Published By : Admin |
February 25, 2021 | 10:28 IST
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Puducherry has been home to sages, scholars and poets and revolutionaries: PM
Projects launched today will add momentum to the economic activity and generate job opportunities for local youth: PM
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry,
Distinguished guests,
My dear friends,
The divinity of Puducherry has brought me back to this holy land once again. Exactly three years ago, I was here in Puducherry. This land has been home to sages, scholars and poets. It also became home to revolutionaries of Mother India. Mahakavi Subramania Bharathi stayed here. Sri Aurobindo set foot on these shores. Puducherry has a presence on India’s western and eastern coast. This land is a symbol of diversity. People speak five different languages, practice different faiths but live as one.
Friends,
Today, we celebrate the starting of various development works that will improve the life of the people of Puducherry. These works cover diverse sectors. It gives me immense pleasure to inaugurate the re-built Mairie Building. The building has been recreated in its old form retaining the heritage. This will add to the beauty of Beach Promenade and attract more tourists.
Friends,
India needs world class infrastructure to cater to our development needs. It would make you happy that the foundation stone to four lane the NH 45-A is being laid. This is a 56 Kilometer Sattnathapuram – Nagapattinam stretch covering Karaikal District. Certainly, connectivity will improve. Economic activity will pick speed. At the same time, it will improve access to the holy Saneeswaran Temple. It will also provide easy interstate connectivity to the: Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health. And Nagor Dargah.
Friends,
The Government of India has made many efforts to improve rural and coastal connectivity. The agriculture sector will gain from this. Across India our farmers are innovating. It is our duty to ensure their produce gets good markets. Good roads do exactly that. The four laning of the road will also draw industries in this area and generate job opportunities for local youth.
Friends,
Prosperity is closely linked to good heath. In the last seven years, India has made many efforts to improve fitness and wellness. In this context, I am delighted to lay the foundation stone for 400 meters synthetic athletic track at the sports complex here. This is a part of the Khelo India scheme. It will nurture sporting talent among the youth of India. Sports teaches us teamwork, ethics and above all, it teaches us sportsman spirit. With the coming of good sports facilities to Puducherry, youth from this state can excel in national and global sports meets. The 100 bed girls hostel constructed at Lawspet inaugurated today is one more initiative to help sporting talent. This hostel will accommodate hockey, volleyball, weightlifting kabaddi and handball players. The hostel students will train under SAI coaches.
Friends,
One sector that will play a key role in the coming years is healthcare. Nations that invest in healthcare will shine. In line with our objective to provide quality health care to all, I am inaugurating the Blood Centre in JIPMER. This project will cost about twenty eight crore rupees. This new facility will accommodate advanced facilities for long term storage of blood, blood products and stem cells banking. The facility will function as a research laboratory and a training centre for personnel training in all aspects of transfusion. As you are aware, the healthcare budget received a big boost in this year’s budget.
Friends,
The great Tiruvalluvar has said:-
கேடில் விழுச்செல்வம் கல்வி ஒருவற்கு
மாடல்ல மற்றை யவை
It means: Learning and Education are the true wealth while all other things are not stable. To promote quality healthcare, we need quality health professionals. Phase-I project of Medical College Building at Karaikal New Campus is a step in this direction. This new environment friendly complex will have all modern teaching facilities required for teaching MBBS students.
Friends,
The coast is the spirit of Puducherry. There is so much potential in fisheries, port, shipping and the blue economy. I am honoured to lay the foundation of Puducherry Port Development under Sagarmala Scheme. Once completed, it will help our fishermen who have been using this port for venturing into sea for fishing operations. It will provide much needs sea connectivity to Chennai. This will facilitate the cargo movement for industries of Puducherry and ease load on Chennai port. It will open up possibilities of passenger traffic among the coastal cities.
Friends,
Puducherry has done well in promoting Direct Benefit Transfer to beneficiaries under various welfare schemes. This makes people empowered in making their choices. Puducherry has got rich human resources because of various educational institutions present, both in government and private sector. It has potential for a lot of industrial and tourism development that will provide a lot of employment and opportunity. The people of Puducherry are talented. This land is beautiful. I am here to personally assure all possible support from my Government for the development of Puducherry. Congratulations to the people of Puducherry once again for the development works launched today.
