New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday took to social media platform X to criticise Congress leader Jairam Ramesh after the latter called the “treatment” of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting “unacceptable”.

“Since it was established 10 years ago, NITI Aayog has been an attached office of the PMO and has functioned as a drumbeater for the non-biological PM,” Ramesh posted on X.

“It has not advanced the cause of cooperative federalism in any manner. Its functioning has been blatantly partisan, and it is anything but professional and independent,” he said.

“It muzzles all divergent and dissenting viewpoints, which are the very essence of an open democracy. Its meetings are a farce to be reckoned with. Its treatment of the West Bengal CM today, although typical of the NITI Aayog, is unacceptable,” Ramesh added.

In her response, FM Sitharaman pointed out that Ramesh was not even present at the meeting.

She clarified that Mamata Banerjee spoke for the full seven minutes allocated to each Chief Minister.

She also noted that some CMs were granted additional time upon request, without any complaints or issues.

“Jairam, you weren’t even there! We all heard Hon. CM Mamata Banerjee. She spoke her full time. The screen in front of our tables kept showing the time,” she wrote on X.

“A few other CMs spoke beyond their allotted time. On their own request, extra time was allowed without any fuss. Mikes were not switched off, not for anybody, particularly not for CM, WB,” Sitharaman added.

The FInance Minister also accused Mamata Banerjee of spreading false information about microphones, stating that they were never turned off for anyone.

She added that Banerjee’s claims were merely an attempt to placate the INDIA bloc.

“But now with her saying baseless things outside, I can only conclude that she is making an effort to keep the INDI alliance happy,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Banerjee claimed that she was not allotted sufficient time to speak during the NITI Aayog meeting.

–IANS

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Jaipur, July 27 (IANS) Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary on Saturday said that speed, skill, saturation, and convergence are the government’s mantras for the skill ecosystem.

“It’s heartening to see that 82 per cent of our beneficiaries are women and those from marginalised communities who previously lacked opportunities and formal education. The dynamism of this scheme reflects the spirit of our nation – the dream of a Viksit Bharat,” said Jayant Chaudhary who is also the Minister of State for Education.

He said that Rajasthan has 1,620 ITIs out of which 165 are government ITIs, adding that there are also two National Skill Training Institutes in Rajasthan, one of which is specifically for women.

“While reviewing the results of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana in Rajasthan, I learned about the surge in demand for skills in the electronics and automotive sectors, particularly for EV technicians among our youth,” Jayant Chaudhary said while addressing the Zonal Conference for Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) which was organised at Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur.

The minister said that initiatives like Lakhpati Didi, PM Jan Dhan, and PM Vishwakarma are reaching women and other segments of society, uplifting them with modern technology and financial support.

He said that in the recent G20 task force, India’s digital strength was commended, highlighting the country’s digital public infrastructure.

The conference focused on the transformative power of JSS in fostering self-employment and wage employment among socio-economically backward groups through skill development training.

Rajasthan Minister of State of Sports & Youth Affairs, Skill & Employment & Entrepreneurship Department Krishan Kr Bishnoi said that the program has substantially contributed to the welfare of the state.

“The success of MSME and SHG clusters has significantly benefited our state, with women emerging as the primary beneficiaries. We are optimistic that Rajasthan will continue progressing and thriving through such efforts, becoming a hub for new businesses and industries, creating ample job prospects,” Bishnoi said.

Currently, 290 JSSs operate across 26 States and 7 Union Territories, including 29 in Madhya Pradesh, 8 in Gujarat, and 8 in Rajasthan.

So far, the total beneficiary count for the trained candidates stands at 26,38,028 and from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan we have close to 4.60 lakh beneficiaries who have received training under the JSS scheme.

These beneficiaries primarily consist of educationally disadvantaged and socio-economically backward groups in rural and urban slums. Women make up the majority of trained beneficiaries, totalling 21.63 lakh (82 per cent).

–IANS

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Guwahati, July 27 (IANS) The Civil Aviation Ministry has decided to commence direct air connectivity between Assam’s Jorhat and Delhi, Lok Sabha MP from Assam’s Jorhat constituency Gaurav Gogoi said on Saturday.

The Congress leader mentioned that earlier this month, he had requested the Union Civil Aviation Minister to begin flight services between Jorhat and the national capital.

Gogoi met Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on July 1 and submitted a letter demanding air connectivity.

“He has informed me that a 189-seater flight will operate between Jorhat and Delhi. As per the information shared by the Minister, the routes connecting Jorhat to Delhi have been awarded to SpiceJet with 189-seater type of aircraft and frequency of 7 flights per week,” he said.

The flight operations will commence on this route from October this year.

Currently, Jorhat has flight connectivity to Kolkata, Dibrugarh and Tezpur, operated by IndiGo.

Gogoi said: “Further, my request for increasing the frequency of flights and operations have also been raised with the scheduled domestic airlines for favourable consideration.”

According to the Jorhat MP, previously, there was a direct flight between Delhi and Jorhat, which was greatly valued by the community for its convenience and efficiency.

Unfortunately, this service has been discontinued, leaving residents with limited and less optimal travel options, he said.

“The absence of a direct flight has not only inconvenienced travellers but has also resulted in significantly higher ticket prices, ranging from 12,000 to 15,000 for a single journey. Such high costs impose a heavy financial burden, particularly on those who depend on air travel for essential commuting purposes, such as medical emergencies, business travel, and family visits,” Gogoi said.

