Shri Tokhan Sahu, the Hon’ble Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, inaugurated the newly constructed Service cum Facilitation Centre and the renovated Administrative Block. He also launched the new e-Gazette 2.0 portal and the revamped websites of Department of Publication, Directorate of Printing and Government of India Stationery Office, marking a significant step towards Digital India Vision of Govt. of India.
In his address, the Minister congratulated the Department of Publication for its commendable citizen-centric initiatives. He emphasized that government services can reach their true potential only when they prioritize the needs and convenience of the citizens. He further highlighted that this approach will propel government services, ensuring broader accessibility, efficiency, effectiveness and transparency.
The facilities unveiled during the event are designed to enhance the functionality, comfort, and accessibility for both visitors and employees, thereby supporting the Department’s mission to deliver quality services while maintaining a conducive and efficient working environment.
The launch of the e-Gazette 2.0 portal and the new websites are in alignment with the government’s Digital India vision. These initiatives ensure that government services are more accessible, transparent, and citizen-centric, facilitating ease of doing business for the public.
The Department of Publication remains steadfast in its commitment to dissemination of information through Government Publication and meet the needs of the public, government agencies, and various stakeholders.
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met today with Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of the interim government of Bangladesh, on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok.
Prime Minister reiterated India’s support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. Enunciating India’s people-centric approach to the relationship, Prime Minister highlighted that cooperation between the two countries has brought tangible benefits to the people of both countries. He underlined India’s desire to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism.
Prime Minister urged that rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided. On the border, strict enforcement of the law and prevention of illegal border crossings, especially at night, are necessary for maintaining border security and stability. Bilateral mechanism could meet as appropriate to review and take forward our ties.
Prime Minister underlined India’s concerns related to the safety and security of minorities in Bangladesh, including Hindus, and expressed his expectation that the Government of Bangladesh would ensure their security, including by thoroughly investigating the cases of atrocities committed against them.
Prime Minister congratulated Bangladesh on assuming the Chair of BIMSTEC and looked forward to the forum further advancing regional cooperation under its leadership. The leaders agreed to enhance consultations and cooperation to advance regional integration, including under the BIMSTEC framework.
Prime Minister expressed his conviction that all issues of mutual interest between the two countries would continue to be addressed and resolved bilaterally through constructive discussions, in the interest of their long standing and mutually beneficial bilateral relationship.
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok today. Expressing condolences over devastation in recent earthquake, Shri Modi reassured India’s assistance to sisters and brothers of Myanmar in this critical time. Both leaders discussed bilateral relations between India and Myanmar, particularly in sectors like connectivity, capacity building, infrastructure development and more.
In a post on X, he wrote:
“Met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Once again expressed condolences on the loss of lives and damage of property in the wake of the recent earthquake. India is doing whatever is possible to assist our sisters and brothers of Myanmar in this critical time.
We also discussed bilateral relations between India and Myanmar, particularly in sectors like connectivity, capacity building, infrastructure development and more.”
Met Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok. Once again expressed condolences on the loss of lives and damage of property in the wake of the recent earthquake. India is doing whatever is possible to assist our sisters and… pic.twitter.com/Hwwv4VxSpi
Wagon Production Hits Record 41,929 Units in FY 2024-25, Marking a 11% YoY Growth and a Threefold Surge Over 2004-14 Average Total wagon production in the last three years reaches 1,02,369 units, boosting Railways’ freight capacity
Freight bottlenecks to reduce significantly, enhancing coal, cement, and steel transport efficiency
Increased rail freight capacity to cut fuel consumption, lower emissions, and curb logistics costs
Aligned with India’s economic vision, bolstering industrial growth and trade competitiveness
Posted On: 04 APR 2025 3:18PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Railways has achieved a historic milestone in wagon production, reaching an all-time high of 41,929 wagons in FY 2024-25, surpassing the 37,650 wagons produced in FY 2023-24. This marks a remarkable leap from the annual average of 13,262 wagons produced between 2004-2014, showcasing a significant boost in manufacturing capacity and efficiency.
This growth is expected to reduce freight bottlenecks and enhance Rail cargo movement. The numbers suggest a significant increase in the annual wagon production, highlighting the government’s vision of not only increasing domestic manufacturing but also improving its freight movement that will enhance convenience and also provide a major boost to the Indian economy, empowering India towards its goal of becoming an economic prowess.
Period
Production
2004-2014 (Average)
13,262
2014-2024 (Average)
15,875
2022-2023
22,790
2023-2024
37,650
2024-2025
41,929
Total production in last three years
1,02,369
Economic Boost
This surge in wagon production is expected to have a profound economic and environmental impact. With more wagons available, transport bottlenecks will be significantly reduced, ensuring faster cargo movement and improved efficiency for industries reliant on bulk transportation, such as coal, cement and steel. By reducing dependence on road freight, this shift will also lower fuel consumption and emissions, contributing to sustainability goals. Additionally, the improved efficiency in freight movement will help curb transportation costs, ultimately benefiting businesses and consumers by mitigating inflationary pressures.
