Chittoor MLA launches development works
Accompanied by Mayor S Amudha, he launched cement roads, drainage canals, and new borewells in wards 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 15 in Chittoor.
In a heart-warming gesture, a sanitation worker, Mangamma, was invited to switch on a newly installed bore motor, showing respect for grassroots workers. Several officials, including Chuda Chairperson Kathari Hemalatha and Commissioner P Narasimha Prasad participated in the event.
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Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
PM Modi distributes 51,000 appointment letters; 10 lakh jobs given since 2022
File photo: PM Modi (Picture credit: PTI) NEW DELHI: Government should never be a hurdle and should always be a facilitator of growth, PM Narendra Modi said on Saturday while virtually distributing 51,000 appointment letters for central government jobs, with this over 10 lakh recruitment letters have been issued through Rozgar melas since October 2022. Addressing the new recruits, PM Modi said the world acknowledges that India has two limitless strengths, one in demography and the other in democracy, the largest youth population and the world's biggest democracy. "This power of youth is both the greatest asset and the strongest guarantee for Bharat's bright future. Our government is working day and night to turn this strength into a formula for prosperity." Modi said every individual deserves the opportunity to move ahead and it's the responsibility of the government to extend a helping hand. " And you, my friends, are young. I have great faith in you. I have high expectations from you. Wherever you're assigned, you must always put the citizens first. Helping them, easing their difficulties-that alone will push the nation forward rapidly." Modi said besides giving permanent government jobs, his administration is also focusing on creating new employment opportunities in the private sector. Referring to the recent Cabinet decision on the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme, he said the government will provide Rs 15,000 to a youth getting their first job in the private sector, which means the first month's salary of such employees will be borne by the government. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Providers are furious: Internet access without a subscription! Techno Mag Learn More Undo For this, Rs 1 lakh crore has been allocated, he said. Highlighting a recently released report of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Modi said it found more than 90 crore citizens in India have been brought under the umbrella of welfare schemes over the last decade, which is essentially an expansion of social security . He also spoke about the achievement of nearly 25 crore people rising out of poverty by "defeating poverty with their strength and courage". The PM said global institutions like the World Bank are openly praising India for this achievement and it's now being ranked among the top countries in the world in terms of equality. "This means inequality is decreasing rapidly, and we are moving toward greater equality. The world is now taking note of this transformation," he said.
Indian Express
41 minutes ago
- Indian Express
P Chidambaram writes: How to build, how to grow
Watching the cricket matches between India and England, I was struck by the tag line of an advertisement by a leading cement company. It read, 'As India Builds, India Grows'. Absolutely correct. We must build — and we must know how to build — public goods such as roads, bridges, railways, airports, buildings for schools, colleges, hospitals and offices, etc. for growth. Jawaharlal Nehru was a great builder. The criticism of Nehru-haters is not worth a tuppence. In 1947, the population was 340 million, and growing, and the literacy rate just 12 per cent. Under Nehru's 17-year stewardship, he built schools and colleges. He was the main driver of important institutions and projects like IITs, IIMs, steel plants, IOC, ONGC, NLC, HAL, BHEL, ISRO, Bhakra Nangal, Hirakud, Damodar Valley and countless others. The time was the nascent years post-Independence and the context was a country sparse on education, technology and skills. What Nehru built survives to this day because although India was short on many things it was abundant in people with integrity, native intelligence and dedication. In the second century CE, Karikaalan, the Chola king, built the Kallanai (the Grand Anicut) on the river Kaveri. It is one of the oldest irrigation dams in the world, is built from unhewn interlocking stones without any binding material like mortar, and is in use today for irrigation and flood control. The Taj Mahal was completed in 1653. The building materials were red sandstone, marble, brick-in-lime mortar, and well foundations to ensure stability. South Block and North Block, the seat of the central government, were completed in 1931. They are magnificent and solid buildings. India has a 2,000-year tradition of constructing iconic structures. India continues to build every day but there is a twist. Every citizen knows the difference in the quality and endurance between private construction and public construction. Building contractors are engaged for both types of construction but their behaviour is different. The processes are also different. In this essay, I am concerned with public construction using public money. Private constructions vary in quality depending upon the choice of architect and contractor, and availability of funds. Public construction, especially of nationally important projects, do not suffer from constraints of land or money. But what do we see happening? Highways and new roads cave in; sewer