Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

Here are India’s cabinet ministers who were appointed in 2014

<ul><li>Foreign institutional investors are awaiting the selection of ministers on <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>'s new cabinet.</li><li>BJP's promises ahead of India's Parliamentary elections in 2019 lacked emphasis on the economy.</li><li>The opposition's attempts to draw focus on Modi's economic lapses fell on deaf ears.</li><li>Alastair Newton lists out three things that the Modi's new Cabinet of Ministers must focus on.</li></ul>Sensex, the benchmark index at the Bombay Stock Exchange, soared past 40,000 for the first time ever at the same time Narendra Modi was marching towards a historic mandate for five more years as india's Prime Minister. The markets were clearly cheering Modi's win. Foreign institutional investors bet a net of ₹1352 crore ($20 million) in one day when the BJP came back with a whopping majority, the first for any Indian party since 1984. However, they have questions. "We know so little about what BJP’s economic priorities are for the next five years," a long-time India watcher and political analyst, Alastair Newton, Co-founder &amp; Director, Alavan Business Advisory, told Business Insider. One thing that could signal the path is the impending selection of ministers in Modi's new cabinet. Newton has no doubt that Modi is the best bet to revive India's slacking economy. "Even though this government is much better placed in the upper house today than it was in 2014, structural reforms are very hard. There are always winners and losers and vested interests have to be seen for structurally reforms to be successfully carried through. I genuinely believe that Mr Modi has the mandate which can be turned into significant structural reforms, but the question is, is the will actually there to do it?" he added. Will Modi be like Reagan or Sanders? Newton's apprehension is much in line with <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/19/opinion/india-elections-modi.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">the angst of Morgan Stanley's Ruchir Sharma</a>, who wrote in the New York Times this week that that India needs a free market champion some like Ronald Reagan but the people keep electing leaders who adopt socialist policies like the ones advocated by Bernie Sanders. "Although I fully accept that, in relative terms, Narendra Modi is business friendly, he is philosophically prone to statism at heart, and in some countries, he would qualify as a socialist," Newton said as he lined up three important reforms that the new government in India must initiate as soon as possible-- privatisation of state-owned companies (particularly banks), improve basic education and healthcare (especially in rural areas), and invest in building cold storage to curb the wastage of agricultural produce. " It will be a fortuitous time for privatisation of PSU banks because of the slowdown in the Indian economy. The discomfort the slowdown is going to cause can be overcome by a fiscal stimulus but the fiscal situation at this point is very tight indeed. And privatisation now, will give the government a little more revenue to play with fiscal stimulus," Newton said. In simple words, the government can use the money received from selling stake in companies to rev up the Indian economy. "I would chuck Air India, to be honest, into that as well and there are lots of other stuff as well which could be privatised," he added. According to him, while the focus will be on job creation, it is just as important to create a labour force that is educated and healthy enough to fulfill those jobs adequately. Interestingly, these three big reforms have been on Newton's wishlist since 2006. But there is hope. "What investors will continue to follow very closely is where the BJP 2.0 and Modi 2.0 is going to go on economic policy and priority. And that is going to start off with the makeup of the new cabinet when it is announced," he said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-lok-sabha-elections-2019-counting-and-results-highlights/articleshow/69453349.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Narendra Modi has retained India's iron throne and reduced rivals to dust</a>

Foreign investors are thrilled about Modi's win but don't know what to expect from him

For a man who has been elected to the Parliament eight times, Santosh Gangwar has remained a low-profile man within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Finally, he has received the biggest role he has ever held in the government. 71-year old Gangwar has been appointed a minister of state with independent charge for labour and employment. Gangwar has been elected from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh since 1989, except once in 2009 when he lost by a narrow margin. He was Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Textile till 2016, after which he was sworn in as Minister of State for Finance. He worked on the roll out of the goods and services tax. In April 2018, Gangwar stirred controversy by saying that one should not make a big deal about rape in a country as large as India, <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/rapes-are-unfortunate-but-can-t-be-stopped-says-union-minister-1217474-2018-04-22" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">according to a news report</a>. The statement came after two incidents of sexual assault of minors where BJP leaders were implicated. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/policy/arjun-ram-meghwal-is-indias-new-minister-for-xxxx/articleshow/69585298.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Arjun Ram Meghwal is India's new minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Heavy Industries, and Public Sector Companies</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/pm-narendra-modi-second-oath-taking-ceremony-updates/articleshow/69574162.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Narendra Modi takes charge as India’s PM for the second time</a>

