Latest news with #JalJeevanMission
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Despite heavy rains, Union MoS Bhupathiraju reviews Central schemes in Assam
VIJAYAWADA: Undeterred by heavy rains and flood-hit roads, Union Minister of State for Steel and Heavy Industries, Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, undertook a 16-hour road journey from Guwahati to Assam's southernmost district to assess progress on Centrally sponsored schemes. The visit to South Salmara-Mankachar, which borders Bangladesh and Meghalaya, reinforced the Centre's focus on inclusive development in remote and strategic regions. Over a packed day, Varma inspected infrastructure projects under the Public Works and Rural Development Departments, reviewed road connectivity, and examined public assets. At the district hospital, he interacted with staff and beneficiaries while distributing Ayushman Bharat health cards. Demonstrating social outreach, the Minister distributed wheelchairs to children with special needs and held interactions with students. He also met Village Water and Sanitation Committees under the Jal Jeevan Mission, urging them to ensure equitable and reliable household water supply. At the Amrit Sarovar site, he encouraged Self-Help Group involvement in water conservation efforts. Emphasising national security, Varma visited the Indo-Bangladesh border and praised BSF jawans for their service. 'Your commitment is a pillar of our national integrity,' he said. He credited PM Narendra Modi and CM Himanta Biswa Sarma for prioritising infrastructure and welfare in border districts. District officials, including the Deputy Commissioner and others present.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Co-op recruitment scam:ACB seeks guv's nod toprosecute ex-min Anjana
1 2 Jaipur: The state anti-corruption bureau (ACB) has sought governor Haribhau Badge's permission to prosecute Congress politician and former minister of cooperation Udailal Anjana in connection with alleged irregularities in the recruitment of managers for Gram Seva Cooperative Societies (GSS). The case centres on the appointment of over 1,100 individuals who, officials say, were hired in violation of prescribed norms during the 2022–23 recruitment process when Congress was in power. Many of those selected were reportedly unqualified. Sources said ACB has already received approval to investigate some officers from the cooperation department under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Anjana, a senior Congress functionary and former Lok Sabha MP, has been a prominent figure in state politics since the late 1980s. A three-time MLA from Nimbahera assembly seat, Anjana was also elected to Lok Sabha from the Chittorgarh seat after defeating former Union defence minister Jaswant Singh in the 1998 parliamentary elections. The case adds to Congress' recent troubles, following the former minister Mahesh Joshi's arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in April last year for his alleged involvement in the Rs 900-crore Jal Jeevan Mission scam. An ACB officer said on condition of anonymity that the previous govt decided to regularise appointments made before 2017. For recruitments made after that, the Cooperative Recruitment Board was tasked with the process. But according to officials, key checks were ignored. The cooperative dept later raised concerns about the process and requested detailed data of eligible candidates, leading to further scrutiny of appointments. After allegations emerged linking him to the recruitment scam, Anjana told TOI Sunday he had nothing to hide and was ready to face any inquiry. Accusing BJP govt of targeting him Anjana said the govt should first investigate its own cooperative minister — Gautam Kumar Dak — before probing others. "He (Dak) has been accused of shielding individuals involved in corruption worth crores by using his political influence," Anjana said. He also pointed to alleged irregularities in the distribution of tractors through the Rajkishan Custom Hiring Centre. The ACB has been investigating suspected irregularities in recruitment within the cooperative department for several months. In Feb 2025, the agency launched a probe into a suspected scam involving the unlawful regularisation of nearly 100 contractual employees in cooperative banks in rural parts of Jalore district. ACB teams reportedly seized documents indicating irregularities in the screening process conducted between 2021 and 2023.
