7-Jan-2023: PM addresses 2nd National Conference of Chief Secretaries
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the second National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi earlier today.
Prime Minister recalled the development milestones achieved by the country since the last conference in June 2022, citing various instances like India attaining Presidency of G20, becoming fifth biggest economy of the world, rapid registration of new startups, foray of private players in space sector, launch of National Logistics Policy, approval of National Green Hydrogen Mission, among others. He underlined that states and centre should work together and scale up the speed of progress.
Prime Minister said that in order to build a developed India, the country is focusing on four pillars of infrastructure, investment, innovation and inclusion. He said that today, entire world is reposing its faith in India and we are being looked up as a country that can bring stability to the global supply chain. He said that the country will be able to take full advantage of this only if states take lead, maintaining focus on quality and taking decisions with an India-first approach. He added that states should focus on pro-development governance, ease of doing business, ease of living and provision of robust infrastructure.
Launching the Aspirational Block Programme, Prime Minister underscored the success achieved in various Aspirational Districts in the country under the Aspirational District Program. He added that the Aspirational District model should now be taken up to block level in the form of the Aspirational Block Programme. He asked the officials present in the meeting to implement the Aspirational Block Programme in their respective states.
Discussing MSMEs, Prime Minister said that states must act proactively towards formalisation of MSMEs. He said that to make these MSMEs globally competitive, we need to make available finance, technology, market and access for skilling. He also discussed bringing more MSMEs on board the GeM portal. He said that we should take steps to make the MSMEs global champions and part of the global value chain. Discussing the success of the cluster approach in development of MSMEs, Prime Minister said that the linkage of MSME clusters and self-help groups can be explored for promoting unique local products and getting GI tags registration for them, associating it with the endeavour of ‘one district one product’, adding that it will give fillip to the clarion call of vocal for local. He said that states should identify their best local products and help them attain national and international stature. Here, he also cited the example of Ekta Mall at Statue of Unity.
Prime Minister recalled the burden of over-regulation and restrictions once faced by the country, and reforms put in place to end thousands of compliances at central and state levels. He also spoke about the need to end old laws, some of which have persisted since independence.
Discussing how different government departments keep asking for the same documents, Prime Minister said that today the need of the hour is to move towards self-certification, deemed approvals and standardisation of forms. He also spoke about how the country is working towards bettering both physical and social infrastructure, and discussed PM GatiShakti National Masterplan. He also spoke about data security and the criticality of having a secure technology infrastructure for seamless delivery of essential services. He emphasised that states should try to adopt a strong cyber security strategy, adding that this investment is like an insurance for the future. Aspects related to cyber security audit management and development of crisis management plans were also discussed by him.
Prime Minister also discussed the development of coastal areas of the country. He said that the vast Exclusive Economic Zone of the country is equipped with resources and offers tremendous opportunities for the country. Stressing on the need for increased awareness of the circular economy, Prime Minister highlighted Mission LiFE (Lifestyle of Environment) and the important role the states can play in furthering it.
Stating that on India’s initiative, the United Nations has declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, Prime Minister said that millets are not only smart food but are also environmentally friendly and may turn out to be a sustainable future food. He said that states should work on research related to millet products such that processing, packaging, marketing, branding etc and overall value addition of millet products is promoted. Prime Minister also discussed establishing 'Millet Cafes' at prominent public places and state government offices across the country, adding that millets may be showcased in the G20 meetings being held in states.
For the preparations related to G20 meetings in the states, Prime Minister stressed on the importance of involving the common citizens. He said that creative solutions should be envisaged for achieving such 'Citizen Connect'. He also advised the establishment of a dedicated team for preparations related to G20. Prime Minister also cautioned the states on the challenges posed by drugs, international crimes, terrorism and disinformation originating in foreign soil.
Prime Minister discussed the need to enhance the capacity of bureaucracy and the launch of Mission Karmayogi. He said that the state government should also review their training infrastructure and launch capacity building programs.
