IndianBureaucracy Jaipur, Rajasthan – In a virtual address to the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Rajasthan’ program, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated, dedicated to the nation, and laid the foundation stone for a slew of transformative development projects in Rajasthan, totalling an impressive Rs 17,000 crore.

Key Highlights of the Program:

1. National Highway Projects: The Prime Minister inaugurated various National Highway projects exceeding Rs 5,000 crore, including the 8-lane Delhi-Mumbai Greenfield Alignment (NE-4) and the 6-lane Greenfield Udaipur Bypass. These projects aim to enhance connectivity and decongest major traffic routes in the region.
2. Railway Initiatives: Prime Minister Modi dedicated eight significant railway projects worth around Rs 2,300 crore, focusing on electrification, revamp, and repair works. Notably, the Khatipura railway station was dedicated to the nation, designed as a satellite station for Jaipur, equipped with terminal facilities to originate and terminate trains.
3. Solar Energy Projects: The foundation stone was laid for essential solar projects valued at around Rs 5,300 crore, emphasising the government’s commitment to renewable energy. This includes the NLCIL Barsingsar Solar Project, a 300 MW Solar Power Project, and a 300 MW Solar Power project by NHPC LTD, both in Bikaner.
4. Power Transmission Sector: The Prime Minister dedicated power transmission sector projects exceeding Rs 2,100 crore, aimed at evacuating power from solar energy zones in Rajasthan. These projects play a crucial role in transmitting solar power to various regions, contributing to sustainable and clean energy practices.
5. Jal Jeevan Mission: Foundation stones for multiple projects worth approximately Rs 2,400 crore, falling under the Jal Jeevan Mission, were laid. These projects focus on strengthening the infrastructure to provide clean drinking water, aligning with the government’s commitment to ensuring access to safe drinking water for all.
6. Indian Oil’s LPG Bottling Plant: Prime Minister Modi dedicated Indian Oil’s LPG bottling plant at Jodhpur, showcasing state-of-the-art infrastructure and automation systems. The plant is expected to generate employment opportunities and cater to the growing demand for LPG in the region.

During his address, Prime Minister Modi expressed gratitude for the widespread participation of citizens from all constituencies of Rajasthan in the ‘Viksit Bharat Viksit Rajasthan’ program. He lauded the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for leveraging technology to unite beneficiaries under one virtual roof.

Highlighting the significance of the development projects, Prime Minister Modi emphasised their potential to create numerous employment opportunities in the state. He reminisced about the positive reception received in Rajasthan during various events and acknowledged the state’s role in realising the vision of ‘Modi’s Guarantee.’

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of fast-paced development in essential sectors like rail, road, electricity, and water for the overall growth of Rajasthan. He underscored the government’s commitment to allocating a record Rs 11 lakh crores in this year’s Union Budget for infrastructure development, aimed at benefiting industries like cement, stones, and ceramics.

Prime Minister Modi acknowledged the historic investment in rural roads, highways, and expressways in Rajasthan over the past decade. He highlighted the improved connectivity, linking Rajasthan with coastal areas and contributing to the state’s economic development.

Emphasising the government’s focus on empowering youth, women, farmers, and the poor, Prime Minister Modi declared these as the four biggest castes for the government. He praised the new state government for proposing 70,000 jobs in its first Budget and the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to tackle paper leak incidents.

The Prime Minister affirmed the government’s commitment to providing gas cylinders to poor families at affordable rates and commended the state government for efficient utilisation of funds. He announced an increase in financial assistance under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi for farmers in Rajasthan and highlighted the government’s serious approach to fulfilling promises across various sectors.

The Prime Minister reiterated the importance of Viksit Rajasthan in the broader context of Viksit Bharat, emphasising the need for robust development in crucial sectors. He noted that the development of these sectors would benefit farmers, animal keepers, industries, and tourism while attracting new investments and employment opportunities to the state.

Closing his address, Prime Minister Modi affirmed that the vision of Viksit Bharat and Viksit Rajasthan resonates with the aspirations of the first-time voters, symbolising a prosperous and empowered future for the state.

The program witnessed the participation of Governor of Rajasthan, Shri Kalraj Mishra, Chief Minister Rajasthan, Shri Bhajan Lal Sharma, other Ministers of the Rajasthan Government, MPs, MLAs, and local-level representatives across the state.

Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, launched the “Citizen Corner” on the Jal Jeevan Mission’s dynamic dashboard, a move in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of inclusive development. This user-friendly tool offers real-time insights into a village’s water quality and supply at the click of a button. Launched during a two-day national workshop in Lucknow, the “Citizen Corner” enables individuals to voice water quality concerns through an online form or a toll-free number. It also allows citizens to manage water quality, locate testing labs, and book tests seamlessly. The initiative, coined ‘Stay Informed, Stay Empowered,’ bridges the gap between information and action, enhancing transparency and ease for Gram Panchayats and rural households.

