India returning to normal business activity; consumption, demand rising: PM Modi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said business activity in India is returning to normal levels with consumption and demand fast approaching pre-COVID levels.
A protracted lockdown imposed to curb spread of coronavirus has resulted in severe disruption of industrial production and consumer spending, with GDP growth forecast to contract sharply.
Speaking at the launch of commercial coal mining, Modi said business activity was fast returning to normal levels.
"Consumption and demand are now reaching pre-COVID levels," he said. He cited rise in electricity demand and fuel consumption among others to point to recovery.
"These indicators point to Indian economy fast preparing to bounce back," he said. "India has come out of big crises in past and it will come out of present one as well."
India's growth and success is guaranteed, he said propagating his idea of making the country self-reliant by cutting imports.
"Just until a few weeks back, we used to import N-95 face masks, corona testing kids, personal protective equipment (PPE), and ventilators. But now we have become self-reliant and are also in a position to export some medical equipment," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
BIT AI & Data Science department organises zero plastic drive on campus
Mangaluru: The Department of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science at Bearys Institute of Technology (BIT), Mangaluru, organised a “Zero Plastic Drive” on April 27 at the Bearys Knowledge Campus as part of Earth Week 2026 (April 22–29).
The programme was conducted in association with BIT-ADVA (Students Association of AI & DS) and the Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC), with the objective of promoting environmental sustainability and reducing plastic usage on campus.
The event commenced with an awareness and motivational session on zero plastic by Dr. Mehaboob Mujawar, who highlighted the harmful effects of single-use plastics and stressed the need for adopting sustainable practices.
The drive was coordinated by Dr. Mehaboob Mujawar and Meghana Nayak, ensuring the smooth execution of activities. The programme witnessed active participation from students of the 4th and 6th semester of AI and Data Science, along with faculty members.
As part of the initiative, students collected plastic waste from classrooms, canteens, hostels, and surrounding areas of the campus. The collected waste was segregated for proper disposal and recycling. Cloth bags were also distributed to encourage the use of eco-friendly alternatives.
An awareness rally was conducted to educate students on the hazards of plastic pollution and the importance of responsible waste management.
The drive resulted in the collection and segregation of a significant amount of plastic waste and created awareness among students about sustainable practices. The initiative also encouraged the adoption of eco-friendly habits, contributing to a cleaner and greener campus environment. 
