Parliament Watch: Satellite tolling faces security review, 1,096 trained in drone skills, and more
Road Transport and Highways Minister
Nitin Gadkari
said that ahigh-level committee set up to explore the rollout of a satellite-based highway toll collection system has recommended further deliberations on security and privacy concerns. 'It has been decided to proceed with corridor/stretchbased projects using the
Automatic Number Plate Recognition
(ANPR) FASTag System (AFS) for barrier-free, free-flow tolling,' he said in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
1,096 Trained in Drone Skills
A total of 1,096 candidates were trained in drone related skills under the Craftsman Training Scheme (CTS) during 2023–24 and 2024–25 as part of the Drone Shakti initiative, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary said in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
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55
NHAI Project Failures
in Five Years, says Govt
A total of 55 cases of collapses or damages were reported on roads, bridges, and tunnel projects executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) over the past five years, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
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India Gets LMIC Tag from World Bank
The World Bank has classified India as a lower-middle-income country based on its revised international poverty lines, with the threshold for lowermiddle-income countries (LMICs) set at $4.20 per day using 2021 purchasing power parities (PPPs), Planning Minister Rao Inderjit Singh said in response to a question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Based on the revised definition, India's LMIC poverty rate stood at 23.9% in 2022–23, down from 57.7% in 2011–12, he said.
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Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Less than 15% of youth skilled under government scheme placed
. NEW DELHI: As unemployment continues to be a concern, government data shows that over 1.6 crore youth across India have been trained under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) since 2015, though only about 24.3 lakh secured job placements - less than 15% of the total youth trained. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, skill development minister Jayant Chaudhary said that while placement tracking was done under the first three phases of PMKVY (2015-2022), the current phase (PMKVY 4.0) focuses more on empowering candidates to pursue varied career paths and provides orientation support through platforms like Skill India Digital Hub. The platform connects trained individuals with potential employers and apprenticeship opportunities, with Rozgar Melas and National Apprenticeship Melas providing additional placement support. However, employment outcomes remain modest. Of the 56.89 lakh certified candidates in Short-Term Training (STT) between 2015 and 2022, only 24.3 lakh were reported placed - around 43%. Analysts say the low employment ratio reflects a continued gap between training curricula and industry requirements. The government acknowledged the need to align skilling with local demand and industry trends and has started district-level skill gap studies and state-specific training programmes. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AirSense 11 – Smart tech for deep sleep ResMed Buy Now Undo by Taboola by Taboola To support self-employment, youth are being linked with financial schemes such as PM Mudra Yojana (Rs 35.13 lakh crore sanctioned), PM Vishwakarma (Rs 3,920 crore), and DAY-NULM (Rs 8,775 crore to nearly 9.8 lakh urban poor). Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh lead in both training enrolment and loan assistance. Efforts to improve quality outcomes include training through accredited centres, on-the-job training, the National Credit Framework, and regular third-party evaluations. A third-party assessment of PMKVY 4.0 is currently underway to guide policy corrections. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . Discover stories of India's leading eco-innovators at Ecopreneur Honours 2025
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
End of the road for checkposts in Telangana as corruption complaints spike
Hyderabad: In a significant move to combat corruption and ease traffic congestion at the borders, the Telangana govt is planning to abolish all checkposts across the state. There are 14 checkposts at state borders, including Bhainsa, Kamareddy, Zaheerabad, Alampur, Aswaraopet, and Nagarjunasagar, and one intra-state checkpost at Kamareddy. These checkposts were established to provide checking facilities to transport operators at a single point and to avoid unnecessary delay and harassment. There were many allegations of corruption levelled against motor vehicle inspectors (MVIs) and assistant MVIs within the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) during inter-state vehicle inspections. In recent months, there were several instances of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) exposing instances of corruption at checkposts in Adilabad, Nalgonda, Gadwal, and Kamareddy districts. This has prompted govt authorities to close these checkposts entirely. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad The ministry of road transport and highways previously communicated with the principal secretary (transport) of 11 states, including Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, regarding the removal of border checkposts. The ministry emphasised that post-GST implementation in 2017, these checkposts were redundant, particularly as vehicle and driver information was now readily accessible through digital platforms VAHAN and Sarathi. Already, a majority of states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, removed checkposts to facilitate seamless flow of goods and services across state borders. 'A study is being conducted to implement a new system, following Gujarat's model which eliminated all checkposts in 2019. The proposal involves transitioning to digital verification of documentation for vehicles crossing state borders,' said a senior official in RTA. The state has already proposed to install around 30 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at checkposts throughout the state. These cameras would be set up nearly 500 metres to 1 km ahead of each checkpost to capture vehicles' documentation, including tax payments, pollution certificates, fitness certificates, permits, and other essential paperwork, subsequently notifying MVIs. Lorry owners' wait comes to an end Demanding the RTA eliminate the checkposts, the Telangana Lorry Owners Association (TLOA) wrote multiple representations in the last few years. According to the association, approximately 2 lakh heavy vehicles operating within the state face delays and operational challenges during these mandatory inspections while transporting essential goods. 'For years, our appeals to the RTA regarding the removal of checkposts remained unaddressed. Despite central govt instructions, the state administration took nearly four years to consider the possibility of abolishing these checkposts,' said Manchi Reddy Rajender Reddy, President, TLOA.
