Is state govt ready to launch RTI portal, asks high court

Is state govt ready to launch RTI portal, asks high court

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:16.11.2021

The Gujarat high court on Monday questioned the state government on whether it is ready to launch a portal through which citizens can file applications seeking information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act and asserted that the government can work out modalities later.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Aravind Kumar asked the government to reply to its question on Wednesday. The court’s query came in response to two PILs filed three years ago, demanding online processing of RTI applications and to create a payment gateway for those who seek information online.

Appearing for a petitioner, senior advocate Saurabh Soparkar submitted that the petitioner wants RTI applications to be processed online through a portal. The Centre and other states have already started accepting RTI applications through portals. He questioned why a developed state like Gujarat cannot do it. He termed the affidavit filed by the state government irrelevant and submitted that the government has taken three years on pretext of awarding contract to companies for the purpose of creating systems on how to track files with regard to RTI applications. “I want RTI application to be filed online and a payment gateway to pay fees, nothing more and nothing less. I do not desire to track the files in government department,” he submitted.

The state government submitted that the process of finalizing the system is underway. To this, the chief justice said whether the concerned government secretary can state on an affidavit that he would receive all RTI applications online. “We want a three-line answer whether you are ready to process RTI applications online or not? We do not want all details. The moment you enter in all those details, it will be surrounded by mystery,” the judge sought reply after two days.

After the senior advocate submitted that there are government agencies who want to set up payment gateway for free , another petitioner-advocate Sandeep Munjyasara drew the court’s attention on how the state government has taken three years to make a clear statement on this issue.

Clear six addl courses, get honours in engg

Clear six addl courses, get honours in engg

Ragu.Raman@timesgroup.com

Chennai: 16.11.2021

Around one lakh students who joined engineering courses in Tamil Nadu in 2021-22 can earn BE, BTech degrees with honours in four years by clearing six extra courses or 18 credits.

They can also earn minor degrees in other branches by getting 18 credits in them. This was decided in a recent academic council meeting of Anna University. “If students get high grades till fourth semester in BE, BTech programmes, they will be allowed to select specialised courses in ME or MTech degree programmes. If they clear six specialised courses in a related field or get 18 extra credits, they will be awarded with honours degree,” Anna University vicechancellor R Velraj told TOI.

If a mechanical engineering student or civil engineering student completes six courses in artificial intelligence or machine learning, he or she will get a BE mechanical engineering degree with a minor in artificial intelligence or machine learning, he added.

Colleges welcome the move, say it will increase placements

The university is also thinking about implementing it for the second year students after making necessary changes in the regulations.

As per the 2021 regulations of Anna University, a student needs to secure a minimum 160 credits to get BE or BTech degree.

Colleges welcomed the move saying it would increase placement opportunities.

B Chidambararajan, principal of SRM Valliammai Engineering College, said, companies are expecting interdisciplinary skills among students with the emergence of newer technologies such as IoT. “In the present trend, a mechanical student should know about programming to improve his chances to get placement. So, interdisciplinary courses are the need of the hour and it is a welcome move by the university,” he said.

P Deiva Sundari, principal of KCG College of Technology, said, the move to introduce interdisciplinary degree (minor degree) will improve admissions in core engineering branches. “An honours degree will encourage students to specialise in any particular area in their relevant field. For example, a computer science degree student can specialise in full stag or data science,” she said.

HC bars HR&CE dept from setting up colleges using temple funds

HC bars HR&CE dept from setting up colleges using temple funds

Says That Proposals Must Come From Trustees

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.11.2021

In a setback to the Tamil Nadu government, in its endeavour to open new colleges out of the reserve funds of temples vested with the Hindu Religious and Charitable department (HR and CE), the Madras high court on Monday restrained the state from doing so.

The first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu made it clear that such funds cannot be used for opening colleges till trustees are installed for all the temples under HR and CE as mandated by the HE and CE Act.

As per the act, the proposals to utilise such reserve funds for any purpose must come from the trustees of the temple concerned. Without such a proposal, the state cannot use the funds.

The court, however, permitted the state to establish four colleges in Chennai, Namakkal, Dindigul, and Tuticorin as the works to open the colleges are complete and admission of students are in process.

Apart from the four colleges the other proposed colleges will not be set up and no steps in such regard should be taken without the express previous leave of this court, the bench said. “It is also noticed that at the four colleges which are now ready to open, B.B.A., B.Com. and other similar courses have been offered, without there being any regular course in religious instructions in Hindu religion,” the judges said.

They added that it will be a condition precedent to the four colleges opening that a stream of religious instructions in Hindu religion be introduced. If such a course is not introduced within a month of the college starting, the further functioning of the college cannot continue.

