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Time of India
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Wangchuk plans another fast from July 15 to press for demands
(You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk is once again starting a protest fast from July 15 to reiterate the demands of statehood and Sixth Schedule for Ladakh. This phase of protest is scheduled to continue for at least a month and representatives from across the region are likely to participate and support his initiative."We want the government to seriously continue the talks with the representatives of Ladakh on these core issues," he told Centre had on June 3 announced new reservation and domicile policies for Ladakh, reserving 85% jobs for locals and one-third of the total seats in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils for women.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Time of India
ED lens on Himachal's asst drug controller for 'favouring pharma cos, political link'
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate has frozen over 40 bank accounts/FDRs linked to Nishant Sareen , a Himachal Pradesh-based assistant drug controller (ADC) and his family members as part of its money laundering probe into charges of bribery and "political patronage", people in the know told agency's preliminary findings indicate that Sareen allegedly used his official position to facilitate favours for select pharma companies and laundered the proceeds through his family members. People quoted above said Sareen allegedly used his "high-profile contacts for extending favours" to select pharmaceutical companies Investigating the alleged political patronage extended to Sareen, the agency has found that ADC had faced multiple departmental inquiries but continued to receive influential postings under political patronage. "Red flags were raised time and again, but action was either delayed or diluted," an officer in the know told agency's preliminary probe has found that despite being charge sheeted by the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau in 2019, and registration of FIR in 2022 by Panchkula Police , Sareen was posted as ADC, Dharamshala, in Sunday, ED had carried out searches on Sareen and his family members' premises. ED has taken stock of "many immovable properties" registered in the name of Sareen, his wife and his mother, including luxurious residences in New Chandigarh and Shimla. "Luxury item purchases were being done in the name of his father-in-law and mother," an official told has seized two vehicles (one Mahindra Scorpio N and one Kia Seltos) worth approximately ₹32 lakh purchased in the name of Sareen's mother and wife. The agency has alleged that the two vehicles were acquired "through funds generated through proceeds of crime". The agency also found more than 60 "unaccounted liquor bottles" at Sareen's New Chandigarh probe agency has also found "interconnected financial transactions" between the bank accounts of a Panchkula-based pharmaceutical company (which has a partnership with 95% stake in the name of Sareen's wife) with family members of Sareen. The agency has alleged that there "are several instances of cash being deposited in this bank account" of the pharmaceutical company. "There are several credit/debit transfers from the bank account of the pharmaceutical company into the bank account of Nishant Sareen," an official quoted above told agency is also investigating complaints of alleged extortion by Sareen in his present role as ADC, Dharamshala, and interconnected financial transactions between family members of Sareen and pharmaceutical preliminary probe has found that Sareen, while being posted as ADC, Dharamshala, had freshly granted many drug manufacturing licences since September 2024 till date. The agency is also investigating the grant of 50 fresh drug licences and 60 show cause notices for suspension of activities (issued by Sareen) and their follow up a related development, the Himachal High Court has issued a notice to the Himachal government on a PIL raising the issue of political patronage given to Sareen despite serious corruption allegations against him.
