Delhi’s 24/7 water supply: A boon or political gimmick? residents share mixed reactions

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, Dec 24 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Atishi’s inauguration of the long-awaited water supply project in Rajinder Nagar on Tuesday has marked a significant milestone in the city’s infrastructure development. For the first time, 500 families in the area will receive round-the-clock access to clean drinking water directly through taps.

However, while some residents have welcomed the move with open arms, others have raised doubts, suggesting that it could be a political stunt ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.

IANS visited Rajinder Nagar to gauge the reactions of local residents to this development.

Neha, a local resident of Pandav Nagar, shared her positive experience with the new water supply system.

“It took about 15-20 days for drinking water to reach our house. Earlier, we used to rely on water tankers, but now drinking water fittings have been installed at our place, and we’re finally getting clean water. The installation didn’t cost us anything. So far, there have been no health issues. It took time because Delhi is huge, but it’s clear that the AAP government has kept some of its promises,” she explained.

On the other hand, Asha, another resident from Pandav Nagar, voiced a more skeptical opinion.

“Clean water started coming to our place a week ago. Before that, we had to manage with with dirty, muddy water. Water now comes in the morning between 6:30 and 8, and again in the evening. When it didn’t come earlier, we had to survive on bottled water. AAP didn’t think about this before, but now with elections approaching, they’re doing this. I think Kejriwal’s government is rolling out these schemes — like the Delhi Sanjeevani Yojana and Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana — just to garner votes in 2024. Let’s see how long this continues,” she said, casting doubt on the timing of the initiative.

Kamlesh, another local resident, expressed satisfaction with the new water supply project, alongside other government schemes.

“I’m happy as we are now getting fresh water 24 hours a day. We no longer need to wait for water tankers. Kejriwal has given us free buses, free electricity, and now fresh water. I hope he wins the elections again,” she remarked, showing support for the AAP government’s initiatives.

Devki, another resident from Rajinder Nagar, echoed similar sentiments, praising Kejriwal’s leadership. “Now, we are getting fresh water. Kejriwal is doing a great job, and I hope he wins in the upcoming elections as well,” she said.

Vikas, yet another resident, noted how the new water supply had improved their daily lives. “Earlier, we had to deal with dirty water. But now, we get fresh water directly without using a motor. It’s saving us electricity, which is a huge benefit,” he said.

Durgesh Pathak, the MLA from Rajinder Nagar, expressed his gratitude to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for the water project.

“I am very lucky that Arvind Kejriwal brought this project to our constituency. I want to thank the entire team for their hard work. No one could have imagined that Delhi would get a 24-hour water supply, but we’ve made it happen. Right now, 500 houses are receiving water, and soon it will reach around 70,000 houses. This is just the beginning, and it’s something that has been delivered, not just promised,” the MLA said.

While the launch of the water supply project in Rajinder Nagar marks a significant achievement for the city, it remains to be seen whether this move is seen as a genuine effort to improve infrastructure or as a political tactic ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.

–IANS

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2024: A landmark year for India’s defence achievements and breakthroughs

New Delhi, Dec 27 (IANS) The year 2024 was marked by transformative achievements, with numerous path-breaking advancements and strategic milestones in the defence sector. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Indian Armed Forces made significant strides in enhancing national security, technological capabilities, and defence exports.

In a major breakthrough, India and China arrived at a broad consensus this year aimed at restoring the ground situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Both sides held massive diplomatic and military dialogues to resolve the deadlock. The breakthrough was achieved based on the principles of mutual and equal security.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, during the Chanakya Defence Dialogue on October 24, affirmed that the consensus showed how sustained dialogue can bring about solutions.

Record budget and indigenous production:

In the Union Budget for FY 2024-25, the MoD was allocated a historic Rs 6.22 lakh crore, the largest among all ministries. To bolster India’s self-reliance in defence, the Ministry introduced the fifth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL), which includes 346 strategically important items such as Line Replacement Units, spares, and raw materials.

The Ministry also achieved a record growth in indigenous defence production, which surged to Rs 1,26,887 crore in FY 2023-24, reflecting a 16.7 per cent increase from the previous year.

Defence exports soar:

Defence exports hit a record Rs 21,083 crore in FY 2023-24, marking a 32.5 per cent rise over the previous fiscal. Over the past decade, Indian defence exports have grown 31 times since FY 2013-14, driven by the concerted efforts of both the private sector and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs).

Major defence projects and collaborations:

In October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Spanish President Pedro Sanchez jointly inaugurated the TATA Aircraft Complex in Vadodara, Gujarat, for the manufacturing of C-295 transport aircraft.

This complex is part of a Rs 21,935-crore contract signed with Airbus Defence and Space in September 2021 for 56 aircraft, with 40 to be built in India by TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). Six of the 16 aircraft have already been inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

New Defence Capabilities:

Several key indigenous defence systems made significant progress this year.

The Indian Light Tank (ILT) ‘Zorawar’ successfully completed trials in high-altitude regions, demonstrating its operational effectiveness in challenging terrains.

The INS Arighaat, the second Arihant-class submarine, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on August 29, 2024.

INS Tushil, a multi-role stealth-guided missile frigate, was commissioned on December 9, 2024, in Russia, further strengthening India’s naval capabilities.

The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) Prachand was fully inducted by the IAF in February 2024, marking a significant addition to India’s defence arsenal.

Significant Defence Contracts:

Several strategic defence contracts were signed in 2024.

A contract for 240 AL-31FP Aero Engines for the Su-30MKI aircraft fleet was signed in September 2024 for over Rs 26,000 crore.

A procurement agreement for 12 Su-30MKI aircraft worth Rs 13,500 crore was inked in December 2024.