The dynamic dashboard of Jal Jeevan Mission ‘Citizen Corner’ is a one-stop solution with an easy interface with real-time details on water quality of a village and all other water supply information at the click of a button and puts the ability to manage water quality and supply directly into the hands of the citizens. Citizen Corner was launched at the two-day national workshop organised at Lucknow in the presence of Shri Swatantra Dev Singh, Jal Shakti Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Smt Vini Mahajan, Secretary-DDWS, Shri Chandra Bhushan Kumar, AS&MD-NJJM, Shri Jitendra Srivastava, JS&MD-SBMG, Shri Anurag Srivastava, Principal Secretary – Govt. of Uttar Pradesh and Shri Ravi Kishan, a popular actor and Member of the Lok Sabha, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

This initiative is a significant step towards transparency and accountability in water management as it allows people to raise concerns about water quality through an online complaint form or a toll-free number provided by States/ UTs. This citizen centric tool on the Jal Jeevan Mission Dashboard enables and empowers citizens to manage water quality and help them locate the nearest water testing laboratory for quality test and check the rate list for chemical and bacteriological parameters, and even book a test seamlessly. If they discover that the water quality is not within the prescribed limits, they can now lodge a complaint and bring it to the attention of water supply department of their district.

Initiated with the idea of ‘Stay Informed, Stay Empowered’, Citizen Corner facilitates real-time access to information about water quality that not only empowers a common man with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about water safety but also adds to the confidence of the people for effective water management. As knowledge and information are key to building confidence, the ‘Citizen Corner’ serves as the bridge between information and action. The inclusion of the ‘Citizen Corner’ has granted citizens the power to monitor and check water quality, while also, allowing for quick grievance redressal system, while also strengthen and empower the Gram Panchayats and every rural household with transparency and ease.

Link to access the corner: https://ejalshakti.gov.in/jjm/citizen_corner/villageinformation.aspx

The PM SVANidhi Mega Camp, an event dedicated to supporting street vendors, took place recently. Housing Minister Hardeep Singh Puri addressed the camp, which saw the distribution of loans to 10,000 street vendors. The primary focus of the event was to showcase the success of the PM SVANidhi scheme, a government initiative aimed at assisting street vendors, especially during challenging times like the pandemic.

During the camp, Minister Puri highlighted the significant impact of the scheme, which not only provides financial support but also restores respect and dignity to street vendors. The success story was shared in the context of Delhi, where, as of February 14, 2024, 3.05 lakh loan applications were received. Out of these, 2.2 lakh applications were approved, and loans worth Rs. 221 crores were disbursed to 1.9 lakh street vendors. The Mega Camp’s distribution of 10,000 additional loans marked a milestone, pushing the total loans given in Delhi beyond 2 lakhs. The event aimed to celebrate the positive outcomes of the PM SVANidhi scheme in uplifting street vendors across the country.

The Jal Jeevan Mission, dedicated to providing tap water connections in rural households, unveiled its communication strategy through the release of the Compendium of Behavioural Best Practices and Integrated Communications Strategy. Union Minister of Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, presented these documents in collaboration with NITI Aayog, Global Health Strategies, and the Behavioural Insights Unit, reflecting the mission’s commitment to revolutionising water access nationwide.

The strategy focuses on positive community participation, incorporating subtle nudges for behavioural change. Unveiled at a two-day workshop in Lucknow, the documents align with Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) practices, emphasising key achievements, community-led initiatives, technological innovations, and the positive impact of improved water access on health and education. The Communication Strategy aims to promote sustainable practices, engage communities, raise awareness, and provide guidance for regional teams, fostering a people’s movement under the ‘Har Ghar Jal’ programme. The implementation of this strategy seeks to create a supportive environment through various channels, serving as a comprehensive guide for dynamic collaborations and empowering stakeholders to positively influence behaviours in support of the Jal Jeevan Mission.

India and Colombia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the field of Sharing Successful Digital Solutions Implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation. It was signed between the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, and Jal Shakti, Shri Rajeev Chandrasekhar exchanged the MoU with Mr. Mauricio Lizcano, Minister of Information Technologies and Communications of Colombia.

The signatories were Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary of MeitY from India’s side, and Mr. Mauricio Lizcano from Colombia’s side. The MoU intends to promote digital transformation (viz INDIA STACK) through capacity-building programs, the exchange of best practices, the exchange of public officials and experts, the development of pilot or demo solutions and the facilitation of private sector contacts to mutually benefit the digital ecosystems of both countries.

Both sides discussed the importance of Digital Public Infrastructures. These infrastructures constitute a set of shared digital systems that are secure and interoperable. They can be built on open standards to deliver and provide equitable access to public and private services. India Stack Solutions are DPIs developed and implemented by India at population scale to provide access and delivery of public services.

India is keen on partnering with Colombia by building upon development partnership on digital transformation leading to a smooth adoption of Digital Public Infrastructure in Colombia.