Latest news with #POSHANTracker
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Launch Spl sanitation drive to prevent outbreak of contagious diseases
Kurnool: District Collector P Ranjit Basha has directed officials to launch a special sanitation drive across Kurnool to prevent the outbreak of seasonal and contagious diseases. In a teleconference held on Monday with constituency special officers, Mandal special officers, MPDOs, tahsildars, Municipal Commissioners, EO PRDs, CDPOs and other officials, the Collector emphasised the importance of strict sanitation measures during the monsoon season. The Collector instructed officials to ensure regular garbage collection, proper drainage cleaning, fixing of drinking water pipeline leakages, and timely cleaning of overhead tanks in both rural and urban areas. He cited negative feedback from IVRS regarding sanitation in villages such as Eruru (Chippagiri mandal), Kodumur-3 and Pyalakurthi (Kodumur mandal), Hebbatam (Holagunda), Chirtanakallu (Kosigi), Loddipalle (Orvakal), and Nolekal (Peddakadubur). He questioned the MPDOs and EO PRDs on the lack of progress and directed special inspections and detailed reports from these locations. He warned that action would be taken against negligent staff. Further, the Collector ordered Municipal Commissioners in Kurnool, Adoni, and Yemmiganur to carry out sanitation measures regularly and ensure cleanliness in public spaces and around government offices. Even though no malaria cases have been reported so far, sporadic cases of dengue and chikungunya have emerged. The Collector stressed the need for fogging, drain cleaning, and implementation of 'dry days' as preventive steps. He enquired about dengue cases in C Belagal, Krishnagiri, and Kurnool mandals and instructed health officials to intensify monitoring and prevention of water and vector-borne diseases. On other fronts, the Collector reviewed the progress of waste-to-wealth centres in Adoni, Devanakonda, Halaharvi, and Krishnagiri, urging MPDOs to expedite their completion and operation. In Alur mandal, only 9 out of 34 tanks (26%) had been cleaned, prompting the Collector to question the MPDO and the DPO for not taking action against negligent panchayat secretaries. He also emphasised timely and accurate updating of Bal Sanjeevani and Take Home Ration kit distributions on the POSHAN Tracker and Bal Sanjeevani app. CDPOs of Adoni and Yemmiganur were specifically pulled up for delay in implementation, and were asked to conduct training for Anganwadi workers. The Collector warned that lack of progress would lead to disciplinary action against the concerned officials.
New Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Right To Food campaigners demand to withdraw facial recognition technology for access to food, nutrition
NEW DELHI: Civil society groups under the Right to Food Campaign (RTF) are demanding the immediate removal of mandatory facial recognition for accessing nutrition services. They are calling for the restoration of universal, dignified, and non-discriminatory access to the Supplementary Nutrition Scheme. On June 30, the Ministry of Women and Child Development made it mandatory to use facial recognition technology to identify beneficiaries. The group termed the mandatory face recognition as a mass exclusion by design, illegal and unconstitutional. Further, the process will be overburdened for the Anganwadi Workers. They also questioned the government's claim the facial recognition will stop the leakages in the scheme. The group pointed out that marginalised families would bear the brunt of use of facial-recognition technology. 'The facial recognition mandate changes the right to access services into a privilege that depends on having a smartphone, internet connection, working apps, and a correct Aadhaar-linked number,' said Sameet Panda, National Conveners at RTF. 'Most marginalized families do not have guaranteed access to these things when using the service,' adds Panda. The civil society groups demand of removal of technology in the context of prevalence of high-level of malnutrition in the country. According to its assessment, there is 35% of children in India suffer from stunting. 'Under such scenario, it is unconscionable that access to food is being made conditional upon flawed technology,' said Panda. Earlier, when the Ministry of Women and Child Development introduced POSHAN Tracker application with two-step verification process – requiring both facial recognition of rights holders (children aged 6 months to 3 years, pregnant and lactating women) and OTP verification via Aadhaar-linked mobile numbers, the RTF capaigners then registered their protest terming its exclusionary process. 'Instead of paying heed to the demand of the activists, Ministry further went ahead of its 'exclusionary policy',' claimed Panda. As per the Ministry's letter dated 5 March 2025, states were threatened with denial of revised nutrition cost norms if they failed to enforce this by 25 March. A subsequent letter dated 30 May 2025 further mandates biometric attendance for children aged 3–6 years receiving hot cooked meals at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) for 'liveness' detection. Finally, on 30 June 2025, Anganwadi workers across the country were abruptly instructed to reinstall the POSHAN Tracker app. The new app has only a facial recognition service to identify the beneficiary, claimed the RTF release. The RTF campaign calls for the immediate revocation of this exclusionary and unlawful mandate and affirms its resolve to challenge it through all democratic means.