Two contracts for 34 Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv Mk III for the Indian Army and Indian Coast Guard were signed in March 2024 at a total value of Rs 8,073.17 crore.

Other major contracts include the acquisition of BrahMos missiles worth Rs 19,518 crore and the short refit and dry docking of INS Vikramaditya for Rs 1,207.5 crore.

Gaganyaan programme:

In a landmark achievement, the Gaganyaan Programme, aimed at India’s first human spaceflight mission, made significant progress. Four Indian Air Force (IAF) astronauts were selected for training at NASA for the Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station in 2025. The astronauts were awarded the ‘Space Wings’ by Prime Minister Modi in February 2024.

Defence cooperation and visits:

Rajnath Singh visited the US from August 23 to 26, 2024, where he met with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin. The two ministers engaged in extensive discussions on bilateral defence cooperation, industrial collaboration, regional security, and other global issues.

During his visit, Singh also met with Jake Sullivan, the US Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs. Later, from December 8 to 10, 2024, the Defence Minister visited Russia, where he co-chaired the 21st session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation with his Russian counterpart in Moscow.

Rajnath Singh also met Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the two leaders deliberated on various aspects of their bilateral defence relationship. Both affirmed that the strategic partnership between India and Russia holds immense potential, and their combined efforts will lead to significant and fruitful outcomes.

Rajnath Singh assumed office as the Defence Minister for the second consecutive term in June 2024. This year also saw key appointments in the Indian Armed Forces, with General Upendra Dwivedi taking over as the Chief of the Army Staff, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi assuming the role of Chief of the Naval Staff, and Air Chief Marshal AP Singh becoming the Chief of the Air Staff. Likewise, Rajesh Kumar Singh was appointed as the Defence Secretary.

Operational preparedness and security:

The Indian Army maintained a high state of operational preparedness, ensuring dominance along critical frontiers, including the LAC and Line of Control (LC). It also continued counter-terrorism operations and prioritised infrastructure development in border areas. The security situation in Jammu and Kashmir remained stable, with improvements despite occasional security challenges.

India also advanced its technological capabilities with the Unexploded Ordnance Handling Robot (UXOR), developed by the R&DE (Engr) in Pune. The robot, which can handle unexploded ordnance up to 1,000 kg, was inducted into service in August 2024. The Indian Air Force (IAF) also inducted indigenous Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems to neutralise aerial threats.

Air Force innovation:

The first batch of Weapon Systems branch cadets completed their Stage-I training at the Air Force Academy in June 2024. They are currently undergoing Stage-II training at the newly established Weapon Systems School at Air Force Station Begumpet. This marks the creation of the first new operational branch in the Indian Air Force (IAF) since Independence.

In addition, a significant contract for the procurement of AL-31 FP Aero engines for the Su-30MKI aircraft fleet was signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in September 2024, worth Rs 26,964.41 crore.

Furthermore, a contract was signed with HAL on March 1, 2024, for the procurement of RD-33 aero engines for the MiG-29 aircraft of the IAF, valued at Rs 5,249.72 crore. This contract will ensure the sustained operational capability of the MiG-29 fleet for the next 15 years.

Maritime power

The Indian Navy, with over 133 ships and submarines built and commissioned, continues to drive the growth of India’s shipbuilding industry. Of the 64 warships planned for induction, 63 are being built in India.

Moreover, 62 more ships and submarines are in the final stages of approval. The Navy remains crucial to enhancing self-reliance in defence manufacturing, focusing on increasing indigenisation in weapons, sensors, and equipment.

–IANS

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Child marriage will be eradicated by 2026: Assam CM

Guwahati, Dec 22 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that child marriage will be eradicated from the state by 2026.

He said, “After assuming the Chief Minister’s post, I took a pledge to eradicate the evil of child marriage from the state. Initially, we arrested around 5,000 people for their involvement in child marriage. Following the stern police action, the number of arrests was later reduced to 2,000.”

The Chief Minister mentioned that the police in a recent crackdown against child marriage arrested at least 400 people.

“Recently we took into custody around 400 persons as they were engaged in child marriages. The gradual decrease in number of arrests shows that the situation has improved a lot and we are moving towards a day when child marriage will be completely eradicated from Assam,” he added.

The CM argued that along with strict enforcement, beneficiary schemes like the Nijut Moina initiative have been uplifting the girl children towards a better future.

The Nijut Moina initiative of the state government aims to cover 10 lakh girl students with an outlay of Rs 1,500 crore and in the first year, over 1.6 lakh girls will get Rs 240 crore.

Sarma said, “Assam has started a big initiative today by launching Nijut Moina. Under this scheme, the girl students who study at the graduation level will receive a monthly scholarship of more than Rs 1000 and those who pursue post-graduation are set to get Rs 2500 per month to bear the education expenditure. In this way, we want that girl students should not depend on their parents to continue higher education.”

The Chief Minister argued that with the launch of this initiative, the child marriage cases will come down in Assam.

“We are anticipating that Nijut Moina will able to eradicate the evil of child marriage from the state,” he said.

Sarma further said that one of the primary conditions to avail this scheme is that the girl students will remain unmarried till they reach the post-graduation level.

“As the aim of this initiative is to eradicate child marriage, the girl students studying at the graduation level must remain unmarried till they finish their undergraduate curriculum. Once they reach the post-graduation level, there is no bar in remaining unmarried to avail the Nijut Moina scheme. At that point, they will reach their minimum age of marriage and we also desire that the girls get married in a specific period and lead a happy life,” he stated.

The Chief Minister also laid down another condition that no daughter of MP, MLA or minister can get the benefits of this financial support initiative.

–IANS

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