few reasons for this. Whenever a government takes charge, the hype attached to the electoral process creates an impression, aided by the media, that things would start changing big time.

Nothing revolutionary happens for the simple reason that government is a continuum, that the elected leaders have to work with the same instrumentalities of the state, and that the freedom to make new capital investments is often rather limited.&nbsp;

In a short time, the executive arm will get to grapple with the serious business of governance, where the PM’s stewardship can make a major difference initiating paradigmatic changes, as happened during the nation’s short tryst with capitalistic ideas from the early nineties.

As one symbolising public hope, the PM has to constantly interact directly with the people, and frequently so, explaining what is expected to be achieved in the next five years, admitting failures and errors in judgement and specifying how the problems are sought to be overcome. &nbsp;

During the early election years after independence, Nehru converted every public meeting to an exercise in adult education, explaining to people the nation’s experiments with democracy and secularism, the need for industrialisation and large irrigation projects, among others.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Softly and persuasively, the PM has to seek public support in the nation’s resolve to fight corruption, promote communal harmony and improve relationships with neighbouring countries. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The body language should be accommodative, not combative, exuding the aura that he is the leader of the whole country, not merely of his party, which might have obtained less than 50 per cent of the votes polled, and direct endorsement from a much lesser percentage of the country’s population.

In his second role as one having an influence over the party, the PM should seek the party’s support in keeping a close vigil on the performance and integrity of individual ministers. Axiomatically, if the minister is honest and efficient, the higher bureaucracy always follows suit. &nbsp;

In cases of direct conflict between the sectarian goals of the party and the inclusive idea of the government, the PM should act as a wise mediator and gradually steer the party towards the latter. &nbsp;

The PM alone, by virtue of his moral authority and wide public acceptance, can reduce the areas of potential conflict between the government and the party.&nbsp;

Another area where he can make a difference is by way of influencing the national discourse on issues that constitute the idea of India like a pluralist democracy, a federal structure, a mixed economy and of course, tolerant secularism that embraces and respects all faiths equally.

All these ideas, when sought to be shaped by public action led by the state, invariably get modified in some way or the other. The ideals that the Father of Our Nation espoused in respect of all the above have been substantially reshaped since independence. &nbsp;

As the chief executive of the nation, the PM has to persuade and inspire, facilitate change and prioritise action - often in combination. As the head of government, he has to focus on legislations of significance, social and economic, that require to be urgently passed through Parliament, as for instance, on land and labour reforms and women’s reservation issues.

On the executive front, his leadership for action is even more direct and pervasive. How to reduce poverty and income inequality, address farm distress, attract investment and enhance export to spur growth, keep inflation under control, generate employment through skill development as a movement, ensure national security, resolve the contentious NPA issue to enable banks to increase lending and how the Millennium Development Goals be achieved ahead of schedule, are among the umpteen concerns that would require his immediate attention.

Certain areas that are crying for reforms relate to augmenting the state’s capacity to carry forward the government’s mandate. Civil service reforms and strengthening of institutions such as the recently-constituted Lokpal fall into this category.

In this Herculean endeavour, the PM and his ministers must take advantage of the counsel of the best minds, inside and outside the government, within the country and from abroad. &nbsp;

If &nbsp;everyone is humble enough to understand the limitations of one’s imagination and capacity and is therefore prompted to seek advice from the knowledgeable, if only his team appreciates that electoral victory is merely the starting point of a process that requires to be carefully and pragmatically nurtured through the cooperation of all - then only will the prime minister of this complex and diverse country be able to make a lasting impress on the nation’s collective consciousness and be respected by all his countrymen as a statesman. 
 
(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-more-than-first-among-equals-2756868">original article)</a>

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

 
 
&nbsp;

In India, prime ministers (PM) have always been more than just primus inter pares (first among equals). The most effective among them have personified the combination of three main roles — as a public figure of mass appeal, as one who is not merely a leader of the ruling party in the Parliament, but one having considerable influence on it and as the head of the government.

In India, prime ministers (PM) have always been more than just primus inter pares (first among equals). The most effective among them have personified the combination of three main roles — as a public figure of mass appeal, as one who is not merely a leader of the ruling party in the Parliament, but one having considerable influence on it and as the head of the government. Each of these three roles influences the other two. Despite differences in personality and style of functioning, as between Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, AB Vajpayee and Narendra Modi, the success of the prime minister has depended to a large extent, on one’s ability to balance these functions. Hopes and aspirations of multitudes of people have to be raised by the nation’s most important functionary in such a way as can be substantially met by him as the head of the government. Herein lies the problem. Our best PMs have all been tall in stature, but their performance records, almost inevitably, have been mixed and short of expectations. There are a few reasons for this. Whenever a government takes charge, the hype attached to the electoral process creates an impression, aided by the media, that things would start changing big time. Nothing revolutionary happens for the simple reason that government is a continuum, that the elected leaders have to work with the same instrumentalities of the state, and that the freedom to make new capital investments is often rather limited. In a short time, the executive arm will get to grapple with the serious business of governance, where the PM’s stewardship can make a major difference initiating paradigmatic changes, as happened during the nation’s short tryst with capitalistic ideas from the early nineties. As one symbolising public hope, the PM has to constantly interact directly with the people, and frequently so, explaining what is expected to be achieved in the next five years, admitting failures and errors in judgement and specifying how the problems are sought to be overcome. During the early election years after independence, Nehru converted every public meeting to an exercise in adult education, explaining to people the nation’s experiments with democracy and secularism, the need for industrialisation and large irrigation projects, among others. Softly and persuasively, the PM has to seek public support in the nation’s resolve to fight corruption, promote communal harmony and improve relationships with neighbouring countries. The body language should be accommodative, not combative, exuding the aura that he is the leader of the whole country, not merely of his party, which might have obtained less than 50 per cent of the votes polled, and direct endorsement from a much lesser percentage of the country’s population. In his second role as one having an influence over the party, the PM should seek the party’s support in keeping a close vigil on the performance and integrity of individual ministers. Axiomatically, if the minister is honest and efficient, the higher bureaucracy always follows suit. In cases of direct conflict between the sectarian goals of the party and the inclusive idea of the government, the PM should act as a wise mediator and gradually steer the party towards the latter. The PM alone, by virtue of his moral authority and wide public acceptance, can reduce the areas of potential conflict between the government and the party. Another area where he can make a difference is by way of influencing the national discourse on issues that constitute the idea of India like a pluralist democracy, a federal structure, a mixed economy and of course, tolerant secularism that embraces and respects all faiths equally. All these ideas, when sought to be shaped by public action led by the state, invariably get modified in some way or the other. The ideals that the Father of Our Nation espoused in respect of all the above have been substantially reshaped since independence. As the chief executive of the nation, the PM has to persuade and inspire, facilitate change and prioritise action - often in combination. As the head of government, he has to focus on legislations of significance, social and economic, that require to be urgently passed through Parliament, as for instance, on land and labour reforms and women’s reservation issues. On the executive front, his leadership for action is even more direct and pervasive. How to reduce poverty and income inequality, address farm distress, attract investment and enhance export to spur growth, keep inflation under control, generate employment through skill development as a movement, ensure national security, resolve the contentious NPA issue to enable banks to increase lending and how the Millennium Development Goals be achieved ahead of schedule, are among the umpteen concerns that would require his immediate attention. Certain areas that are crying for reforms relate to augmenting the state’s capacity to carry forward the government’s mandate. Civil service reforms and strengthening of institutions such as the recently-constituted Lokpal fall into this category. In this Herculean endeavour, the PM and his ministers must take advantage of the counsel of the best minds, inside and outside the government, within the country and from abroad. If everyone is humble enough to understand the limitations of one’s imagination and capacity and is therefore prompted to seek advice from the knowledgeable, if only his team appreciates that electoral victory is merely the starting point of a process that requires to be carefully and pragmatically nurtured through the cooperation of all - then only will the prime minister of this complex and diverse country be able to make a lasting impress on the nation’s collective consciousness and be respected by all his countrymen as a statesman. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

As the chief executive of the nation, PM has to inspire, facilitate change and prioritise action

An 11-year-old Polish girl has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and newly-appointed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-language-will-be-imposed-says-foreign-minister-subrahmanyam-jaishankar-223700">External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar </a>seeking the return of her family to India.

