NITI Aayog to push India's cyber defence system

[Hindustani78]

Prime Minister's Office
23-May, 2018 17:23 IST
PM’s interaction through PRAGATI

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today chaired his twenty-sixth interaction through PRAGATI - the ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation.

The 25 PRAGATI meetings so far have seen a cumulative review of 227 projects with a total investment of over Rs. 10 lakh crore. Resolution of Public Grievances has also been reviewed across a range of sectors.

Today, in the twenty-sixth meeting, the Prime Minister reviewed the progress towards handling and resolution of grievances related to post offices, and railways. He stressed on the importance of increasing digital transactions across the postal and rail networks, especially using the BHIM App.

The Prime Minister reviewed the progress of nine infrastructure projects in the railway, road, petroleum, and power sectors. These projects are spread over several states including Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. These projects include the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, and the Char Dham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojna.

The Prime Minister reviewed the progress in implementation of the AMRUT Mission. He also reviewed the programme for End-to-End Computerization of Targeted PDS Operations.



***

 

[Hindustani78]

NITI Aayog
23-May, 2018 18:13 IST
NITI Aayog and ABB India Sign Statement of Intent

To collaborate to provide AI, big data and connectivity solutions across sectors

NITI Aayog and ABB India signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) today to support the Indian government realize its ambitious vision of ‘Make in India’ through advanced manufacturing technologies that incorporate the latest developments in robotics and artificial intelligence.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog and Dr Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO, ABB by Ms Anna Roy, Adviser (Industry), NITI Aayog and Shri Sanjeev Sharma, MD, ABB India.

NITI Aayog will work with ABB across various sectors of the economy, such as the power and water utilities, industries like food as well as the heavy industries and the transport (rail and metro) and infrastructure to suggest solutions for digitalization, incorporating the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The initiative also covers the fast growing segment of electric mobility.

Jointly, NITI Aayog and ABB will work with government ministries, solicit feedback for areas critical to them and discuss solutions using industrial automation, and digitalization technologies.

“We are looking forward to learning more about practical applications of future technologies such as AI and IoT, especially in streamlining governance and economic systems. Through this collaboration, which will include cross-sectoral understanding of digitalization at ABB’s world class centers, will be key in driving progress of key sectors in India. This collaboration is meant to lead to actionable insights and focused plans that will help India become a centre for advanced manufacturing,” said Shri Amitabh Kant.

Through this SoI, NITI Aayog will facilitate participation of policymakers and government functionaries in workshops and training programs organized by ABB India. Such programs will feature subject matter experts and will aim to sensitize policymakers and officials about relevant AI capabilities, and explore ways they can be used for revolutionizing manufacturing productivity.

The first workshop for senior government officials, under this collaboration, would be organised in June, 2018 at ABB Ability Innovation Centre in Bengaluru. Given the importance of the food processing sector, the workshop will focus on digital and automation technologies in this sector.

Senior officials from the Central, State Governments and autonomous bodies will be nominated for this workshop. Similar workshops will be organised for other sectors such as power, urban development and transport in the future.


NITI Aayog and all stakeholders will be exposed to hands-on experience of ABB Ability, the company’s comprehensive digital portfolio of solutions that deliver value of industrial digitalization to utilities, industries and transportation and infrastructure.

Based on the interactions with ABB India, NITI Aayog will also make recommendations to government ministries for guidelines and policies regarding development and adoption of AI technology in sectors such as power & water utilities, manufacturing, eMobility and infrastructure, with industrial automation and digitalization as the backbone.

NITI Aayog, in collaboration with ABB, will come out with a report on policy recommendations based on the feedback received in the workshops, by December this year.

The workshops and training programs will be held at ABB Ability Innovation Center (ABB AIC). As the company’s biggest research and development center in the world, located in Bengaluru, it develops technologies in areas such as AI, cyber security, automation engineering, data analytics, augmented and virtual reality and industrial software.

“We are excited to partner with NITI Aayog and develop ways to for key areas of India’s economy to benefit from and implement the latest technologies in digitalization, artificial intelligence, robotics, and industrial automation. We look forward to working with key stakeholders in the Indian government, and supporting key initiatives of Prime Minister Modi such as ‘Make in India’,” said Dr Ulrich Spiesshofer.

***

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi chairing twenty-sixth interaction through PRAGATI - the ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, in New Delhi on May 23, 2018.

