President Ram Nath Kovind has paid floral tributes to former President R. Venkataraman on his Birth Anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhavan today. The President and officials of Rashtrapati Bhavan paid respects before his portrait.

On the occasion of Foundation Day of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) today, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated DRI and its officers on their performance and commendable service, especially during the COVID pandemic. She inaugurated DRI’s 64th Founding Day celebrations at New Delhi.

Ms. Sitharaman unveiled 'Smuggling in India Report 2020-21'. The report highlights the performance of DRI over the last year and captures issues related to national security, foreign trade policy, gold smuggling, environmental violations, narcotics, import and export frauds, violations of allied Acts, international cooperation, public health and safety.

On this occasion, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary also lauded the anti-smuggling and enforcement operations done by DRI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh on 7th of this month and dedicate to the nation development projects worth over nine thousand 600 crore rupees.

The Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation, the Gorakhpur Fertilizer Plant, whose foundation stone was laid by him on 22nd July 2016. Lying shut for more than 30 years, it has been revived and built at a cost of around eight thousand 600 crore rupees. The driving force behind the revival of the Fertilizer Plant is the vision of the Prime Minister to achieve self-sufficiency in production of urea.

The Gorakhpur Plant will make available 12.7 Lakh Metric Tonnes per annum indigenous neem coated Urea production. It will help prove to be of immense benefit for the farmers of Purvanchal region and adjoining areas by meeting their demand for Urea fertilizer. It will also boost the overall economic growth of the region.

The project has been set up under the aegis of Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Limited, HURL, which is a Joint Venture Company of National Thermal Power Corporation, Coal India Limited, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Fertilizer Corporation of India and Hindustan Fertilizer Corporation Limited and is working towards reviving Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni Fertilizer Plants.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the government's aim is to achieve the defence export target of 35,000 crore rupees by 2024-25. Mr Singh said, promoting Indian exports is the topmost priority of the Government. He said, India should become a net exporter instead of a net importer.

Speaking at the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers, Mr Singh said, Defence Ministry has approved a central sector scheme for iDEX with a 500 crore rupees budget for the next five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26, which will provide financial aid to 300 start-ups, MSMEs and individual innovators and 20 partner incubators.

The Minister said, request for proposal will be issued to avail such schemes for all MSMEs and projects under Make categories where purchasing cost is not more than 100 crores a year or the total value is less than 150 crores to encourage Start-ups and MSMEs.

Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah is embarking on a two-day tour of Rajasthan this afternoon. He will be reaching Jaisalmer and will spend a night with BSF personnel at a Border Outpost near the international border.

AIR correspondent reports, The Home Minister will offer prayers at Tanot Mateshwari temple and then will go to the Border Outpost.  Mr. Shah will meet with BSF personnel guarding the International Border in the region and will review the security situation.

The Home Minister will closely watch night patrolling being done by BSF personnel and also spend a night with them. Mr Shah will be Chief Guest in the 57th Raising Day Parade of the BSF to be celebrated tomorrow morning in Jaisalmer for the first time outside Delhi.

After the event, Home Minister will fly to Jaipur, where he will address two functions organized by State BJP.

President Ram Nath Kovind has said that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) upholds prudence, wisdom and propriety in the Parliamentary system. Addressing the Centenary Celebration of Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, Mr Kovind said, Gandhiji considered account keeping is essential for clean public life. Mr Kovind underlined that the philosophy of public accounts has not been changed from the time of Kautilya.
                               
Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu said, PAC reports always strive improvement in the system. PAC has detected many financial lapses in its glorious work traditions. Mr Naidu also suggested that Parliament should meet 100 days in a year.

Speaker Om Birla said, this is one of the most important Committees of Parliament and complimented the PAC members for their dedication to the cause.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for multiple projects worth around 18,000 crore rupees in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Prime Minister will also address a rally in Dehradun. Mr Modi will lay the foundation stone of eleven development projects. This includes the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor which will be built at a cost of around 8300 crore rupees. It will significantly reduce the travel time from Delhi to Dehradun from six hours to around 2 and a half hours.

It will have Asia’s largest wildlife elevated corridor of 12 km for unrestricted wildlife movement. The Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor will also have arrangements for rainwater harvesting at intervals of 500 metres and over 400 water recharge points.

The greenfield alignment project from Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, connecting Halgoa, Saharanpur to Bhadrabad, Haridwar will be constructed at a cost of over 2000 crore rupees. It will provide seamless connectivity and reduce travel time from Delhi to Haridwar as well.

Parliament has passed the Dam Safety Bill, 2019 with the Rajya Sabha approving it today. The House also approved the amendments moved by the government to the bill. The Lok Sabha had given its nod to the Bill in 2019.  The bill provides for surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of the specified dam for prevention of dam failure related disasters and for institutional mechanism to ensure their safe functioning. The bill was moved by Union Minister for Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.The Rajya Sabha also negated the motion moved by DMK’s Tiruchi Shiva  regarding referring the Dam Safety Bill to Select Committee. Twenty six members voted in favour of it while 80 against the motion.

Replying to a debate on the Bill,  Mr Shekhawat said that the legislation has been brought with and intention of putting in place a protocol for dam safety.  He informed that of the total existing dams in different parts of the country,92 per cent of them are located on interstate rivers and their safety must be taken care of. He said, the damage to dams may cause huge harm to human lives as well as on whole riverine structure and ecosystem. Mr Shekhwat said, as per the Central Water Commission report, so far as many as 42 dams have breached and steps must be taken to ensure that such incidents do not occur in future and the bill is in that direction. He also informed that there are  14 such dams which are located in those states where the ownership lies with other States and added that  Central government will also ensure their safety.  

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu has paid tribute to the first President of India, Dr Rajendra Prasad on his birth anniversary. In a tweet today, Mr. Naidu said, Rajendra Prasad was a visionary statesman, accomplished lawyer, devout patriot and a true Gandhian. He will always be remembered for his sterling contribution to nation-building.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to the first President of independent India and Bharat Ratna Rajendra Prasad on his birth anniversary.

In a tweet today, Mr. Modi said, Rajendra Prasad made a special contribution to the freedom struggle of the country. He said, Rajendra Prasad's life dedicated in the interest of the nation will always remain a source of inspiration for the countrymen.

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the annual National Awards on individuals, institutions, organizations and states and districts for their outstanding achievements and work towards the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities today.

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr. Virendra Kumar will preside over the function. The event is being organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Divyangjan under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

Ministers of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale, A. Narayanaswamy and Pratima Bhoumik will also be present on the occasion.