India’s diplomatic offensive against Pak begins, Sanjay Jha-led delegation departs today

Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS) An estimated investment of $2.2 trillion into infrastructure development is imperative to support India’s GDP size to expand to $7 trillion by 2030, according to a report on Thursday.

To achieve an economic size of $7 trillion, India’s economy is required to grow at a CAGR of 10.1 per cent between 2024-2030, according to the report by Knight Frank India.

The investment opportunity for private participation in infrastructure development in India ranges between $103.2 billion to $324 billion.

“India stands at the cusp of a transformative era in infrastructure development. By harnessing the power of private investment, we can accelerate our journey towards achieving our ambitious economic growth targets,” said Rajeev Vijay, Executive Director-Government and Infrastructure Advisory, Knight Frank India.

The central government aims to reduce its gross fiscal deficit to below 4.5 per cent by 2025 and increasing private sector participation in infrastructure development would help balance fiscal deficit targets.

At an existing investment share composition of Centre (51.2 per cent), state (44.1 per cent), private (4.7 per cent), the estimated gross fiscal deficit in 2030 will be 4.7 per cent, which is above the government’s defined fiscal deficit threshold.

In this scenario, the private participation in infrastructure development in India amounts to $103.2 bn until 2030. However, the share of private investment in this composition is negligible and needs to expand.

However, an 10 per cent top up in private investments in infrastructure to 14.7 per cent brings the potential opportunity amount to $324 billion, an annual average of $54 billion until 2030.

This will potentially support the government to maintain healthy fiscal balances.

By increasing the private participation in infrastructure development, the government can redirect the expenditure towards other key segments of economic growth such as public healthcare, strengthening human capital, debt payments, etc which will support long-term growth of the economy, said the report.

On a sector-wise analysis, renewable energy, data centres, roads and highways, warehousing and logistics have significant potential to attract private investments.

Supported by a rapid urbanisation and shifting demographics, sectors such as urban mass transit, airports, power distribution, etc, hold massive investment opportunities, the report mentioned.

“For India to achieve its ambitious economic growth targets, massive infrastructure investments are necessary,” the report added.

—IANS

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Kalol, April 6 (IANS) Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah visited Gujarat on Sunday and participated in the landmark event at the Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) plant in Kalol.

The occasion marked the golden jubilee of the Kalol facility, a significant milestone in India’s cooperative and agricultural development.

Amit Shah was present as the chief guest, while Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel joined as the special guest of honour.

State Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel also attended the event, underscoring its importance at both state and national levels.

As part of the celebration, Amit Shah formally inaugurated a newly established Seed Research Center at the IFFCO campus. The center aims to drive innovation in seed technology and agricultural productivity, building upon IFFCO’s five-decade legacy of supporting India’s farming community.

A large gathering of farmers from across Gujarat attended the ceremony, reflecting the organisation’s deep grassroots connect.

Addressing the gathering, Amit Shah highlighted the significance of the day, noting that the event coincided with both Ram Navami and the foundation day of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – two symbolic occasions reflecting new beginnings and sustained growth.

He praised IFFCO’s journey over the past 50 years, calling it a ‘model cooperative’ whose reach has extended into millions of Indian homes.

“Even when IFFCO celebrates its centenary, the world will look at it with amazement,” the Home Minister said, lauding the organisation’s consistent performance since the Kalol plant began operations.

Amit Shah emphasised IFFCO’s role in pioneering nano fertilisers such as Nano Urea and Nano DAP, technologies that are now being recognised internationally.

He described IFFCO as not just a manufacturing entity but a movement that has revolutionised farming practices and empowered the agricultural sector.

Speaking about the newly launched Seed Research Center, the Home Minister noted that it represents a major leap forward in India’s agricultural strategy.

He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for setting the foundation of modern reforms in cooperatives, education, and rural development.

“Even if this seed research begins with a small setup today, its roots will strengthen the foundation of future agricultural innovation,” he said.

The Home Minister also took a moment to recall how the Prime Minister has transcended political lines to prioritise national development and acknowledged the contributions of past leaders, while pointing out that progress in the cooperative sector has been accelerated under the BJP governance.

“Development today isn’t limited by party lines; it’s driven by a vision for the future,” Amit Shah added.