Prime Minister said that about 4000 officers at various levels have worked to hold this conference of Chief Secretaries, for which more than 1 lakh 15 thousand man hours were invested. He said that these efforts should start reflecting on the ground as well, and asked states to develop and implement action plans based on the suggestions emanating from the conference. He added that NITI Aayog should also develop a health competition between the states in this regard.
6-Jan-2023: All India States’ Ministers Conference On ‘WaterVision@2047’ in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Concludes
The 1st All India Annual States' Ministers Conference on "Water Vision@2047" concluded with a valedictory session. The conference witnessed enthusiastic participation from various States/UTs following Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s mantra of Cooperative federalism with a ‘Whole of Government Approach’. Prime Minister addressed the conference yesterday via video message providing a vision and direction for the entire conference and highlighted the importance of the Conference of Water Ministers of the country.
Addressing the valedictory session of the two days conference, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said “when this conference was conceptualised, it was not known how many states will participate but I am overwhelmed by the enthusiasm exhibited and wholehearted participation by the states”. Shri Shekhawat thanked the States especially Madhya Pradesh for hosting this conference. The Union Minister stated “All will agree that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the nation has taken huge strides towards becoming a developed nation. We have entered Amrit kaal and have discussed various ways to increase water availability and efficient utilisation of water resources and all states have worked hard in this regard. Together, we need to ensure that water availability does not become a hindrance to our development”.
Shri Shekhawat further stated “The kind of challenges we have discussed, we all have agreed that water will be a big challenge in the coming years due to increased population, climate change, rapid industrialisation and urbanisation, and economic boom which have increased the water requirements of the nation. Yesterday also, I stated, we will surpass the harvestable component of water resources and therefore we need to plan towards 2047 and since water is state subject, it is the responsibility of the states to work towards overcoming this challenge”. Shri Shekhawat asserted “today, when we are becoming a developed nation under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, we cannot work in contingency mode, we have been working proactively and not waiting for problems to become big. Till some years back, we were working under compulsion but now we are all working with conviction”.
Talking about the thematic sessions of the conference, the Union Minister said “a plenary session and 5 thematic sessions were held on various challenges and targets for 2047. Through the conference, a seed has been implanted in all our minds on how to work towards 2047. All states provided their keen insight over the past two days and this conference is where we have seen PM’s mantra of ‘cooperative federalism’ and ‘whole of govt approach’ in action as we all have worked together, learning from each other’s best practices and we all have got takeaways from this conference and learnt new things”.
Shri Shekhawat said that through this Bhopal dialogue, the key takeaways include reduction in water losses during conveyance; promoting micro irrigation which has huge potential for regions to avail the Central governments corpus fund for water use efficacy; harnessing technology to boost irrigation and water efficiency; ensuring people’s participation as highlighted by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi that anything is achievable through ‘Jan Bhagidari’ which is much needed in the water sector; Water regulatory authority at state level; Water quality; Using Technology such as geo-sensing geo-mapping & 3D modelling to identify and manage water resources; Ground water recharge and; Circular economy of water through recycle & reuses of water. He further asserted that “we need to remove the terminology waste water as all water is an asset and we need to stop calling it waste. It is all recyclable and reusable, its new water and we need to utilise it efficiently”.
Talking about the priority given by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on ensuring water quality, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti said “It is for the first time that the government has given priority to water quality, till now people did not have trust on government, they were forced to put their own water filters and those too without reliability of water quality but now, following Prime Minister’s vision and mission, we have created a robust environment including creating over 2000 Water Quality testing laboratories, training 4 lakh women for using Field Testing Kits to take water testing down to the grass roots, using Internet of Things based sensors for water quality testing”.
Talking about the urgent need for water conservation and efficient utilisation, Shri Shekhawat said “today the kind of challenges we see, if we do not work on this with conviction, our future generations will be forced to use recycled water. It is our responsibility to hand over resources to our future generations as we have got them from our ancestors, by using resources in a sustainable manner. Therefore, we all have an opportunity to leave our footprints in the water sector and we need to look for innovative ways to make opportunities out of challenges. Best practices from international community can be adopted suitably for increasing our water resources”.