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi chairing twenty-sixth interaction through PRAGATI - the ICT-based, multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation, in New Delhi on May 23, 2018.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Adviser (Industry), NITI Aayog, Ms. Anna Roy and the MD, ABB India, Shri Sanjeev Sharma signing a Statement of Intent (SoI) between NITI Aayog and ABB India to support the Indian government realize its ambitious vision of ‘Make in India’ through advanced manufacturing technologies that incorporate the latest developments in robotics and artificial intelligence, in the presence of the CEO, NITI Aayog, Shri Amitabh Kant and the CEO, ABB, Dr. Ulrich Spiesshofer, in New Delhi on May 23, 2018.

 

[Hindustani78]

NITI Aayog
31-May, 2018 19:16 IST
Q4 Estimates of GDP a reflection of continuing momentum of growth: Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister

The Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister; Dr. Bibek Debroi has said that the provisional Estimates of Annual National Income, 2017-18 & Fourth Quarter (Q4) Estimates of National Income, (Jan-Mar 2018) are a reflection of the fact that the momentum in growth trajectory continues.

The Fourth quarter (Q4) Jan 2018 – Mar 2018 estimate of Gross Domestic Product released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation estimates the GDP to grow at 7.7 percent. Q4 registered the strongest quarterly growth last financial year indicating a broader continuity in growth acceleration trends. As per CSO, “Real GDP or GDP at constant prices has reached Rs 34.77 lakh crore in Q4 as against Rs 32.27 Lakh crore in Q4 2016-17.

The CSO has also released the provisional estimates of national income for the full financial year 2017-18. The GDP at the constant prices is estimated to grow at 6.7 percent for the financial year 2017-18. The Real GVA, i.e. GVA at basic constant prices (2011-12) has been estimated at 119.76 for the year 2017-18 showing a growth rate of 6.5 percent over revised estimate of GVA for the year 2016-17 of Rs 112.48 Lakh Crore.

Chairman of EAC to PM, Dr. Bibek Debroy said that the key sectors of the economy are experiencing steady growth. The improved growth numbers are due to the government’s consistent effort in implementing bold structural reforms. Goods and Services Tax, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, Bank recapitalization, 100% village electrification, repealing archaic laws, simplifying doing business etc. have all contributed positively towards growth.


He further stated that sound macroeconomic management by the government is boosting growth and investment in India. This combined with IMDs prediction of normal monsoon is likely to further boost consumer demand particularly rural demand in the economy. The other key economic indicators like IIP, PMI, etc. are also showing steady growth. The IIP (Q-o-Q % change) grew at 5.23 percent in quarter ending in March 2018 as compared to 4.32 percent in quarter ending in December 2017.

Dr Debroy also said that the government has done well in keeping inflation and fiscal deficit under check. The retail price inflation has remained close to 3.6 percent during 2017-18. The RBI, in its Monetary Policy Report of April, projects the CPI to rise form 4.4 percent to 5.1 percent in the first quarter of 2018-19, on the back of crude oil prices shooting up. The inflation concern is genuine; however, a normal monsoon combined with a prudent fiscal policy being followed by the government would help keep the overall inflation under control.

***

 

[Hindustani78]

The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind addressing the probationers of 68th batch of the Indian Revenue Service from National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics, Faridabad, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 30, 2018.

The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind with the probationers of 68th batch of the Indian Revenue Service from National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics, Faridabad, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 30, 2018.

The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind with the probationers of 68th batch of the Indian Revenue Service from National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics, Faridabad, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 30, 2018.

The President, Shri Ram Nath Kovind with the probationers of 68th batch of the Indian Revenue Service from National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes & Narcotics, Faridabad, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on August 30, 2018.

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Electronics & IT
17-September, 2018 12:52 IST
Cleanliness drive done at Electronics & IT ministry

CSC’s and NIC have become a vital cog in the digitalisation of Bharat: IT Minister

Sh. Prasad asked ministry officials to emulate the success of Digital India in making physical India cleans and to dedicate 2 Hrs per week voluntarily for cleanliness. A tree plantation drive was also done in the Ministry premises by IT minister and other ministry officials.

Briefing on the sidelines of the event IT minister highlighted that today institutions like CSC, NIC, etc. have become critical to the overall governance paradigm. The minister stressed upon the fact that today there are nearly 3.05 lakh Common Service Centres across the country serving 2.6 lakh gram panchayats. Sh. Prasad also appreciated the critical role NIC is playing in bridging the urban rural digital divide, taking Digital India to villages and reaching the unreached.

