Latest news with #PradhanMantriAwasYojana–Urban


Time of India
6 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
PM Modi launches ₹5,200 cr development projects in Bihar's siwan, ET Infra
Advt Advt By , ETInfra Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals. Subscribe to Newsletter to get latest insights & analysis in your inbox. Get updates on your preferred social platform Follow us for the latest news, insider access to events and more. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over ₹5 ,200 crore in Siwan, Bihar , aiming to boost infrastructure, connectivity, and socio-economic growth in the a public gathering, the Prime Minister said the projects would significantly contribute to Bihar's development and reaffirmed the state's role in shaping a prosperous India. He also highlighted that a record 25 crore people across the country have risen out of poverty in the past decade, with nearly 4 crore from Bihar the major announcements was the inauguration of the new Vaishali–Deoria railway line and the launch of a new train service on this route. The PM also flagged off the Patliputra–Gorakhpur Vande Bharat Express via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah, improving connectivity in North a significant boost to the 'Make in India' initiative, Modi flagged off the first export locomotive built at the Marhowra factory in Saran district, headed to the Republic of Guinea. He called it a matter of pride that an engine made in Bihar would now run on African PM inaugurated six sewage treatment plants (STPs) under the Namami Gange project worth over ₹1,800 crore and laid the foundation stone for additional water supply, sanitation, and STP projects worth over ₹3,000 crore in several towns across Bihar. These initiatives aim to improve water access and sanitation in urban and rural also laid the foundation stone for a 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System across 15 grid substations, including in Siwan, Muzaffarpur, Motihari, and Bettiah. The system is expected to help stabilize power supply and reduce electricity costs for part of housing initiatives, Modi released the first instalment to over 53,600 beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U) and handed over keys to select families whose houses have been aim at previous governments, Modi accused them of neglect, lawlessness, and corruption, stating that Bihar had long suffered from poverty and backwardness due to misgovernance. He credited the current government and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for pulling the state back on the path of development.'Bihar will play a major role in making India a global economic powerhouse,' Modi said, adding that the youth, especially from backward and marginalised communities, are now becoming key contributors to India's growth storyDignitaries including Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Giriraj Singh, Chirag Paswan, Nityanand Rai, and others were present at the Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth over ₹5,200 crore in Siwan, Bihar, aiming to boost infrastructure, connectivity, and socio-economic growth in the a public gathering, the Prime Minister said the projects would significantly contribute to Bihar's development and reaffirmed the state's role in shaping a prosperous India. He also highlighted that a record 25 crore people across the country have risen out of poverty in the past decade, with nearly 4 crore from Bihar the major announcements was the inauguration of the new Vaishali–Deoria railway line and the launch of a new train service on this route. The PM also flagged off the Patliputra–Gorakhpur Vande Bharat Express via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah, improving connectivity in North a significant boost to the 'Make in India' initiative, Modi flagged off the first export locomotive built at the Marhowra factory in Saran district, headed to the Republic of Guinea. He called it a matter of pride that an engine made in Bihar would now run on African PM inaugurated six sewage treatment plants (STPs) under the Namami Gange project worth over ₹1,800 crore and laid the foundation stone for additional water supply, sanitation, and STP projects worth over ₹3,000 crore in several towns across Bihar. These initiatives aim to improve water access and sanitation in urban and rural also laid the foundation stone for a 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System across 15 grid substations, including in Siwan, Muzaffarpur, Motihari, and Bettiah. The system is expected to help stabilize power supply and reduce electricity costs for part of housing initiatives, Modi released the first instalment to over 53,600 beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U) and handed over keys to select families whose houses have been aim at previous governments, Modi accused them of neglect, lawlessness, and corruption, stating that Bihar had long suffered from poverty and backwardness due to misgovernance. He credited the current government and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for pulling the state back on the path of development.'Bihar will play a major role in making India a global economic powerhouse,' Modi said, adding that the youth, especially from backward and marginalised communities, are now becoming key contributors to India's growth storyDignitaries including Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and Union Ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Giriraj Singh, Chirag Paswan, Nityanand Rai, and others were present at the event.


