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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Tewari raises railway station work, govt says no fixed timeline can be given for completion
The long-promised redevelopment of the Chandigarh Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station (ABS) Scheme remains mired in delays and uncertainty, with the Ministry of Railways admitting in Parliament that no fixed timeline can be provided for its completion. This comes in a response, given to a question raised by MP Manish Tewari in the Lok Sabha on August 6. Speaking on the matter, Chandigarh MP Tewari expressed his disappointment, stating, 'It is unfortunate that rather than recognising the utter chaos, anarchy and mayhem that prevails at the railway station, the ministry's response avoids accountability. The answer gives no timeline for when the renovation will finally be over and fails to offer any solution to the persistent parking mess. In all, the reply betrays the total inefficiency of the Railway Ministry.' Meanwhile, in its written reply, the ministry confirmed that Chandigarh Railway Station is being redeveloped under the ABS scheme with a sanctioned cost of Rs 436.29 crore. While structural works on the Panchkula and Chandigarh sides have been completed — including platform upgradation, foot overbridges, parking areas, and new building finishes — the ministry admitted that no definite completion date can be given due to numerous on-ground challenges. These include statutory clearances (fire, heritage, airport), shifting of utilities (water, sewage, power, optical fibre), ongoing train operations, and speed restrictions due to nearby high-voltage lines. All these factors, the ministry claimed, are affecting progress, and thus no timeline can be committed at this stage. The station's inclusion in the national ABS scheme is part of a broader plan to modernise 1,337 stations across the country, out of which work at 105 has already been completed. However, work at Chandigarh railway station is still not complete. The ministry stated that routine inspections are being conducted and cleanliness is being maintained, but passengers and local residents continue to face overcrowding and inadequate amenities. Chandigarh falls under Northern Railway, which has been allocated Rs 2,216 crore under Plan Head-53 for customer amenities for the financial year 2025–26, mentioned the ministry in its response to Tewari's question.
Agriland
3 days ago
- Politics
- Agriland
TD: Agriculture tyre levy proposals 'outrageous'
Independent Ireland general secretary and TD, Richard O'Donoghue has today (Friday July 11) slammed the proposed agricultural tyre levy. The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC) confirmed last year that agricultural tyres are set to be included in the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Scheme from this year on. The proposed levy of up €80 per tyre on all agriculture machinery such as tractors is currently under review by the Department of the Environment. O'Donoghue labelled the levy a 'disgraceful and tone-deaf attack on working farmers and contractors", stating it could cost the agri-sector €10.9 million. The deputy said: 'This proposal is nothing short of a tyre tax on the very people who are keeping Ireland's food system afloat. 'At a time when rural communities are already buckling under the weight of EU diktats, input costs, derogation uncertainty, and market pressure, the idea of lashing on another €320 just to replace a set of tyres is outrageous.' The Limerick TD said that the EPR schemes are intended to promote recycling but is now just causing heartache for working people. O'Donoghue asked 'Who comes up with this nonsense?', saying that it is another policy proposed without understanding the realities of farming. He added that the policy was "designed by people who've clearly never set foot on a wet field or changed a tractor tyre in their lives.' The deputy expressed his frustration, saying that there is no clarity on how or where these tyres are being recycled, and stated for all he knows, a proper recycling network may not even be in place. Proposed tyre levies. Source: DECC (2024) O'Donoghue said Independent Ireland is calling on the minister for the environment to stop this levy coming into place. He stated: "This is not just about tyres. It's about the straw that breaks the camel's back. Farmers have had enough. Contractors have had enough. And the people of rural Ireland have had enough." Irish Farmers Association (IFA) President Francie Gorman also said recently that the levy on agricultural tyres must be postponed until proper disposal systems are in place. O'Gorman said: 'It is much too early to consider introducing a levy on agricultural tyres at this stage. "Firstly, it will likely lead to a significant increase in the purchase of tyres from Northern Ireland, where no levy is in place, leading to a major loss of VAT revenue for the exchequer. "Secondly, farmers have not been offered any way of disposing of existing waste tyres on farms similar to the collection points provided for waste plastic." O'Gorman said that these issues must be resolved before any levy is applied.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Intelligent textiles, desert warfare systems among key deep tech projects in pipeline: Defence Ministry
