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Defence Ministry Body, Kendriya Sainik Board, Allocates Rs 932 Crore in Grants to Over 3.7 Lakh Armed Forces Beneficiaries in Last 5 Years

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Over the past five years, the Kendriya Sainik Board (KSB), a body under the Defence Ministry, has allocated Rs 932 crore in grants to more than 3.7 lakh beneficiaries associated with the armed forces. These funds were distributed through various welfare schemes, including education grants for wards, daughters’ marriage support, and assistance for serious diseases. Recipients encompass ex-servicemen, widows, and dependents, benefiting from 10 welfare programs operated nationwide with the collaboration of 34 state KSBs and 410 district Sainik Boards. Among the grants provided are penury grants for non-pensioners up to Havildar rank, education grants, disabled children grants, orphan children grants, medical grants, daughter’s marriage grants, vocational training grants, and serious diseases grants. The Secretary of KSB, CMDE HP Singh, revealed that approximately Rs 932 crores have been disbursed to over 3.7 lakh beneficiaries in the last five years. In the fiscal year 2022-23 alone, grants totaling around Rs 250 crores have been distributed to over 99,000 beneficiaries. Singh highlighted the increase in grants for medical treatment, vocational training for widows, and assistance for serious diseases. Additionally, institutional grants have been extended to various centers and hostels across the country. The KSB, functioning under the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare in the Ministry of Defence, aims to enhance the financial and social status of ex-servicemen through an inclusive and participatory approach. The KSB Secretariat advises state and district Sainik Boards on welfare matters, offering guidance on schemes and fund management for the well-being of ex-servicemen and their dependents.

Defence Ministry Body, Kendriya Sainik Board, Allocates Rs 932 Crore in Grants to Over 3.7 Lakh Armed Forces Beneficiaries in Last 5 Years Read More »

Government e-Marketplace (GeM) Achieves Rs 2 Trillion GMV in 8 Months, Resulting in Rs 45,000 Crore Savings

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In less than eight months of the current fiscal year, the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing a Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) of over Rs 2 lakh crore. This exceeds the GMV recorded at the end of the previous fiscal year (2022-23). The average daily GMV has also experienced substantial growth, reaching over Rs 850 crore in the current financial year. A noteworthy aspect of this achievement is the substantial contribution of Central entities, including Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), which constitute an impressive 83% of the total GMV. The active participation of State Governments, making up the remaining 17%, highlights the widespread adoption of GeM’s transformative impact on public procurement. Several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, and Uttarakhand, have placed significant procurement orders. The collaboration between Central and State entities showcases a harmonious synergy that has propelled GeM to unprecedented success. GeM’s expansion into the services sector has played a pivotal role in driving its accelerated adoption, with the services segment experiencing exponential growth over the last three years. The services sector’s contribution to the total order value on the platform has surged from 23% in FY 21-22 to nearly 46% in the current financial year. This accomplishment reflects not only the platform’s rapid growth but also its crucial role in transforming public procurement throughout India. GeM’s commitment to fostering efficiency and transparency in procurement processes has enabled government agencies to access a diverse range of products and services in a streamlined and cost-effective manner. With a catalog featuring nearly 312 service categories and over 11,800 product categories, GeM caters effectively to the dynamic requirements of government buyers at all levels. Since its inception, GeM has surpassed a cumulative GMV of Rs 5.93 lakh crore, with over 1.8 crore transactions. GeM’s dedication to inclusivity and accessibility is evident in its integration with e-Gram Swaraj, streamlining Panchayat-level procurement and optimizing costs at the grassroots level. This approach showcases GeM’s influence on India’s procurement landscape, particularly in addressing the unique contexts and limitations of marginalized seller segments such as small and medium enterprises, women entrepreneurs, startups, and artisans. Nearly 49% of the total order value transacted through the platform has been awarded to MSEs. In just seven months, over 45,000 MSEs have registered as sellers/service providers on GeM. GeM’s success lies in its commitment to cost savings, contributing to government savings of over Rs 45,000 crore since 2016. According to the Economic Survey 2021-22, GeM’s prices were 9.5% lower than other online platforms for 10 out of 22 commodities. GeM’s transformative journey reflects transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity driven by cutting-edge technology and innovation.

