Till Feb 2025, Indian Railways Installs 209 MW Solar Plants at 2,249 Stations and Service Buildings Indian Railways Solar Power Expansion Reaches 2249 Installations Units with 1489 Added in the Last Five Years, 2.3 Times More Than 628 in the Previous Five Years
Rajasthan Leads in Solar Power Expansion with the Highest 275 Installations Units Among All States and UTs
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:45PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Railways is making all endeavors to promote solar energy in line with the Government policies to proliferate renewable energy, environmental sustainability and to achieve long-term financial savings. The transition to renewable energy is an ongoing process.
Indian Railways has planned to progressively procure renewable energy through different power procurement modes for Round The Clock (RTC) power, which is hybrid solution for renewable power includes solar and wind etc. Most of the work of setting up of solar plants is undertaken by Railways through Power Purchase Agreement under developer mode.
During implementation of solar energy, many challenges like regulatory constraints, power evacuation and connectivity issues were faced by the railways. To tackle these issues, State Governments and Transmission Utilities were pursued on regular basis.
So far, about 209 MW of solar plants on 2249 Railway stations and service buildings across the country have been provided. State-wise and year-wise details are as under:
S.No.
State
Railway Stations Provided with Solar Plants (in Nos.)
2014-15 to 2019-20
2020-21 to February, 2025
Cumulative upto February, 2025
1
Rajasthan
73
200
275
2
Maharashtra
43
213
270
3
West Bengal
12
222
237
4
Uttar Pradesh
78
93
204
5
Andhra Pradesh
33
126
198
6
Karnataka
86
60
146
7
Madhya Pradesh
49
74
134
8
Odisha
30
103
133
9
Gujarat
11
96
112
10
Telangana
35
60
95
11
Bihar
25
42
81
12
Assam
27
48
78
13
Tamil Nadu
42
31
73
14
Jharkhand
10
35
47
15
Haryana
9
23
36
16
Punjab
19
11
30
17
Uttarakhand
1
17
18
18
Himanchal Pradesh
1
16
17
19
Tripura
15
1
16
20
Chhattisgarh
10
5
16
21
Kerala
12
1
13
22
Delhi
4
3
8
23
J & K
2
4
6
24
Nagaland
0
2
2
25
Meghalaya
0
1
1
26
Manipur
0
1
1
27
Chandigarh
0
1
1
28
Puducherry
1
0
1
Total
628
1489
2249
This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Indian Railways Implements Digital Solutions for Transparent Revenue Monitoring Regular Workforce Assessment Ensures Efficient Manpower Utilization in Indian Railways
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:43PM by PIB Delhi
Indian Railways has a detailed mechanism in place for continuous monitoring of revenue generated at each Railway Station. Based on passenger earnings and footfalls, Railway stations are categorized into Non-suburban Grade (NSG1-6), Suburban Grade (SG1-3) and Halt Grade (HG1-3) Stations.
The sources of revenue at the station include:
Passenger earnings: Reserved passenger earnings (through the Passenger Reservation System) and unreserved passenger earnings (through Unreserved Ticketing System).
Freight earnings: transportation of Goods, demurrage, wharfage, etc.
Other Coaching earnings: Parcel, Luggage, platform tickets, postal haulage charges, cloak room charges, demurrage / wharfage of Parcels, etc. and
Sundry earnings: revenue from rent, leased parking lots, catering receipts, revenue from commercial utilization of land, advertisements on coaches and stations, etc.
Designated officials such as Commercial Inspectors, Travelling Inspectors of Accounts, etc. of the concerned Division supervise the revenues. The monitoring of revenue generated at each Railway station is done by concerned officials at all levels i.e. Station, Division and the Zonal Head Quarters.
With a view to ensure transparency, accuracy and efficiency in the present revenue management system, following digital applications are in use which are developed by domain experts of CRIS (Centre for Railway Information Systems):
Passenger Reservation System (PRS)
Terminal Management System (TMS)
Parcel Management System (PMS)
Freight Operations Information System (FOIS)
Traffic Accounts Management System (TAMS)
Online payment system
e-payment system
e-Balance sheet
Indian Railways E-Procurement System (IREPS) etc.
Human resources are very vital asset of Indian Railways and it is imperative that it is utilized effectively, efficiently and rationally. In order to optimally utilize the manpower continuous review of manpower is crucial, in view of changing workload condition, introduction of new technologies, working systems and creation of new assets.