Eight-time member of Parliament Santosh Gangwar gets labour ministry

<ul><li><keyword id="973" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ram-Vilas-Paswan">Ram Vilas Paswan</keyword> is once again in-charge of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.</li><li>An eight-time Lok Sabha MP, Paswan did not contest the Lok Sabha Elections this year. </li></ul>Taking oath at the 6th position during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing in ceremony, Ram Vilas Paswan returns to be a Union Cabinet Minister in the <keyword id="6360789" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi-government">Modi government</keyword>. In the first term of the Modi government too, Paswan held the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Earlier in his long political tenure he has held the ministerial position for various other ministries like Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mines, Communications and Information Technology and also Ministry of Railways. Paswan is a eight-time Lok Sabha MP as well as a former Rajya Sabha MP. Paswan is the president of the Lok Janshakti Party. Paswan did not contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2019, which came as a surprising news as he has been contesting elections from 1977 (from Bihar’s Hajipur constituency). It was reported that his son Chirag Paswan, who is a MP from the Jamui constituency of Bihar could be the one to hold a ministerial position as the Modi government comes back to power for the second time. However, junior Paswan had recently denied the<a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/election-results-2019-ram-vilas-paswan-countered-by-chirag-paswan-on-ministry-2044323"> reports</a> to say that he was not taking up a ministerial position in the Modi cabinet.

Ram Vilas Paswan returns as the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

<ul><li>The first three years of the Modi administration had a windfall from the crash in global <keyword id="102132" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Crude-Oil-Prices">crude oil prices</keyword>.</li><li> In 2019, the outlook for oil prices is more uncertain.</li><li> If crude climbs to over $80 per barrel or higher, it would have a dampening impact on investor sentiment.</li></ul> India imports 80% of all the crude oil it needs and a spike in global prices wreck havoc on the South Asian economy. In the first three years of the Modi administration global crude oil prices fell to nearly $30 a barrel at one point. No prime minister in India’s history since liberalization was blessed with such a windfall. Coincidentally, on the day that he got elected for a second time (May 23), the 1,000 point rally that Sensex was partly a cheer for Modi’s historic feat and partly attributed to a sharp 5% fall in crude oil prices that day. However, the blessing in the form of cheap oil is not certain this time and that is something Modi's new cabinet will have an eye on throughout. The Bitter Fruit of Trade War Lower crude oil prices bring good tidings to the Indian economy. But the reason for their fall is a standoff between China and the US over trade talks, which brought on fears of global economic growth. The United States and China appeared at a deadlock over trade negotiations as Washington demanded promises of concrete changes to Chinese law and Beijing said that it would not swallow any ‘bitter fruit’ that harmed its interests,” said a June crude outlook by Reliance Commodities. Yet another surprise came this was an unexpected swell in crude stocks, while analysts were expecting a decrease. The US crude inventories also rose, their highest since September 2017, leading to last week’s fall. All these factors have led analysts put a ‘volatile’ theme on crude outlook. “We are going to see volatility in oil markets but if we do see a big flare up in the Gulf, and I would stress this again that this is not my base case but it is a distinct possibility. That is going to be a very bad news for India and it’s going to be very bad news for investor sentiment in India,” said Alastair Newton, long-time India watcher and political analyst. Dampening effect Today, the crude prices had already started recovering from for their Thursday’ fall. It gained 1% reaching $68 per barrel (<keyword id="56586" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Brent-crude">Brent crude</keyword>). Newton believes that if Brent Crude climbs to over $80 per barrel or higher than that heads towards a $100, it would have a dampening impact on investor sentiment in India. A rise in oil prices increase the import bill, which means India will need more dollars to buy the same amount of oil. This will weaken the rupee, reduce its purchasing power and further exacerbate inflation. Few are even bothering to predict where crude prices will go for the next few months. “I was speaking at a conference recently, and I did an electronic poll of about 500 odd people in the room. I gave them 4 bands for the price of Brent by the end of the year ranging from $45 to $85 and the outcome of the poll was more or less 25% for each band. It’s one of those situations where you guess is, literally, as good as mine,” Newton explained. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india-election-results-fii-watch-narendra-modis-new-cabinet-and-policy-decisions/articleshow/69479558.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Foreign investors are thrilled about Modi's win but don't know what to expect from him</a>