IFFCO currently operates fertiliser production units at five locations across three states, with an impressive annual turnover of Rs 40,000 crore.

The organisation has consistently pushed the envelope, particularly in adopting environmentally responsible practices.

“From being on the back foot in terms of environmental responsibility, we’re now leading from the front,” Amit Shah said, citing innovations like liquid urea that are so compact, “you wouldn’t even realise you’re carrying fertilizer in your pocket.”

He also noted a transformative shift where even women farmers are now operating drones to spray liquid urea – an example of how modern technologies are empowering India’s rural workforce.

“The resilience of Indian farmers will not only modernise agriculture but also safeguard the environment in the coming decades,” he said.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also addressed the gathering, welcoming attendees to the 50th anniversary and foundation stone ceremony.

He remarked that the cooperative movement has played a pivotal role in realising the ideals of ‘Ram Rajya’, a harmonious and prosperous society rooted in Indian values.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah, the field of cooperation is witnessing unprecedented growth and innovation,” the Chief Minister said.

He added that the IFFCO Kalol plant, whose foundation was laid five decades ago, has now grown into a towering symbol of India’s cooperative strength – a tree that continues to bear fruit for farmers across the nation.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered that no fresh suits would be registered under the Places of Worship Act in the country, and in the pending cases, no final or effective orders would be passed till further orders of the Apex Court.

A Special Bench headed by CJI Sajiv Khanna asked the Union government to file within four weeks its reply to the clutch of petitions challenging the validity of the 1991 Act, which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947.

The Bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K. V. Viswanathan, appointed advocates Kanu Agarwal, Vishnu Shankar Jain and Ejaz Maqbool as nodal counsel to make compilations of pleadings on behalf of the Union, the petitioners and the parties supporting the Act, respectively.

In March 2021, a Bench headed by then CJI S.A. Bobde sought the Centre’s response to the plea filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, challenging the validity of certain provisions of the law.

The plea said, “The 1991 Act was enacted in the garb of ‘Public order’, which is a State subject (Schedule-7, List-II, Entry-1) and ‘places of pilgrimages within India’ is also State subject (Schedule-7, List-II, Entry-7). So, the Centre can’t enact the Law. Moreover, Article 13(2) prohibits the State from making a law to take away fundamental rights but the 1991 Act takes away the rights of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs, to restore their ‘places of worship and pilgrimages’, destroyed by barbaric invaders.”

It further added, “The Act excludes the birthplace of Lord Rama but includes the birthplace of Lord Krishna, though both are incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the creator and equally worshipped throughout the world, hence it is arbitrary.”

Meanwhile, several intervention/impleadment applications have been moved before the Apex Court seeking the dismissal of the petitions against the Places of Worship Act.

In its application, the Managing Committee of Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Mosque said the “consequences of declaring the 1991 Act unconstitutional are bound to be drastic and will obliterate the rule of law and communal harmony”.

It said that an Article 32 petition challenging a legislative enactment must indicate the unconstitutionality of the provisions based on constitutional principles and the rhetorical arguments seeking a sort of retribution against the perceived acts of previous rulers cannot be made the basis for a constitutional challenge.

“As many as 20 suits are pending before different Varanasi courts seeking to nullify the protection accorded by the 1991 Act and to convert the character of the Gyanvapi Mosque and prevent access of Muslims to the mosque,” it said.

In a similar application, the Committee of Management of Mathura’s Shahi Masjid Eidgah said that the law was enacted by Parliament in the interest of the country’s progress, which has stood the test of time for more than 33 years.

The mosque committee said that the adjudication of the petitions against the Places of Worship Act is likely to have a significant bearing on the adjudication of its special leave petitions pending before the apex court against the dismissal of their application filed under Order VII Rule 11 of the CPC (Code of Civil Procedure) and the pending suits against the applicant mosque committee.

The Management Committee of Shahi Masjid Eidgah is party to 17 different suits being tried by the Allahabad High Court, where the plaintiffs have staked a claim over the entire parcel of land over which the Shahi Masjid Eidgah has been built, and have further sought the removal of the mosque structure from the said land, claiming the same to have been built over Krishna Janmsthan.

–IANS

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