Latest news with #JICA
Deccan Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Deccan Herald
Bullet train from Maharashtra to Sabarmati to be ready by 2029
Work in the Gujarat portion of the bullet train corridor between Vapi and Sabarmati is planned to be completed by December 2027 and the entire project from Maharashtra to the Sabarmati section is expected to be over by December 2029, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Providing an update on the country's most ambitious project after some members asked questions regarding the status of its construction, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project (508 km) is under execution with technical and financial assistance from Japan. It is passing through Gujarat, Maharashtra and Dadra & Nagar Haveli with 12 stations planned at Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar, Vapi, Billimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati, he added. "The Gujarat portion of the corridor between Vapi and Sabarmati is planned to be completed by Dec, 2027. The entire project (Maharashtra to Sabarmati section) is expected to be completed by Dec, 2029," Vaishnaw said in a written reply. He maintained that as it is a very complex and technology intensive project, its exact competition timelines can be reasonably ascertained after the completion of all associated works of civil structures, track, electrical, signaling and telecommunication and supply of trainsets. The minister said the total estimated cost of the project is approximately Rs. 1,08,000 crore, out of which Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is funding 81 per cent i.e. Rs. 88,000 crore and the balance 19 per cent i.e. Rs. 20,000 crore will be funded through equity contributions from the Ministry of Railways (50 per cent) and governments of Maharashtra (25 per cent) and Gujarat (25 per cent). A cumulative financial expenditure of Rs. 78,839 crore has been incurred on the project till June 30, he said.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Coastal tourism crisis deepens over Baga sewage plant delays: Lobo
Calangute: Calangute MLA Michael Lobo said the coastal tourism belt is headed for a serious crisis in sewage disposal in the absence of sewage treatment plants (STPs). 'There are so many new resorts, hotels, guesthouses, restaurants, and buildings coming up. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Where will the sewage be disposed of? In Calangute, completion of the STP at Baga is the need of the hour. We need a good STP. Otherwise, people will keep on dumping in hills and fields,' Lobo told the media at Baga. He said he spoke to the chief minister about setting up a monitoring committee to oversee Baga STP's completion. 'The Calangute sewerage system has five phases, of which one has started. A lot of work is left. The sewerage corporation has not started giving connections, and the corporation should complete the work,' he said. The Calangute sewerage system, built through Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funding, has been delayed for more than a decade. 'We call Goa a tourism hub. When so many permissions are given for resorts and hotels, then STP is a must. Sewage tankers line up to empty sewage in Panaji, which only accepts 30 a day,' he said. Lobo said that depending solely on soak pits or dumping into nullahs is a wrong approach as it contaminates the groundwater. 'Water level in Goa is always up because of heavy rain. During high tide in coastal areas, the water table rises, and sewage does not drain,' he said.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Govt hospital near Tirupur awaiting inauguration despite completion a year ago
Tirupur: A 100-bed govt hospital constructed at a cost of Rs 47.56 crore at 15 Velampalayam in Tirupur district is yet to be inaugurated even though it was complete a year ago. Built with funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the three-storey hospital features a range of modern medical amenities. "The hospital, initially planned with an 86-bed capacity, was later upgraded to 100 beds to meet the increasing healthcare demands of workers from various districts and states working in Tirupur. Notably, 44 staff members, including eight doctors and 20 nurses, are already appointed to manage the new facility," said Niruban Sakkaravarthi, district joint secretary of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI). "Construction began in 2021 and was completed a year ago. It was initially scheduled to be inaugurated in October last year. However, it still remains unopened. This hospital will serve residents of Avinashi and the northern parts of Tirupur. Currently, people from these areas have to travel to the Tirupur Govt Medical College Hospital for treatment. For better access to healthcare, the hospital should be opened without further delay," he said. 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 A health department official said chief minister M K Stalin planned to inaugurate the hospital during his visit to Tirupur on Wednesday. However, the event was postponed. 'The CM is expected to inaugurate the facility soon,' the official added.
The Mainichi
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Japan's aid agency, UN sign deal to expand mine action cooperation
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The government-backed Japan International Cooperation Agency and a U.N. unit in charge of landmine countermeasures have concluded an agreement to expand their cooperation in disposing of the munitions in Africa and other areas. JICA said the deal with the United Nations Mine Action Service, or UNMAS, aims to cement their collaborative ties in the field, particularly in Africa, one of the most heavily landmine-contaminated regions due to armed conflicts. Under a memorandum of understanding signed in June between Naoki Ando, senior vice president of JICA, and Ilene Cohn, director of UNMAS, the two organizations agreed to regularly share information and hold events. The memorandum makes their level of cooperation "more defined" and now offers "opportunities to broaden the target nations," a JICA official said. Established in 1997, UNMAS engages in minesweeping and supports victims of landmines and other explosive remnants of war. It also disseminates information about the dangers of landmines in areas such as Africa and the Middle East. The memorandum also says JICA and UNMAS will also cooperate with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre in conducting training and monitoring activities in African states. The Cambodian center is a landmine-clearing organization that has removed thousands of domestic mines laid during a civil war that lasted for decades until the early 1990s. JICA has contributed to demining efforts in the Southeast Asian country since 1998. JICA and UNMAS themselves have already been cooperating, having carried out workshops for field workers in Africa since 2023. Japan has been focused on advancing landmine countermeasures, recently working together with Cambodia to help eliminate mines laid by Russian forces in Ukraine during their ongoing invasion. It is set to chair the next meeting of state parties of the Ottawa Convention, an international agreement that prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of mines, slated for December in Geneva.
Kyodo News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Kyodo News
Japan's aid agency, U.N. sign deal to expand mine action cooperation
TOKYO - The government-backed Japan International Cooperation Agency and a U.N. unit in charge of landmine countermeasures have concluded an agreement to expand their cooperation in disposing of the munitions in Africa and other areas. JICA said the deal with the United Nations Mine Action Service, or UNMAS, aims to cement their collaborative ties in the field, particularly in Africa, one of the most heavily landmine-contaminated regions due to armed conflicts. Under a memorandum of understanding signed in June between Naoki Ando, senior vice president of JICA, and Ilene Cohn, director of UNMAS, the two organizations agreed to regularly share information and hold events. The memorandum makes their level of cooperation "more defined" and now offers "opportunities to broaden the target nations," a JICA official said. Established in 1997, UNMAS engages in minesweeping and supports victims of landmines and other explosive remnants of war. It also disseminates information about the dangers of landmines in areas such as Africa and the Middle East. The memorandum also says JICA and UNMAS will also cooperate with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre in conducting training and monitoring activities in African states. The Cambodian center is a landmine-clearing organization that has removed thousands of domestic mines laid during a civil war that lasted for decades until the early 1990s. JICA has contributed to demining efforts in the Southeast Asian country since 1998. JICA and UNMAS themselves have already been cooperating, having carried out workshops for field workers in Africa since 2023. Japan has been focused on advancing landmine countermeasures, recently working together with Cambodia to help eliminate mines laid by Russian forces in Ukraine during their ongoing invasion. It is set to chair the next meeting of state parties of the Ottawa Convention, an international agreement that prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of mines, slated for December in Geneva.