Mint
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
PM Modi holds massive roadshow in Bihar's Siwan; Nitish Kumar says ‘Have you ever seen such a big crowd?'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday held a roadshow and greeted people at a public meeting in Bihar's Siwan, where he laid the foundation stone and inaugurated multiple development projects, including in the water, rail, and power sectors. Narendra Modi was accompanied by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a key ally, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha—both senior BJP leaders—in a clear display of unity within the NDA. The alliance is gearing up for the critical assembly elections set to take place in the coming months. PM Modi greeted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as he took the stage at a public meeting in Siwan. CM Nitish Kumar said, 'You must recall what was the situation prior to the NDA government in the state. The opposition is spreading canards. They must be asked what the situation was before our government was formed. People could go out of their houses... the situation was so bad. You all have gathered in such huge numbers to listen to PM Modi. I congratulate you all.' Modi also handed over the first instalment to more than 53,600 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U) and marked the Grih Pravesh ceremony for over 6,600 completed houses by handing over keys to select beneficiaries. Prime Minister Modi launched 28 development projects worth more than ₹ 5,900 crore in Bihar's Siwan district. Modi inaugurated the new Vaishali–Deoria railway line project, built at a cost of over ₹ 400 crore, and flagged off a new train service on this route. Earlier in the day, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister, Samrat Choudhary, in a post on X wrote, 'Today the people of Bihar are eagerly waiting for Modi ji, from energy to railways, from housing to export…..he (the PM) is bringing many gifts for the people of the state during his 51st visit to Bihar today'. Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, Union ministers and several officials were present on the occasion. (With inputs from agencies)


The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
State didn't release any funds for new development projects in last two years, alleges MLA
The State government, led by the Congress, did not release any funds for undertaking new development projects in the coastal belt during the last two years. Hence, the MLAs in the coastal region did not lay foundation stones for new infrastructure projects, Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyasa Kamath alleged here on Thursday. Addressing the press, the MLA alleged that, except for each MLA's annual Local Area Development Fund of ₹2 crore, the State government did not release any additional funds during its two-year tenure. Mr. Kamath alleged that the State government has reduced the compensation amount payable for property damage due to rain-related incidents. Thus, it has done injustice to those who suffered damages, he said. The government has stated that it can not release the compensation amount as per the guidelines of the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), the MLA claimed. Mr. Kamath alleged that the agenda for the meetings of the Mangaluru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) is decided in Bengaluru, not locally. 'When decisions are taken in Bengaluru, the relevance of MUDA is under question,' the MLA said. Jail jammer Mr. Kamath alleged that the government is not bothered about addressing the mobile network problems faced by people residing in the areas surrounding the district jail in the city. The network problems increased after the jail installed a jammer inside the jail. Though people have protested, the government has not taken it seriously to provide relief to the people. The MLA alleged that the State government wants poor people to remain homeless as it has not implemented Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 in the State. Hence, the beneficiaries under PMAY-U have not been identified. Mangaluru City North MLA Y. Bharat Shetty alleged that the MUDA and Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) offices have turned out to be 'collection centres.' Dr. Shetty alleged that there is a dearth of medicines in primary health centres in the city, and in some cases, doctors spend from their pockets to give medicines to patients, he claimed. The MLA said that the district in-charge Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao is not taking MLAs into confidence and holding any meeting involving MLAs to review damages to properties due to natural calamities. 'Corruption has doubled under the Congress administration,' the MLA alleged. Protest on June 23 Satish Kumpala, president of the Dakshina Kannada unit of the BJP, said the party will hold protest demonstrations in front of the MCC office at Lalbagh on June 23, to 'highlight the State government's failures'.


