Sitharaman begins 4-day visit to Meghalaya, highlights youth empowerment and urban growth
Accompanied by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and others, Sitharaman chaired an interactive session of the North East Roundtable under the Prime Minister's Internship Scheme , where she interacted with interns, industry leaders and officials from various states of the region.
The PMIS seeks to bridge the gap between education and employment by offering structured internship opportunities to young people across the country, particularly from remote areas.
During the session, several interns shared their experiences of personal and professional growth through the scheme.
Among them was Khlainkupar Lyngkhoi, a Human Resource intern from East Khasi Hills district, who spoke about the confidence and skills he gained.
"One of the most important skills I have acquired is time management. This internship has helped me handle responsibilities in the workplace, and I am thankful to the Ministry and Government for this scheme," he said.
In her address, Sitharaman underscored the vision behind the PMIS.
"This scheme was envisioned to support those who have never had a job assignment or internship, enabling them to acquire vital skills and workplace exposure. I am glad to see so many of you making good use of this platform," she said.
Highlighting the importance of mentorship, especially as the day coincided with Guru Purnima, she said, "Mentors you meet during your internships may play an important role in shaping your future."
Encouraging entrepreneurial aspirations, Sitharaman urged interns to explore business opportunities and assured them of continued support from the government. She also called upon the interns to become "brand ambassadors" for the scheme.
Earlier, the Union minister inaugurated the Polo Shopping Complex, Shillong's first modern commercial mall, built under the Smart Cities Mission.
The ₹100.33 crore project spans 1.26 acres with 1.70 lakh square feet of built-up space and features eco-friendly elements such as rainwater harvesting and rooftop solar power.
Over the next three days, Sitharaman is scheduled to visit various development projects, engage with self-help groups, farmers, and industry stakeholders, and review ongoing schemes across Meghalaya.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Centre approves ₹8K-crore for Arunachal hydroelectric project
New Delhi The Union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved ₹8146.21 crore for a 700 MW hydroelectric project, Tato-II, in Arunachal Pradesh's Shi Yomi district, a move that comes weeks after China began construction of what is set to be the world's largest river dam on the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra river. Centre approves ₹ 8K-crore for Arunachal hydroelectric project The project will be implemented by a joint venture between the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd, a central public-sector company, and the state government. It will take an estimated six years to build, a statement said. The Centre will additionally give ₹458.79 crore for constructing roads, bridges and transmission lines, apart from assistance of ₹436.13 crore towards equity share of the state. Arunachal Pradesh's cabinet had in May approved five mega hydropower projects in Shi Yomi, which borders China, towards the middle northern part of the state. The five projects – Heo, Hirong, Naying, Tato I, and Tato II – would have a total capacity of 2,626 megawatts of electricity. 'On behalf of the people of Arunachal Pradesh, I convey our heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi ji for approving the 700 MW Tato-II Hydroelectric Project with an investment of ₹8146.21 crore in Shi Yomi district,' Arunachal chief minister Pema Khandu said in a Facebook post soon after the Centre's decision. The state government has tasked a panel with modifying the State Hydro Power Policy, 2008, as well as the Local Area Development Fund Guidelines, 2022 to ramp up hydropower projects. About 49% of India's hydropower potential is said to be in Arunachal Pradesh. Last month, Chinese Premier Li Qiang presided over a ceremony marking the start of construction on the $167-billion dam on Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibet, according to reports in China's state-run media. The Motuo hydropower station is set to overtake the Three Gorges dam as the world's largest, sparking concerns in India over its potential impact on the Brahmaputra. The project has drawn criticism for its potential impact on the environment of Tibet and on millions of people in India and Bangladesh. These concerns could spur India to fast-track another multipurpose dam in Arunachal Pradesh, known as the Siang Upper multipurpose storage project, to act as a buffer against sudden changes in the flows of the Siang and Brahmaputra rivers, people familiar with the matter had said last month. However, indigenous Adi tribal inhabitants of the region have protested the proposed Upper Siang project, fearing loss of livelihoods and displacement. The Chinese dam is located around a 'great bend' on the Yarlung Tsangpo river, which is known in India as the Brahmaputra, a lifeline for Assam. The Siang, which flows through Arunachal Pradesh, is the Brahmaputra's main tributary that connects it to the YarlungTsangpo. The Tato-II project would benefit the state by yielding 12% free power and another one per cent towards Local Area Development Fund, Union information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said.
Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Four PCS officers promoted to IAS rank
The Union ministry of personnel on Tuesday promoted four Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officers as Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. These officers are Rajdeep Singh Brar, Bikramjit Singh Shergill, Harsuhinder Singh Brar and Rubinderjit Singh Brar. The promoted police officers with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann. (HT) The appointments, made under the provisions of the IAS (Recruitment) Rules, 1954, and IAS (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations, 1955, will be on probation until further orders. These are subject to the outcome of pending cases before the Punjab and Haryana high court and the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh Bench. 9 PPS officers elevated to IPS At least nine Punjab Police Service (PPS) officers have also been promoted to the Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre. The list of promoted officers includes Mandhir Singh, Snehdeep Sharma, Sandeep Goel, Jasdev Singh Sidhu, Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Gurpreet Singh, Rupinder Singh, Sarabjit Singh and Harpreet Singh Jaggi. The promoted officers on Tuesday called on Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who congratulated them on their well-deserved elevation. The chief minister praised their dedication and service to the state, expressing confidence that they would continue to uphold the highest standards of policing.
Mint
29 minutes ago
- Mint
For India's oil refiners, the Gulf is calling again
India's state-run oil refiners are looking to crank up oil purchases from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iraq amid a standoff with the US over buying Russian oil, two people aware of the matter said. India has traditionally relied on oil from West Asia, until Russia began offering steep discounts three years ago. Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., the oil champions of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are among West Asia's top crude oil producers and suppliers. "Import of Russian oil will continue, but India is also looking at diversifying its imports, and higher supplies from West Asia are being looked at," one of the two people cited above said. Queries sent to the Union petroleum ministry, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd and Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd remained unanswered. Moscow calling As European countries shunned Russian oil in the wake of the Ukraine war, India stepped into the breach, scooping it up at a steep discount. The discount has sharply narrowed now, and India's Russian oil imports have fallen as well. Currently, Russia caters to 36% of India's total oil imports, compared to 2.5% before Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. In FY25, Russia was India's top supplier with oil worth $50.28 billion exported to India, followed by Iraq ($27.35 billion), Saudi Arabia ($20 billion) and the UAE ($13.86 billion). In the first two months of FY26, Russia supplied oil worth $9.16 billion, followed by Iraq ($5.36 billion), Saudi Arabia ($3.26 billion), UAE ($2.8 billion) and US ($2.7 billion. "Inquiries for West Asian oil have already increased of late," an industry executive said on condition of anonymity. 'Suited for W. Asia' Indian refiners are better equipped to handle Russian Urals and West Asian crude, the executive said, adding there is higher scope for more West Asian oil to flowing into India, compared to lighter variants such as West Texas Intermediate of the US. Apart from state-run refiners, Reliance Industries Ltd and Nayara Energy are also among India's leading crude oil importers. The person cited earlier said price may still be a concern for India. That is because West Asian suppliers do not generally offer discounts, and the final cost—which includes shipping, insurance and other costs—may be higher than the actual purchase price. Currently, the September contract of the benchmark Brent crude on the Intercontinental Exchange is trading at $66.64 per barrel. Another industry participant said the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec), which is led by Saudi Arabia along with the UAE and other West Asian countries, has a spare capacity of 5 million barrels per day and would be easily able to cater to the additional demand from India, the world's third-largest energy importer. New opportunity "It may be an opportunity for India to reopen its oil requirements to suppliers across the globe. India does not necessarily need to look at only one or two options. Multiple countries may willingly compete to re-establish their supplies as a critical and ongoing share of India's crude basket, and it could also help India in terms of supply terms and/or pricing—a potential win-win for all involved," said Gaurav Moda, partner and leader for energy at EY, Parthenon India. India and the US are at loggerheads over the import of Russian oil. US President Donald Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on India for buying Russian energy, taking the total duty to 50%. The additional tariffs are aimed at choking Russia's oil revenues and forcing it to end the war in Ukraine. The new rate will take effect on 27 August. India, however, has maintained that its imports are based on market factors along with the objective of ensuring energy security. In a statement on 6 August, the ministry of external affairs described the tariffs as 'unfair, unjustified and unreasonable". Sanctions, curbs On 2 August, Mint reported that India continues to buy oil from Russia notwithstanding the punishing penalty. In 2022 and 2023, amid deep discounts being offered by Russia, Iraq also increased its supplies to India on the back of discounted oil. India does not purchase oil from Iran and Venezuela, both of which face sanctions; however, there are no sanctions on Russian oil, and India continues to purchase it. However, the G7 nations have set a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian oil. The European Union last month lowered the cap to about $47 per barrel from September. China and India are the top buyers of Russian oil. Although the US and EU have raised concerns over India's oil purchases from Russia, India has maintained that its energy procurement would depend on its needs. India imports over 88% of its crude oil requirement, and has diversified its oil sources to nearly 40 countries in order to ensure energy security.