The Union Minister also highlighted topics where immediate action can be taken, including increasing storage facility over and above the ground; reducing sedimentation in reservoirs; achieving more crop per drop; changing water use allocation by prioritising drinking water; Inter basin transfer for which all states have to increase water cooperation and take water from surplus to deficit regions; Making Jal Shakti Abhiyan a people’s movement and; flood zone planning. Shri Shekhawat urged that all states have different challenges but we have to work with a big heart together as a nation. He concluded by saying, “WaterVision@2047 was a seed and we all have begun thinking about this vision. All should take this seed back and plant & nurture it to ensure that water does not become a hindrance to our nation’s development”
Earlier in the day, the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with Minister of State, Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, State Ministers and other dignitaries planted a sapling at the ‘Water Vision Park’. The Chief Minister, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, during the inaugural session, had proposed the innovative idea of creating ‘Water Vision Park’ by planting saplings to make the conference a historic & memorable moment and to promote the idea of afforestation as a means to achieve the goal of water conservation. ‘Water Vision Parks’ are proposed to be established in all states as a tribute to the historic conference.
5-Jan-2023: 1st All India Annual States' Ministers Conference on "Water Vision@2047" Begins in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
The 1st All India Annual States' Ministers Conference on "Water Vision@2047" began today in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The two days conference began with the auspicious ‘Jal Kalash’ ceremony by the Chief Guest and Dignitaries. The ceremony was followed by a special address by Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi via video message wherein PM highlighted the importance of the Conference of Water Ministers of the country by shining the light on the unprecedented work done by India in areas of water security. PM highlighted that water is a state subject as per the Constitution of India and therefore, it is the states' efforts for water conservation that will go a long way in achieving the collective goals of the country. “Water Vision @ 2047 is an important dimension of the journey of Amrit Kaal for the next 25 years”, the Prime Minister remarked.
Highlighting the importance of the circular economy in the field of water conservation, the Prime Minister informed that the government has laid a lot of emphasis on circular economy in this budget. “When treated water is reused, fresh water is conserved, it benefits the entire ecosystem. That's why water treatment, water recycling is essential”, he said. He reiterated that states have to find ways to increase the use of 'treated water' for various purposes. “Our rivers, our water bodies are the most important part of the entire water ecosystem”, the Prime Minister said as he emphasised creating a network of waste management and sewage treatment in every state. “By making the Namami Gange Mission a template, other states can also start similar campaigns for the conservation of rivers. It is the responsibility of every state to make water a subject of cooperation and coordination”, the Prime Minister concluded.
11-Dec-2022: PM addresses valedictory function of 9th World Ayurveda Congress
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressed the valedictory function of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress. He also inaugurated three National Ayush Institutes. The three institutes - All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa, National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Ghaziabad and National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), Delhi - will further strengthen research and international collaborations and will also facilitate affordable Ayush services for people. Developed at a total cost of about Rs 970 crores, these institutes will increase the intake of students by around 400 along with the addition of about 500 hospital beds.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister welcomed all the delegates of the 9th World Ayurveda Congress from around the globe to the beautiful land of Goa and congratulated everyone for the successes of the World Ayurveda Congress. The Prime Minister highlighted that the World Ayurveda Congress is being organised when the journey of Azadi Ka Amrit Kaal is underway. The Prime Minister said that one of the key resolutions of the Amrit Kaal is to ensure global welfare through India’s scientific, knowledge and cultural experience and Ayurveda is a strong and effective medium for that. Referring to India's G-20 Presidency, the Prime Minister informed about the theme of G-20 ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.
The Prime Minister expressed happiness that more than 30 countries of the world have given recognition to Ayurveda as a traditional system of medicine. He called for more sustained work to ensure wider recognition of Ayurveda. He said that the three National institutes inaugurated today will provide new momentum to the Ayush healthcare system.