Mint
01-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Switching jobs? Delhi High Court makes big observation on non-compete clause - ‘Freedom of changing employment…'
The Delhi High Court has held that employers cannot bar former employees from accepting new jobs, including those with their clients or associates. The court declared that any clause that compels them to choose between returning to their previous employer or remaining unemployed is not permitted under Indian law. 'An employee cannot be confronted with the situation where he has to either work for the previous employer or remain idle,' a Hindustan Times report quoted Justice Tejas Karia. 'Freedom of changing employment for improving service conditions is a vital and important right of an employee," he added. The court also pointed out that post-employment non-compete clauses, which are common in contracts in various sectors, are 'void' under Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act, making any agreement that restrains someone from pursuing a lawful profession, trade, or business invalid. The court also criticised such contracts that prevents employees from switching jobs. 'An employer-employee contracts, the restrictive or negative covenant are viewed strictly as the employer has an advantage over the employee and it is quite often the case that the employee has to sign standard form contract or not be employed at all," it said. The case is regarding a software engineer who worked for the POSHAN Tracker project by the government while being employed at Daffodil Software. The project is owned by the Digital India Corporation (DIC). Following his notice period in April 2025, Tyagi joined DIC, the HT report said. Following this, Daffodil Software filed a case against him, citing a contract clause preventing him from joining any 'business associate' for three years after departure. The district court prohibited Tyagi from working with DIC, leading him to seek relief from the high court. However, the high court overturned the district court's order and permitted Tyagi to work at DIC and made key observations on employment rights. The court stated that Daffodil had no grounds to stop Tyagi from joining DIC, as he was not involved in any proprietary software or confidential intellectual property. The court observed that all rights to the POSHAN Tracker project belonged to the government, not the private company. The court clarified that companies cannot rely on broad clauses to restrict former employees from taking other jobs, particularly when those employees were not involved in creating any proprietary technology. 'Freedom of employment cannot be restricted merely because someone worked on a sensitive project, particularly when that project was not owned by the employer,' the court said. The freedom also applies to those employees who have once worked on sensitive projects, it added. Additionally, the court reiterated that the Indian law does not enforce any agreement that prevents anybody from doing their job, unless it is about selling the goodwill of a business, an exception in Section 27. The court also dismissed the argument that these clauses were justified as a means to prevent misuse of confidential information. If the employer feels that there has been a breach of the contract, they can seek monetary compensation, but cannot prevent somebody from working, the court stated.
Hindustan Times
27-06-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Delhi high court reiterates legal right to switch jobs
Looking for better job prospects after quitting? The Delhi High Court says that's legal your right—and no company can take it away. Any clause that forces employees to choose between going back to their old boss or staying unemployed, the ruling declared, is not allowed under Indian law. (HT Archive) In a significant ruling aimed at curbing the misuse of restrictive employment contracts, the Delhi High Court has ruled that employers cannot prevent former employees from taking up new jobs, including with their clients or associates. Any clause that forces them to choose between going back to their old boss or staying unemployed, the ruling declared, is not allowed under Indian law. 'An employee cannot be confronted with the situation where he has to either work for the previous employer or remain idle,' said justice Tejas Karia. 'Freedom of changing employment for improving service conditions is a vital and important right of an employee.' In its June 25 judgment, the court ruled that post-employment non-compete clauses—common in contracts across sectors—are 'void' under Section 27 of the Indian Contract Act. This provision invalidates any agreement that restrains someone from pursuing a lawful profession, trade, or business. The court also issued a wider critique of employment contracts that restrict worker mobility. 'An employer-employee contracts, the restrictive or negative covenant are viewed strictly as the employer has an advantage over the employee and it is quite often the case that the employee has to sign standard form contract or not be employed at all.' The case involved software engineer Varun Tyagi, who had worked on the government's POSHAN Tracker project while employed by Daffodil Software. The project, owned by the Digital India Corporation (DIC), is a key national initiative aimed at improving child nutrition. After completing his notice period in April 2025, Tyagi joined DIC directly. However, Daffodil Software took him to court, citing a clause in his contract that barred him from joining any 'business associate' for three years after leaving. A district court agreed and restrained Tyagi from working with DIC, forcing him to approach the high court. In overturning the district court's order, the high court not only allowed Tyagi to take up his new role but also made strong observations on employment rights. It said companies cannot use broad, catch-all clauses to prevent former employees from working elsewhere, especially when they were not hired to develop any proprietary technology. Justice Karia found that Daffodil had no grounds to prevent Tyagi from joining DIC, especially since he hadn't created any proprietary software or confidential intellectual property. All rights to the POSHAN Tracker project, the court noted, belonged to the government, not the private contractor. 'Freedom of employment cannot be restricted merely because someone worked on a sensitive project, particularly when that project was not owned by the employer,' the court said. It added that such freedom cannot be restricted just because someone once worked on sensitive projects. Importantly, the court explained that Indian law is clear that any agreement that blocks someone from doing their job, unless it is about selling goodwill of a business, is not enforceable. Justice Karia underscored that Indian jurisprudence differs fundamentally from English law, where limited post-employment restraints may be upheld based on reasonableness. Under Indian law, such restrictions are permissible only in the rare case of a sale of business goodwill, explicitly carved out as an exception in Section 27. The court held that contracts that inhibit future employment, without protecting genuine proprietary interests, are void. The court also rejected the argument that such clauses were justified to prevent misuse of confidential information. 'Negative covenants after termination can be granted only to protect genuinely proprietary information or prevent client solicitation. But none of the cases cited by Daffodil support restraining employment per se,' the judgment read. Even if an employer believes there has been a breach of the contract, the court said, they can seek monetary damages, but cannot not stop someone from working.
The Hindu
17-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Karnataka anganwadi workers to lock centres, boycott work as part of mass protest on July 9
The Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers Association affiliated to centre of Indian trade Union (CITU) has decided to shut down the anganwadi centres and boycott work on July 9 as part of the mass protest organised by the anganwadi workers and helpers. State president of the Association addressing press persons in Kalaburagi city on Monday demanded the government to regularize the services of anganwadi workers and helpers, increase the budget for Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) and to revise the honorarium. Recently the Gujarat High Court ruled that anganwadi workers and helpers are entitled to be absorbed as permanent government employees. Considering this, Ms Varalakshmi said that the service of anganwadi workers and helpers should be regularized and they should be paid a minimum wage of ₹ 26,000 a month and monthly pension of ₹ 10,000. Ms Varalakshmi said that anganwadi workers were tasked with registering beneficiaries' details in the POSHAN Tracker application, which had made their job harder, the app has purportedly increased their workload. The other demands includes starting the LKG and UKG classes in anganwadi centres, filling up the vacant posts of anganwadi workers and helpers and providing basic amenities and infrastructure facilities at all the anganwadi centres, she added.(eom)
