Politics
Reform, perform, transform define today’s governance: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said reform, perform and transform mantra define today’s governance in the country.
He said during the last eight years, the government with the political willpower brought reforms and they yielded results on the ground due to people’s participation.
He said this while addressing 20th anniversary celebrations and graduation ceremony of the Post Graduate Programme of Class of 2022 at the Indian School of Business (ISB) here.
Addressing students of both Hyderabad and Mohali campuses of the ISB, he said that while the need for reform was always felt in the country, there was always a lack of political willpower.
“Due to the continuous political instability in the last three decades, the country has seen a lack of political willpower for a long time. Because of this the country stayed away from reforms and from taking big decisions. Since 2014, our country is seeing political will and also, reforms are being done continuously. We have shown public support and popular support is assured when reforms are undertaken with determination and political will,” he said.
He cited the example of adoption of digital payments among people. He said in a country where banking was considered a privilege, fintech has changed the life of the common man. He pointed out that today 40 per cent of the world’s digital transactions are happening in India.
The Prime Minister noted that today, India is the fastest growing economy in the group of G20 countries. In the case of smartphone data consumers, India is at number one. India is second in the world in terms of the number of Internet users. India is also second in the world in the Global Retail Index. The world’s third largest start-up ecosystem is in India. The world’s third largest consumer market is in India.
He claimed that even amid Covid pandemic, India proved its resilience. The century’s biggest health crisis disrupted the global supply chain and the war added to the problem.
“Despite all this India is emerging as a major centre of growth today. Last year, the highest ever recorded FDI came into India. Today the world is realising that India means business.”
Modi said it was not the success of the government alone but business schools like ISB, professionals who passed out from such institutes and youth played a big role.
“Be it start-ups or traditional business, manufacturing or service sector, India youth proving they can lead the world. Today, the world is looking at India’s youth with confidence and respect,” he said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that Indian solutions are being implemented globally. “Today on this important day, I would like to ask you to link your personal goals with the goals of the country,” he told the business graduates.
Modi said that resilience and strength of the health sector was proved during the pandemic. He recalled that there were no PPE manufacturers but the country produced 1,100 manufacturers and the Covid infrastructure in no time. There were only a couple of labs for testing but the number went up to 2,500.
“Regarding the Covid vaccines, concerns were being raised here whether foreign vaccines would be available or not. But India developed its own vaccines. In India more than 190 crore doses have been administered. India has also sent vaccines to more than 100 countries of the world,” he said.
Referring to the expansion of medical education in the last eight years, he said the number of medical colleges increased from 380 to over 600 while the number of graduate and post-graduate medical seats went up from 90,000 to over 1.50 lakh.
The Prime Minister stated that bureaucracy has also made firm contributions in the reform process.
“System is the same but results are encouraging. People are coming forward to increase the pace of reforms. When people cooperate, quick and better results are assured. In the system now, the government brings reforms, bureaucracy performs and people’s participation leads to transformation,” he said, and advised the ISB students to study this mechanism of reform, perform and transform as a case study and show it to the world.
He also cited the sport ecosystem transformation. He said after 2014 there has been phenomenal performance in every sport due to the confidence of athletes.
“Confidence comes when the right talent is discovered, when there is handholding of talent, when there is a transparent selection and a better infrastructure is available for training, competition. We can see transformation in sports due to reforms like Khelo India and Olympic Podium Scheme.”
He also cited the Aspirational District Programme as a great example of transformation. He said districts which were once branded as backward were performing better than the districts which were once considered as progressive.
The Prime Minister said that the definition of business is changing and its landscape is widening. Formal, informal, small and large businesses are expanding their horizons and giving employment to lakhs and crores of people.
He stressed the need to give more opportunities for growth to small businesses. He said students passing out of business schools can help them in connecting with the new local and global markets and with technology.
Earlier, Modi paid tributes to those who have contributed to take the institute to its current glory. He recalled that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee dedicated this institution to the country in 2001.
Since then, about 50,000 executives have passed out from ISB. Today, ISB is among the top business schools of Asia.
Professionals passed out from ISB are helming top companies and giving momentum to the county’s business. Students from here have created many start-ups and played a role in creating several unicorns.
“This is an achievement of ISB and a cause of pride for the entire country,” he said.
Crime
Why Bengal govt is taking time to implement SC’s order on cancellation of school jobs: Calcutta HC

