Latest news with #SRS
Barnama
6 days ago
- Business
- Barnama
Mutiara Line LRT: SRS Consortium Receive NTP To Start Work
GEORGE TOWN, July 17 (Bernama) -- The Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project marked a significant milestone following the issuance of the Notice to Proceed (NTP) to SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, the main civil contractor for Package 1 (CMC1), by project developer MRT Corporation (MRTC) on July 15. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the development signified the official commencement of physical construction works for the state's first-ever LRT project. 'On behalf of the Penang government, I would like to express our gratitude for the issuance of the official notice given. With this, the construction phase will proceed as scheduled,' he said in a statement today. He said the initial works will include utility relocation, road widening, earth piling works and site establishment preparation across all approved locations along the Mutiara Line. Chow also said that the state government is currently awaiting the results of the tender process for the appointment of a turnkey contractor for the CMC2 Package involving the line from Macallum to Penang Sentral, as well as the rail system package for the entire Mutiara Line. According to him, the project has recorded several major developments this year, signalling strong momentum in the implementation of Penang's first LRT, including the groundbreaking ceremony at the Bandar Sri Pinang Station site, the appointment of SRS as the turnkey contractor for CMC1 last January and the latest, issuance of the NTP to SRS. He also revealed that the state government would soon introduce a a strategic communication platform and feedback line to cover all mega infrastructure projects in Penang. This initiative aims to ensure transparency, accessibility of information, and enable constructive public interaction throughout the project's execution, he said. 'The state government calls on all stakeholders, especially the people of Penang, to provide full cooperation throughout the implementation of the project, which is expected to be completed in 2031 for the benefit of the state's future,' he said.
Malaysian Reserve
6 days ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Mutiara Line LRT: SRS Consortium receive NTP to start work
GEORGE TOWN — The Mutiara Line Light Rail Transit (LRT) project marked a significant milestone following the issuance of the Notice to Proceed (NTP) to SRS Consortium Sdn Bhd, he main civil contractor for Package 1 (CMC1), by project developer MRT Corporation (MRTC) on July 15. Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the development signified the official commencement of physical construction works for the state's first-ever LRT project. 'On behalf of the Penang government, I would like to express our gratitude for the issuance of the official notice given. With this, the construction phase will proceed as scheduled,' he said in a statement today. He said the initial works will include utility relocation, road widening, earth piling works and site establishment preparation across all approved locations along the Mutiara Line. Chow also said that the state government is currently awaiting the results of the tender process for the appointment of a turnkey contractor for the CMC2 Package involving the line from Macallum to Penang Sentral, as well as the rail system package for the entire Mutiara Line. According to him, the project has recorded several major developments this year, signalling strong momentum in the implementation of Penang's first LRT, including the groundbreaking ceremony at the Bandar Sri Pinang Station site, the appointment of SRS as the turnkey contractor for CMC1 last January and the latest, issuance of the NTP to SRS. He also revealed that the state government would soon introduce a a strategic communication platform and feedback line to cover all mega infrastructure projects in Penang. This initiative aims to ensure transparency, accessibility of information, and enable constructive public interaction throughout the project's execution, he said. . 'The state government calls on all stakeholders, especially the people of Penang, to provide full cooperation throughout the implementation of the project, which is expected to be completed in 2031 for the benefit of the state's future,' he said. The 29.5-kilometre-long Mutiara Line LRT comprises 21 strategic stations and is designed to improve connectivity between Penang and the mainland, thereby reducing road congestion and improving accessibility. Its main alignment plan covers the route from Pulau Tambakan Selatan, Pulau Penang (PSR-A) to Penang Sentral and Komtar Station in Georgetown, with train services scheduled to operate on a rotating basis along the route. — BERNAMA
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Policy should focus on well-being than population control: Experts
1 2 Bhubaneswar: Ahead of World Population Day, experts said here on Wednesday that there is a pressing need to revise population control strategies according to demographic indices. The shift must be towards well-being and healthy ageing rather than population control, they observed. Binod Kumar Patro, professor of community medicine and family medicine at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said India achieved the total fertility rate (TFR) targets by 2022. "India's TFR stands at 2.0, as per the 2022 Sample Registration System (SRS) report released in June this year. This means, on average, a woman in India is expected to give birth to two children during her reproductive years," he added. "While it is a remarkable achievement for India to have a fertility rate below the replacement level of 2.1, it masks significant differences across the states that demand state-specific policy approaches rather than blanket solutions," said Patro. A TFR of below 2.1 children per woman indicates that the population is declining. States like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh have TFRs above the replacement level, whereas Sikkim has the lowest TFR of 1.1. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like One of the Most Successful Investors of All Time, Warren Buffett, Recommends: 5 Books for Turning... Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Click Here Undo Similarly, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Odisha have TFRs of 1.3, 1.4 and 1.7, respectively. "The one-size-fits-all approach to population policy has outlived its utility. While the country has successfully stabilised overall population growth, with an average TFR of 2.0, which is below the replacement level, the complex challenge now is to manage different demographic stages across various states. It requires tailored approaches that address each region's specific needs and challenges," said Patro. Amarendra Das, an associate professor of humanities and social sciences at NISER Bhubaneswar, said India will have to worry about decline in population by 2047. "We need to think about and prepare a policy to tackle the problem. TFR of 11 states, including Odisha, is decreasing, which means population growth is stabilising there," he added. He said a support system should be provided to couples to encourage having a second child. "A crèche system at different govt and private offices should be made mandatory. Govt support in terms of leaves and other assistance should be given to couples having a second child," he added. B M Otta, former professor of population studies at Fakir Mohan University, Balasore, said the govt should consider preparing tailor-made policies, keeping in mind the TFR rate of the states. "When policies were framed for population control, we were struggling to bring down the increasing population of the country. But now the situation is changing fast," he added.
