Latest news with #ManoharLalKhattar
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar meets President Asian Development Bank Masato Kanda
New Delhi [India], May 31 (ANI): Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs and Power, Manohar Lal Khattar and the Asian Development Bank President, Mr. Masato Kanda met today at Shram Shakti Bhawan to discuss ADB's unflagging support and investment in the Indian Urbanisation, said a release from the Ministry of Power. According to the release, the meeting emphasised ADB's past support extended to various developing sectors and highlighted potential areas of investment to achieve the glorious vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. Union Minister Lal and President Kanda discussed a range of issues, addressing India's development in Mass Transit Systems, Inclusive Housing, Urban Sanitation and Infrastructure, Urban Governance and Reforms, among other topics. The Hon'ble Minister shed light on the expanse of the development boom experienced by the mobility sector, as successful models of Multi-Modal Transit Systems are being deployed and scaled up throughout the country. According to the release, the Minister emphasised the significant progress made under key flagship missions such as Swachh Bharat Mission, AMRUT, and PMAY-Urban, and underscored the opportunity for ADB to align its investments with India's urban development agenda to advance the shared vision of creating sustainable, inclusive, and connected cities. ADB's President, Kanda, congratulated India for the steadfast growth witnessed in the Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) and called the progress impressive. He also commended on how the Rail Network tactfully managed air pollution, transportation and social challenges, and how it is a matter of immense pride to be associated with the project. Continuing on this pattern of growth, the President advised how such efforts can be amplified by using integrated planning and holistic development, ensuring the involvement of private players equipped to deploy innovation on the ground for path-breaking results. As per the release, both officials discussed the importance of the Urban Challenge Fund being forward-looking in its design, with strong support from municipal corporations to improve the bankability of projects. The Minister appreciated ADB's collaboration in developing knowledge frameworks aligned with the priorities outlined in the Union Budget 2025-26. The Fund envisions cities as Growth Hubs, serving as blueprints for transforming water, sanitation, and waste services in 100 Indian cities. The Minister also expressed interest in ADB initiating demonstration projects that could serve as lighthouse models for future urban development. The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks from Srinivas Katikithala, Secretary, Housing and Urban Affairs, with an expression of appreciation for ADB's partnership and commitment. (ANI)
Hans India
5 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
Rajasthan CM to hold meeting with Union Minister on urban and energy projects
Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma is scheduled to hold an important meeting with Union Energy, Housing, and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday in Delhi. The meeting is expected to play a crucial role in accelerating major infrastructure and energy projects in Rajasthan. The meeting reflects the continued efforts to strengthen the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'double engine' governance model, aimed at coordinated development through active collaboration between the Centre and states. Accompanying the Chief Minister to Delhi will be senior Rajasthan government officials, including Energy Secretary Aarti Dogra and UDH Secretary Vaibhav Galaria. The agenda for the meeting includes detailed discussions on Jaipur Metro Phase-2, E-bus network expansion, Smart battery storage projects and Urban development initiatives under the NCR Planning Board. The Chief Minister recently approved the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Jaipur Metro Phase-2, which aims to enhance north-south connectivity across the city through modern, high-speed public transportation. The proposed 42.80 km corridor will have 36 stations, 34 elevated and 2 underground, and will stretch from Todi Mode to Prahladpura. Key areas to be covered include Jaipur International Airport's new terminal, VKI and Sitapura Industrial Areas, Vidyadhar Nagar, SMS Hospital and Stadium, Collectorate and Proposed Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT). The project carries an estimated cost of Rs 12,260 crore, with financing support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Implementation will be overseen by the Rajasthan Metro Rail Corporation, a 50:50 joint venture between the central and state governments, which will also handle all future metro initiatives in the state. In addition to the metro project, the meeting will also address the rollout of an electric bus network, smart battery storage systems, and various urban development projects under the NCR Planning Board. These initiatives are expected to bolster Rajasthan's push for sustainable urban transport and improved living standards in growing urban areas.
