Latest news with #Goel
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Manipur's new chief secretary assumes charge
Manipur Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel on Monday assumed charge at the secretariat here, officials said. Goel took charge from outgoing CS Prashant Kumar Singh at a brief function held at the Old Secretariat building, they said. 'The Manipur government marked a transition in administrative leadership with the official handover of charge from outgoing Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh to newly appointed CS Puneet Kumar Goel,' an official statement said. Senior officials and department heads expressed their gratitude to Singh for his dedicated service and visionary leadership during his tenure. 'Warm wishes were also extended to Goel as he assumed charge,' the statement said. Goel, the 1991 batch AGMUT cadre officer, arrived in Imphal on Sunday and was received by officials led by Commissioner (home) Ashok Kumar. He was appointed as the Manipur chief secretary by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on July 16. The appointment comes at a time when the northeastern state has been witnessing ethnic violence for more than two years. More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in the ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. The Centre had on February 13 imposed the President's rule in Manipur after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned. The state assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.
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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business
- Business Standard
IBA urges banks to speed up ISO 20022 shift to avoid payment issues
BA Chief Executive Atul Kumar Goel said it is essential for lenders to begin migration by August 2025 to ensure sufficient buffer time for monitoring ISO 20222 transaction volumes Press Trust of India New Delhi Indian Banks' Association (IBA) has asked all banks to fast-track the implementation of the SWIFT ISO 20022 norms, failing which they may face difficulties in cross-border payments. In a letter recently written to heads of all banks, IBA Chief Executive Atul Kumar Goel said it is essential for lenders to begin migration by August 2025 to ensure sufficient buffer time for monitoring ISO 20222 transaction volumes. ISO 20022 is a global standard for financial messaging that the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT) is adopting for cross-border payments and reporting. This new standard for messaging aims to improve the payments flow through faster processing, visibility, cost reduction, enhanced reconciliation and increased interoperability. As many as 3 banks in India reached a migration percentage rate of above 85 per cent, while the majority of banks are still targeting migration closer to the global deadline of November 2025, the letter said. This approach may pose significant operational and technical risks for India as a country, including exposure to message rejections, reduced readiness for exception handling, and potential customer impact, Goel cautioned banks. SWIFT began its migration to ISO 20022, with a coexistence period that will continue until November 2025, according to the letter. The coexistence period is a migration phase to ensure a smooth transition to a new format, allowing the use of the new and existing legacy MT messaging standard for a limited period. The coexistence period between the legacy systems (MT) and ISO 20022 will officially end on November 22, 2025. Any MT payment instruction messages in the scope post November 22, 2025, will fail validation, the IBA informed banks. Institutions that wish to prevent risk of service disruption due to stricter network validation, loss of data, and avoid additional charges should ensure they do not send FIN (financial information) /MT (message type) instruction messages for cross-border bank-to-bank payments after November 2025, it said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
RWAs ask govt to take steps to tackle stray dog menace
New Delhi: Amid growing concerns over the stray dog menace across the national capital, several residents welfare associations (RWAs) of Delhi-NCR assembled at Jantar Mantar on Saturday morning, demanding immediate action by the central govt. Former Union minister and senior BJP functionary Vijay Goel led the protest, which followed the Supreme Court's recent remarks during a case involving alleged harassment of a Noida resident for feeding stray dogs. "We give you a suggestion to open a shelter in your own house. Feed every dog in the community in your own house," the apex court had remarked, stressing the need to protect stray animals while safeguarding public interest too. Criticising the "false activism" of a section of animal lovers, protesters said they fed dogs in public but failed to take their responsibility for long term. Goel said, "If so-called animal lovers truly care for dogs, they should take them into their homes—not turn public spaces into zones of fear." He cited the Noida incident as an evidence of how street feeding without accountability can escalate into public safety concerns. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Beyond Text Generation: An AI Tool That Helps You Write Better Grammarly Install Now Undo You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi Noida RWA member DS Rawat argued for stricter enforcement. "These dogs, emboldened by public feeding, become hostile. When incidents happen, the so-called animal lovers are nowhere to be seen when accountability is needed." The protest centered around three key demands put forth by the RWAs. First, they called for the establishment of permanent shelter homes for stray dogs, emphasising that after sterilisation and vaccination, the animals should not be released back onto the streets. Second, they urged govt to revise Animal Birth Control Rules 2023, specifically objecting to the provision that requires stray dogs to be managed by the RWAs. Lastly, they sought a strict ban on street feeding and the introduction of the "no dogs on streets" policy, reinforcing their call for safe, designated shelter facilities for strays. Goel highlighted Delhi High Court's orders dated Nov 14, 2024, and May 21, 2025, directing the creation of 'no-dog zones' in sensitive public areas such as schools, parks, markets and other crowded places. He also pointed out that the chief secretary of Delhi had been ordered by the high court to submit a report by Aug 2025, outlining concrete steps taken to address the issue.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Former Union Minister, RWAs protest for solution to city's ‘stray dog menace'
Former Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel and several delegations of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) in Delhi held a protest at Jantar Mantar on Saturday calling for government action to control the growing 'street dog menace' in the Capital. Mr. Goel expressed concerns over the alarming rise in stray dog attacks, saying, 'The primary victims are children, women, and the elderly. Parks have become unsafe, children have stopped playing outdoors, and people fear even stepping out for a walk.' He said there are 7 lakh dogs in the city. 'Sterilisation alone is no longer sufficient; mass relocation and proper infrastructure are necessary,' he said, adding that aggressive dogs should be relocated to designated shelters, where they can be given special care. 'It is not the responsibility of RWAs to manage stray dogs. This is the government's duty. We need to enforce a clear and effective 'No Dogs on Streets' policy now', the Mr. Goel said. A poster at the protest site demanded 'stern action against those feeding dogs on the street'. Earlier in the week, the Supreme Court, while hearing a Noida-based petitioner's plea alleging harassment in feeding stray dogs, remarked, 'Why don't you feed them in your own house?'
