New Delhi, April 21: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed the 17th Civil Services Day programme in the national capital, lauding the relentless efforts of India’s civil servants and underlining their key role in realising the dream of a ‘Viksit Bharat.’

Speaking at Vigyan Bhawan, PM Modi paid rich tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, recalling his iconic 1947 address in which he called civil servants the “steel frame” of India.

“This Civil Services Day is special for several reasons. We are celebrating 75 years of our Constitution and the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. On April 21, 1947, he had described you (civil servants) as the steel frame of India,” he said.

Reflecting on Patel’s vision, the Prime Minister said, “He laid out the ideals of a civil servant — one who serves the nation with honesty, discipline, democratic spirit, and dedication. These lessons of Sardar Patel become even more relevant as we move towards the resolution of Viksit Bharat.”

PM Modi said that achieving the dream of a Viksit Bharat will require every arm of progress to work in synergy.

“Our bureaucracy and policy-making cannot function with outdated methods when the world is evolving so quickly. Our young generation is growing up with rapid technological changes, new gadgets every two to three years. We must match this pace,” he stated.

Highlighting areas where India must grow — from clean energy to sports and space — the Prime Minister stressed, “Everyone is looking towards you (civil servants). You have a big responsibility to help India become the world’s third-largest economy. We must work together to ensure this goal is achieved.”

This year’s theme for Civil Services Day is ‘Holistic Development of India,’ which the Prime Minister explained as “no village left behind, no family left behind.”

He also presented the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration, recognising top-performing officials behind initiatives like PM Vishwakarma, Poshan Tracker, Siksha Setu Axom, and Sugamya Pustakalaya.

“Good governance is not defined by the number of schemes but by the impact it creates on the ground,” he said. Citing examples, he mentioned districts where solar power and improved attendance systems have shown positive results and praised the efforts of public administrators across the country.

He added that in the last decade, India has moved beyond incremental progress to transformative change.

“Today, India’s governance model focuses on next-generation reforms. Through technology and innovation, we’re bridging the gap between government and citizens. These changes are visible not only in urban and rural areas but also in remote corners of the country,” he said.

PM Modi cited Bhagalpur in Bihar, where the registration of pregnant women in Jagdishpur block rose from 25 per cent to over 90 per cent. In Marwah block of Jammu and Kashmir, institutional deliveries increased from 30 per cent to 100 per cent, reflecting improved healthcare access.

Touching upon India’s global leadership, the Prime Minister highlighted the scale of its G20 presidency. “For the first time in G20 history, more than 200 meetings took place across over 60 cities, creating a wide and inclusive footprint. This is the holistic approach of today’s India,” he said, adding, “India is not just participating — India is leading.”

He noted that while many now talk about government efficiency, India is already ahead of other countries by a decade. “We have eliminated delays and are creating new processes. Over 40,000 compliances have been removed to boost ease of doing business,” he said.

The Prime Minister recalled early opposition to reforms, including compliance reduction and decriminalisation of business errors.

He said that the foundation laid over the past decade has greatly strengthened the path towards Viksit Bharat 2047.

“We cannot evaluate our work or performance by comparing it to previous governments…We must set our own benchmarks. We need to measure how far we still are from the goal of a ‘Viksit Bharat by 2047’. The time for tallying up what we have achieved so far is over.

“India is now the most populous country in the world. Ensuring saturation of basic facilities should be our top priority,” the Prime Minister added.

“In the last ten years, we built 4 crore (40 million) permanent houses for the poor, but now we have a target of building 3 crore more. We have provided tap water connections to 12 crore homes in 5–6 years. Now, we must ensure every household has access to tap water as soon as possible. In ten years, we have built over 11 crore toilets for the poor. Now, we need to quickly achieve new targets related to waste management,” he mentioned.

He also launched two e-books — Holistic Development of Districts and Select Innovations — and honoured top-performing districts in schemes like Ayushman Bharat Yojana, PM Vishwakarma Yojana, Har Ghar Jal, and PM Awas Yojana.

Awarded districts included Rajkot in Gujarat, Gomti in Tripura, Tinsukia in Assam, Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir, and Koraput in Odisha.

Blocks recognised under the Aspirational Block Programme included Gamharia (Jharkhand), Parappa (Kerala), Narnoor (Telangana), Ganganagar (Tripura), and Rama (Madhya Pradesh).

Jamshedpur, April 21: Vinay Kumar Singh, the national vice president of Karni Sena and Jharkhand state president, was shot dead in Jamshedpur late Sunday night, triggering widespread outrage among his supporters, police officials said on Monday.

Singh, 46, was a resident of Aastha Space Township in Mango, Jamshedpur.

According to his family, he had left home on Sunday afternoon for work related to land dealings but did not return by evening. A search was launched, and around 11 p.m., his body was found in a bush off a dirt road, approximately 500 meters from NH-33 (Tata-Ranchi Road).

He had bullet wounds to the head and multiple injuries on his body, police said.

Police reached the spot shortly after receiving information. A scooty, a mobile phone, and a pistol were recovered from the scene.

Family members have alleged that the pistol was planted near his hand to mislead investigators, insisting Singh had no criminal background or links to weapons.

Singh also owned a tile shop near the Ulidih police station and was said to be active in land-related business. Sources said he had received threats a few months ago.

News of the murder spread rapidly, prompting Karni Sena members and supporters to block Dimna Chowk and NH-33 in protest. They demanded immediate arrest of those responsible and threatened a larger agitation if swift action was not taken.

Protesters also slammed the police for the delay in dispatching an ambulance to transport Singh’s body.

The blockade was lifted around 1 a.m. in the night after the ambulance arrived and the body was sent for post-mortem.

Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the murder. DSP Bachan Deo Kujur said all angles are being examined and assured that the perpetrators will be brought to justice soon.

San Francisco, April 21: Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman said on Monday that India has become the fastest-growing economy, driven by the “visionary leadership” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the stability provided by a continuing government.

Addressing the Indian diaspora in the US, the Finance Minister said, “When we say that India is the fastest-growing economy and when the IMF and World Bank recognise that India can be the engine driving global trade, what they are recognising is the immense potential that exists in India.”

Highlighting the steps to strengthen the Indian economy, Sitharaman said, “During the Covid-19 pandemic, our fiscal deficit went up. But in 2021, we came up with a clear signal as to how we wanted to manage our fiscal deficit. We set year-on-year targets and committed to bringing the fiscal deficit below 4.5 per cent by 2026. And that’s what we have been following each year without fail.”

She said the government’s primary focus under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is achieving ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. This vision encompasses improvements across sectors impacting women, the impoverished, youth, and farmers.

FM Sitharaman highlighted that India prioritises ‘Sunrise Sectors’ and stands out as a leader in Digital Public Infrastructure, driving innovation and growth..

She also said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes it a part of his every overseas visit to connect with the Indian diaspora because he thinks that it is important that India connects with each one of you who, located in whichever part of the world, are doing your best to contribute to the world and stand out as an example.”

Sitharaman is on a five-day visit to the United States. Upon her arrival in San Francisco, she was received by Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra

During the visit, she is slated to deliver a keynote speech at Stanford University and hold discussions with CEOs in San Francisco on investment and technological advancements. The visit will also include participation in diaspora events, enhancing India’s global cultural presence.

In Washington DC, Sitharaman will attend the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, and the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meetings. She will also hold bilateral talks on the sidelines with counterparts from the US, the UK, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and other countries, as well as top officials from international financial institutions. After completing her US trip, Sitharaman will travel to Peru for a visit from April 26 to 30.