Alicja Wanatko, in her handwritten letter to Modi and Jaishankar, spoke about her fond memories of her Goa stay and her love for Lord Shiva and the Nanda Devi mountain.

"I love my school in Goa, the beautiful nature and I am missing my volunteering in the animal rescue centre there where I was helping to take care of cows. My mum could not re-enter India on 24th March 2019 after a short trip out and we were told we were blacklisted due to our overstay," Alicja&nbsp;said in her letter, which was tweeted to Modi and Jaishankar by her mother Marta Kotlarska.

In April her mother, Marta Kotlarska, had also pleaded to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/proud-to-follow-in-sushma-swarajs-footsteps-says-new-external-affairs-minister-jaishankar-223335"> former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj</a>. She had claimed that she was blacklisted by the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Chamoli in Uttarakhand for overstaying "due to a misunderstanding".

The letter has been posted by her mother on Twitter.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
the letter my daughther who is out of school due to lack of action from MHA officers has written to Honoreable Prime Minister of India for help in our case <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://t.co/PVIolpD9Ez">pic.twitter.com/PVIolpD9Ez</a>
— Marta Kotlarska (@KotlarskaMarta) <a href="https://twitter.com/KotlarskaMarta/status/1135059227678928896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

She also claims that she had paid the requisite fines prescribed by law.

According to reports, Marta and her daughter had arrived in Goa from Warsaw in September 2018. She is an artist and photographer by profession and had come to India to capture Goan culture.

She had left for Sri Lanka a few days earlier from Goa because she was about to exceed her 180-day limit of stay in India and visa renewal norms required for foreign nationals to formally re-enter the country. But as she arrived in the country, she was turned away from the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, a report by news agency IANS said.

She was later allowed to come back to pick up her daughter and left the country within&nbsp;a few days.

According to the report,&nbsp;the mother and daughter are currently in Cambodia and awaiting a possible return to India.

"Despite not being Indian citizens, we call it home," Alicja Wanatko adds in her letter.

"It feels like everything is just destroyed again. I pray to Shiva and Nanda Devi to help us and I have decided to write to you because you are the most powerful person that can help me and my mum come back to India, my home. Please help us and allow to remove us from this blacklist," she added.

Her mother also tagged newly-appointed Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet and asked for help.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Sir big congratulations on becoming Home Minister. Im writing for your help to remove myself and my minor child who studies in India from blacklist on entering the country. Case is in Mha but officers are not responding to emails. We are praying to God for help. <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmitShah</a> <a href="https://t.co/qnad7JqA4V">https://t.co/qnad7JqA4V</a> <a href="https://t.co/itEDrHgvrm">pic.twitter.com/itEDrHgvrm</a>
— Marta Kotlarska (@KotlarskaMarta) <a href="https://twitter.com/KotlarskaMarta/status/1135083412606218242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

An 11-year-old Polish girl has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and newly-appointed External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar seeking the return of her family to India.

An 11-year-old Polish girl has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and newly-appointed External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar seeking the return of her family to India. Alicja Wanatko, in her handwritten letter to Modi and Jaishankar, spoke about her fond memories of her Goa stay and her love for Lord Shiva and the Nanda Devi mountain. "I love my school in Goa, the beautiful nature and I am missing my volunteering in the animal rescue centre there where I was helping to take care of cows. My mum could not re-enter India on 24th March 2019 after a short trip out and we were told we were blacklisted due to our overstay," Alicja said in her letter, which was tweeted to Modi and Jaishankar by her mother Marta Kotlarska. In April her mother, Marta Kotlarska, had also pleaded to former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj. She had claimed that she was blacklisted by the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) in Chamoli in Uttarakhand for overstaying "due to a misunderstanding". The letter has been posted by her mother on Twitter. the letter my daughther who is out of school due to lack of action from MHA officers has written to Honoreable Prime Minister of India for help in our case @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/PVIolpD9Ez — Marta Kotlarska (@KotlarskaMarta) June 2, 2019 × She also claims that she had paid the requisite fines prescribed by law. According to reports, Marta and her daughter had arrived in Goa from Warsaw in September 2018. She is an artist and photographer by profession and had come to India to capture Goan culture. She had left for Sri Lanka a few days earlier from Goa because she was about to exceed her 180-day limit of stay in India and visa renewal norms required for foreign nationals to formally re-enter the country. But as she arrived in the country, she was turned away from the Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, a report by news agency IANS said. She was later allowed to come back to pick up her daughter and left the country within a few days. According to the report, the mother and daughter are currently in Cambodia and awaiting a possible return to India. "Despite not being Indian citizens, we call it home," Alicja Wanatko adds in her letter. "It feels like everything is just destroyed again. I pray to Shiva and Nanda Devi to help us and I have decided to write to you because you are the most powerful person that can help me and my mum come back to India, my home. Please help us and allow to remove us from this blacklist," she added. Her mother also tagged newly-appointed Home Minister Amit Shah in a tweet and asked for help. Sir big congratulations on becoming Home Minister. Im writing for your help to remove myself and my minor child who studies in India from blacklist on entering the country. Case is in Mha but officers are not responding to emails. We are praying to God for help. @AmitShah https://t.co/qnad7JqA4V pic.twitter.com/itEDrHgvrm — Marta Kotlarska (@KotlarskaMarta) June 2, 2019 ×

Polish girl writes to PM Modi, foreign minister Jaishankar for her return to India

India's manufacturing sector expanded at its quickest pace in three months in May on improved output and new orders, according to a private business survey which also showed a pick up in hiring.

The survey found increased optimism about manufacturing activity over the coming year, probably helped as Prime Minister Narendra Modi scored a dramatic election victory on a mandate of business-friendly policies and a tough stand on national security.

Almost 70% of responses were collected after exit polls showed Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party would return to power for a second term.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/sensex-jumps-over-200-points-ahead-of-rbi-policy-meet-223755">Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index</a> increased to 52.7 in May from April's eight-month low of 51.8, remaining above the 50-mark threshold that separates growth from contraction for a 22nd straight month.

"A revival in new order growth promoted a faster upturn in manufacturing production, as Indian firms sought to replenish inventories utilised in May to fulfil strengthening demand," Pollyanna De Lima, principal economist at IHS Markit, said in a release.

The new business orders sub-index, which tracks overall demand, rose as foreign demand increased at the fastest pace in three months. Output also grew at the strongest rate since February.

That led firms to increase the pace of hiring from the previous month when headcount was barely changed.

"To assist with higher output needs, and benefit from relatively muted cost inflation, companies stepped up hiring and input purchasing," De Lima said.

"Goods producers were also able to charge competitive prices due to negligible increases in their cost burdens, meaning not only higher sales in the domestic market, but also greater overseas demand."