The Common Services Centres (CSC) Scheme is an integral part of “Digital India” initiative of Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. The CSCs are ICT enabled front end service delivery points at the village level enabling delivery of Government, Financial, Social and Private Sector services in the areas of agriculture, health, education, entertainment, FMCG products, banking, insurance, pension, utility payments, etc. CSCs are managed and operated by a village level entrepreneur (VLE).

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
24-September, 2018 13:26 IST
Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal inaugurates Two-day National Orientation workshop on National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA)

e-Vidhan to make the functioning of the State Legislatures paperless and integrate all 40 Legislative Houses on to ‘One Nation One Application’

Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal presided over the Inaugural Session of the two-dayNational Orientation workshop on National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), organized by Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, here today. On the occasion, Shri Meghwal also launched the new website of the NeVA and administered the Swachhata Pledge to over 200delelgates, which included senior officers from Secretariats of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, 31 Legislative Assemblies and 7 Legislative Councils from across the country.

The Orientation Workshop would include technical sessions and group discussions over 2 days, which would facilitate exposure for the delegates about the positive attributes of NeVA; deliberations on issues faced by different State Legislatures in implementation of e-Vidhan and finding solutions thereof. The focus of the workshop would be to encourage all State Legislatures to move towards e-Vidhan platform and bring in transparency, accountability and responsiveness in their conduct of business, through the use of technology.

Addressing the delegates in the inaugural session, Shri Meghwal said that information regarding the functioning of the Houses should be available in real time, in a format that is user friendly and increases its applicability for the member.He described instances from his Parliamentary experiences how the digitization, availability and applicability of information could save precious time, energy and resources of the Houses and its members and increase their efficiency manifold. This digital intervention is a big step to increase transparency, accountability and decreases the scope of corruption in the functioning of House, the Minister added.

Shri S.N. Tripathi, Secretary (Parliamentary Affairs), informed that NeVA is a member-centric,decentralised digital application thatmakes information available on digital platform about day to day functioning of Legislative Houses covering, among other areas, List of Business (LOB), Notices, Bulletin-1, Bulletin-2, Starred/ Unstarred Questions including reply by the Departments (Q&A), Bills: Introduced/ Consideration & Passing, Synopsis of Proceedings, House Proceedings-Verbatim, Committees Reports, Rules & Procedures, Digital Library, Provisional Calendar, Reference material, Rotation of Ministries,Contacts, BudgetPress Releases etc. The application would host a secure page for each Member of the House for submitting Questions & other Notices.

The mNeVA(NeVA-mobile app) is a device neutral anduser friendly app thathas made information on conduct of business in Legislatures accessible anytime, anywhere to everyone. It is a work-flow based app deployed in Cloud (Meghraj) which helps the Chair of the House to conduct the proceedings of the House smoothly and the members to carry out their duties in the House efficiently.NeVA-mobile App is available for download from Play store and App store for Android and iOS mobiles respectively.

NeVA has made live for Rajya Sabha in respect of Monsoon Session 2018 and information in respect of Lok Sabha is being updated. Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Puducherry, Manipur Assemblies have already started using the application. Regular training through Video Conferencing are being provided by the Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to all the Houses.

Dignitaries present during the inaugural session included Smt. Neeta Verma, DG, NIC and other senior officers of the Ministry.

BACKGROUND

e-Vidhan is a Mission Mode Project to digitize and make the functioning of State Legislatures paperless. This is part of Digital India programme andMinistry of Parliamentary Affairs,being the Nodal Ministry for thisproject, desires to roll out e-Vidhan as NeVAcovering all 40 Houses including two Houses of Parliament and thereby putting all them on a single platformand proving the theory of ‘One Nation One Application’.

NeVA is a Rs.739 Crore (approx.) project for bringing Legislatures on digital platform,covering all Houses. It is to be used by the Legislatures as well as all the Government Departments. This journey began with a pilot project executed in Himachal Pradesh with the central assistance of Rs.8.12 crores which made the Shimla Legislative Assembly the first Assembly in India to go paperless in 2014. This project resulted into overall savings of about Rs.5.08 crores annually on account of expenditure on papers, printing, manpower costs and conservation of forests/ trees as ancillary benefits.



*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Food Processing Industries
13-October, 2018 18:39 IST
Union Minister Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurates PMKK Patiala,

1000 students will get training in skill Development every year

The Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) Patiala today where 1000 students will get free training in skill Development every year in the multiple courses like Hair Stylist, Manual Arc Welding, Plumber, Field Technician – Other Home Appliances and Mobile Phone Hardware Repair Technician.