INTELLIGENT TEXTILES, desert warfare systems and wargaming technologies are some of the key areas that have been identified by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) as part of the Deep Tech research under Technology Development Fund (TDF). A separate allocation of Rs 500 crores has been made for these advanced technology projects with defence applications, informed Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth in a written reply to MP Naveen Jindal in the Lok Sabha recently. Jindal had sought to know if the government had approved the new Deep Tech and Cutting-Edge policies under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme and if so, sought details of the projects along with their key features and objectives. Seth said in his reply, 'An additional grant or corpus of Rs 500 crore has been approved by the Defence Minister to cater for deep-tech and cutting edge projects as separate verticals under TDF. The process of the selection and identification of Deep Tech projects has been initiated. Currently, nine projects are launched under this initiative by TDF.' He added that nine industries are engaged in four projects sanctioned through DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs) under the grants in aid scheme of DRDO. Seth told the House that the projects cover research areas such as Intelligent Textile Technologies, Desert Warfare Technologies, War-gaming Technologies, Powder Metallurgy, High Power Microwave Sources and Devices, Advanced Ballistics, Photonic Technologies, Aerospace Systems and Materials, Micro and Nano Systems Science and Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Quantum Technology, Naval Systems and Naval Technologies, High Power CW Laser Source, Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Materials and Processing, Advanced Nano Materials and Sensors based on Semiconductors. Intelligent Textiles are fabrics that can sense, react, or adapt to environmental conditions or user input. Desert Warfare systems are military equipment and mechanisms specifically designed for effective combat operations in hot, arid, and sandy desert environments. Wargaming Technologies and essentially simulation tools are softwares used to model military operations for training, planning, and strategic decision-making. Seth also provided a list of 55 institutes from 20 states in India that have undertaken a total of 302 projects in these areas. These include two institutes from Pune including Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) and the College of Engineering, Pune (COEP). He added, 'DRDO has a Long Term Directed Research Policy (LTDRP) for engaging academia. Projects are monitored at three stages in regular intervals throughout the year. Technical evaluation committee (TEC) evaluates the new project proposals and does regular technical progress monitoring. Research Advisory Board (RAB) reviews the new projects recommended by TEC and also monitors sanctioned projects for their progress and addresses the techno managerial issues of Centre of Excellence (CoE) and the projects. The Governing Council approves the projects, oversees the overall functioning of the Centre and projects sanctioned through the Centre.'
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Over 1.22cr farmers received skill training imparted by central govt in 3 years: Union minister Ramnath Thakur
Bathinda: The central govt has imparted skill training to over 1.22 crore farmers under skill development programmes across the country in the last three years for capacity-building on modern agro-technologies, agro-processing, and agri-export promotion, Union minister of state for agriculture Ramnath Thakur said in response to a question by Rajya Sabha member Satnam Singh Sandhu. Sandhu had sought details regarding the skill development programmes run to enhance the capacity of farmers in modern techniques, agro-processing, or agri-exports and the number of farmers trained under such schemes during the last three years. The MoS, in a written reply, stated: "The Union govt trained 1,15,76,893 farmers under Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms, popularly known as the ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) Scheme, implemented in all 740 districts of 28 states and five UTs in the country in the last three years." "More than 5,96,000 farmers at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and as many as 45,565 farmers were trained under the Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY) programme during the same period, taking the total number of farmers trained under these three programmes to 1.22 crore in the last three years," the MoS added. Thakur further said while 99,162 farmers were trained under the KVK programme in Punjab in the last three years, as many as 2,547 farmers were skilled under the STRY scheme during the same period. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo A total of 8,455 farmers were trained in Pathankot district, 6,485 in Bathinda, and 6,181 in Tarn Taran, making them the top three districts in Punjab with the highest number of trained farmers in the state, he informed. The minister also stated the short-duration skill-based training programmes were organised by the State Agriculture Management and Extension Training Institutes through different training partners, including the KVK.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
PM Internship Scheme: Share of female applicants surges to 41% in second pilot of govt's flagship internship scheme from 31%
A mismatch between internship opportunities and participation, and a significant gender imbalance in the first pilot round of the PM Internship Scheme earlier this year forced the government to tweak the norms of this flagship scheme. These steps taken to improve participation, including the disclosure of information about the company name, its profile and geographical location, seems to have catalysed a very tangible outcome — a sharp increase in the share of female applicants in total applicants to 41 per cent in the second round, up from 31 per cent seen in the first round. The gender imbalance with the ratio of male to female interns of 72:28 was one of the key concerns flagged by Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance to the government, as per a report of the Committee tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday. 'While appreciating the Ministry (of Corporate Affairs) for taking all efforts to achieve the ambitious target of the scheme; the Committee urges the Ministry to act swiftly and decisively to overcome/address the key challenges faced during pilot phase viz. mismatch between the number of internship opportunities offered and actual participation; longer duration of internships; under-utilisation of funds; imbalanced gender ratio of male to female interns stands at 72:28; lack of alignment between candidates' interests and the roles offered,' the report stated. The government had responded by saying that the numbers picked up after the first pilot. 