Moody oil prices will keep Modi on the edge as the second term rolls on

<ul><li>There are over 1.600 housing projects, and 4.58 lakh housing units, that are stalled.</li><li>The Narendra Modi cabinet approved a ₹10,000 crore fund for distressed housing projects, and SBI and LIC will pool in another ₹15,000 crore.</li><li>A special window will be created and it will be structured as an alternative investment fund.</li></ul>The Narendra Modi government will provide ₹10,000 crore through a special window to revive stuck housing projects. This fund will be structured as an alternative investment fund under <keyword id="685088" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="SBI-Cap">SBI Cap</keyword>. The country's largest bank, the State Bank of India (SBI), and the state-owned insurer, the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), will bring in additional funds, taking the initial corpus to ₹25,0000 crore. This will provide relief to thousands of aggrieved home buyers who have been waiting anxiously for their homes to be delivered because the builders have run out of cash. "There are over 1.600 housing projects, and 4.58 lakh housing units, that are stalled," <keyword id="7706673" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance-minister-nirmala-sitharaman">Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> said as she unveiled the latest decision by the Union Cabinet. Even projects that have defaulted on loans will be eligible, contrary to expectations in the run up to the decision. "Any project that has not been sent for liquidation by the bankruptcy court are also eligible" Sitharaman said. The fund is largely targeting middle and low income housing projects whose net worth is in the positive. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="71942852" title="Know if the home that you are waiting for can avail money from Indian government's new fund for stuck housing projects" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

 "80% of all stuck housing projects will benefit from this announcement," Samir Jasuja of PropEquity told a television channel. According to Jasuja, out of the 4.8 lakh housing units, nearly 3 lakh units are either in the national capital region around New Delhi or in the Mumbai Metropolitan region. 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="javascript" title="Custom" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[
<div class="flourish-embed" data-src="visualisation/880387"></div>
]]></cdata></div>













 The fund provided to developers will be kept in an escrow account— the money cannot be used by the developer for anything other than the construction of the project itself, nor can the bank use the money to recover earlier dues, the minister clarified. The calculation of net worth will be specific to the project, not at the company level. "If there are three towers in a project, and one of them is 70% is complete, and the other two haven't started yet. The money will be available only for the tower that is 70% complete not for the other two," Sitharaman explained. For instance, if the project needs ₹400 crore for completion, the money will be released to the escrow account based on milestones in completion. The real estate sector has already welcomed the decision when it was being discussed as a possibility. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said that the government is inviting other foreign funds and sovereign funds to invest in the fund, over and above the initial ₹25,000 crore from the government of India, SBI and LIC. "I rather retrieve projects that are awaiting resolution at the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal), get them out of there," Sitharaman said explaining the structure of the rescue fund. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/economy/news/not-just-slowdown-indian-homes-sales-are-brought-down-by-shraadh-custom-and-heavy-rains/articleshow/71375256.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Not just slowdown, Indian homes sales are brought down by 'Shraadh' custom and heavy rains</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/luxury-housing-rebounds-in-india-with-almost-three-times-more-launches-after-two-years/articleshow/70584923.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Luxury housing rebounds in India with almost three times more launches after two years</a>

Indian government unveils $3.5 billion rescue fund for stuck housing projects

Prime Minister <keyword id="3467606" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="narendra-modi-led-cabinet">Narendra Modi-led Cabinet</keyword> took several measures to revive the real estate and construction sector. 
 Resurrecting life into stagnant sectors, the <keyword id="6355513" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="cabinet">Cabinet</keyword> gave nod to more liquidity in construction projects and faster redressal of disputes. 
 
These measures come as good news for builders as the Cabinet approved release of 75 per cent of the amount in dispute against bank guarantee and provided for a conciliation board comprising of independent domain experts in new contracts. 
 Finance Minister <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> said the construction sector contributes 8 per cent of the GDP and provides employment to some 40 million people in the country. 
 
"There are various challenges before the construction sector and the government has been trying to improve upon the functioning of the construction sector. We have simplified arbitration law so that the process of dispute redressal could be made easier. We have also allowed establishment of commercial court," he said. 
 
Meanwhile, in case of a pending challenged arbitral award by the public body, 75 per cent of the amount will be released to contractor against a bank guarantee. This sum will be used in the projects. 
 
Jaitley said in new contracts, there will be a provision for a conciliation board consisting of independent domain expert who will enter into contractual negotiations if there are changes in commercial circumstances around the project. 
 
Besides, item rate contract would be replaced by turnkey contract and a model draft turnkey contract will be circulated. 
 
Department of Financial Services under Jaitley's Ministry and the Reserve Bank of India will prepare a policy to "deal with those companies which have lot of stressed assets in the construction sector," he said. 
 
These measures will pump in liquidity as well as activate the stranded projects, he said. 
 
(Image: Reuters)

Modi pumps life into real estate sector; more liquidity to ensure stuck projects resume soon

The good boy of Indian government,Narendra Modi is on duty all the time, the <keyword id="6365387" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="PMO">PMO</keyword> has said. It also added that no leave records of former PMs are available with it, according to a report by a news agnecy. 
 The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said this when an <keyword id="6356198" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="RTI">RTI</keyword> applicant sought a copy of leave rules and procedures for the Prime Minister of the country from it and the <keyword id="116854" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="cabinet-secretariat">Cabinet Secretariat</keyword>. "The Prime Minister can be said to be on duty all the time," the Right to Information (RTI) response from the PMO said. 
 The applicant also wanted to know if former prime ministers <keyword id="6359397" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manmohan-Singh">Manmohan Singh</keyword>, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, H D Deve Gowda, I K Gujral, P V Narasimha Rao, Chandrashekhar, V P Singh and <keyword id="12596" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rajiv-Gandhi">Rajiv Gandhi</keyword> had availed any leave and were there any records. 
 "Information regarding leave record of previous PMs is not a part of records held by this office. However, it may be noted that no leave has been availed by present PM i.e. <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> since taking over charge," the RTI reply said.

Narendra Modi hasn't taken a single leave from office till date

<ul><li>The government of Jammu and Kashmir just asked pilgrims visiting the state on the Amarnath Yatra to leave as soon as possible because of ‘terrorist threats’.</li><li>Over the past week, the Indian government has deployed a total of 38,000 additional troops in the state.</li><li>Indian Air Force (IAF) planes have been seen flying overhead, including the C-17 heavy lift aircraft normally used to transport troops from one location to another.</li></ul> <keyword id="2945985" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Article-35A">Article 35A</keyword> of the Indian constitution contains a provision that sanctions the Legislature of Jammu and Kashmir the complete freedom to decide who will be the permanent residents of the state. As per the powers conferred by Article 35A, the state legislature can confer exclusive rights on these permanent residents in matters of property ownership, jobs in the public and private sector, scholarships, aids and other government grants and benefits. The provision contained in this article mandates that the laws made under this article by the state cannot be questioned for violating the constitution or any other laws of the land. History of Article 35A In response to the advice from the Jawaharlal cabinet, Article 35A got included into the Constitution of India in 1954 through an order issued by the then President Rajendra Prasad. The controversial Constitution included in 1954 came about after the Delhi Agreement signed in 1952 between Jawaharlal Nehru and the then Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah. This agreement extended the Indian citizenship to Jammu and Kashmir’s state subjects. Background of Article 35A The Presidential Order that brought about Article 35A was enacted under Article 370 (1) (d) of the Indian Constitution. As per this provision, the President has the powers to make some “exceptions and modifications” to the Constitution to ensure the welfare of ‘State subjects’ of Jammu and Kashmir. Hence, Article 35A was incorporated into the Constitution of India as a proof of the special attention the Indian government rendered to the ‘permanent residents’ of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Why the Article 35A in news? While the government of India is taking serious steps to bring about permanent peace in Kashmir, it has been said that the parliamentary route to making laws was found to be bypassed when the President ordered for the inclusion of Article 35A in the Indian constitution. The Nehru government did not take steps to place it for discussion in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. In March 1961, a five member bench of the Supreme Court discussed the powers of the President under Article 370 to modify the Constitution. Though the court accepted that the President has powers to modify a provision that exists in the constitution, the judges did not comment anything about whether the President can introduce a new article without the knowledge of the Parliament. Challenging the validity of Article 35A ‘We The Citizens’, an NGO has filed a petition challenging the validity of Articles 35A and 370. They argued that while four representatives from Kashmir were present in the constituent assembly that oversaw the drafting of Constitution, no special status was given to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Article 370 was intended only as a temporary measure to bring about normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and empower the democracy in the state. Hence Article 370 cannot be used to make a new Article 35A. Restricting the citizens from other states of India to seek employment in the state or buy property in Jammu and Kashmir is a clear violation of the fundamental rights sanctioned by the articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. The Supreme Court bench led by Justice Deepak Mishra has said that the validity of Article 35A and Article 370 can be decided by a Constitution Bench.

All about Article 35A that's been revoked by the Modi government

<ul><li>The <keyword id="3351117" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ujjwala-scheme">Ujjwala scheme</keyword> which provides free cooking gas connections to poor Indian homes has been a big vote gatherer for Narendra Modi.</li><li>The Indian Prime Minister wants to expand the programme to cover 8 million more households in the first 100 days of his second term.</li><li>So far, 72 million households in India have received free cooking gas connections from the government under the subsidy programme launched 3 years ago.</li></ul>The Ujjwala scheme, which provides free cooking gas connections to poor Indian homes, has been a big vote gatherer for Narendra Modi. The Indian Prime Minister wants to expand the programme to cover 8 million more households in the first 100 days of his second term. The scheme, which targets female members of below poverty line families that used conventional coal as cooking fuel, was launched on May 1, 2016 and has covered 72 million homes. The original target was 80 million, which the government wants to cover in the first 100 days. In addition, another 10-20 million new LPG connections would be given in subsequent months to cover all poor households as part of a Cabinet decision taken late last year, the IANS reported. There are about 5-6% of India's household which still do not have access to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking, according to government data. The flip side While this move from the government has been lauded by many as a transformational step, it has also been criticised as just half a step. Poor people may have received a free connection and escaped the deadly pollution from the coal used for cooking earlier, the subsequent refills of LPG cylinders have proven too costly. And that may be the focus in the next phase of this programme-- ensuring that people do get a refill and do not go back to coal. The government is also toying with the idea of providing smaller LPG gas cylinders weighing about five kilogrmas (kg) compared to the current one which is 14.2 kg, according to a news agency. This may bring down the cost of refill as well as the burden on the exchequer if the government decides to cover the cost and transfer the money under the direct benefit transfer scheme. Currently, every LPG cylinder costs anywhere between ₹600 and ₹650 in the metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata. After the subsidy under Ujjwala scheme, the cost comes down to a little less than ₹500 per cylinder. The subsidy is transfered directly to the eligible beneficiaries' bank accounts. The money Under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), gas connections are provided to BPL families with a support of ₹1,600 for each connection. The LPG connection is provided in the name of the female member of the family. A sum of ₹8,000 crore was allocated for the scheme to start with but was later expanded to ₹4,800 crore as the target homes increased from 50 million to 80 million. In December, the Union Cabinet also decided to cover all poor households under the scheme that would further increase the number of new connections by 10-20 million. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/transportation/indian-railways-will-spend-nearly-a-billion-dollars-to-cut-travel-time-between-delhi-mumbai-and-delhi-howrah-by-5-hours/articleshow/70254817.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Indian Railways will spend nearly a billion dollars to cut travel time between Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah by 5 hours</a>

