Jaipur, Aug 16: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday described former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as an “Ajatshatru”, who had no enemy and never compromised on his principles.

He said that Vajpayee remained committed to his ideology during his time in the Opposition as well as while in power.

Shah was addressing a public meeting in Chittorgarh’s Nimbahera after unveiling a statue of Vajpayee.

“Atal Bihari Vajpayee remained in the Opposition for 40 years, but his ideology always remained paramount. He lived his life according to his principles,” Shah said.

“Vajpayee went to jail, faced lathi charges and endured the atrocities of the Congress, but never compromised on his principles,” he added.

Shah mentioned that when Vajpayee became prime minister, he became the country’s first non-Congress prime minister and took several major decisions.

“Despite global pressure, he made India a nuclear power through the Pokhran tests,” the Home Minister said, adding that Vajpayee also worked to connect every village with roads.

He noted that the former prime minister launched the Swarn Chaturbhuj project, expanded the national highway network and introduced several initiatives during his tenure.

Shah also credited Vajpayee with establishing a separate ministry for tribal development, saying there had previously been no dedicated ministry for the welfare of tribal communities.

“The beginning made by Atal ji has been taken to its conclusion by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Shah said, referring to the BJP government’s initiatives for tribal welfare.

He said the election of Droupadi Murmu, who comes from a tribal background, as the President of India was a reflection of the progress made in this regard.

“Neither did he leave his principles while in power nor while in the Opposition. That is why he is known as ‘Ajatshatru’ — a great man who had no enemies,” Shah said.

New Delhi, Aug 16: The government has for the first time fixed maximum cooking gas LPG production targets for individual public- and private-sector refineries and upstream companies, as it seeks to build a domestic supply buffer after the West Asia conflict exposed the country’s vulnerability to disruptions in imported cooking gas.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, in an order issued on August 13, has specified maximum LPG production levels for 21 refineries and upstream companies, with combined production potential set at 63,810 tonnes a day — more than double the domestic LPG output in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 and about 70 per cent of the country’s daily consumption.

The production limits will kick in whenever there is a supply constraint.

The lion’s share of the planned output has been set from Reliance Industries Ltd’s older refinery, which would have to produce up to 18,000 tonnes a day of LPG, according to the order.

India consumed 33.2 million tonnes of LPG in the 2025-26 fiscal year (about 91,000 tonnes per day). Of this, 13.1 million tonnes a year was produced locally (about 35,900 tonnes a day) while the remaining 21.3 million tonnes per annum (about 58,400 tonnes a day) was imported.

This high import dependence of over 64 per cent left the country exposed when the start of the Iran war effectively shut the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow sealane through which India got 90 per cent of its imports from nations like Saudi Arabia.

With supplies impacted, the government in March ordered refineries to divert streams used for petrochemicals production to maximise LPG output.

It also initially stopped sales to industrial and commercial users and thereafter gradually scaled it up. For domestic households, periodicity of booking a refill was increased, and they were encouraged to shift to piped natural gas, whose supplies were not so severely impacted due to the war.

Domestic production was ramped up to about 55,000 tonnes a day at the height of the crisis, but the emergency orders asking refiners to maximise output were gradually withdrawn after supplies eased from mid-June.

The new order goes further than the emergency one issued during the West Asia crisis by creating facility-wise production benchmarks and requiring refiners and upstream companies to maintain adequate infrastructure for LPG storage, evacuation and transportation. Companies must also pursue technically and economically feasible upgrades to maximise output.

The government has empowered itself to order refiners, oil marketing companies and upstream producers to ramp up LPG production for specified quantities and periods whenever it considers such action necessary to ensure adequate domestic availability, equitable distribution and supply at fair prices.

The production schedule will be reviewed every six months, allowing the government to add output from new refineries and upstream fields and account for additional capacity created through technology and infrastructure upgrades.

