Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today lauded the Indian contingent for winning Gold in both open and women’s category at 45th Chess Olympiad. He congratulated the incredible Men’s and Women’s Chess teams for their remarkable achievement.

The PM in a message on X stated:

“Historic win for India as our chess contingent wins the 45th #FIDE Chess Olympiad! India has won the Gold in both open and women’s category at Chess Olympiad! Congratulations to our incredible Men’s and Women’s Chess Teams. This remarkable achievement marks a new chapter in India’s sports trajectory. May this success inspire generations of chess enthusiasts to excel in the game.”

VP to be Chief Guest at 2nd Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show at Gautam Buddha Nagar

The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar will visit Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh on September 25, 2024.

During his visit, the Vice-President will preside over the inaugural session of Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS) 2024, where he will deliver the keynote address.

This is the 2nd edition of UPITS, which is set to take place from September 25-29, 2024. The event will showcase the trade and culture of Uttar Pradesh, and will also highlight Vietnam as the Partner Country. The first edition of UPITS was inaugurated by the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu.

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Orders above ₹10 Crore to pay flat fee of ₹3 Lakh, a massive reduction from previous transaction charges capped at ₹72.5 Lakh

Aligning with the Government’s ongoing commitment to foster ease of doing business and build a more inclusive economy, Government e Marketplace (GeM) has recently announced a significant reduction in the transaction charges levied on Sellers / Service Providers transacting on its platform. This bold move was part of Govt’s 100 days initiative.  Accordingly, GeM has announced a New Revenue Policy of the portal which was given effect to from 9^th August 2024.

As per this Policy:

All orders valued up to ₹10 Lakh will now attract zero transaction charges, as opposed to the earlier order value ceiling of ₹5 Lakh.

Orders above ₹10 Lakh up to ₹10 Crore will be levied transaction charges worth 0.30% of total order value, as compared to earlier transaction charges of 0.45%.

Orders above ₹10 Crore will now pay a flat fee of ₹3 Lakh, a massive reduction from the transaction charges previously capped at ₹72.5 Lakh.

Nearly 97% of the transactions on GeM will be attracting zero transaction charges, while the remaining will incur a nominal fee @0.30% of order value above ₹10 Lakh subject to a maximum of ₹3 Lakh only, irrespective of the size of the order. This step is a watershed moment in terms of Ease of Doing Business on GeM and is also in line with Government’s commitment of reduction in cost of transactions. In a single stroke, GeM has reduced its transaction fee by almost 33% to 96% which is expected to greatly benefit GeM Sellers/ service providers to become more competitive.

The latest transaction fee structure is aimed at democratizing access to public procurement ecosystem. It aims to particularly benefit MSEs, which often face challenges navigating cumbersome financial and operational barriers. By considerably lowering transaction charges, GeM aims to level the playing field, thereby creating opportunities for small-scale businesses to deliver value and innovation in public procurement.

FY 2024-25 is also a watershed moment for Services sector wherein services sector leapfrogged at a very rapid pace surpassing Product GMV by a good margin. Service GMV of Rs. 1.39 Lakh crore as on 31^st August 2024 is accounting for approximately 65% of the total Merchandise Value of ₹2.15 Lakh Crore for the same period. Several high value service bids have been awarded on the platform.

This surge in services procurement is supported by a large inventory of 325+ service categories on the platform. Coupled with its user-friendly interface, GeM has made it easier for government buyers to evaluate, select and engage service providers on the basis of their tailored needs. The platform’s transparent e-bidding processes ensure fair competition, while ensuring that government buyers find the right partner for their specific requirements.

About GeM:

Government e Marketplace is a unified digital platform that facilitates end-to-end procurement of goods and services by various Central Ministries, State Departments, Public Sector Enterprises, Autonomous Bodies, Panchayats, Multi & Single State Cooperatives etc. Our Prime Minister’s concerted efforts to harness the power of digital platforms to achieve ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ led to the genesis of GeM in 2016. The online portal was established with a clear objective to eliminate age-old manual public procurement processes that were riddled with inefficiencies and corruption.

GeM provides a paperless, cashless and contactless ecosystem for government buyers to directly purchase products and services from pan-India sellers and service providers through an online platform. GeM covers the entire gamut of procurement process, right from vendor registration and item selection by buyers to receipt of goods and facilitation of timely payments. GeM was envisioned to utilise the agility and speed that come along with a digital platform created with a strategic intent to reinvigorate public procurement systems and bring about a lasting change for the underserved as well as the nation.

