Latest news with #Selvakumar
The Hindu
03-08-2025
- Climate
- The Hindu
Thousands throng the banks of the Cauvery to celebrate Aadi Perukku
The banks of the Cauvery in Tiruchi were abuzz on Sunday with thousands of people gathered there to celebrate the Aadi Perukku festival on the 18th day of Tamil month of Aadi. Women, newly-wed couples, and children thronged Amma Mandapam bathing ghat in Srirangam. Devotees, mainly newly-weds, offered special prayers and puja. Many devotees took a dip in the Cauvery, which was in full flow. They began assembling at Amma Mandapam early in the morning. As the day progressed, the crowds continued to swell. The approach road to Amma Mandapam from Mambazhasalai was overcrowded from 6 a.m. to late in the evening. 'It is a scintillating experience to perform puja on the banks of the Cauvery, especially when there is good flow. It is highly enjoyable. Enthusiasm is clearly visible everywhere,' said S. Selvakumar of Srirangam. The day marked the commencement of cultivation season as most farmers go by the saying Aadi pattam thedi vidhai. The farmers, who visited the bathing ghats, offered special prayer to the Cauvery for a bountiful harvest. They expressed their gratitude to Mother Cauvery for sustaining their livelihood. Youth made it a point to visit the riverbanks to soak in the festive atmosphere. Odathurai, Ayyalamman, and other bathing ghats witnessed heavy crowds throughout the day. Since the river was in full flow, barricades were put up as a precautionary measure to check the crowds from venturing into the river. Police pickets were posted in most bathing ghats along the river. Amma Mandapam was cordoned off with barricades being placed. No vehicles, especially four-wheelers and buses, were allowed on either side of Amma Mandapam Road in Srirangam. Similarly, riverbanks at Kulithalai, Mayanur, Lalapettai, Mukkombu, Pettavaithalai, Thiruparaithurai, Thottiyam, Musiri, and Kambarasampettai, saw large crowds.
New Indian Express
03-08-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Karnataka to replicate ELCITA model across other industrial zones
BENGALURU: Karnataka will replicate its successful Electronic City Association Township or ELCITA model across other industrial zones to promote decentralised and cluster-based industrial development, Principal Secretary, Commerce and Industries Department, Dr S Selvakumar, said on Saturday. Selvakumar also confirmed that tax collections from Special Investment Regions (SIRs) will now be directly handled by the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), with 70% of the proceeds reinvested into infrastructure within those regions. He was speaking at the Viksit Bharat @2047 Investors' Roundtable Conference, where Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industries, Amardeep Singh Bhatia, and principal secretaries from across south India gathered to align state-level initiatives with national industrial growth strategies. Selvakumar also highlighted state's ease-of-doing-business reforms, mentioning that the state's single-window clearance system now covers 105 of 153 services, reducing approval delays for investors. The roundtable was organised under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP). Bhatia urged southern states to adopt NICDP model, which includes 20 sector-specific industrial parks equipped with essential infrastructure such as water and power supply, electronics testing facilities, and solid waste management systems. Bhatia also outlined the goals of India's Vision 2047, calling for stronger Centre-state collaboration, support for MSMEs, and the acceleration of deep-tech startups for industrial growth.
