Want to make Manipur symbol of peace, prosperity: PM Modi
Churachandpur(PTI): Urging various outfits to shun violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asserted that his government stood firmly with the people of Manipur and was working towards the goal of making the strife-torn state a symbol of peace and prosperity.
Addressing a public meeting in Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district during his first visit to the state after ethnic violence broke out in May 2023, Modi hailed Manipur as the land of hope and aspiration, and said that "unfortunately, violence had cast its shadow on this beautiful region".
"A short while ago, I met the affected people at a relief camp. After meeting them, I can say with confidence that a new dawn of hope and trust is rising in Manipur," he said.
"For development to take root anywhere, peace is essential. In the last 11 years, many conflicts and disputes in the Northeast have been resolved. People have chosen the path of peace and given priority to development," he added.
The PM, who faced sharp criticisms from the opposition for not visiting the state despite the prolonged ethnic violence, underlined that the Centre's efforts were already yielding results.
"We have seen that recently in the Hills and the Valley... negotiations have taken place for agreements with different groups. These are part of the efforts of the Government of India to establish peace while giving importance to dialogue, respect, and mutual understanding," he said.
"I would appeal to all organisations to move forward on the path of peace and fulfil their dreams. I am with you... The Government of India is with the people of Manipur. We are working towards the goal of making Manipur a symbol of peace, prosperity and progress," he said.
Modi said the Centre is providing support to build 7,000 new houses for families who have been displaced by the violence.
A special package of about Rs 3,000 crore has recently been approved, he said, adding that Rs 500 crore has been specifically allocated to assist the displaced people.
"For Manipur's development, for the resettlement of displaced families, and for the establishment of peace, the Government of India will continue to support the Manipur government in every possible way," he said.
"I appeal to all organisations to move on the path of peace, and realise your dreams. Secure the future of your children. And I promise to you today that I am with you," he said.
Noting the various initiatives taken by his government for the development of the state, Modi said that earlier decisions made in Delhi took decades to reach here, but now Manipur was progressing along with the rest of the nation.
"Earlier, good schools and hospitals in the Hills and tribal areas were only a dream. Today, with the efforts of the Centre, this situation is changing. In Churachandpur, a medical college has now been established," he said.
"Even decades after Independence, Manipur's Hill region did not have a single medical college. It is our government that has fulfilled this need. Through the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Centre is providing free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh. In Manipur alone, more than 2.5 lakh patients have received free treatment under this scheme," he said.
The PM said that India was developing very rapidly and was soon going to become the world's third-largest economy.
"I want to ensure that the fruits of development reach every corner of the country," he said.
"We built permanent houses for the poor across the country. Thousands of families in Manipur have also benefited from this scheme. In Manipur, seven to eight years back, water came through pipes to only 25-30,000 houses. Today, more than 3.5 lakh houses here are receiving the facility," he said.
Modi laid the foundation stones of projects worth more than Rs 7,300 crore at the function.
"These projects will further improve the lives of the people of Manipur, especially the people living in the Hills," he said.
Modi said, "The name Manipur itself has 'mani', and this is the gem that will shine for the entire Northeast in the times to come. The Centre has been consistently striving to take Manipur forward on the path of development. As part of this effort, I am here today among all of you."
The PM said he could never forget the love he received on his way to Churachandpur from Imphal by road, a distance of around 60 km.
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AI, IndiGo, SpiceJet seek ATF price relief; say airline industry on verge of 'stopping operations'
Mumbai (PTI): Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet have told the government that the country's airline industry is under extreme stress and on the verge of "stopping operations", as they sought revision in ATF pricing and financial support.
The West Asia turmoil has pushed up oil prices, and airspace restrictions have increased airlines' operating costs, especially on long-haul routes. Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) accounts for around 40 per cent of a carrier's operational expenses.
Against this backdrop, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) has written to the civil aviation ministry, seeking steps to extend the same fuel pricing mechanism uniformly across both domestic and international operations as was done in the past with the establishment of the crack band.
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With an unprecedented rise in jet fuel prices and exorbitant crack/differential between crude and ATF, the federation said the operation of airlines is being challenged in totality.
"... any ad hoc pricing (domestic vs international) and/or irrational increase in the price of ATF will result in unsurmountable losses for airlines and will lead to grounding of aircraft, resulting in cancellation of flights," the federation, which represents Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, said.
"In order to survive, sustain and continue operation, we request your urgent intervention for immediate and meaningful financial support to tide over the current situation," it said in a letter on April 26.
Also, the airlines have sought temporary deferment of excise duty on ATF, which is at 11 per cent.
"With the abnormal increase in ATF prices from the pre-crisis period, adding rupee depreciation to the increased prices, the 11 per cent excise duty also increases manifold for the airlines and adds to the ATF price as a big impact on airlines," they said.
Last month, the government limited the hike in ATF price to Rs 15 per litre for domestic operations, but for international operations, the price rose by Rs 73 per litre.
The airlines said the situation has practically made international operations, along with domestic operations, completely unviable and resulted in significant losses for the aviation sector in April.
Seeking urgent intervention on the current ATF ad hoc pricing, FIA said the current situation is creating a severe imbalance in domestic and international operations and rendering airline networks unviable and unsustainable.
"The airline industry in India is under extreme stress and is on the verge of closing down or of stopping its operations."
The federation has pitched for a transparent pricing framework under the crack band mechanism (USD 12–22/BBL) that was implemented in October 2022, saying there was a fair and reasonable margin for Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
According to FIA, the country's largest aviation hub Delhi has the second-highest value-added tax (VAT) of 25 per cent on jet fuel, while the highest rate is 29 per cent levied in Tamil Nadu.
"The other major aviation cities, viz. Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kolkata range between 16 per cent and 20 per cent. These 6 cities cover more than 50 per cent of airlines' operations within India," the federation said.