Kolkata, April 21: The Calcutta High Court, on Monday, observed why the West Bengal government and West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) are taking time to implement the order by the Supreme Court (SC), cancelling 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs in state-run schools.
Acting on a contempt-of-court petition filed against the state government and WBSSC for not implementing the apex court order, Calcutta High Court’s division bench of Justice Debangsu Basak and Justice Shabbar Rashidi also directed the state government and the commission to explain to the court within a day.
The next hearing on the matter will be on April 23, and the state government and the commission will have to submit their explanations on the same day.
Last year, the same division bench of Justice Basak and Justice Rashidi cancelled 25,753 teaching and non-teaching jobs, which is the entire panel of WBSSC for 2016. The state government approached the SC challenging the order.
Earlier this month, the SC division bench of Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld the order of the Calcutta High Court and also accepted the observation that the entire panel had to be cancelled because of the failure on the part of the state government and the commission to segregate the “genuine” candidates from the “tainted” ones.
Thereafter, the contempt of court petition was filed at the same division bench of the Calcutta High Court, accusing the state government and the commission of not even initiating the termination of jobs of those who have already been identified as “tainted” by the commission itself.
During the hearing in the matter on Monday, the division bench observed that there will be problems if even the “tainted” candidates continue receiving their salaries.
On Monday, the division bench also raised the question of why the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials are not interrogating those candidates who have already been identified as “tainted.”
The division bench also observed that the CBI should find out how those who were paid money by the “tainted” candidates against jobs.
On Wednesday, the CBI counsel will also have to give an explanation to the court in the matter.
National News
Delhi CM’s heat action plan: 3000 water ATMs, cooling shelters, ‘Aapda Mitras’

New Delhi, April 21: Activating the disaster management machinery and proposing 3,000 cold water ATMs, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday unveiled Heat Action Plan (2025), promising to collectively offer respite to people in sweltering heat.
Apart from involving 1,800 National and Delhi Disaster Response volunteers or ‘Aapda Mitras’, the plan talks of setting up shaded, cooling shelters, opening 3,000-4,000 large water RO units attached to boundary walls of Delhi government schools and office buildings to dispense cold water round-the-clock for five lakh citizens.
It also proposes setting up 3,000 water ATMs for the public on PWD roads — near bus stops and traffic intersections.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the national capital’s seasons are often associated with civic woes — water shortage in summer, pollution in winter and waterlogging in monsoon — but her government would ensure citizens can enjoy every season without trouble.
Repeating her government’s commitment to offer relief to heat-struck people, CM Gupta said under the Heat Action Plan, 3000 water coolers or ATMs would be installed — 1,000 on public roads, 1000 in government buildings and 1,000 in the rural belt.
“We will also seek help from private entities under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives,” she said.
The Chief Minister said the Delhi government will regularly issue heat alerts through SMS and social media for the public to take precautions.
Besides special heatwave wards in hospitals, Aapda Mitras will also be deputed for anti-heat actions in slums.
“Every life is precious for the nation and the city, and we are committed to saving it,” she said, suggesting measures to help even animals.
Earlier, PWD Minister Parvesh Verma said the Delhi government is going to prove its commitment to public welfare through its actions and not just announcements.
He said the Delhi government has already launched GPS-linked water tankers to meet the summer crisis and initiated the introduction of new heat-resistant, cool roofs for government buildings, and the experiment will be expanded gradually.
Maharashtra
Loudspeakers of mosques in Mumbai, Kurt Somaiya’s notice against mosques, threat of deteriorating atmosphere, police notice to maintain law and order,

Mumbai: Mumbai The controversy over loudspeakers of Mumbai mosques has now intensified. BJP leader Kret Soumya is adamant on action against mosques in Mumbai, after which the Mumbai Police also issued a restraining order notice to Kret Soumya. But despite all this, Kret Soumya visited the Bhandup police and not only demanded action against loudspeakers, but the police, under Kret Soumya’s pressure, took action against loudspeakers of four mosques in Malind. In addition, an illegal mosque was located in Jala Ram Market. Action was taken against it. So far, 11 loudspeakers have been removed. All these loudspeakers were on the mosque within the limits of the Bhandup police station. This information was given by Kret Soumya.
Bhandup police had issued a notice under Section 168 to Kreet Soumya to maintain law and order, asking him not to visit the Muslim settlements of Bhandup Khandipara during his visit on April 19, as this could pose a threat to law and order and also create traffic problems. Along with this, the police had also issued an order for action under Section 223 for violating the notice, despite which Kreet Soumya appeared at the Bhandup police station.
Kreet Soumya’s incitement against mosques is at its peak, and Kreet Soumya’s campaign in Mumbai city is also threatening law and order and communal harmony, while Kreet Soumya has also warned of intensifying this campaign, which continues to pose a law and order problem in Mumbai city. Kret Soumya’s campaign against mosques has also raised fears of communal tension, while the police have now started the process of sending notices to Kret Soumya for visiting Muslim-majority areas. However, despite this, Kret Soumya tries to pressure police officers by going to the relevant police station, while the police have banned Kret Soumya from entering mosques and other religious places in Muslim-majority areas. This is the first time this action has been taken against Kret Soumya in Bhandup.
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