lines burst flooding the road. On Ashoka Road, New Delhi, a sewer line burst and the road caved in for the third time in the last 18 months. Cars and buses fall into large depressions on the road. In Gwalior, 15 days after a Rs 18-crore road was opened to the public, it caved in. In Morbi, Gujarat, 141 people were killed when a bridge collapsed four days after it was ostensibly repaired and re-opened to the public; it was found that an unqualified company had 'repaired and restored' the bridge using sub-standard material. In Bihar, no one is surprised when bridges collapse shortly after, or even during, construction; one bridge fell three times. In June, people of Aishbagh, Bhopal discovered to their horror that a 648-metre bridge that had been constructed after seven years of bickering between the Railways and the PWD had a 90-degree turn! There are many reasons for such colossal waste of time and money. The first reason is total lack of accountability. The prevailing rule seems to be 'that since many persons are responsible for a disastrous project, eventually no person is held accountable'. A long history of group immunity has metamorphosed into group impunity. Another reason is the process. The lowest price bid is usually selected as the winning bid. Departure from the lowest-priced bid invites questions and, often, an inquiry; so why depart? The winner uses sub-standard material and takes liberty with the approved plans in order to make money. In many tenders, the bidders collude among themselves to allow a contractor to quote a winning price 'above the estimate'. The winner uses the money 'above the estimate' to pay bribes. The design, drawings and estimates are prepared, and supervised, by poorly qualified persons. The senior officers (who have climbed the ladder) are not abreast with improvements in design and materials, advanced construction technology and machinery, and management practices that save labour, money and time. A major reason is political corruption. There is competition among ministers for so-called 'lucrative' portfolios. There is a 'rate card' in many states. Some departments/agencies are notorious for deplorable execution of projects: PWDs are at the top. DDA and equivalent bodies that build low-cost housing (in reality, concrete slums) are near the top. Highways and Railways are not far behind. It is a Gordian knot that cannot be unknotted. It has to be cut. That means phasing out the public agencies that 'build' public goods. Past efforts to 'reform' the system have failed and will, if attempted again, fail again. On the contrary, privatisation and healthy competition have improved the quality of public goods in telecommunications, distribution of electricity, transportation, mining, and oil exploration. That is the way to go forward in public construction. In the short term, there will be an increase in costs. Cartels will be formed. Weaknesses will emerge. We must make corrections and keep faith in the new path — private enterprise to build public goods amidst genuine, healthy competition.
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Cracks In Rs 500-Crore Rewa Airport Project; Boundary Wall Collapses After Heavy Rainfall
New Delhi: A portion of the boundary wall at the newly built Rewa Airport in Madhya Pradesh has collapsed following intense rainfall, sparking concerns over the construction quality and flood preparedness of one of the state's flagship infrastructure projects. According to media reports, the airport, built for Rs 500 crore and completed just months ago, saw a section of its perimeter crumble overnight as the ground beneath it gave way due to continuous downpours. Locals reported that this is not the first time the wall has failed; a similar incident occurred during last year's monsoon, even before the facility became operational. Envisioned as a transformative project for the Vindhya region, Rewa Airport was inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi. Built in a record time of 18 months, the airport stands on 323 acres of land acquired from five nearby villages. As per the reports, equipped with a 2,300-meter-long runway, the airport currently operates two regional flights linking Rewa with Bhopal via Khajuraho and Jabalpur, using 19-seater aircraft. Authorities plan to expand services to accommodate 72-seater planes soon. The airport, which holds a DGCA license, was designed to serve the region's aviation needs for the next 50 years. The collapse stirred swift criticism on social media, with clips of the incident quickly going viral, reigniting concerns about substandard construction at the airport. One of the users on X wrote, "Virtually inaugurated by PM Modi last year, Shockingly, the airport wall couldn't withstand the first rain, raising concerns over construction quality." Rewa Airport, Madhya Pradesh • Constructed at a cost of ₹300 crores • Virtually inaugurated by PM Modi last year Shockingly, the airport wall couldn't withstand the first rain, raising concerns over construction quality. #RewaAirport — Narendra Singh (@Narendra24x7) July 12, 2025 However, even before scaling up, the project has hit a major roadblock, quite literally, as its foundational stability comes under scrutiny. In the past 24 hours, Rewa district has witnessed a deluge, receiving nearly 8 inches of rain. The overflowing Bichhiya and Bihar rivers have flooded large areas of the city, inundating homes and businesses in at least four riverfront localities with 3–4 feet of water. Among those affected is the residence of Gudh MLA Nagendra Singh. Speaking to the media, Singh said, 'Rewa city has turned into a pond. Until we deepen the river and manage the floodplain properly, this issue will recur every monsoon.'