Although input costs increased at a stronger pace in May, manufacturers did not pass on those pressures to customers and instead trimmed prices for the first time since December. The output prices sub-index dropped to 49.9 from 50.8.

That will help keep retail inflation muted and well below the Reserve Bank of India's 4% target, increasing the likelihood of an interest rate cut at the next policy review on June 6.

If the central bank cuts rates this week, as expected, it would mark the third consecutive easing in as many meetings.

India's manufacturing sector expanded at its quickest pace in three months in May on improved output and new orders, according to a private business survey which also showed a pick up in hiring.

India's manufacturing sector expanded at its quickest pace in three months in May on improved output and new orders, according to a private business survey which also showed a pick up in hiring. The survey found increased optimism about manufacturing activity over the coming year, probably helped as Prime Minister Narendra Modi scored a dramatic election victory on a mandate of business-friendly policies and a tough stand on national security. Almost 70% of responses were collected after exit polls showed Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party would return to power for a second term. The Nikkei Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index increased to 52.7 in May from April's eight-month low of 51.8, remaining above the 50-mark threshold that separates growth from contraction for a 22nd straight month. "A revival in new order growth promoted a faster upturn in manufacturing production, as Indian firms sought to replenish inventories utilised in May to fulfil strengthening demand," Pollyanna De Lima, principal economist at IHS Markit, said in a release. The new business orders sub-index, which tracks overall demand, rose as foreign demand increased at the fastest pace in three months. Output also grew at the strongest rate since February. That led firms to increase the pace of hiring from the previous month when headcount was barely changed. "To assist with higher output needs, and benefit from relatively muted cost inflation, companies stepped up hiring and input purchasing," De Lima said. "Goods producers were also able to charge competitive prices due to negligible increases in their cost burdens, meaning not only higher sales in the domestic market, but also greater overseas demand." Although input costs increased at a stronger pace in May, manufacturers did not pass on those pressures to customers and instead trimmed prices for the first time since December. The output prices sub-index dropped to 49.9 from 50.8. That will help keep retail inflation muted and well below the Reserve Bank of India's 4% target, increasing the likelihood of an interest rate cut at the next policy review on June 6. If the central bank cuts rates this week, as expected, it would mark the third consecutive easing in as many meetings.

India factory activity grows at fastest pace in three months in May: PMI

Bharatiya Janata Party's&nbsp;Smriti Irani <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/committed-to-ensure-women-empowerment-children-welfare-smriti-irani-223291">took charge of Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry</a> on Monday.

She was welcomed by senior officials of the ministry and the minister of state in the WCD ministry Debashree Chaudhuri.

She also held a meeting with senior officials of the ministry.

Irani, the youngest face in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet at 43, emerged as a 'giant slayer' after defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.

She has retained the charge of Textiles Ministry, a portfolio she held during the first term of the Narendra Modi government.&nbsp;

Irani succeeds outgoing WCD minister Maneka Gandhi, who was dropped from the Union council of ministers this time.&nbsp;

In past, she has held portfolios of Human Resource Development and Information and Broadcasting during the first term of the Modi government.&nbsp;

The popular TV actor-turned-politician had her first brush with electoral politics in 2004 when she contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi, but lost to Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal. 
&nbsp;

Bharatiya Janata Party's Smriti Irani took charge of Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry on Monday. She was welcomed by senior officials of the ministry and the minister of state in the WCD ministry Debashree Chaudhuri.

Bharatiya Janata Party's Smriti Irani took charge of Women and Child Development (WCD) Ministry on Monday. She was welcomed by senior officials of the ministry and the minister of state in the WCD ministry Debashree Chaudhuri. She also held a meeting with senior officials of the ministry. Irani, the youngest face in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet at 43, emerged as a 'giant slayer' after defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi in the recently held Lok Sabha polls. She has retained the charge of Textiles Ministry, a portfolio she held during the first term of the Narendra Modi government. Irani succeeds outgoing WCD minister Maneka Gandhi, who was dropped from the Union council of ministers this time. In past, she has held portfolios of Human Resource Development and Information and Broadcasting during the first term of the Modi government. The popular TV actor-turned-politician had her first brush with electoral politics in 2004 when she contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi, but lost to Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal.

Smriti Irani takes charge of Women and Child Development ministry

Former Army Chief, General (Retd) VK Singh, took charge as the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Monday.

On his arrival at the office, he was presented with bouquets.

"I will ensure whatever infrastructure is required by the nation is completed as fast as possible," he told reporters after assuming charge.

During the first stint of the Narendra Modi government, VK Singh was a Minister of State for External Affairs from 2014 to 2019.

He also briefly served as the MoS (Independent Charge) for Development of the North-Eastern Region.

He was later replaced by Jitendra Singh.

Singh was appointed MoS (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Programme Implementation from 2014 to 2016.

Meanwhile, Nitin Gadkari retained his position as the Minister of Road Transport and Highways.

In the recently-concluded <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjps-harsh-vardhan-arrives-on-bicycle-to-take-charge-of-new-ministry-223765">Lok Sabha elections</a>, Singh retained his Ghaziabad parliamentary seat, defeating SP's Suresh Bansal, his closest rival with a margin of over five lakh votes.

VK Singh served as the 24th Chief of the Army Staff from 2010 to 2012.

During his tenure, he made headlines when he became the first serving Army officer to take the government to court over a dispute regarding his age and retirement.

The 68-year-old former Army Chief also backed the anti-corruption movement led by activist Anna Hazare. 
&nbsp;

Former Army Chief, General (Retd) VK Singh, took charge as the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Monday. On his arrival at the office, he was presented with bouquets.

Former Army Chief, General (Retd) VK Singh, took charge as the Minister of State (MoS) in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on Monday. On his arrival at the office, he was presented with bouquets. "I will ensure whatever infrastructure is required by the nation is completed as fast as possible," he told reporters after assuming charge. During the first stint of the Narendra Modi government, VK Singh was a Minister of State for External Affairs from 2014 to 2019. He also briefly served as the MoS (Independent Charge) for Development of the North-Eastern Region. He was later replaced by Jitendra Singh. Singh was appointed MoS (Independent Charge) for Statistics and Programme Implementation from 2014 to 2016. Meanwhile, Nitin Gadkari retained his position as the Minister of Road Transport and Highways. In the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, Singh retained his Ghaziabad parliamentary seat, defeating SP's Suresh Bansal, his closest rival with a margin of over five lakh votes. VK Singh served as the 24th Chief of the Army Staff from 2010 to 2012. During his tenure, he made headlines when he became the first serving Army officer to take the government to court over a dispute regarding his age and retirement. The 68-year-old former Army Chief also backed the anti-corruption movement led by activist Anna Hazare.

VK Singh takes charge as Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condoled the death of Ajay Devgn`s father and Bollywood`s renowned <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/veteran-action-director-veeru-devgan-no-more-shah-rukh-khan-sanjay-dutt-abhishek-bachchan-pay-respect-222038">stunt director Veeru Devgan</a>, terming it as a "great loss to the industry".

Ajay Devgn shared the letter written by the Prime Minister to his mother Veena Devgan on Twitter.

"I am deeply saddened to learn of the demise of Shri Veeru Devgan who was widely respected for his outstanding work across various domains in the Hindi film industry. This is a great loss for the industry," read the letter.

Hailing Devgan`s work as a stuntman, action choreographer, director, producer and more, PM Modi wrote, "This is the sign of a man who completely dedicated himself to his chosen field and hence, kept discovering new ways of contributing to it."

