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India keen to reach top 25 position in global innovation index soon: PM Modi

Narendra Modi

New Delhi | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said India has jumped 24 positions to rank 57th in global innovation index in a short span of four years and is keen to break into the top 25 tally soon.

Addressing the Smart India Hackathon 2019, Modi said the country today is the world’s third largest start-up nation and has cemented its position based on the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

“Our economy is running on a new track. The new India, on which we are all working, is making its mark in the world through its innovation and start-ups,” he said.

Noting that India had ranked 81st in the Global Innovation Index in 2014, Modi said the country has now leapfrogged 24 notches to the 57th spot.

“In terms of the Global Innovation Index, India ranked 57th, whereas in 2014, we were at 81. In four years, we have jumped 24 places. We are in no mood to stop here, very soon we have to reach top 25,” he added.

During his address which began after 10 PM, Modi suggested that the young participants in the 36-hour hackathon look for technology-driven solutions to tackle issues related to women and child safety. He also urged them to come up with a hyper-local solution to help fruit and vegetable vendors deliver their goods through an online marketplace model.

He interacted with college and university students from across the country, who are participating in the hackathon. Some of these students shared their ideas around using tech-led solutions to address problems faced by farmers, differently-abled, students with learning disabilities and malnourished children.

Modi also provided his suggestions on how those solutions could be strengthened further to solve societal challenges.

“Since 2017 when we started this effort, we have expanded it…What started with 30,000 students, this hackathon has now grown to 2 lakh participants…Smart India Hackathon has emerged as the world’s largest national level open innovation model where on one platform, industry, educational institutes, government agencies, professionals and students come together,” he said.

Smart India Hackathon is a nationwide initiative to provide students a platform to solve problems being faced by people in their daily lives, and to foster a culture of innovation and a mindset of problem solving.

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PM Modi solely responsible for delay in arrival of Rafale jets: Congress

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New Delhi | The Congress Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the country witnessed his “monologue, fake bravado and narcissistic lies”, as Rahul Gandhi accused him of being “solely responsible” for the delay in arrival of Rafale jets.

“Dear PM, Have you no shame at all? YOU stole 30,000 Crore and gave it to your friend Anil. YOU are solely responsible for the delay in the arrival of the RAFALE jets. “YOU are WHY brave IAF pilots like Wing Cdr. Abhinandan, are risking their lives flying outdated jets,” Gandhi said on Twitter.

The response came after Modi said the country was feeling the absence of Rafale and results would have been different if India had the fighter jets as he attacked the Congress for its tirade against his government over the aircraft deal.

“India is feeling the absence of Rafale. The entire country is saying in one voice today, that if we had Rafale, the results would have been different. The country has suffered a lot due to selfish interests earlier and now politics over Rafale,” the prime minister said at the India Today conclave.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the nation witnessed a monologue by a “narcissistic” prime minister sans any sense of accountability. He said the prime minister is obsessed with one word– ‘Modi’ — and forgets that India is a thriving democracy of 132 crore people with a multitude of opinions.

“When will Modiji take decisive action against Pakistan-sponsored terror? Compromising national security and gross intelligence failure are the characteristic style of a non-functioning Modi government.

“In last 56 months, 498 soldiers and officers have been martyred in Jammu and Kashmir alone. In the month of February 2019 alone, 55 brave soldiers laid down their lives due to the menace of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism,” a statement quoting Surjewala said.

He said the prime minister had blatantly “politicised” the bravery and martyrdom of India’s soldiers as a political pamphlet. “Latest instances of Modiji’s cronyism are the Rafale deal and handing over of 5 out of 6 airports to his crony friends,” the statement said.

The Congress also hit out at the ruling dispensation for its alleged poor handling of the economy. “Modiji’s directionless policies and myopia of economic vision have been disastrous for India’s economy. No wonder, every economic expert across the spectrum now says Modinomics’ is harmful for the country. “With nearly 50 days to go, India awaits for Modi government’s departure,” Surjewala added.

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