Published By : Admin |
September 15, 2021 | 13:00 IST
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The 21st Meeting of SCO Council of Heads of State will be held on 17th September 2021 in Dushanbe in a hybrid format. The meeting will be chaired by the President of Tajikistan H.E. Emomali Rahmon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will lead the Indian delegation and address the plenary session of the Summit via video-link. At Dushanbe, India will be represented by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.
The SCO Summit will be attended by the leaders of the SCO Member States, Observer States, Secretary General of the SCO, Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), President of Turkmenistan and other invited guests.
This is the first SCO Summit being held in a hybrid format and the fourth Summit that India will participate as a full-fledged member of SCO. This Summit assumes significance as the organization is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. At the Summit, the leaders are expected to review the organization’s activities over the past two decades and discuss the state and prospects of future cooperation. Topical issues of regional and international importance are also expected to be discussed.
PM reviews seven critical infrastructure projects across the Railways, Power and Road sectors
Projects reviewed span across 9 States with cumulative investment of around ₹30,000 crore
PM also reviews Ken Betwa Link Project and Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0
PM says Ken-Betwa River Inter-linking Project should serve as a model for other States to resolve inter-State water issues amicably
PM asks States to expedite the completion of solid waste management-related infrastructure, including waste processing plants and GOBARdhan plants
PM calls for mission-mode rooftop solar coverage in urban areas
Acting upon the advice of PM, system of monthly review of social sector schemes at State level operationalised, starting with review of Swachh Bharat Mission
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi chaired the 51st meeting of PRAGATI, the ICT-enabled, multi-modal platform aimed at fostering Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, by seamlessly integrating efforts of the Central and State governments, at Seva Teerth, earlier today.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister reviewed seven critical infrastructure projects across the Railways, Power and Road sectors covering nine States worth around ₹30,000 crore. These projects, pivotal to economic growth and public welfare, were reviewed with a focus on timelines, inter-agency coordination, and timely issue resolution. Prime Minister also reviewed Ken Betwa Link Project and Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0.
While reviewing power sector projects, Prime Minister emphasized the need to accelerate rooftop solar adoption across urban areas, with a special focus on cities, residential clusters and public institutions. He underlined that rooftop solar should be taken up in mission mode to reduce electricity costs, improve energy security and promote clean energy at the household and community level.
While reviewing road and port connectivity projects, it was emphasised that Vadhavan Port should be developed as a model of port-led, multi-modal development, where every major mode of transport is seamlessly integrated to create a future-ready logistics ecosystem. The project should not be seen merely as a port, but as a national gateway connected through coastal shipping, inland waterways, dedicated freight corridors, high-speed rail connectivity, highways and airport linkages.
Prime Minister emphasised the need for effective implementation of Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 and underlined that the mission should move beyond infrastructure creation and ensure measurable outcomes through regular monitoring, citizen participation and convergence between various stakeholders. He asked States to expedite the completion of solid waste management-related infrastructure, including waste processing plants and GOBARdhan plants.
While reviewing Ken-Betwa River Inter-linking Project, Prime Minister observed that Ken-Betwa project should serve as a model for other States to resolve inter-State water issues through cooperation, timely clearances, technology-based monitoring and mission-mode execution. States were encouraged to identify similar opportunities where river-linking, water conservation, groundwater recharge and efficient irrigation can be taken up in an integrated manner to ensure long-term water security.
Prime Minister also underlined that the delay in the implementation of public projects leads not only to cost escalation but also deprives citizens of timely access to essential facilities and development benefits. He observed that every delay has a direct impact on people’s lives, regional growth and public resources. He stressed that Ministries, Departments and States must adopt a more proactive and time-bound approach to resolve pending issues, remove bottlenecks and ensure faster execution.
Prime Minister also emphasized that innovative use of canal networks should be explored, including installation of solar panels along canals and over canals for clean electricity generation. This would help optimize land use, reduce evaporation losses, generate renewable energy and create additional economic value from water infrastructure.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Cabinet Secretary informed that, in pursuance of the directions of the Prime Minister, a system of monthly review of social sector schemes at the State level has also been operationalised. This mechanism aims to ensure regular monitoring, faster resolution of implementation issues and greater accountability at the State and district levels. As part of this initiative, Swachh Bharat Mission has been taken up for review at the State level in the first instance.