Government e-Marketplace (GeM) Achieves Rs 2 Trillion GMV in 8 Months, Resulting in Rs 45,000 Crore Savings Read More »

India’s First AI-Powered Agricultural News Monitoring and Analysis Solution ‘Krishi 24/7’ Launched by Government

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News on Gov

The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), in partnership with the Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence (Wadhwani AI), has introduced ‘Krishi 24/7,’ India’s inaugural AI-driven solution for automated monitoring and analysis of agricultural news. Developed with support from Google.org, this innovation will enable the DA&FW to identify pertinent agricultural news, issue timely alerts, and take swift actions to safeguard farmers’ interests and encourage sustainable agricultural development by enhancing decision-making. The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare underlines the necessity for an efficient mechanism to pinpoint and manage agricultural news articles that can facilitate prompt decision-making. Krishi 24/7 scans news articles in various languages, translates them into English, and extracts crucial information, including headlines, crop names, event details, dates, locations, severity, summaries, and source links, ensuring that the ministry receives timely updates on pertinent events found on the internet. During the launch of this initiative, Manoj Ahuja, Secretary (A&FW), emphasized that this news monitoring system not only keeps stakeholders informed but also empowers them to shape the narrative. He encouraged continuous improvement and adaptability to the evolving landscape of information. Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary (Extension), explained the system’s functions, which aim to provide near real-time monitoring of online agricultural news articles, helping the DA&FW identify relevant news and establish a comprehensive mechanism for event selection, alert creation, and timely action. JP Tripathi, Associate Director (Ag) at Wadhwani AI, highlighted their commitment to developing AI solutions for addressing challenges where news monitoring and validation have been manual and time-consuming. He mentioned the successful deployment of a similar solution for tracking and analyzing disease outbreaks in collaboration with the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). By collaborating with the DA&FW and other central government bodies, their goal is to provide effective tools that enhance information flow through data-driven decision-making.

India’s First AI-Powered Agricultural News Monitoring and Analysis Solution ‘Krishi 24/7’ Launched by Government Read More »

India Mobile Congress 2023 Draws Record 1.5 Lakh Attendees, Showcasing Telecom and Technology Advancements

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India Mobile Congress 2023, the 7th edition of the nation’s largest telecommunications industry event, witnessed an impressive turnout of over 1.5 lakh attendees over the course of three days. This marks a notable 55% increase in footfall compared to the previous year, as revealed by data shared by India Mobile Congress (IMC). In 2022, the event had seen 1,00,210 participants over three days. Ramakrishna P, CEO of India Mobile Congress, stated, “As we establish IMC as a premier technology platform going beyond telecom, this year’s edition of IMC had a spectacular show of future technologies and engaging discussions spread over 3 days. We are really happy to note the highest-ever attendance of over 1.5 lakh at IMC 2023,” The event, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 27, saw a substantial increase in attendance on the opening day, with 7,600 attendees compared to 3,532 in the previous year. Additionally, the number of participating countries at the event more than doubled, increasing from 31 in the previous year to 67 in 2023. IMC 2023 also witnessed the active involvement of 402 startups, marking a fourfold increase from the previous year’s participation.

India Mobile Congress 2023 Draws Record 1.5 Lakh Attendees, Showcasing Telecom and Technology Advancements Read More »

PM Modi Reviews Progress of Rs 31,000 Crore Worth of Key Projects Across Seven States

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted a PRAGATI meeting on Wednesday to assess the progress of eight significant projects spanning seven states, collectively valued at approximately Rs 31,000 crore, according to a statement from his office. PRAGATI, a multi-modal platform for Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation of projects involving both the central and state governments, marked its 43rd edition during this meeting. These projects encompassed various domains, with four focusing on water supply and irrigation, two centred on expanding national highways and connectivity, and two related to rail and metro rail connectivity. The statement specified, “These projects have a cumulative cost of around Rs 31,000 crore and relate to 7 states: Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.” Prime Minister Modi stressed the importance of leveraging the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan Portal in conjunction with technologies like satellite imagery to address implementation and planning challenges regarding project location and land requirements. He recommended that stakeholders involved in projects within densely populated urban areas appoint nodal officers and establish teams to enhance coordination. For irrigation projects, the Prime Minister advised organizing visits to areas where successful rehabilitation and reconstruction work had been carried out, with the intention of showcasing the transformational impact of these projects to inspire early execution. During the meeting, he also examined the progress of ‘Mobile Towers and 4G Coverage under USOF Projects.’ These projects aim to provide mobile coverage to 33,573 villages through 24,149 mobile towers under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF). Modi instructed officials to ensure that mobile towers are installed in all uncovered villages within the current financial year, emphasizing the importance of regular meetings with all stakeholders to achieve full mobile coverage even in remote areas. According to the statement, up to the 43rd edition of PRAGATI meetings, a total of 348 projects with a combined cost of Rs 17.36 lakh crore have undergone review.

PM Modi Reviews Progress of Rs 31,000 Crore Worth of Key Projects Across Seven States Read More »

NHAI Unveils Enhanced AI-Powered ATMS for Improved Road Safety and Digital Enforcement on Indian Highways

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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has introduced an updated policy to enhance road safety and reduce response times to incidents on the nation’s highways and expressways. This initiative leverages the latest advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology and focuses on digital enforcement of traffic regulations. As part of these improvements, the previous VIDS cameras are being replaced with the newly developed Video Incident Detection and Enforcement System (VIDES). VIDES is equipped to identify 14 distinct incidents, including violations such as triple riding, not wearing helmets or seatbelts, driving in the wrong lane or direction, the presence of animals on the road, and pedestrian crossings. Depending on the detected incident, VIDES will trigger responses such as notifying route patrol vehicles or ambulances, generating electronic traffic violation fines (e-challans), relaying alerts to nearby Variable Messaging Boards, or sending notifications through the ‘Rajmargyatra’ mobile app to nearby travelers. To ensure comprehensive coverage, these cameras will be installed approximately every 10 kilometers along the national highways, with advanced Command & Control Centers every 100 kilometers that integrate feeds from various cameras. The Vehicle Speed Detection System (VSDS) is now integrated into VIDES, optimizing the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras. Additionally, the Traffic Monitoring Camera System (TMCS) positioned every 1 kilometer on the national highways is being enhanced with capabilities such as automated accident detection and identifying stalled vehicles. NHAI is strengthening collaboration with local traffic agencies by providing dedicated workstations for traffic police representatives in the Command & Control Centers, facilitating real-time coordination and response through network sharing of camera feeds. The deployment of Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) is expected to contribute to disaster management by offering valuable input for effective planning and implementation. It will also enable the online sharing of highway status and other crucial information, benefiting both the agencies and highway users. The policy also includes provisions for developing integrated utility corridors along the national highways to establish Optic Fiber Cables (OFC) infrastructure. While the ATMS equipment will initially use OFC for communication with the Command & Control Centers, the policy also anticipates future integration of 5G-based communication tools as 5G coverage expands.

NHAI Unveils Enhanced AI-Powered ATMS for Improved Road Safety and Digital Enforcement on Indian Highways Read More »

MeitY Working Groups Deliver First IndiaAI Report with ‘AI for All’ Vision

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Seven working groups under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have delivered the inaugural IndiaAI report on October 13. The report was officially presented to Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT. He emphasized that this report will serve as India’s guiding roadmap for nurturing its AI ecosystem. The report represents a comprehensive plan for IndiaAI, aligning with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of “India for AI and AI for India” and aiming to be a catalyst for the 1 trillion dollar digital economy. According to MeitY, the government’s approach to AI is comprehensive and ambitious, demonstrated by a wide array of initiatives under the IndiaAI program. IndiaAI follows a mission-centric approach focused on improving the existing AI ecosystem in areas such as computational infrastructure, data, AI funding, research, skill development, and institutional capacity for data to harness AI’s potential for India’s progress. Rajeev Chandrasekhar outlined how IndiaAI is not limited to supporting startups and skill development but also includes key components like the India Datasets Platform, a vast collection of anonymized datasets for Indian researchers. Additionally, the India AI Compute Platform, a public-private partnership, will offer significant GPU capacity to startups and researchers. IndiaAI will also back the development of AI chips in collaboration with the Semicon India program. The report provides details on establishing Centers of Excellence, the institutional framework for data governance, and suggestions for leveraging India’s demographic dividend as an IT powerhouse to enhance AI skills in the country. It also outlines recommendations for the Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme, which aims to provide financial incentives and infrastructure support to domestic firms, startups, and MSMEs. MeitY’s statement underlines that the goal of this comprehensive study is to identify actionable steps for achieving the vision of “AI for all” across all aspects of IndiaAI.

MeitY Working Groups Deliver First IndiaAI Report with ‘AI for All’ Vision Read More »

Government Launches Chemical Sector Statistical Data Portal to Promote Industry Efficiency

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The Indian government has introduced a web portal aimed at providing valuable statistical information concerning the chemical sector to all interested parties. This portal, accessible at www.charak.chemicals.gov.in, serves as a platform for gathering data on various aspects of the chemical industry, including production, installed capacity, exports, imports, purchases, and sales. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers made this announcement. The web portal, a collaborative effort between the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and the National Informatics Centre, was unveiled at a workshop organized by the industry association FICCI in New Delhi. The Department plans to conduct similar workshops in several cities, such as Vadodara, Vapi, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhubaneswar, and Hyderabad, during October and November. The primary goal of this portal is to enhance the chemical and petrochemical industries by streamlining data collection, promoting efficiency, and granting access to the latest industry innovations and technological advancements. Furthermore, the portal will empower users, researchers, educators, and policymakers to generate quick visual representations and comprehensive reports tailored to the specific requirements of the chemical sector. This initiative will establish a support system for promoting industry best practices, establish an accurate inventory of chemical data, and provide geographical data support to various stakeholders, including policymakers, affiliated industries, researchers, and educators, as stated in the release.

Government Launches Chemical Sector Statistical Data Portal to Promote Industry Efficiency Read More »

India Issues Ultimatum to Canada to Withdraw 41 Diplomats by October 10

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India has issued an ultimatum to Canada, demanding the removal of 41 diplomats by October 10, warning that failure to do so will result in the loss of diplomatic immunity for these officials. This move comes amid escalating diplomatic tensions between the two nations, with India insisting that Canada needs to significantly reduce its diplomatic presence to achieve parity with Indian diplomats stationed in Ottawa. Currently, there are over 60 Canadian diplomats in India, while India has just over 20 diplomats in Canada. The strained relations between the two countries were exacerbated by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s recent statement in Parliament, where he accused “Indian government agents” of being involved in the assassination of a designated Indian terrorist. This accusation has further strained diplomatic ties and pushed them to an all-time low. Following Trudeau’s allegations, both India and Canada expelled one diplomat each from the other’s embassies, further escalating tensions. India has vehemently denied Canada’s claims, labelling them as politically motivated and lacking credible evidence. The call for a reduction in Canadian diplomatic staff became public in September when India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, stated, “Yes, we’ve informed the government of Canada that there should be parity in the strength of our mutual diplomatic presence. Their number is much higher than ours in Canada… I assume there will be a reduction from the Canadian side.”

India Issues Ultimatum to Canada to Withdraw 41 Diplomats by October 10 Read More »

PM Modi to Virtually Distribute 51,000 Appointment Letters in Nationwide Job Fair

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In a virtual event scheduled for Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute approximately 51,000 appointment letters to recently recruited government employees across various departments. This nationwide ‘Rozgar Mela’ will take place simultaneously at 46 locations, as announced by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The newly appointed individuals will be joining different government ministries and departments, including the Department of Posts, Indian Audit & Accounts Department, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Revenue, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, among others. The PMO emphasized that the Rozgar Mela is a significant step towards fulfilling the Prime Minister’s commitment to prioritize employment generation. It is expected to serve as a catalyst for further job creation, offering meaningful opportunities to young individuals for empowerment and active participation in the country’s development. Additionally, the newly appointed personnel will have the chance to enhance their skills through the Karmayogi Prarambh program, an online module available on the iGOT Karmayogi portal. This platform offers access to over 680 e-learning courses designed for flexible learning on any device, further enriching the training opportunities for the new recruits.

PM Modi to Virtually Distribute 51,000 Appointment Letters in Nationwide Job Fair Read More »