Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid foundation of 23 projects worth 17,500 crore rupees at Haldwani in Uttarakhand yesterday. These projects cover a wide array of sectors and areas across the State including irrigation, road, housing, health infrastructure, industry, sanitation and drinking water supply.

The projects included laying the foundation stone of AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) in Haldwani, Lakhwar Multipurpose Project, a hydropower facility in Pithoragarh, multiple road projects across the State under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna and strategically important Tanakpur-Pithoragarh Road project to improve the connectivity of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, among others.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of Aroma Park at Kashipur and Plastic Industrial Park at Sitarganj.

In line with the Prime Minister’s endeavour to expand the medical infrastructure of the State and provide world-class medical facilities in different parts of the country, the foundation stones of AIIMS, Rishikesh Satellite Centre at Udham Singh Nagar and Jagjivan Ram Government Medical College at Pithoragarh were also laid.

India has welcomed Egypt as the fourth new member of BRICS New Development Bank. The External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Arindam Bagchi said, Bangladesh, UAE, and Uruguay joined in September this year. Mr. Bagchi said, membership expansion enables New Development Bank to position itself as a premier development institution for emerging economies.

The New Development Bank aims to mobilize resources for development projects in BRICS, emerging economies, and developing countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Haldwani in Uttarakhand today. Mr Modi will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of 23 projects worth over 17 thousand 500 crore rupees. Among the 23 projects, foundation stone will be laid for 17 projects worth over 14 thousand 100 crore rupees.

These projects cover a wide array of sectors and areas across the state including irrigation, road, housing, health infrastructure, industry, sanitation, and drinking water supply. The programme will witness inauguration of six projects including multiple road widening projects, a hydropower project in Pithoragarh and projects to improve sewerage network in Nainital. The cumulative cost of the projects being inaugurated is over 3400 crore rupees.

Mr Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Lakhwar Multipurpose Project to be built at the cost of about 5,750 crore rupees. This project was first conceived in 1976 and was lying pending for many years. The Prime Minister’s vision to prioritise long-pending projects is the force behind the project's foundation stone being laid. This project of national importance will enable irrigation of about 34,000 hectares of additional land, produce 300 MW hydropower and supply drinking water to the six states of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.

In view of the rising COVID-19 cases, schools, colleges, cinema halls, spas, gyms, multiplexes, banquet halls, auditoriums and sports complexes have been closed in the national capital with immediate effect. Night curfew has been imposed in the city from 10 PM to 5 AM. Restrictions have been put in place as a yellow alert has been sounded in Delhi under the Graded Response Action Plan.

As per the Delhi Disaster Management Authority order, the Delhi Metro and buses will operate at 50 percent seating capacity with no standing passengers. Restaurants are allowed 50 percent seating capacity from 8 AM to 10 PM and bars are allowed with 50 percent seating capacity from 12 noon to 10 PM. Political, religious and festival gatherings have been banned. A maximum of 20 persons can attend funerals and weddings. In its order, the DDMA said weddings can only be done at home.

Shops in malls will operate on an odd-even basis in the city. Religious places will be open but no visitors will be allowed. Only walking, running and playing are allowed in public parks and gardens and not picnics.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to students and youth of the country to work for making an Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Speaking at the 54th Convocation Ceremony of the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur yesterday, the Prime Minister urged students to have dreams, turn them into resolutions and achieve them. He said in the last seven years, his government has taken several steps to achieve the goal of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the students of IIT can play an important role in it.
 
During his visit to Kanpur Mr Modi also inaugurated the completed section of the Metro Rail Project in the city. This section is nine-kilometre long from IIT, Kanpur to Moti Jheel. The Prime Minister inspected the Kanpur Metro Rail Project and undertook a metro ride from IIT Metro Station to Geeta Nagar. The Prime Minister said, the double engine government of Uttar Pradesh yesterday is trying to make up for the loss of time in the past and it is working at double speed.

The entire length of the Metro Rail Project in Kanpur is 32 kilometres and is being built at a cost of over 11,000 crore rupees.

President Ram Nath Kovind has expressed sadness at the passing away of Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Mahendra Prasad. In a tweet, the President said he had parliamentary experience of nearly four decades, and was also among pioneers of pharmaceutical industry. 

Vice Admiral Puneet K. Bahl took over as the Commandant, Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. The Flag Officer was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 1st July 1984. He was awarded with Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today remembered Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley on his birth anniversary. In a tweet, Mr Naidu said, he was a towering intellectual, an outstanding parliamentarian, able administrator, legal luminary and gifted orator. Mr Naidu said, his selfless service to the nation will be always remembered.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today remembered Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley on his Birth Anniversary. In a tweet, Mr Singh said, Arun Jaitley was a seasoned lawyer, astute administrator and an articulate parliamentarian. He always worked towards the betterment of India. Mr Singh said, Arun Jaitley contributions to public life were outstanding.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Pariksha Pe Charcha, which is held for students before their exams, will be held early next year. The registrations for the same will begin today and will go on till January 20. Mr Modi announced the plans for the next Pariksha Pe Charcha in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on Sunday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kanpur today and inaugurate the completed section of Kanpur Metro Rail Project. During the programme, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Bina-Panki Multiproduct Pipeline Project.

The completed section of the Kanpur Metro Rail Project is 9 Km long section from IIT Kanpur to Moti Jheel. The Prime Minister will inspect the Kanpur Metro Rail Project and undertake a metro ride. The entire length of the Metro Rail Project in Kanpur is 32 Km and is being built at a cost of over 11,000 crore rupees.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Bina-Panki Multiproduct Pipeline Project. Extending from Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh to Panki in Kanpur, the 356 KM long project has a capacity of around 3.45 million metric tonne per annum. The project has been built at a cost of over 1500 crore rupees.

Prior to this, the Prime Minister will be the Chief Guest of the 54th Convocation of IIT Kanpur. During the convocation, all the students will be issued digital degrees through an in-house blockchain-driven technology developed at the Institute under the National Blockchain Project.

These digital degrees can be verified globally and are unforgeable.