Dwelling upon the philosophical underpinnings of Ayurveda the Prime Minister said “Ayurveda goes beyond treatment and promotes wellness”, as he pointed out that the world is shifting towards this ancient way of life after going through various changes in trends. The Prime Minister expressed delight that a lot of work with regard to Ayurveda is already underway in India. Recalling the time when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Prime Minister said that he had promoted institutions related to Ayurveda and worked towards the advancement of Gujarat Ayurvedic University. As a result, the Prime Minister said, “The World Health Organisation established the first and only Global Centre for Traditional Medicines in Jamnagar. Referring to the present government, the Prime Minister highlighted that the separate Ministry of Ayush was established which led to increased enthusiasm and trust towards Ayurveda. He further added that along the lines of AIIMS, All India Institute of Ayurveda are also being established. Recalling the Global Ayush Innovation and Investment Summit that took place earlier this year, the Prime Minister highlighted that WHO was full of praise for India’s efforts in the field of traditional medicine. He also informed that the world is celebrating International Yoga Day as the global festival of health and wellness. “There was a time when Yoga was looked down upon but today, it has become a source of hope and expectations for the whole of humanity”, Shri Modi remarked.
Lamenting the delayed global accord, ease and acceptance of Ayurveda in the world of today, the Prime Minister pointed out that advanced science only considers proof as the holy grail. Stressing the need to continuously work toward the documentation of 'Data Based Evidence', the Prime Minister said that we had Ayurveda's results as well as effects in our favour, but we were lagging behind in terms of evidence. He emphasised that our medical data, research, and journals have to be brought together to verify every claim on modern scientific parameters. Throwing light on the work done in this regard, the Prime Minister mentioned the creation of an Ayush Research Portal for Evidence-Based Research data. The Prime Minister informed that data from about 40 thousand research studies are available so far, and during the Corona period, we had about 150 specific research studies related to AYUSH. “We are now moving forward in the direction of forming a 'National Ayush Research Consortium”, he added.
The Prime Minister elaborated that Ayurveda is a way of life too. Drawing an analogy to a machine or a computer that malfunctions due to a lack of knowledge by the end user, the Prime Minister said that Ayurveda teaches us that body and mind should be healthy together and in harmony with each other. Highlighting the speciality of Ayurveda, the Prime Minister said that ‘proper sleep’ is a huge topic of discussion for medical science today, but Ayurveda experts of India had written on this in detail centuries ago. Throwing light on the importance of Ayurveda in the economy also, the Prime Minister talked about new opportunities in the field of Ayurveda such as farming of herbs, manufacturing and supply of Ayush medicines, and digital services. He said that there is huge scope for Ayush startups in these areas. Talking about the opportunities for all in the field of Ayurveda, the Prime Minister informed that about 40,000 MSMEs are active in the Ayush sector. Ayush Industry which was about 20 thousand crore rupees 8 years ago has reached about 1.5 lakh crore rupees today. “This means that there has been 7 times growth in 7-8 years”, he said. He also elaborated on the global growth of the sector and said the current global market for herbal medicine and spices is about 120 billion dollars or rupees l0 lakh crore. “This sector of traditional medicine is expanding continuously and we have to take full advantage of its every possibility. For the rural economy, a whole new sector of agriculture is opening up for our farmers, in which they will also get very good prices. Thousands and lakhs of new jobs will be created for the youth in this,” he added.
Mentioning the opportunities in Ayurveda and Yoga tourism, especially for a state like Goa, the Prime Minister said that the All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa can prove to be an important beginning in that direction.
The Prime Minister explained the futuristic vision of One Earth One Health that India has put forward to the world. “'One Earth, One Health' means a universal vision of health. Whether it is marine animals, wild animals, human beings or plants, their health is interconnected. Instead of seeing them in isolation, we have to see them in totality. This holistic vision of Ayurveda has been a part of India's tradition and lifestyle”, he said. He called upon the Ayurveda Congress to discuss how a roadmap of taking forward Ayush and Ayurveda in totality can be created.