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
‘Privatisation only way to mitigate Purvanchal, Dakshinanchal losses'
Amid growing protest over privatisation of power distribution companies in the state, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited chairman Ashish Kumar Goel has claimed that the corporation has decided to privatise Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal to overcome the dual challenge of mounting financial losses and operational inefficiencies in its power distribution network. This will help the corporation to bridge the staggering cash gap and pave the way for a sustainable energy future in UP, he said. In an exclusive interview with Arvind Chauhan, the UPPCL chairman said that privatisation is the only solution to mitigate the losses of Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal discoms and will benefit both consumers and the state. The Case for Privatisation The decision to privatise Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal has been taken after considering their dismal performance across technical, commercial, and financial metrics, said Goel. "These are the worst-performing discoms, leading to frequent transformers damage, tripping, poor billing quality, and low collection efficiency. Unlike better-performing regions like Noida or Lucknow, these discoms have consistently lagged and impacted UPPCL's overall financial health," Goel added. The numbers paint a grim picture. In 2024-25, UPPCL's cash gap—the difference between expenses and revenue—soared to Rs 48,515 crore, up from Rs 39,254 crore in 2023-24. Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal contributed the lion's share to this deficit. Over the past five years, expenses have grown at 8.3%, while revenue has lagged at 6.7%, leading to a cash gap increase of 12.4% annually. "This is an unsustainable model. We're in a debt trap, relying on state funds and loans to cover losses, only to repay them with interest the next year," he emphasised. Despite years of govt investment in infrastructure and loss of funding, the gap persists. About 15% of UP's non-committed budget—excluding salaries—is allocated to the energy sector, with 90% of that going toward subsidies and loss funding. This diverts funds from critical infrastructure development and welfare schemes. Privatization, Goel argued, would free up these resources for more productive uses, such as building schools, hospitals, or modernising the grid. Addressing Consumer and Employees' Concerns Consumers:Privatisation often sparks fears of tariff hikes and job losses, but UPPCL is keen to dispel these concerns. For consumers, Goel clarified that tariffs are regulated by the state's regulatory commission, and privatisation is not inherently linked to price increases. In fact, private players are expected to reduce line losses and curb power theft, which currently burden honest, paying consumers. "The honest consumer is indirectly subsidising those who don't pay," he noted. By improving efficiency, privatisation could stabilise or even lower tariffs for those who pay their bills on time. The chairman drew parallels with successful privatisation models in Delhi, Odisha, Chandigarh, and Dadra Nagar Haveli, where consumer services have improved significantly. In Agra, where Torrent supplies power, middle-class consumers report reliable service, though challenges persist for low-income households unable to pay on time. Goel acknowledged these concerns but stressed that regulatory rules govern discoms, ensuring protections for vulnerable consumers. "Electricity is a commodity. Just like a mobile bill, if you don't pay, service stops. But privatisation doesn't mean leniency will vanish—regulators will ensure fairness," he said. Employees: UPPCL has taken proactive steps to ease concerns. "No one will lose their job," Goel, the 1995 batch IAS officer, assured. Employees of Purvanchal and Dakshinanchal have three options: one, continue with the private discoms on the same or better terms. Second, return to UPPCL. Three, opt for voluntary retirement. Contractual workers, meanwhile, are likely to see increased opportunities as private discoms expand services to meet growing consumer demand. "Private players are better paymasters," Goel added, noting that UPPCL's losses currently limit salary increases. The Financial Imperative The financial rationale for privatisation is stark. The cash gap per unit of electricity is Rs 4.31 for Purvanchal, Rs 4.08 for Dakshinanchal, Rs 3.53 for Madhyanchal, Rs 2.08 for KESCO, and Rs 1.51 for Paschimanchal. These losses, coupled with Uttar Pradesh's low per capita electricity consumption of 723 units annually—compared to India's 1,331 and developed countries' 10 times higher—highlight the need for massive investment. "Govt can't fund this alone. Private investment is the only way to bridge the gap and meet rising demand," ," said Goel. Privatisation will involve selling 51% equity in the discoms, with govt retaining 49% share. As performance improves, the value of govt's stake will rise, as seen in Odisha, where private discoms have started paying dividends within five years. A stakeholder consultation on April 12 revealed strong private sector interest, signalling confidence in the model. A Broader Vision: Renewable Energy and Beyond Beyond privatisation, UPPCL is also focusing on renewable energy to meet its renewable consumption obligation. A recent 2,000 mega watt solar tender, along with agreements for wind, hydro, and battery storage, reflects a commitment to diversifying the energy mix. These efforts aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and align with India's sustainability goals. A Message to Skeptics To those wary of privatisation, Ashish Kumar Goel pointed to other sectors like telecom and airports, where private participation has driven innovation and improved services. "If we want a developed India by 2047, we can't rely on outdated systems. Electricity is the lifeline of modern society—powering hospitals, industries, and data centres. With aspirations rising, consumers demand uninterrupted, high-quality supply, which requires significant investment and efficiency," he said. He further said, "UPPCL's privatization push is not without challenges. A five-year transition period means results won't be immediate, and public perception remains a hurdle. Yet, we are optimistic, as we have witnessed the successful models of other states, and there is an urgent need to break free from the debt trap." "This is a win-win for consumers and govt," he concluded.