The order also requires refiners to consider measures such as converting naphtha into LPG and upgrading fluid catalytic cracking units where technically and economically viable, underscoring the government’s push to extract more LPG from existing refining infrastructure.

The government had introduced several emergency measures during the West Asia crisis, including prioritising household LPG supplies and restricting supplies to some commercial and industrial users as imports were disrupted.

The new production framework is aimed at ensuring that a future disruption to overseas LPG supplies does not translate into the shortages and rationing seen during the recent crisis.

Taking lessons from the crisis, the government has now put the country’s refineries and upstream producers under a standing framework to maintain and, when necessary, increase LPG output.

Eighteen refineries owned and operated by public sector oil companies have been ordered to produce a total of 31,470 tonnes a day.

In the private sector, Reliance’s 33 million tonnes a year domestic-tariff area (DTA) refinery at Jamnagar in Gujarat, products from which are sold locally, has been ordered to produce 18,000 tonnes. No target has been set for Reliance’s 35.2 million tonnes a year only-for-exports refinery at the same site.

Russia’s Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy’s 20 million tonnes a year Vadinar refinery has been asked to produce 4,480 tonnes a day, according to the order.

Upstream gas producers and processors like ONGC and GAIL, who make LPG from natural gas, have been given a target of 6,460 tonnes a day.

“It is hereby ordered that all public sector, joint venture and private sector oil refining companies, and upstream oil companies shall develop, augment and at all times maintain adequate infrastructure for storage, evacuation and transport of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) either by itself or through other entities viz railways or road tankers adequate for the specified quantities,” the order said.

They were also ordered to “implement all technically and economically feasible measures and technologies such as naphtha-to-LPG conversion, gasoline-based fluid catalytic cracking unit to petro-fluid catalytic cracking unit, or other upgrades, to maximise LPG production beyond current minimum producible quantities as specified in the Schedule, with intimation to Centre for High Technology or any other authorised agency, whenever such an upgrade is undertaken.”

The ministry further said “if Central Government is of the opinion that it is necessary in public interest to ensure adequate availability, equitable distribution and availability at fair prices of domestic LPG, it may by itself or through Centre for High Technology or any other authorised agency, by order in writing, issue direction to oil refining companies, oil marketing companies and upstream oil companies to ramp up the LPG production levels for such quantity and period specified therein, including compliance with any restrictions on alternative uses of input streams required to produce the LPG.”

Whenever directions are issued, the companies will have to ramp-up LPG production levels within the stipulated time frame.

The central government, the order said, shall update the production Schedule on 1st January and 1st July of every year, including updates to LPG production from new refineries and upstream oil companies or additional LPG quantities from existing refineries and upstream companies due to changes to associated infrastructure and production technology, evacuation, supply, transport or distribution of LPG.

New Delhi, Aug 16: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tribute to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his death anniversary and said he was as extraordinary statesman blessed with remarkable vision and dedicated his life to the service of the nation.

Vajpayee, the first BJP leader to become prime minister, was born December 25, 1924, in Gwalior and died August 16, 2018, in New Delhi.

“Remembering Atal Ji on his ‘Punya Tithi’. An extraordinary statesman blessed with remarkable vision, he dedicated his life to the service of our nation,” Modi said in a post on X.

The prime minister said Vajpayee’s words and efforts inspired generations, and his leadership strengthened the country. “His focus on good governance and public welfare will always continue to guide us.”

The Jammu and Kashmir Resident Commission, New Delhi, today celebrated the 80th Independence Day with high patriotic fervour and enthusiasm at its premises at 5, Prithviraj Road, New Delhi.

The celebrations commenced with the hoisting of the National Flag by Additional Resident Commissioner, Anil Sharma in presence of officers and officials of the Resident Commission and its subordinate offices.

The Additional Resident Commissioner paid rich tributes to the freedom fighters and national heroes whose courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment laid the foundation of an independent India. He called upon the officers and staff to uphold the highest standards of integrity, dedication and professionalism in discharge of their responsibilities and remain steadfast in their commitment to public service and nation-building.

