Latest news with #Suraksha
Hans India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Hans India
AP prioritises women's safety with technology, says Home Minister
Andhra Pradesh's Home Minister, Vangalapudi Anitha, has reaffirmed the coalition government's commitment to women's safety, highlighting the introduction of the Shakti app as a vital tool for their protection. During the Suraksha 360 programme held on Saturday under the Vijayawada Police Commissionerate, Anitha encouraged women to leverage mobile technology as a means of self-defense, echoing Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's assertion that "if we have a mobile in our hands, the whole world is in our hands." Anitha explained that women in potential danger can alert police instantly by sending a single message to a designated WhatsApp number. She noted that the implementation of CCTV cameras has resulted in a marked decline in crime rates across the state, commending the NTR District Commissionerate for its adept use of technology in policing. The minister revealed that incidents of crime and traffic disruptions are swiftly addressed using advanced technological resources. She advocated for the expansion of model police stations throughout the NTR district, calling attention to the positive impact of the Suraksha app and device on public welfare. Addressing concerns over rising online fraud in the state, Anitha advised citizens to ignore messages from unknown senders, stating that the police are actively employing technology to combat such scams. The minister emphasised the significance of enhanced security measures, particularly in light of the presence of numerous VIPs and VVIPs in Andhra Pradesh. Utilizing drones and CCTV cameras, the police are committed to preventing anti-social activities and ensuring the safety of the community through both smart and discreet policing strategies.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
‘Peak of surge ends, COVID count near zero in Bengal'
1 2 3 K olkata: With the number of both COVID samples and positivity rate on the wane for about a week, doctors in the city said the peak of the spike is over and the count is now nearing zero. Even as the state health department stopped updating the state's COVID data since June 10, experts said going by the downswing trend in Kerala and Maharashtra, from where the uptick began, along with only a handful of COVID patients in city hospitals, the COVID-19 graph in the state is also in the ebbing phase. Bengal's active cases, according to the Covid India dashboard that maintains records for all states across the country, stood at 747 on June 9, when the state submitted data for the last time. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata "COVID-19 spike is not a major issue this time in our state. The number is already coming down, and most of the positive cases did not even require hospital admission," said a senior health official. The official also said the uptick in Bengal was caused by the new XFG sub-variant, which belongs to the Omicron variant. Chief microbiologist at Peerless Hospital, Bhaskar Narayan Chaudhuri, also confirmed that the number of positive cases have dropped drastically. The overall active case load in India surged to the highest of 7,400 on June 14, which scaled down to 3,256 on June 27. "At a certain point in time, we were getting around 5 positive samples out of 10; now it has gone down to only about one in 10," said molecular pathologist Abhirup Sarkar, lab director at Suraksha. Microbiologist Shelly Sharma Ganguly of Manipal Broadway also said the lab was getting three to four positive cases every day even a week ago. But now it is getting one or two cases occasionally Critical Care Medicine Specialist Soutik Panda of Woodlands Hospital said his hospital has not got any new positive case for about a week. "Apollo Multispecialty Hospital has only two patients currently with no new case," said Apollo Critical Care and ECMO physician, Arpan Chakraborty.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- New Indian Express
NTR district set to achieve 100% CCTV coverage, first in AP to meet milestone
VIJAYAWADA: In a pioneering move towards technology-driven policing, the NTR district is all set to become the first district in Andhra Pradesh to achieve 100 percent CCTV camera coverage, with at least four cameras installed in every village. This significant milestone comes under the leadership of NTR district commissioner of Police (CP) SV Rajashekhar Babu, an Inspector General (IG) rank officer who assumed charge on July 14 last year. Known for his commitment to tech-based policing, CP Rajashekhar Babu introduced a series of initiatives in the last one year including AsTram (AI-based traffic management), e-Deployment (AI-based personnel deployment), Suraksha, drone surveillance and more. 'Technology and digital evidence play a crucial role in both crime prevention and detection. With the help of CCTV cameras, we have been able to solve over 80 percent of crimes and secure convictions. I am happy to announce that NTR district is now the first district in the state to achieve 100 percent CCTV coverage,' CP Rajashekhar Babu told TNIE. NTR district comprises 305 inhabited and 16 uninhabited villages, spread across 20 mandals, four municipalities (Tiruvuru, Nandigama, Jaggayyapeta, Ibrahimpatnam) and Vijayawada municipal corporation. Our target is 10,000 CCTV cameras in NTR: CP Over 4,000 CCTV cameras have been installed since August last year, with an additional 2,000 matrix cameras funded by the police department and 300 facial recognition cameras placed at key junctions. 'All villages are now equipped with a minimum of four CCTV cameras. These installations not only help track movements and detect crime, but also act as a deterrent to criminal activities while instilling public confidence,' CP Rajasekhar Babu said. He said efforts are underway to integrate the entire camera network with zonal offices and the central Command Control Centre in Vijayawada for real-time monitoring. 'Our target is to install at least 10,000 CCTV cameras across the commissionerate within a year. Another 1,000 cameras will soon be set up in residential colonies and apartment complexes,' he added. Efforts are also being made to enhance security at religious places. Of the 1,371 identified places of worship in the district, only 500 currently have CCTVs.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Sholay to Suraksha: A quiet revolution in suicide prevention starts in Karnataka's Ramanagara