The Prime Minister wrote at length about Devgan`s work as a stuntman "in an era of no visual effects".

"There is something deeply moving about people like Shri Devgan who took great personal risks to enthrall audiences in an era of no `visual effects`, knowing well that the glory of taking those risks would not be credited to them. It is said that great things can be achieved if we do not care who gets the credit but concentrate on doing the best we can," PM wrote in the moving letter.

Praising his dedication towards the film industry, the PM added, "He was known for his personal daredevilry, for pushing the limits as an action choreographer as well as for being meticulous about the safety of his team. Shri Devgn lived this ideal and his contributions to the film industry will be remembered forever. "

Referring to him as an inspiration, the statement concluded, "May he continue to inspire risk-takers in the world because it is those who take risks that define the direction our world takes. Om Shanti to the departed soul."

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My Mother &amp; entire Devgan family are deeply touched &amp; humbled in silence by this thoughtful gesture from our Honourable Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a>. 
Thank you Sir. 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/sJzFRzvMZb">pic.twitter.com/sJzFRzvMZb</a>
— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) <a href="https://twitter.com/ajaydevgn/status/1135089348439707650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Ajay Devgn was "touched" by PM Modi`s gesture, in response he wrote, "My Mother &amp; entire Devgan family are deeply touched &amp; humbled in silence by this thoughtful gesture from our Honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi. Thank you, Sir."

Apart from Prime Minister Modi, several other B-Town stars earlier condoled the action choreographer`s death, Anupam Kher, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Ranvir Shorey, Aftab Shivdasani, Abbas-Mustan to name a few.

Devgan was suffering from breathing problems after which he was immediately admitted to Surya Hospital in Santa Cruz.

However, his condition turned critical and he suffered a cardiac arrest leading to his death on May 27.

Devgan choreographed action scenes in more than 80 films including `Hindustan Ki Kasam`, where his son Ajay played the lead alongside Amitabh Bachchan.

He was also the producer of the film. He has also acted in a couple of films such as `Sar Utha Ke Jiyo`, `Kranti`, `Mr. Natwarlal`, and `Muqabla`. &nbsp; 
 
 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condoled the death of Ajay Devgn`s father and Bollywood`s renowned stunt director Veeru Devgan, terming it as a "great loss to the industry".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condoled the death of Ajay Devgn`s father and Bollywood`s renowned stunt director Veeru Devgan, terming it as a "great loss to the industry". Ajay Devgn shared the letter written by the Prime Minister to his mother Veena Devgan on Twitter. "I am deeply saddened to learn of the demise of Shri Veeru Devgan who was widely respected for his outstanding work across various domains in the Hindi film industry. This is a great loss for the industry," read the letter. Hailing Devgan`s work as a stuntman, action choreographer, director, producer and more, PM Modi wrote, "This is the sign of a man who completely dedicated himself to his chosen field and hence, kept discovering new ways of contributing to it." The Prime Minister wrote at length about Devgan`s work as a stuntman "in an era of no visual effects". "There is something deeply moving about people like Shri Devgan who took great personal risks to enthrall audiences in an era of no `visual effects`, knowing well that the glory of taking those risks would not be credited to them. It is said that great things can be achieved if we do not care who gets the credit but concentrate on doing the best we can," PM wrote in the moving letter. Praising his dedication towards the film industry, the PM added, "He was known for his personal daredevilry, for pushing the limits as an action choreographer as well as for being meticulous about the safety of his team. Shri Devgn lived this ideal and his contributions to the film industry will be remembered forever. " Referring to him as an inspiration, the statement concluded, "May he continue to inspire risk-takers in the world because it is those who take risks that define the direction our world takes. Om Shanti to the departed soul." My Mother & entire Devgan family are deeply touched & humbled in silence by this thoughtful gesture from our Honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi. Thank you Sir. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/sJzFRzvMZb — Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) June 2, 2019 × Ajay Devgn was "touched" by PM Modi`s gesture, in response he wrote, "My Mother & entire Devgan family are deeply touched & humbled in silence by this thoughtful gesture from our Honourable Prime Minister @narendramodi. Thank you, Sir." Apart from Prime Minister Modi, several other B-Town stars earlier condoled the action choreographer`s death, Anupam Kher, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Ranvir Shorey, Aftab Shivdasani, Abbas-Mustan to name a few. Devgan was suffering from breathing problems after which he was immediately admitted to Surya Hospital in Santa Cruz. However, his condition turned critical and he suffered a cardiac arrest leading to his death on May 27. Devgan choreographed action scenes in more than 80 films including `Hindustan Ki Kasam`, where his son Ajay played the lead alongside Amitabh Bachchan. He was also the producer of the film. He has also acted in a couple of films such as `Sar Utha Ke Jiyo`, `Kranti`, `Mr. Natwarlal`, and `Muqabla`.

PM Narendra Modi condoles Veeru Devgan's death: May he continue to inspire risk-takers

On the occasion of the fifth Telangana State Formation Day, President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended their wishes to the people of the state.

"Greetings and good wishes to the people of Telangana on statehood day. My best wishes to all the residents of the state for a bright and prosperous future #PresidentKovind," official Twitter handle of the President of India said.

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Greetings and good wishes to the people of Telangana on statehood day. My best wishes to all the residents of the state for a bright and prosperous future <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PresidentKovind?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PresidentKovind</a>
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) <a href="https://twitter.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1135014557485715456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Praying for Telangana's progress, PM Modi said in a tweet, "On Telangana's Statehood Day, my best wishes to the people of this wonderful state. Telangana is known for its hardworking citizens who are making great contributions to our nation`s development. I pray for the progress of Telangana."

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On Telangana’s Statehood Day, my best wishes to the people of this wonderful state. Telangana is known for its hardworking citizens who are making great contributions to our nation’s development. I pray for the progress of Telangana.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1135027438310830080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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In another tweet the Prime Minister also greeted the people of Andhra Pradesh, saying, "Greetings to my sisters and brothers of Andhra Pradesh. From science to sports, education to enterprise, AP's contribution is immense. May the state prosper in the coming years."

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Greetings to my sisters and brothers of Andhra Pradesh. From science to sports, education to enterprise, AP’s contribution is immense. May the state prosper in the coming years.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1135027705651572737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The state of Telangana was formed in 2014 after its bifurcation from Andhra Pradesh. Home Minister Amit Shah also took to Twitter to wish the people of Telangana. "On their Statehood Day, I extend my warm wishes to our sisters and brothers of Telangana. I pray for the progress and prosperity of the state in the times to come," read his tweet.

Earlier on Saturday, Telangana state Chief Minister Office tweeted, "Telangana enters into the sixth year completing five years of unprecedented progress! Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao expressed happiness that the State has become a role model for the rest of the country and extended greetings on the momentous occasion. #TelanganaFormationDay."

As part of celebrations, the state's capital city, Hyderabad, is all decked up with festive lighting.

All the important government buildings including the Telangana Assembly and Secretariat have been decorated with colourful lights and flower garlands.

Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014.

Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao was elected as the first Chief Minister of the state, following elections in which the party secured a majority.&nbsp;

On the occasion of the fifth Telangana State Formation Day, President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended their wishes to the people of the state.