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Mark my words: the Prime Minister’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ is actually Bharat ki Baat! It touches every segment of the society. It makes people dream, it tells people how to aspire. It doesn’t end there. It also tells people how to have their dreams fructified.

आप तो बहुत भाग्यशाली हैं। हमने बचपन में क्या-क्या चुनौतियां नहीं देखी। तेज धूप में आते थे, कहीं छाया नहीं मिलती थी, कहीं गाय का भैंस का गोबर दिखता था उसमें पांव दे देते थे। And look at now इतने सारे गांवों में इंटरनेट है। हर व्यक्ति का बैंक अकाउंट है। सरकारी सहायता बिना बिचौलिए के पहुंच रही है। आप जो यह डेवलपमेंट देख रहे हो | यह एक बहुत बड़े विशाल डेवलपमेंट का हिस्सा है।

You can contribute in every aspect. Your scope is in global bodies like the United Nations, UNDP, World Bank, IMF, Asian Development Bank, your role is at the forefront. You have a role in big consultancy firms. That’s a good job you are doing. मैं एडमिनिस्ट्रेटर साहब को कहूंगा कि constitute a group of 30 students from each of the faculties, from medical, law, engineering and nursing also and the first batch must visit the Vice President Enclave and office of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha at New Delhi.

Keep on learning every day. Never have fear. Fear is the greatest killer of innovation and intellect.

Never fear failure. If you start fearing failure, you are generating failure for yourself. Some people have the ability to be negative about this bottle, Ohh!, 20% empty. Ignore them because it is 80% full, am I right? And 80% in this glass is optimal. You will feel it 100%.  India is rising like this. There are some people with negative mentality. Make them feel positive, ask them to open their eyes and see what is happening.

Never fear failure. Tell me, Chandrayaan-2 was largely successful, more than 90%successful. Some people thought Chandrayaan-2 was a failure.Chandrayaan-2 was a stepping stone to success for Chandrayaan-3.

पूरी दुनिया कह रही है कि what a scope for Bharat। दुनिया यहां पर आना चाहती है, और आप अपने साथियों को भी कहिए कि सरकारी नौकरी के अलावा जो opportunities of basket है, वह जो basket बढ़ रहा है लगातार, उसकी तरफ भी ध्यान दें। वह ज्यादा कारगर है। Therefore, have a positive attitude, believe in your nation, and keep the nation always first.

Whenever we go outside the country, we are its ambassadors, says Dhankhar

Anti-national tourism undermines our collective identity, says VP

Destroying the health of India is no less than stabbing a knife in the chest of Mother India, stresses VP

Atalji’s actions were guided by a single goal—‘My India is great, my India, my nationalism’, says VP

VP addresses Public Function at Dokmardi Auditorium, Silvassa

The Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today appealed to not fall prey to politics 24 hours a day. “Politics cannot be above the nation. There should be no politics in matters of development. We cannot be the victim of excessive politics at the cost of nationalism, progress of the nation and development”, he remarked.

Addressing the gathering at the Public Function at Dokmardi Auditorium, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Shri Dhankhhar underscored the importance of upholding the dignity and pride of the nation when representing India abroad. He remarked “No one has the right to go outside India and speak ill of India, sit with the enemies of India. Whenever we go outside the country, we are the ambassadors of the country, we cannot think of anything other than nationalism”. 

Voicing concern over the increasing trend of individuals tarnishing India’s image while abroad, he remarked, “Today, we see medical tourism and safari tourism flourishing, but why is anti-national tourism happening? If we go abroad and speak ill of our country, this is unacceptable. Such behaviour not only harms the nation but also undermines our collective identity”.

Citing the exemplary conduct of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Vice President pointed to a time when Vajpayee, though leader of the opposition, led India’s delegation abroad while the Congress government was in power. “Atalji’s actions were guided by a single goal—‘My India is great, my India, my nationalism,’” the Vice President added.

Emphasizing the need for continuous improvement across all sectors, Shri Dhankhar stated that “There is scope for growth in everything. Every day, we see that whatever we do today, we can do better tomorrow.” He acknowledged the vital role technology plays in advancing the nation’s progress but cautioned against actions that compromise the health of the country and its people. “Destroying the health of India is no less than stabbing a knife in the chest of Mother India, and this will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he declared.

Questioning the growing trend of importing items that can be produced locally, he stated, “Why do we use foreign goods for monetary gains? Will furniture come from abroad in our country? Will bottles come from abroad? Even kites, diyas, candles, and cotton are now coming from abroad.”