In her inaugural address Union Minister Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that Youth are an asset for our country and they will be trained in Skill Development all over the country to make them self reliant and more employable. She said that such skill Development centers will be set up in each identified district throughout the country for quality training in skill development. She also said that opening of this skill development centre is a solid step towards achieving the dream of Honorable Prime Minister of “making India the skill capital of the world”. She said that vocational training opportunities given to youth in the scale and manner will definitely generate skilled workforce for the country. Youth will be able to transform their lives and the entire economy of the region will witness exponential growth.

PMKK is the flagship scheme of Union Ministry of Skill Development and Enterpreurship under Government of India is setting up 600 PMKK’s in identified districts. From these 480 have been set up and operational. In Punjab there are 25 sanctioned PMKK’s, out of which 16 are operational. In Haryana there are 21 sanctioned PMKKs are operational and in Himachal Pradesh 4 are operational out of 8 sanctioned PMKKs. UT Chandigarh is having 1 PMKK Centre.

Shri Gurpreet Singh, Manager of the PMKK Centre, Patiala said that it is a state of the art 10000 sq.ft centre is situated at Stadium Road, Opposite YPS School. This centre is being run by a leading partner of National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) called EMPOWER PRAGATI, a Training Partner of National Skill Development since 2010, under the aegis of Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship. Empower Pragati as a Training Provider is already running four such centers in one each in Bathinda, Barnala, Mansa and Sangrur.

Welcoming the chief guest and other dignitaries, Sh. K.B Rajendran, Director Empower Pragati said that the key to success of the centre is providing this opportunity to the right and deserving candidates. This initiative will also result in transformation of the lives of the youth through wage employment and self employment by gaining access to Mudra Loans.

Former Cabinet Minister of Punjab, Shri Surjit Singh Rakhra in his speech said that the opening of such a centre is a landmark in the history of Patiala. Having such a vocational and skilling centre in the vicinity will enable youth of the region to take benefit of the courses being offered here and earn a livelihood

****

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.thehindu.com/books/book...nding-india/article25205122.ece?homepage=true

An insider on our national security system, which is constantly evolving, often through trial, error and innovation

Having been through several wars, conflicts and national security crises, there is a growing recognition in India that the country needs a robust national security system, one that is properly structured, staffed with experts, free from bureaucratic red tape and devoid of ad hocism. This ‘national security consciousness’, if I may call it so, in the country started developing in the late 1990s and picked up after the Kargil war when the Kargil Review Committee and the Group on Ministers’ Committee made several thoughtful recommendations to strengthen the institutional foundations of India’s national security.

If pre-1999 national security planning was typically carried out in a disorganised manner, national security is increasingly getting concentrated in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today, especially under the current regime. Recall that for two years, the current government didn't even constitute the National Security Advisory Board. Moreover, despite the enormous power held by the country’s National Security Advisor, the post has no legal sanction. The two powerful committees set up by the government in the recent past — the Defence Planning Committee and Strategic Policy Group – are also headed by the NSA. Shouldn’t such a powerful post held by an unelected person be legally mandated and made more accountable?

Neither haphazard decision-making nor concentration of national security decisions in the PMO is desirable: India needs properly laid down and legally sanctioned national security systems and standard operating procedures in place. That said, contemporary Indian national security system is far more sophisticated than what previously existed, one that is constantly evolving, often through trial, error and innovation.

Key aspects

Arvind Gupta’s new book, How India Manages its National Security, tells us the story of that evolution — how India’s national security planning reached where it is today, and how the various systems and structures were put in place, brick by brick. Gupta would know: he was India’s Deputy National Security Adviser and Secretary at the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) till last year, and had earlier played a role in setting up the foundations of the country’s national security system as the Joint Secretary, NSCS from 1999 to 2007.

Divided into 12 chapters, the book deals with several key aspects of India’s national security including non-traditional issues such as water scarcity, communalism, police reforms, cyber security, among others. The book also gives a useful overview of the state of play on the more traditional aspects of India’s national security: armed forces, borer management, intelligence, among others.