On the occasion of the fifth Telangana State Formation Day, President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended their wishes to the people of the state. "Greetings and good wishes to the people of Telangana on statehood day. My best wishes to all the residents of the state for a bright and prosperous future #PresidentKovind," official Twitter handle of the President of India said. Greetings and good wishes to the people of Telangana on statehood day. My best wishes to all the residents of the state for a bright and prosperous future #PresidentKovind — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) June 2, 2019 × Praying for Telangana's progress, PM Modi said in a tweet, "On Telangana's Statehood Day, my best wishes to the people of this wonderful state. Telangana is known for its hardworking citizens who are making great contributions to our nation`s development. I pray for the progress of Telangana." On Telangana’s Statehood Day, my best wishes to the people of this wonderful state. Telangana is known for its hardworking citizens who are making great contributions to our nation’s development. I pray for the progress of Telangana. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2019 × In another tweet the Prime Minister also greeted the people of Andhra Pradesh, saying, "Greetings to my sisters and brothers of Andhra Pradesh. From science to sports, education to enterprise, AP's contribution is immense. May the state prosper in the coming years." Greetings to my sisters and brothers of Andhra Pradesh. From science to sports, education to enterprise, AP’s contribution is immense. May the state prosper in the coming years. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 2, 2019 × The state of Telangana was formed in 2014 after its bifurcation from Andhra Pradesh. Home Minister Amit Shah also took to Twitter to wish the people of Telangana. "On their Statehood Day, I extend my warm wishes to our sisters and brothers of Telangana. I pray for the progress and prosperity of the state in the times to come," read his tweet. Earlier on Saturday, Telangana state Chief Minister Office tweeted, "Telangana enters into the sixth year completing five years of unprecedented progress! Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao expressed happiness that the State has become a role model for the rest of the country and extended greetings on the momentous occasion. #TelanganaFormationDay." As part of celebrations, the state's capital city, Hyderabad, is all decked up with festive lighting. All the important government buildings including the Telangana Assembly and Secretariat have been decorated with colourful lights and flower garlands. Telangana was officially formed on 2 June 2014. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrashekar Rao was elected as the first Chief Minister of the state, following elections in which the party secured a majority.

President Kovind, PM Modi extend wishes on Telangana statehood day

Former White House chief strategist and media mogul Steve Bannon spoke exclusively to WION's Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary recently. During the conversation, he spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's landslide victory, US-India relationship, Pakistan, his interest in Hindu spirituality and his love for Bhagavad Gita.

Full transcript of Steve Bannon's interview with Sudhir Chaudhary

India has just been witness to history as the largest ever seven-phase electoral exercise in human history concluded on May 19, with the results being declared on May 23. Some 600 million women and men cast their ballot out of an eligible, incredible 900 million! A very respectable 67 per cent, which is higher than that in many developed countries. The final outcome surprised everyone. The BJP ended up not only as of the single largest party in terms of vote-share but comfortably crossed the half-way mark of 272 to bag 303 seats. This was 21 seats more than their tally of 282 in the 2014 general elections, way beyond anyone’s imagination or expectation.

Belying pollsters and pandits, the BJP even scored in Uttar Pradesh, where it was expected to lose big, in face of the ‘Mahagathbandan’ between BSP and SP. It got 62, just nine less than its tally of 71 seats in 2019. It more than made up for this shortfall in its extraordinary performance in West Bengal, winning 18 out of 42 seats, just four short of the ruling TMC, which bagged 22. Nothing short of unprecedented, this saffron surge far-surpassed its previous performance in the state. The BJP had sent only two Lok Sabha members in 2014 and only one in 2009 from West Bengal.&nbsp;

In addition, the BJP performed impressively in Gujarat (26/26), Maharashtra (along with the Shiv Sena, 41/48), and Karnataka (26/28 seats). Its almost complete sweep of the Hindi heartland, including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand, had already put it in a commanding position. Hardly any of the earlier polls and predictions had given BJP such a huge victory. They were proven wrong, but a couple of the exit polls were closer to the mark. Most of the latter, however, did predict a victory for BJP-NDA.

After the results came out the next, most awaited event, was the swearing in of the new government on May 30. It was accompanied by all the panoply and ceremony of power at the portals of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The day after, on May 31, even as I write this column, the portfolios of the council of ministers have just been announced. Amit Shah, the long-serving and most successful party boss of the BJP, has been inducted as India’s new home minister. Now we truly have our own ‘Loh Purush’ or Iron Man in this very important ministry. We may look to big-ticket interventions of Modi 2.0 in Jammu and Kashmir, besides progress on the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. 
The biggest, boldest surprise was the induction of S Jaishankar, former foreign secretary, as the minister of external affairs. In addition, former defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, was promoted to finance. Both these appointments of political outsiders, who have never stood for an election, means a new US-style merit-based Cabinet formation, mixed with the old Indian practice of awarding berths to seniority, region, state, caste, language, community, and political importance.&nbsp; 
We have in place a new way of recognising and rewarding talent, in addition to running the government. Performance rather than patronage seems the deciding factor. ‘Motormouths’ or those who were too press-friendly, including Nitin Gadkari, were put in their place. ‘Giant-killer’ Smriti Irani, too, was not especially compensated for defeating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. Prakash Javadekar, former MHRD Minister was sent to a ministry he’s best suited to, Information and Broadcasting, with an additional charge of Environment. The new MHRD Minister is writer-poet and former CM of Uttarakhand, Ramesh Pokhriyal.&nbsp;

I was fortunate to follow and comment on these elections closely from the comfortable perch of an armchair analyst on WION (World Is One News). The analysis was actually polite and informative, with carefully chosen panels of experts both domestic and international. No shouting, heckling, butting in, speaking out of turn. What a refreshing change from the pugilistic and uproarious din on other channels, where there is more sound than sense, more smoke than light.&nbsp;

One of my co-panellists on WION made a remark that best sums up this history-in-the-making that we have been privileged to participate in. Narendra Modi would like to be seen as the ‘great transformer’. Mao Zedong, the founder in 1949 of the Republic of China and undisputed leader of the single-party state till his death in 1976, was called ‘the great helmsman’. Modi, in contrast, will go down in history as the great transformer. Modi 2.0 has not only broken the Nehruvian consensus but given us a new conception of India. In his second term, Modi will drive his ministers to accomplish this vision, which includes not only uplifting the lives of ordinary Indians but making India a great power on the world stage.

(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-the-great-transformation-bjp-303-narendra-modi-20-2755901">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

India has just been witness to history as the largest ever seven-phase electoral exercise in human history concluded on May 19, with the results being declared on May 23.