Kuwait Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
US-backed aid group proposed ‘Humanitarian Transit Areas' in Gaza
GAZA STRIP: A controversial US-backed aid group proposed building camps called 'Humanitarian Transit Areas' inside - and possibly outside - Gaza to house the Palestinian population, according to a proposal reviewed by Reuters, outlining its vision of 'replacing Hamas' control over the population in Gaza.' The $2 billion plan, created sometime after February 11 for the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or GHF, was submitted to the Trump administration and recently discussed in the White House, according to a source familiar with the matter. The plan, reviewed by Reuters, describes the camps as 'large-scale' and 'voluntary' places where the Gazan population could 'temporarily reside, deradicalize, re-integrate and prepare to relocate if they wish to do so.' The Washington Post made a reference to GHF plans to build housing compounds for Palestinian non-combatants in May. A slide deck seen by Reuters goes into granular detail on the 'Humanitarian Transit Zones,' including how they would be implemented and what they would cost. It calls for using the sprawling facilities to 'gain trust with the local population' and to facilitate US President Donald Trump's 'vision for Gaza.' Reuters could not independently determine the status of the plan, who submitted it, or whether it is still under consideration. The aid group, responding to questions from Reuters, denied that it had submitted a proposal and said the slides 'are not a GHF document.' GHF said it had studied 'a range of theoretical options to safely deliver aid in Gaza,' but that it 'is not planning for or implementing Humanitarian Transit Areas (HTAs).' Rather, the organization said it is solely focused on food distribution in Gaza. A spokesperson for SRS, a for-profit contracting company that works with GHF, told Reuters 'we have had no discussions with GHF about HTAs, and our 'next phase' is feeding more people. Any suggestion otherwise is entirely false and misrepresents the scope of our operations.' The document included the GHF name on the cover and SRS on several slides. On February 4, Trump first publicly said that the US should 'take over' the war-battered enclave and rebuild it as 'the Riviera of the Middle East' after resettling the population of 2.3 million Palestinians elsewhere. Trump's comments angered many Palestinians and humanitarian groups about the possible forced relocation from Gaza. Even if the GHF proposal is no longer under consideration, the idea of moving a large portion of the population into camps will only deepen such worries, several humanitarian experts told Reuters. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. The proposal was laid out in a slide presentation that a source said was submitted to the US embassy in Jerusalem earlier this year. The US State Department declined to comment. A senior administration official said, 'nothing of the like is under consideration. Also, no resources are being directed to that end in any way.' The source working on the project said that it had not moved forward due to a lack of funds. Reuters previously reported that GHF had attempted to set up a Swiss bank account from which to solicit donations, but UBS and Goldman Sachs declined to work with the organization. The Zionist Embassy in the US did not respond to a request for comment. Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, to told Reuters it 'categorically' rejects the GHF, calling it 'not a relief organization but rather an intelligence and security tool affiliated with the Zionist occupation, operating under a false humanitarian guise.' The undated slide presentation, which includes photos dated February 11, said that the GHF is 'working to secure' over $2 billion for the project, to 'build, secure and oversee large-scale Humanitarian Transit Areas (HTAs) inside and potentially outside Gaza strip for the population to reside while Gaza is demilitarized and rebuilt.' The Humanitarian Transit Areas described in the slides would be the next phase in an operation that began with GHF opening food distribution sites in the enclave in late May, according to two sources involved in the project. – Reuters
Time of India
08-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Govt to start AI-driven maternal, child health monitoring systems in Rayagada
1 2 Koraput: In a first-of-its-kind initiative for tribal Odisha, the state govt is set to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven maternal and child health monitoring systems in Rayagada district. The pilot project is aimed at reducing the maternal mortality rate (MMR) and infant mortality rate (IMR) in one of the state's most vulnerable regions. According to officials in the health and family welfare department, the pilot will deploy AI-based diagnostic kits to monitor the health of pregnant women throughout the gestation period. These kits, already cleared after successful trials, will be used by frontline healthcare workers to detect early signs of complications ensuring timely intervention and improved health outcomes. Rayagada has historically faced challenges in maternal and child healthcare due to its difficult terrain and poor connectivity. "By bringing AI into the fold, we aim to bridge the gap between rural patients and quality healthcare," said a senior health department official involved in the project. The AI-enabled system is designed to track the physical and cognitive development of the foetus from the earliest stages. The kits will also enable real-time screening and generate instant health reports, which can be shared remotely with doctors for expert consultation. Prafulla Padhi, a senior gynaecologist at Rayagada district headquarters hospital, said, "We have come to know about the government's plan to launch AI tools in the district, although formal instructions are yet to be received. It's a welcome step that can help us detect risks early and reduce complications during delivery." The initiative plans to equip Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and other field workers with smartphones and training. They will be taught to operate the AI kits, collect health data, and upload it to a centralised software system. The system will then analyse the data using machine learning algorithms and provide personalised health assessments for each pregnant woman. Officials said the AI kits are designed to be user-friendly and can be operated by health workers with minimal training. The goal is to empower the ground-level teams with smart tools that improve efficiency and coverage. "Technology can be a game-changer for inclusive healthcare. With the help of the AI kit, more patients can be treated in less time, and those in serious condition can receive immediate medical attention," said PK Mishra, additional district medical and public health officer, Rayagada. As per SRS MMR bulletin-2018-20, Odisha MMR now stands at 119. (deaths per one lakh mothers). Odisha's IMR is 36 (deaths per 1000 births). According to health department data, Rayagada's MMR is 170 and IMR 33.