Indian Railways assessing the workload of each employee regularly by reviewing the yardsticks from time to time for achieving the same. Besides this, work studies and benchmarking are regularly conducted for rationalization of manpower for various activities of different departments to review the provision of staff.
The workload of each employee is also guided by provisions of Hours of Employment Regulations (HOER), which is statutory in nature. Classification of staff as per HOER is also periodically revised based upon job analysis. This exercise enables Indian Railways to deploy manpower for new organizations & assets and also to utilize its existing human resources in most efficient and productive manner.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Presently, Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) Project (508 Kms) is the only sanctioned project of High-Speed Rail in India under execution with technical and financial assistance from Government of Japan.
Being highly capital intensive, the decision to sanction any HSR Corridor/Project depends on many factors such as outcome of DPR, techno-economic feasibility, availability of resources such as financing options.
In order to increase the speed and capacity of Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah routes, following works/surveys have been taken up:
Delhi-Mumbai section (1386 Km):
The work for raising sectional speed to 160 kmph has been sanctioned and is in advance stage.
Out of 1386 Km route length, 196 Km has 4 rail lines and construction of 3rd & 4th line between Dahanu Road-Virar (64 Km) has been taken up.
Survey for 3rd and 4th line in the balance section for 1126 KM has-been sanctioned.
1404 Km of Western DFC (double line) has been commissioned and the work in the balance section for 102 Km has been taken up.
Construction of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Corridor (double line) covering length of 508 Km has been taken up.
Delhi-Howrah section (1450 Km):
The work for raising sectional speed to 160 kmph has been sanctioned and is in advance stage.
Presently, out of 1450 Km route length, 194 Km is 4-line section, 312 Km is 3-line section and balance 944 Km is double line rail section.
Following projects have been sanctioned and work taken up:
Multi tracking of Son Nagar – Andal (375 Km)
Aligarh – Daud Khan 3rd line (18 Km)
Mughalsarai – Allahabad 3rd line (150 Km)
Kalipahari-Bakhtarnagar 5th Line (18 Km)
Saktigarh-Chandanpur 4th line (43 Km)
Extension of Nimcha up avoiding line (9.42 Km)
Surveys for construction of 3rd line of 480 km, 4th line of 96 Km and 5th line of 151 Km have been sanctioned.
Eastern DFC (1337 Km) has been commissioned.
Augmentation/Improvement of passenger amenities on Indian Railways is a continuous and on-going process. Accordingly, Ministry of Railways has launched Amrit Bharat Station Scheme for redevelopment of stations which envisages development of stations with a long-term approach. It involves preparation of master plans and their implementation in phases to improve the amenities at the stations like improvement of station access, circulating areas, waiting halls, toilets, lift/escalators as necessary, platform surfacing and cover over platform, cleanliness, free Wi-Fi, kiosks for local products through schemes like ‘One Station One Product’, better passenger information systems, executive lounges, nominated spaces for business meetings, landscaping, etc. keeping in view the necessity at each station.
The scheme also envisages improvement of building, integrating the station with both sides of the city, multimodal integration, amenities for Divyangjans, sustainable and environment friendly solutions, provision of ballastless tracks, etc. as per necessity, phasing and feasibility and creation of city centre at the station in the long term. So far, 1337 stations have been identified for development under Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
In order to ensure safety, Indian Railways continuously upgrades and modernises its signaling system like Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems with centralized operation of points and signals, Complete Track Circuiting of stations, Interlocking of Level Crossing Gates (LC) etc. Indian Railways has also gone for implementation of advance technology system “Kavach” as an Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system which required safety certification of highest order.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
DoT Intensifies Action to Curb Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) Through Jan Bhagidari Nearly 1.75 Lakh Unauthorized DID Numbers Disconnected in DoT’s Anti-Spam Drive
DoT’s Chakshu Module of Sanchar Saathi Empowering Public Participation in fighting against Spam and Combatting Cyber Fraud
DoT Urges Enterprises to Comply with Telecom Regulations to Avoid Strict Penalties
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:42PM by PIB Delhi
As part of its ongoing efforts to combat spam calls and cyber fraud, DoT has disconnected approximately 1.75 lakh Direct Inward Dialing (DID)/landline telephone numbers that were found to be involved in unauthorized promotional activities and illegal activities.
