
PM Modi releases 'Commemorative Coin and Stamp' in honour of Ahilyabai's 300th birth anniversary; inaugurates Datia, Satna airports, Indore Metro
PM Modi also virtually inaugurated Indore metro and newly constructed Datia and Satna airports through a single click from the event at Jamboree ground in the capital city. Additionally, he further laid the foundation stone of various development projects in the state on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said, 'All these projects will enhance facilities in Madhya Pradesh, accelerate development, and create many new employment opportunities.'
Paying his tribute to Ahilyabai Holkar, the Prime Minister asserted that just hearing this name evokes a deep sense of reverence.
'She is a symbol of how, when there is public willpower and firm determination, even the most adverse circumstances can be overcome and transformed into remarkable outcomes. Centuries ago, when the country was shackled in slavery, accomplishing such great deeds that future generations would continue to speak of them was no easy task,' he said.
'At a time when our culture and temples were under attack, Lokmata took it upon herself to protect and preserve them. She undertook the restoration of countless temples and pilgrimage sites across the country, including the Kashi Vishwanath temple. It is my privilege that the very Kashi where Lokmata Ahilyabai carried out so many developmental works has also given me the opportunity to serve,' PM Modi said.
Further, he urged the farmers to practice crop diversification which Ahilyabai had said 250-300 years ago.
'To increase farmers' income, Lokmata Ahilyabai had told us 250-300 years ago to encourage cotton and spice farming. Even today, after 250-300 years, we have to continuously tell our farmers to practice crop diversification. You cannot get stuck in only cultivating paddy or sugarcane,' PM Modi said.
Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar is remembered for her people centric policies, deep commitment to economic and socio-cultural issues, specially those that affected the life of women. She encouraged the education of women and their participation in the social and religious life of the local community. She supported and encouraged women weavers to make Maheshwari sarees.
Her contributions were wide ranging from infrastructure development (water bodies, roads, dharamshalas) to reconstruction and revival of temples across the length and breadth of the land. The edifices created by her have not only left an indelible mark on India's cultural and spiritual landscape but also stood the test of time. (ANI)

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
30 minutes ago
- The Hindu
TDP stands firm with NDA V-P pick; Modi urges unanimous election of alliance candidate
The NDA parliamentary party on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) felicitated the alliance's candidate for the vice-presidential polls, C.P. Radhakrishnan, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealing for support for him across party lines, and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Nara Lokesh reiterating his party's support to him, after the INDIA bloc chose Justice (retired) Sudershan Reddy as its candidate. Posting on X, Mr. Lokesh said there was 'no ambiguity — only warmth, respect, and resolve. The NDA stands united,' over a picture taken earlier of him and TDP MPs meeting Mr. Radhakrishnan to extend their support to his candidature. The post clarified that despite the fact that Justice Reddy was a Telugu speaker, the TDP was supporting the NDA candidate, Mr. Radhakrishnan, who is a Tamilian. Mr. Radhakrishnan had earlier received support from the YSRCP on Monday (August 18, 2025), after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had spoken to party chief Jagan Mohan Reddy. Till the time of filing this report, there was no official word on whether that offer of support still stands. Mr. Modi, meanwhile, used the opportunity presented by the NDA parliamentary party meet to exhort all parties to elect Mr. Radhakrishnan. In a reference to Mr. Radhakrishnan's background as a keen sportsperson, Mr. Modi said he had a lot of interests in sports but did not play games in politics, according to informed sources. 'Mr. Modi has appealed, especially to the Opposition friends, to unanimously elect Radhakrishnan ji as the Vice-President of India. It will be a good thing for the country, for democracy and for the running of the Rajya Sabha,' said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. He added that NDA constituents also commended Mr. Modi for selecting a 'good and able candidate' as the NDA candidate for the vice-presidential polls. Mr. Singh had also dialled Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik but no official word either way has been forthcoming from those quarters. BJP sources said Mr. Singh would continue to canvass support across party lines for Mr. Radhakrishnan, with Mr. Rijiju having been appointed polling agent. Mr. Radhakrishnan will be filing his nomination papers on Wednesday (August 20, 2025), and polls for electing the Vice-President of India, with an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament, will be held on September 9. Results will be out on the same day as polling.