Strengthening India’s Industrial Sector
As Indian Railways continues to expand its freight capacity, it is playing a crucial role in strengthening India’s industrial infrastructure and economic resilience. This growth aligns with India’s broader vision of boosting domestic manufacturing and trade competitiveness, reinforcing the country’s path toward becoming a global economic powerhouse.
NITI Aayog convened a National Workshop on ‘Mainstreaming Climate Adaptation into Local Development Planning,’ bringing together policymakers, climate experts, civil society organizations, and development practitioners to explore effective strategies for integrating climate resilience into Panchayat Development Plans.
The workshop emphasized the need for equipping Gram Panchayats with tools, knowledge, and resources to effectively address climate challenges. It was emphasised that climate adaptation must be woven into all aspects of sectoral planning at the Panchayat level, rather than being treated as a standalone effort. It was underscored that climate modelling must be coupled with community-level knowledge to develop locally relevant adaptation strategies.
A major focus was on institutionalizing climate resilience within Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and embedding climate-responsive planning into local development frameworks. Discussions highlighted the growing frequency of extreme weather events and their impacts on rural livelihoods, agriculture, and water security, reinforcing the need for disaggregated Gram Panchayat-level data for precise planning and informed decision-making.
The workshop emphasized the need to encourage Panchayats to integrate climate-smart approaches into their development planning by strengthening their capacity. Various tools and frameworks were presented to build Panchayat capacity for long-term adaptive planning. Participants called for leveraging existing schemes and programmes to enhance climate resilience at the grassroots level.
Showcasing best practices from different states and Panchayats, the discussions highlighted the value of peer learning and knowledge-sharing in scaling up climate action. The shift from climate adaptation to proactive local climate action was a key takeaway, emphasizing the role of Panchayats in climate risk-informed development and disaster preparedness.
The workshop concluded with a call for multi-stakeholder collaboration, to foster climate-resilient rural livelihoods. Strengthening institutional capacity and encouraging innovation in Panchayat-led climate action were identified as key enablers. Integrating climate adaptation into local governance can help India foster a more sustainable and resilient rural development model.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, today approved the Vibrant Villages Programme -II (VVP-II) as a Central Sector Scheme (100% Centre funding), furthering its commitment for the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047 for ‘Safe, Secured & Vibrant land borders’. The Programme would help in the comprehensive development of the villages located in the blocks abutting international land borders (ILBs), other than the Northern border already covered under VVP-I.
With a total outlay of Rs.6,839 crore, the programme shall be implemented in select strategic villages in the States/UTs of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, J&K (UT), Ladakh (UT), Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal till the FY 2028-29.
The objective of the programme is to create better living conditions and adequate livelihood opportunities to ensure prosperous and safe borders, control trans-border crime and assimilate the border population with the nation and inculcate them ‘as eyes and ears of the border guarding forces’, crucial for internal security.
The programme shall provide funds for infrastructure development within the village or a cluster of villages, value chain development (through cooperatives, SHGs, etc), border specific outreach activity, education infrastructure like SMART classes, development of tourism circuits and works/projects to create diverse & sustainable livelihood opportunities in the border areas.
The interventions would be border-specific, state and village specific, based on Village Action Plans prepared in a collaborative approach.
All-weather road connectivity for these villages shall be undertaken under the already approved PMGSY-IV under the MoRD. A High-Powered Committee chaired by the Cabinet Secretary shall consider suitable relaxations in schematic guidelines for effective implementation of schemes in the border areas.
The programme aims to achieve saturation in existing individual and household level welfare schemes in the identified villages under convergence as per scheme norms. The programme also aims to saturate all villages in such blocks in 4 thematic areas, namely all-weather road connectivity, telecom connectivity, television connectivity and electrification through convergence under existing scheme norms.
The programme emphasizes enhancing vibrancy in these villages by organizing activities including fairs & festivals, awareness camps, celebration of National days, regular visits by Ministers, senior Government officers from Central and State/UT Government & night stays in such villages. This would boost the tourism potential and promote the local culture and heritage of these villages.
Technology would be leveraged and information databases like PM Gati Shakti shall be used for effective implementation of the project.
VVP-II along with VVP-I is a transformative initiative to make the border villages self-reliant and vibrant.
The scenic beauty of Kashmir’s tulip gardens has long been a major attraction for tourists, with vibrant displays at Srinagar drawing visitors each year. In a significant step toward promoting sustainable floriculture and enhancing farmers’ income, CSIR Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM), Jammu a premier research and development institution of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, mandated with pre-clinical drug discovery, has also been implementing various societal Mission programmes like CSIR’s Aroma and Floriculture Mission. Under the CSIR Floriculture Mission, the key verticals include Generation of Quality Planting Material of High Value Floricultural Crops, Area Expansion under Floriculture, Urban Floriculture, Post-Harvest Processing and Value Addition, Integration of Floriculture with Apiculture, Establishing Marketing Linkages, and Domestication of Wild Ornamentals. Further, through the Mission activities, the institute has been dedicated to supporting farmers through research and development, particularly in high value floricultural crop cultivation.
