Latest news with #SMILE
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Centre picks Bhopal for beggar-free project under SMILE scheme
Bhopal: An order of district collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh, ahead of Global Investors' Summit (GIS-2025) taking place in the state capital, to enforce 'begging ban' may not have freed Bhopal from the scourge of begging but there is still hope. Bhopal has now been selected by the union ministry of social justice and empowerment under its Support for Marginalised Individuals for Lideligood & Enterprise (SMILE) project to make the city beggar-free. Singh had banned begging under section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Samhita (BNSS) on February 3, 2025. Under the ban, both begging and giving alms to beggars had been banned and declared a crime. Children selling goods on traffic signals and other places had also been banned. A committee headed by joint director, social justice department, RK Singh was also formed to monitor the impact of the ban and initially, there appeared to be some impact with at least begging on roads and busy traffic junctions coming under control but beggars could still be seen particularly outside religious places and markets. A night shelter room in Kolar was converted into 'Bhikshu grah (a place for stay of beggars, where they were provided food and shelter)' but overall, the experiment didn't have the desired impact. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Now, the ministry of social justice and empowerment has stepped in selecting Bhopal district under its project SMILE to make it begging-free. Informing this a spokesperson of the district administration said that experienced and capable NGOs are requested to send their proposals to run the rehabilitation centre being run for the beggars till 5.00 pm on July 15, 2025. The NGOs registered under Society Registration/Firm/Public Trust Act will be eligible to apply. They should not be blacklisted by any department of the government, have 5 years of experience in carrying out rehabilitation job and should have a sound financial condition. They can send their proposal through email, post or personally hand it over in the office of joint director, social justice department in the old secretariat building.
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Japanese shipping firm plans to start container services from Mormugao port
Panaji: At least three shipping lines, including the Japanese shipping firm Ocean Network Express (ONE), expressed interest in commencing container movement at Mormugao port after the monsoon. Additionally, Delta Ports, which handles operations at Berth No 10 and 11 of Mormugao port, is in active discussions with Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) to include Goa in the SMILE (SCI-Middle-East-India-Liner-Express) service. ONE's senior management team, led by its managing director Masahiro Sakikubo, undertook a comprehensive terminal tour of Mormugao port on Monday to assess the terminal's container-handling infrastructure. ONE is jointly owned by the Japanese shipping lines Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Mitsui OSK Lines, and K Line. 'This is a major milestone where a global liner has entrusted us and visited Goa for restarting the container services. ONE's management showed keen interest in the ongoing developments at Delta port's Mormugao Terminal Private Limited, particularly regarding the resumption of container services. Our consistent efforts and engagement with stakeholders led to their first-hand visit, offering an encouraging outlook for Goa Port's future,' said an official of Delta Ports. ONE, currently ranked fifth in the global container trade, operates a fleet of over 260 vessels with a capacity exceeding 2 million TEU. MPA chairperson N Vinodkumar assured ONE of the port's full support, along with incentives to facilitate the commencement of container trade. Encouragingly, Unifeeder, another logistics firm, is currently studying the feasibility of including Goa in its container network, engaging with leading shipping lines like CMA CGM, ONE, Maersk, MSC, and HMM to ship container cargo post-monsoon. Port officials said that the inclusion of Mormugao port in the SCI's SMILE network will reduce road transport dependency and support cargo movement for salt, industrial salt, tiles, bentonite, and manufactured goods, benefitting local industries. 'Goa's exporters and importers will soon enjoy seamless global connectivity from their hometown port. "This initiative will particularly empower MSMEs, enabling them to compete confidently in international markets without the burden of high logistics costs,' said an MPA official.
New Indian Express
21-06-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
HAL to build small satellite launch vehicles
NSIL to launch 15 private payload SSLVs starting from October BENGALURU: New Space India Limited (NSIL) will launch its first small satellite launch vehicles (SSLV) in partnership with private firms in October 2025 and February 2026. After which 15 more will be launched subsequently. Radhakrishnan Durairaj, CMD, NSIL, on Friday said these skilled launches are based on the business in hand and demand. Earlier India did not have the space and technology to launch the SSLVs and it had to be done from the launch pads of other countries, but now after the creation of the SSLV Module in LEO Experiment (SMILE) platform developed by ISRO and Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), the launches can be done unhindered. The SMILE platform, inspired from the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module, is a cost-effective platform for space technologies. Durairaj said they were aiming to the launch the 15 satellites will not overlap with the ongoing works that are being done with ISRO and HAL. These works had commenced before entering into agreements with HAL. He added that the space sector and technologies have changed with satellites getting miniaturised and more constellations are coming up. India is now making its presence more prominent in the space sector.
Hindustan Times
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Reasi to become J&K's second district to roll out SMILE scheme for beggers
In a significant step towards ensuring a life of dignity for marginalised individuals, Reasi is poised to become the second district in Jammu and Kashmir, after Srinagar, to implement the SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) scheme. Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Nidhi Malik emphasised on swift implementation of SMILE scheme for tackling begging with compassion and opportunity Launched by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on February 12, 2022, the SMILE scheme focuses on the rehabilitation, reintegration, and empowerment of beggars, helping them transition into mainstream society through structured support. The Ministry has identified 50 districts, towns, cities, and locations. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Temple in District Reasi is one of them. A key project approval committee meeting, chaired by Malik, was held recently to scrutinize applications from NGOs interested in implementing the scheme. Out of the three applications received, Prayas Juvenile Aid Centre Society secured the highest score based on the selection criteria established by the ministry. Their project proposal was approved following a detailed review and presentation, which outlined a comprehensive plan including a baseline survey and subsequent rehabilitation efforts. During the meeting, District Social Welfare Officer Reasi, Sachin Sharma, provided an in-depth briefing on the scheme's objectives and implementation strategy. Prayas NGO shared their vision for the Reasi district, detailing a phased approach to bring vulnerable individuals back into the social fold through education, skill-building, and livelihood opportunities.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Lakhs homeless in Delhi, little planning on their relief
New Delhi: Below the city's flyovers, across busy pavements and near markets, there are faces we pass by every day. They are Delhi's homeless hundreds — barefoot, faces streaked with dust, squatting on the hard ground under torn tarpaulin or selling their wares at traffic crossings. Among those who end up on the streets, many come to the city seeking a better life but end up on the pavement. There have been talks of schemes to make their lot better, such as the Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise (SMILE). There are night shelters for the homeless, but thousands still sleep on the roadside, battling hunger, harsh weather and cold concrete. Dr Indu Prakash Singh, a member of the State Level Shelter Monitoring Committee (SLSMC), Delhi, in inputs for the UN-Habitat global report, has highlighted the scale of the issue. He cited a survey from Aug 2024. During this survey, 1,56,369 people were counted as sleeping on Delhi's streets between 11pm and 5.30am. The estimated homeless population in the city is over 3,00,000. Women, children, the elderly, the disabled, pregnant women, the mentally ill and those recovering from addiction or illnesses are the most vulnerable. "The current shelters are not enough," he said. "Delhi has more shelters than many cities in the world. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Govt also provides food and medicines at the shelters. But, there are not enough of them, and many people still sleep outside. The National Urban Livelihood Mission's Shelter for Urban Homeless (SUH) scheme, launched in 2013, was meant to change this. But even after 10 years, the challenge remains." Dr Singh added that the city's shelter capacity falls short by almost 90% of the requirement under the Master Plan for Delhi, 2021. The impact of the homeless on the city's landscape is visible. Suchita Kacker Meena, a Delhi resident, said: "Sustainable solutions to homelessness lie in building more shelters, creating job opportunities and ensuring effective implementation of rehabilitation programmes." For the homeless, boundary grills become clotheslines, footpaths become kitchens, and spaces under flyovers are makeshift homes. The homeless sell balloons, toys and trinkets on the road. A DUSIB official said: "The court has assigned us responsibility, but the challenge remains. Many homeless people return to the streets despite food and shelter. Some families stay for decades, others never come. We rescue at least 40–50 people daily. They use the night shelters but leave by morning. We urge donors to give to shelters.... We've proposed skill-based programmes for employment." He added that the "lack of manpower (at the shelters) is a big issue. The key is creating jobs in home states to reduce migration to Delhi." BJP had guaranteed removing homelessness if it formed a govt. In Feb 2025, while hearing a case on urban homelessness, Supreme Court questioned if offering jobs would be better than giving freebies. While it acknowledged the need for shelter for the homeless was a priority, it stressed the importance of a balance in welfare policies. Experts say the root of the issue is deeper — gaps in housing policies, long-term support and lack of inclusion. "Remove poverty, bring jobs everywhere, and homelessness will disappear," Dr Singh said. "The tragedy of this country is that the poor are persecuted and not supported. If poverty schemes truly worked, we wouldn't be here discussing this." He said that homelessness "isn't the issue. The lack of work is. The real problem is a govt deficit — not of money, but of care and commitment." Many times, the social welfare department puts all responsibility on DUSIB, he said. "but DUSIB is an engineering body, not a welfare body.... Govt must come up with a holistic policy on this — at central and state levels." Sunil Kumar Aledia, executive director of the Centre for Holistic Development (CHD), said: "The cityscape may be important, but addressing the problem of homelessness is also crucial." He added that the solution lay in "long-term planning, like the five-year plans we had earlier. There were discussions about housing rights for the homeless then.... We need at least five years of dedicated effort, especially for housing policies. Marginalised sections can contribute to the Smart City projects too." He added that homeless people would have to be "brought to the mainstream."
