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India.com
4 days ago
- India.com
THIS is India's dirtiest railway station; not in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, its located in..., name is...
File/Representational Dirtiest Railway Stations: The Indian Railways, one of the largest railway networks in the world, manages and operates a whopping 7,461 railway stations across the country. But despite the remarkable overhaul witnessed by a majority of railways stations in the last decade, few train stations in the country are still in a dilapidated condition, and require a major upgrade to match modern standards. Here are some of the 'dirtiest' railway stations in India, according to a recent report by the Quality Council of India (QCI): Perungalathur Railway Station (Tamil Nadu): This railway station in the Chennai railway division of Southern Railway zone, has the dubious distinction of being the filthiest railway station in India, according to the Indian Railways Rail Swachh Portal. This railway station in the Chennai railway division of Southern Railway zone, has the dubious distinction of being the filthiest railway station in India, according to the Indian Railways Rail Swachh Portal. Shahganj Railway Station (Uttar Pradesh): The Shahganj Junction Railway Station, a NSG-3 category railway station located in Shahganj town in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, is ranked among the dirtiest train stations in the country. Other noteworthy stations in Uttar Pradesh, which are ranked among the dirtiest in the country are the Mathura and Kanpur Central railway stations. The Shahganj Junction Railway Station, a NSG-3 category railway station located in Shahganj town in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, is ranked among the dirtiest train stations in the country. Other noteworthy stations in Uttar Pradesh, which are ranked among the dirtiest in the country are the Mathura and Kanpur Central railway stations. Sadar Bazar Railway Station (Delhi): Located in the Central Delhi district of then national capital, the Sadar Bazar railway station is among the filthiest in the country. According to the Rail Swachh Portal, poor drainage coupled with trash, have turned it into one of the dirtiest stations. Located in the Central Delhi district of then national capital, the Sadar Bazar railway station is among the filthiest in the country. According to the Rail Swachh Portal, poor drainage coupled with trash, have turned it into one of the dirtiest stations. Ottapalam Railway Station (Kerala): Located in Palakkad district of Kerala, the Ottapalam station, which falls under the Palakkad railway division of Southern Railway zone, remains among the dirtiest in India, despite receiving a makeover in 2021. Located in Palakkad district of Kerala, the Ottapalam station, which falls under the Palakkad railway division of Southern Railway zone, remains among the dirtiest in India, despite receiving a makeover in 2021. Other notable mentions: Apart from the aforementioned stations, there are numerous other railway stations that rank among the dirtiest in the country, including the Bihar railroad stations in Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Araria Court, the Jhansi and Bareilly railway stations in Uttar Pradesh, and the Velachery and Guduvanchery train stations in Tamil Nadu. How stations were ranked? The article is based on a report published by the Quality Council of India (QCI), who used direct observation, and comments from 1.2 million passengers to rank railway stations across the country based on their cleanliness. The QCI ranking has classified railway stations into several categories based on revenue generation and other metrics. As per the QCI report, 75 railway stations fall in the A1 category, generating more than Rs 75 crore in annual passenger income, while 332 stations have been classified as A stations, bringing in revenue between Rs 6 crore and Rs 50 crore.
News18
5 days ago
- Business
- News18
'PM Modi Pushed Us To Get Things Done': Adil Zainulbhai Steps Away After 4 Years As CBC Chief
Over four years at the Capacity Building Commission, he helped shape and scale Mission Karmayogi—an initiative aimed at transforming the capacity of over 25 million civil servants After completing two terms spread across four years as Chairman of the Capacity Building Commission, Adil Zainulbhai steps away from a key role in one of India's most ambitious public sector reform efforts. Also the former Chairman of the Quality Council of India, he brought years of experience at the intersection of governance and institution-building. Over four years at the CBC, he helped shape and scale Mission Karmayogi—an initiative aimed at transforming the capacity of over 25 million civil servants. From building the Commission from the ground up to expanding the iGOT platform and introducing AI-driven learning pathways, he worked across ministries, states, and institutions to embed capacity building into the heart of governance. He spoke with News18 in an exclusive interview, reflecting on the journey, the lessons, and the road ahead. Excerpts: I started working in an autonomous organisation, which is not quite government, which was the Quality Council of India (QCI), for six years. And then after that, the Prime Minister asked me to head what he set up and called the Capacity Building Commission, which is also known as Mission Karmayogi. So, that was a full government job. And so, I had the advantage. I had five to six years to prepare in an intermediate role. It was not quite government and not quite private sector. That mixed experience helped me understand things a lot better. But I think I found out that these things helped a lot because we are always used to working with companies and understanding their culture and how things happen in that environment. Each company has a different culture and way about how they work. So, in a sense, we have to understand, or I have to understand, how the government works, and the first thing you realise is there is no one single job in the government. There