The Print
7 hours ago
- The Print
Soren, the statesman—the man who built Jharkhand, leader of the masses, the ‘irreplaceable' Guruji
Thrice chief minister of Jharkhand, Shibu Soren was a sitting Rajya Sabha MP at 81. Since he was admitted to Delhi's Gangaram Hospital on 19 July, people from all sections of society had been praying for Shibu Soren's recovery. But many even outside his state, who remember Shibu Soren's long political innings, his intrepid fight for a separate state and the decades-long struggle for the rights of tribals, believe no one can replace 'Dishom Guruji' (a Santhali term meaning guru of the country), as he was fondly named for his leadership and pivotal role in the movement against the Mahajani system of money lenders and the broader movement for a separate Jharkhand. Ranchi : 'Beloved Dishom Guruji has left us all. I lost everything today… ' A heartbroken Hemant Soren shared his grief in a social media post at 9.44 am Monday, unleashing a wave of mourning in Jharkhand. Desperate to get a glimpse of Guruji His popularity was evident in June at the 13th general convention of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha in Ranchi. As soon as son and Chief Minister Hemant Soren reached the stage with Shibu Soren on a wheel chair, the eagerness to get a glimpse of Guruji was evident among the cadre and officials in attendance. This convention was important in many ways for the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, Hemant Soren and Shibu Soren after the party returned to power in the 2024 assembly elections. It was at this convention that Hemant Soren was declared the central president of the party, while Shibu Soren took on the mantle of founder-patron. Addressing those at the convention, Hemant Soren said, 'We have all reached here after a long journey. Shibu Soren-Ji never needed an introduction. Not only Jharkhand but the whole country knows him as Guruji. The public gave respect to Shibu Soren and made him 'Guruji'. He also repaid the debt of that respect. He was always leading a struggle. He fought for the rights of the people of the state with limited resources. There are very few people who have so much love for the state in their hearts.' Senior journalist and author of Dishom Guru Shibu Soren, Anuj Sinha says, 'Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is in power. Hemant Soren has emerged as the most accepted leader in the state. Jharkhand has witnessed several reversals on the political map since the unification of Bihar. But nobody can replace Guruji. And there is no single reason or factor for this.' 'Shibu Soren tirelessly campaigned for a separate state for more than three decades. He abolished the money lending system. And most of all, he raised his voice by mobilising tribals for their rights and dignity. Of course, Guruji has faced many difficulties in the storms of time. But the fact is that anything said about him will always be less,' he said. Formation of JMM and Shibu's role The idea of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha was conceived by MP A.K. Rai, former MP Binod Bihari Mahto and Shibu Soren. The three were said to be very close. When the JMM was formed in 1973, Binod Bihari Mahto, the pioneer of the Jharkhand movement and the one who coined the slogan 'Read and Fight', become the president and Shibu Soren took on the role of general secretary. In 1987, Soren became the party president. The formation of JMM was announced with a big show of strength at the golf ground in Dhanbad. Addressing the crowd on the occasion, Shibu Soren said emotionally, 'I have been made the general secretary of JMM. I don't know whether I deserve this or not, but I swear that I will continue to struggle for an exploitation-free Jharkhand.' An incident prominently mentioned in another book by author Anuj Kumar Sinha, shows Shibu Soren's popularity and influence even in 1973 during the Jharkhand Movement. In the tribal-dominated village of Gomia, a moneylender's family had occupied land that belonged to the tribals. He also allegedly harassed the tribals. The conflict continued until one day the moneylender's henchmen allegedly fired at the tribals. The tribals hot back with arrows. The incident enraged Shibu Soren, who mobilised his workers and tribal supporters, who surrounded Giridih city with traditional weapons in support of the tribals. On 18 June 2025, the Jharkhand Aandolankari Identification Commission released the 75th provisional list of agitators for Ramgarh district. It includes the name of Dishom Guru Shibu Soren as an important character in the fight for a separate state. The commission has states that during 1969-70 and even later, Shibu Soren led a strong mass movement against prohibition, moneylenders and eviction. He weathered many storms In his long battle for a separate state and the rights of tribals, Shibu Soren weathered many storms in his political life, including jail terms. In 2004, he became the coal minister in the UPA government at the Centre. But he had to resign due to an arrest warrant related to the 1975 Chirudih case, where he allegedly instigated the crowds. He was sent to jail, but later acquitted. In 2006, he became a minister at the Centre again, and again handled the coal portfolio. In between his two stints at the Centre, in 2005, he took oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand, but had to resign within 12 days because he didn't have the numbers. Then in 2008, while holding the Chief Minister's job, he lost the Tamar assembly elections to Independent candidate Raja Peter. As a result, he had to resign. But one year later he was back as chief Minister, this time with the support of BJP. In forty years, Shibu Soren nurtured the organisation in Santhal Pargana and mobilised the tribals. In recent years, Hemant Soren has taken over the role, continuously strengthening his party. The proof of this was in the results of the 2024 assembly elections, where the JMM alliance won 17 out of the 18 seats in Santhal Pargana, while BJP won just one seat. Shibu took over his father's battles Shibu Soren's father was a teacher in Nemra village in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand. Sobaran Manjhi was a champion of tribals' rights and fought many battles, speaking inconvenient truths. Allegedly, it was this activism that led to his murder. Undaunted by the tragedy, a young Shibu took up his father's battles and began uniting tribals in Tundi in Dhanbad. He started the 'Dhankatni' movement against moneylenders. He set up an 'ashram' in Pokhariya. At night, he educated the exploited tribals. It was after this that he was named 'Dishom Guru'. His love for Dumka Shibu Soren won eight Lok Sabha elections from Dumka, a politically significant seat in the Santhal Pargana region. It was in the 2024 LS polls that, for the first time, the 80-year-old Shibu Soren decided to sit out the elections due to his advanced age and health issues. But every JMM candidate had sought his blessings, including Nalin Soren, a senior leader, who went on to win from Dumka. Shibu Soren's younger son Basant Soren won the assembly elections and is the sitting MLA from Dumka. Remembered by close friends and political leaders Dumka resident Digambar Marandi, a close friend of Shibu Soren in the seventies, says, 'I have been so restless since I got the news of Guruji's death. I have been calling up old friends and sharing our grief. Leave aside our old friends, even the forests, mountains, rivers and streams are sad. There is no question—no one can take Guruji's place. I have been searching for old photographs in my box. I am also collecting material to write a book on Guruji.' Digambar Marandi adds, 'Guruji should have lived for at least another 15 years. He gave courage to the tribals. He was their voice. Guruji's body should be brought to Dumka for darshan. If possible, please convey this message of mine to Hemant Babu.' Journalist Suman Singh, who has been covering Dumka politics for a long time, says, this is what Shibu Soren has earned, something not easy for every politician. 'Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's foundation day is celebrated every year on 3 February in Dumka and goes on till very late in the night. But no one used to leave, they stayed back to hear Shibu Soren's speech,' he said. (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: Knives out in NDA after Jharkhand defeat. JD(U) blames BJP for poor strategy, BJP blames AJSU