Narendra Modi aims to offer 8 million more cooking gas connections in the first 100 days of his second term-- and follow it up with smaller cylinders to encourage refills

<ul><li>Senior BJP leader and former Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, passed away on Tuesday (August 6) after a fatal heart attack at the age of 67.</li><li>Swaraj, a firebrand Hindu nationalist in her younger years, changed the face of foreign ministry and was dubbed India's 'supermom' by the Washington Post.</li><li>She will be remembered for breaking the gender-based glass ceiling more than once long before women empowerment became a buzzword in Indian politics.</li></ul>Senior BJP leader and former foreign minister Sushma Swaraj passed away on Tuesday (August 6) at the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS). The BJP veteran reportedly suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 67. Born on Valentine's Day in 1953, she earned bachelor's degree with majors in Political Science and Sanskrit from the Punjab University. Her father Hardev Sharma was a long-time member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Hindu nationalist organisation and the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Advocate by profession, Swaraj remained in the saffron fold all her life. Until a few months before her demise, she was the country's Minister of External Affairs-- one of two women to hold that office till date -- where her active involvement and quick responses on social media not only helped many in distress but also earned her the tag of <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indias-foreign-minister-is-cast-as-supermom--to-125-billion-compatriots/2016/08/14/ff9889f9-96aa-4ddc-b1b0-42f8f79fe20f_story.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">India's 'supermom'</a>. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="VikasSwarup" handlename="Vikas Swarup" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/835911885518061568/Wgnnx_sv_normal.jpg" favoritecount="360" retweetcount="121" status="Stunned to hear that @SushmaSwaraj is no more. I had the privilege of working with her very closely. She touched mi… https://t.co/aGoSthmMJ5" createdat="1565114453000" id="1158800124459585536"></div>













 She holds many records like being the youngest cabinet minister at the age of 25, the first female spokesperson for a national political party, as well as the Spanish government's <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/swaraj-accepts-spain-s-top-civic-award-during-visit-119021900938_1.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Grand Cross of Order of Civil Merit</a> in recognition of India's support in evacuating its citizens from Nepal after the 2015 earthquake. A key character in history By the 1970s, the young Swaraj was a firebrand youth politician rallying as part of the revolutionary movement led by the Gandhian stalwart Jayprakash Narayan against the Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She became a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament, in 1990 and the first lady to be Delhi's Chief Minister in 1998-- the stint, however, lasted only 3 months. She had the trust of former Prime Minister, the late Atal Behari Vajpayee, and held key portfolios including information and broadcasting, telecommunications as well as health and family welfare. Under Narendra Modi's leadership, she held the foreign ministry until 2019 when she decided to retire from contesting elections. 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="Youtube" id="lviT78WtYig" title="FULL SPEECH: EAM Sushma Swaraj's address at United Nations General Assembly" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lviT78WtYig/mqdefault.jpg"></div>













 Taking a Gandhi head on Swaraj never shied away from challenges whether it was outside her party or within. She famously took on the mighty <a href="https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2019/04/12/The-Nehru-Gandhi-safe-seats-When-Sonia-Sushma-crossed-swords-in-Ballari.html" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Sonia Gandhi head on in Bellary</a>, considered to be a 'safe seat'' for the Gandhi family, in 1999. Swaraj lost the election but that was the beginning of a fierce rivalry between the two ladies, one that left an indelible story in Indian politics. Swaraj in the image of an 'ideal Indian woman' took the fight to Sonia Gandhi calling her the 'foreigner' triggering a debate that ended with Gandhi choosing not to become the Prime Minister despite having won the election. Swaraj had lost the election but her rhetoric had won. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="RahulGandhi" handlename="Rahul Gandhi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/974851878860312582/O-Zn2b72_normal.jpg" favoritecount="16251" retweetcount="3023" status="I’m shocked to hear about the demise of Sushma Swaraj Ji, an extraordinary political leader, a gifted orator &amp; an e… https://t.co/smO1haZJ4r" createdat="1565115719000" id="1158805433294868481"></div>