No legal authority

One of the key arguments the book makes is the need to strengthen the functioning of India’s national security system in particular the National Security Council which is ‘supposed’ to be at the heart of such a system. Gupta correctly calls for amending the allocation of business rules of the government of India to give more teeth to the NSC given that advisory bodies often tend to get sidelined. In fact, the K.C. Pant Task Force had recommended in 1999 that the NSA should have the rank of a cabinet minister. Today, the NSC and NSA have no constitutional or legal imprimatur. The NSA derives his power form his/ her closeness to the PM. Moreover, given that the NSC and the Cabinet Committee on Security have exactly the same membership, the former rarely meets which further weakens the national security system of the country. While there are institutions in place, there continues to be a tendency to sidestep them preferring ad hoc arrangements instead.

The book does not shy away from being critical of the establishment, both political and bureaucratic. For instance, Gupta writes in the preface that “in recent years, there has been a tendency to politicise the actions of the armed forces. An example of this was the politicisation of the army’s surgical strikes against terrorist launch pads in Pakistan in 2016. Political parties freely used the army’s name in their election campaigns ahead of the State assembly elections in U.P. in 2017. This is a dangerous tendency which needs to be curbed.”

Calling on experts

He is also critical of the lack of police reforms in the country which often triggers governance crises, the lack of political inclination for defence reforms and the lacklustre performance of the DRDO. The book offers several suggestions to improve the country’s national security systems including incorporating more experts into the government. The author sharply points at what ails the national security decision making in India when he says that “the work culture in the government is still tuned to tactical rather than strategic thinking.”

The book could have focused more on the politics of decision-making, of which we know very little, and avoided lengthy discussions on the ‘national security environment’ which is available in abundance. One is also puzzled by the book’s repeated references to Hindu mythology given that Indian culture is way more than Hindu, and, in any case, mythology, while useful in discussing strategic culture, has little explanatory capability while analysing India’s national security management.

That said, this is a first-rate introduction to India’s national security management. It’s a thoughtfully-written, factually-accurate and analytically-sound addition to the literature. If you want to know how India manages its national security, this is the book to read.

 

[KAMDEV]

Good going keep it up .

 

[Hindustani78]

26-October, 2018 17:05 IST
Misleading reports about Swachh Bharat progress

Studies need to keep pace with latest sanitation data


Certain media reports have come to the notice of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, quoting a survey report titled TAG (Teen Age Girls) Report 2018. These reports are completely misleading with respect to their claims in relation to the Swachh Bharat Mission. The reported survey claims that around 40 per cent of teenage girls in the country still have to practice open defecation.

The media reports, however, do not mention the most important fact, i.e. the field survey was conducted in 2016-17. This leads to the factually incorrect and misleading conclusion that the survey was conducted recently and its findings reflect the current sanitation situation on the ground. By using data from 2016-17 to question the success of the SBM today, the reports undermine the efforts and achievements of the people of India.

This error takes a serious dimension in the context of rural sanitation which has shown an unprecedented rise under the Swachh Bharat Mission. The fact that a basic detail like the period during which the field survey was carried out has not been distinctly mentioned in the report makes it misleading with respect to reporting on the progress of sanitation in today’s context.

The rural sanitation coverage under SBM has catapulted from 39% in October 2014 to over 95% today. The rapid pace of progress under the SBM means that performance data as measured by studies and surveys may become outdated within months. At the mid-point of the field survey period, i.e. January 2017, the sanitation coverage in rural India was below 60%, which is broadly consistent with the findings of the survey for that period – a fact that is not highlighted in the report itself.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, therefore, underlines that the SBM is an extremely dynamic programme with rapidly accelerating progress. Researchers and authors are advised to exercise abundant caution before passing judgements on the success of the programme based on outdated data. They are also advised to clearly mention the period of the field survey and the statistical significance of any study that they quote so that their readers are not mislead. In case of any doubts, they may contact this Ministry for the latest facts and progress figures pertaining to the Mission. Various media are also similarly advised.

Rural India has built over 8.7 crore toilets in their homes and over 5 lakh villages, 530 districts and 25 States/Union Territories have declared themselves free from the malaise of open defecation, as of October 2018.

*******

AR/SNC/SD

 

[Hindustani78]

29-October, 2018 15:32 IST
Chairman, NCSK has given direction to DM North Delhi to release Rs 10.00 lakh as compensation to dependent family member of Shri Doman Rai who died while he had entered into deep sewer tank in Jahangirpuri, North West Delhi

It had come to the notice of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) that on Sunday (21.10.2018) at about 0530 hrs, one person namely Shri Doman Rai died while he had entered into 1400 mm dia and 30 feet deep sewer tank to open a valve in G Block of Jahangirpuri, North West Delhi.

