Amir Subahani IAS (Bihar 1987) presently posted as Principal Secretary of the Panchayati Raj department Government of Bihar. The new Government of Nitish has transferred him as Principal Secretary, Home and General Administration Department (GAD) Government of Bihar due to he was removed from the post by the Election Commission of India.
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A Railway Chair on Sustainable Mobility is being set up at TERI University, New Delhi. An MOU in this regard was signed on 23 November, 2015 in the presence of the Minister for Railways Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu. The Chair would focus and promote research on issues of sustainable mobility, use of energy efficient technology and green energy initiatives by the Railways and would facilitate research into finding innovative solutions to these issues that are extremely important in today’s environment. Signatories to the MoU are Shri Rajiv Seth, Vice Chancellor, TERI University,and Shri Manoj Pandey, ED, Training and Man Power, Planning, Ministry of Railways. Shri Pradeep Kumar, Member Staff, Railway Board was among those present on the occasion.
Salient features:
1. The Chair shall be called ‘Indian Railways Chair for Sustainable Mobility’
2. The Chair would focus on research in various aspects of railways that has emerged as a crucial mode of transport to achieve sustainable development in the country.
3. The University would aim for imparting knowledge and enriching professionals in all aspects of sustainability with a multi-dimensional perspective relevant to Indian Railways. The Chair is expected to involve itself into issues of sustainable development, especially relevant to the rail infrastructure, use of energy efficient technology and green energy initiatives of the Railways, and to research into finding innovative solutions to these.
4. It should lend strength to the ongoing research and teaching and should open new vistas of research in the field of Rail Transport.
5. The tenure of the Chair would be one year initially, extendable upon review.
6. Annual funding is Rs 20 lakhs.
7. A Chair Professor would be appointed, who will be a renowned academician/ professional of repute, selected by the Chairman, Board of Management, TERI University, and a nominee of the Ministry of Railways.
Scope of work
a) To provide leadership in conducting research and teaching in the area of Rail Transport including energy management.
b) Dissemination of knowledge in the area
c) Advice to the Railways on specific projects related to the Chair.
d) Following are the indicative areas of research in rail transport:-
(i) Policy Interventions and strategies for increasing the modal share of rail transport;
(ii) Strategic, Capacity and Investment Planning in Railways;
(iii) Climate change with focus on GHG emission in Railway sector;
(iv) International and Global practices and innovations in Railway sector
(v) Better infrastructure productivity with improved energy efficiency and sustainable development through renewable energy resources.
(vi) Any other item on sustainable development on Railways, viz, Waste Management, Pollution Control, Environment Management and monitoring tools on Indian Railways, etc.
In addition to the above, the Chair shall also
a) Guide the research of at least one PhD scholar and two master’s level students in each year
b) Undertaking research, resulting in at least one paper on a relevant subject in a year, the specific areas of research jointly decided by the Ministry of Railways and the TERI University.
c) Developing at least one case study on Indian Rail Transport in a year, for training of Railways Managers.
d) Disseminating the research and case studies including testing facilities through seminars and presentations at the National Academy of Indian Railways or any other location suggested by the Indian Railways.
Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State (IC) for Power, Coal and New & Renewable Energy said that energy efficiency is one of the biggest achievements of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi led government. While delivering the keynote address at 95th Annual event of ASSOCHAM, Shri Goyal informed that targets of renewable energy has been scaled up to five times and at present provides opportunity for $110 bn investments. The Minister said, “We are not only going to achieve RE targets by 2022, but we are going to achieve it with grid parity”.
Talking about the functioning of Government, Shri Piyush Goyal said that it is focusing its efforts to bring structural improvements in the country. We are working towards socio- economic transformation of the nation through holistic development of its citizens. The Minister said that focusing on principles of good governance will take India to a golden age of sustainable development rather than shortcut measures.
The Government has brought forward the target date by three years from 2022 to 2019 to achieve complete rural connectivity through all-weather roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, PMGSY. Union Minister for Rural Development Shri Birender Singh said that this accelerated implementation will be achieved by providing enhanced financial allocation and through a modified funding pattern in the Scheme. He said, the government has also decided to increase the annual allocation during year 2015-16 by Rs. 5,000 crore and with this the total Central allocation to States would be Rs. 15,100 crore, while it was Rs 9,960 crore during 2014-15. It may be noted that the Central release to the States for PMGSY works was Rs.5, 196 crore in 2013-14 and Rs. 4,313 crore in 2012-13.
PMGSY was launched in year 2000 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with the objective to provide single all-weather road connectivity to all eligible unconnected rural habitations. Under PMGSY-I, 1,78,184 unconnected habitations were identified. However, in 15 years of implementation so far, 1,12,550 habitations (63%) have been connected with PMGSY roads. The States are yet to complete the roads to provide connectivity to about 37% of habitations as per the mandate of the Scheme.
Shri Singh said that higher allocation of funds will ensure that Scheme targets are achieved by March, 2019 much before the stipulated time of 2022. He said, this decision of the government will give a big boost for public investment in the rural sector particularly rural infrastructure.
Shri Birender Singh said that his Ministry is also considering to financially incentivise the States who achieve the targets allocated to them, within the prescribed time frame. This incentive could be used for periodic maintenance expenditure by the States. He said, the Ministry of Rural Development is working in collaboration with the States for preparing a time bound action plan to cover the outstanding liabilities for sanctioned works so as to meet the liabilities of all sanctioned works within 2016-17. The Minister said, the enhanced level of Central allocation to States for 2015-16 as well as the proposed allocation of the same amount for 2016-17 would help in providing connectivity to 29,000 eligible habitations in these two years which would be much higher than 13,424 habitations connected during 2012-13 and 2013-14.
The Minister also informed that consequent to higher devolution of funds to the States as per the recommendations of 14th Finance Commission, the Sub-Group of Chief Ministers on Rationalization of Centrally Sponsored Schemes was constituted and it has submitted its Report wherein it has recommended that fund sharing pattern of PMGSY will be in the ratio of 60:40 between the Centre and States for all States except for 8 North Eastern and 3 Himalayan States for which it will be 90:10. He said, the Sub-Group has also recommended that this modified sharing pattern should be effective from Financial Year 2015-16 onwards. The above recommendation of the Sub-Group on modified sharing pattern has been accepted and all ongoing as well as outstanding works would be covered under this sharing pattern.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi meeting the family members of INA veterans, at the Indian National Army Memorial Marker, in Singapore .
The Government has decided to observe 26th November as ‘Constitution Day. On the day in 1949, the constitution was adopted which came into force on January 26, 1950 marking the beginning of a new era in the history of India. This year, the country is celebrating 125th birth Anniversary of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar . The ‘Constitution Day’ will be a part of these year-long nationwide celebrations. This will be a tribute to Dr. Ambedkar , who played a seminal role in the framing of the Indian Constitution as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of Constituent Assembly
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is the Nodal Ministry for celebration of Constitution Day. A number of activities will be taken up by other Ministries/Departments which include:-
iii. Essay competitions and quizzes to be organized on the theme of the Constitution.
Thales unveils Spy’Ranger, the latest-generation surveillance and reconnaissance mini-drone specifically tailored to the needs of armed forces, security forces and essential operators. With the increase in battlefield anti-drone countermeasures, modern field units need platforms with ever higher security and survivability capabilities to ensure that they are not neutralized during combat operations when the intelligence that the drones gather is most crucial. Spy’Ranger has been designed by a team consisting of Europe’s premier drone developers from both Thales and French aerospace SME, Aviation Design.
Its development rests along four technological pillars: a robust and innovative electric powered airframe, the most advanced gimbal in the world to optimise observed frontline and range, the highest tactical datalink standard, and a combat-proven command and The reason why these technologies are the cornerstone of its development is simple. Combined, they render the Spy’Ranger the most effective surveillance platform in the world, able to maintain combat effectiveness under most adverse conditions and despite most concerted efforts to disrupt operational effectiveness. The gimbal is a veritable breakthrough in itself. Most drones will not be able to maintain sensor equipment on target during sudden and violent manoeuvres. The Spy’Ranger gimbal will maintain the camera and sensor equipment on target even if the aircraft is pushing the manoeuvring limits of its airframe. This makes it effective under most tactical scenarios, especially when overflying enemy airspace, meaning that whatever the situation, field units will not lose intelligence data during combat.
The tactical datalink is one of the most robust ever deployed on a reconnaissance mini-drone. Communications are secured and encrypted to maintain service availability in jammed conditions and to prevent intrusions into the system. For a unit in the field this level of fidelity is crucial to maintain operational intelligence even in the most difficult operations against well-equipped adversaries. Finally the combat-proven command and control software provides an effective user interface that allows the drone to be operated by a single pilot and with a reduced training phase. This intermix of technologies is what renders Spy’Ranger the most suitable surveillance drone for modern day battlefields, both for frontline intelligence gathering and security hovering operations.
Shri Babul Supriyo, Hon’ble Minister of State for Urban Development, Govt. of India, inaugurated “NBCC SMART HUB PAVILION” at ITPO, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi . The Minister was accompanied by Dr. Anoop Kumar Mittal, Chairman- cum-Managing Director, NBCC, its Directors and senior officials. Participation of NBCC in this India International Trade Fair-2015 has been unique in itself as about 50 of its associates including ones from Japan, Malaysia and Korea also put up their stalls in the NBCC Smart Hub Pavilion, displaying their products and services related to smart construction. Speaking on the occasion after visiting all the stalls, the Hon’ble Minister appreciated the initiatives of NBCC in construction field and particularly in execution of projects on Smart City concepts. Dr. Mittal, after taking the Hon’ble Minister around Smart Hub NBCC Pavilion also briefed the Media and stated that NBCC has been making constant endeavour to add value to the construction sector and is presently focusing on development of Smart Cities all across the nation as also redevelopment of Govt. properties. He specifically mentioned about NBCC’s huge projects of recent time such as Redevelopment of East Kidwai Nagar, New Delhi; development of East Delhi Hub, Karkardooma and Lake View Complex, Trilokpuri, New Delhi on TOD Norms and Smart City concept.
NBCC Smart Hub Pavilion at this year’s Trade Fair, comprehensively showcases the revolutionary shift taking place in the country in respect of construction and development of Hubs and Commercial spaces that takes care of environment, incorporation of smart features, faster construction techniques etc. One of the models on display at NBCC Pavilion is Rs.5000 Crore, East Kidwai Nagar- Redevelopment Project, under implementation by the Company that clearly depicts the smartness taken place in construction activities involving aesthetics and sustainability.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh addressing a press conference at Aizawl, Mizoram said, the government is committed to develop Mizoram as the ‘Bamboo State of India’.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the State of Mizoram is blessed with very high production of bamboo, which can be turned into a major source, not only for furniture but also for paper supply to the rest of the country. This could, not only generate revenue for the State, but also create opportunities for youth outside India. In this regard, he said, he had already initiated an effort to reinforce “Bamboo Development Board” of India.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the successive Governments had neglected Mizoram’s vast potentials and this is an opportunity for the people of the State to ensure adequate implementation of various pro-poor Central schemes initiated by the Modi government.
Dr. Jitendra Singh referred to the rising prevalence of cancer in the State, which is the highest in Mizoram and said, at the initiative of the DoNER Ministry, very soon, we will have cancer care facilities in collaboration with other advanced institutes of the country like Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai. In this regard, he said, the local municipal bodies to be elected through the poll on 26th November will be expected to play a crucial role by mobilizing local population to avail of the facility provided by the Modi Government.
Mizoram has a high literacy rate of over 92%, next to the State of Kerala, said Dr Jitendra Singh and added that some of the scholars from Mizoram are occupying important teaching faculty positions in reputed colleges and Universities in the rest of the country. But, he said, the irony is that local government here has failed to bring up standard educational institutes which has led to brain drain to other parts of the country.
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Ms. Preeti Saran (IFS 1982) presently posted as Ambassador of India, Hanoi has been appointed as Secretary (East) in MEA.
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Ms. Rajalakshmi Ramanathan, IA&AS (1983) as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) in the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), New Delhi for a period of two years beyond 05.2.2016 or until further orders whichever is earlier.
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Shri Amar Sinha (IFS 1982) presently posted as Ambassador of India , Kabul has been appointed as Secretary,Economic Relations (ER).
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