'With reference to the observed gender imbalance among interns selected under the Scheme, it is submitted that in the Round I of the Pilot Project, 31 per cent of applicants were female candidates. The representation of females amongst the interns stands at 28 percent which is almost consistent with the representation of females at the application stage,' it said in response to the Committee. Low acceptance rate of the offers made under the Internship Scheme has been a key concern. Prospective applicants have also flagged some of the issues under the Scheme with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs earlier including a request to relax the age limit from 24 years to 25 years, employment prospects after internship and few openings in the IT sector in the 'Candidate Open House for the PM Internship Scheme' in March. The government told the Committee that due to the changes undertaken in the Scheme and IEC (information, education and communication) activities, there has been an increase in participation of female candidates in Round II. 'In Round II, female candidates constitute more than 41 per cent of the applicants. The selection/ joining process for Round II is ongoing,' it said. Applicants under PM Internship Scheme The first pilot round of the Scheme had witnessed a huge gap in the number of applicants and candidates accepting the offers for the internships. According to data shared by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs in Parliament last week, as on July 17, over 71,000 offers were made by companies in Round II, out of which over 22,500 offers have been accepted and the selection process is still ongoing. Over 4.55 lakh applications were received from over 2.14 lakh applicants in the second round. In Round I, companies posted more than 1.27 lakh internship opportunities on the PMIS Portal across the country. Against this, over 6.21 lakh applications were received from about 1.81 lakh candidates. Over 82,000 internship offers were made to over 60,000 candidates, out of which more than 28,000 candidates accepted offers to join the internship. However, only 8,700 candidates joined the internship. Gender-wise breakup shows that while the share of females among interns improved to 41 per cent at the application stage in the second round from 31 per cent in the first round, the share of females among interns stood at 28 per cent in the first round but the corresponding figure for the interns was not available for the second round. Other issues in the PM Internship Scheme Under-utilisation of funds for the PM Internship Scheme was also flagged as one of the key issues by the Standing Committee in a separate report tabled in the Lok Sabha last week. In the financial year 2024-25, the budget estimate of Rs 2,000 crore got reduced to Rs 380 crore in revised estimate and actual spending as of mid-February stood at Rs 21.10 crore. The allocation was then hiked sharply to Rs 10,831.07 crore for the financial year 2025-26. There is a need for a dynamic reassessment of funding for the scheme, the Committee said. 'These funds suffice for the pilot phase, but dynamic reassessment of financial needs is crucial for scaling up. While these features are commendable, challenges persist regarding inclusivity, monitoring, stakeholder participation, and postinternship outcomes, impacting overall budget efficiency,' the report stated. The Committee had also noted that there is a need for the host companies to align training programs with industry skill requirements to ensure interns are industry-ready. It had recommended periodic independent evaluations for transparency and suggested relaxing eligibility norms for marginalised and economically weaker candidates. 'While the scheme is in its pilot phase, the Committee emphasises that the internship-to-employment conversion rate should be a key success indicator. The Committee, therefore, recommends establishing a robust system to monitor and track this metric, ensuring the programme effectively creates career opportunities and aligns with industry demands,' it said. Another issue flagged by the Committee was regarding the Scheme's eligibility criteria to exclude candidates if any of their family members earns over Rs 8 lakh or is a regular government employee. The committee said that the blanket exclusion of regular government employee families is unwarranted, as many earn below Rs 8 lakh and may need support under the scheme. The Ministry in its response said it is carrying out concurrent evaluation of the Scheme through a feedback survey, after which it incorporated some of the changes in the second round. To address the issue of low joining, the Ministry decided to provide the exact geotagged location of the internship to the candidates along with the company's name and profile. Additional benefits or assistance offered by the company were also made visible to the candidates. Dashboards were also provided to the state governments for active monitoring and to encourage youth participation in the scheme, it said. The Internship Scheme was a part of the Prime Minister's Package for Employment and Skilling announced in FY25 Budget with an overall outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore. The Scheme aims to provide internships to one crore youth in top 500 companies over five years. Under the scheme, an amount of Rs 4,500 is provided per month by the Government of India through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) with an additional Rs 500 offset provided by the company's CSR (corporate social responsibility) funds. The government also provides a one-time grant of Rs 6,000 per annum for incidentals to cover miscellaneous expenses incurred by the selected intern. Aanchal Magazine is Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and reports on the macro economy and fiscal policy, with a special focus on economic science, labour trends, taxation and revenue metrics. With over 13 years of newsroom experience, she has also reported in detail on macroeconomic data such as trends and policy actions related to inflation, GDP growth and fiscal arithmetic. Interested in the history of her homeland, Kashmir, she likes to read about its culture and tradition in her spare time, along with trying to map the journeys of displacement from there. ... Read More