Ramanagara: On a tranquil two-acre stretch of land in Ramanagara — once the cinematic backdrop for Sholay and Amitabh Bachchan's months-long shoot — a mental health initiative that could shape suicide prevention strategies across India and Asia is unfolding. Project Suraksha — short for surveillance system to track suicide and self-harm — is a community-based suicide prevention model, led by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) in collaboration with Karnataka govt and funded by Himalaya Wellness Company. The ancestral land of psychiatrist Dr CR Chandrashekar has been converted into a rural outreach centre, operational since Feb 2023. From this base, a multi-tiered response is being piloted in Channapatna across all 32 panchayats. The process of rolling it out across Ramanagara district has already begun. An official district-level centre operates at the zilla panchayat building about 3km away. Thirty residents per panchayat have been trained to form community surveillance teams. "They're the shoulder people cry on, the ones who notice distress before it becomes a tragedy," said Anish V Cherian, project lead and principal investigator. These teams include teachers, anganwadi workers, and autorickshaw drivers trained to intervene in emergencies. Agricultural shopkeepers are being asked to limit the sale of excess fertilisers, which are sometimes used in self-harm. Schools and health centres have identified gatekeepers to monitor distress. Newspapers are analysed for responsible suicide reporting, and families of those who died by suicide are offered grief counselling and support through mourning rituals. At the district-level coordination centre in the ZP office, a six-member team rotates duties to respond to emergencies. On Thursday, Suraksha received approval from the police department to access suicide data directly from station-level reports — bypassing delays associated with NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) data that typically emerges a year late. "This gives us timely data. Now we can respond while the window for intervention is still open," said Cherian. Ramanagara superintendent of police Srinivas Gowda acknowledged the initiative's novelty: "Data usually stays with hospitals or police, but this model actually uses trained mental health professionals to act." Data will be integrated with information from 68 primary health centres, urban PHCs, and community health centres, where ASHAs and medical officers help identify cases in a "self-harm registry". Anganwadi workers from various districts underwent training this week. "In village setups, no one wants to go to police. We're learning to respond within the community," said Pushpalatha, a worker from Channapatna. Anmol Jain, CEO of the zilla panchayat, told trainees: "Mental health isn't just for people who are 'mad'. Many suffer silently. We must help them." Arya Thirumeni, programme manager at Suraksha, outlined their interventions: Safety planning cards listing personal warning signs, coping methods, and emergency contacts; follow-ups over two years for those who attempted to die by suicide; and secure storage of lethal means such as pesticides or medication.
The Hindu
10-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Enrolment begins for PM Fasal Bima Yojana in Mysuru
Enrolment for the 2025–26 Karnataka Raitha Suraksha Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has officially commenced in Mysuru district. The scheme aims to provide financial protection to farmers against crop losses resulting from natural calamities, pests, and diseases. Participation is voluntary for both loanee and non-loanee farmers. Loanee farmers, who do not wish to enroll, must submit a written consent letter to their bank manager at least seven days before the final date of enrolment in order to be exempted. Interested farmers can register at their nearest bank, Common Service Center (CSC), or Grama One Center. Required documents include RTC (land ownership document), bank passbook, and Aadhaar copy, a press release said. Insurance claims will be considered if over 75% of the sown area fails due to insufficient rainfall. Also, claims will be considered when the crop loss is due to prolonged dry spells, drought, or floods occurring before 15 days of harvest. If crops left in the field for drying are damaged within 14 days due to cyclonic rains, storms, or unseasonal rain, then the farmers' claims can be considered. In addition, events such as hailstorms, landslides, lightning, submergence, and fire will be assessed individually for compensation under the scheme. The notified crops for Mysuru taluk are rainfed crops such as cowpea (Alasu), black gram (uddu), sesame (ellu), jowar, pigeon pea (Togari), maize (musukina jola), finger millet (ragi), horse gram (huruli), green gram (hesaru), cotton, and groundnut; irrigated crops like paddy (rice), finger millet (ragi), and groundnut; and non-seasonal (NS) crops such as tomato and cabbage. The authorities have urged farmers to take advantage of this scheme to safeguard their farm produce against unforeseen risks. 'The insurance provider for Mysuru district is Tata AIG Insurance Co. Ltd. All eligible farmers are encouraged to register in large numbers to avail the benefits,' said Jayaram B.D., Assistant Director of Agriculture, in the release.
