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Vax drive needs ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ approach to achieve target: PM Modi

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Narendra-Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the vaccination drive against Covid-19 needs a ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ approach to achieve its target.

“So far you have been working to take people to vaccination centres, now it is time to reach every house for door-to-door vaccine. You can take help of local religious leaders to spread awareness about Covid vaccines and to fight rumours,” PM Modi told District Magistrates of low vaccination coverage districts during a review meeting.

A total of 40 low vaccination coverage districts have been identified across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tamil Nadu.

The Chief Ministers of these states were also present at the meeting.

The meeting was held via video conferencing and included districts with less than 50 per cent coverage of the first dose and low coverage of the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

Launching the new vaccination campaign ‘Har Ghar Dastak, Modi said: “We have showcased our capabilities under the ‘Sabko Vaccine, Muft Vaccine’, now its time to make ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign successful.”

The Prime Minister asked the officials to change gear from arrangements made for taking people to the vaccination centre to administering vaccines door to door.

He urged the health workers to reach every house with ‘Har Ghar Tika, Ghar Ghar Tika’ – vaccine at every doorstep.

“With the mantra of ‘Har Ghar Dastak’, knock on every door, every household lacking the security net of a double dose of vaccine will be approached,” he said.

The Prime Minister thanked the Chief Ministers for participating in the meeting, and said that their attention towards the vaccination numbers will encourage the district officials to achieve the target.

Modi said in this biggest pandemic of the century, the country faced many challenges.

He said “one special thing in the country’s fight against corona was that we found new solutions and tried innovative methods.”

He urged the administrators to work more on new innovative ways to increase vaccination in their districts. He said that even the better performing districts faced similar challenges, but they were met with determination and innovation.

He asked the officials to develop micro strategies, keeping in mind the experience so far to go for saturation vaccination by addressing the gaps at the local level.

The Prime Minister asked the officials to make different strategies for each village, each town in the district, if need be.

He suggested this can be done by forming a team of 20-25 people depending on the region.

Modi also suggested trying to have a healthy competition in the teams formed.

Exhorting the officials to prepare region-wise timetables for local goals, the Prime Minister said: “You will have to do your best to take your districts nearer the national average.”

He added, “One must never underestimate disease and enemies. They have to be fought till the very end. So, I would want that we should not show even the slightest laxity.”

The Prime Minister said the officials present in the meeting should pay equal attention to the second dose along with the first one.

The Prime Minister emphasised that under the Free Vaccine for All campaign, India created a record of administering about 2.5 crore vaccine doses in a day.

He asked the officials to learn from the good practices of their colleagues in the better performing districts and emphasised that approaches suitable for the local needs and the environment should be adopted.

National News

FICCI Frames 2025: ‘Shaved Again After Reaching Colaba From Juhu But Now..’ Akshay Kumar Praises CM Fadnavis For Easing Traffic Congestion In Mumbai

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Mumbai, October 7: Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar engaged in a candid conversation with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday, applauding the state’s rapid infrastructure development. Sharing a personal experience, Akshay said with a laugh, “Four days ago, I travelled from Juhu to Colaba in just 35 minutes. Earlier, it used to take so long that I had to shave twice, once before leaving home and again after reaching the set,” he said jokingly, drawing smiles from the audience.

He went on to highlight how the city’s connectivity has transformed. “There was a time when we used to talk about South Bombay and North Bombay, but now, because of the infrastructure you’ve created, it feels like one Mumbai,” the actor remarked.

During the conversation, Akshay urged the Chief Minister to focus on improving Film City in Goregaon, which he described as the heart of India’s film industry.

Responding to Akshay’s appeal, CM Fadnavis acknowledged the issue and shared his long-standing vision for the project. “I’m glad you brought this up. During my tenure between 2014 and 2019, one regret I have is that I couldn’t execute the Film City redevelopment. We had planned and designed it to become a vibrant international ecosystem and had even spoken to the film fraternity,” he said.

The Chief Minister assured that under the current government, he intends to turn that vision into reality. “This time, I will ensure that Film City is developed into a world-class ecosystem—one that reflects Mumbai’s global creative strength,” he added.