are many ministries, there are many individuals, and there are hundreds of organisations. Each one has their own way of working, expectation. As you understand that, you get to know people, and then you can make a difference. So I don't think the issue was different. The issue was about understanding how it is different and figuring out how to work in that environment. So, I would say this was something that helped me a lot in preparing to work in different environments, and this was a different environment. I learnt how to work with them. From dashboards to KPIs (key performance indicators), your work has brought a clear corporate-style precision to government training and reform. Have you seen civil servants embrace this shift towards data-backed, performance-driven governance—and where has the buy-in been most encouraging? There are different approaches to governance. The right goal was to try and dream at the end of the day. There are 82 million civil servants, and whatever it takes to train people, we took ideas from the public sector, private sector, other countries, other organisations, everywhere. When we first started, people didn't know whether this would actually mean anything or make a difference. But I think, over time, as we got a very, very powerful digital learning programme in place, it really started to take off. Just to give an idea, two and a half years ago, the learning platform had 200,000 users and 200 courses. Today, we have 12 million users and 300 courses. So, when we were very small, there was a lot of scepticism. But now it's the other way around—which is, I think, fascinating. Many people call us and ask why they can't take part in this, and they say that they too wish to avail the benefit of this. Before, we were trying to make sure that people took it. Now, they are banging on our doors and saying that they liked this and wanted to access the courses. So, I think the tide has really turned. As people see the benefit of it, they are really using it. They want to build their own skills. After four years of Mission Karmayogi and the Commission, what is the biggest myth about Indian civil services that you've broken? The first myth that has been broken is about the people inside the system. I now realise there are a lot of very well-meaning people in the system who are genuinely trying to do the right thing. Sometimes they have the skills and tools to do their jobs, sometimes they don't—but many are really trying very hard. From outside, it's easy to dismiss the government and say, 'It's useless." A lot of people say that. But having spent a lot of time within the system, I'm very comforted by the fact that many individuals are committed and working with genuine intent. And when the right things are done, the impact is massive. So that's one major myth we've broken. The second myth is that the government systems can't move fast. Today, we've built the largest training system in the world. Nobody can believe that we managed to do this in just two years. The scale of what we've accomplished is phenomenal. And I think a lot of that credit goes to the way Prime Minister Modi pushes us to deliver. The honourable Prime Minister is not interested in theory or PowerPoint presentations. He's focused on making a real difference on the ground. He pushed us hard to do something and get things done. That drive has really helped us move quickly. In fact, I believe we are executing faster than many public or private sector organisations. And that, to me, is a big myth-breaker: that the government can move fast, actually faster than people imagine. From stress management to AI training, from seamless access across devices to tailored courses for every level of the administration—what did it take to design such a comprehensive learning platform? So the first thing we did—which I think most people didn't expect from the government—was to simply ask: what do you need to do your job well? We didn't assume; we went to people across the civil service—from sachivalayas to the Cabinet Secretary—and asked them directly. And we were surprised at how clear they were. The first thing many officers said was about dealing with a lot of stress. They asked for courses on stress management. Others said that they sit in offices all day and asked for something that would be good for their health. So, interestingly, the two most popular courses, even among secretaries, are Yoga at the Workplace and Stress Management. At the other end of the spectrum, many wanted to understand new technologies that are changing the world and their work. Today, 1.3 million civil servants have taken a course on AI—no other country comes close. And that's simply because the content is accessible and easy to use. What this showed us is: if you give people what they truly need, they will learn. The second thing we did was, once we knew what courses were needed, we asked: who is the best person to build this? We turned first to Indian institutions. For yoga, we partnered with the Morarji Desai Institute of Yoga; for stress management, we worked with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's team. A lot of mid-level officers asked for basic training in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word. They said, 'No one taught us this when we joined the service. Now we hire consultants for things we could do ourselves." Today, over a million officers have taken those practical courses. We've also responded quickly to changes. For example, when the new security laws came out last year, we released a course immediately. 