United News of India
2 days ago
- Business
- United News of India
Bandwidth enhancement from 1.7 gbps to 2x100 gbps a game changer in Lakshadweep: Praful Patel
Kochi/Lakshadweep, Jun 1 (UNI) Administrator Praful Patel has stated that the enhancement of bandwidth from 1.7 gbps to 2x100 gbps has fundamentally changed the communication infrastructure in the islands of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. This has also enabled e-education, e-medicine, e-governance, e-office, e-billing, digital banking, e- commerce, and other e-initiatives in the islands, the administrator told UNI. To enhance the networking infrastructure, 23 out of 27 old 2G/3G towers have been upgraded to 4G. Additionally, 20 new towers with 4G signal radiation are being erected, of which 13 have already been commissioned and 7 are under construction, Praful Patel said. On drinking water facilities, the administrator said, "None of the islands in Lakshadweep has surface freshwater sources, thus relying solely on underground water recharged during the monsoon for potable water." However, groundwater availability is very limited, making rainwater and desalination plants the primary sources of potable water. The administration had established 1 lakh litre capacity per day desalination plants at Kavaratti, Agatti and Minicoy in the past and has now established 1.5 lakh litre capacity plants at Kalpeni, Amini, Kadmat and Chetlat. A plant of 1.5 lakh litre capacity at Kiltan was also expected to be completed by the end of February 2025, and that at Androth by May 2025, Patel said. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the Government of India has allocated Rs. 268.81 crore for expanding pipelines to provide functional household tap connections across 10 inhabited islands and installing five 1.5 lakh litre per day capacity desalination plants at Agatti, Kavaratti, Andrott, Amini and Minicoy. FHTCs have been provided to all households on all islands. UNI DS ARN
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Focus on connection with citizens, PM tells ministries; no celebration of 11th year
PTI file photo NEW DELHI: In a span of just a month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has twice taken top central government bureaucrats and state chief secretaries by surprise by flagging public grievances that had reached him directly. On April 30, secretaries and chief secretaries attending a meeting under Pragati — the performance audit PM holds periodically — were surprised when Modi raised shortcomings in implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, an ambitious scheme to reach piped water to all households. On Wednesday, he again left them amazed when, during a review of the functioning of real estate regulators, he shared feedback that files in many RERA offices don't move unless 'vyavastha', a popular Hindu euphemism for pleasing the authorities, has been made. Senior officials said the two meetings, apart from providing a peek into the PM's continuing connect with the grassroots, were also symbolic of the government's decision to focus on problems which are holding up last-mile delivery of well-intentioned schemes. 'The push is towards on-ground engagement, where ministries and departments are to conduct focused drives, enrolment camps, and beneficiary interactions to strengthen access and awareness,' a senior govt source said. This also helps explain, sources said, why the 11th anniversary of the Modi govt passed without large-scale events or publicity campaigns. 'The spirit is not of celebration but of connection. The idea is to understand what more needs to be done and to do it better,' a government functionary said, adding that the PM has encouraged ministries to mark the milestone by 'listening and connecting'. This marks a shift away from the publicity campaign and advertisement blitz that has traditionally marked anniversaries. 'Ministries have instead been encouraged to use existing platforms and field networks to communicate achievements organically and prioritise authentic citizen's voices over packaged messaging,' the official said. Senior officials said the PM's observations on JJM and RERA were a clear signal to everyone to ensure that public grievances were redressed and impediments in the way of completion and saturation were removed. 'He made it clear that addressing public grievances is a top priority and cannot be treated as routine paperwork,' another senior bureaucrat said. In fact, the PM did not agree with the proposition of a chief secretary that they don't review the performance of a regulatory authority. He asked all chief secretaries to regularly review the performance of RERAs. TOI has learnt that at last month's Pragati meeting, Modi had directed the Jal Shakti ministry to dispatch 100-200 officers for on-ground verification of grievances. Sources said a large share of complaints related to no supply of water even after laying of pipelines, homes still waiting for taps within the premises, and bad quality water. Post this direction, the government has deployed 100 central nodal officers' (CNO) teams to inspect 183 JJM projects across 135 districts and the details of this were shared by cabinet secretary T V Somanathan at Wednesday's meeting.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Focus on connection with citizens: PM Modi to babus
File photo: PM Modi (Picture credit: PTI) NEW DELHI: In a span of just a month, PM Narendra Modi has twice taken top central government bureaucrats and state chief secretaries by surprise by flagging public grievances that had reached him directly, reports Dipak Dash. On April 30, secretaries and chief secretaries attending a meeting under Pragati - the performance audit PM holds periodically - were surprised when Modi raised shortcomings in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission, a scheme to reach piped water to all households. On Wednesday, he again left them amazed when, during a review of the functioning of real estate regulators, he shared feedback that files in RERA offices don't move unless "vyavastha", a popular Hindu euphemism for pleasing the authorities, has been made. Senior officials said the two meetings, apart from providing a peek into the PM's continuing connect with the grassroots, were also symbolic of the government's decision to focus on problems which are holding up last-mile delivery of well-intentioned schemes. This also helps explain, sources said, why the 11th anniversary of the Modi govt passed without large-scale events or publicity campaigns.