He highlighted three major disadvantages of this practice: the depletion of foreign exchange, the loss of domestic tax revenues, and the missed opportunities for Indian entrepreneurs who are being deprived of the chance to grow and thrive, and lamented the fact that such reliance on imported goods, driven by short-term economic gains, ultimately harms the nation’s long-term prosperity.

Reflecting on India’s incredible journey toward equality and social mobility, Shi Dhankhar celebrated the country’s success in empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds to rise to the highest positions of leadership.

“How did a tea seller become the Prime Minister of India despite poverty? How did a farmer’s son become the Vice President? How did a woman from a tribal background become the President of the country?”, he remarked.

Recalling his visit to Jammu and Kashmir as a minister in 1990, he noted the stark difference between then and now. “At that time, I did not see 30 people during my visit, and this year, 2 crore tourists have visited Jammu and Kashmir,” he remarked, underscoring the region’s significant resurgence as a major tourist destination.

Shri Dhankar also praised the growth and development of India’s agricultural sector, citing the government’s initiatives aimed at empowering farmers. “Today, 10 crore farmers receive payments directly, thrice a year”.

Shri Praful Patel, Hon’ble Administrator, UT of DNH&DD and Lakshadeep, Smt. DelkarKalabenMohanbhai, Hon’ble MP, DNH and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.

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 The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu graced the centenary celebration of the ICAR-National Institute of Secondary Agriculture (NISA) in Ranchi, Jharkhand today (September 20, 2024).

 Speaking on the occasion, the President said that besides making farming a profitable venture, there are three other major challenges before agriculture in the 21st century. It is maintaining food and nutrition security, sustainable use of resources and climate change. She stated that activities related to secondary agriculture can help meet these challenges. The secondary agriculture includes the value addition of primary agricultural products as well as other agriculture-related activities like beekeeping, poultry farming, agricultural tourism etc. She said that agricultural waste can be utilized properly through secondary agriculture activities. They can be processed to make useful and valuable things. In this way, the environment can be protected and the farmers’ income will be increased as well.

The President said that lac is produced in India mainly by the tribal community. It is an important source of their income. She was happy to note that the National Institute of Secondary Agriculture has taken several steps for research and development as well as commercial development of Lac, Natural Resins and Gums. It includes the development of a Small small-scale lac Processing Unit and an Integrated Lac Processing Unit; the development of lac-based natural paints, varnishes and cosmetic products; development of lac-based coating to increase the shelf-life of fruits, vegetables and spices. She expressed confidence that all these steps will help in improving the living standards of tribal brothers and sisters.

President’s Secretariat

President of India graces centenary celebration of the ICAR-National Institute of Secondary Agriculture

Posted On: 20 SEP 2024 2:32PM by PIB Delhi

 The President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu graced the centenary celebration of the ICAR-National Institute of Secondary Agriculture (NISA) in Ranchi, Jharkhand today (September 20, 2024).

 Speaking on the occasion, the President said that besides making farming a profitable venture, there are three other major challenges before agriculture in the 21st century. It is maintaining food and nutrition security, sustainable use of resources and climate change. She stated that activities related to secondary agriculture can help meet these challenges. The secondary agriculture includes the value addition of primary agricultural products as well as other agriculture-related activities like beekeeping, poultry farming, agricultural tourism etc. She said that agricultural waste can be utilized properly through secondary agriculture activities. They can be processed to make useful and valuable things. In this way, the environment can be protected and the farmers’ income will be increased as well.

The President said that lac is produced in India mainly by the tribal community. It is an important source of their income. She was happy to note that the National Institute of Secondary Agriculture has taken several steps for research and development as well as commercial development of Lac, Natural Resins and Gums. It includes the development of a Small small-scale lac Processing Unit and an Integrated Lac Processing Unit; the development of lac-based natural paints, varnishes and cosmetic products; development of lac-based coating to increase the shelf-life of fruits, vegetables and spices. She expressed confidence that all these steps will help in improving the living standards of tribal brothers and sisters.

The President said that today’s era is the era of disruptive technologies. We have to take advantage of these technologies. At the same time, we have to avoid their side effects. She was happy to note that the Automation and Plant Engineering Division has been established in NISA which focuses on the development of robotics, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence-enabled equipment.

The President said that NISA has done good work in lac farming. But, there are still many areas in which we can go further. For example, there is a demand for high-quality lac in the pharmaceuticals and cosmetics industries. If the quality, supply chain and marketing of Indian lac are improved, our farmers will be able to supply it in the country and abroad and will get better prices.