Recently it has been observed that large number of spam calls are being originated from telecom identifiers like numbers starting from 0731, 079,080 etc by misusing PRIs, Lease Line, Internet Lease Lines, SIP and IPLC. Citizens, under the Jan Bhagidari , have been reporting such instances of Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC) / spam / fraud call on Chakshu module of Sanchar Saathi.
DoT analyses this crowd sourced data to act against such telecom resources. Identified cases are forwarded to the DoT’s field offices Licensed Service Areas (LSAs) for detailed investigation. In instances where violations are confirmed, telecom services are suspended for those engaging in unauthorized promotional activities.
Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) have been advised to take immediate necessary steps to ensure the scruples compliance of Unified License conditions relating to the curbing the misuse of PRIs including SIP trunks, Lease Line, Internet Lease Lines, IPLC etc. , and to regularly check for their bonafide use .
Call to Action for Enterprises/Bulk customers:
The DoT calls on Enterprises/Bulk customers/ Consumers to ensure their telecom services are used in compliance with established regulations, avoiding any misuse for unsolicited commercial communication. Violations could result in severe penalties, including disconnection of services.
Additionally, the DoT encourages citizens to continue reporting spam calls through the Chakshu module of Sanchar Saathi(www.sancharsaathi.gov.in), fostering a collaborative effort to make telecom services more secure and user-friendly. The Department remains dedicated to strict monitoring and prompt action against UCC violators to protect consumer interests.
Citizens can use Sanchar Sathi App to report misuse of telecom resources in cybercrime and cyber frauds. The App can be downloaded from
Kisan Rail Facilitates Swift Transport of Perishables from Surplus Regions to Markets Across the Country Since August 2020, Indian Railways Operated 2,364 Kisan Rail Services, Transporting 7.9 Lakh Tonnes of Perishables; 65 Services from Gujarat Transported 18,250 Tonnes to Different Parts of the Country
Railways, Agriculture and other Ministry with States and other Stakeholders Identify Key Circuits for Efficient Movement of Fruits, Vegetables, and Other Perishables Across India
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:41PM by PIB Delhi
Kisan Rail enables movement of perishables including fruits and vegetables from production or surplus regions to consumption or deficient regions in reasonable time.
Since the launch of Kisan Rail service on 7th August 2020, Railways have operated around 2,364 Kisan Rail services, transporting approximately 7.9 lakh tonnes of perishables. Out of these, 65 services have operated from Gujarat to different parts of the country, transporting 18,250 tonnes (approximately) of fruits and vegetables.
Potential circuits for movement of vegetables, fruits and other perishables are identified in consultation with Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Agriculture/Animal Husbandry/Fisheries Departments of State Governments as well as local bodies and agencies, Mandis etc., and services are planned on the basis of demands placed taking into consideration, operational feasibility.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
Indian Railways Achieves ₹2.56 Lakh Crore Revenue in 2023-24 with Net Profit of ₹3,260 Crore Amid Major Investments in Staff, Pension, and Energy Indian Railways Adopts Two-Pronged Strategy to Boost Profits by Increasing Revenue and Enhancing Operational Efficiency
Freight Loading Surges 29% to 1,591 MT in 2023-24; Indian Railways Targets 1.6 Billion Tonnes in 2024-25 to Become World’s Third Largest Freight Carrier
Railways Expands Freight Business with Private Investment in Terminals, Modern Wagons, Cargo Aggregation, and Competitive Tariff Policies
Railways Strengthen Cost Management Through Electrification, Workforce Optimization, and Operational Efficiencies, Saving ₹4,700 Crore on Diesel in 2023-24
Indian Railways Pioneers Green and Sustainable Initiatives with HOG Trains, Electrification, LED Adoption, Renewable Energy, and Hydrogen-Powered Trains
Rail Network Speed Potential Expands to 80,000 km at 110 kmph, with 23,000 km Upgraded for 130 kmph Since 2014
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:39PM by PIB Delhi
During 2023-24, the earning of Indian Railways (IR) was ₹2,56,093 cr and revenue expenditure was ₹2,52,834 cr. The net Revenue has improved to Rs 3,260 crore in 2023-24. Major expenditure is done on Staff cost, Pension, energy consumption etc.
To increase the profit, Indian Railways (IR) has adopted two-pronged approach i.e. increase the revenue and bring efficiency in operational expenditure.
