Page 2 - Jairam Ramesh

Congress accuses BJP of communal polarisation in Jharkhand poll campaign

The Congress on Monday alleged that the BJP's campaign in Jharkhand is focused solely on communal polarisation, and said it is an indictment of the Union government's performance that after ten years in power, the BJP is seeking votes only on religious polarisation. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on November 13 and 20, the people of Jharkhand will vote decisively for continuity, communal harmony, social justice, and self-dignity. The INDIA coalition's campaign in Jharkhand is centred around its government's achievements in the last five years and its seven guarantees - ranging from enhanced food rations to honorariums for women and new degree colleges in each block, he said. "We are focused on our governance and our vision for a just, inclusive, and prosperous Jharkhand," Ramesh said. "The BJP's campaign is devoid of issues and focused solely on communal polarisation. It is an indictment of the Union Government's performance that after ten ye

Maharashtra elections: Congress accuses Mahayuti of spreading hate in state

The Congress on Monday accused the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra of deliberately infusing "hate and poison" into its poll campaign and attempting to "disturb communal harmony in the state." Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that the campaign revealed the "sick mindset" of the BJP. "The Mahayuti, led by the BJP, has only one agenda in its campaign. It is simply and only to polarize society on the basis of religion and to disturb communal harmony in the state. Such an awful campaign reveals its sick mindset," Ramesh wrote in a post on X. "The campaign is full of hate and poison deliberately being injected. But the people of Maharashtra will reject this type of campaign decisively on Nov 20th," the Congress leader added. Ramesh said that the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is campaigning in Maharashtra on basic issues of daily concern to the people, such as the acute distress of farmers and women, the increase in the prices of essential commodities, and .

Ramesh asks environment ministry to clarify air quality standards review

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh asked the Environment Ministry on Sunday to clarify the results of the review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards-2009 that IIT-Kanpur was tasked to carry out on the orders of the Central Pollution Control Board in 2021. The Congress general secretary in-charge communications said the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) covering 12 major pollutants were last promulgated in November 2009. That was widely hailed at that time, even though it was well understood that they would have to be kept under periodic review, the former environment minister said in a post on X. IIT-Kanpur had been intimately involved with this initiative, he said. In December 2021, IIT-Kanpur was tasked by the Central Pollution Control Board to review NAAQS, 2009, Ramesh said. "Meanwhile, there seems to be an effort to relax standards like those relating to emissions of sulphur dioxide from power plants." "Till today, even as the country chokes, we have no idea

PM has 'denied' Adivasis religious identity, refused Sarna code, says Cong

The Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday by posing questions on Jharkhand, asking why has he "denied" Adivasis their religious identity and refused to enact the Sarna code. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that as Prime Minister Modi holds poll rallies in Jharkhand, he should answer three questions before seeking a single vote. Where is the Korba-Lohardaga and Chatra-Gaya railway lines, Ramesh asked in a post on X. He said the people of Lohardaga and Chatra have been demanding better rail connectivity for years as it would improve locals' access to education and employment opportunities. "Sadly, the Railway Ministry has ignored their demands and made very poor progress on this front. In October 2022, the Railway Ministry sanctioned the Chatra-Gaya rail project but two years later, no progress has been made. There is no word on the Korba-Lohardaga line," he said. "How much longer must the people wait for the these crucial

Double engine of private investment, consumption derailed under Modi: Cong

The Congress on Sunday claimed that India was facing a "demand crisis" due to sustained income stagnation and said the 'double engine' of private investment and mass consumption that powered the UPA's decade of sustained GDP growth has been "derailed" in the last ten years of the Modi government. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh urged the government to accept what the Congress has been proposing - raising MGNREGA wages to a minimum of Rs. 400 per day, guaranteeing MSP and a loan waiver for farmers, and a monthly income support scheme for women - to kickstart income growth in rural India. He said that with each passing day, the tragedy of India's dying consumption story becomes more evident. Last week, several CEOs from India Inc raised the alarm over the 'shrinking' middle class and now, new data from NABARD's All India Rural Financial Inclusion Survey (NAFIS) 2021-22 adds to the evidence that India's demand crisis is a result of sustained income ...