He further said that Jorhat, renowned for its cultural heritage and economic potential, deserves reliable and direct air connectivity to Delhi.

“Restoring direct flights between these cities would not only enhance convenience for passengers but also stimulate economic growth by facilitating smoother business transactions and promoting tourism in the region,” the Congress leader added.

–IANS

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Navi Mumbai, July 27 (IANS) Three persons from Uttar Pradesh were killed while around 52 others had a narrow escape after a ground-plus three-storey building crashed at Belapur town in Navi Mumbai early on Saturday morning.

The tragedy occurred at around 4.30 a.m. when the residents were sleeping in their homes in the 10-year-old Indira Nivas building in Shahbazgaon, said senior inspector Satish Kadam from the NRI Sagari police station.

Later in the afternoon, the rescue teams dug out the bodies of the three youths hailing from Uttar Pradesh’s Jaunpur and Pratapgad districts, he added.

The deceased have been identified as Mohammed Meraj Altaf Hussain (30) from Karanpur in Pratapgad, and two from Lohinda village in Jaunpur district, Shafiq A.R. Ansari (29) and Miraj Saif Ansari (24), said Kadam.

Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the rescue teams were engaged in making efforts to evacuate at least two persons who were still trapped under the debris, while the survivors were housed at a shelter of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC).

Minutes before the collapse, the residents were rudely awakened by tremors, rumbling sounds, and rattling of household articles, said one of the survivors.

Anticipating a potential disaster, most residents rushed out of their homes and shortly afterward, the entire structure with 13 houses and three shops collapsed.

Many of the survivors said they lost everything in the disaster at the height of the monsoon.

Police teams, fire brigade, SDRF, and NDRF are still engaged in clearing the rubble and searching for any others who may be buried under the debris.

After nearly four hours of effort, two of the survivors — Lalauddin N. Pathan (23) and Ruksar L. Pathan (19) — were dug out of the rubble in an injured condition and rushed to a nearby hospital.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who was in New Delhi on Saturday, called up the NMMC Commissioner and the Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner, asking them to take stringent action against the culprits responsible for the huge mishap.

The CM also asked them to take full care of the survivors who are housed in a shelter, including their lodging and boarding and other needs, even as intermittent rains lashed Navi Mumbai and its surroundings.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 27 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that the state has emerged as a state with ‘unlimited potential’ in recent years.

Addressing the ninth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog held at the Cultural Center of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, UP CM said: “Seven years ago, the state was classified as a BIMARU state and seen as an obstacle to national development. Today, Uttar Pradesh has shed this BIMARU label and has emerged as a state with unlimited potential.”

Highlighting Uttar Pradesh’s achievements, he added that the state, contributing 9.2 per cent to the national GDP, has established itself as the growth engine of the country and is now the second-largest economy in India. Over the past seven years, significant progress has been made in doubling the per capita income.

“Viksit Bharat’ embodies the Prime Minister’s vision of a self-reliant, prosperous, capable, competent, inclusive, and technologically advanced India. Our mission is to turn this vision into reality. Uttar Pradesh is swiftly advancing towards becoming the ‘growth engine of India,” he said.

The Chief Minister stated that due to strong law and order, ease of doing business, investment-friendly policies, and good governance, Uttar Pradesh has become the ‘dream destination’ for investment in the country today.

Enumerating the achievements of Uttar Pradesh phase-wise across MSME, women’s safety, infrastructure development, PM Gati Shakti, health, and nutrition, Chief Minister Yogi said: “To contribute to the Prime Minister’s resolve to make the country a 5 trillion dollar economy, a target has been set to make the state’s economy 1 trillion dollars. For this, planned efforts are being made by classifying all the departments into 10 sectors.”

The Chief Minister said that according to the SDG India Index 2023-24 report, Uttar Pradesh has been recognised in the Front Runner category. Additionally, 351 best practices from the state that contribute to the goal of ‘Developed India’ are now uploaded on the ‘NITI for States Portal’ of NITI Aayog.

Yogi Adityanath also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Prayagraj Maha Kumbh in January 2025, noting that this holy occasion occurs once every 12 years. He stated, “The state government is committed to ensuring a clean, safe, and well-organized Maha Kumbh-2025. All preparations are nearing completion.”

The Chief Minister said that the ‘Rule of Law’ is the pre-condition of good governance, pointing out that the state’s commitment to law and order has played a crucial role in achieving good governance.

“Today, Uttar Pradesh boasts of a robust law and order system, which has positively shifted perceptions about the state both nationally and internationally. This improvement is attributed to a zero-tolerance policy towards crime,” he remarked.

He said that Uttar Pradesh Police is the largest civil police force in the country and the world. The state government is consistently modernising the police force with new technology and equipment.

“Cyber Crime Police Station has been set up in every district to effectively combat cyber crimes. Additionally, a Cyber Help Desk is now operational at every police station”, he stated.

The Chief Minister said that Over 56 lakh poor and homeless families have been given pucca houses. Various programs, including Swachh Bharat Mission, Mission Shakti, School Chalo Abhiyan, Operation Kayakalp, Massive Tree Plantation Public Campaign, and Matribhoomi Yojana, are being implemented based on extensive public participation.

–IANS

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