700,000 people have already taken it. Earlier, it would take a year and a guidebook to explain such changes—now it's interactive and available on your phone via iGOT Karmayogi. We're also translating everything into 10 regional languages, making learning more inclusive. And now, we're piloting something revolutionary: AI-generated, on-demand courses. You can type a prompt like, 'I want a 30-minute course on crypto," and the AI will create a personalised course in real time. Once rolled out, it will be as advanced as any system in the world. What we've learnt is simple: the government can move fast. And if you give people the right tools, they will use them. Now, people are asking: 'Can this be made available to citizens, students, and retired officers?" That's a policy decision for later. Right now, our focus is on ensuring that every civil servant gets the competencies they need to do their job well. How were these courses conceptualised and built, especially with elements like Indic knowledge systems and citizen engagement included? The Prime Minister was very clear: we need to create high-quality courses on Indic knowledge. Thanks to the work we've done and the people involved in the Commission, we already know who the real experts are—professors across universities, scholars at various foundations—those who are deeply knowledgeable in this space. So we sit down with them and say, 'We'd like a course that covers these specific topics." Then, they create it for us. This isn't a mass-production process—every course takes serious thought, careful design, and deep intellectual input. It's not something you can just buy off the shelf by the hundreds. Each one is crafted with intention and expertise. You have been one of the most compelling examples of successfully bridging the corporate and government sectors. In your view, how can more senior corporate leaders be encouraged to engage with the government and help elevate public-private partnerships to a new level of impact and innovation? First of all, there are many more such examples now than there used to be. For instance, Pankaj Goenka is heading INSPACE-e. He previously led Mahindra & Mahindra. Malika Srinivasan, Chairperson of TAFE (Tractors and Farm Equipment), is now the Chairperson of the Public Enterprises Selection Board. So we are seeing more individuals from the corporate world stepping in to contribute to government institutions. To me, the good news is that many people in the corporate sector genuinely want to give back to the country. The challenge is often finding the right entry point. At iGOT, for example, we've brought in several distinguished fellows, including very senior leaders from the corporate world, who are contributing their expertise. I believe we should do much more of this. It benefits both sides. It's just a matter of figuring out the right structure, the appropriate level of engagement, and how to do it properly. But the idea of intermingling or giving corporate leaders exposure to government, and vice versa, is a strong one. We should absolutely pursue it further. With the rapid rise of AI, how do you see the Indian civil service, bureaucracy, and ground-level administration adapting and evolving to keep pace with this transformation? AI is a function that spans many parts of the government. For instance, the Ministry of Electronics and IT is making significant investments in large language models, purchasing chips, and building infrastructure. Our focus, however, is on how AI can be applied in day-to-day work. We believe that understanding how to use AI in your specific role is something every civil servant should think about. That's why we've been very keen to ensure that every civil servant gets exposure to AI—not just from a technical standpoint, but in terms of practical application in their own environment. Singapore recently announced that it plans to train every civil servant in AI. But even before that, in India, as I mentioned earlier, 1.3 million civil servants have already taken a course on AI. Our goal is for every single civil servant to be equipped to think about how AI can be useful in their context. Of course, no one can prescribe exactly how AI should be applied in every job, but if people are aware of its capabilities, they can begin to explore and apply it effectively. That's the approach we're taking through Mission Karmayogi—giving every civil servant sufficient knowledge and access so they can figure out for themselves how to use AI in their work. And the early results are promising, as over 1.3 million have already started. With Trump back on the global stage and imposing a 50% tariff, is this a return to a world where India must lean more on internal capacity building and less on global partnerships? Or does it signal an opportunity for India to lead differently? We are very clear about that. If we understand the power of technology and execute effectively, we can leapfrog development. We can accelerate progress in areas like healthcare, education, and public service delivery—not by waiting for solutions to trickle down to us years later, but by staying ahead of the curve. That's why our goal is to equip civil servants with the knowledge and tools to use emerging technologies and innovative approaches—not just to improve systems, but to leapfrog traditional stages of development. Just as India has led globally with Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) like Aadhaar and others, we want civil servants to think not in terms of catching up, but in terms of leading. Our focus is to build the capacity of the civil service so they can adopt and apply new technologies rapidly—and use them to drive faster, more inclusive development than anywhere else. As someone deeply involved in talent transformation, how do you see India's civil service officers gearing up for a more citizen-centric approach than ever before? When it comes to transforming the civil service, it's not just about building skills—we also want to shift the mindset. Historically, under the British Raj, the civil service was designed to rule. It created rules and enforced them. But today, the mindset we need is not of rulers, but of sevak—public servants dedicated to citizens. We want every civil servant to think: 'I am here to serve the citizens and improve their lives." That kind of shift requires more than just digital training. It needs deep behavioural transformation. We're now running programmes that connect personal purpose with public service, helping officers see how their work directly contributes to nation-building. We've already conducted 1-2 day behavioural