Telangana govt to begin caste survey today, to cover 11.7 mn households

This is the first time a caste-based survey is being conducted by the government in Telangana since 1931

Cong asks PM why Gujarat's white onion farmers get preferential treatment

The Congress on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking why Gujarat's white onion farmers were given preferential treatment over Maharashtra's onion farmers, and why has the BJP "diluted" Adivasis' forest rights in Maharashtra. Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's rallies in Dhule and Nashik, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed questions to him. "Why were Gujarat's white onion farmers given preferential treatment over Maharashtra's onion farmers," he asked. Since December 2023, onion farmers in Maharashtra have been reeling from the Modi government's restrictions on onion exports, he said. During the cultivation season, the state suffered from unsatisfactory rainfall and water crises, and most farmers were only able to produce 50 per cent of their usual crop, he pointed out. "When the onions were finally harvested, farmers were hit with the arbitrary export ban which led to devastatingly low sale prices. As a result, farmers racked up ...

EC must act on Sarma's communal rhetoric, campaigning by Odisha guv: Jairam

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday hit out at the Election Commission for the "tone and tenor" of its recent letter to his party while also urging the poll body to act against "communal and incendiary rhetoric" allegedly used by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during poll campaigns. In an interview with PTI, the Congress general secretary in-charge communications also urged the Election Commission (EC) to take action against Odisha Governor Raghubar Das for campaigning in Jamshedpur. His remarks come days after the Congress slammed the EC after it rejected the party's allegations over irregularities in the Haryana assembly polls. The opposition party had said if the poll panel's goal was to "strip itself of the last vestiges of neutrality", then it was doing a "remarkable job" at creating that impression. In its letter to the EC signed by nine senior leaders, including Ramesh, the Congress had said, "We have carefully studied your response to our complaints. Not ...

BJP must explain delay in releasing funds for Jharkhand: Congress

The Congress on Sunday said the BJP must give an account for the delay of releasing Rs 1.36 lakh crore to Jharkhand in the form of pending coal royalties before seeking votes from the people. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh claimed the Centre owes Jharkhand lakhs of crores of rupees in coal royalties and central scheme benefits. In Jharkhand, coal mines are operated by subsidiaries of the Coal India Limited which owe huge sums of money to the state government, he claimed. There is an outstanding of Rs 1,01,142 crore for "non-payment of land compensation", Rs 32,000 crore under "common cause dues" head, and Rs 2,500 crore under "washed coal royalty" head, the Congress leader said. Questioning the Jharkhand unit of the BJP, he asked why it failed to secure funds for the state and why was the prime minister silent. "Why has the non-biological PM failed to release these funds? Is step-motherly treatment being administered to Jharkhand for voting for the JMM-INC alliance? Why

Cong lists Jharkhand govt's welfare schemes, accuses BJP of misleading

The Congress on Saturday said the INDIA bloc government in Jharkhand is going among the people in the upcoming assembly polls on the basis of its work, while the BJP is trying to "mislead" them with its "same old politics of hatred". In a post on X in Hindi, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said that in the last five years, the Jharkhand government has taken many steps for the betterment of the people of the state and done excellent work in fields of education, health, housing and security. "Amidst all the efforts of 'MoShah' to destabilise the state government and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, these public welfare schemes of ours are providing relief to the people -- Bicycle distribution scheme: 10 lakh children got bicycles; CM Utkrisht Vidyalaya: Education started through CBSE medium in 80 schools, a total of 5,000 schools are being made excellent at the panchayat level." Ramesh also cited schemes such as pre and post-matric scholarship from which

Jairam Ramesh hits back at PM Modi's 'fake promises of Congress' jibe

Ramesh said that the people wanted economic and social justice and that is what the Congress had put before the people.

Economist Bibek Debroy passes away, leaders reflect on his life and legacy

Condolences and tributes poured in from across India for renowned economist Bibek Debroy, including heartfelt messages from PM Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and other leaders

Monopolisation linked to India's shaky economic growth, unemployment: Cong

The Congress on Friday claimed growing monopolisation by five big conglomerates, including the Adani Group, was linked to India's shaky economic growth, unemployment crisis and high inflation, and asserted that companies must expand but the government had a responsibility to ensure oligopolies or monopolies did not emerge. The opposition party's remarks came days after the Adani Group said it had agreed to acquire CK Birla Group firm Orient Cement Limited in a deal valued at Rs 8,100 crore. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said on X, "Aap chronology samajhiye: September 2022: Modani acquires Ambuja Cements and ACC to become the country's second largest cement player." "August 2023: Adani acquires Sanghi Industries, India's largest single-location cement unit. June 2024: Adani acquires Penna Cements, giving it substantial market share even in the last remaining region of south India. October 2024: Adani acquires Orient Cement, gaining an additional 2

