Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:42PM by PIB Delhi

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):

1. The work for raising sectional speed to 160 kmph has been sanctioned and is in advance stage.
2. Out of 1386 Km route length, 196 Km has 4 rail lines and construction of 3^rd & 4^th line between Dahanu Road-Virar (64 Km) has been taken up.
3. Survey for 3^rd and 4^th line in the balance section for 1126 KM has-been sanctioned.
4. 1404 Km of Western DFC (double line) has been commissioned and the work in the balance section for 102 Km has been taken up.
5. Construction of Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Corridor (double line) covering length of 508 Km has been taken up.

Delhi-Howrah section (1450 Km):

1. The work for raising sectional speed to 160 kmph has been sanctioned and is in advance stage.
2. 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.
3. Following projects have been sanctioned and work taken up:

• Multi tracking of Son Nagar – Andal (375 Km)
• Aligarh  – Daud Khan 3^rd line (18 Km)
• Mughalsarai – Allahabad  3^rd line (150 Km)
• Kalipahari-Bakhtarnagar 5^th Line (18 Km)
• Saktigarh-Chandanpur 4^th line (43 Km)
• Extension of Nimcha up avoiding line (9.42 Km)

4. Surveys for construction of 3^rd line of 480 km, 4^th line of 96 Km and 5th line of 151 Km have been sanctioned.
5. 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.

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Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

 

(Release ID: 2118006) Visitor Counter : 35

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:21PM by PIB Delhi

Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) hosted a knowledge sharing session on Livelihood Promotion through Self-Employment at the Grassroots Level in New Delhi today. The event brought together 35 delegates representing 10 African countries, creating a vibrant atmosphere of collaboration and learning. The session was facilitated by National Institute of Labour Economics Research & Development (NILERD).  

The session commenced with a welcome address by Ms. Smriti Sharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Rural Development. Ms. Sharan greeted the participants in Zulu language with the word “Sawubona,” which means “I see you” and signifies a deeper recognition of dignity and worth, set the tone for the training session. She talked about the shared history and values of both the regions and underlined the importance of collaboration in the endeavour of rural prosperity.  

Thematic teams under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojna – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM) showcased their expertise through insightful presentations. Themes such as Farm Livelihood, Non-Farm Livelihood, Financial Inclusion, Social Inclusion, Food, Nutrition, Health & WASH (FNHW), Institution Building and Capacity Building (IBCB), and Gender were highlighted to provide an overview of the mission’s comprehensive approach.

Participants expressed their appreciation, describing the session as immensely beneficial and emphasizing their intention to implement these learnings in their respective countries. They said they are amazed to see how India’s rural growth history is being written by women, which is a great example for the rest of the world.

The closing remarks by Ms. Rajeshwari SM, Director, Ministry of Rural Development, encapsulated the success of the forum as a platform for exchanging ideas and experiences in rural livelihood programmes.

Dr. Molishree, Director, MoRD, Dr. Monika, Deputy Secretary, MoRD, Shri Alok Jawahar, Shri Raman Wadhwa, various thematic leads from DAY-NRLM, faculty members of NILERD were also present on this occasion.

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Pawan Singh Faujdar

(Release ID: 2117943) Visitor Counter : 65

Source: Government of India

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:

1. Passenger earnings: Reserved passenger earnings (through the Passenger Reservation System) and unreserved passenger earnings (through Unreserved Ticketing System).
2. Freight earnings: transportation of Goods, demurrage, wharfage, etc.
3. Other Coaching earnings: Parcel, Luggage, platform tickets, postal haulage charges, cloak room charges, demurrage / wharfage of Parcels, etc. and
4. 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.

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Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

(Release ID: 2118008) Visitor Counter : 32

Source: Government of India

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.

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Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

(Release ID: 2118010) Visitor Counter : 32

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:40PM by PIB Delhi

On April 1, 2025, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj hosted an interactive session on Decentralized Governance & Public Administration for a distinguished delegation from Mozambique. The delegation was hosted by Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), and Shri Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, MoPR. The Mozambique delegation was headed by Prof. Benigna Zimba, Coordinator of Commission of Reflection on the Model of Decentralisation (CREMOD), established by the Government of Mozambique. This delegation is visiting India specifically to study the country’s decentralization framework and the Panchayati Raj system in India.

During the interaction, Shri Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, MoPR shared a comprehensive overview of the Panchayati Raj system in India.  He emphasized upon the constitutional framework that supports local self-governance in India and elaborated upon the journey of decentralization since the 73^rdConstitutional Amendment. Shri Lohani also highlighted the significant role and representation of women in the Panchayati Raj system. He underlined the activities and transformative changes in the governance mechanism during the last ten years, which have brought about positive transformation at grassroots level.

Shri Alok Prem Nagar, Joint Secretary, MoPR shared his valuable insights on the operational aspects of Panchayati Raj Institutions and the various initiatives undertaken by the Ministry to strengthen local governance across the country. He particularly emphasized on the role of digital transformation in enhancing transparency and efficiency in PRIs.

Issues of Capacity Building & Training (CB&T) of PRIs, good practices adopted by various States and Union Territories, e-Governance at the Panchayat level, digital governance, integration of e-GramSwaraj with Government e-Market place (GeM) were also elaborated upon. The session also emphasized how digital platforms have improved service delivery and reduced bureaucratic hurdles. Citizen Charter of PRIs was another focal point of the discussion, highlighting its significance in establishing clear expectations between citizens and PRIs.  Key themes like Own Source Revenue mobilization, Finance Commission Grants, localization of SDGs, and PESA Act etc. were also discussed during the session.

Prof. Benigna Zimba and other members of the Mozambique delegation actively participated in the interactive session, sharing the distinct features of the Decentralized Governance model in Mozambique,  providing insights into their country’s governance structure, ongoing reforms, and future prospects. The delegation expressed particular interest in India’s digital governance initiatives and capacity-building programs, recognizing their potential applicability in the Mozambican context.

The Mozambique delegation included Prof. Benigna Zimba (Member and Coordinator, CREMOD), Mr. Francisco Eliseu de Sousa (Member), Mr. Flavio Mulamdo (Secretariat), and Mr. Tuarique Abdala (Secretariat). Mr. Orlando Rodolfo, Minister Counsellor, High Commission of Mozambique, New Delhi.

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Aditi Agrawal

(Release ID: 2117959) Visitor Counter : 45

Source: Government of India

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal to inaugurate Startup Mahakumbh

2nd edition of Startup Mahakumbh to be held from April 3-5 at Bharat Mandapam

Over 45 Tribal entrepreneurs to participate in the event

Event to witness representation from over 50 countries

Posted On: 02 APR 2025 7:47PM by PIB Delhi

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal will inaugurate the second edition of Startup Mahakumbh, set to take place at Bharat Mandapam from April 3-5, 2025.The event  aims to contribute further to India’s economic growth and showcase to the world the unfolding story of Bharat. Minister of State, Ministry of Commerce & Industry and Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology,Shri Jitin Prasada, will deliver a special address during the inaugural event.

The event’s unmatched scale and diversity of participants will provide an invaluable platform for entrepreneurs, investors, and thought leaders to come together, share ideas, and create lasting connections. With a strong focus on fostering innovation and collaboration, Startup Mahakumbh will lay the foundation for the next wave of entrepreneurial success. During this year’s edition Tribal entrepreneurs are also set to take the stage with participation from 45+ startups including those incubated at IIM Calcutta, IIM Kashipur, and IIT Bhilai.

Explaining the theme of the event, Shri Sanjiv, Joint Secretary, DPIIT, said, “Startup Mahakumbh will be a true ‘sangam’ of startup and industry ‘MahaRathis’ from across the Indian districts and the world – Jile se Jagat tak. With representation from multiple districts of India and 50 countries, the event will be a great opportunity to connect and collaborate. While at one end we will have a flying taxi made in India on display, at the other we have countries like Korea setting up a pavilion of 11 startups and Nepal putting up the largest pavilion with one of its startups showcasing a 2-stage rocket powered by sustainable hybrid propulsion rocket engines. I am really excited and looking forward to the next three days of some pathbreaking ideas and enriching discussions.”

The first edition of the flagship startup event attracted over 48,581 business visitors engaging with 1306 exhibitors including finest startups, soonicorns, and unicorns, from 26+ states and 14+ countries. It also hosted 300+ incubators and accelerators and 200+ leading angel investors, VCs, and family offices.

Startup Mahakumbh brings together the entire startup ecosystem of India including entrepreneurs, investors, incubators and accelerators, and industry leaders from several sectors. The event is led by FICCI, ASSOCHAM, IVCA and Bootstrap Advisory & Foundation; and supported by SIDBI, GEM, ECGC, Meity and DPIIT Startup India.

For more information, visit www.startupmahakumbh.org.

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Abhishek Dayal/Abhijith Narayanan

(Release ID: 2118013) Visitor Counter : 16

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Attention TV/radio announcers:

Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:

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.

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:11PM by PIB Delhi

The production of coal in the country during the financial years 2013-14 and 2023-24 along with the contribution of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL) is given below:

(Figures in Million Tonnes)

Year	Country production	SECL contribution
2013-14	565.765	124.261
2014-15	609.179	128.275
2015-16	639.230	137.934
2016-17	657.868	140.003
2017-18	675.400	144.709
2018-19	728.718	157.349
2019-20	730.874	150.546
2020-21	716.083	150.606
2021-22	778.210	142.514
2022-23	893.191	167.006
2023-24	997.826	187.536

 

The auction of commercial coal mines during the year 2020 has increased the coal production. The details of coal production is as under:

(Figures in Million Tonnes)

Sr No	Coal Mine	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25* (Till 24.03.2025)
1	Gare Palma- IV/1	0.37	6.00	7.20	6.82
2	Gare Palma- IV/7	0.79	1.20	1.43	1.68
3&4	Gotitoria (East & West)	0	0.02	0.30	0.25
5	Takli Jena Bellora	0	0	0.09	0.70
6	Gare Palma IV/6	0	0	1.8	3.93
7	Utkal C	0	0	1.03	3.36
8 & 9	Gare Palma IV/2 & IV/3	0	0	0.71	5.96
10	Rajhara (Central & Eastern)	0	0	0	0.01
11	Bhaskarpara	0	0.00	0.00	0.06
Total		1.16	7.22	12.56	22.77

*Provisional

This information was given by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

(Release ID: 2117932) Visitor Counter : 44

Source: Government of India

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.

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PIB TEAM WAVES 2025 | Dharmendra Tewari / Navin Sreejith | 85

(Release ID: 2117966) Visitor Counter : 59

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 02 APR 2025 6:11PM by PIB Delhi

Since year 2020, a total of 109 coal mines have been allocated through commercial coal mine auction, of which 15 mines are operational. Additionally, during the same period, 392 non-coal major mineral blocks have been auctioned, of which 32 are operational.

No coal/lignite mine has been allocated by Ministry of Coal through commercial coal mine auction in state of Rajasthan.

Since the launch of Commercial coal mining in 2020 till January 2025, revenue of about Rs. 4149.76 crores has been realized in the form of Upfront amount and Monthly Payments (excluding royalty, cess, DMF, NMET etc.) to the State Govts. of coal/ lignite bearing areas for further utilization. State wise revenue generated from commercial mining in the form of Upfront amount and Monthly Payments (excluding royalty, cess, DMF, NMET etc.) is as under:

The Ministry of Coal is actively addressing delays in coal mine operationalization including from environmental clearances and land acquisition through several key measures. A Monitoring Committee has been constituted under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Coal) with Chief Secretaries from respective Host States, Secretary (MoEF& CC), Coal Controller Organization (CCO) & CMPDIL as members of the Committee to conduct regular reviews and to expedite the development of blocks.

This information was given by Union Minister of Coal and Mines Shri G. Kishan Reddy in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

(Release ID: 2117930) Visitor Counter : 61