Gulf Today
04-06-2025
- Health
- Gulf Today
Passive cooling solutions to counter oppressive heat conditions
The impact of heat in India has been severe in recent years, with numerous heat-related deaths, widespread reports of heatstroke and school closures reported. This year, the thermometer climbed above 40°C in many places in late April, earlier than normal, according to a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) feature. 'Even if nations start bringing down the greenhouse gas emissions warming the planet, temperature extremes are here to stay for the foreseeable future,' said Balakrishna Pisupati, who leads the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) India office. 'Facing the kind of oppressive heat we have seen, people across this country will need to adapt, especially in ways that do not worsen the climate is where passive cooling solutions come in, he adds. According to the UNEP feature, passive cooling solutions range from reflective roofs to cool pavements to shade-providing tree cover. Crucially, and unlike air conditioning, these solutions do not spew out planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions nor enflame the climate crisis. India has emerged as a global champion of passive cooling, integrating these approaches into national policies and city planning, often with the support of UNEP. As UNEP states, India's cities are particularly at risk due to climate change and extreme heat, as rising temperatures are exacerbated by urban heat island effects and inequitable access to cooling. Left unchecked, this heat could expose up to 200 million people in India to lethal heatwaves in the 2030s, reduce India's GDP by 2%, cause the loss of 34 million jobs, and make it that much harder for millions of people to escape poverty. India's cities cannot just air-condition a way out of this extreme heat crisis. Best practices from India and around the world show that by taking a whole-systems approach to urban cooling, Indian cities can solve their cooling challenge and increase their heat resilience. Urban cooling and cold chain are two critically under-supported areas under the India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP). Two projects, delivered under the framework of the UNEP Cool Coalition, will support the Government of India to lead a transition to sustainable, accessible and climate-friendly cooling. One such project is in the Indian capital. Delhi is one of the hottest major cities, with temperatures reportedly feeling like 50°C with humidity. To help give commuters relief from the heat, the UNEP-led Cool Coalition in partnership with national and local government bodies are installing a 'cool roof' on the bustling Kashmere Gate interstate bus terminal. The roof, which covers nearly 150,000 square feet, will be retrofitted with a surface that reflects at least 80% of solar heat, helping to cool upwards of 100,000 commuters daily. Another example is the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban (PMAY) – India's flagship affordable housing scheme; to date, it has provided safe, secure homes to millions of families. However, in many affordable housing projects across India, keeping cool remains a challenge. Together with UNEP, PMAY aims to integrate passive cooling features – such as natural ventilation and insulated walls – into the 10 million homes the government targets for delivery by 2029. These efforts could reduce electricity use by up to 35%, by lowering indoor temperature by 3°C and giving families 40% more time in the year without needing cooling. Again, in the city of Chennai in southern India, where dense population, high-rise buildings and shortage of green space are causing temperatures to spike, attempts are on to reduce this so-called heat-island effect. UNEP's Cool Coalition and India's CEPT University mapped the city's hottest areas and provided officials with recommendations on how to use nature and passive cooling to bring down temperatures. These are being integrated into Chennai's masterplan and can reduce urban heat by up to 4°C and cut heat-caused illnesses by 15-30%. Furthermore, according to the feature, in India, most cities do not take a standardized, scientific approach for mapping urban heat, which is essential to developing plans that address scorching temperatures. To change this, UNEP and partners are supporting central and state government efforts in India to adopt cutting-edge strategies for identifying and addressing urban heat hotspots and helping develop guidelines on how these government agencies can use disaster-related funding on projects to reduce temperatures in urban areas.


Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Cement demand may rise 6.5-7.5% in FY26: Crisil
NEW DELHI: The cement sector is expected to see a 6.5-7.5% demand growth in the financial year 2025-26, according to Crisil Ratings The demand is expected to be driven by a 10% rise in budgetary allocation for core infrastructure ministries and on expectation that an above-normal monsoon will boost agricultural profitability, in turn lifting rural housing demand . In FY25, cement demand growth was moderate at 4.5-5.5% owing to a sluggish start to the year because of the general elections, spatially well-distributed monsoon that impacted construction along with high base of past three fiscals. Weak state government spending in the first half also slowed pace of project execution and a slow real estate market impacted urban housing. Sehul Bhatt, director, Crisil Intelligence said, "Budgets of 12 states, accounting for 63-65% of Indian cement demand, reveal a substantial 11% increase in total allocations for the current fiscal. The enhanced investment is expected to stimulate cement demand, driving growth of 7.5-8.5% from the infrastructure sector." Rural housing will continue to dominate cement consumption, with an estimated share of 32-34%, as a healthy monsoon season is expected to boost agricultural income, which will create housing demand. The pace of execution is expected to pick up under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin, with a rise in sanctions and more under-construction units. The urban housing segment, which faced headwinds in fiscal 2025 due to sluggish real estate, is expected to regain momentum in the current fiscal, owing to a low base, interest rate cuts and improved execution pace under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban. Sachidanand Choubey , associate director, Crisil Intelligence said, "A demand surge is anticipated across segments, driven by increased capex allocations for infrastructure and housing ministries. This uptick is expected to support a price rise in fiscal 2026, following a two-year lull." The industrial and commercial segment, which accounts for 13-15% of the domestic cement demand, is expected to see a steady growth this fiscal, driven by traction from commercial real estate and warehousing . Following three years of strong growth, the segment had slowed down in fiscal 2025 owing to moderation in private capex growth.