Due to implementation of several freight revenue initiatives, the freight carried by IR during 2020-21 was 1,233 million tonnes which increased to 1,591 million tonnes during 2023-24 i.e. a growth of 29%. IR is set to achieve 1.6 billion tonnes freight loading in the FY 2024-25 making it the third largest freight handling railway system in the world. Some of the important measures to improve the freight include-
Encouraging private sector to develop the modern rail freight terminals under ‘Gati Shakti Multi- Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT)’ policy and augmenting/ upgrading the infrastructure at railway owned goods sheds.
Implementing various schemes for private sector to invest in wagons including the commodity focused specialized wagons such as wagons for cement, oil, steel, fly-ash, automobiles etc.
Facilitating cargo aggregation and thereby, expand the commodity basket by the schemes including the policy of “Cargo Aggregator Transportation Product” and “Joint Parcel Product-Rapid Cargo Services”.
Implementing the several tariff related measures to enhance the rail share by making rail mode competitive with respect to road. These include Short Lead Concession for traffic upto 90 Km, Liberalized Automatic Freight Rebate scheme for traffic loaded in empty flow direction, discounts on loading of bagged consignment in open and flat wagon, discount in freight to Fly ash/Bed ash traffic, operation of Mini Rake for Container train, fixation of special haulage rate for Bulk Cement (cement in loose form) when transported in normal containers.
IR has also undertaken many initiatives to increase non-fare revenue such as measures to increase the advertisement earnings, implementing the NINFRIS (New and Innovative Ideas and Concepts Scheme for Generation for Non-fare Revenue) policy to encourage innovative revenue-generating ideas. Some examples of NINFRIS Contracts are Nursing pods, luggage wrapping and sanitization, digital cloakrooms, disposal linen kiosks, imitation jewellery kiosks, Khadi selling kiosks, handicraft kiosks, Kiosks for online education platforms, facilities for electric charging facilities, oxygen parlours, etc. An e-auction policy has been implemented to expedite the bidding for assets such as leased parcel space, parking lots, ATMs etc. The benefits of e-Auction module include – realization of true earning potential of each asset, reduction the time taken in finalization of Tenders and prevent revenue loss on this account, re-award of contract in quick time in case of failure in commencing by any contractor etc.
IR has also undertaken steps to improve the earning from passenger segments such as running of special trains, augmentation of on-board capacity, and introduction of new trains with higher facilities on appropriate fare.
Similarly, various measures are being regularly taken in railways to ensure optimum expenditure. Some of the expenditure management on railways includes manpower management, electrification of Railway tracks etc. Measures like electrification of Railway tracks has led to savings of more than Rs 4700 crore under Diesel traction in FY 2023-24.
Cleanliness is a continuous process and various measures have been taken for maintaining cleanliness at stations and trains which include integrated housekeeping contracts at major stations & trains, mechanized cleaning, bio-toilets in passenger coaches, On Board Housekeeping Service (OBHS) scheme in long distance trains, Clean Train Station (CTS) scheme for identified trains en-routed at nominated stations, dustbins for bio-degradable and non-biodegradable wastes etc.
IR has taken various steps to promote environment friendly & sustainable practices. Some of them are as under: –
Conversion of End on Generation (EOG) trains into Head on Generation (HOG) trains to reduce noise, air pollution and diesel consumption.
Construction of Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs).
Procurement of renewable energy from different power procurement modes for its future energy requirements.
Provision of energy efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lighting in all Railway installations including stations, service buildings, residential quarters and coaches for reduction in electricity consumption.
Use of star rated appliances.
98% of railway tracks have been electrified, resulting in saving in diesel consumption.
Harnessing hydrogen gas to drive train sets.
Green Certifications of railway establishments.
Proper waste management.
Improvement/up-gradation of Rolling Stock to enhance safety and comfort of passengers is a continuous and ongoing process on IR. The initiatives include LHB coaches with operating speed of 160 Kmph, better riding index, improved aesthetics and safety features like Lightweight design, Anti-telescopic & Anti climbing features, Centre Buffer Coupler, Axle mounted disc brake system etc. as compared to the conventional ICF coaches of the 1960s.
In its constant endeavor to provide faster service and better travel experience to the passengers, IR are introducing Vande Bharat trains and Namo Rapid Rail service, which have modern coaches, enhanced safety features and better amenities. Presently, 136 Vande Bharat services and 2 Namo Rapid Rail services are in operation on the IR network.