 In 2004, Congress lost the seat in Bellary, for the first time in over 50 years, as the local satraps, the infamous Reddy brothers accused of illegal mining, decided to back the BJP. 
 Opposition to Modi as Prime Minister The brilliant orator also <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/dont-declare-narendra-modi-as-pm-immediately-sushma-swaraj/articleshow/22350151.cms?from=mdr" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">crossed swords with none other than Narendra Modi</a> before the 2014 election. She stood with the old guards of the BJP in stalling Modi's candidature for the post of the Prime Minister. While a political truce was struck between the two sides within the party, and Swaraj was made the foreign minister, <a href="https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/external-affairs-and-the-armchair/291881" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">her role was cut to size</a> soon after the government took over. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="Narendra Modi" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134082549041393672/QbihPzrL_normal.png" favoritecount="55644" retweetcount="13969" status="Sushma Ji’s demise is a personal loss. She will be remembered fondly for everything that she’s done for India. My t… https://t.co/EA0y0huas8" createdat="1565114991000" id="1158802378998419457"></div>













 However, Modi and his long-term aide, the former spy Ajit Doval, drove the country's foreign policy, Swaraj deftly redefined her role to stay relevant, and more prominent, in people's minds. The Other Modi What made matters worse for Swaraj were her and her family's <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/mail-today/story/sushma-swaraj-amit-shah-lalit-modi-external-affairs-minister-bjp-257521-2015-06-15" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">ties with Lalit Modi</a>, the controversial businessman who built the billion dollar Indian Premier League and was later indicted for money laundering, embezzlement, and breaking rules while living a lavish lifestyle. Swaraj, whose daughter was Lalit Modi's legal counsel, was accused of helping him flee the country in 2014. Eventually, <a href="https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/1/4024/The-Reason-Why-PM-Modi-and-the-RSS-Decided-to-Support-Sushma-Swaraj" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">there was peace between the two camps</a> within the BJP and Swaraj came out of the controversy with minimal scars. She spent the remaining years in her office as foreign minister connecting with people via Twitter. Her affectionate and sensitive responses to Indians in distress in other countries, during times of hostility or a natural disaster, earned her the love and likes from millions of people. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="SushmaSwaraj" handlename="Sushma Swaraj" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/959220898417950720/Ij9WNV0g_normal.jpg" favoritecount="35193" retweetcount="13749" status="Even if you are stuck on the Mars, Indian Embassy there will help you. https://t.co/Smg1oXKZXD" createdat="1496891814000" id="872653636849082368"></div>













 This was her last tweet. 
	
	
	
	
	
	<div type="twitter" handle="SushmaSwaraj" handlename="Sushma Swaraj" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/959220898417950720/Ij9WNV0g_normal.jpg" favoritecount="138751" retweetcount="34010" status="प्रधान मंत्री जी - आपका हार्दिक अभिनन्दन. मैं अपने जीवन में इस दिन को देखने की प्रतीक्षा कर रही थी. @narendramodi… https://t.co/ZoP1vYYETM" createdat="1565099604000" id="1158737840752037889"></div>













 Irrespective of whether one agrees with her politics, Swaraj will be remembered for breaking the glass ceiling more than once long before women empowerment became a buzzword in Indian politics. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/rip-vg-siddharthas-death-and-why-former-prime-minister-hd-deve-gowda-cried/articleshow/70464431.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">A former Prime Minister cried on national TV for VG Siddhartha-- the untold tales of politics and privilege may die with India’s coffee baron</a>

India's 'supermom' Sushma Swaraj, the lady who redefined the country's Foreign Ministry, is no more

As I walked into the office of a highly placed bureaucrat in the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=FINANCE">Finance</a> Ministry yesterday, during one of my usual rounds to pay my obeisance to the people who make some of the most important decisions that impact the country’s economy, I was greeted back with some very good news. 
 