India has just been witness to history as the largest ever seven-phase electoral exercise in human history concluded on May 19, with the results being declared on May 23. Some 600 million women and men cast their ballot out of an eligible, incredible 900 million! A very respectable 67 per cent, which is higher than that in many developed countries. The final outcome surprised everyone. The BJP ended up not only as of the single largest party in terms of vote-share but comfortably crossed the half-way mark of 272 to bag 303 seats. This was 21 seats more than their tally of 282 in the 2014 general elections, way beyond anyone’s imagination or expectation. Belying pollsters and pandits, the BJP even scored in Uttar Pradesh, where it was expected to lose big, in face of the ‘Mahagathbandan’ between BSP and SP. It got 62, just nine less than its tally of 71 seats in 2019. It more than made up for this shortfall in its extraordinary performance in West Bengal, winning 18 out of 42 seats, just four short of the ruling TMC, which bagged 22. Nothing short of unprecedented, this saffron surge far-surpassed its previous performance in the state. The BJP had sent only two Lok Sabha members in 2014 and only one in 2009 from West Bengal. In addition, the BJP performed impressively in Gujarat (26/26), Maharashtra (along with the Shiv Sena, 41/48), and Karnataka (26/28 seats). Its almost complete sweep of the Hindi heartland, including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, and Jharkhand, had already put it in a commanding position. Hardly any of the earlier polls and predictions had given BJP such a huge victory. They were proven wrong, but a couple of the exit polls were closer to the mark. Most of the latter, however, did predict a victory for BJP-NDA. After the results came out the next, most awaited event, was the swearing in of the new government on May 30. It was accompanied by all the panoply and ceremony of power at the portals of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. The day after, on May 31, even as I write this column, the portfolios of the council of ministers have just been announced. Amit Shah, the long-serving and most successful party boss of the BJP, has been inducted as India’s new home minister. Now we truly have our own ‘Loh Purush’ or Iron Man in this very important ministry. We may look to big-ticket interventions of Modi 2.0 in Jammu and Kashmir, besides progress on the Ram Temple at Ayodhya. The biggest, boldest surprise was the induction of S Jaishankar, former foreign secretary, as the minister of external affairs. In addition, former defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, was promoted to finance. Both these appointments of political outsiders, who have never stood for an election, means a new US-style merit-based Cabinet formation, mixed with the old Indian practice of awarding berths to seniority, region, state, caste, language, community, and political importance. We have in place a new way of recognising and rewarding talent, in addition to running the government. Performance rather than patronage seems the deciding factor. ‘Motormouths’ or those who were too press-friendly, including Nitin Gadkari, were put in their place. ‘Giant-killer’ Smriti Irani, too, was not especially compensated for defeating Rahul Gandhi in Amethi. Prakash Javadekar, former MHRD Minister was sent to a ministry he’s best suited to, Information and Broadcasting, with an additional charge of Environment. The new MHRD Minister is writer-poet and former CM of Uttarakhand, Ramesh Pokhriyal. I was fortunate to follow and comment on these elections closely from the comfortable perch of an armchair analyst on WION (World Is One News). The analysis was actually polite and informative, with carefully chosen panels of experts both domestic and international. No shouting, heckling, butting in, speaking out of turn. What a refreshing change from the pugilistic and uproarious din on other channels, where there is more sound than sense, more smoke than light. One of my co-panellists on WION made a remark that best sums up this history-in-the-making that we have been privileged to participate in. Narendra Modi would like to be seen as the ‘great transformer’. Mao Zedong, the founder in 1949 of the Republic of China and undisputed leader of the single-party state till his death in 1976, was called ‘the great helmsman’. Modi, in contrast, will go down in history as the great transformer. Modi 2.0 has not only broken the Nehruvian consensus but given us a new conception of India. In his second term, Modi will drive his ministers to accomplish this vision, which includes not only uplifting the lives of ordinary Indians but making India a great power on the world stage. (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Narendra Modi will go down in history as a great transformer

As India's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajnath-singh-moves-to-south-block-gets-defence-ministry-223127"> new defence minister, Rajnath Singh</a>'s most crucial challenge will be to speed up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness.&nbsp;

His another challenge will be to ensure peace and tranquillity along the frontier with China while developing required military infrastructure to deal with any possible Chinese hostility.&nbsp;

As he <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-20-rajnath-singh-is-defence-minister-amit-shah-home-nirmala-sitharaman-gets-finace-223084">takes charge of the ministry</a> just three months after India carried out <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/130-170-terrorists-died-following-balakot-airstrikes-says-award-winning-italian-journalist-217030">air strikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot</a>, it is expected that he will continue with the policy of hot pursuit in dealing with cross border terrorism.

Containing infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan will be another key focus area.

As the Defence Minister, Singh will face the challenge of strengthening the combat capabilities of the Army, Navy and the Air Force due to changing regional security matrix and geopolitical dynamics.

The forces have been pressing for equipping them to deal with hybrid warfare and Singh will have to attend to this crucial demand.

The government has been focusing on domestic defence production and Singh will have to carry forward a number of big-ticket reform initiatives, including implementing the ambitious "strategic partnership" model.

Under the new model, select Indian private firms will be roped in to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign defence majors.

Watch: Rajnath Singh in Modi's New Cabinet

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Singh also faces the challenge of modernising the defence research organisations and various other defence public sector undertakings so that they can produce state-of-the-art military hardware to match the requirement of the forces.

He is expected to focus on simplification of the acquisition process as the majority of the military modernisation programmes are delayed due to administrative hurdles.

Singh, who was Home Minister in the previous government, will also have to oversee carrying out of major reforms in the 12-lakh strong Army.

The Army has already finalised a blueprint for its reform including right-sizing of the force.&nbsp;

His predecessor Nirmala Sitharaman had taken on the opposition head-on with her fiery defence of the Rafale fighter jet deal and it will be interesting to see how Singh deals with the issue.

Officials said Singh will take charge as defence minister on Saturday.&nbsp;

As India's new defence minister, Rajnath Singh's most crucial challenge will be to speed up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness.

As India's new defence minister, Rajnath Singh's most crucial challenge will be to speed up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness. His another challenge will be to ensure peace and tranquillity along the frontier with China while developing required military infrastructure to deal with any possible Chinese hostility. As he takes charge of the ministry just three months after India carried out air strikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot, it is expected that he will continue with the policy of hot pursuit in dealing with cross border terrorism. Containing infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan will be another key focus area. As the Defence Minister, Singh will face the challenge of strengthening the combat capabilities of the Army, Navy and the Air Force due to changing regional security matrix and geopolitical dynamics. The forces have been pressing for equipping them to deal with hybrid warfare and Singh will have to attend to this crucial demand. The government has been focusing on domestic defence production and Singh will have to carry forward a number of big-ticket reform initiatives, including implementing the ambitious "strategic partnership" model. Under the new model, select Indian private firms will be roped in to build military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with foreign defence majors. Watch: Rajnath Singh in Modi's New Cabinet × Singh also faces the challenge of modernising the defence research organisations and various other defence public sector undertakings so that they can produce state-of-the-art military hardware to match the requirement of the forces. He is expected to focus on simplification of the acquisition process as the majority of the military modernisation programmes are delayed due to administrative hurdles. Singh, who was Home Minister in the previous government, will also have to oversee carrying out of major reforms in the 12-lakh strong Army. The Army has already finalised a blueprint for its reform including right-sizing of the force. His predecessor Nirmala Sitharaman had taken on the opposition head-on with her fiery defence of the Rafale fighter jet deal and it will be interesting to see how Singh deals with the issue. Officials said Singh will take charge as defence minister on Saturday.

As defence minister, major challenges await Rajnath Singh

Newly-appointed Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani Friday said she is "committed to take all appropriate steps" to ensure women empowerment and welfare of children in the country.

Congratulating her colleague and the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri, Irani sent her best wishes to the lawmaker from West Bengal's Raiganj.

"Best wishes to my colleague in the Ministry of Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri on assuming charge today. We are committed to take all appropriate steps to ensure women empowerment and development and welfare of children in the context of nation building," she tweeted.&nbsp;

From tackling malnutrition and stunted growth among children to drafting the regulations for sexual harassment at the workplace, a host of challenges await Smriti Irani, who was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/smriti-irani-becomes-part-of-team-modi-20-takes-oath-as-minister-222864">appointed as the Women and Child Development Minister</a> on Friday.&nbsp;

Irani, the youngest face in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet at 43, emerged as a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/smriti-irani-the-return-of-giant-slayer-222868">'giant slayer'</a> after defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi.

