‘I feel more optimistic about India… Modi believes Co-WIN is a model for the world: Bill Gates

News Network

March 4, 2023

New Delhi, Mar 4: Bill Gates and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the "innovative work" in India in health sector, climate change, India's G20 presidency and other crucial issues when they met on Friday, the Microsoft co-founder said in his official blog.

Sharing the "highlight" on GatesNotes - Mr Gates's official blog, the billionaire philanthropist praised India for its "amazing ability to manufacture lots of safe, effective, and affordable vaccines, some of them supported by the Gates Foundation" and said these vaccines saved millions of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic and prevented other diseases around the world.

Besides producing new lifesaving tools, India also excels at delivering them - its public health system has delivered more than 2.2 billion doses of COVID vaccines through an open-source platform in Co-WIN, which allowed people to schedule billions of vaccine appointments and delivered digital certifications for those who were vaccinated, Mr Gates said in the write-up.

"Prime Minister Modi believes that Co-WIN is a model for the world, and I agree," Mr Gates, who is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, added.

The Microsoft co-founder also praised India for embracing digital payments during the pandemic. At least 300 million people, including 200 million women, received emergency digital payments, he said.

"This was only possible because India has made financial inclusion a priority, investing in a digital ID system (called Aadhaar) and creating innovative platforms for digital banking. It's a reminder that financial inclusion is a fantastic investment," he said.

Mr Gates also praised the Gati Shakti programme as a "great example of how digital technology can help governments work better". "It digitally connects 16 ministries, including rail and roads, so they can integrate their plans for infrastructure projects and accelerate the work of Indian scientists and engineers," he noted.

Mr Gates said India's G20 presidency is an excellent opportunity to highlight how innovations developed in the country can benefit the world, and to help other countries adopt them.

Supporting these efforts -- especially spreading its digital ID and payments systems to other places -- is a high priority for the foundation, he said.

Concluding the blog, Mr Gates said that he felt "more optimistic than ever about the progress that India is making in health, development, and climate". The country is showing what's possible when we invest in innovation. I hope India will continue this progress and share its innovations with the world," he said.

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JDS managed to win 19 seats in 2023 Karnataka polls thanks to Muslim votes: C M Ibrahim

News Network

November 26,2024

Former minister and ex-MLC C M Ibrahim claimed that he still heads the original JD(S) and asked former prime minister and party supremo H D Deve Gowda to cut ties with the BJP, so that the party can be strengthened again. He also said options are being explored to either strengthen the JD(S) or to float a new regional party.

He was speaking to media persons, in Mysuru, on Monday, after meeting JD(S) MLA and former minister G T Deve Gowda, who has expressed his displeasure that he has been sidelined in the party and the party leaders have indicated his retirement from politics.

He stated, “If Deve Gowda had joined the Congress, during the last Assembly election, he would have been a minister now. We retained him in the JD(S), to strengthen the party. Now, efforts are being made to strangulate Deve Gowda’s political career. I have discussed all matters with Deve Gowda. In two days, I will start a Karnataka state tour and meet some leaders. After that, I will meet Deve Gowda again, and then decide on the further course of action.”

Ibrahim said, “The original JD(S) is ours. I am still its state president. All documents and accounts are in our name. Even now, if Deve Gowda leaves BJP’s company and returns, we will build the JD(S) again”.

“Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy should mend his ways and stop making JD(S) into a family-owned company. The JD(S)’s situation has become hopeless. Its love for the BJP is over. He should understand this,” he said.

“When I was with Kumaraswamy, he spent just Rs 4 crore in Channapatna and won by 20,000 votes. Now, without me, he spent Rs 150 crore and still lost by 25,000 votes. Without Muslims’ support, the JD(S) cannot win a single seat. Now, it is proved that 19 MLAs of the JD(S) won in 2023, because of Muslims,” he added.

Speaking on other options available, Ibrahim said, “We have not yet decided to go with the Congress. We are only considering to establish a third front. Whether it is founding a new regional party, forming a third front, or strengthening the JD(S), will be decided shortly.”

Earlier during the day, before meeting Deve Gowda, Ibrahim had said, that 12 to 13 JD(S) MLAs were dissatisfied with the party, but like Deve Gowda, were enduring pain.

“Now, I have started the task of uniting them. I as the JD(S) state president, it is my responsibility to address our MLAs’ grievances. At present, the JD(S) is on fire and all JD(S) MLAs want to protect their respective constituency. Hence, they have started speaking one by one,” he said.

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