Highlighting the developmental initiatives undertaken by the Resident Commission, Anil Sharma said that the upgradation and improvement of the J&K House at Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, was undertaken during the last year, while similar work was also carried out at the J&K House, Amritsar. He informed that work on the J&K House at Dwarka, New Delhi, is also expected to commence shortly, further strengthening and improving the facilities available for the visitors and officials of the Union Territory.

The Additional Resident Commissioner also complimented the officers and staff of the Resident Commission and its subordinate offices for their untiring efforts, dedication and commitment, acknowledging their contribution towards the smooth functioning of the offices and delivery of services.

The occasion was further enriched by a vibrant cultural programme presented by the staff and children, featuring patriotic songs and performances that reflected the spirit of national unity, pride and cultural diversity.

As part of the celebrations, mementoes and certificates of appreciation were presented to the staff members of the Resident Commission and personnel of the Jammu & Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) in recognition of their dedicated services. Likewise, the certificates of appreciation were also presented to the children who participated in the cultural programme, acknowledging their enthusiastic contribution to the celebrations.

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Ali Khatana met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday and stressed the need for a comprehensive audit and effective monitoring of budgetary allocations, central support and centrally funded projects in Jammu and Kashmir.

This would ensure transparency, timely execution and also that public money reached the intended beneficiaries, MP Khatana said, while holding an extensive discussion with the PM on the present situation, development priorities and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP MP, as per a press statement, appreciated the major transformation witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir under the Modi government—from bloodshed to classrooms and sports fields, from hartals to business and productive activity, and from people fleeing the region to people participating confidently in every walk of life.

He said that peace restored hope, security and dignity and must now be firmly converted into sustained prosperity. The MP highlighted the need to further strengthen opportunities for youth, employment, entrepreneurship, skill development, sports and self-employment, so that the younger generation could become a principal force behind the development of Jammu and Kashmir and the mission of Viksit Bharat.

He appreciated the expansion of rail connectivity, including the Srinagar connection and stressed that connectivity must be matched by modern tourism infrastructure, including facilities for religious, spiritual, cultural and adventure tourism.

Khatana urged renewal and strengthening of the industrial package for Jammu and Kashmir to attract investment, expand manufacturing and generate employment. He also raised issues concerning farmers, horticulture, traders and the business community, emphasising the need to move decisively from disruption to productive fields, markets and enterprise.

He advocated greater promotion of GI-tagged products of J&K, enabling farmers, artisans and entrepreneurs to secure better markets, stronger branding and improved incomes.

BJP MP stressed the importance of preventing leakages, misuse and embezzlement of development funds.

Khatana also discussed the issue of alienation and resentment among sections of the population, stressing that democratic institutions and elected representatives must remain connected with the masses, listen to people’s concerns and restore complete confidence in the political and administrative system.

With regard to minorities, Khatana conveyed the enthusiasm and appreciation expressed by minority communities towards the development and welfare initiatives of the Modi government. He emphasised that minorities must be empowered through education, employment, enterprise and equal opportunities, rather than being reduced to a vote-bank constituency.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of minorities contributing their capabilities and services to the larger national mission of Viksit Bharat. The discussion also covered greater engagement of the minority diaspora in projecting India’s development, culture and achievements abroad and in building stronger economic, educational, cultural and people-to-people linkages between India and their respective countries.

Khatana emphasised that the next phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s transformation must combine peace with prosperity, security with dignity, development with accountability and opportunity with participation.

He appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s continued personal focus on Jammu and Kashmir and expressed confidence that sustained efforts would enable the people, particularly the youth, to become equal partners in building a peaceful, prosperous and developed Jammu and Kashmir and a Viksit Bharat.

“J&K has moved from violence to hope; now it must move from hope to prosperity—where every young person chooses a classroom, a sports field or an enterprise over a street of conflict,” he asserted.