World Government Summit: PM Modi holds bilateral meetings with UAE PM, Madagascar president
Dubai (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met his UAE counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and discussed a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation including trade and investment.
"Strengthening India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership! PM @narendramodi met VP & PM of UAE @HHShkMohd in Dubai. Discussions covered a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperation including trade & investment, technology, education, and people-to-people ties," said a post on the official X handle of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
In another meeting with Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina, Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to further strengthen India-Madagascar partnership and help in the developmental journey of his island nation.
A first meeting between the two leaders, Modi and Rajoelina met on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit here.
"Both leaders recognized the long-standing friendly relations and ancient geographical ties between the two countries. They discussed ways to advance bilateral ties and appreciated the close cooperation between the two countries in various multilateral fora, including the UN," an MEA statement said.
Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to "further strengthen India-Madagascar partnership" and to Vision SAGAR - Security and Growth for All in the Region, it said.
Modi also conveyed that as a fellow developing country in the Indian Ocean Region, India will remain a committed partner in the developmental journey of Madagascar, the MEA added.
Modi, while speaking at the Summit, elaborated on a wide range of subjects that strengthened the conversations around building a better planet and also sought reforms in global governance institutions.
After signing multiple bilateral agreements with the UAE, and attending the high-voltage Ahlan Modi' event that saw massive participation from the Indian diaspora, PM Modi is set to inaugurate the largest Hindu stone temple in Abu Dabhi.
After attending the World Governments Summit, he is headed to Doha to meet the leadership in Qatar as part of his two-day visit to the Gulf region.
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K'taka govt contemplating hiking water tariff by 1 paise per litre: DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Mar 14 (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said the government was planning to hike the water tariff by one paise per litre, claiming that water rates in Bengaluru have not been revised since 2014.
In view of the losses, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has proposed a hike of seven to eight paise per litre, he said.
"But I have told them that 7-8 paise is too much. The government is contemplating a one-paise hike per litre. We will discuss the matter with city MLAs before making a decision," said Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio.
The minister was responding to Congress MLC Ramoji Gowda, who urged the government to expedite the supply of Cauvery water to households given the approaching summer.
"We had a difficult year last year. As many as 7,000 borewells dried up, forcing the government to take over private water tankers. We have executed the Cauvery 5th Stage project, which is providing water to 110 villages," he said.
March 22 is Water Conservation Day, and the government has decided to observe a month-long campaign to create awareness about water conservation, he added, in a statement issued by his office.
Shivakumar alleged that builders had constructed large apartment complexes but had not paid deposits to the BWSSB.
"They have taken connections illegally. We have issued notices to them," he said.
He also warned that the government would take over water tankers this summer as well.
"The water tanker business has become a mafia. We have also decided to fill all the lakes with treated water to help recharge groundwater. The Cauvery 6th Stage plan is also ready," he said.
Noting that many people were using drinking water to wash livestock and water gardens, the minister added, "Many of them are covering bare ground with concrete, which affects water absorption. We will take action on these issues. The water conservation month will help create awareness about all these concerns."
Responding to BJP MLC Keshava Prasad, who raised concerns about compensation for those displaced by the Alamatti Dam and objections raised by Maharashtra, the Deputy Chief Minister said, "I believe an all-party delegation must go to Delhi and urge the Centre to issue a Gazette notification on the third stage of the Upper Krishna project."
When MLC Nagaraj Yadav drew attention to delays in waste disposal, Shivakumar said, "Solid waste management has become a mafia. A tender was called in the past, but vendors collectively moved the court, halting all work."
He added, "The court has yet to deliver a judgment. Some MLAs are blackmailing us over garbage dumping pits—I don’t want to name them. They are demanding Rs 800 crore for their constituencies. Garbage trucks have been parked in Mahadevapura constituency for several days now, and it has become a major issue."
"We are planning to visit Indore to study their waste management model. We haven’t called for a tender, yet the Opposition is claiming I have made Rs 15,000 crore," Shivakumar stated.