IR have also introduced modern State-of the Art fully Non-AC Amrit Bharat trains. These trains have advanced features like Semi-Permanent couplers for jerk free travel, horizontal sliding windows, better aesthetics of Berths with enhanced look & feel on the lines of Vande Bharat Sleeper, improved crashworthiness in coaches, Emergency Talk Back Unit, improved LED Light fitting & Charging Sockets, foldable snack table and bottle holders, mobile holders etc. These trains comprise 12 Sleeper Class Coaches and 8 General Class coaches. Presently, 4 Amrit Bharat services are in operation.
Besides the improvement in rolling stock, the following measures have been taken by IR to upgrade railway tracks:
Using modern track components consisting of 60kg, 90 Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) rails, Pre-stressed Concrete Sleeper (PSC) Normal/Wide base sleepers with modern elastic fastenings.
Laying of fan-shaped turnout on PSC sleepers with Thick Web Switches and Weldable CMS Crossings.
Providing Steel Channel/H-beam Sleepers on girder bridges while carrying out primary track renewals.
Using 130m/260m long rail panels for rail renewals to minimize weld- joints.
Field-welding by mobile Flash Butt Welding Plant and advanced USFD Testing technique of Rail/ Welds by Phased array technology.
Mechanization in Track renewal/ replacement using Track Relaying Trains, Points & Crossing Changing machines, Track laying Equipment etc.
Deployment of Integrated Track Monitoring Systems (ITMS) and Oscillation Monitoring System (OMS) for comprehensive health assessment to project optimal maintenance requirements.
Induction of advance modern machines for track maintenance i.e., high output tampers, high output Ballast Cleaning Machines and Rail Grinding machines etc.
Adopting Self-propelled Ultrasonic Rail Testing Car (SPURT) and Rail Cum Road Vehicle (RCRV) based USFD system for testing of rails/welds.
Using web enabled Track Management System (TMS) for integration and data analytics of the track inspection records received through various sources to enable precise maintenance inputs.
As a consequence of above measures, speed potential of 110 kmph has now been improved significantly to about 80,000 km at present which was only about 31,000 km in 2014. In addition, upgradation and improvement of about 23,000 km track has been done from 2014-15 to 2024-25 (up to Feb’25) for speed potential of 130 kmph.
IR strives to provide affordable services to all strata of the society. IR gave a subsidy of Rs. 56,993 crores on passenger tickets in 2022-23. This amounts to concession of 46% on an average, to every person, travelling on Railways. In other words, if the cost of providing service is Rs. 100, then the price of ticket is Rs. 54 only. This subsidy is continuing for all passengers. Further, concessions beyond this subsidy amount are continuing for many categories like 4 categories of Persons with disabilities (Divyangjans), 11 categories of patients and 8 categories of students.
This information was given by the Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
MOIL has recorded its best-ever financial year performance in FY’25, achieving remarkable milestones across key performance indicators:
Record manganese ore production: 18.02 lakh tonnes, 2.7% higher y-o-y.
Record manganese ore sales: 15.87 lakh tonnes, registering a growth of 3.3% y-o-y.
Record Ferro manganese production:12000 MT, 18% higher y-o-y.
Exploratory core drilling: 1,07,530 meters, marking a 22% growth over CPLY. This extensive exploration will serve as the foundation for expanding production from existing mines and the development of new manganese mines across the country.
Shri Ajit Kumar Saxena, CMD, MOIL, congratulated the entire MOIL workforce for this record performance and expressed confidence of higher growth momentum in the coming year.
Make in India and the Capital Goods Revolution Catalyzing Domestic Production and Technological Innovation
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:52PM by PIB Delhi
Introduction
According to the Ministry of Heavy Industries, heavy engineering and machine tools sector comprises of capital goods industry. India’s capital goods sector is experiencing significant attention due to its critical role in driving industrial growth and economic development. This sector encompasses industries such as electrical equipment, machinery, and construction, which are essential for the country’s infrastructure development. According to the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association (IEEMA), the electrical equipment industry witnessed consistent double-digit growth in power equipment, particularly transmission equipment and transformers, driven by domestic demand and international market expansion.
India is the third-largest market for construction equipment.Government initiatives have been instrumental in bolstering the capital goods sector. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has launched several policies to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on imports. These initiatives are part of the broader Make in India campaign (launched in 2014), which seeks to increase the manufacturing sector’s contribution to GDP, generate employment, and improve technological capabilities. The capital goods sector is crucial to India’s economic strategy, supporting large-scale manufacturing and infrastructure projects. With rapid urbanization, extensive infrastructure development, and strong government support, the sector is poised to drive sustainable industrial growth and elevate India’s position in the global market.
