Govt wants airlines, airports to optimise flyer comfort

Govt wants airlines, airports to optimise flyer comfort 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  0.01.2025

 New Delhi : Airlines should not keep passengers seated inside aircraft for more than 90 minutes in case of fog-related delayed departures and they must cancel flights delayed by over three hours. As peak winter fog season kicks in, the aviation ministry on Wednesday listed out dos and don’ts for airlines and airport operators to minimise passenger inconvenience. 

“Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) circular for facilitating smooth re-entry of passengers in case of flight cancellations was operationalised and drills were organised by CISF with stakeholders. This would significantly reduce passenger inconvenience and ensure a smoother re-boarding process once flights resume,” the Ram Mohan Naidu-headed ministry said in a statement. Airlines have been “instructed” to proactively communicate with passengers about potential delays and cancellations due to visibility issues. “For this, airlines and booking agents must ensure that correct passenger contact information is recorded during ticket booking.” The Met department (IMD) along with Airports Authority of India (AAI) is expediting implementation of “advanced weather observation system” (AWOS) at IGIA and other fog-affected airports. This system will ensure accurate and timely weather information for pilots and air traffic controllers to enhance operational safety and efficiency. “IMD (is) committed to ensure all Met equipment function without disruption,” Met office said. The DGCA said it is “in close coordination with airlines, has ensured deployment of adequate number of CAT II/CAT III-compliant crew and aircraft to carry out low visibility operations efficiently during the fog period at affected airports. Three runways at the Delhi airport have activated CAT III ILS systems, including the important runway 10/28 (the one between T1 and T2).” 

Airlines have been asked to ensure full staffing at check-in counters during peak hours to reduce passenger inconvenience. 

“Delhi Airport has installed LED screens at prominent locations to provide real-time updates on visibility conditions. Delhi airport has also scaled up the number of ‘follow me’ vehicles, which will guide and assist the pilots on the apron/taxiway during low visibility conditions ensuring better coordination on ground,” IGIA said in a statement. Airlines have been told to sensitise their “operations control centres” (OCCs) and war-room representatives for closer coordination during adverse weather conditions, especially fog, to “improve real-time decision-making (and) allowing for more effective and timely responses to flight delays or cancellations”, the DGCA said. “AAl has implemented new standard operating procedures to effectively regulate air traffic at fog-affected airports and at the originating or destination airports,” it added. The aviation ministry said it has conducted a series of consultations over the last two months with airlines, airport operators, DGCA, BCAS, AAI, IMD, and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

VTU revamps MTech curriculum, 3- way career path in final semester

VTU revamps MTech curriculum, 3- way career path in final semester

SruthySusan.Ullas@timesofindia.com .01.2025

 Bengaluru : Visvesvaraya Technological University has revamped the curriculum for MTech programmes, creating a three-way career path for students in the final semester. It has decided to offer the programmes as MTech in the main branch of study with specialisation in parentheses. The specialisations will be offered from the second semester. The new format will be launched from 2024-25, said vice-chancellor S Vidyashankar. This year, 2,301 students opted for MTech through Karnataka Examinations Authority. 

“Usually, MTech programmes come with various specialisations within each stream. For instance, there is MTech in machine design, thermal engineering, etc., within mechanical engineering. However, we noticed that colleges have to keep shifting between these courses depending upon the demand that year. It is a painstaking process to close one branch and open another one. Therefore, we decided to revamp the courses in such a way that we will have a main branch of study with a specialisation indicated in parentheses,” explained dean B Sadashiv Gowda. With this, irrespective of the specialisation, the students will study common subjects in the first semester. › 3 career paths, P 4 Students now have 3 career paths: VTU In the subsequent semesters, the students learn courses related to their specialisation. There are electives provided that allow students to learn the subjects of their interest. “So, it is possible for  an engineering institute to offer all these depending on the industry requirements. They need not close down or open a new course based on the specialisation,” he explained. 

Similarly, the university has also heralded changes in the final semester. Students will have three options in the final semester. Those interested in research will have the option to pursue it and submit a report. The other options are an internship, where students will go to industry and work, which might also result in placement. A third option is for those who do not want to take up research or internship but want to do courses in the institute itself. They can take more courses in the third semester and do project work in the fourth semester.

“So we have created three career paths depending on the student interests, location of the college, and industry-institute collaborations. The colleges can guide students in the right direction, creating a win win situation for all kinds of institutes in tier one, two, or three cities,” he said. The university wrote to the All-India Council of Technical Education about the changes, which duly approved them. It was later approved by the statutory bodies of the university.

IMA writes to CM for stricter action against quacks

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 0.01.205

Ahmedabad : The Gujarat chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to the state chief minister, urging stricter punishment for unauthorised allopathic medical practitioners and quacks due to the “life-threatening consequences” they pose. The letter states that under the existing provisions, there is only a Rs 500 penalty for the first offence, a Rs 500 fine and six month imprisonment for the second offence, and a Rs 2,000 penalty and/or two-year imprisonment or both for subsequent violations. The association said these punishment rules were framed in 1963, and it is high time these sentences were made stricter because unauthorised practitioners have no fear of getting caught. Earlier, the association wrote to the health commissioner, asking the state govt to take stringent action against unauthorised allopathic medical practitioners.

“We urgently bring to your kind attention the critical issue of the unauthorised practice of modern medicine by non-allopathic practitioners and quacks. This alarming trend poses an imminent threat to the health and safety of the people of Gujarat. Numerous reports of individuals without formal training in modern medicine providing allopathic treatments have surfaced, leading to dangerous and sometimes life-threatening consequences for unsuspecting patients,” the letter reads. “If this unlawful practice is not stopped immediately, it will lead to widespread health disasters,” the letter states.

₹2000 notes worth ₹6,691 cr. yet to be returned: RBI data

₹2000 notes worth ₹6,691 cr. yet to be returned: RBI data

02.01.2025

The total value of ₹2000 banknotes in circulation, which stood at ₹3.56 lakh crore at the close of business on May 19, 2023, when the withdrawal of ₹2000 banknotes was announced, has declined to ₹6,691 crore at the close of business on December 31, 2024, as per updated data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). “Thus, 98.12% of the ₹2000 banknotes in circulation as on May 19, 2023, have since been returned,” the RBI said on Wednesday.

Report FCRA violations by NGOs, govt. asks CAs

 Report FCRA violations by NGOs, govt. asks CAs

The Hindu Bureau

 

NEW DELHI 02.01.2025

The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday notified that chartered accountants filing audit returns on behalf of NGOs need to specify if the organisation violated provisions of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 (FCRA) or not.

The Act requires a CA to certify if an association or NGO has utilised foreign contribution received for the purposes it was registered for and the annual statements are to be uploaded on the FCRA portal.

In a December 31 notification, the Ministry said that CAs will have to mention the name, email address, and registration number of the auditor while issuing the audit certificate and specify if the NGO has “violated the provisions of FCRA, 2010 or rules made thereunder or notifications issued thereunder,” with the details of the violations.

The auditors will also have to specify if the NGO has not made any violation.

“I have examined all relevant books and records, including the items mentioned in column 8 of FC-4, and to the best of my knowledge and belief (name of the person/ association) has not violated any provisions of the FCRA, thereunder or notifications issued thereunder,” the CAs will have to specify. The notification amends the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Rules, 2011.

A member of a voluntary group said the Home Ministry notification will make it more difficult for NGOs who are critical of the government to find auditors to file returns on their behalf. “Even if you find an FCRA donor, CAs will be scared to prepare certificates on the behalf of NGOs who are perceived to be not in the good books of the government,” said the member.

Earlier in 2021, the Ministry advised chartered accountants to ensure that foreign funds are received and utilised by NGOs “within the four corners of law”.

State cancels smart metering tender awarded to Adani Group

State cancels smart metering tender awarded to Adani Group

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI  02.01.202

Tamil Nadu’s ambitious smart meter project to modernise electricity billing has been stalled, after the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) cancelled the tender awarded to Adani Energy Solutions Limited, part of the Adani Group.

Confirming the cancellation of the tender for procuring smart meters, a senior official of Tangedco said that currently, Adani was the only company making smart meters in the country.

Officials of TNPDCL conducted negotiations with the company officials, and found that the price quoted was high.

The senior electricity official said that at a time when several States were planning to install 30 crore smart meters, with Tamil Nadu alone needing nearly 1.20 crore smart meters, it was not possible to stick to the delivery schedule.

Modernisation project

TNPDCL had planned to modernise electricity meters at a cost of ₹19,000 crore for nearly 1.20 crore customers in three phases. The smart meter project was to be implemented under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS).

Adani Energy Solutions Limited has presence in various facets of the energy domain, including power transmission, distribution, smart metering, and cooling solutions.

As per an investor presentation made by Adani Energy Solutions, the company has a smart meter portfolio of 22.8 million, with a contract value of ₹27,200 crore. In an earnings call in October last year, the company said it expected the Tamil Nadu bid to be closed in a couple of months.

The tender cancellation comes in the wake of the indictment of Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani in New York over allegations of bribery and fraud. The group has denied the allegations.

The names of several State discoms, including that of Tamil Nadu, were included in the indictment.

‘T.N. govt. and Governor should set aside their differences for welfare of students’

‘T.N. govt. and Governor should set aside their differences for welfare of students’

E. Balagurusamy

The Hindu Bureau

Chennai  02.01.2025

The sexual assault on a student of Anna University was a result of “anarchy in the university system”, former Vice-Chancellor E. Balagurusamy said on Wednesday.

In a statement, he urged the Governor-Chancellor and the Higher Education Minister-cum-Pro Chancellor “to avoid confrontational attitude and work in tandem in the overall interest of higher education in the State”.

Ten days ago, a girl student residing in one of the hostels on the university campus was sexually assaulted, allegedly by an outsider. The issue has since attracted media attention from across the country. Anna University was ranked the best State university by NIRF in 2024.

Prof. Balagurusamy said the Tamil Nadu government and the Governor had been “at loggerheads for a long time over the constitution of search panels” for selecting Vice-Chancellors, as a result of which many universities had been headless for more than two years. Also, in the next few months, almost all universities will become headless, he added.

Given that many universities did not have regular registrars, controller of examinations, and finance officers, their functioning had been severely crippled, “creating chaos”, he said.

A further delay in appointing V-Cs will affect the welfare of the students, and the quality of education and research, he said.

Several universities had not held convocations on time, and degree certificates were signed by bureaucrats, which degraded the value of the certificates in the job market, he said.

Prof. Balagurusamy said the Supreme Court judgments on V-C appointments were inconsistent. “In one case, the Supreme Court cancelled the appointment of a Vice-Chancellor for not following the guidelines of the University Grants Commission,” he said.

In the case of Madurai Kamaraj University, the Madras High Court dismissed the Vice-Chancellor for not following UGC regulations, but the Supreme Court ruled against the High Court order and reinstated the same person, saying the appointment was made as per the Act of the university, he said.

“It is high time the government and the Governor kept their egos aside and found an immediate and amicable solution,” he said.