Latest news with #PemmasaniChandraSekhar
The Hindu
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Union Government comes up with an AI-based app that helps prevent potential financial risks online
The Union Government has come up with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) application to help users prevent potential financial risks online. To create awareness about fraudulent transactions, spam and fraud calls, an innovative feature, Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI), has been developed and successfully tested, according to Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar. In an exclusive interaction with The Hindu at his camp office, near here, Mr. Chandra Sekhar said, 'The FRI AI app will enable us to profile people based on their historical activities and the complaints that have been received by the police, banks and other institutions. There are 500 institutions in our digital intelligence platform. We take all that data and we indicate whether that person is a very high risk for fraud, or high risk, or medium risk for fraud,' said Mr. Chandra Sekhar. The government had already run the FRI pilot project with two financial entities — PhonePe and SBI — where two lakh high-risk transactions had been blocked in two weeks. 'When you initiate a transaction to a potential fraud, this app will alert you with a message — this person is a high likely a fraud — to make sure that you verify before sending money. This AI-embedded app is working with 99% predictability. Now, we are going to deploy this platform in all the financial institutions. And, the security aspect is being reviewed every two weeks,' he added. Sanchar Saathi This apart, a 'Sanchar Saathi' mobile app was built by the Union Government in 20 languages. It was designed to arrest spam calls, identify lost mobiles, and report fraud calls. 'The app is already launched in English language and will be made available in other languages in a couple of weeks,' he said. The government was also focused on developing its own technology for telecommunications, and it had already achieved a significant progress in terms of last mile connectivity. 'Ranging from high-speed cable network to telecom towers every nook and corner, there is gigantic effort by the government in the past three years for a giant leap in communications,' Mr. Chandra Sekhar said. Shearing details, he said there would be revival and rejuvenation of India's national telecommunications company, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), with best standards possible. 'The BSNL has turned around, and we are also working on change of culture. So far, it has only 2G and 3G, we now started launching 4G, as decided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to build indigenous 4G technology,' he said. 'Private companies have been using imported technology for 4G or 5G. As long as you have money, you can purchase and install the technology, that is an easy project. But, at BSNL, we want to use our own 4G, which has started three years ago. It is a collaboration between private Tejas Networks, TCS and C-DOT, which is a Government of India organisation. The C-DOT has written the software, Tejas developed hardware and TCS integrated all of these,' he said. 'The BSNL is the one executing the entire project. So, whatever the private players have done in 30 to 40 years, our people have to do it in two to three years, which is the challenge,' said Mr. Chandra Sekhar. Over 1,00,000 towers of 4G had been installed in the last one year to take the initiative forward. As part of rejuvenation, over ₹600 crore worth new batteries, generators and other equipment was procured. 'For BharatNet, we tendered 16 packages to lay ₹1.4 lakh crores worth cables across India. At least in half of circles, the work has started. The initiative facilitates high-speed Internet and TV at ₹400 per household, and there is ₹10,000 subsidy on the upfront cost,' the Union Minister said.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Union Minister reviews implementation of Central schemes in Guntur district
Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communications Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar has stated that Central schemes in Guntur district are being implemented effectively through coordinated efforts of public representatives and officials. He chaired the District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee meeting at the Collectorate here on Saturday. Rajya Sabha member Alla Ayodhya Rami Reddy, MLAs, ZP Chairperson, and Collector S. Nagalakshmi were among those present. The Union Minister reviewed progress on major schemes including the Jal Jeevan Mission, PM Awas Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, Amrit 2.0, and PM Surya Ghar. He stressed that constituency-wise data must reflect ground realities, and urged for wide awareness campaigns on Surya Ghar at the village-level. He announced that 90% work on the Western Bypass between Gollapudi and Chinakakani is complete and would be finished by September. Road and ROB projects under AIIMS and other key areas are being expedited. He said that out of 722 Jal Jeevan works and 400 non-starters were cancelled by the government, while others are under way. Notably, he flagged corruption and inefficiencies in housing layouts under the previous government, and ordered a full inquiry. On PM Surya Ghar, 1.10 lakh families have applied, with 10% vendor mapping completed. Banks were instructed to expedite disbursal of loans.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
FutureMed X: Experts Lay Out the Blueprint for Intelligent, Inclusive, and Data-Driven Healthcare