Dialogue and diplomacy are the only solutions: PM Modi in Lok Sabha on West Asia conflict
March 23, 2026
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The situation in West Asia is concerning at this time: PM
In the past two-three weeks, Mr. Jaishankar and Mr. Hardeep Puri have provided the necessary information to the House on this matter: PM
This crisis has been going on now for more than three weeks, It is having a very adverse impact on the global economy and on people's lives, the entire world is urging all parties for the earliest resolution of this crisis: PM
This region is important to us for yet another reason ,as nearly one crore Indians live and work in the Gulf countries: PM
Among the commercial ships that sail in these seas, the number of Indian crew members is also very high: PM
Due to these several reasons, India's concerns are naturally high, it is essential that a unanimous and united voice from India's Parliament on this crisis reaches the world: PM
India has extensive trade relations with countries at war and affected by war, The region where the war is taking place is also an important route for our trade with other countries of the world: PM
A large quantity of essential items such as crude oil, gas, and fertilizers come to India through the Strait of Hormuz, Since the war began, the movement of ships through the Strait of Hormuz has become highly challenging: PM
Despite this, our government has been trying to ensure that the supply of petrol, diesel and gas is not affected much and common families of the country face minimum inconvenience, This has been our focus: PM
India has always stood for peace in the interest of humanity, Dialogue and diplomacy are the only solutions to this problem: PM
Our efforts are aimed at reducing tensions and ending this conflict: PM
Putting anyone's life at risk in this war is not in the interest of humanity, India's efforts are to encourage all parties to reach a peaceful resolution as soon as possible: PM
Honourable Speaker,
I have come before this esteemed House to speak on the ongoing conflict in West Asia and the challenges it has posed for India. The situation in West Asia is deeply concerning. In the past two to three weeks, Shri Jaishankar ji and Shri Hardeep Puri ji have provided the House with necessary updates on this matter. Now that the crisis has lasted for more than three weeks, its adverse impact on the global economy and on people’s lives is evident. The entire world is urging all parties for a swift resolution to this crisis.
Honourable Speaker,
This war has created unexpected challenges for India as well as economic, national security related, and humanitarian. India has extensive trade relations with the countries at war and those affected by it. The region where the war is taking place is also a crucial route for our trade with other parts of the world. Most importantly, a significant portion of our crude oil and gas requirements is met by this region. For another reason too, this region is vital for us-nearly ten million Indians live and work in the Gulf countries. A large number of Indian crew members also serve on commercial ships sailing in these waters. For all these reasons, India’s concerns are naturally greater. Therefore, it is essential that from the Parliament of India, a united and unanimous voice goes out to the world regarding this crisis.
Honourable Speaker,
Since the war began, every Indian in the affected countries has been provided necessary assistance. I myself have spoken twice over the phone with the Presidents of most West Asian countries. All of them have assured full safety for Indians. Unfortunately, during this period, some people have lost their lives and some have been injured. In such difficult circumstances, their families are being given all possible support, and the injured are receiving the best possible medical treatment.
Honourable Speaker,
All our missions in the affected countries are continuously engaged in helping Indians. Whether they are workers or tourists, everyone is being given every possible assistance. Our missions are issuing regular advisories. Here in India and in other affected countries, 24/7 control rooms and emergency helplines have been set up. Through these, timely information is being provided to all those affected.
Honourable Speaker,
In times of crisis, the safety of Indians at home and abroad has been our highest priority. Since the war began, more than 375,000 Indians have safely returned to India. From Iran alone, nearly 1,000 Indians have returned safely, including more than 700 young students pursuing medical education. In Gulf countries, thousands of students study in Indian schools. The CBSE has cancelled the scheduled Class 10 and Class 12 examinations in all such schools. To ensure uninterrupted education for these children, CBSE is taking appropriate measures. This shows that the government is sensitive, vigilant, and ready to provide every possible assistance.
Honourable Speaker,
India imports large quantities of crude oil, gas, and fertilizers through the Strait of Hormuz. Since the war began, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has become highly challenging. Despite this, our government has worked to ensure that the supply of petrol, diesel, and gas is not severely disrupted. Our focus has been to minimize difficulties for ordinary families. We all know that India imports 60% of its LPG requirements. Due to uncertainty in supply, the government has prioritized domestic use of LPG and is also increasing domestic production. Continuous efforts have been made to ensure smooth supply of petrol and diesel across the country.
Honourable Speaker,
In today’s circumstances, the steps taken over the past decade for energy security have become even more relevant. Over the last 11 years, India has diversified its energy imports. Earlier, crude oil, LNG, and LPG were imported from 27 countries. Today, India imports energy from 41 countries.
Honourable Speaker,
In the past decade, India has also prioritized crude oil storage for times of crisis. Today, India has a strategic petroleum reserve of more than 5.3 million metric tonnes, and work is underway to expand it to over 6.5 million metric tonnes. The reserves maintained by our oil companies are separate. In the past 11 years, our refining capacity has also increased significantly.
Honourable Speaker,
The government is in constant contact with suppliers from different countries. Efforts are being made to ensure supply of oil and gas from wherever possible. The Government of India is keeping a close watch on shipping routes in the Gulf and surrounding areas. Our aim is to ensure that ships carrying oil, gas, fertilizers, and other essential goods reach India safely. We are in continuous dialogue with all our global partners to keep our maritime corridors secure. As a result of these efforts, several of our ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz have recently reached India safely.
Honourable Speaker,
At this time of crisis, another preparation of the country is proving very useful. In the past 10–11 years, unprecedented work has been done on ethanol production and blending. A decade ago, India had only about 1.5% ethanol blending capacity. Today, we are close to achieving 20% ethanol blending in petrol. This has reduced oil imports by about 45 million barrels annually. Similarly, railway electrification has brought huge benefits. Without such electrification, about 1.8 billion litres of additional diesel would have been required every year. We have also expanded the metro network. In 2014, India’s metro network was less than 250 kilometers; today it has grown to nearly 1,100 kilometers. We have strongly promoted electric mobility. The central government has provided states with 15,000 electric buses. At the scale at which work is being done on alternative fuels today, India’s future will be even more secure.
