Latest news with #RTF
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Muslim leaders urge govt to release pending scholarships
Hyderabad: In a letter to A. Revanth Reddy, the Chief Minister of Telangana, prominent Muslim scholars and community leaders have called for the immediate release of post-matric scholarships for minority students. They have requested that the Chief Minister take serious note of the difficulties faced by students in continuing their higher education and employment and ensure that the scholarships are released as soon as possible. Prominent religious scholars and community leaders, including Moulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani (AIMPLB), Moulana Shah Jamal ur Rahman Miftahi (Ameer, Millat-e-Islamia), Mufti Sadiq Mohiuddin Faheem Nizami (United Muslim Forum), Mufti GhiyasuddinRahmani (Jamiat ul Ulama), Dr. M. Khalid Mubashir uz Zafar (Jamat-e-Islami Hind), S. Q. Masood (ASEEM) and Mohd Faraz Ahmed (SIO), along with representatives of major Muslim organisations, have jointly signed an open letter addressed to the Chief Minister regarding the non-release of post-matric scholarships under the RTF scheme. The letter highlights the urgent crisis faced by minority students due to the prolonged delay in scholarship disbursement. The signatories have warned that the delay is pushing thousands of minority students into severe academic and financial distress, forcing many into debt, disrupting their education, and, in some cases, resulting in student dropouts. The key demands in the letter were: the immediate release of all pending scholarships, the implementation of time-bound and transparent disbursement processes, and the allocation of special emergency funds to clear existing letter has been formally handed over to the Minister for Minority Welfare, the office of the Chief Minister, the Principal Secretary of the Finance Department, and the Secretary of the Minority Welfare Department, Shafiullah.
Hans India
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
SIO TG delegation demands expedited fee reimbursement, scholarship disbursal
Hyderabad: A delegation of the Students Islamic Organisation of India (SIO), Telangana led by State Secretary Mohd Hammaduddin met Adluri Laxman Kumar, Minister for Minority Welfare & Dharmapuri MLA, to raise the urgent issue of delayed scholarship and fee reimbursement under the RTF and MTF schemes. The delegation highlighted shocking figures over 1.21 lakh applications remain pending for 2024–25, and only 40 out of 1.54 lakh were approved last year. Many students are unable to access their certificates or continue education due to unpaid dues. The Minister assured the delegation of immediate follow-up with concerned departments. SIO stressed that timely scholarship disbursal is not just financial support, but a matter of justice and educational rights for marginalized students.
New Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Right To Food campaigners demand to withdraw facial recognition technology for access to food, nutrition
NEW DELHI: Civil society groups under the Right to Food Campaign (RTF) are demanding the immediate removal of mandatory facial recognition for accessing nutrition services. They are calling for the restoration of universal, dignified, and non-discriminatory access to the Supplementary Nutrition Scheme. On June 30, the Ministry of Women and Child Development made it mandatory to use facial recognition technology to identify beneficiaries. The group termed the mandatory face recognition as a mass exclusion by design, illegal and unconstitutional. Further, the process will be overburdened for the Anganwadi Workers. They also questioned the government's claim the facial recognition will stop the leakages in the scheme. The group pointed out that marginalised families would bear the brunt of use of facial-recognition technology. 'The facial recognition mandate changes the right to access services into a privilege that depends on having a smartphone, internet connection, working apps, and a correct Aadhaar-linked number,' said Sameet Panda, National Conveners at RTF. 'Most marginalized families do not have guaranteed access to these things when using the service,' adds Panda. The civil society groups demand of removal of technology in the context of prevalence of high-level of malnutrition in the country. According to its assessment, there is 35% of children in India suffer from stunting. 'Under such scenario, it is unconscionable that access to food is being made conditional upon flawed technology,' said Panda. Earlier, when the Ministry of Women and Child Development introduced POSHAN Tracker application with two-step verification process – requiring both facial recognition of rights holders (children aged 6 months to 3 years, pregnant and lactating women) and OTP verification via Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers, the RTF capaigners then registered their protest terming its exclusionary process. 'Instead of paying heed to the demand of the activists, Ministry further went ahead of its 'exclusionary policy',' claimed Panda. As per the Ministry's letter dated 5 March 2025, states were threatened with denial of revised nutrition cost norms if they failed to enforce this by 25 March. A subsequent letter dated 30 May 2025 further mandates biometric attendance for children aged 3–6 years receiving hot cooked meals at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) for 'liveness' detection. Finally, on 30 June 2025, Anganwadi workers across the country were abruptly instructed to reinstall the POSHAN Tracker app. The new app has only a facial recognition service to identify the beneficiary, claimed the RTF release. The RTF campaign calls for the immediate revocation of this exclusionary and unlawful mandate and affirms its resolve to challenge it through all democratic means.