The Commission has been mandated to monitor the implementation of “The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013 and also the Supreme Court Judgement dated 27.03.2014 in Writ Petition (C) No 583 of 2003 in Safai Karamcharis Andolan Vs UOI regarding payment of Rs 10.00 lakh as compensation to the dependent family member of sewer /septic death cases.

In discharge of the mandate, the Commission has taken a spot visit on 25th October, 2018 to get first hand report on the incident and call for information from the concerned department of Government of Delhi, Police and other authorities. Following concerned officers has joined NCSK team at spot:-

· District Magistrate, North Zone.

· Additional Deputy Commission of Police.

· SDM of Jahangirpuri

· Officers from Delhi Jal Board.

At the spot, Chief Executive Officer explained in detail about the accident and informed that repair and rehabilitation work was being carried out by the M/s SS Spun India Ltd., The contractor firm which was hired by DJB, for the purpose.

Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West) said that case under section 304A IPC, u/s 7 & 9 of the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013 and 3(I)(J) of SC/ST Act has already been registered and on 23.10.2018, three responsible persons i.e. Shri Ashwani Jha, Project Manager, Shri Subham Nautiyal, Safety Officer and Shri Subhodh, Supervisor were arrested and produced in Hon’ble Court on 24.10.2018. At present they are in judicial custody for 12 days.

On the basis of discussion, it has been noticed that only mask and safety belt were provided to the deceased but prescribed/ required manpower including doctor with ambulance and prescribed safety gears were not provided at the time of accident which show a clear violation of provision of The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act 2013 and also the Supreme Court Judgement dated 27.02.2018.

On the spot, the Chairman, NCSK has given the following direction:-

DM North district to release a payment of Rs 10.00 lakh as compensation to the dependent family member of victim immediately.

Beside, factual report has already been called from the concerned department by the Commission.

The Chairman also directed that action may be taken on top priority basis.



*****

NB/SK/jk/MoSJ&E/29.10.2018

 

[Hindustani78]

Southern Regional Review Meeting on Swachh Bharat Quality and Sustainability organized in Chennai

The Southern Regional Review Meeting on Sustainability of the outcomes of Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) was organized in Chennai today. The States/UTs of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Puducherry, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu participated in the review.

In his inaugural address, the Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Parameswaran Iyer, said that with the achievement of an ODF India would lead to the beginning of the next chapter of Swachh Bharat – sustaining the momentum through continued toilet usage and focus on solid and liquid resource management. He underscored the need to focus on various aspects of sustainability such as continued communication campaigns, engagement of Swachhagrahis, capacity building of personnel, and periodic verification on the ground.

During their presentation, the team from Tamil Nadu shared best practices like the “Toilet Report Card” which households, schools and agnanwadis are encouraged to maintain to encourage toilet usage in a sustained manner. Ms R Sathy, National Award winning school teacher from the State highlighted the Kutti Commandos, a band of primary school children who undertake awareness rallies to encourage good sanitation practices.

The team from Karnataka shared that they are aiming to declare the State ODF on World Toilet Day this year, i.e. November 19 2018. They spoke about a communication campaign called Swachha meva Jayate under which they are already working towards sustaining the ODF outcomes.

State officials from Andhra Pradesh highlighted a unique instance where the casualties in a recent cyclone in Srikakulam district of the State were limited due to sustained use of toilets by households in the ODF State rather than going out to the open.

Other senior officials taking part in the review were Shri Akshay Rout, Director General (Special Projects), Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Shri Hans Raj Verma, ACS (RD AND PR), Government of Tamil Nadu and Mission Directors of all participating States/UTs.



<><><><><>

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Rural Development
02-April, 2018 13:21 IST
MGNREGS – Livelihood security with full transparency

MGNREGS programme made very significant progress in 2017-18, contributing to livelihood security through durable assets with full transparency using IT/DBTand geo-tagging of each and every asset created under the programme. The Table below from NREGASoft MIS captures the salient features of the performance of the programme over the last five years:

Progress

FY 2017-18*

FY 2016-17

FY 2015-16

FY 2014-15

FY 2013-14

Persondays Generated so far [In Cr]

231.60

(100% of Labour Budget)

235.6458

235.1465

166.21

220.37

Average days of employment provided per Household

45.44

46

48.85

40.17

45.97

Total Households Worked [In Cr]

