Manohar Lal Khattar. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday (December 10, 2024) said there has been a substantial increase in investments in the urban sector since 2014 and emphasised the Centre’s dedication to realising the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Addressing a press conference on achievements of his Ministry, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister said investments have increased 16-fold, rising from approximately ₹1,78,053 crore between 2004 and 2014 to ₹28,52,527 crore since 2014.

“Urban development schemes have been expanded and implemented with greater speed and efficiency in the past six months, asserting that the rapid pace of urbanisation has made urban development a key pillar of India’s growth strategy,” he said.

The Minister said that under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) between 2004 and 2014, projects worth ₹66,837 crore were sanctioned, but the Modi government has sanctioned projects worth ₹2.73 lakh crore under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) since 2014.

Talking about urban housing and PMAY 2.0, Mr. Khattar said a new rental housing vertical has been introduced under the second phase of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), benefiting the migrant population.

Under this scheme, new initiatives such as provisional sanctions for around 7% of the planned one crore urban houses based on the population of States signing MoUs, have been made and it will ensure timely allocation and expediting the process.

“To streamline operations, sanctions to States will be finalised based on the demand received by March 31, 2025, providing clarity on yearly house allocations,” he said, adding that 88.32 lakh houses have competed under the PMAY 2.0.

Mr. Khattar said a revamped National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) will soon be launched, informed by the results of a pilot project currently under way in 25 cities.

Giving details about the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi), the Union Minister said loan amounts of 13,422 crore have been disbursed under the scheme so far. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission, since June 9, 2024, the government has released more than ₹1,123 crore.

Over the past six months since June 9, two major dumpsites in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad have been completely remediated, successfully addressing approximately 2.5 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste, Mr. Khattar added.

Kurukshetra:

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday said that “Viksit Bharat” is no longer a dream, but a target that has to be achieved with the collective efforts of the citizens, keeping the message of the Bhagavad Gita in mind.

He also warned people about forces that want to hurt India.

“We have chosen the path of Viksit Bharat in 2047. Viksit Bharat is no longer a dream, but a target before us. To achieve it, we will have to keep the message of the Gita in mind…. Like Arjuna was focused on his target, we will have to have the same vision, the same determination, the same concentration,” Mr Dhankhar said.

Addressing an event here during the ongoing International Gita festival, the vice president said he has no doubt in his mind that the target of a developed India will be achieved with the collective efforts of the people of the country by 2047 or even before that.

“The role of ‘sathi’ and ‘sarathi’ is critical. India has witnessed this over the last 10 years — unprecedented economic progress, the creation of incredible institutional frameworks and an unparalleled status and respect at the global level, which was once unimaginable,” Mr Dhankhar said He added that India’s voice resonates strongly today.

The vice president emphasised the need for a “Panchamrit” model of governance inspired by the teachings of the Gita.

“I deeply reflected on what message I could deliver from this sacred place that every citizen can adopt without relying on others. I propose five fundamental principles from the Gita, which I call the Panchamrit of governance, that every citizen can implement with a strong resolve,” he said.

Elaborating on one of the five principles — constructive dialogue — Mr Dhankhar said, “The dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna teaches us that differences of opinion should not become disputes.” “Differences are natural because people think differently. Even our Constituent Assembly faced differences, but it resolved those through debate and discussion. This is a significant message and I expect our members of Parliament, members of legislative assemblies, local representatives of panchayats and municipalities, and all institutions to focus on constructive dialogue.

“The outcome of dialogue should serve social and national interests, not personal interests. No interest is bigger than national interest,” he added.

Mr Dhankhar said the second principle is personal integrity.

“Those in positions of responsibility, whether in administration, politics or economics, must lead by example. Their conduct should inspire the public as it has a profound impact on the society,” he said.

“The third principle is selfless dedication. Lord Krishna teaches ‘Yagyarthat Karmano’ — work should not be for personal gain but for the greater good. With this spirit, I appeal to everyone that building a developed India by 2047 is a grand yagna. Everyone must contribute to this collective effort to the best of their ability for the nation’s welfare,” he added.

The vice president said the fourth principle is compassion, which is the “essence of our 5,000-year-old culture”.

“The fifth principle is mutual respect…. Think about the immense diversity we have, yet it all converges into unity. This idea can be integrated into governance under the Panchamrit framework,” he said.

Mr Dhankhar talked about the rapid progress India has made in the last few years and expressed hope that the country, which is currently the world’s fifth-largest economy, would soon leave Germany and Japan behind.

He cautioned people, saying there are some forces in the country and abroad, which on the basis of money power and by using mechanisms, want to hurt India, its economy and make its institutions dysfunctional.

“Their sinister design, pernicious object is to taint, tarnish and diminish our constitutional institutions, to run down our growth trajectory. Such forces cannot be ignored now.

“Our culture says that there are occasions when such forces have to be crushed, they have to be crushed…. And we understand all this from the Gita,” he said.

“I want to give a message from this land that the nation is supreme for us. There is nothing to be measured in this love for the nation, it will be pure, it will be 100 per cent. We will always keep the nation first,” he said.

“We have to remember, we are Indians, Indianness is our identity and we are citizens of such a great country that there is no other country like this in the world, so will we allow our Mother India to be hurt?” Mr Dhankhar asked the gathering.

Referring to the Centre’s free ration scheme, Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) that covers 80 crore poor people, the vice president, without naming anyone, said it is “perverse” thinking that this means the government has accepted that 80 crore people in the country are poor.

“Some people are a recipe for chaos, they can only be critics, they cannot think in a positive way. My message to them is that they should understand the essence of the Gita, the message of the Gita,” he said.

The PMGKAY was launched in April 2020 to help the poor amid the COVID-19 pandemic for three months but extended later. Under the scheme, poor families get five kg of foodgrains each month for free.

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Gita Manishi Swami Gyananand were present on the occasion, among others.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Governor and Chancellor of Bharathidasan University R N Ravi presenting medals and degree certificates to graduates during the 39th convocation of the university in Tiruchi on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: M. MOORTHY

The current geopolitical situation has made it imperative for India’s youth to work towards raising the country’s profile in the world by promoting self-reliance as part of the government’s ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ development roadmap, said N. Kalaiselvi, Director-General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR).

Ms. Kalaiselvi was speaking at the convocation of the Bharathidasan University (BDU) on Tuesday, which was presided over by Governor and Chancellor R.N. Ravi.

“’Viksit Bharat 2047’ is the need of the hour to promote the development of India. It is important that we do not depend on other countries for any of our important requirements. Students must pause for a moment of self-realisation that they are the citizens of a great country. India is in itself a complete package and therefore we are in no way inferior to anyone else in the globe,” said Ms. Kalaiselvi.

“This is time for us to prove that we can come up with innovative ideas that are not only relevant but also accepted for implementation in the global market. Science and technology alone can help India achieve the target of ‘Viksit Bharat’. If we are able to contribute to the nation, Viksit Bharat is not just a tagline, but a commitment towards development,” she said.

According to an official statement, 520 Ph.D candidates received their degrees in person on Tuesday, of whom 90 were gold medal winners.

Over 70,000 undergraduate, postgraduate and M.Phil students received their degrees in absentia. BDU Vice-Chancellor M. Selvam presented the annual report.