Prakash Javadekar says Modi gives his ministers lots of freedom

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives his ministerial colleagues all the freedom and encourages them to take decisions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said today while remarking that "policy paralysis" had come to an end under the new regime.

"He gives us so much freedom and has only one mantra for us -- that 'you should have the courage to take decisions. Listen to all, but take decisions which are best for the country'," Javadekar said with reference to Modi.

"We have got the person with the best dressing sense and he will not bar someone from wearing certain clothes. The PMO is not so childish.Javadekar outright dismissed suggestions that the prime minister wielded too much authority over his colleagues or had ticked off a minister for wearing jeans or that there had been any such instances.

"To imagine such things, it is an unsuccessful attempt to cause damage to his (Modi's) image. But we are directly connected with the people," Javadekar said even as he claimed that some people from Congress were spreading misinformation.

As his dispensation marks 100 days in power, the minister said that people had chosen the NDA government for five years and not just hundred days. He averred that during this period, however, "policy paralysis" has ended and decisions are being taken in all ministries.

He added that the prices of petrol have been reduced twice recently and steps taken in these 100 days to keep the prices of food items in check.

Javadekar said that in Rajya Sabha recently, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had congratulated him when he was told that 17 projects which had been referred to the Environment and Forests ministry by the previous regime had been cleared now after NDA had come to power.

Javadekar, who also holds charge of the Ministry of Environment and Forests in the Modi government, said that proposals like that for a BSF post in Kutch or relating to a broken fence along the Bangladesh border, which were held back, had been cleared by the NDA government.

Environment Minister echoes PM's 'red carpet' promise for investors

"We have already laid down a process which is creditable; we have made processes which are transparent and, therefore, it will be a red carpet treatment for any investment, domestic or otherwise, and a one stop window for all," Javadekar said.    The remarks came when Javadekar was asked what assurance can he, as the minister for environment and forests, which is considered to be a 'roadblock' ministry, give to the investors in the wake of the prime minister's promises to Japanese investors.    Hardselling India as a manufacturing destination, Modi on Tuesday invited Japanese investors to invest in the country, saying the era of "red tape" has been replaced by that of "red carpet" for ease of doing business.    At a press conference on the initiatives taken by his ministry in the first 100 days of the NDA government, Javadekar said, "The ministry was known as one of speedbreakers, roadblocks and return to licence raj; that impression has been removed."    Taking a dig at alleged corruption in the ministry under the previous UPA regime, he said, "there is no taxation now" and policy-based decisions are taken to ensure transparency in clearances.    "We have made it clear there will be a simpler, cleaner, speedier and transparent (online) mechanism in the ministry. We are taking decisions based on policies. Therefore, there is no discrimination... We don't know who owns the project, who the man is. The issue is, 'what is the merit of the case, what is the merit of the project'... we are deciding on that basis," he said. 

Modi government performing very well: Rajnath Singh

Eighty percent people in the country believes that the Narendra Modi-led BJP government is performing very well," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function.
    
Singh was responding to a question on Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's attack on the NDA government over "price rise" and her party's allegation that there was rise in communal tension in the country as the new dispensation completes 100 days in power.
    
"The Congress is behaving like an opposition party and I have nothing to say on it," Singh said.
    
The Congress president said in Rae Bareli on Monday that people will give a reply to whether prices of essential commodities have gone down or not.
    
Accusing the government of "causing rise in communal tension" in its first 100 days in office, Congress leader Manish Tewari had questioned the "silence" of the Prime Minister and accused it of encouraging organisations fanning it.

100 days of Modi government: Centre hasn't done anything to fulfil poll promises, claims Congress

New Delhi: As the Narendra Modi government completes 100 days in power, the Congress has hit out at the Centre. The Congress alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made tall claims while in opposition but has not done anything to fulfil its promises, specially on the issue of black money.

"They used to say the amount of black money is sufficient to meet the requirments of the next 5 budgets and that we would need any foreign direct investment (FDI) once black money is brought back. Now the BJP, the goverment, and the Finance Minister are answerable," Congress leader Anand Sharma said.

He also criticised the government's idea of minimum government maximum governance. "The appointment committee of Cabinet has been reduced to two individuals. That too is a one member committee. The Home Minister is not consulted. He is only informed. They are creating an atmosphere of administrative terrorism," Sharma said.

Sharma also claimed that the number of ceasefire violations has hit an-time high since teh Modi government came to power.