India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
How PM Modi's Pariksha pe Charcha made it to the Guinness World Records
On a rainy August 13 morning in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stood beside Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan and IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, holding a framed Guinness World Records certificate. The recognition was for Pariksha pe Charcha 2025—the PM's annual interaction with students, parents and teachers, which this year drew a record 3.53 crore registrations in just one month. For Guinness, the metric was simple: no other citizen engagement platform had ever attracted that many registrations within 30 the number was a coordinated push—state education departments, school principals, teachers and a web of social media outreach—all funnelling participants to the government's MyGov portal. This was not Modi's first brush with Guinness. Since 2014, four government programmes under his tenure have earned the distinction—the earliest in June 2015, when New Delhi's Rajpath saw 35,985 people perform yoga together on the first International Day of Yoga. The image of thousands of mats laid out on the ceremonial boulevard became one of the defining visuals of Modi's early years in same year, a very different initiative—the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)–PAHAL scheme — entered the record books as the world's largest cash transfer programme. At the time, Pradhan was petroleum minister, overseeing a system that by June 30, 2015, had transferred LPG subsidies directly into the bank accounts of 12.57 crore households. It was a complex logistical exercise linking oil marketing companies, banks, Aadhaar verification and state-level distribution chains to eliminate leakages in subsidy delivery.A year later, the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana—launched to bring every household into the formal banking system—earned its Guinness entry. More than 18 crore bank accounts were opened in its first phase, laying the foundation for large-scale direct cash transfers in welfare schemes, a feature that proved crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike those earlier records—two in economic delivery and one in public health and culture—the newest recognition is for participation. Launched in 2018, Pariksha pe Charcha began as a televised town hall where Modi fielded questions on exam stress, time management and life beyond grades. Over the years, it expanded to include parents and teachers, evolving into a hybrid online-offline campaign that now reaches almost every district in the 2025 edition leaned heavily on digital tools. Registrations flowed in through MyGov, while WhatsApp groups of teachers, short social media videos and in-school announcements sustained the momentum. Teachers became local coordinators, urging students to sign up and submit questions. When the window closed, the tally stood at 3.53 crore—enough to set a new global is the second time Pradhan has handed Modi a Guinness certificate—the first was for PAHAL in 2015. Senior officials say the connection is circumstantial. 'Each record has relied on coordination far beyond a single ministry,' says an official involved in the latest effort. 'PAHAL needed petroleum, finance, banks and UIDAI systems. Pariksha pe Charcha required education departments, platform managers and schools.' According to those familiar with the process, the formula is consistent: set a bold, measurable target, align all agencies to it, and deliver within a tight timeframe.'It's not about the plaque,' says another official. 'It's about a number that is transparent, verifiable and globally recognised.' While Guinness recognition is not a policy endorsement, it offers visible proof of scale—something the Modi government has often highlighted in areas ranging from sanitation drives to vaccination campaigns. The earlier records also left lasting infrastructure: Jan Dhan accounts now serve as a pipeline for welfare transfers; the DBT framework has been adapted for multiple subsidy programmes. Whether Pariksha pe Charcha leaves a similar imprint is less certain. Education ministry officials say they will watch for changes in student attitudes—reduced examination stress, more active parental involvement and teachers using the platform to address broader learning together, the four records trace a wide arc of governance priorities: the cultural diplomacy of Yoga Day, the economic reach of PAHAL and Jan Dhan, and the educational outreach of Pariksha pe Charcha. Different in content, they share an emphasis on mass participation, data-backed delivery and speed of execution. The latest certificate will likely join the others in the prime minister's office—framed reminders of initiatives that crossed a measurable global threshold. But beyond the ceremonial photo-op, the story is about the machinery that delivered them, and how in today's political vocabulary, big numbers are not just statistics—they are the to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch


India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Can a simpler GST help India offset hit from Trump tariffs?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged India's first major consumption tax cut since 2017, proposing to reduce Goods and Services Tax rates from four slabs to two — five per cent and 18 per cent — with a special 40 per cent rate for sin goods. The reform is expected around it matters: Simplifying GST could ease compliance for millions of businesses, boost disposable incomes, and stimulate demand at a time when US tariffs threaten India's exports. For PM Modi, this is both an economic and political gamble: revamping GST ahead of state elections signals urgency to spur growth and investor numbers:4 slabs today: 5%, 12%, 18%, 28%2 slabs proposed: 5% and 18%90% of goods at 28% are expected to move down to 18%2.37 lakh crore GST collected in April 2025, showing fiscal cushion7 items to face a higher 40% GST (eg- tobacco)In-depth: On Independence Day, Modi promised 'next-generation GST reforms' from the Red Fort. The government plans to collapse India's four-tier system, long criticised as confusing, into a simpler structure of two rates. Essential goods, including food, medicines, and education-related products, will face either zero or a five per cent tax. Consumer durables such as TVs and washing machines will fall into the 18 per cent bracket. A limited set of demerit goods, including tobacco, will carry a 40 per cent overhaul could put more money in the hands of consumers, boost business sales, and improve tax compliance. Markets have welcomed the change. Indian equities, which had lagged behind peers this year, have rebounded, rising nearly two per cent over the past two trading sessions, driven by strong buying in consumer-facing companies like Maruti and reform also carries strategic timing. With US President Donald Trump's new tariffs raising risks for Indian exporters, a domestic demand push could buffer the US tariffs pose fresh challenges for Indian exporters, recent trade data offers a buffer. Between April and July, India's exports to the US jumped 22 per cent, pushing the bilateral trade surplus to USD 16 billion. Imports from the US rose at a slower pace of 12 per cent, underscoring India's continued export competitiveness in its largest market. This external momentum strengthens the case for a domestic consumption boost through GST reforms—helping balance foreign risks with internal picture: GST, introduced in 2017, was meant to unify India's fragmented tax system. However, the creation of multiple slabs created compliance headaches. Businesses have lobbied for a simpler structure for Modi's move is being framed as GST 2.0, a shift from complexity to clarity. If approved by the GST Council this fall, it could become one of the most significant economic reforms of his third term, on par with the original rollout eight years Cutting rates could dent state revenues in the short term. The government is betting that higher compliance and growth will offset the gap. A group of ministers tasked with overhauling the system in 2021 had already recommended fewer brackets and a lower 'revenue-neutral rate', the benchmark meant to protect government receipts. That rate has steadily declined, to 11.4 per cent in 2023 from 15.8 per cent in 2017, giving policymakers more leeway to simplify the tax without derailing fiscal next: The proposal isn't final yet. States must first review the plan and agree. A group of state finance ministers is expected to meet on Thursday to discuss the details. Their recommendations will then go before the GST Council, chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, which is likely to deliberate in September or October. Any changes would take effect in the current financial they said: 'We are bringing next-generation Goods and Services Tax reforms that will reduce the tax burden drastically across the country,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his Independence Day address.- EndsTune InMust Watch