News18
25-07-2025
- Business
- News18
Karnataka identifies Karikad in Mangaluru for multimodal logistics park
Mangaluru (Karnataka), Jul 25(PTI) As part of its ambitious Industrial Policy 2025-30, the Karnataka government has identified Karikad near Mangaluru as a key location for developing a world-class multimodal logistics park to facilitate freight movement and industrial growth, officials said on Friday. S Selvakumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Commerce and Industries Department, said that Karikad's strategic proximity to the Mangaluru Port, railway infrastructure, and national highways makes it an ideal site. 'The park will serve as a crucial node in the state's logistics corridor, connecting coastal Karnataka with the hinterland," he noted. Speaking at the CII Mangaluru Infrastructure and Logistics Summit here, Selvakumar said the proposed park is expected to ease freight transport, reduce turnaround time for goods movement, and provide dedicated infrastructure to support Karnataka's growing manufacturing and export sectors. Selvakumar visited the site along with senior officials from the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB), New Mangalore Port Authority, and other departments to assess feasibility. According to officials, the government is working closely with various stakeholders to ensure the development aligns with global logistics standards and environmental norms. The park is also expected to create employment opportunities and attract private investment in the warehousing and logistics sectors. The project falls under the Centre's PM Gati Shakti scheme and is aimed at improving overall supply chain efficiency. Senior officials said land acquisition and project design will begin soon, and the government plans to expedite clearances to enable early implementation. PTI COR AMP ROH view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 16:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Straits Times
13-07-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Experts back mandatory labelling of AI-generated content
KUALA LUMPUR: The government's plan to mandate the labelling of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content has been described by cybersecurity experts as a much-needed step to curb misinformation and restore public trust online. Professor Dr Selvakumar Manickam from Universiti Sains Malaysia's Centre for Cyber Security Research (CYRES) said the regulation was timely, as AI tools have become so advanced that many people can no longer distinguish between content created by humans and machines. He said that as generative AI tools grow more sophisticated and accessible, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the public to tell the difference between human-created and AI-generated content. "China has already mandated this requirement, showing a global move towards such regulations. "Mandatory labelling can help restore transparency and accountability in the digital information ecosystem, serving as a crucial step in protecting users," he told the New Straits Times. Selvakumar said implementation was feasible, though challenging, with enforcement on local platforms potentially handled through licensing terms or Application Programming Interfaces-level tagging of AI-generated content. "However, overseas platforms pose a bigger issue due to jurisdictional limitations. "The government could consider leveraging licensing requirements imposed on external social media platforms to compel them to comply with AI labelling regulations." He said that mandatory labelling could also enhance cybersecurity and national security by curbing AI-generated disinformation and deepfakes, while offering consumer protection by helping to prevent AI-driven scams and fraud. However, he cautioned that risks include enforcement challenges, particularly with foreign platforms, which could lead to uneven compliance. "Poorly defined rules could result in overreach or misuse, stifling legitimate AI creativity. "Finally, labelling might create a false sense of security, making users believe content is safe even if it is misleading." Cybersecurity provider LGMS Bhd executive chairman Fong Choong Fook said the initiative was a smart and necessary move, given how advanced AI tools have become in mimicking real content. "AI-generated content is becoming so realistic that most people can no longer tell what's real and what's fake. "Having clear labels gives people a better chance to evaluate what they're reading or watching, particularly when it comes to news or political messaging," he told the New Straits Times. Fong said labelling AI-generated material promotes transparency, improves digital awareness, and helps users make more informed decisions online. "If users know a piece of content is AI-generated, they're less likely to be misled or manipulated. "It builds trust and gives the public a fairer way to assess information." However, he warned that labelling alone is not enough. "It's just one part of the puzzle. We still need strong content moderation, public education, and better digital literacy overall," he said. Fong said there is a need to educate users on what AI can do, how to spot red flags, and why they should not take everything at face value online. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil was reported as saying that the government may consider making it mandatory, under the proposed Online Safety Act, for digital platforms to clearly label content that has been generated or altered using AI. Fahmi said some platforms had already begun introducing such features, but regulation might be necessary to ensure consistency and accountability across the board.
New Indian Express
14-06-2025
- New Indian Express
SHRC holds final hearing in multiple police atrocity cases, reserves orders
TIRUNELVELI: State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) member V Kannadasan on Friday conducted the final hearing on multiple cases of alleged police atrocities, including the sexual harassment of a woman from Kanniyakumari, the custodial torture of a Thoothukudi man who later died, and the custodial violence against a man from Erwadi in Tirunelveli. The orders in these cases have been reserved. In a case relating to the alleged custodial torture of one Selvakumar at the Erwadi police station, Kannadasan criticised sub-inspector V Immanuel and constable L Muthukumar for being unaware of CCTV camera footage retention norms. Immanuel, who had suggested the existence of surveillance footage during cross-examination, said the same was unavailable during the final hearing. The police personnel said they had been instructed, after the Sathankulam custodial deaths, to maintain surveillance footage for six months. However, Kannadasan pointed out that the rulings of the Supreme Court and High Court, along with a directive from the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police, mandate that the footage be stored for 12 to 18 months. Selvakumar's counsel accused the police personnel of filing a false case and alleged that the SI and the constable had assaulted the victim for approaching the High Court to secure bail.