100 Days of Modi Government: His Top 10 Quotes

1. If you work 12 hours, I will work 13. If you work 14 hours, I will work 15 hours, because I am not Pradhan Mantri (Prime Minister) I am the Pradhan Sewak (prime servant).

2.From ramparts of the Red Fort, I would like to call people of the world to 'come, make in India'. Come here and manufacture in India. Sell the products anywhere in the world but manufacture here.

3.Our heads hang in shame when we hear about rapes. Parents ask about daughters but did anyone dare ask their sons. After all, the rapist is someone's son. As parents, have we asked our sons where he is going? Why not put same yardstick for sons too?

4.If we want to get rid of poverty, we need to get rid of financial untouchability. - (Launch of the Jan Dhan Yojana to help provide bank accounts to all Indians)

5.The mantra of our country's youth should be to at least make one product that we import. Don't compromise in manufacturing. Stress on zero defect, zero effect.

6.(To industrialists in Japan) The red carpet, not red tape awaits you. As software is incomplete without hardware, India needs Japan.

7.I was asked, 'Does black magic still exist in India or are there still snake charmers?' I said we used to play with snakes, now we play with the mouse. When we move a mouse the whole world moves.

8.I am a very optimistic man and only an optimistic man can bring optimism in the country.
I believe the government has no business to do business.

9. (I believe in) minimum government, maximum governance.

10.Being a Gujarati, money is in my blood...commerce is in my blood. Businesses do not need concessions. They only need the correct environment to flourish in. (In Japan)

PM Narendra Modi beats the drum for Indian business in Japan

Tokyo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday turned into a drummer, a day after signing a number of deals with Japanese PM Shinzo Abe.

The PM amazed everyone when he played traditional Taiko drums with great vigour.

Modi’s performance came at the launch of Tata Consultancy Services’s Technology and Cultural Academy

After concluding his opening remarks, TCS CEO N Chandrasekaran invited the PM to play a note on the drums after the professional drummers had finished.

The two drummers played their number and then the PM played the drums at a fast beat.

After flagging off the first batch of students who will be going to India for training with TCS, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked IT experts to step out of their rooms and travel across India to enhance their learning.

"You will learn as much outside your rooms as you will learn inside them."

"I have a suggestion also - if you stay in India do not remain in TCS rooms daily. Take time out and travel across India," said a PMO tweet citing Modi whose Japan sojourn entered its fourth day on Tuesday.

He added: "I can tell you that even if you stay for six months and want to enjoy a new dish daily, you will not have to repeat a dish".

He further underlined that 21st century is the century of knowledge and the country with "knowledge and information will lead the world".

"...the one who has knowledge and information will lead the world than those who have wealth and arms," the Prime Minister said.

He also referred to India’s ‘knowledge’ heritage and leadership of the world in the past, through institutions such as Taxila and Nalanda.

He hoped the students would come back with fond memories and become Ambassadors of India.

Earlier in the day, the PM addressed students at the Sacred Hearts University here and met leaders from across the political spectrum of Japan.

Democratic Party of Japan leader Banri Kaieda, New Komeito president Natsuo Yamaguchi, Governor of Aichi Prefecture, Hideaki Ōmura called on the PM.

Modi also met the head of Sasakawa-India Leprosy Foundation and said: “Service to people is service of God. Please continue your service.”

Later in the day, Modi will call on Japanese Emperor Akihito and deliver the keynote address at a business seminar.

PM Narendra Modi 'overwhelmed' by Abe Shinzo's hospitality in Japan

Tokyo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was swept over by the hospitality of his Japanese counterpart's hospitality and said on Monday that it indicated a Abe Shinzo's special affection for India.

Modi posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter - Words can't describe PM Abe Shinzo's great hospitality. It indicates his special affection for India and his strong faith in India-Japan ties.

He added that it was “very kind of Shinzo to have hosted a special tea ceremony in Tokyo.”

Modi also said that he was overwhelmed by the welcome that he received at Akasaka Palace.

India and Japan today agreed to enhance their defence and strategic cooperation to a new level during talks between Modi and Abe, who also decided to speed up negotiations on civil nuclear deal that could not be concluded now.

Striking good personal chemistry, the two leaders had "very fruitful" and "meaningful" exchanges after which Abe announced doubling of Japan's private and public investment in India to about USD 35 billion over the next five years, as per PTI.

The talks at Akasaka Palace came on the third day of Modi's first major bilateral visit outside South Asia.

Abe had gone the extra mile in receiving his old friend in Kyoto on Saturday and spent the weekend with him on a tour of two ancient Buddhist temples apart from hosting a banquet.