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma to meet Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Delhi today
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma will visit New Delhi this afternoon to hold a key meeting with Union Minister for Power, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar. According to officials, the meeting will be attended by senior Rajasthan officials, including Energy Secretary Aarti Dogra and Urban Development and Housing (UDH) Secretary Vaibhav Galeria. The discussions are expected to focus on key projects, including metro rail initiatives, the e-bus scheme, NCR Planning Board matters, and battery storage projects. The high-level meeting is anticipated to accelerate Rajasthan's energy, urban development, and housing projects, with potential for central government support and approvals for several major projects or schemes. The Chief Minister will also visit the Khetda Padawala Bhagwan Mandir in Bhilwara for darshan and worship between 12:25 PM and 12:40 PM. By 12:50 PM, he will depart Udaipur via helicopter, arriving back at Jaipur Airport by 1:05 PM. His journey will continue with a special plane ride to New Delhi Airport at 1:15 PM, landing at 2:30 PM. From there, he will travel by car to Jodhpur House, New Delhi, reaching by 3:20 PM for rest and local engagements, as stated in the official release. Earlier, the Rajasthan CM participated in the NDA CM conclave on Sunday, where he saw the participation of 20 Chief Ministers and 18 Deputy Chief Ministers from various states. Sharma presented a resolution, which was approved by Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The resolution discussed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership skills and the heroic deeds of the Indian Army during Operation Sindoor. The resolution was passed with a full majority during the meeting, and the strikes conducted by the Indian Armed Forces on Pakistan's terror hideouts were praised. The proposal also discussed the work being done under PM Modi's leadership towards 'Sashakt Bharat, Samarth Bharat, and Atmanirbhar Bharat'. The NDA CM conclave included a significant discussion on commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, declared on June 25, 1975. Leaders resolved to mark the anniversary in remembrance of the Emergency imposed by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, a period that exposed citizens to widespread political turmoil and suppression of civil liberties. (ANI)
The Print
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Launched by Khattar, how Haryana's Rs 700-cr tablet scheme for govt school students has fallen apart
With no internet access, the tablets have become little more than expensive paperweights for thousands of students, most of whom hail from economically weaker sections, including Scheduled Castes and backward classes. The reason? The government has failed to recharge the SIM cards that came with these devices, leaving students unable to access the Personalised Adaptive Learning (PAL) app, a key feature meant to provide digital study material. Gurugram: Nearly 5 lakh tablets worth Rs 700 crore, distributed by the Haryana government to students of classes 10 to 12 under a scheme in 2022, are gathering dust across the state. The ambitious e-Adhigam scheme, launched with much fanfare in 2022 under then-chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, aimed to bridge the digital divide for government school students. However, three years later, the initiative lies in shambles, drawing sharp criticism from teachers, school administrators and education experts who say the government's lack of foresight has let down the very students it sought to uplift. The tablet distribution scheme was first announced in April 2022, with the BJP government approving the procurement of 5 lakh tablets at a cost of Rs 620 crore, alongside Rs 47 crore worth of SIM cards, to provide free internet with a daily data limit of 2 GB. An additional Rs 5 crore was allocated for the PAL software, designed to offer e-books, test videos and study materials tailored to the curriculum of classes 10 to 12. During the budget session of the Haryana Assembly in March 2022, the then education minister Kanwar Pal had assured lawmakers that the initiative would 'fill the chasm in digital learning' for those students who could not afford gadgets like smartphones or tablets. The tablets were distributed in May and June 2022 in government schools across the state. At the time, the government hailed the move as a game-changer, particularly for students from Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes who form a significant portion of the student population in these schools. 'The devices will have preloaded content, along with personalised and adaptive learning software, and free internet data will also be provided,' Pal had said in May 2022, shortly before the distribution began. On 23 May this year, the Directorate of School Education issued a letter to all district education officers, instructing students to use internet facilities at home or rely on broadband at schools 'wherever available.' Teachers and school principals have slammed the directive as 'divorced from reality'. 'The students who come to government schools are generally poor. A good majority are from the Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes. How can the government expect them to have broadband at home? Parents who can afford such luxuries send their children to private schools, not government ones,' a senior secondary school teacher in Rohtak district told ThePrint on Wednesday. A school principal in Fatehabad district echoed this sentiment, saying that even schools lack the infrastructure to support the government's directive. 'Most government schools don't have broadband facilities. The government provides cash stipends, bicycles, books, and uniforms to attract students from marginalized communities, but what's the point if they can't access the study material on these tablets?' the principal asked. In Panipat, another teacher highlighted the irony of the situation. 'First, the government made these students dependent on the internet by giving them tablets with SIM cards. They spent more time on Instagram and YouTube than on the PAL app. But now, the government has stopped providing internet, making the tablets useless,' the teacher said. Also Read: For Haryanvi YouTubers, Pakistan is an ancestral pilgrimage. Jyoti Malhotra isn't alone Tablets turn into tools for entertainment The misuse of tablets has been a persistent issue since their distribution. With free internet access, many students used the devices for non-educational purposes, such as making reels or scrolling through social media. 'The government created a problem by giving them unrestricted internet access in the first place. Now, they've taken it away entirely, leaving the students with nothing,' the Panipat teacher contended. Haryana Education Minister Mahipal Dhanda could not be contacted, as the person who answered calls said he was busy meeting workers. In August 2023, ThePrint had reported that sarpanchs had written to the additional chief secretary, school education, to take back the tablets provided to children. The children, they had said, were misusing these gadgets. Pankaj Agarwal, Principal Secretary to the Haryana Government in the School Education Department, acknowledged the misuse of gadgets. 'We've received complaints that students are using the tablets for other activities like making reels or staying active on platforms like Instagram and YouTube,' he told ThePrint. To address this, Agarwal said he has sent a proposal to the state government, which is yet to be approved. The proposal includes two key changes: providing internet leaselines to schools for a stable connection and restricting tablet usage to school hours, rather than allowing students to take the devices home. 'This will ensure that the tablets are used for educational purposes only,' Agarwal said. However, with the proposal still pending approval, students remain in limbo. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: Why UPSC has returned Haryana govt's proposal for promotion of 27 of its officers to IAS
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Khattar on damage control overdrive over BJP MP's remarks on Pahalgam
CHANDIGARH: Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said the comments by BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana Ram Chander Jangra reflected his personal opinion and should not be interpreted as the party's stance. He added that the BJP has distanced itself from Jangra's remarks. A political controversy erupted after 75-year old Jangra said the women who lost their husbands during the Pahalgam terror attack lacked the determination to fight back. He went to say that proper training under Agniveer scheme could have reduced the casualties. During his visit to Karnal, Khattar emphasized that Jangra has already issued a clarification and expressed regret. 'He (Jangra) expressed a sentiment, but it was presented in the wrong context. Making comments about women who have lost their husbands is not appropriate. It was indeed a mistake, and he has expressed regret. I too believe that this issue should now be considered closed,' the minister said.