‘I have some very good news for you!’ he told me, even as I looked wide-eyed at him. 
 
So here’s what he told me- The Government has already floated a plan and is working round the clock to iron out the details in order to allow 49% <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/FDIIn-Retail-May-Flourish-More-As-One-Of-The-Biggest-Fashion-Retailers-Is-Hitting-Indian-Shores/articleshow/26944233.cms">Foreign Direct Investment</a> (<keyword id="44528" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="FDI">FDI</keyword>) in the <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> sector. So far the government allows only 26% FDI in the sector. Now to anyone working in the media industry that would be music to their ears. The media industry, though less acknowledged, has been one of the worst impacted sectors post the 2008 global economic downturn. This industry has also been largely neglected by successive governments, in terms of allowing any incentives for newer technology to take shape, a pre-requisite in this cut-throat sector. 
 
He told me, “While it is clear that this government is in favour of increasing FDI to 49% in media, what we are trying to work out is the issue of editorial say that will shape how organisations with FDI function once we open the sector.” The issue of which party (foreign or Indian) gets more say on the company’s ‘Board’ and in this case the ‘Editorial Board’ was also one of the biggest issues in the Jet-Etihad deal, the multi-million dollar deal that has been the Indian aviation sector’s largest and most complicated deal so far. 
 
Once the details are finalised, a draft proposal will be sent to the various stakeholder ministries for their inputs, before it is sent to the Cabinet for a final approval. “We are still in the process of assessing if and how we can allow editorial control to the minority foreign partner in a news organisation,” he said. Sources who are working on this policy change indicate that a formula could be worked out in which the foreign directors on board a new organisation will have veto powers for all major decisions. 
 
It is no surprise that the Government’s move to revive a long pending demand from major media companies come hot on the heels of Prime Minister <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=NARENDRA+MODI">Narendra Modi’s</a> US visit. During his recent trip the PM met top media barons in New York and it is understood that concerns were raised about editorial control of foreign media houses, if they were to invest in India. “Most reputed foreign media houses looking at exploring Indian opportunities are concerned about things like image and editorial say” explained a top source in North Block that houses <keyword id="47209" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Finance-Ministry">Finance Ministry</keyword>. 
 
So, why is this decision by the Government so crucial for the industry? The answer is simple. The media sector is severely cash-strapped and desperately looking for people who are willing to pour in the moolah. What this will also do is allow big foreign media houses to enter the Indian space with just enough say to shape the way they want their brands to grow here. 
 
Without doubt, India has grown in prominence over the last decade, and more so now, given it is also one of the only emerging markets which is still drawing in enough foreign investments. A recent report ranked it at 55, ahead of China and the US, having collected over $ 37 billion dollars in FDI from Jan-June 2015. That goes a long way, simply because this means that increasingly more foreign companies see India a place safe enough to park in million dollar long-term investments. 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

You Searched For "modi cabinet news" and got 12 results

Here are India’s cabinet ministers who were appointed in 2014

BI India Bureau

Foreign investors are thrilled about Modi's win but don't know what to expect from him

Sriram Iyer

Eight-time member of Parliament Santosh Gangwar gets labour ministry

BI India Bureau

Ram Vilas Paswan returns as the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution

Sanchita Dash

Moody oil prices will keep Modi on the edge as the second term rolls on

Katya Naidu

Indian government unveils $3.5 billion rescue fund for stuck housing projects

Sriram Iyer

Modi pumps life into real estate sector; more liquidity to ensure stuck projects resume soon

BI India Bureau

Narendra Modi hasn't taken a single leave from office till date

BI India Bureau

All about Article 35A that's been revoked by the Modi government

BI India Bureau

Narendra Modi aims to offer 8 million more cooking gas connections in the first 100 days of his second term-- and follow it up with smaller cylinders to encourage refills

Sriram Iyer

India's 'supermom' Sushma Swaraj, the lady who redefined the country's Foreign Ministry, is no more

Sriram Iyer

Exclusive: Good for news indeed!

Debdatta Das

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides