The Prime Minister of India – Narendra Modi today, i.e., Friday, April 24, 2020 said that the biggest lesson coronavirus (COVID-19) has taught is that of being self-reliant and not depending on others for anything we need in our daily lives.
His remarks came during the video conferencing with Panchayat Members across the country, on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day. Modi said that it is the responsibility of every citizen to strengthen the panchayat system and people should strive to make Villages, District, States and eventually the country self-reliant.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi said, “Coronavirus has brought new challenges before us which we had not even thought about. The pandemic has given us a new lesson, we have to become self-reliant. We have to become self-reliant so that we are able to sustain ourselves. Our villages, district, states and country has to become self-sufficient. Our elders have always taught us to become self-sufficient and now it has become the need of the hour.”
He mentioned that the fight against the outbreak is being led by the villages of India which have given the slogan of social distancing.
He further said, “The villages in India have given the mantra of – Do gaj doori – to define social distancing in simpler terms, to fight coronavirus pandemic.”
Thanking the farmers, Modi said, “It is very important for farmers to be healthy, they feed us. It is the farmers who have ensured that even during the lockdown we have easy access to fruits, vegetables, food grains and milk.”
Taking it to twitter, Modi tweeted, “Today’s discussion with Panchayat Sarpanchs was very insightful. They shared their strategies of fighting COVID-19. I salute all Sarpanchs for their hardwork and efforts in these extraordinary times.”
During the meeting, Modi also launched the ‘eGram Swaraj’ app and ‘Swamitva Yojana’ scheme. The ‘eGram Swaraj’ app will allow more transparency in gram panchayats and record keeping will be simpler and completion of projects will also be swifter. Besides, the ‘Swamitva Yojana’ scheme will help map properties in villages via drones which would end disputes.
Launching the ‘eGram Swaraj’ app, Modi tweeted, “देश की सभी पंचायतों के एकीकृत संचालन, उनके विकास कार्यों की प्रभावी देखरेख और समस्त जानकारियों को एक प्लेटफॉर्म पर लाने के लिए आज हमने e-GramSwaraj ऐप राष्ट्र को समर्पित किया है।”
Talking about ‘Swamitva Yojana’, Modi tweeted, “ग्रामीण भारत के लोगों को उनकी संपत्ति का मालिकाना हक दिलाने और उन्हें आर्थिक रूप से सशक्त बनाने के लिए आज सरकार ने स्वामित्व योजना का शुभारंभ किया।”
Separately, the 15th Finance Commission, during its meeting with Advisory Council on April 23-24, 2020 agreed that owing to COVID-19 outbreak and national lockdown, the projections of real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) made before March 2020, need to be relooked entirely and revised downwards considerably.
Meanwhile, India recorded 752 new cases and 37 casualties in the last 24 ours. Maharashtra, which is the worst hit State, recorded 349 cases today, taking the total tally to 6,430. Gujarat reported 191 new cases, taking the total number of cases to 2,815. With 111 new cases, the number of cases in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) has rose to 1,621. Mansara Apartments in the Vasundhra Enclave area in Delhi has become the first hotspot to be declared as non-containment zone after no new case of COVID-19 was reported from there.
Announcing the news, the Chief Minister of Delhi – Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, “The No new case in Mansara Apts in Vasundhara Enclave. Therefore, this containment zone is being de-contained. Operation Shield was successful becoz of cooperation from people living in this zone.”
The Chief Minister of Odisha – Naveen Patnaik called on the PM Modi to discuss the upcoming Rath Yatra. The Rath Yatra is a congregation of more than 8 lakh people from across the world to worship Lord Jagannath. Rath Yatra is observed every year with great fervour. Die to the outbreak, the State Government is now trying to find a way to avoid any such gathering.
As per the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, there are 23,452 cases of COVID-19 across the country. The number of casualties is 723.
