Power Ministry unveils task force to conceive India Energy Stack
New Delhi: The Ministry of Power on Saturday announced the launch of a task force to conceive the
India Energy Stack
(IES), an initiative aimed at creating a unified, secure, and interoperable
digital public infrastructure
(DPI) for the energy sector.
The IES will play a vital role in integrating renewable energy, enhancing
DISCOM efficiency
, and delivering transparent, reliable, and future-ready power services, an official statement quoted Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar as saying.
"There is an urgent need for developing robust DPI in the power sector to manage the country's rising demand, ensure grid stability, and empower consumers. What Aadhaar did for identity and UPI achieved for digital payments, the India Energy Stack will accomplish for the power sector - unlocking seamless, secure, and consumer-centric energy services for every citizen," he added.
As India charts its path to becoming a USD 5 trillion economy and advances towards its net-zero commitments, the power sector faces both unprecedented opportunities and complex challenges, the statement said.
Rapid growth in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and consumer participation in energy markets is transforming the sector, but fragmented systems and a lack of seamless digital integration remain key barriers, it pointed out.
Live Events
To address these issues, the ministry is reimagining the sector's digital foundation through the IES - a DPI that will provide a standardised, secure, and open platform to manage, monitor, and innovate across the electricity value chain.
The IES will offer unique IDs for consumers, assets, and transactions; real-time, consent-based data sharing; open APIs(Application Programming Interface) for seamless system integration; and tools for consumer empowerment, market access, and innovation.
Apart from conceiving the IES, the ministry will undertake a 12-month
Proof of Concept
(PoC) to demonstrate IES through real-world use cases in partnership with selected utilities.
This includes piloting the
Utility Intelligence Platform
(UIP), a modular, analytics-driven application built on IES to support utilities, policymakers, and consumers with real-time insights and smarter energy management.
To guide these initiatives, the ministry has constituted a dedicated task force comprising experts from the technology, power sector, and regulatory domains, which will steer the development, pilot implementation, and nationwide scale-up of the IES.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
38 minutes ago
- News18
Indian Railways To Introduce Advanced Waitlist Charting, Mandate Aadhaar For Tatkal Bookings
Last Updated: The move is expected to benefit waitlisted passengers by giving them additional time to make alternate plans in case their tickets remain unconfirmed Indian Railways will now prepare the final reservation chart eight hours prior to a train's departure, replacing the earlier norm of four hours, in a significant shift aimed at enhancing transparency and passenger convenience. The move, currently under pilot testing, is expected to benefit waitlisted passengers by giving them additional time to make alternate plans in case their tickets remain unconfirmed. 'This move will reduce uncertainties for passengers with waitlist tickets. The passengers will get the first update on waitlist status well in advance," read the official statement. Alongside the early charting initiative, Indian Railways is set to launch a modernised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) by December 2025. The upgrade is being developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) to streamline ticketing operations and enhance user experience. Once implemented, the upgraded PRS will be able to process over 1.5 lakh ticket bookings per minute, marking a nearly fivefold jump from the current capacity of 32,000 bookings per minute. Alongside this change, the Railways will make Aadhaar authentication mandatory for online Tatkal bookings through the IRCTC website starting July 1, 2025. For offline bookings at PRS counters and through agents, Aadhaar-based OTP verification will be required from July 15, according to an official statement. Officials said these changes are part of a broader initiative to modernise the ticketing system, reduce touting, and improve berth allocation efficiency. First Published: June 29, 2025, 19:00 IST
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
From ATM charges to Aadhaar OTP for Tatkal booking: Important financial rule changes from July 2025
New financial rules from July 2025: Starting July 2025, several important rules related to money, banking, Aadhaar, PAN cards, GST, and digital payments are being updated. These financial rule changes will directly impact how citizens and businesses in India handle transactions, tax filings, railway bookings, and other day-to-day services. Here's a detailed look at all the key financial updates coming into effect this month. Aadhaar Now Mandatory for New PAN Card Applications From 1 July 2025, the Income Tax Department has made it compulsory to link your Aadhaar while applying for a new PAN card. Earlier, applicants could submit other ID proofs and a birth certificate, but now, only Aadhaar will be accepted. This rule, introduced by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), aims to reduce fake PAN cards and make the verification process more accurate and secure. ITR deadline extended CBDT has extended the deadline of income tax return filing for Assessment Year 2025-26 to September 15, according to IANS report. Aadhaar OTP Needed for Tatkal Railway Bookings One of the most important rules from July 2025 is the new IRCTC Tatkal ticket booking system. From 15 July, anyone booking Tatkal tickets online or at railway counters must complete an OTP (One-Time Password) verification using their Aadhaar number. To make bookings fairer and prevent misuse: Agents won't be allowed to book Tatkal tickets during the first 30 minutes after the booking window opens. Booking timings for Tatkal: AC Class: 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM Non-AC Class: 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM These updates are expected to benefit regular passengers by giving them better access during peak travel times. Axis Bank Increases ATM and Account Charges From 1 July 2025, Axis Bank customers will see new charges for using ATMs and maintaining accounts. Key changes include: ATM transactions beyond the free limit will now cost Rs 23 per transaction, up from the earlier Rs 21. This applies to both Axis and non-Axis Bank ATMs. Charges apply for both withdrawals and balance enquiries if the limit is crossed. These changes affect savings accounts, NRI accounts, and Trust accounts. ICICI Bank Introduces New Service Fees ICICI Bank has also introduced new financial rule changes from July 2025. The updated charges include: Metro cities: 3 free transactions per month at non-ICICI ATMs. Non-metro areas: 5 free transactions per month. After this limit, customers will pay: Rs 23 for financial transactions Rs 8.50 for non-financial transactions -International ATM withdrawals: Rs 125 per transaction - Cash deposits/withdrawals at branches: Free only 3 times a month, after which Rs 150 will be charged per transaction - New charges will also apply to IMPS money transfers Customers should check their account details and adjust their transaction habits to avoid extra fees. SBI and HDFC Bank Revise Credit Card Charges Major financial rule changes in July 2025 also affect credit card users. SBI Credit Card Changes: From 15 July 2025, SBI Card will remove complimentary air accident insurance on some premium cards like ELITE and PRIME. The Minimum Amount Due (MAD) will now include GST, EMIs, and other charges, making it more expensive if not fully paid. HDFC Bank Updates: 1% fee will be charged on: Rent payments Wallet reloads above Rs 10,000 Utility bills above Rs 50,000 Gaming spends above Rs 10,000 Maximum fee: Rs 4,999 per transaction Reward Points: Users can earn up to 10,000 points per month for insurance premium payments These changes aim to limit misuse and encourage responsible credit usage. UPI Chargeback Process Made Simpler The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has simplified the UPI chargeback process to help users quickly resolve payment failures. From July 2025: Banks can now reprocess denied chargebacks without waiting for NPCI's manual approval. This will reduce refund delays and help customers, especially small merchants and digital users, get quicker resolutions. This change is part of broader efforts to make UPI more user-friendly and trustworthy. GST Return Filing Gets Stricter From July 2025, the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) will introduce strict new rules for filing GST returns. Key changes include: Monthly GSTR-3B forms will become non-editable after submission. A three-year deadline has been added, after which no return can be filed, even if it was missed earlier. These rules apply to forms like GSTR-1, 3B, 4, 5, 5A, 6, 7, 8, and 9. These financial rule changes aim to ensure better compliance, reduce fraudulent filings, and avoid mismatches during audits. Changes to Small Savings Interest Rates The Indian government is expected to revise small savings scheme interest rates for the quarter from July to September 2025. This may affect schemes like: Public Provident Fund (PPF) National Savings Certificates (NSC) Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (SCSS) Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) Investors are advised to check the new rates once announced and plan accordingly. These important rules from July 2025 cover many aspects of daily life—from booking train tickets and filing taxes to using ATMs and credit cards. Whether you're a salaried individual, a small business owner, or a student using UPI, it's important to stay informed and make the necessary updates. Don't forget to: Link your Aadhaar with PAN Review your bank's ATM and service charges Update your GST filing strategy Keep track of credit card benefits and limits These July 2025 financial rule changes are designed to make systems safer, more transparent, and more efficient for everyone. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here.
Economic Times
an hour ago
- Economic Times
Indian Railways to speed up chart prep, upgrade reservation system, & mandate Aadhaar for Tatkal in booking overhaul
Indian Railways is set to overhaul its ticketing system, finalizing passenger charts eight hours before departure to enhance predictability for waitlisted passengers. By December 2025, a new Passenger Reservation System (PRS) will be implemented, boosting booking capacity to 1.5 lakh tickets per minute. Furthermore, Aadhaar linkage will be mandatory for Tatkal bookings starting July 1. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Second-class fare hiked from July 1 Indian Railways is preparing to revamp its ticketing and reservation process by advancing the preparation of train charts, among other measures. According to ET sources, the new system will finalise passenger charts eight hours before a train's move is aimed at providing better predictability for waitlisted passengers In addition to the early chart preparation, the Railways will roll out a Modern Passenger Reservation System (PRS) by December 2025, sources told ET. The project is being implemented by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS).Once operational, the new PRS will be capable of handling over 1.5 lakh ticket bookings per minute, a nearly five-fold increase from the current capacity of 32,000 tickets per ticket enquiry system will also see a dramatic upgrade, with enquiry capacity jumping from 4 lakh to over 40 lakh per minute, improving access to real-time booking information for millions of sources informed ET that an Aadhaar linkage mandate for Tatkal train bookings will come into effect from July 1. Passengers reserving tickets under the Tatkal quota will be required to provide Aadhaar details during the booking railways expect to carry around 7.57 billion passengers in FY26, compared to 7.27 billion in news comes days after officials confirmed to ET that the Indian Railways will increase second-class travel fares by half a paisa per kilometre beyond 500 km starting is the first fare hike since 2020. For mail express trains, the increase translates to 1 paisa per km, while air-conditioned (AC) classes will see a 2 paisa per km rise. However, suburban fares and monthly season tickets will remain put this in perspective, the current per kilometre fare for a 3AC ticket on the Delhi-Howrah route is approximately Rs 1.13.A senior official told ET that these revised rates will be effective from July 1, but tickets booked prior to this date will not be subject to the fare to the ET report, his fare revision aligns with the railway ministry's budget estimates for fiscal year 2025-26, which targets passenger fare revenue of Rs 92,800 crore, up from Rs 80,000 crore in the previous last fare hike in 2020 raised second-class fares by 1 paisa per km, sleeper class fares by 2 paisa, and AC fares by 4 paisa. A more substantial hike was implemented in 2013, with second-class fares increasing by 2 paisa, sleeper and 2AC fares by 6 paisa, and other AC categories by 10 paisa per km.