She has retained the charge of Textiles Ministry, a portfolio she held during the first term of the Narendra Modi government.&nbsp;

Preparation has already started at the Women and Child Development Ministry to welcome Irani, who is likely to take charge on Monday, sources said.&nbsp;

However, her junior in the ministry, Chaudhury, has already assumed charge.&nbsp;

Among the several issues that await her are completing the registration of child care institutions and ensuring that the anti-trafficking bill passes the Rajya Sabha hurdle.&nbsp;

Irani succeeds outgoing WCD minister Maneka Gandhi, who was dropped from the Union council of ministers this time.&nbsp;

She has also held portfolios of Human Resource Development and Information and Broadcasting during the first term of the Modi government.&nbsp;

The popular TV actor-turned-politician had her first brush with electoral politics in 2004 when she contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi, but lost to Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal.

Newly-appointed Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani Friday said she is "committed to take all appropriate steps" to ensure women empowerment and welfare of children in the country.

Newly-appointed Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani Friday said she is "committed to take all appropriate steps" to ensure women empowerment and welfare of children in the country. Congratulating her colleague and the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri, Irani sent her best wishes to the lawmaker from West Bengal's Raiganj. "Best wishes to my colleague in the Ministry of Women and Child Development Debasree Chaudhuri on assuming charge today. We are committed to take all appropriate steps to ensure women empowerment and development and welfare of children in the context of nation building," she tweeted. From tackling malnutrition and stunted growth among children to drafting the regulations for sexual harassment at the workplace, a host of challenges await Smriti Irani, who was appointed as the Women and Child Development Minister on Friday. Irani, the youngest face in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet at 43, emerged as a 'giant slayer' after defeating Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi. She has retained the charge of Textiles Ministry, a portfolio she held during the first term of the Narendra Modi government. Preparation has already started at the Women and Child Development Ministry to welcome Irani, who is likely to take charge on Monday, sources said. However, her junior in the ministry, Chaudhury, has already assumed charge. Among the several issues that await her are completing the registration of child care institutions and ensuring that the anti-trafficking bill passes the Rajya Sabha hurdle. Irani succeeds outgoing WCD minister Maneka Gandhi, who was dropped from the Union council of ministers this time. She has also held portfolios of Human Resource Development and Information and Broadcasting during the first term of the Modi government. The popular TV actor-turned-politician had her first brush with electoral politics in 2004 when she contested the Lok Sabha elections from the Chandni Chowk seat in Delhi, but lost to Congress heavyweight Kapil Sibal.

Committed to ensure women empowerment, children welfare: Smriti Irani

All temporary restrictions imposed on all air routes, in the country's air space have been lifted, the Indian Air Force said.

The move comes immediately after Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-general-elections-2019/cabinet-20-most-ministers-retain-earlier-ministries-check-complete-list-223154">Narendra Modi began his second term in office</a>.

"Temporary restrictions on all air routes in the Indian airspace, imposed by the Indian Air Force on 27 Feb 19, have been removed," the IAF tweeted on Friday.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Information?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Information</a> : Temporary restrictions on all air routes in the Indian airspace, imposed by the Indian Air Force on 27 Feb 19, have been removed.
— Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAF_MCC/status/1134431025612767232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The IAF said it had removed restrictions that were imposed on all routes a day after its 12 Mirage 2000s crossed over to Pakistan and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-army-to-move-air-defence-units-closer-to-pakistan-border-post-balakot-strikes-218676">attacked a JeM terrorist training camp</a> in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The strikes were in response to the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/virtual-sims-used-in-pulwama-terror-attack-india-to-approach-us-for-help-205320">terror attack in Pulwama</a>, in which about 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives on February 14.

Pakistan on Wednesday extended the ban on India using its airspace for commercial flights till June 14.

Since then, foreign carriers using Indian airspace have been forced to take costly detours because they cannot fly over Pakistan. The closure mainly affects flights from Europe to Southeast Asia.

Pakistan lies in the middle of a vital aviation corridor whereby the airspace restrictions, which have been continuing since a long time, impacts hundreds of commercial flights each day, extending flight timings for passengers, as well as fuel costs for airlines.

All temporary restrictions imposed on all air routes, in the country's air space have been lifted, the Indian Air Force said. The move comes immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his second term in office.

All temporary restrictions imposed on all air routes, in the country's air space have been lifted, the Indian Air Force said. The move comes immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his second term in office. "Temporary restrictions on all air routes in the Indian airspace, imposed by the Indian Air Force on 27 Feb 19, have been removed," the IAF tweeted on Friday. #Information : Temporary restrictions on all air routes in the Indian airspace, imposed by the Indian Air Force on 27 Feb 19, have been removed. — Indian Air Force (@IAF_MCC) May 31, 2019 × The IAF said it had removed restrictions that were imposed on all routes a day after its 12 Mirage 2000s crossed over to Pakistan and attacked a JeM terrorist training camp in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Pulwama, in which about 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives on February 14. Pakistan on Wednesday extended the ban on India using its airspace for commercial flights till June 14. Since then, foreign carriers using Indian airspace have been forced to take costly detours because they cannot fly over Pakistan. The closure mainly affects flights from Europe to Southeast Asia. Pakistan lies in the middle of a vital aviation corridor whereby the airspace restrictions, which have been continuing since a long time, impacts hundreds of commercial flights each day, extending flight timings for passengers, as well as fuel costs for airlines.

Indian Air Force lifts temporary airspace restrictions, imposed after Balakot strike

Congress party on Saturday urged the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come up with a multi-phased roadmap to kick-start the economy and evolve an employment generating strategy.

"Slump in economic growth and runaway unemployment are two important challenges before the country. I hope the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister will address them by laying a short-medium-long term roadmap of kick-starting the growth engine as also employment generating strategy," said Congress leader Randeep Surjewala.

Government data showed on Friday that the country recorded a GDP growth of 6.8 per cent in 2018-19, the lowest in five years. In FY 2017-18, the GDP growth rate was 7.2 per cent.

The slowdown was largely attributed to lacklustre growth in the agriculture and mining sectors.

Data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Friday also showed that 5.8 per cent of men and 3.8 per cent of women are unemployed in rural India.

In urban areas, the numbers are much higher at 7.1 per cent of men and 10.8 per cent women being unemployed.

Congress leader PL Punia also urged the government to take concrete steps to reverse the economic slowdown which, he said, is causing a lot of hardship to people.

The industrial output is down, the manufacturing sector is not growing, resulting in massive unemployment in urban and rural regions across the country, he said.

The news of unemployment in 2017-18 at 6.1 per cent came as when the Cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi began its second term on Friday.

Congress party on Saturday urged the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come up with a multi-phased roadmap to kick-start the economy and evolve an employment generating strategy.

Congress party on Saturday urged the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come up with a multi-phased roadmap to kick-start the economy and evolve an employment generating strategy. "Slump in economic growth and runaway unemployment are two important challenges before the country. I hope the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister will address them by laying a short-medium-long term roadmap of kick-starting the growth engine as also employment generating strategy," said Congress leader Randeep Surjewala. Government data showed on Friday that the country recorded a GDP growth of 6.8 per cent in 2018-19, the lowest in five years. In FY 2017-18, the GDP growth rate was 7.2 per cent. The slowdown was largely attributed to lacklustre growth in the agriculture and mining sectors. Data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation on Friday also showed that 5.8 per cent of men and 3.8 per cent of women are unemployed in rural India. In urban areas, the numbers are much higher at 7.1 per cent of men and 10.8 per cent women being unemployed. Congress leader PL Punia also urged the government to take concrete steps to reverse the economic slowdown which, he said, is causing a lot of hardship to people. The industrial output is down, the manufacturing sector is not growing, resulting in massive unemployment in urban and rural regions across the country, he said. The news of unemployment in 2017-18 at 6.1 per cent came as when the Cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi began its second term on Friday.