Overview of the Heavy Industries and Engineering Sector
As per the present estimates, the Capital Goods industry contributes about 1.9% of GDP. The Heavy Engineering and Machine Tool sector (capital goods industry) consists of the following major sub-sectors: Dies, Moulds and Press Tools; Plastic Machinery; Earthmoving and Mining Machinery; Metallurgical Machinery; Textile Machinery; Process Plant Equipment; Printing Machinery; and Food Processing Machinery. Due to catalytic effect of Ministry of Heavy Industries intervention, the production of capital goods sector has increased from Rs 2,29,533 crore in 2014-15 to Rs.4,29,001 crore in 2023-24. Production (in crores) by the sub-sectors of capital goods industry since 2019-20 are presented in the table below:
Exports (in crores) by the sub-sectors of capital goods industry since 2019-20 are presented in the table below:
The policy environment for the capital goods sector includes:
No industrial license is required for the sector.
FDI up to 100% permitted on automatic route (through RBI) except from the countries having land borders with India.
Quantum of payment for technology transfer, design and drawing, royalty, etc. to the foreign collaborator is not restricted.
There is no restriction on imports and exports.
The Union Budget2025-26 proposes to add 35 additional capital goods for EV battery manufacturing, and 28 additional capital goods for mobile phone battery manufacturing to the list of exempted capital goods. This will boost domestic manufacture of lithium-ion battery, both for mobile phones and electric vehicles.
National Capital Goods Policy (2016)
The National Capital Goods Policy, formulated by the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, is a comprehensive framework aims at boosting the capital goods sector in India. policy envisions increasing the sector’s contribution to manufacturing activity from 12% (2016) to 20% by 2025. It seeks to make India one of the top capital goods producing nations, aiming to more than double production and increase exports to at least 40% of the total production. Furthermore, the policy aims to enhance the technology depth within the sector, moving from basic and intermediate levels to advanced levels.
The major salient features of the policy are:
To increase budgetary allocation and scope of the Scheme on Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Capital Goods Sector adding components i.e. skills, capacity building, advanced manufacturing and cluster development.
To launch a Technology Development Fund under PPP model to fund technology acquisition/ transfer, purchase of IPRs/ designs and drawings/ commercialization.
To set up regional State-of-the-Art Greenfield Centre of Excellence for skill development.
To modernize existing CG manufacturing units, especially SMEs by replacing with the modern, computer controlled and energy efficient machineries across capital goods sub-sectors.
To upgrade/ develop, testing and certification infrastructure.
The National Capital Goods Policy, 2016, inter alia, recommended increasing the budgetary allocationand scope of the Scheme on Enhancement of Competitiveness of Capital Goods which included setting up of Centers of Excellence, Common Engineering Facility Centers, Integrated Industrial Infrastructure Park and Technology Acquisition Fund Programme. These recommendations were incorporated in the Phase II of the scheme.
Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector Phase I
In order to address the skill gaps, infrastructure development and technology needs for the capital goods sector, Phase I of the capital goods scheme was rolled out in November 2014 which had the total outlay of Rs 995.96 crores. Phase I of the scheme fostered partnerships between academia and industry for engendering technology development with government support. The outcome of the Scheme has proved the efficacy of the strategies deployed for technology and industrial infrastructure development.
Centre of Excellence (CoE): 8 CoEs have been established wherein 30 niche indigenous technologies have been successfully developed in the fields of machine tools, additive manufacturing, textile machinery, welding robots and alloys design, earth moving machinery, and sensor technologies at national research institutes of eminence such as Indian Institute of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) etc.
Common Engineering Facility Centres (CEFC) – 15 CEFCs including four Industry 4.0 SAMARTH centres and sixWeb-Based Technology Innovation Platforms (TIPs) have been setup. Industry 4.0 SAMARTH centres are at Indian Institute of Sciences at Bengaluru, Centre for Industry 4.0 (C4i4) lab at Pune, Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI) at Bengaluru and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi.
The six web-based open manufacturing technology innovation platforms are helping in bringing all India’s technical resources and the concerned Industry on to one platform to kick start and facilitate identification of technology problems faced by Indian Industry and crowd source solutions for the same in a systematic manner so as to facilitate start-ups and angel funding of India innovations.