Chief Minister of Goa, Dr Pramod Sawant, Governor of Goa, Shri P S Sreedharan Pillai, Union Minister of Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of State for Ayush, Dr Munjapara Mahendrabhai, Union Minister of State for Culture and Tourism, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik and President of Vijnana Bharat, Dr Shekhar Mande were those present on occasion.
Background
The 9th edition of the World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) & Arogya Expo is witnessing the active participation of more than 400 overseas delegates representing over 50 countries, international students and various other stakeholders of Ayurveda. The theme of the 9th edition of WAC is "Ayurveda for One Health".
The three inaugurated institutes - All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), Goa, National Institute of Unani Medicine (NIUM), Ghaziabad and National Institute of Homoeopathy (NIH), Delhi - will further strengthen research and international collaborations and will also facilitate affordable Ayush services for people. Developed at a total cost of about Rs 970 crores, these institutes will increase the intake of students by around 400 along with the addition of about 500 hospital beds.
8-Dec-2022: 9th World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo 2022 inaugurated in Goa
9th World Ayurveda Congress (WAC) was inaugurated today at Panaji, Goa in the presence of Union Minister of State for Tourism and Shipping, Ports and Waterways Shripad Naik, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha. The 9th WAC aims to showcase the efficacy and strength of the AYUSH systems of medicine at the Global level.
Union Minister of State for Tourism and Shipping, Ports and Waterways Shripad Naik in his address said that the worldwide expansion of Ayurveda has been facilitated by the setting up of a separate Ministry of AYUSH, by Government of India in 2014. He remarked that when one sees the way AYUSH is rapidly progressing today, one must remember that the seed of this development lies in that decision. "Our ancestors put Ayurveda in front of the world. ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ has been the spirit of India since the beginning. In 2015, the United Nations decided to celebrate the International Day of Yoga. Now it is benefiting citizens all over the world. The Ayurveda Congress' activities go a long way in propagating such traditional systems of healing and well-being all over the world.", said Shri Naik
Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant thanked the Union Government for giving the opportunity to host this edition of the World Ayurveda Congress and Arogya Expo in Goa. Dr. Sawant said that the introduction of AYUSH visa for AYUSH treatment is a historic decision. The upcoming satellite centre of All India Institute of Ayurveda in Goa will boost Ayurvedic tourism in the state, he added. He informed that Goan students will get 50% reservation in admissions for various courses at the institute.
Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha observed that in the last 8 years AYUSH has grown tremendously. He stated that by the end of 2022, AYUSH sector will reach 10 billion dollars. He further stated that the contributions of AYUSH in the country's Covid-19 pandemic management have been immense. He noted that the Ministry of AYUSH executed an impact assessment study and found that 89.9% of the Indian population has relied on AYUSH in some capacity for Covid-19 prevention and treatment.
The third edition of the ‘Ayushman’ comic book series was also released on this occasion. A MoU was signed between All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) and Rosenberg’s European Academy of Ayurveda, Germany to facilitate advanced studies in traditional Indian medicine systems.
9th World Ayurveda Congress & Arogya Expo 2022 is being organized in Goa from 8 to 11 December with an objective of providing a global platform for all the stakeholders, including industry leaders, practitioners, traditional healers, educationists, students, medicine manufacturers, growers of medicinal plants and marketing strategists, for networking and engaging in intellectual exchange to strengthen the Ayurveda sector, envision its future, and facilitate interaction between professionals and consumers to boost Ayurveda commerce. The market size of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) sector in the country has grown from USD 3 billion in 2014 to over USD 18 billion now, clocking a phenomenal growth of six times. During 2014-2020, the AYUSH industry grew 17 per cent year-on-year while the Ayurveda market is predicted to grow at 15 per cent CAGR from 2021-2026. Over 4500 participants from all over the world including 400 foreign delegates from 53 countries are participating in the 9th World Ayurveda Congress & Arogya Expo. The Arogya Expo is set to witness participation of more than 215 companies, leading Ayurveda brands, medicine manufactures and Ayurveda related educational and Research & Development institutions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the valedictory function of WAC on 11 December.