5.10

5.1224

4.8134

4.14

4.79

Differently abled persons worked

4,69,393

4,71,819

4,59,597

4,13,316

4,86,495

Number of completed works [In lakhs]

54.22

65.46

36.18

29.44

27.42

% of Expenditure on Agriculture & Agriculture Allied Works

68.46

66

62.85

52.81

48.7

Total Exp [In Cr]

63,887.35

58,062.92

44,002.59

36,025.04

38,552.62

% Total Exp through eFMS

96.31

92.33

91.19

77.35

37.17

% payments generated within 15 days

85.75

43.43

36.92

26.85

50.09

* Figures of FY 2017-18 are provisional as data uploading for March’18 will continue up to 20th April, 2018.

The table clearly brings out remarkable progress made in generating payment within 15 days from a low of 26.85% in 2014-15 to 85.75% in 2017-18. The total expenditure of Rs.63,887 crore in 2017-18, is nearly Rs. 25,000 crore more than what was spent in 2013-14. Likewise, for livelihood security and durable assets, thrust on expenditure on agriculture and allied works can be seen with the percentage rising from 48.7% in 2013-14 to 68.46% this year.

The criticism of the MGNREGS was that works remain incomplete for a long time leading to poor quality assets and unsatisfactory livelihood security. The thrust on completion of works over the last two financial years led to the completion of nearly 1.20 crore assets in 2016-17 and 2017-18 which is nearly equal to what was being completed in four years. Geo tagging of MGNREGA assets which started on 1stSeptember, 2016 is going on with around 80,000 assets being geo tagged on daily basis. More than 2.84 crore assets out of a total of 3.34 completed assets since inception of the programmes have been geotagged and put in public domain.

The Institute of Economic Growth Study (2017) on Natural Resource Management, found beneficiaries saying that 76% assets created were good/very good and only 0.5% was unsatisfactory. The thrust on completion shall continue. Governance reforms have been the hallmark of MGNREGS over the last three years with use of IT/DBT, and geo-tagging effectively. The verification of Job Cards and efforts to provide a Job Card to every deprived household as per the Socio Economic Census-2011 has yielded very positive results. As the table above indicates 96.31% of expenditure is now through Electronic Fund Management System as against 37.13% in 2013-14.

Individual beneficiary schemes have been the focus with around 60% of total works taken up in FY 2017-18 belonging to this category. Moreover, there has been emphasis on Natural Resource Management works. Nearly 40 to 50 lakh hectares of land covered through Natural Resources Management for water conservation each year, rejuvenation of rivers, construction of nearly 5 lakh farm ponds every year over the last two years, thrust on roadside plantation and social forestry, provision of goat-shed, poultry-shed and dairy shed as individual beneficiary schemes have led to the creation of livelihood security through durable assets leading to improved incomes. MGNREGS provides 90/95 days work (approx Rs.18,000) for the one crore Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana (Gramin) (PMAY (G) beneficiaries. It also provides Rs.12,000 perIndividual Household Latrine (IHHL) wherever required and not provided for under Swach Bharat Mission Grameen (SBM-G). Realizing the importance of Anganwadi Centres as pro-poor initiative where poor women can leave young children in a secure environment, MGNREGS funds have been used for large scale construction of Anganwadi Centre buildings. Nearly 20,000 buildings have been completed in FY 2016-17 and FY 2017-18. Likewise, MGNREGS provided support for Solid and Liquid Waste Management and vermi-composting on a large scale. Many state specific projects have emerged leading to generation of wealth from waste. 2.33 lakh Vermi/NADEP composting pits were completed in FY 2017-18.

The approval of works for FY 2018-19 have already been completed through a process of decentralised planning and appraisal of proposals. The thrust on 2,264 Mission Water Conservation Blocks which are water stressed regions will continue. Likewise, support for IHHLs and 90-95 days of work to PMAY (G) beneficiaries will remain a priority. In FY 2018-19, Gram Sabhas have come up with proposals for nearly five thousand Gramin Haats and their construction to enable producers specially Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) to sell their produce directly to wholesalers. These will be taken up on priority. River rejuvenation and support for irrigation is also a major area of activity which will be undertaken on large scale in FY 2018-19. FY 2018-19 will also see large scale convergence of women SHGs and their livelihood diversification with MGNREGS resources. All arrears to States are being released before 10th April, 2018 after due verification of financial documents to be submitted by the States/UTs. With a provision of Rs.55,000 crore at BE stage in FY 2018-19 funds for carrying out works at speed will be ensured in the first quarter of April to June, 2018 when the demand for work is normally very high. There shall be no shortage of funds as long as financial discipline, guidelines, transparency norms are fully followed. Over 6,500 Barefoot Technicians have been trained, nearly 4100 Resource Persons have been capacitated in handling of Social Audits and more than 55,000 SHG women have been trained to become social auditors. 26 States have set up their independent Social Audit Units.Social Audit has been provided full support and will continue to be a priority in FY 2018-19. Improvements like mandatory Citizen Information Boards, adoption of simpler seven register system and improved record keeping with photographs, etc., physical display of progress at Gram Panchayat level and forms of public accountability and community participation will be fully emphasized in FY 2018-19.

