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Budget Session 2024: PM Modi Appeals To Opposition Parties To Set Aside ‘Bitterness’ Ahead Of Budget

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Budget Session 2024: PM Modi Appeals To Opposition Parties To Set Aside 'Bitterness' Ahead Of Budget

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appealed to all parliamentarians to rise above party politics and come together to work for the future of the country.

Addressing the press ahead of the Budget session of Parliament, PM Modi appealed to opposition parties doing “negative politics” to “get rid of past bitterness and come together.” “I would like to request all parliamentarians to participate in all discussions in the House, no matter how ideologically opposed they are. Opposite ideologies are not bad, but negative ideologies are. That is when the limit of thoughts come to an end. The country does not need negativity,” PM Modi said.

Urging all MPs to have progressive ideologies, the Prime Minister said, “The country needs a progressive ideology that fuels development and takes the country to great heights.” In an attack on the opposition for not allowing the House to function smoothly during the innaugral session of the Parliament after the new NDA government came back to power, PM Modi said that the MPs tried to stifle the voice of the government and the Prime Minister.

“In the first session after the formation of new government, they stifled the voice of the government that was elected to power by 140 crore people in the country through undemocratic means. For two and a half hours they tried to stifle the voice of the Prime Minister of the country. This does not find any place in the democractic principles of the country. They do not even repent this or are hurt by this,” PM Modi said.

Asking people to rise above party lines and represent the voices of the countrymen in the Parliament, PM Modi said, “I would like to tell everyone that people have sent us here for the country and not for our respective parties. This Parliament is not for our parties but for the country. This Parliament is not just restricted to Parliamentarians but for 140 crore people.” “I hope that we utilize the temple of democracy positive to fulfill the aspirations of ordinary citizens in India,” he added.

“I would like to ask all the parties to rise above party lines and dedicate themselves to the country and use this dignified platform of Parliament for the next 4.5 years. In the election year of January 2029, you can play any game, but till then we should participate for the empowerment of the farmers, youth and the country’, the Prime Minister said.

Third inaugural Budget

Greeting people on the first day of the month of Sawan, PM Modi said, “Today is the first Monday of Sawan. An important session is starting on this auspicious day. I extend my greetings to the countrymen on the first Monday of Sawan. The monsoon session of Parliament is starting today. Today the whole country is looking at it. This should be a positive session…” Prime Minister Modi said that it is a moment for pride for the government to present the inaugral budget for the third time after government formation after 60 years.

“…It is a matter of pride that after 60 years, a government has come to power for the third time and will present the first Budget for the third time…I have been giving guarantees to the people of the country and our mission is to bring this to the ground. This Budget is important budget for Amrit Kaal. Today’s budget will decide the direction for the next 5 years of our term. This budget will also become a strong foundation of our dream of ‘Viksit Bharat’…,” he said.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will table the Economic Survey 2023-24 in Parliament on Monday.

The Budget Session of Parliament which is commencing on Monday is likely to conclude on August 12.

The Session will have 16 sittings spread over 22 days. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that this session will mainly be devoted to the financial business relating to the Union Budget for 2024-25 which will be presented to Lok Sabha on July 23.

The Economic Survey of India 2023-24 along with a statistical appendix will be laid on the table of the Houses of Parliament on Monday. The Budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir for 2024 will also be presented on July 23. Union Ministers Jayant Chaudhary, Pankaj Chaudhary, Kirtivardhan Singh and Sukanta Majumdar will lay papers on the table in Lok Sabha on Monday.

Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will move a motion for the election of two members to the central building and other construction workers’ advisory committee in Lok Sabha.

Union Minister Manohar Lal will move the motion for election to the Rajghat Samadhi Committee (RSC).

Matters under Rule 377 is likely to be taken for discussion in Lok Sabha.

Business

World Bank flags rising poverty levels in Pakistan

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New Delhi, Oct 8: The World Bank has expressed serious concern over Pakistan’s economy as the country has failed to reduce poverty despite massive loans injected by the IMF.

The current model of growth has failed to ameliorate the conditions of the poor, and the headcount ratio (HCR) has surged to its highest level of 25.3 per cent in the last eight years, which is a 7 per cent increase in HCR since 2023, the World Bank report states.

Instead of concentrating on rural development to reduce poverty, the Pakistan government has been focused more on increasing defence expenditure.

The World Bank report titled “Reclaiming Momentum Towards Prosperity: Pakistan’s Poverty, Equity and Resilience Assessment” released on September 23, mentions that even the country’s aspiring middle class (constituting 42.7 per cent of its population) is “struggling to achieve full economic security”.

Pakistan’s once-promising poverty reduction trajectory has come to a troubling halt, reversing years of hard-fought gains.