Congress urges new government to reverse economic slowdown

Engaging with the Twitterverse for the first time, newly appointed External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar paid homage to his predecessor Sushma Swaraj on Saturday.

"My first tweet. Thank you all for the best wishes! Honoured to be given this responsibility. Proud to follow on the footsteps of @SushmaSwaraj ji," Jaishankar`s first tweet read.

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My first tweet. 
 
Thank you all for the best wishes! 
Honoured to be given this responsibility. 
Proud to follow on the footsteps of <a href="https://twitter.com/SushmaSwaraj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SushmaSwaraj</a> ji
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1134685620834582529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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A <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-20-rajnath-singh-is-defence-minister-amit-shah-home-nirmala-sitharaman-gets-finace-223084">surprise addition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's latest Union Cabinet</a>, the former Foreign Secretary succeeds Swaraj in helming the Ministry of External Affairs for the next five years under the NDA government.

Swaraj opted out of contesting in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections citing her health. She spearheaded various rescue operations during her term, including those in Libya and Yemen.

The former EAM was much-loved by people for being one of the most approachable ministers, known for hearing out and solving grievances on Twitter.

Jaishankar pledged to follow the precedent set by her, and tweeted, "We at Team @MEAIndia continue to be at your service 24x7. Happy to be leading the effort with my colleague MoS Muraleedharan ji."

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We at Team <a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a> continue to be at your service 24x7 
 
Happy to be leading the effort with my colleague MoS Muraleedharan ji <a href="https://twitter.com/VMBJP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VMBJP</a>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1134687081245171713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The EAM went on to express his gratitude for the wishes extended by his counterparts from Australia, France and Indonesia, who tweeted their greetings for the former top diplomat.

Both Jaishankar and the new Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, assumed office on May 31, following the official announcement regarding portfolio allocations.

"Back at South Block, in a new role! The new External Affairs Minister of India @DrSJaishankar assumes office," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted on Friday.

A former career diplomat, the 1977-batch IFS officer and Padma Shri awardee served as the Foreign Secretary for three years - from 2015 until his retirement in 2018 - under Modi's previous term as Prime Minister.

He had earlier served as India's Ambassador to China and then to the US. The incumbent EAM has previously been India`s Ambassador to the Czech Republic and High Commissioner to Singapore as well.

He was also the First Secretary and Political Advisor to the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka.

It is believed that Modi first met Jaishankar when he travelled to China as the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2012.

The former diplomat played a critical role in handling tough negotiations with Beijing, following the incursion in Doklam and Ladakh`s Depsang.

He is also known as the Indian government`s key strategist for China and the US.

In 2008, Jaishankar was a member of the team which negotiated the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal under the UPA government headed by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.&nbsp;

Engaging with the Twitterverse for the first time, newly appointed External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar paid homage to his predecessor Sushma Swaraj on Saturday.

Engaging with the Twitterverse for the first time, newly appointed External Affairs Minister (EAM) Subrahmanyam Jaishankar paid homage to his predecessor Sushma Swaraj on Saturday. "My first tweet. Thank you all for the best wishes! Honoured to be given this responsibility. Proud to follow on the footsteps of @SushmaSwaraj ji," Jaishankar`s first tweet read. My first tweet. Thank you all for the best wishes! Honoured to be given this responsibility. Proud to follow on the footsteps of @SushmaSwaraj ji — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 1, 2019 × A surprise addition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's latest Union Cabinet, the former Foreign Secretary succeeds Swaraj in helming the Ministry of External Affairs for the next five years under the NDA government. Swaraj opted out of contesting in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections citing her health. She spearheaded various rescue operations during her term, including those in Libya and Yemen. The former EAM was much-loved by people for being one of the most approachable ministers, known for hearing out and solving grievances on Twitter. Jaishankar pledged to follow the precedent set by her, and tweeted, "We at Team @MEAIndia continue to be at your service 24x7. Happy to be leading the effort with my colleague MoS Muraleedharan ji." We at Team @MEAIndia continue to be at your service 24x7 Happy to be leading the effort with my colleague MoS Muraleedharan ji @VMBJP — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) June 1, 2019 × The EAM went on to express his gratitude for the wishes extended by his counterparts from Australia, France and Indonesia, who tweeted their greetings for the former top diplomat. Both Jaishankar and the new Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, assumed office on May 31, following the official announcement regarding portfolio allocations. "Back at South Block, in a new role! The new External Affairs Minister of India @DrSJaishankar assumes office," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted on Friday. A former career diplomat, the 1977-batch IFS officer and Padma Shri awardee served as the Foreign Secretary for three years - from 2015 until his retirement in 2018 - under Modi's previous term as Prime Minister. He had earlier served as India's Ambassador to China and then to the US. The incumbent EAM has previously been India`s Ambassador to the Czech Republic and High Commissioner to Singapore as well. He was also the First Secretary and Political Advisor to the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka. It is believed that Modi first met Jaishankar when he travelled to China as the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2012. The former diplomat played a critical role in handling tough negotiations with Beijing, following the incursion in Doklam and Ladakh`s Depsang. He is also known as the Indian government`s key strategist for China and the US. In 2008, Jaishankar was a member of the team which negotiated the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal under the UPA government headed by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Proud to follow in Sushma Swaraj's footsteps, says new External Affairs Minister Jaishankar

Rajanth Singh on Saturday took charge as the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajnath-singh-moves-to-south-block-gets-defence-ministry-223127">defence minister</a> and immediately held a meeting with the top military brass.

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and top officials of the ministry accorded a warm welcome to Singh.

After taking charge, the former home minister held a meeting with Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa and newly appointed Navy chief Karambir Singh.

The defence secretary and several other senior officials of the ministry were also present at the meeting.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday announced portfolios for 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge and 24 Ministers of State (MoS) in Union Cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha.

Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, incursion attempts by Pakistan, and the emergence of Islamic State were among the top challenges faced by Singh as Home Minister.

As India's<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/rajnath-singh-moves-to-south-block-gets-defence-ministry-223127">&nbsp;new defence minister, Rajnath Singh</a>'s most crucial challenge will be to speed up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness.&nbsp;

His another challenge will be to ensure peace and tranquillity along the frontier with China while developing required military infrastructure to deal with any possible Chinese hostility.&nbsp;

Rajanth Singh on Saturday took charge as the defence minister and immediately held a meeting with the top military brass. Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and top officials of the ministry accorded a warm welcome to Singh.

Rajanth Singh on Saturday took charge as the defence minister and immediately held a meeting with the top military brass. Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and top officials of the ministry accorded a warm welcome to Singh. After taking charge, the former home minister held a meeting with Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa and newly appointed Navy chief Karambir Singh. The defence secretary and several other senior officials of the ministry were also present at the meeting. The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday announced portfolios for 24 cabinet ministers, 9 ministers of state with independent charge and 24 Ministers of State (MoS) in Union Cabinet for the 17th Lok Sabha. Terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, incursion attempts by Pakistan, and the emergence of Islamic State were among the top challenges faced by Singh as Home Minister. As India's new defence minister, Rajnath Singh's most crucial challenge will be to speed up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness. His another challenge will be to ensure peace and tranquillity along the frontier with China while developing required military infrastructure to deal with any possible Chinese hostility.

Rajnath Singh takes charge as defence minister

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