New Delhi : From telemedicine , AI-driven diagnostics to de novo drug design, the realm of healthcare is standing at a critical juncture marked by the rapid expansion of technology, transforming the fundamental approach to curing patients and expanding access at an unprecedented pace. Boosted by several other cross-sector reforms in India, this paradigm shift is enabling real-time patient monitoring, predictive analytics for early disease detection, personalized medicine tailored to genetic profiles, and seamless access to healthcare in remote and underserved regions. However, standing on a fragile base of literacy, digital divide and policy void, the system remains volatile with several fault lines in the data domain – integrity issues, privacy risks, and cybersecurity challenges. Reflecting on such critical issues, ETHealthworld hosted FutureMed X - The Smart Patient Care Summit, designed to discuss and understand the dynamics of AI-driven diagnostics, IoT-enabled healthcare, telemedicine, and data-driven decision-making for a more intelligent, connected, and patient-centric healthcare ecosystem. The summit brought together key policymakers, healthcare leaders, innovators, and patient advocates exploring the transformative impact of smart technologies on patient care, clinical practice, and business prospects. The annual summit was supported by Universal NutriScience as gold partner; eClinicalWorks, as associate partners; and Nephroplus, Marengo Asia Hospitals, and Easy Solution Infosystems Private Limited as supporting partners. Delivering the chief guest address, the Minister of State for Communications & Ministry of Rural Development, Dr. Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar stressed that, 'The country has the potential to serve as a 'living laboratory' for the world. And building on the existing evidence, India can develop its own high-quality scalable solutions and drive healthcare digital transformation.' 'With collaboration between entrepreneurs and the government, we can make this process successful and ensure that our citizens receive healthcare services that meet global quality standards,' the minister added. Speaking further, the Union Minister emphasized, 'Entrepreneurs in the country can explore innovative business models to address healthcare challenges, such as drone-based delivery of essential medicines and mobile vans equipped with trained MBBS doctors and physicians.' At the inaugural panel discussion themed on 'Reengineering Patient Care: A Changemaker's Perspective,' Prof. Anurag Agrawal, Head - Koita Center for Digital Health & Dean - Biosciences and Health Research, Ashoka University, noted that while clinicians have increasingly adopted advanced technologies like artificial intelligence—especially in radiology—these tools are not yet advanced enough to be fully relied upon for clinical decision-making, and the coming age of medical professionals is entering a field where technological integration presents both promise and pressure. On the part of environmental health, Dr. Raj Shankar Ghosh, Senior Advisor, Environmental Health, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), emphasized that technology has to fill three gaps – predict, prevent, and protect – with the right interventions and correct data sets. Speaking at the panel discussion on 'Revolutionizing Emergency Care : Patient-Centric Approaches in Trauma & Critical Care,' Dr. Deepak Agrawal, Professor, Neurosurgery, AIIMS New Delhi, voiced that, 'Over the last decade the emergency care system in India has undergone several notable changes where the focus on specialised trained professionals has brought a marked shift.' Talking over the role of technology, Dr. Agrawal underlined that inclusion of cameras is enabling real-time monitoring and is automatically structured to identify how long it will take for every step to happen.' Adding to this, Dr. Sushant Chhabra, Cluster Head, Emergency Medicine, Manipal Hospitals North-West Region, said that, 'In a closed ER (emergency care) setting, a patient is handled by a trained emergency medicine professional that leads to a quick diagnosis, targeted therapy and eventually improvement in outcome.' According to experts, a wider adoption of triage in practice can play a critical role during the golden hours and may eventually lead to reduced mortality rates and improved outcomes. Notably, in emergency care, 'triage' is the process of quickly assessing and categorizing patients based on the severity of their condition. Dissecting the dynamics of Smart Hospitals, Rajiv Sikka, Group CIO, Medanta Hospitals, shared the group's approach of collecting 20,000 data points from one patient to improve data-driven decision-making, and the stored database can further be used to tr ai n AI and ML-based software. Viji Varghese, Hospital Director, Manipal Hospital Delhi, added that, 'The introduction of digital tools has overturned the traditional delivery model and the flow of information and service providers stands more as collaborators.' Besides improving outcomes, Kunal Aggarwal, Founder & MD, Easy Solution Infosystems, underlined that innovations like AI are also helping to break access barriers where service providers can expand their reach to remote settings and patients can receive quality care. For incorporating the newer advancements, Miraj Shah, Manager, eClinicalWorks India, stressed that partnership with solution providers is fundamental for hospitals aiming to join this holistic healthcare fabric. 'Moving forward, standardisation of processes and accreditation rules is also an important factor,' he added. Dr. Buddhadeb Chatterjee, Sr. Consultant - Orthopaedics, Apollo Hospital, voiced that with limited movement, arthritis is emerging as a major challenge among the urban population and avoiding physical activity will exacerbate this trend. However, Dr. Rajesh Bawari, Principal Consultant - Orthopaedics & Head - Complex Trauma & Orthopaedics Units, Max Hospital, noted that keeping a balanced approach is key considering that over-exercising may develop complications. For shifting to robot-assisted surgery methods, Dr. Bawari said that expertise and experience of the professional needs to be taken into consideration. Secondly, the industry is yet to address the cost challenge, which may hamper their widespread adoption. Talking over issues related to the backbone, Dr. Shubh Mehrotra, Director - Joint Replacement and Robotic Surgery, Lovee Shubh Hospital, shared that against the conventional trend where people in their 30s used to report issues with spine owing to several lifestyle habits, people in their early 20s have started reporting such issues. Underlining key gaps in microbiology, Dr. Sonal Saxena, Director Professor and Head of the Department of Microbiology at Maulana Azad Medical College, noted that the pace of bacterial growth research has remained largely unchanged, presenting an opportunity for innovators to explore the field and drive potential breakthroughs. Among the elderly population, one of the key metrics constantly monitored by clinicians is heart rate and sleep quality. But looking at the size of the elderly population against the total number of geriatricians, Dr. Prasun Chatterjee, Chief - Geriatric Medicine and Longevity Science, Artemis Hospital, suggests that integrating AI and other technologies is going to be an inevitable shift in the country.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
About ₹500 crore approved till date under TTDF for 120 tech projects: MoS Telecom
The government has approved around ₹500 crore till date under Telecom Technology Development Fund to 120 projects in areas of 5G, 6G, chipsets and quantum technology , Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said on Wednesday. The minister shared the information about his review meeting of the TTDF on his social media account. "TTDF is our flagship fund to support R&D and innovation in telecom technologies. Since launch, ₹499.6 Cr approved for 120 projects in 5G, 6G, chipsets & quantum tech," Pemmasani said on social media platform X. Launched on October 1, 2022 and implemented by Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), TTDF supports cutting-edge research in areas such as 6G, quantum communication, secure chipsets, and intelligent rural connectivity. Since inception, the scheme has received over 1,340 proposals, with 120 R&D projects approved and ₹499.6 crore sanctioned, of which ₹187 crore has already been disbursed. DoT sources, who were aware of the developments at the meeting, shared that the minister emphasised the need for measurable outcomes from public investments in R&D and suggested a series of reforms to strengthen TTDF's implementation framework. "He highlighted that projects supported under TTDF should be closely aligned with real-world objectives, backed by clear monitoring mechanisms. To expedite decision-making, he suggested that the structure of evaluation committees may be streamlined and timelines clearly defined," a source said. He also encouraged greater involvement of reputed private equity professionals and domain experts to enrich the assessment process and improve sectoral relevance, the source added. The review came shortly after the TTDF Symposium 2025, held at IIT Madras Research Park from June 19-21, where 112 funded projects were evaluated across 12 technology verticals by over 40 expert mentors. Recognising the importance of sustained oversight, Pemmasani is learnt to have proposed monthly reviews of TTDF's progress at his level to enable timely feedback and course correction. "In a bid to boost participation from emerging enterprises, he suggested simplifying the scheme guidelines to reduce entry barriers for startups and MSMEs. Structural streamlining of existing committees and feedback mechanisms were also recommended to ensure improved execution and support," an official source said.
Mint
25-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
About ₹500 cr approved till date under TTDF for 120 tech projects: MoS Telecom
New Delhi, Jun 25 (PTI) The government has approved around ₹ 500 crore till date under Telecom Technology Development Fund to 120 projects in areas of 5G, 6G, chipsets and quantum technology, Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said on Wednesday. The minister shared the information about his review meeting of the TTDF on his social media account. "TTDF is our flagship fund to support R&D and innovation in telecom technologies. Since launch, ₹ 499.6 Cr approved for 120 projects in 5G, 6G, chipsets & quantum tech," Pemmasani said on social media platform X. Launched on October 1, 2022 and implemented by Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN), TTDF supports cutting-edge research in areas such as 6G, quantum communication, secure chipsets, and intelligent rural connectivity. Since inception, the scheme has received over 1,340 proposals, with 120 R&D projects approved and ₹ 499.6 crore sanctioned, of which ₹ 187 crore has already been disbursed. DoT sources, who were aware of the developments at the meeting, shared that the minister emphasised the need for measurable outcomes from public investments in R&D and suggested a series of reforms to strengthen TTDF's implementation framework. "He highlighted that projects supported under TTDF should be closely aligned with real-world objectives, backed by clear monitoring mechanisms. To expedite decision-making, he suggested that the structure of evaluation committees may be streamlined and timelines clearly defined," a source said. He also encouraged greater involvement of reputed private equity professionals and domain experts to enrich the assessment process and improve sectoral relevance, the source added. The review came shortly after the TTDF Symposium 2025, held at IIT Madras Research Park from June 19-21, where 112 funded projects were evaluated across 12 technology verticals by over 40 expert mentors. Recognising the importance of sustained oversight, Pemmasani is learnt to have proposed monthly reviews of TTDF's progress at his level to enable timely feedback and course correction.