After dramatically reducing poverty from 64.3 per cent in 2001 to 21.9 per cent in 2018 — declining by 3 percentage points annually until 2015 before slowing to less than 1 percentage point per year — recent compounding shocks have pushed poverty rates back up to a projected 25.3 per cent by 2023-24, the report states.

The economic model that delivered early wins has reached its limits, with 14 per cent of the population in 2018 remaining vulnerable to falling back into poverty when faced with shocks.

Compounding crises — Covid-19, economic instability, devastating floods, and record-high inflation—have further exposed systemic weaknesses, leaving many in low-productivity activities and unable to cope with these challenges, the report points out.

Bold policy reforms are now essential to address structural imbalances, prevent sliding back into poverty during shocks, and tackle the persistent challenges in remote areas. In this context, this Poverty, Equity, and Resilience Assessment , the first since the early 2000s, looks at how poverty has evolved in Pakistan by combining traditional and non-traditional data, offering detailed analysis and strategic direction on the country’s efforts and challenges to reduce poverty and promote equity.

This comprehensive assessment aims to provide a roadmap for policymakers and stakeholders to address poverty and equity challenges in Pakistan effectively, the report added.

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Crime

CBI arrests two CGST officers in Mumbai for accepting Rs 25,000 bribe

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Mumbai, Oct 8: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday said it has arrested a Superintendent and an Inspector of the Central Goods and Services Tax (CGST) in Mumbai, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 25,000 from a businessman.

According to a CBI statement, the arrested officials have been identified as Superintendent Vikram and Inspector Lav Kumar Chittoria, both posted in the CGST Santacruz Division.

The case was registered on Tuesday following a complaint from a textile trader who had applied online for GST registration of his firm on September 24, the statement said.

The complainant alleged that during a field inspection on October 3, Chittoria demanded Rs 25,000 as illegal gratification for himself and his superior officer.

The officers allegedly warned that the GST registration certificate would not be issued unless the bribe was paid.

Acting on the complaint, the CBI laid a trap and caught both the accused red-handed while accepting the bribe amount inside the CGST West Mumbai Office on Tuesday.

The bribe money was recovered from their possession. Following the arrests, searches were carried out at the offices and residences of both officials, during which several incriminating documents were also seized.

A CBI spokesperson said that both officers were taken into custody for interrogation and will be produced before a competent court in Mumbai later in the day.

“Further investigation is underway to determine whether other officials were involved in the bribery racket and to trace possible links with similar cases,” the official added.

The agency reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption in government departments and urged citizens to report any instance of demand for bribes through its dedicated helpline and online portal.

Just a few days ago, in its crackdown on bribery in government offices, the CBI arrested two senior government officials of the Ministry of Defence and a railway hospital, in two separate cases of bribery.

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Business

Committed to boosting Mumbai’s infrastructure, ease of living: PM Modi

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Mumbai, Oct 8: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to enhancing Mumbai’s infrastructure and the ‘Ease of Living’ as he is set to inaugurate Phase-1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) and the Mumbai Metro Line-3.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “On the way to Navi Mumbai to take part in the programme marking the inauguration of Phase-1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport. With this, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region will get its second major international airport, thus boosting commerce and connectivity.”

“The final phase of the Mumbai Metro Line-3 will also be inaugurated. We are committed to enhancing Mumbai’s infrastructure and boosting ‘Ease of Living’ for the people of this dynamic city,” he added.

Phase-1 of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, developed at an estimated cost of Rs 19,650 crore, will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister in line with his vision of transforming India into a global aviation hub.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport is India’s largest Greenfield airport project, developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. As the second international airport for the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, it will work in coordination with the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) to reduce congestion and position Mumbai among global cities with multi-airport systems.

Spread across 1,160 hectares, NMIA is designed to be one of the most efficient airports in the world, capable of handling up to 90 million passengers per annum and 3.25 million metric tonnes of cargo.

Among its standout features is an Automated People Mover (APM) system that will connect all four passenger terminals to facilitate smooth inter-terminal transfers. A landside APM will also link the city-side infrastructure, ensuring convenience for passengers and staff.

Committed to sustainability, the airport will include storage for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), solar power generation of nearly 47 MW, and electric bus services for city-wide connectivity. NMIA will also become the country’s first airport to be connected by a Water Taxi service.

In addition to the airport, PM Modi will inaugurate Phase 2B of the Mumbai Metro Line-3, which stretches from Acharya Atre Chowk to Cuffe Parade and has been constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 12,200 crore.

With this launch, the Prime Minister will dedicate the entire Mumbai Metro Line-3 (Aqua Line) to the nation. Built at a total cost exceeding Rs 37,270 crore, this milestone marks a major leap forward in the city’s urban transport infrastructure.

Mumbai Metro Line-3, the city’s first fully underground metro line, is set to redefine commuting in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region by offering faster, more efficient, and eco-friendly transport options for millions of daily commuters.

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