Over 76,000 students, experts, institutes, industries and labs have already registered on these platforms so far.
Technology Acquisition Fund Programme (TAFP) – Following 5 technologies have been acquired from abroad under TAFP:
Development & Commercialization of Titanium Casting with Ceramic Shelling Technology;
Manufacturing of Heavy-Duty High Reliability Electrical Specialized Power Cables;
Development of Turn Mill Centre;
Development of Four Guideway CNC Lathe;
Cutting Edge Robotic Laser Cladding Technology.
Integrated Machine Tools Park, Tumakuru: An exclusive industrial park for machine tool industry has been developed across 530 acres at Tumkuru, Karnataka. So far, out of 336 acres of allottable land, 145 acres of land has been allotted to the machine tool manufacturers.
Under Phase- I of the Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector, 33 projects with budgetary support of Rs. 583.312 crore were sanctioned. After launching of the Capital Goods Scheme Phase II, The Phase I of the Capital Goods Scheme has been merged with Phase II of the Scheme.
Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector Phase II
Ministry of Heavy Industries notified the Phase 2 of the Scheme on January 25, 2022, with an objective to expand and enlarge the impact created by Phase I of the capital goods scheme, thereby providing greater impetus through creation of a strong and globally competitive capital goods sector. The scheme has a financial outlay of Rs. 1207 crores with budgetary support of Rs. 975 crore and industry contribution of Rs. 232 crores. Under the Phase II, a total of 33 projects with project cost of Rs 1366.94 crores (due to higher contribution by Industry) and government contribution of Rs 963.19 crore have been sanctioned by August 2024. There are six components under the Phase II and the details of the projects sanctioned so far are:
Setting up of New Advanced Centres of Excellence and augmentation of Existing Centres of Excellence: To expedite R&D by utilizing academia of repute and private industry which is involved in research and development activities. A total of 9 projects with the budget of Rs. 478.87 have been sanctioned so far.
Setting up of Common Engineering Facility Centres (CEFCs) and augmentation of existing CEFCs: For creating demonstration & training, consultancy, hand holding and R & D services and awareness programmes to industrial units. A total of 5 projects with the budget of Rs. 357.07 have been sanctioned so far.
Promotion of skilling in Capital Goods Sector: Creation of Qualification packages for skill levels 6 and above- in association with Skill Councils for skills level 6 and above. A total of 3 projects with the budget of Rs. 7.59 have been sanctioned so far.
Augmentation of Existing Testing and Certification Centres: To address the needs of Capital Goods Sector & Auto sector for testing of machinery in terms of various properties relating to mechanical, electrical, chemical, structural, metallurgical, electronics aspects etc. A total of 7 projects with the budget of Rs. 195.99 have been sanctioned so far.
Setting up of Industry Accelerators for Technology Development: Aimed at development of targeted indigenous technologies, scaled to meet the requirements of selected industry segment, which till now has been dependent on imports. Selected Academic Institute/ Industry Body will act as an Accelerator for fostering the development of such technologies. A total of 8 projects with the budget of Rs. 325.32 have been sanctioned so far.
Identification of Technologies through Technology Innovation Portals: Six Web-based open manufacturing technology innovation platforms have been developed under CG Scheme Phase-I. These are being supported under CG Scheme Phase-II.
The details of the funds allocated and its utilization under the Scheme for Enhancement of Competitiveness in the Indian Capital Goods Sector Phase- I and II is as given in the table below:
Recent Achievements of the Capital Goods Scheme
Sitarc, Coimbatore has indigenously developed a 6-inch BLDC submersible pump with a motor efficiency of 88% and a pump efficiency of 78% under the Capital Goods Scheme. This initiative promotes “Aatmanirbharta” by reducing the import of such pumps by 80%. This innovation was recognized as the best product in the pumps category by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
CMTI has developed a high-speed rapier loom machine capable of weaving yarns upto 450 RPM. This machine was launched at ITMA 2023 in Milan, Italy.
Under the SAMARTH centre at CMTI, Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) technology has been implemented in Toyota Engine Manufacturing line controlling 64 machines for preventive maintenance.
A testing facilities for battery andBattery Management System (BMS) has been established at ARAI, Pune for the first time in India under the aegis of Ministry of Heavy Industries.
6 Smart Technologies, 5 Smart Tools, 14 solutions have been developed in digital twin, virtual reality, robotics, inspection, sustainability, additive manufacturing etc. by I-4.0 India @ IISc, Bengaluru;
Under Industry Accelerator at ARAI-Advanced Mobility Transformation & Innovation Foundation (AMTIF) a high-voltage motor controller developed, which enabled the industry partner Raptee Energy Private Limited to launch a high-voltage motorcycle with electric car DNA.
Under Industry Accelerator at ARAI-Advanced Mobility Transformation & Innovation Foundation (AMTIF) thermally stable sodium-ion batteries developed.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
BHEL is a major contributor towards engineeringand manufacturing capacity building for the Country. The company is carrying out following initiatives with support from Ministry of Heavy industries under the Capital Goods Scheme Phase II:
• BHEL has established a “Common Engineering Facility Centre (CEFC)” for skill development in Welding Technology at WRI Trichy along with its extension centers at Varanasi, Ranipet, Bhopal, Jhansi and Haridwar units of BHEL.
• BHEL is establishing a testing facility comprising both Hardware in the Loop (HIL) and Software in the Loop (SIL) functionalities in the area of Industrial, Naval and Aircraft related processes at its Corporate R&D Unit at Hyderabad with support from Ministry of Heavy Industries.
Conclusion
The ‘Make in India’ initiative has had a transformative impact on the heavy industries and engineering sector. By fostering technological advancements, increasing domestic production, enhancing competitiveness, and generating employment, the initiative has played a pivotal role in strengthening India’s industrial base. With sustained policy support and continued investment, the sector is poised for further growth in the coming years.
Union Minister of State Dr. L. Murugan holds virtual meeting with South Indian Film Associations; urges technicians, producers and directors to join WAVES 2025 WAVES 2025 aims to unite all media segments under PM Modi’s vision; Union MoS Dr. L. Murugan calls for strong South Indian representation
Dr. L. Murugan Calls for Exclusive Pavilion for South Indian Film Industry at WAVES 2025, Engages Leading Production Houses
Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:47PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. L. Murugan, conducted a virtual meeting with officials from Film Associations representing Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The meeting was also attended by Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Shri C. Senthil Rajan, Joint Secretary (IP) and Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan M.N, Joint Secretary (Films).
South Indian Film Industry Participation at WAVES 2025
Key discussions focused on the progress of the upcoming World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), scheduled to take place from May 1st to 5th, 2025. The meeting emphasized the need for maximum participation from the South Indian film industry, including technicians, producers, directors and actors. It also explored the involvement of leading production houses and the establishment of a dedicated pavilion or booth at the WAVES Exhibition Space.
Position India as a Global Creative Leader
Concluding the meeting, Dr. L. Murugan highlighted that WAVES aims to unite all media segments under one umbrella, aligning with the vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He reiterated that this initiative is a significant step toward positioning India as a global leader in the creative industry.
About WAVES 2025
The first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), a milestone event for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, will be hosted by the Government of India in Mumbai, Maharashtra, from May 1 to 4, 2025.
This historic summit will bring together global leaders, media professionals, artists, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. The digital age presents both challenges and opportunities. Artificial intelligence, streaming revolutions, intellectual property rights, misinformation, and media sustainability are key concerns. As the first-ever event of its kind, WAVES 2025 will address these issues by promoting cultural diversity, innovation, and equitable access to media platforms.
By viewing the world through the prism of harmony, WAVES 2025 aspires to inspire meaningful connections, collaborative progress, and cultural unity. This session will be a crucial step in reinforcing the media and entertainment industry’s role as the biggest unifying factor between country to country, people to people and culture to culture in the digital age. WAVES 2025 emphasizes the power of unity by focusing on shared concerns, challenges faced by humanity, shared opportunities, collaborative growth and progress. This vision positions WAVES 2025 as a global platform for harmony, fostering meaningful dialogue and action that transcend borders.
By hosting WAVES 2025 in Mumbai, the summit will provide a forum for thought leaders. They will discuss how the media industry can act as the biggest unifying factor in a rapidly changing world. The sector serves as a powerful catalyst for cultural diplomacy, bridging divides between people, cultures, and nations.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
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Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (April 2) that Tsing Yi Southwest Swimming Pool in Kwai Tsing District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of vomit in the pool.
It will be reopened at 6.30am tomorrow.
The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.