Economic Times
22-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
DGCA to kickstart inspection of Air India's main hub
India's civil aviation regulator, DGCA, will commence a comprehensive review of Air India's Gurugram base, focusing on aircraft airworthiness and crew training records. This inspection, part of the annual surveillance program, is not directly triggered by the recent Ahmedabad plane crash. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: The civil aviation regulator will conduct a comprehensive review of Air India 's main base in Gurugram from Monday. The exercise, which was planned before the airline's plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, entails checking the carrier's records of aircraft and whether they are airworthy, along with training and duty period records of the flight crew, according to a document seen by inspection is part of the annual surveillance programme of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA ) and not triggered by the crash, said a senior DGCA official, who did not wish to be comes at a time when regulatory scrutiny of Air India's operations has increased following the crash. The DGCA has asked its inspectors to provide details of all inspections and audits conducted on Air India since DGCA has also revamped its audit procedure to make it more comprehensive. The revamp comes in the wake of the crash of Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft in Ahmedabad which killed 241 people on board and more than 30 on the ground."Traditionally, regulatory and safety oversight functions within Indian aviation have been conducted in silos, performing inspections and audits specific to their respective activities include planned or unplanned surveillance inspections, random spot checks and ramp inspections, which primarily assess compliance and safety within individual aviation segments," the DGCA said in a notice, a copy of which was seen by new framework marks a paradigm shift, aiming to evaluate the aviation ecosystem holistically, moving away from fragmented oversight models, it audits will examine three broad areas - the effectiveness of an organisation's Safety Management System, the robustness of its operational practices and its compliance with regulatory provisions.A senior official of the DGCA said these special audits will be conducted by officials with expertise in different areas such as air safety, airworthiness of aircraft, training standards of crew and air exercise will be conducted periodically for all airlines, airports, aircraft maintenance organisations and pilot training schools. "A serious incident or a crash or continuous non-compliance may trigger this audit but it will also be done periodically, giving prior notice to the company," the official Sunday, Air India said that it will temporarily reduce 118 weekly flights operated with narrow-body aircraft across 19 routes and suspend operations on three routes.
Economic Times
13-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Quality push: States to get sops for data system reboot
The Centre will also help states to adopt AI and machine learning in surveys and real-time data generation. The Centre is developing an incentive-based scheme to assist states in enhancing their statistical systems, aiming for improved data quality and evidence-based decision-making. As part of the Viksit Bharat@2047 initiative, the project will incorporate global best practices and cutting-edge technologies. The scheme may involve reform-linked borrowing or special assistance loan conditions for states. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Centre is working on an incentive-based scheme to handhold states to develop an efficient statistical system, which will help them improve the quality of their data collection and take evidence-based decision-making, planning and policy project, part of the Viksit Bharat@2047, will include adopting global best practices, using cutting-edge technologies with inbuilt data analytics, ET has scheme is likely to be unveiled by the end of this fiscal Centre will also help states to adopt AI and machine learning in surveys and real-time data incentive to states would be either part of the reform-linked borrowing or may be included as one of the conditions for the loans given to states under special assistance scheme, a government official said, adding that, if required, the Centre may give a one-time allocation for the project."India requires a world-class statistical system to build a competitive economy, and while things are better at the central level, many states are lagging behind and it needs a major rejig. The Centre will work with the states to strengthen this," a senior official told official said that while technology is helping generate huge data, it is not being put to best use, especially at the state level. There is a need to have a technology-driven approach and a common standard to maintain the quality of data, he ministry of finance will work with the ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MosPI), the nodal agency for the official statistics system in the country, and Niti Aayog to prepare a common standard for data collection."This will be a win-win situation for states as this will help them in getting investment as most of the time investors rely on Centre-driven data," the official many states requested the Centre for technical assistance and training for state officials to improve their statistical systems.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Global expertise may be tapped for manufacturing skilling
India plans to collaborate with Germany, France, Australia, and other nations. The goal is to enhance skilled manpower in sectors like automotive, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. The Ministry of Skills Development will upgrade five National Skills Training Institutes. These will become National Centres of Excellence. The government has allocated ₹1,000 crore for this five-year project. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads New Delhi: India could rope in the expertise of Germany, France, Australia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea and Italy to create a pool of skilled manpower that meets global standards for over half-a-dozen sectors, where the country has the potential to substantially scale up manufacturing, a senior government official told identified sectors include automotive and precision manufacturing, electronics, pharmaceuticals, textile and apparel, aerospace and defence, and engineering and construction Ministry of Skills Development and Entrepreneurship will transform five National Skills Training Institutes into National Centres of Excellence , as announced in budget 2025-26. The government has earmarked ₹1,000 crore to upgrade these centres and provide skills training over a period of five years."Meetings have been held with top officials of Germany, Australia, Japan, France and Singapore to get technical help from them on machinery needed for world-class skills training, the curriculum and the level of degree for trained candidates," the official guidelines for running the centres of excellence are expected to be finalised soon. The idea is to provide a continuous stream of skilled and highly skilled labour to support and sustain India's growing economy aided by manufacturing.