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Ministry of Rural Development
30-October, 2018 16:33 IST
92% MGNREGA wage payments generated on time

In the Financial Year 2018-19, so far 92% wage payments under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) has been generated within 15 days. This percentage was 26.85% in 2014-15, indicating the remarkable improvement towards making timely payments. The allocation of MGNREGA was also increased to a record Rs. 55,000 crore in 2018-19. So far, the Central Government has released over Rs. 45,070 crore to the States. Including State shares, over Rs. 50,000 crore is available for work so far. On receipt of audited accounts from the State Governments, additional funds are being released this week to ensure sufficient availability in all the States. The thrust on completion of incomplete works is showing with a record Rs. 1.70 crore assets completed in the last 30 months. These assets have been for Natural Resource Management (NRM), Water Conservation works, durable assets, and a very large number of Individual Beneficiary Schemes including a 90/95 days’ work availability for poor households in the construction of their own houses under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). Independent evaluation studies have indicated the success of Natural Resource Management in improving incomes, acreage, productivity, fodder availability, and water table. Similarly, independent assessment of Individual Beneficiary Schemes especially for animal resources has acknowledged their contribution in livelihood diversification and poverty reduction.

So far, 142 crore persondays of work has been generated in the current Financial Year. All States and Districts affected by disaster or drought, based on their submissions have been provided additional persondays. 53% of the total persondays generated has been through women workers. 3.57 lakh differently abled persons have also been given work in the current Financial Year. 65:35 (wages to material) ratio at National level is an indicator of effectiveness and possibility of healthy distribution because of enforcing 60:40 at the District level. High quality assets have been possible on account of this change. Each and every asset under MGNREGS is geo-tagged and available in the public domain for scrutiny. All current works are monitored by geo-tagging have before, during, and after completion to ensure full transparency in all works. Nearly 100% expenditure is now through Electronic Fund Management System (e-FMS) indicating the thrust on quality, transparency, and accountability.

MGNREGS is a demand driven and additional resources will be made available as and when required to ensure that no one is denied work on demand. Adequate steps have been taken to ensure timely payments and mobilization of additional resources when required. Reforms in the programme over the last 3 years have substantially improved the quality of durable assets and convergence for effective livelihood diversification.

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APS/SNC/AS


(Release ID :184466)

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Electronics & IT
31-October, 2018 13:35 IST
Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad to felicitate the winners of #OpenGovDataHack National Challenge

Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad in the august presence of Shri S.S. Ahluwalia, Union Minister of State, Electronics and IT, Shri Ajay Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & IT and Dr. Neeta Verma, Director General, National Informatics Centre, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, will felicitate the winners of the #OpenGovDataHack National Challenge, at the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi on Thursday, November 1, 2018.



Open Government Data (OGD) Platform India (https://data.gov.in) India is at the forefront in promoting innovation in Open Data ecosystem in India. It has been set-up by National Informatics Centre (NIC) in compliance with the Open Data Policy whose objective is to provide a platform for proactive access to Government owned shareable data. These datasets are directly published on the platform by the Government Departments.



The Open Government Data Team, National Informatics Centre (NIC) in association with Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) & StartUp India had organized Hackathon - “#OpenGovDataHack“ for Students, Entrepreneurs, Innovators, Start-ups, Developers and Community to create unique and innovative service delivery Applications & Info-Graphics to foster innovation.



The sectors selected for the Hackathon are Water & Sanitation, Transport, Education, Crime and Health. The Hackathon was conducted successfully in 2 phases. The National screening committee shortlisted 20 Apps for final presentation out of which 3 (three winning) apps and 7(seven) other excellence apps will be felicitated in an award event on 1st November, 2018 by the Hon’ble Union Minister.

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