Rhyl Journal
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Call to halt switch off of outdated energy meters
RTS meters were introduced in the 1980s and use outdated radio signals to switch between peak and off-peak rates. The process to turn them off is due to start on June 30, 2025. Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts has called on the UK government to delay the shut-down of radio tele switch meters (RTS) until all affected households are fitted with alternative meters. Data from Ofgem shows there are approximately 790 RTS meters still being used in Dwyfor Meirionnydd, with around 11,000 still in use across Wales. They were designed to help households using electricity for heating and hot water, including electric storage systems, panel heaters or water tank immersion heaters. The Plaid Cymru MP says if they are not replaced, some heating and hot water systems could stay on all the time, not come on at all, charge at the wrong time, or turn on and off at odd times. She raised the matter in Westminster during a debate on broadband and connectivity, yesterday, Wednesday, May 21. Calling for the switch off to be paused, she asked what could done to help the 11,000 affected households, including vulnerable people and those living off grid in rural areas dependent on the system. The Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Chris Bryant asked her to write to him, so he could pass the matter to the Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero. 'She makes a totally legitimate point , we have to make sure we get that right,' he said Liz Saville Roberts MP said: 'With just over a month until the switch-off, I remain concerned that nearly eight hundred households in Dwyfor Meirionnydd are still using outdated RTS meters and have not yet been transferred to smart meters or alternative options. 'It is vital that energy suppliers redouble efforts to get these households connected to a replacement system. 'There is a real risk that those in our more rural areas will be left without heating and hot water, or face problems with their energy bills. 'Gwynedd has amongst the highest rates of fuel poverty in Wales and any disruption to supply risks plunging low-income and vulnerable households further into poverty.' Many people may not realise that they're on an energy tariff that uses RTF, especially in rural areas where electric storage heating is common. The MP added: 'If people are not aware of the switch-over they won't act, leaving them open to problems. 'I am concerned that electricity suppliers may not be able to transfer people onto smart meters in time or – more worryingly in my constituency – not be able to install a smart meter because of a lack of signal. 'I'm aware that organisations such as National Energy Action (NEA), Ofgem, and Gwynedd Council are actively engaging with communities. 'I would urge the government to go one step further and pause the switch off until sufficient steps have been taken to identify all those still on an RTS meter. Heating and hot water are basic needs. 'We must ensure all affected residents in Dwyfor Meirionnydd are protected and prepared before RTS meters are switched off.' Head of National Energy Action Cymru Ben Saltmarsh said: 'When the Radio Teleswitch Service starts being switched off from the end of June, any meters relying on it could begin to lose functionality. 'Households on these meters could start to see their heating and hot water not working as intended and their storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day. 'This could see low-income and vulnerable households paying more for their energy and finding it harder to keep warm. Wales has 11,000 of these meters that could be affected by the switch-off. 'Anyone who thinks they may have one should get in touch with their supplier to talk about upgrading to a new meter as soon as possible. 'Suppliers should have already been in touch with affected customers and must ensure that a suitable replacement is provided, with no loss of service.' Anyone with questions is urged to get in touch.
North Wales Chronicle
26-05-2025
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Call to halt switch off of outdated energy meters
RTS meters were introduced in the 1980s and use outdated radio signals to switch between peak and off-peak rates. The process to turn them off is due to start on June 30, 2025. Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts has called on the UK government to delay the shut-down of radio tele switch meters (RTS) until all affected households are fitted with alternative meters. Data from Ofgem shows there are approximately 790 RTS meters still being used in Dwyfor Meirionnydd, with around 11,000 still in use across Wales. They were designed to help households using electricity for heating and hot water, including electric storage systems, panel heaters or water tank immersion heaters. The Plaid Cymru MP says if they are not replaced, some heating and hot water systems could stay on all the time, not come on at all, charge at the wrong time, or turn on and off at odd times. She raised the matter in Westminster during a debate on broadband and connectivity, yesterday, Wednesday, May 21. Calling for the switch off to be paused, she asked what could done to help the 11,000 affected households, including vulnerable people and those living off grid in rural areas dependent on the system. The Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Chris Bryant asked her to write to him, so he could pass the matter to the Department of Energy, Security and Net Zero. 'She makes a totally legitimate point , we have to make sure we get that right,' he said Liz Saville Roberts MP said: 'With just over a month until the switch-off, I remain concerned that nearly eight hundred households in Dwyfor Meirionnydd are still using outdated RTS meters and have not yet been transferred to smart meters or alternative options. 'It is vital that energy suppliers redouble efforts to get these households connected to a replacement system. 'There is a real risk that those in our more rural areas will be left without heating and hot water, or face problems with their energy bills. 'Gwynedd has amongst the highest rates of fuel poverty in Wales and any disruption to supply risks plunging low-income and vulnerable households further into poverty.' Many people may not realise that they're on an energy tariff that uses RTF, especially in rural areas where electric storage heating is common. The MP added: 'If people are not aware of the switch-over they won't act, leaving them open to problems. 'I am concerned that electricity suppliers may not be able to transfer people onto smart meters in time or – more worryingly in my constituency – not be able to install a smart meter because of a lack of signal. 'I'm aware that organisations such as National Energy Action (NEA), Ofgem, and Gwynedd Council are actively engaging with communities. 'I would urge the government to go one step further and pause the switch off until sufficient steps have been taken to identify all those still on an RTS meter. Heating and hot water are basic needs. 'We must ensure all affected residents in Dwyfor Meirionnydd are protected and prepared before RTS meters are switched off.' Head of National Energy Action Cymru Ben Saltmarsh said: 'When the Radio Teleswitch Service starts being switched off from the end of June, any meters relying on it could begin to lose functionality. 'Households on these meters could start to see their heating and hot water not working as intended and their storage heaters charging at the wrong time of day. 'This could see low-income and vulnerable households paying more for their energy and finding it harder to keep warm. Wales has 11,000 of these meters that could be affected by the switch-off. 'Anyone who thinks they may have one should get in touch with their supplier to talk about upgrading to a new meter as soon as possible. 'Suppliers should have already been in touch with affected customers and must ensure that a suitable replacement is provided, with no loss of service.' Anyone with questions is urged to get in touch.