training sessions for over a million civil servants and plan to reach 2-3 million this year. This includes frontline roles like police officers, ticket collectors, postmasters and anyone who directly interacts with citizens. top videos View all For example, we trained the Delhi Police before the G20 summit, and we're now doing similar programmes for the UP Police. The focus is on helping them engage with citizens in a spirit of seva—service. At its core, this is about making governance truly citizen-centric by training people to serve better, measuring whether they're doing so, and changing the culture of service across the system. Some of the stories we've already seen show just how powerful this shift can be. If we can scale it, it will significantly improve both the quality of governance and the lives of citizens and civil servants themselves. About the Author Madhuparna Das Madhuparna Das, Associate Editor (policy) at CNN News 18, has been in journalism for nearly 14 years. She has extensively been covering politics, policy, crime and internal security issues. She has covered More Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : ai Civil service Mission Karmayogi view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 07, 2025, 23:14 IST News india 'PM Modi Pushed Us To Get Things Done': Adil Zainulbhai Steps Away After 4 Years As CBC Chief | Interview Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. 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Time of India
30-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Govt has implemented Central Sector Scheme for promotion of IEC in Ayush: MoS Prataprao Jadhav
New Delhi: Central government has implemented the Central Sector Scheme for the promotion of Information Education and Communication (IEC) in Ayush to create awareness regarding Ayush Systems of Medicine which aims to reach out to all sections of the population across the country, and provides assistance for organising National Arogya Fairs, Yoga Fests and Utsavs, and Ayurveda Parvs , among others. The Ayush ministry also undertakes Multi-Media and print media campaigns to create awareness about Ayush systems. Union Minister of State of the Ministry of Ayush, Prataprao Jadhav in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday said that the government has taken several steps for the qualitative production and distribution of Ayush medicines including quality certifications scheme implemented by the Quality Council of India (QCI) for grant of Ayush mark to Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unproducts on the basis of third party evaluation of quality in accordance with the status of compliance to domestic and international standards. "The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 & rules made thereunder have exclusive regulatory provisions regarding manufacture for sale or for distribution of Ayurvedic, Siddha, Sowa- Rigpa, Unani , and Homoeopathy drugs. It is mandatory for the manufacturers to adhere to the prescribed requirements for licensing of manufacturing units & medicines including proof of safety & effectiveness, compliance with the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as per Schedule T & Schedule M-I of Drugs Rules , 1945 and quality standards of drugs given in the respective pharmacopoeia," the written reply said. "Rule 160 A to J of the Drugs Rules, 1945 provides the regulatory guidelines for approval of Drug Testing Laboratories for carrying out such tests of identity, purity, quality and strength of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs as may be required under the provisions of these rules, on behalf of licensee for manufacture of Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani drugs. Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine & Homoeopathy (PCIM&H) on behalf of Ministry of Ayush lays down the Formulary specifications and Pharmacopoeial Standards for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathic drugs, which serves as an official compendia for ascertaining the Quality Control (identity, purity and strength) of Ayush drugs, as per the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 & rules made thereunder. Compliance to these quality standards are mandatory for Ayush drugs being manufactured in India.," it added. Jadhav further said that, the Pharmacovigilance Centres for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathic drugs set up in different parts of the country under the Central Sector Scheme of Ministry of Ayush are mandated to report adverse drug reactions to the respective State Regulatory Authorities. "Central Sector Scheme, Ayush Oushadhi Gunavatta evam Uttpadan Samvardhan Yojana (AOGUSY) has been implemented for the year 2021-2026. One of the components of this Scheme is to strengthen and up-grade Ayush Pharmacies and Drug Testing Laboratories to achieve higher standards. An Ayush vertical has been created in Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to strengthen regulatory measures ensuring safety and quality of Ayush drugs. Further, CDSCO issues WHO Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (WHO-CoPP) to Ayush drugs having compliance to such standards," it added. Quality Certifications Scheme implemented by the Quality Council of India (QCI) for grant of Ayush mark to Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani products on the basis of third party evaluation of quality in accordance with the status of compliance to domestic and international standards. Further, the Government has taken several steps for widening and deepening research in Ayush medicines, including implementing the Central Sector Scheme, namely AYURGYAN Scheme, from FY 2021-22. The Scheme has three components viz. (i) Capacity Building & Continuing Medical Education (CME) in Ayush (ii) Research & Innovation in Ayush and (iii) Ayurveda Biology Integrated Health Research added under the scheme from FY 2023-24. Under the Research & Innovation in Ayush component, financial assistance is provided to the eligible Organizations/Institutions across the county as per the provision