In conformity with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, Prime Minister’s clarion call for self-reliant India, the pan India CSIR Societal Mission programmes envisioned by Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge) achieved remarkable achievements since last few years. The Institute has initiated tulip cultivation at its Bonera Station in the year 2022 with the primary objectives of indigenizing tulip bulb production, developing agro-technological protocols, and expanding crop cultivation. A spokesperson informed that the initiative which started with just 10,000 bulbs in 2022, has successfully produced over one lakh bulbs within just two years, grown over an area of more than 12 kanals this season.
During media interaction held at Tulipgarden of Bonera Field Station, Dr. Zabeer Ahmed, Director of CSIR-IIIM, Jammu, highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating that the Bonera Station currently houses eight tulip varieties under strategic research programmes to develop indigenous tulip bulbs, assess morphological characteristics, establish agro-technological protocols and evaluate varieties for resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. He emphasized that indigenizing tulip bulb production will reduce India’s reliance on imports, create economic opportunities for farmers, and contribute to the overall growth of the floriculture sector.
The newly developed Tulip Garden-cum-Experimental Field at Bonera, located in South Kashmir’s Pulwama, was opened to the public that drew thousands of enthusiastic visitors from all parts of the valley. The initiative marks a significant step toward positioning Jammu and Kashmir as a hub for tulip bulb production in future, aiming to shift India from an import-dependent consumer to a self-sufficient producer. By integrating scientific advancements with floriculture tourism, the CSIR Floriculture Mission, besides fostering self-reliance in tulip production, also aims at enhancing the economic potential of the region’s farming communities.
Prime Minister condoles the loss of lives in an accident in Nanded, Maharashtra PM announces ex-gratia from PMNRF
Posted On: 04 APR 2025 3:21PM by PIB Delhi
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today condoled the loss of lives in an accident in Nanded, Maharashtra. He announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased and Rs. 50,000 to the injured.
The Prime Minister’s Office handle in post on X said:
“Saddened by the loss of lives in an accident in Nanded, Maharashtra. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi”
Saddened by the loss of lives in an accident in Nanded, Maharashtra. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected.
An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin…
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, accompanied by the Prime Minister of Thailand, H.E. Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, today visited Wat Phra Chetuphon Wimon Mangkhalaram Rajwaramahawihan, popularly known as Wat Pho.
Prime Minister paid homage to the Reclining Buddha and offered ‘Sanghadana’ to senior Buddhists monks. Prime Minister also presented a replica of Ashokan Lion Capitol to the shrine of Reclining Buddha. On the occasion, he recalled the strong and vibrant civilizational ties that exist between the two countries.
Taumeasina Island Resort, Tuesday 18 February 18:30pm
Talofa lava and good evening to you all.
I am happy to join you this evening to bid farewell to Mr. Themba Kalua, who has served with dedication and commitment as the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau.
Let me first of all acknowledge the successful conclusion of the Government of Samoa–UN Country Implementation Plan (CIP) Workshop today, which brought together government officials, UN agencies, and stakeholders to set the priorities for our cooperation over the next three years. I am grateful to all who contributed their time, expertise, and insights to this important process.
Mr. Kalua, your tenure has been marked by steadfast leadership in strengthening the partnership between Samoa and the United Nations. Your efforts have added to Samoa’s voice and priorities being heard in regional and global discussions; your advocacy has led to increased UN technical expertise and engagement in areas important to our national development.
Notably, your tenure, though shortened, has fostered a more coordinated and integrated UN engagement, aligning with the UN Secretary-General’s reform agenda, which Samoa has strongly supported.
I would like to highlight three significant achievements of your tenure:
1️. Advancing Samoa’s SDG Implementation & National Priorities through the joint UN technical support for the preparation of Samoa’s Third Voluntary National Review (VNR), which was successfully presented at the High-Level Political Forum last year.
Additionally, we appreciate your support for the SDG Acceleration Initiative which the UN launched last year to help drive targeted actions in climate action including NDC 3.0, food systems transformation, gender-based violence, non-communicable diseases and economic development. The joint programs launched have reinforced collaborative, high-impact solutions to some of our development challenges.
2. UN’s Support to CHOGM 2024.
Samoa’s hosting of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in October 2024 was a historic milestone. We thank you for your role in mobilizing and coordinating UN technical support to forums and events at CHOGM.
3. Hosting the UN Secretary-General in Samoa
Your leadership also ensured the successful hosting of the historic visit of the United Nations Secretary-General to Samoa last year. This visit reinforced the importance of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the global development agenda and reaffirmed Samoa’s role as a strong advocate for climate action, resilience, and sustainable development.
We are pleased to know that you will continue to influence the global agenda in ways that matter to Samoa and other SIDS in your new post.
Congratulations on your appointment as Director for the Pact for the Future Implementation in the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General.
Samoa contributed to this landmark resolution, and we look forward to working with you in your new capacity to ensure that the unique challenges and aspirations of our region remain visible and well-supported at the highest levels of the UN.
We value our partnership with the United Nations, and I am confident that the Samoa UN Country Team will continue to build upon the strong foundation you and your predecessors have helped establish.
On behalf of the Government and people of Samoa, I would like to express my gratitude for your service to Samoa. We wish you all the very best and look forward to continuing our collaboration in your new role.