India Narrative

  As part of the mega celebrations marking December 16 -Vijay Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tributes to the warriors of 1971 war at a solemn ceremony and lit the Swarnim Vijay Mashaal in the capital today. ‘Swarnim Vijay Varsh’ also commemorates 50 years of India’s victory over Pakistan in 1971. Modi was accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. “On the 50th Vijay Diwas , I recall the great valour and sacrifice by the Muktijoddhas, Biranganas and bravehearts of the Indian Armed Forces. Together, we fought and defeated oppressive forces,” the Prime Minister tweeted in the morning. December 16 is celebrated with equal fervour in India and Bangladesh. The day, which is celebrated in India to mark its victory over Pakistani forces, for Bangladesh, it is the independence day. Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind, who is in Bangladesh attended the Victory Day Parade in Dhaka to mark the South Asian country’s 50 years of independence. A 122 member tri services contingent from

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday inaugurate the Rs 9,800 crore Saryu Nahar irrigation project that interlinks five rivers in Uttar Pradesh, bringing to an end a 40-year wait for the farmers of the region.  According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s office, PM Modi will visit Balrampur in UP tomorrow to inaugurate the project that was “delayed by 40 years and has now been completed in four years.” Work on the project started in 1978 but due to lack of continued budgetary support, interdepartmental coordination and adequate monitoring, it got delayed and was not completed even after nearly four decades. The Prime Minister then prioritised the inordinately delayed project in 2016 by bringing it under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana with the target to complete it in a time bound manner. Land acquisition was expedited and the digging of new canals speeded up to complete the project in four years. The Saryu Nahar National Project has been built with a total c