Honourable Speaker,
We know that energy is the backbone of the economy, and West Asia is a major source of meeting global energy needs. Naturally, the world economy is being affected by the current crisis, and continuous efforts are being made to ensure that India faces the least possible adverse impact. The government is working with a clear strategy for short-term, medium-term, and long-term effects. The fundamentals of India’s economy are strong, which has also helped the country greatly. We are holding discussions with stakeholders across every sector, and wherever necessary, support is being provided. The Government of India has also set up an inter-ministerial group, which meets daily to assess difficulties in imports and exports and works continuously on necessary solutions. I am confident that through the combined efforts of the government and industry, we will be able to face these circumstances more effectively.
Honourable Speaker,
A major question is what impact the war will have on agriculture. Our farmers have filled our food grain reserves, so India has sufficient food stocks. Our effort is also to ensure proper sowing for the Kharif season. In recent years, the government has made adequate arrangements for fertilizers to deal with emergencies. In the past too, our government ensured that global crises did not burden farmers. During the COVID period and wars at that time, global supply chains were disrupted. The price of a bag of urea in world markets had reached ₹3000, but Indian farmers were provided the same bag at less than ₹300.
Honourable Speaker,
To protect farmers from such crises, many steps have been taken in recent years. In the past decade, six urea plants have been started in the country, adding more than 7.6 million metric tonnes of annual production capacity. During this period, domestic production of fertilizers like DAP and NPKS has also increased by nearly 5 million metric tonnes. Not only this, fertilizer imports have also been diversified, just like oil and gas. For DAP and NPKS imports too, we have expanded our options.
Honourable Speaker,
The government has also given farmers the option of Made-in-India nano urea. Farmers are being encouraged towards natural farming. Under the PM-KUSUM scheme, more than 2.2 million solar pumps have been provided to farmers, reducing their dependence on diesel. Through this House, I assure the farmers of the country that the government will continue to provide every possible assistance.
Honourable Speaker,
Another major challenge of the war is that summer is beginning in India. With rising temperatures, electricity demand will increase in the coming months. At present, all power plants in the country have adequate coal stocks. India has set a record of producing 1 billion tonnes of coal for the second consecutive year. From power generation to power supply, all our systems are being continuously monitored, and renewable energy has also supported our preparedness. In the past decade, India has taken major steps towards renewable energy. Today, half of our total installed power generation capacity comes from renewable sources. Our total renewable capacity has crossed the historic mark of 250 gigawatts. In the past 11 years, solar power capacity has risen from about 3 gigawatts to 140 gigawatts. Nearly 4 million rooftop solar installations have been set up in recent years, with the PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme providing significant help. Under the GobarDhan scheme, 200 compressed biogas plants are already operational in the country. All these efforts are proving very useful today. The government has also promoted nuclear energy production through the Amrit Kaal Energy Transition initiatives. Just a few days ago, the Small Hydro Power Development Scheme was approved, which will add 1500 megawatts of new hydro capacity in the next few years.
Honourable Speaker,
As far as diplomacy is concerned, India’s role has been clear. From the beginning, we have expressed deep concern over this conflict. I myself have spoken with all relevant leaders in West Asia. I have urged them to reduce tensions and end the conflict. India has opposed attacks on civilians, energy, and transport-related infrastructure. Attacks on commercial ships and obstruction in international waterways like the Strait of Hormuz are unacceptable. Through diplomacy, India is continuously working to ensure safe passage for Indian ships even in this war environment.
Honourable Speaker,
India has always raised its voice for humanity and in favor of peace. I repeat again-dialogue and diplomacy are the only solutions to this problem. All our efforts are aimed at reducing tensions and ending this conflict. Any threat to human life in this war is against the interest of humanity. Therefore, India’s effort is to encourage all parties towards a peaceful resolution at the earliest.
Honourable Speaker,
In times of such crises, some elements also try to misuse the situation. Therefore, all law enforcement agencies have been kept on alert. Coastal security, border security, cyber security, and protection of strategic installations are all being strengthened.
Honourable Speaker,
This war has created difficult global conditions that may persist for a long time. Hence, we must remain prepared and united. We faced similar challenges during the COVID crisis with unity. Now again, we must prepare in the same way. With patience, restraint, and calmness, we must face every challenge-that is our identity, that is our strength. At the same time, we must remain vigilant and cautious. Those who try to exploit the situation will attempt to spread falsehoods, but we must not let them succeed. Through this House, I also urge all state governments that during such times, black-marketeers and hoarders become active. Strict monitoring is necessary, and wherever such complaints arise, immediate action must be taken. When every government and every citizen of the country works together, we can challenge any challenge. With this appeal, I conclude my statement.