Jairam Ramesh slams NITI Aayog over call to pause emission-reducing gear

Congress leader and former Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh on Friday said sulphur dioxide emissions from power plants contributed significantly to air pollution and any argument suggesting that such emissions were of no concern to public health in India was ridiculous. His remarks came over a media report, which claimed the NITI Aayog had proposed halting the fitting of equipment to cut sulphur emissions at coal-fired power plants. However, there was no official word from the NITI Aayog. In a post on X, Ramesh said India was the world's largest emitter of sulphur dioxide and these emissions from power plants contributed significantly to air pollution. "A decision had been taken earlier that the power plants must install fluoride gas desulpharisers. First, a deadline of 2017 was fixed. This was later extended to 2026. Now it appears that the all-knowing NITI Aayog wants the deadline scrapped altogether," the Congress general secretary in-charge communications said. "To arg

Congress cites inflation data, claims India is in worst economic crisis

Asserting that India is in its "most precarious and difficult" economic situation in many years, the Congress on Wednesday said wage stagnation, inflation and inequality are undermining consumption growth in the country. These chokepoints will strangulate growth in the years to come if not taken seriously now, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a statement. He said that for the past three decades, the India growth story was one of consumption growth the story of crores of families escaping poverty and entering the middle class, newly able to afford products and acquire assets. It was the sign of a thriving economy, one that was growing rapidly and distributing its gains widely, the Congress leader said. In the last 10 years, India's consumption story has now gone in reverse swing and emerged as the biggest pain point for the Indian economy. India Inc. has now joined the chorus, with a leading CEO even going so far as to say that the middle cl

Ramesh backs renewable energy, public transport to tackle air pollution

Asserting that air pollution is one of India's leading public health challenges, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said cracking down on stubble burning will not suffice and there was a need to re-imagine India's economic and sustainability model, with a large-scale shift to renewable energy, electric vehicles, and public transport. Ramesh also stressed it is time to redo The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 to reflect the public health consequences of air pollution and also called for a review of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, 2009. Former environment minister Ramesh cited a report by The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change to flag concerns over air pollution. "A new report by The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change has revealed some disturbing findings on air pollution in India: A total of 16 lakh deaths in India in 2021 were due to air pollution," he said in a post on X. Fossil fuels, such as coal and liquid gas, ...

Modi govt systematically throttling MGNREGA: Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday accused the Modi government of "systematically throttling" MGNREGA, and demanded a hike in its budget as it is the "lifeline" of crores of India's poorest communities. "MGNREGA - the lifeline of crores of India's poorest communities - is being systematically throttled by the non-biological PM's government. "Budget allocations are being cut relentlessly, and wage rates have been stagnant. Now, through an ill-conceived reliance on technology, workers are being denied their right to work and their right to fair payment," Ramesh said in a statement. The Congress leader who served as the Union rural development minister in the UPA-2 government, said that in January 2024, the rural development ministry mandated the nationwide implementation of Aadhaar-Based Payment System (ABPS) for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). To be eligible for ABPS, workers must meet several conditions, including linking Aadhaar to .

Will long-delayed census be used for allocation of seats in LS: Congress

The Congress on Monday asked whether the long-delayed census would be used for allocation of seats in the Lok Sabha and said the success of South Indian states in family planning should not end up reducing their political representation in Parliament. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the South Indian states should not be be penalised for their success in family planning and suitable formulae should be worked out to ensure that this does not happen. He said South Indian states were pioneers in family planning. First to reach replacement levels of fertility was Kerala in 1988, followed by Tamil Nadu in 1993, Andhra Pradesh in 2001 and Karnataka in 2005, he pointed out. However, there have been concerns voiced for quite some time now that these successes could end up reducing the political representation of these states in Parliament, Ramesh said. "That is why in 2001 the Vajpayee Govt amended the Constitution (Article 82) to make the readjustmen

Mahayuti govt favoured firms in return for campaign finance donations: Cong

The Congress on Friday alleged that the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra privileged certain companies in infra tenders in return for campaign finance donations, costing the taxpayer at least Rs 10,903 crore. The opposition party asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will be made answerable on this. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh alleged that the Mahayuti Sarkar in Maharashtra privileged certain companies in infra tenders in return for campaign finance donations, costing the taxpayer at least Rs 10,903 crore. He said this was akin to "pre-paid chanda, post-paid dhandha". Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, "The entire nation is aware that BJP brought the Electoral Bonds Scheme to tunnel funds. We have time and again highlighted how certain firms who donated to the BJP through the illegal and unconstitutional Electoral Bonds Scheme were given hug

Crucial to act together to defend nation's image: Cong on India-Canada row

Canadian PM Trudeau also admitted that his government had not provided India with hard evidence but just intelligence regarding the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar