Govt's achievements in 1st 100 days just a 'trailer':PM, says “puri film toh abhi baaki hai”
Ranchi, Sep 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said development and the fight against corruption and terrorism during the first 100 days of the NDA 2.0 government was just a "trailer" of a fast-paced film, adding “puri film toh abhi baaki hai", suggesting more concrete steps are on the anvil.
Modi also took a dig at former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, saying some people facing allegations of corruption have already been put in their "rightful place", a reference to him being sent to jail early this month.
The prime minister was speaking in Ranchi in poll-bound Jharkhand after launching a slew of measures including ambitious pension schemes for farmers, shopkeepers and self-employed persons. He also inaugurated a new building complex for the state Assembly and a multi-modal cargo terminal, which is expected to ease transportation in the mine-rich region.
"Those who thought they are above law and above courts of the country are now approaching courts praying bail; some people have already gone inside (jail) which is their rightful place.
"Development is our pledge and commitment; never has the country seen such acceleration in development," Modi told a public meeting at Prabhat Tara maidan now renamed as Jagannath maidan here. Chidambaram is lodged in Tihar jail in Delhi after the senior Congress leader was sent to two-week judicial custody by a court in the INX media corruption case filed by the CBI. The former minister has denied the allegations against him.
"In sabhi mamlo mein, desh ne abhi sarkar ka bas trailer dekha hai, puri film toh abhi baaki hai". (The country has just seen the 'trailer' of the functioning of the government(in 100 days), the entire film still remains to be seen.)
The prime minister also reiterated his commitment to securing the dignity of Muslims, citing the passage of the triple talaq bill in the first session of Parliament during the tenure of Modi 2.0 government.
Talking about the two newly formed Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Modi said, "We aim to bring about development in J&K and Ladakh, the work for which has begun in the first 100 days of NDA 2.0."
Modi also described the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as kaamdaar' (work oriented) and damdaar' (strong).
He referred to how Jharkhand earlier lacked transparency and witnessed scams, but Chief Minister Raghubar Das made efforts to bring transparency in the last nearly five years.
Modi's words of praise of his party government comes ahead of the state assembly elections in Jharkhand due later this year.
Reeling out figures related to different welfare projects launched by the government, he said 44 lakh people availed benefits under the 'Ayushman Bharat' health insurance scheme in the last one year.
The world's largest health insurance scheme was launched by the prime minister from Jharkhand last year.
More than two crore houses were constructed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and two crore more houses are under construction in the country, besides constructing 10 crore toilets and giving free LPG connections to eight crore beneficiaries under 'Ujjwala Yozana', he said.
About the planned schemes in the state, Modi said Jharkhand will get a new identity through the Multi-Modal Terminal at Sahibganj, which will connect Bangladesh, Nepal and the North-East areas.
The prime minister said that pension schemes for the people working in the unorganized sector, farming and small trading units have been introduced.
The government will spend Rs one lakh every year on the tribal students education, he said.
After its bifurcation from Bihar in 2000, the tribal dominated state of Jharkhand will now have its own well-equipped assembly building to carry out legislative functions.
The three-storey building has been constructed at a cost of Rs 465 crore.
It is dubbed as the first paperless Assembly in the country.
Modi dedicated "Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana" that will help small and marginal farmers by providing a minimum pension of Rs 3,000 per month, on attaining the age of 60 years.
Farmers who are currently between 18 and 40 years of age can apply for the scheme.
The 'Pradhan Mantri Laghu Vyapari Maan Dhan Yojana', a pension scheme for shopkeepers and retail traders was also launched.
Another 'Swarojgar' pension scheme was also rolled out for self-employed persons.
Under both the schemes, beneficiaries between 18 and 40 years will get Rs 3,000 per month after completing 60 years of age.
The cargo terminal, which was inaugurated online by the prime minister from here, has been built by Inland Waterways Authority of India on River Ganga at Sahibganj.
It has a cargo storing capacity of 30 lakh tonnes per year, a stockyard and parking and berthing space for two vessels.
Modi laid the foundation stones online for 462 Eklavya Model Schools across the country, of which 69 will be established in 13 of Jharkhand's 24 districts.
The foundation for a new building of Jharkhand Secretariat was also laid by the prime minister.
The new secretariat building in the state capital will come up at an estimated cost of Rs 1,238.92 crore.
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Maharashtra transporters launch stir against e-challans; indefinite strike from Thursday midnight
Mumbai (PTI): Transporters across Maharashtra on Thursday launched a statewide “chakka jam” to protest against “arbitrary and excessive” e-challans and other issues faced by the sector, and threatened to go on an indefinite strike from midnight.
The state Transport Commissioner’s office has directed all Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) to activate separate control rooms in their jurisdictions to track the protest and share information about any incident that could lead to a law and order situation, an official said.
After the last round of negotiations held at the Maharashtra Transport Commissioner’s office on Wednesday evening remained inconclusive, the Maharashtra Transport Action Committee (M-TAC) said that it would go ahead with the strike.
According to M-TAC representatives, transporters will stage protests at Azad Maidan in Mumbai and outside the Regional Transport Office (RTO) premises in other parts of the state before going on strike from midnight.
M-TAC said school buses, contract carriage buses, private buses and commercial vehicles, including trucks, tempos, taxis and tankers, would remain off the roads during the indefinite agitation. The transporters have also threatened to bring their vehicles to protest sites.
Anil Garg, a leader of the School Bus Owners Association, had said on Wednesday that school buses across the state would not operate from Friday if the indefinite strike happened, though their services would remain unaffected on Thursday.
Earlier this week, Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik also held a meeting with transporters at the MSRTC headquarters here, but M-TAC said the talks remained unfruitful due to what it described as “hollow assurances” from the government.
Sarnaik had appealed to the transporters to withdraw their agitation, stating that the government was positive about cancelling “unjust” e-challans issued to parked vehicles and would take a favourable decision on the matter.
A senior department official said that the Transport Commissioner’s office has asked all RTOs to activate control rooms and alert it in the case of any incident with the potential to create a law and order situation.
All RTOs have been asked to submit a detailed and factual report before 5 pm every day till the strike continues, the official said.
The report should include information such as the impact of the strike in their jurisdiction, the status of essential commodities and passenger movement, preventive steps taken to provide relief to the public, and issues faced during the strike, he said.
M-TAC said the agitation is being organised against what it termed “arbitrary and excessive” electronic traffic enforcement and the mounting financial burden on the transport sector.
The charter of demands submitted by M-TAC to the government earlier this year includes major reforms to the e-challan system, a waiver of pending fines and a reduction in taxes and toll charges imposed on commercial vehicles.
M-TAC leaders claimed the e-challan system has caused hardship not only to transport operators but also to ordinary vehicle owners.
The action committee has also sought the withdrawal or relaxation of a proposed amendment to rules issued in January 2026, requiring transporters to clear e-challan penalties within 45 days, failing which they would face restrictions on essential services such as permit renewal, fitness certification and other regulatory approvals.
“As per Rule 468 and amended Rule 514 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, all time-barred e-challans should be cancelled if cases are not filed in court,” the charter of demands stated.
M-TAC has also demanded the closure of highway check posts and the establishment of rest houses or centres for drivers. It has sought fire tenders and emergency service facilities on highways, provisions for parking lots, bus stops and cargo loading and unloading facilities.
The transporters have further called for a review of the repeated retrofitting of devices such as panic buttons, vehicle location tracking devices, high-security registration plates, fire detection and suppression systems, and CCTV cameras, which they claim are mandated under the pretext of safety.
They have demanded the suspension of what they described as unfeasible and abrupt “no entry” restrictions that cause operational difficulties and have urged the government to adopt a more consultative approach.
