Given up on 'achche din', people now await 'sachche din': Congress
New Delhi, Aug 15 : Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modis customary Independence Day speech, the Congress on Wednesday said all the Prime Minister said was "meaningless" for the common people who have given up on "achche din" (good days) promised by Modi in 2014 and are now waiting for "sachche din" (truthful days).
"The Prime Minister in his last address to the nation (before next Lok Sabha polls) on Independence Day did not utter a single word that would be meaningful to the common person. The people are now tired of the fake ‘achche din' and are really waiting for ‘sachche din' when Modiji will depart as the Prime Minister of the country," Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
The Congress spokesman also challenged Modi for an open debate on issues of corruption, Rafale deal, Vyapam scam, "failing" economy, falling rupee, foreign policy, mob lynchings and woman safety, among others.
"In 2013, Modiji had challenged then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to an open debate on the issues of corruption, on China and Pakistan threatening the territorial integrity of India, on falling rupee and economy, on unemployment as also farmers and women.
"We ask Prime Minister Modi today, is he ready for a debate on those very issues with the Congress President Rahul Gandhi? Will he debate on the issue of corruption, Rafale and Vyapam? Will he debate on the failing economy and falling rupee? Rupee has hit a new low of 70 per dollar and trade deficit has gone over $18 billion," Surjewala said.
"Will he debate on the manner China has occupied Doklam, and intruding into Ladakh and engulfing India from all sides? Will he debate on Pakistan's sponsored terrorism? Will he debate on the rampant unemployment prevailing in the country?" he added.
Commenting on Modi's observation that world leaders are acknowledging India's prowess, Surjewala said that Modi should desist from "undermining Indians' contribution to the world over the last 70 years".
"Let Prime Minister not insult India and India's entrepreneurial spirit. It has not happened in just the last four years. India was always a power and India is a power that the world reckons with," the Congress leader said.
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Padma awardees in Odisha to receive monthly honorarium of Rs 30,000
Bhubaneswar, Jan 16 (PTI): The Odisha government will provide a monthly honorarium of Rs 30,000 to each of the Padma awardees of the state from the current month.
The Odia Language Literature and Culture Department issued a notification to this effect on Thursday.
In view of their outstanding contribution to society in various fields, the state government has decided to provide an honorarium of Rs 30,000 to the Padma awardees, the notification said.
All the Padma awardees of the state, who are alive, will receive the honorarium through direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode from January 2025, it said.
The government has asked collectors and culture officers of all districts to submit details of the Padma award winners (who are alive) including the district collector's certificate, bank account details, IFSC code to the Directorate of Odia, Language, Literature and Culture as soon as possible.
In March last year, the previous BJD government had announced a monthly honorarium of Rs 25,000 for the Padma awardees from Odisha. However, it was not implemented yet, an official of the department said.
In November last year, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had decided to provide Rs 30,000 to the Padma awardees of the state. Accordingly, the formal notification was published on Thursday, he said.
The Padma Award was introduced in 1954. The award is given to personalities for their outstanding contribution in the fields of arts, education, science, sports, social work, public service, medicine, literature, etc.
As per the Padma Awards website of the Ministry of Home Affairs, till now, the President has conferred Padma awards on 105 eminent personalities from Odisha, which includes 90 Padma Shri, 11 Padma Bhushan and four Padma Vibhushan.
