New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, held seven back-to-back meetings on a range of issues, including a session to review the agenda for the new government’s first 100 days, it is understood.
According to sources, the prime minister also held a meeting to review the preparations to celebrate World Environment Day (June 5) on a large scale.
The meetings took place at his residence just two days before the results of the Lok Sabha elections were declared.
Modi held a prolonged brain-storming session on the agenda for the first 100 days of the new government in the wake of the exit polls that predicted a landslide victory for the BJP in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections, the sources said.
Earlier in the day, the prime minister chaired the first meeting to review the impact of cyclone “Remal”. After this, he chaired another meeting to review the situation arising from the ongoing heat wave in the country and the preparedness for the onset of monsoon.
Assuring the states affected by Cyclone “Remal” of that the Centre would continue to extend full support to them, the prime minister issued instructions to the Ministry of Home Affairs to take stock of the situation and review the matter on a regular basis to extend necessary assistance in restoration efforts.
At least 36 people were killed in heavy rains and landslides in four of the eight northeastern states after Remal hit the states bringing normal life to a grinding halt. While 27 people were killed in Mizoram, including 21 in a quarry collapse in the Aizawl district, four deaths were reported from Nagaland, three from Assam, and two from Meghalaya.
The rains, accompanied by gusty winds, triggered landslides, uprooted trees and electric poles, and disrupted power and internet services.
The meeting to review the impact of Cyclone “Remal” was held at the prime minister’s residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. During the meeting, he was briefed about the impact of the cyclone on the affected states, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.
The loss of human lives and damage to houses and other properties due to landslides and floods in Mizoram, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura was also discussed.
The NDRF teams deployed in these states have carried out evacuation, airlifting, and road clearance operations. During the meeting, it was mentioned that the Ministry of Home Affairs is in constant touch with the state governments in the matter.
“The PM said that the Government of India will continue to extend full support to the states affected by the cyclone. The PM also instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor the situation and review the matter regularly to extend necessary assistance for restoration,” the PMO confirmed in its statement.
The principal secretary to the PM, Cabinet secretary, home secretary, secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, DG NDRF, and member secretary, NDMA along with other senior officials from PMO and Ministries concerned were also present in the meeting.
In another meeting, Modi called for fire and electrical safety audits of hospitals and other public places must be undertaken regularly in the wake of several major fire incidents reported from various parts of the country during the past few weeks. On May 25, seven children were killed in a massive fire at Delhi’s Baby Care New Born Hospital. Another major fire tragedy in Rajkot’s gaming zone resulted in 27 fatalities.
The prime minister, while chairing the meeting to review the situation arising from the ongoing heat wave in the country and the preparedness for the onset of monsoon at his residence earlier in the day, said proper drills in the prevention and handling of the incidents of fire should be undertaken regularly.
He also called for regular drills for the maintenance of fire-line in forests and productive utilisation of the biomass must be planned.
“The prime minister was informed about the usefulness of the “van agni” portal in timely identification of forest fires and its management,” said the PMO in its statement.
“During the meeting, the prime minister was briefed that as per IMD forecasts, the heat wave is likely to continue in parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh,” the statement said.
This year, the monsoon is likely to be normal and above normal in most parts of the country and below normal in parts of Peninsular India.
Most states in north and central India are under the spell of an intense heatwave, with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees Celsius in many cities.