The interview offered a blend of star power and state vision, underscoring how infrastructure and creativity together shape Mumbai’s identity as India’s commercial and cultural capital.

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National News

Navi Mumbai: Man Arrested For Molesting 19-Year-Old College Girl At Vashi Railway Station

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Navi Mumbai: A 19-year-old college student was allegedly molested at Vashi railway station on Saturday morning while she was talking on her phone. The shocking incident, which took place around 11:40 am, has once again raised concerns about women’s safety in public transport spaces.

According to the police, the young woman was standing on the platform waiting for her train when a man came and stood close to her. While she was still on the call, the accused reportedly touched her inappropriately. Shocked and disturbed, the girl immediately approached a woman Government Railway Police (GRP) personnel who was on duty at the station and informed her about what had happened.

Senior Inspector Kiran Undre of the Vashi GRP said, “The complainant was returning home from college at around 11.40 am when the accused came and stood next to her on the platform. As she was talking on call, the accused touched her inappropriately. The victim immediately informed an on-duty woman GRP personnel. In the meantime, the accused had escaped.

The GRP officers quickly reviewed CCTV footage from the station and managed to identify the accused. A manhunt was launched, and the suspect was arrested from his residence on Monday, just two days after the incident. Senior Inspector Undre confirmed, “The accused’s image was obtained from the CCTV and he was arrested from his residence on Monday.”

Police said the accused will face charges under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code related to molestation and outraging a woman’s modesty.

Earlier this year, Vashi GRP arrested a 21-year-old man for allegedly sexually harassing a 17-year-old girl in the Panvel-CSMT bound train on July 1 night. Kiran Undre, senior inspector of Vashi GRP, said that the arrested accused was identified as Indrajit Mukhiya, who works at a sweet confectionery in Kharghar. Acting on a complaint by the victim, the accused Mukhiya was booked under relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Pocso Act.

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Maharashtra Govt Announces Up To 95% Subsidy For Rooftop Solar Panels Under SMART Scheme

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Mumbai: In a major push toward sustainable and affordable energy for low-income households, the Maharashtra government on Monday issued a Government Resolution (GR) announcing heavy subsidies ranging from 90 to 95 per cent for the installation of rooftop solar panels under the Swayampurna Maharashtra Residential Roof Top (SMART) Solar Scheme. The initiative aims to help Below Poverty Line (BPL), Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) consumers achieve ‘zero’ monthly electricity bills while promoting renewable energy adoption across the state.

According to the GR, households with monthly power consumption below 100 units will be eligible for the subsidy. The cost of installing a 1KW solar panel, capable of generating around 120 units of electricity per month, is estimated at Rs 50,000.

Of this, the Central government will provide Rs 30,000 as financial support. For BPL consumers, the state government will contribute an additional Rs 17,500, bringing the total subsidy to 95 per cent, with the consumer paying just Rs 2,500.

For SC and ST consumers with less than 100 units of monthly consumption, the subsidy will amount to Rs 45,000 (90%), requiring a contribution of Rs 5,000 from the consumer. Other economically weaker consumers who do not fall in these categories but consume less than 100 units monthly will receive a Rs 40,000 subsidy (80%), contributing Rs 10,000 themselves.

To ensure the smooth rollout of the scheme, the state government has allocated Rs 330 crore for the financial year 2025–26 and Rs 325 crore for 2026–27. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) will implement the project, with funds provided through the state’s budgetary grants.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier announced the plan in the state assembly, emphasising its goal to make electricity nearly free for the economically weaker sections. “It is finally being implemented, and with the low costs involved, electricity becomes almost free for these consumers,” said MSEDCL Managing Director Lokesh Chandra, as quoted by Times of India. He added that beneficiaries would also have the opportunity to earn additional income by selling surplus solar energy back to the grid.

As per state estimates, around five lakh domestic consumers are expected to benefit in the initial phase, comprising approximately 1.5 lakh BPL households and 3.5 lakh low-consumption consumers. The GR also mandates suppliers to maintain and repair the installed solar systems for five years, prioritizing implementation in remote and underdeveloped regions such as Melghat, Nandurbar and Gadchiroli.

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