AAP Decides to Contest Punjab and Chandigarh Lok Sabha Elections Independently

New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) In a unique blend of sports and social awareness, political leaders from both Houses of Parliament gathered on the cricket ground at Delhi’s Major Dhyan Chand Stadium on Sunday to promote the goal of a TB-free India by 2025.

The 20-over cricket match, dubbed the “TB Mukt Bharat Awareness Cricket Match,” aims to raise awareness about tuberculosis (TB) and highlight the importance of public health in India’s journey towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Speaking to IANS, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari emphasised the significance of the match, stating, “We are trying to give a message to the world about TB. TB is a serious problem and it should be dealt with properly. We are raising awareness through this match.”

Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu added, “We are putting more efforts into the ongoing battle against TB in India. We’ve received a great response, as political leaders from various parties have come together for this cause. Our goal is to eradicate TB by 2025. We need more such initiatives to raise awareness, as we work toward ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. To achieve this, we must unite to combat diseases and illnesses.”

BJP leader Ravi Kishan called the match historic and stressed the importance of fitness in defeating TB: “We will make the opponent lose. I urge everyone to stop any kind of intoxication. Through this cricket match, we are sending a message to stay fit and beat TB. We will achieve the dream of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 after defeating diseases like TB.”

AAP leader Raghav Chadha praised the initiative, noting, “It is wonderful that MPs from both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha have come together for such a noble cause. I hope we see more initiatives where political leaders from different parties unite to fight for important causes like this.”

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju also spoke about the importance of the event: “A TB-free India is our resolution. We’ve organised this cricket match to raise awareness about TB. Through this match between MPs, we aim to tackle this serious illness with the power of sports. To serve the nation, we need to be both mentally and physically fit. Sports has always been a passion for me, and this is an opportunity to contribute to our mission of making India a developed nation by 2047.”

The match, which began at 9 a.m. on December 15, saw Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur captain the Lok Sabha Speaker XI team, while Kiren Rijiju led the Rajya Sabha Chairman XI team.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 22 (IANS) As India strives towards a green future, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clean energy policies are creating some wonderful opportunities, which will not only help India achieve its Net Zero goal but also pull millions more out of poverty, Erik Solheim, Former Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway, has stressed.

Nearly 25 crore Indians have come out of “multidimensional poverty in the last nine years”, with poverty levels declining to 11.28 per cent in 2022-23 from 29.17 per cent in 2013-14, according to a recent paper by NITI Aayog.

Solheim told IANS in an interaction that India under PM Modi is now working on making renewable energy mainstream, which would create several economic opportunities in years to come.

“I’m very optimistic when it comes to governments and industries talking about the green economy. For PM Modi, the green economy is another way to move more people out of poverty, help the middle class create more wealth and let the country shine on the global arena by tapping into the potential of solar, wind, hydropower and all other green assets,” the veteran diplomat emphasised.

Speaking at the recently-concluded 4th Global Renewable Energy Investors’ Meet in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, the Prime Minister said the government has prioritised high-performance bio-manufacturing by launching the BioE3 policy, aimed at accelerating India’s transition to green growth and a Net Zero carbon economy.

Meanwhile, India added nearly 15 GW of renewable energy capacity from April to November in the current financial year, almost double the 7.54 GW added during the same period last year, according to Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi.

The country’s total installed capacity in the non-fossil fuel energy sector has reached 214 GW, marking an increase of over 14 per cent compared to the same period last year, as the country aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based capacity by 2030.

In a significant feat for the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, the scheme has achieved more than 6.85 lakh installations to date and is set to surpass a decade’s solar growth in about a year. Since its launch in February this year, the scheme with 685,763 installations has already reached 86 per cent of what was installed in a decade before that.

Around 1.45 crore registrations have been done so far under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.

According to the Norwegian diplomat, PM Modi’s vision to turn the green sector into a massive economic opportunity is a defining moment for the country.

“Going green will create more jobs and prosperity for millions of Indians. At the same time, it will do tremendously well for Mother Earth, to help the environment heal,” Solheim told IANS.

–IANS

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