PM Modi unveils national emblem on Parliament building
New Delhi(PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday unveiled the national emblem cast on the roof of the new Parliament building here.
The inauguration of the emblem, which is made up of bronze with a total weight of 9,500 kg and is 6.5 metre in height, marks the first major milestone ahead of the new building's scheduled opening for later this year.
Authorities have maintained that Parliament's Winter session will be held there.
Officials said the emblem has been cast at the top of the central foyer of the new Parliament building, and a supporting structure of steel weighing around 6,500 kg has been constructed to support it.
The concept sketch and process of casting of the national emblem on the roof of the new Parliament building has gone through eight different stages of preparation from clay modelling and computer graphics to bronze casting and polishing, they said.
Modi was joined by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh at the inauguration. He also attended a religious ceremony at the site.
The prime minister also interacted with workers involved in the building's construction and told them that they should feel proud of their work. They are making a very big contribution to the nation's pride, he said.
"I had a wonderful interaction with the Shramjeevis who have been involved in the making of Parliament. We are proud of their efforts and will always remember their contribution to our nation," he tweeted.
When a worker expressed joy at his visit to the site and likened it to Lord Ram's arrival at Shabri's hut, a reference to epic Ramayana, Modi said light-heartedly, "Wah, wah, this is your hut!" He then added that every poor person of the country should also feel that this is his hut. "You have said a very good thing," the prime minister said.
When he asked them if they feel that they are making a building or history, they said in a chorus, "History".
He also asked them about the difference they felt about being part of the construction of the Parliament building and working at some other projects. The group of workers said they felt proud of working at the new Parliament building.
Modi enquired about their well-being and if they have got themselves vaccinated against COVID-19.
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Cong to distribute over 40 lakh pamphlets focused on 'Mahalakshmi' scheme
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress is set to step up its outreach to women ahead of the sixth and seventh phases of the Lok Sabha polls with plans in place to distribute more than 40 lakh pamphlets focused on its proposed "Mahalakshmi" scheme under which Rs 1 lakh will be given every year to a woman from a poor family, sources said.
In a video message, Sonia Gandhi had said last week that women of the country are facing tough times in the wake of a "severe crisis" and the party's proposed 'Mahalakshmi scheme' for them will help change their lives.
"The Congress' 'Mahalakshmi' scheme guarantees that we will give Rs 1 lakh every year to a woman from a poor family," she had said in her video message.
Sources said the Congress is all set to distribute more than 40 lakh pamphlets with key focus on "Mahalakshmi" scheme in poll-bound constituencies across the country ahead of the sixth and seventh phases.
Addressing a rally here on Saturday, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi spoke about the Mahalakshmi scheme the party intended to bring if the INDIA bloc came to power.
"We will make crores of lakhpatis. Under the scheme, a list of all families living below the poverty line will be drawn and a woman will be chosen from each family and the INDIA bloc will give them one lakh rupees in a year by depositing Rs 8,500 per month," he had said.
At a public meeting earlier, Gandhi had said that on July 1, when the poor women will check their accounts, they will find that Rs 8,500 have 'magically' been deposited.
And this will happen on the first of every month, he had said.
Sources said it was during Bharat Jodo Yatra and Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, that several women met Gandhi and shared their grievances with him, and after that the Congress came up with the Mahalakshmi scheme.
Mahalakshmi scheme is among the main five guarantees that the Congress has promised.
"The Congress resolves to launch a Mahalakshmi scheme to provide Rs 1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family as an unconditional cash transfer. The poor will be identified among the families in the bottom of the income pyramid," the Congress manifesto has said.
The sixth phase of the Lok Sabha pills will be held on May 25 while the seventh and final phase will be held on June 1.
The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
