National - The Digital Indian

Apr112017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

Axis Bank CEO Tells IIM-A Students To Wisely Choose A Life Partner

National

One of the most renowned woman bankers in India and the current MD and CEO at Axis Bank, gave the graduating batch of Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) some unconventional advice. To everyone's surprise, Shikha Sharma, spoke about wisely choosing a life partner. "You are poised to enter the real world tomorrow. The choices you make there will define who you become," she said. As she addressed the students of her alma mater, Sharma spoke about three choices that have particularly shaped her career, the most important being marrying Sanjaya, who is also an IIM-A alumni like her. "The choice of a life partner is the single most important choice you'll make in your life, much of the joy you derive in your life, does hark back to who you...

Apr32017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

New RTI draft rules are seemingly inspired by citizen-unfriendly and overtly bureaucratic approach

National

The Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India has invited comments on a new set of Draft Rules (available in English only) to implement The Right to Information Act, 2005. The RTI Rules were last amended in 2012 after a long period of consultation with various stakeholders. The Government’s move to put the draft RTI Rules out for people’s comments and suggestions for change is a welcome continuation of the tradition of public consultation. Positive aspects of the Draft RTI Rules While 60-65% of the Draft RTI Rules repeat the content of the 2012 RTI Rules, some new aspects deserve appreciation as they clarify the manner of implementation of key provisions of the RTI Act. These are: Provisions for dealing with non-compliance of the orders and directives of the Centra...

Apr22017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

RTI pleas on pension issues should be decided in 48 hrs says CIC

National

RTI applications seeking pension details should be replied to within 48 hours as it pertains to the "life and liberty" of the elderly, the Central Information Commission has held as it pitched for early redressal of such grievances. The Commission also directed that if an RTI application is a genuine grievance of a pensioner, steps should be initiated within 48 hours to redress it. The directive of Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu will come to the aid of over 58 lakh central government pensioners. Acharyulu in a recent order held that the information pertaining to pension of a person pertains to his/her life and liberty which is mandated to be replied to within 48 hours as per the Right to Information (RTI) Act. He said the moment an RTI application on pension issue i...

Apr22017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

Liquor ban: States ask Centre to de-notify national highways

National

After Supreme Court's ban on Liquor shops along the highways, the state government is mulling the denotifying of even existing highways. The bar owners, wine merchants in the states have decided to demand denotification of highways as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Chandigarh did, hoping to reduce the impact. A closed liquor shop as the Supreme Court order to ban liquor vends located within 500 meters of Punjab's National and State Highways from April 1 in Amritsar. PTI According to the owners, 90 per cent of the shops are on these roads and the government would lose significant amount of tax, besides lakh of people losing their source of income. As per the latest reports, Maharashtra is adversely affected with this liquor ban. The state would be losing yearly revenue of Rs...

Apr22017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

Draft RTI Rules, 2017 in supersession of RTI Rules, 2012

National

Apr22017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

Centre Invites Comments On Draft RTI Rules, 2017 [What Does RTI Activist’s have to say]

National

In a recent circular, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Department of Personnel and Training has invited comments on the draft RTI Rules, 2017. These Rules would replace RTI Rules, 2012. Suggestions from concerned stakeholders may be sent by 15th April, 2017, via email to Ms. Preeti Khanna, Under Secretary (RTI), North Block, at usrti-dopt@nic.in. The Rules add definitions for the Chief Information Commissioner, Decision, Information Commissioner, Non-compliance, Representative, Secretary and Section. They add provisions elaborating on the documents and the format for filing a complaint with the Commission, return of such complaint, and the procedure for deciding complaints. Compliance of orders of the Commission has been prescribed to be filed within 30 days of t...

Mar312017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

Modi to address world’s largest hackathon

National, Technology

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday will address the "Smart India Hackathon", said to be the world's largest hackathon. Aimed at promoting innovation, the exercise would see nearly 10,000 students producing digital solutions to 598 problems, a release from the Ministry of Electronics and IT said. The 598 problems have been identified and posted by 29 central government departments and include issues like geo-fencing of airports, online toll collection, smart traffic management, cyber attacks and smart drones to make the airspace safer. The 36-hour non-stop digital programming competition would start at 8 a.m. on Saturday in 26 different locations in the country with each location handled by one central department or ministry. The top three teams would be awarded Rs 1 lakh,...

Mar252017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

Govt plans major step against terrorism, to seal international boundaries with Pakistan, Bangladesh soon

National

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said India is pondering over sealing the international boundaries with Pakistan and Bangladesh soon. Addressing the passing out parade of the Border Security Force Assistant Commandants at the BSF Academy in Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh, Singh said: “India is planning to seal the international boundaries with Pakistan and Bangladesh as soon as possible. This could be India's major step against terrorism and the problem of refugees.” The minister added that the border with Pakistan would be sealed by 2018. The decision has been taken in the wake of an increase in infiltration attempts, said Singh. "The project will be periodically monitored by the Home Secretary at the Central level, the BSF from the security forces' perspective and the Chie...

Mar242017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

Air India staffer assault case: Delhi Police books MP Ravindra Gaikwad

Delhi

Delhi Police today registered an FIR against Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who had assaulted an Air India staffer at the Delhi Airport on Thursday. Delhi crime branch will probe the case. The FIR was filed at Airport police station. Charges under Section 355 of the Indian Penal Code (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person) and under Section 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) have been slapped against the Lok Sabha MP. He had thrashed 61-year-old Sukumar Raman of AISATS, Air India's ground handling firm, with his slipper 25 times at the Delhi's IGI airport after landing from Pune. COUNTER ALLEGATIONS In the meantime, Gaikwad also submitted a complaint against Air India before Delhi Police making a counter allegation that he was pushed and yelled u...

Mar232017 by Team - The Digital IndianNo Comments

India gives a clear message – ‘Will reunite PoK, