HC asks Assam govt to train Foreigners Tribunal staff for proper maintenance of records
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will lead India's delegation at the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao, China, on June 25-26, 2025. The agenda includes discussions on regional security, counter-terrorism, and defense cooperation. Singh aims to reinforce India's commitment to SCO principles and promote economic cooperation, while also engaging in bilateral talks with several member countries, including China and Russia.
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Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Land acquisition hurdles hold up key road projects in new sectors in Gurgaon
Gurgaon: Unresolved land acquisition and litigation issues have stalled several planned roads in new sectors, obstructing vital connectivity projects and delaying civic infrastructure. While around 1.3km road network has been affected, the delays also hit essential services like water supply, sewerage and stormwater drainage, besides stalling much-needed connectivity between new sectors, according to GMDA. Naturally, new sectors' residents are not happy. RWA president of Mapsko Casabella in Sector 82 Dharam Veer Singh says, "It is high time that authorities resolve the pending issues and expedite the construction of roads and services." "We moved here nine years ago with the hope that basic roads and drains would follow shortly," Singh says. Among the most critical missing links is a 380-metre patch between Sectors 72 and 72A. GMDA has identified 4.11 acres of land that need to be acquired to complete the master dividing road here. The road is crucial for connecting Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) and Hero Honda Chowk. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon In contrast, GMDA recently made headway on another long-pending stretch between Sectors 71 and 73. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trending in in 2025: Local network access control [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo The authority took possession of a 5.9-acre parcel last month, paving the way for the construction of a 350-metre road. An estimate of Rs 2.2 crore has already been prepared for the work, a tender for which is expected to be floated soon. But unless the 72–72A link is resolved, a seamless traffic corridor across the area will remain elusive. A GMDA official said, "Progress has been made on the sector 71 and 73 stretch, but until this bottleneck is cleared, full connectivity between SPR and Hero Honda Chowk will remain incomplete." Infrastructure gaps aren't limited to roads. Several small but critical land parcels continue to hold up the laying of sewer lines and stormwater drains in new sectors. In outer Sector 70A, a 50-metre stretch is pending, preventing the installation of sewer infrastructure. Similarly, 80 metres of land in Sector 81–81A is holding up road, sewer and drainage work. A 70-metre portion between Sectors 102 and 103 is also stuck, delaying sewer line installation. Besides land acquisition, litigation is another major roadblock. Two road projects — one between Sectors 82 and 85 (350 metres) and another between Sectors 86 and 90 (370 metres) — are embroiled in legal disputes. Both stretches were planned with roads and drainage networks but remain stuck due to legal disputes. A senior GMDA official said, "Efforts are underway to sort out the land hurdles. Estimates are being prepared for those stretches which have been handed over to us." The delays have left residents in new sectors without proper road access or essential civic services. Dharam Veer Singh said, "Several roads in new sectors are incomplete and due to the absence of drain connectivity, waterlogging is experienced during the monsoon." Earlier, TOI reported that GMDA had prepared the estimates of Rs 3 crore for the construction of a 350-metre road in sectors 88 and 89 and Rs 1 crore for the construction of a 170-metre stretch between sectors 62 and 65. GMDA officials said they are in regular coordination with Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran to speed up land clearances.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
MoSPI gets real with artificial intelligence: Surveys to use chatbots
The statistics ministry is integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations, with AI-enabled chatbots becoming part of key surveys, to provide accurate and up-to-date data to policymakers to help them make evidence-based policy decisions, the minister said. "To facilitate self-compilation by enterprises in the web-portal based Capex survey, an AI-powered chatbot has been integrated into the portal," Rao Inderjit Singh, minister of state (independent charge) for statistics and programme implementation, told ET. "This chatbot assists respondents by providing guidance on the concepts used across various sections of the survey questionnaire," he explained. The Capex survey tracks capital expenditure trends of private enterprises. The ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI) uses AI and machine learning-enabled chatbots for the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) as well. It is also introducing new surveys and updating existing ones to better reflect present-day economic and social realities, Singh said. The idea is to leverage technology to provide timely data to help the government bring in policies to improve quality of life of Indians and realise Viksit Bharat 2047. Ads By Google Ad will close in 29 Skip ad in 4 Skip Ad A pilot study on the unincorporated construction sector is scheduled for July- December, while a Household Income Survey will be launched from February 2026 to estimate the average income of rural and urban households, the minister said. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) methodology was revamped in January. Under the new framework, reports are released monthly, with rural data included in quarterly releases. Annual reports will follow the calendar year rather than the earlier July-June cycle. "The updated PLFS design will allow (with state participation) generation of annual district level estimates for most districts across India. It is also planned to release ASUSE results quarterly instead of annually," Singh said. The MoSPI is set to launch two new surveys from July - National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) and Domestic Tourism Expenditure Survey (DTES). NHTS aims to assess the spatial origin destination matrix for different transportation modes and influencing factors affecting the mode, destination choice, the price elasticity of travel demand by mode. The railway ministry and the government will use this data for transport planning, Singh said. DTES will gather information on trip purpose, mode of transport, accommodation, final destination within the country, and tourism-related expenditure.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
IIM Mum opens incubator to anyone with a good idea
Mumbai: IIM Mumbai has opened the doors of its incubator not just to students or fresh graduates, but to anyone with an idea and the courage to build it -- from silver-haired retirees with decades of wisdom to homemakers with sharp instincts and side-hustles waiting to bloom. On Tuesday, the AIC-NIFIE incubator was inaugurated by Union minister of state for science and technology Jitendra Singh. The Atal Incubation Centre-NITIE Incubation Foundation for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (full form) is an umbrella organisation at IIM Mumbai for fostering entrepreneurship and nurturing tech start-ups. Backed by NITI Aayog, the business incubator provides 'start to scale' support for technology-based entrepreneurship and facilitates the conversion of research activity into entrepreneurial ventures. Singh called for an end to working in silos, urging a seamless blend of govt, industry, and academia. "The integration of academia, industry, and govt is essential for India to meet its rapid development goals. The age of silos is over. Now we are getting more and more integrated," he said. The minister said all stakeholders, including representatives of industry, should be brought together as the demarcation between the private and public sectors does not exist. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai "It is no longer an option, it is a necessity to achieve the country's development goals," the minister said. Singh noted India's rise from 350 startups in 2014 to over 1.5 lakh in 2025, with space-tech now open to 100% FDI and backed by a Rs 1,000-crore fund. "Startups are built on aptitude, ideas, and innovation -- not just fancy degrees." Director of the institute, Manoj Tiwari, said: "We invited bold entrepreneurs to apply, panels of experts heard their ideas, interviewed them, and we have allotted 6 rooms out of the total 13 to some bold entrepreneurs." To date, 14 startups have been incubated on campus.
