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Meritocracy India International 3 October 2015 9 Mining Illegal mining has held sway in India for decades. Modi Government has taken strong measures. MMDR Amendment Act 2015 has introduced Auction as the only way of granting mining concessions. This has brought transparency and fair play in the mining industry, and huge revenue for bijli, sadak, pani (power, roads, water). Illegal mining has been made punishable with 2 to 5 years imprisonment plus Rs. 5 lakh penalty per hectare. States have been empowered to set up fast-track courts for quick justice for the law-breakers. 400 Railway Stations to be Redeveloped 400 railway stations in metros, big cities, pilgrim centres and tourist spots will be revamped with modern designs and business ideas, transforming them into world class facilities. This will be one more First. Big push for Solar Energy Electo-Meritocrat Modi has given a great push to tapping India's solar energy potential. There is a bold five times jump in the target for solar energy from 20,000 MW to 100,000 MW. Some 630 big buildings have been selected in all the States for roof-top solar panels. Homes are encouraged to set up their own solar plants, with 30 per cent subsidy from the government, and be free of electricity bills. Fifty Solar cities have been planned. Sagar Mela : Reviving India's maritime glory Prime Minister Modi, coming from Gujarat which has a long coastline, set about reviving the ancient sea-routes of India. He talked of the glorious sea traditions and achievements of ancient India and organized SAGAR MELA (Festival of Ocean) to propel further India's maritime prowess. High Priority to North East India (Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas) Prime Minister Modi has given high priority to road and rail connectivity and other major projects for North East India (the Seven Sisters). He released Rs. 80,000 core to the North East in July 2015. Heritage Cities Prime Minister Modi's promotion to tourism is well-known. Electo-Meritocrat Modi inaugurated Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojna (HRIDAY) on 13 January 2015. He released Rs. 80 crore for Varanasi, Rs. 50 crore for Amritsar, and so on. Twelve cities have been selected for Heritage Development. Spiritual Tourism Prime Minster Modi has advocated 'spiritual tourism' around Ram Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Devi Circuit, Buddhist Circuit and Jain, Christian, Muslim, Sufi Circuits. For religious connectivity across the country, around 8000 kilometers of roads as well as special pilgrim trains have been planned. India's Neighbours : Neighborhood First Prime Minister Modi (while visiting Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka in March 2015) said in Colombo : “My vision of an ideal neighbourhood is one in which trade, investment and technology flow easily across the border, where partnerships are formed with ease of routine.” India, he pointed out, is one of the fastest growing major economies, and neighbours should have the first claim on India. A flurry of India Assisted projects were announced in many South Asian countries in mid 2015, including railways, hydropower, transmission lines and the like. The Electo-Meritocrat

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