“It must be appreciated that however pious the intention may be to use perceived surplus funds for the purpose of education, these funds are out of offerings for a particular cause and, ordinarily, the cause must not be forgotten and the same must be espoused with a part of the funds, even though the larger sphere of education may also be addressed,” the court said.

The court also made it clear that the functioning of the exempted four colleges will be subject to the outcome of the plea.

The court passed the interim order on a PIL T R Ramesh. According to the petitioner, merely because a policy statement was made on the floor of the assembly by a minister in the present government, the government has gone ahead with the proposal to divert funds from temples under the control of the HR and CE.

The court, however, permitted the state to establish four colleges in Chennai, Namakkal, Dindigul, and Tuticorin as the works to open the colleges are complete and admission of students are in process

Transport commissioner takes VRS

Transport commissioner takes VRS

Chennai:16.11.2021

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday posted S Natarajan as commissioner of Transport department in the place of Santhosh K Misra, who is on voluntary retirement.

Santhosh Misra was an officer of the 2000 batch. He becomes the third officer to have opted for voluntary retirement in less than two years, while the others being V Sahayam and Santhosh Babu. According to sources, Misra had quit the job citing personal reasons and sought to be relieved from service with effect from Monday.

He attained 50 years of age last month, and the government was the competent authority to accept voluntary retirement in the case of officers who completed 30 years of qualifying service or have attained 50 years. TNN

Applications sought for diploma in pharmacy

Applications sought for diploma in pharmacy

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.11.2021

The directorate of Indian medicine and homeopathy has invited applications for admission to 2.5-year diploma in integrated pharmacy course and diploma in nursing therapy.

The course for 2021-2022 session for the candidates who have passed the higher secondary examination (in science stream) in first appearance. Application form and prospectus can be downloaded from the www.tnhealth.tn.gov.in between November 18 and December 10. Last date for returning filled in application form through post or courier or in person is 5.30pm on December 10.

Aadhaar necessary for Transtan waitlisting

Aadhaar necessary for Transtan waitlisting

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:16.11.2021

Organ failure patients registering for waitlist and relatives of brain dead patients (donors) registering for organ donation should submit Aadhaar details for verification with the state transplant authority (Transtan), a GO released on October 25 said.

While activists and transplant coordinators said it would be difficult to seek such information from relatives of braindead patients at a time when annual donations are falling, health minister Ma Subramanian told reporters it was done to encourage and honor donor relatives.

In April, Transtan member secretary Dr R Kanthimathi proposed to introduce an application form for authentication to stop malpractices such as use of fake Aadhaar cards. The ministry of electronics and information technology gave its nod in July.

Heavy rain alert for city, adjoining districts

MORE RAIN

Heavy rain alert for city, adjoining districts

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai: 16.11.2021

The days are likely to be cloudy with light rain in some areas for the next two days. Heavy rain is likely to resume by Wednesday due to the impact of the low pressure intensifying and reaching the south Andhra coast.

A met department forecast for 48 hours said the sky condition will be generally cloudy. Thunderstorms with light to moderate rain are likely to occur in some areas.

A heavy rainfall warning has been issued for Chennai, Kancheepuram and Chengalpet districts in addition to Ranipet, Vellore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai and delta districts of Tamilnadu and Puducherry and Karaikal for Wednesday.

However, a low pressure that may form over the Arabian sea in the next 24 hours may prevent further intensification of the low pressure that is currently over Andaman Sea, said an IMD report.

This may mean that the likelihood of the city receiving good rain on the weekend after it crosses the coast is low.

The low pressure in Andaman Sea is likely to move northwest and become well marked during the next 48 hours.

Thereafter it is likely to move further and reach near south Andhra Pradesh – north Tamil Nadu coasts on Thursday.

"Based on Tuesday’s analysis, the possibility of further intensification of the system appears to be low, mainly owing to the enhanced likelihood of formation of another low pressure area over east-central Arabian Sea off south Maharashtra coast during next 24 hours."

An east-west shear zone runs from southeast Arabian sea to southwest Bay of Bengal across South Karnataka, north Kerala and north Tamilnadu.

On Tuesday, Meenambakkam recorded 1mm rain since morning while the core city received some drizzle. The outer areas of the city like OMR received 2cm rain while Pallikaranai got 1cm on Monday night.

Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai areas received 12cm heavy rain of 12cm rain and Cuddalore recorded 7cm rain.

The low pressure in the Andaman Sea is likely to move northwest and become well marked during the next 48 hours, bringing rain to the city, IMD said in a report