contained in the scheme guidelines to support clinical, fundamental, pharmaceutical, literary and medicinal plant research in Extra Mural mode. Government has also established Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS) and Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN) under the Ministry of Ayush as apex organizations for undertaking, coordinating, formulating, developing and promoting research in Ayush system on scientific lines. Core research activities comprise of Medicinal Plant Research (Medico-Ethno Botanical Survey), Pharmacognosy and in-vitro propagation techniques, Drug Standardization, Pharmacological Research, Clinical Research, Literary Research and Documentation and Tribal Health Care Research Programme. CCRAS, CCRUM, CCRH, CCRS and CCRYN are the apex organizations established under the Ministry of Ayush for undertaking, coordinating, formulating, developing and promoting research in Ayush system on scientific lines. The Councils are also engaged in awareness activities for the promotion of Ayush systems through IEC activities and through electronic and print media for common people in English, Hindi, and regional languages, which are widely distributed through National/ State level Arogya health melas, health camps, exhibitions, expos and outreach programs, the MoS said. Ministry of Ayush has also taken initiative for inclusion of ' Traditional Medicine ' chapter in the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10 and 11) supporting the scientific research, Ayush Export Promotion Council (AYUSHEXCIL), WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) and celebration of Yoga and Ayurveda day etc. worldwide. In addition, the Ministry of Ayush has also taken steps towards international promotion, development and recognition for Ayush systems of medicine like, signed 25 Country to Country MoUs for Co-operation in field of Traditional Medicine and Homoeopathy with foreign nations. Ayush also signed 15 MoUs with International Institutes for setting up of Ayush Academic Chairs in foreign nations. (ANI)
Indian Express
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Why Andhra Pradesh has named a scheme for schoolkids after Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
The Telugu Desam Party-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh has launched a scheme to provide kits to school children. The scheme has been named the 'Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra Kits'. The government has said that in choosing the name of the former President, academician and philosopher, it is bucking the trend of naming schemes for schoolchildren after political leaders, and wants to keep students above politics. Radhakrishnan served as the country's second President, from 1962 to 1967. His birthday on September 5 is observed as Teachers' Day. The state government is providing schools kits to over 35 lakh school-going students free of cost. The government spent Rs 953 crore to procure the kits. The Quality Council of India (QCI) partnered with the government to conduct three-layer quality checks on all the materials used in the making of the kits, officials said. Designed to ensure an equal start for every student, the kits include uniforms, shoes, belts, socks, school bags, textbooks, notebooks, workbooks, and Oxford dictionaries. The government has also borne the stitching charges — Rs 120 for Classes 1–8 and Rs 240 for Classes 9–10 — ensuring uniforms are ready to wear. With a total budget of Rs 953.71 crore — Rs 778.68 crore from the state and Rs 175.03 crore from the Centre — each kit is valued at approximately Rs 2,279. HRD and IT Minister N Lokesh Naidu said that under the previous YSRCP regime, the kits were branded as Jagananna Vidya Kanuka and featured images of the then Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. This was widely criticised for exposing schoolchildren to political influence and using government material to do political publicity, he said. The current kits are free from any political colors, symbols, or logos. What is inside the kit? Each student receives: 1. Three sets of uniforms in new colors (olive green pants/gowns and light yellow-green striped shirts) 2. One pair of shoes, two pairs of socks, a belt, and a school bag 3. Textbooks, workbooks, and notebooks 4. An Oxford English-English-Telugu Dictionary for Class 6 students 5. Pictorial dictionaries for Class 1 students 6. Dictionaries in regional/minority languages like Urdu, Tamil, and Odia where needed.
New Indian Express
06-07-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Transparency saves Rs 63.80 crore in Vidyarthi Mitra
VIJAYAWADA: The State government has saved Rs 63.80 crore through transparent tendering and three-tier quality check system in implementing the Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyarthi Mitra (SRKVM) student kit scheme for the academic year 2025-26. At the initiative of HRD Minister Nara Lokesh, for the first time in the State, the Quality Council of India (QCI) was brought on board to monitor and certify the quality of each item under the Vidyarthi Mitra scheme. The inspection was carried out at three phases, which included verification of raw material, monitoring during production, and final inspection of finished products before dispatch to schools. The government had floated tenders worth Rs 676.15 crore (ECV), and received bids for Rs 612.35 crore, resulting in a saving of Rs 63.80 crore. The entire process was conducted through the AP e-procurement platform to ensure transparency and competition. To create awareness among beneficiaries about the quality of kits, 'Quality Walls' were set up at mandal stock points displaying all items. Students, parents, and teachers could directly inspect the kits, and provide feedback. Under the Vidyarthi Mitra, 35.94 lakh students from Class 1 to 10 in government and aided schools are receiving kits worth Rs 2,279 each. The total allocation for the scheme stood at Rs 953.71 crore. Of the total sum, the State's spending was Rs 778.68 crore, while the Centre's contribution was Rs 175.03 crore.
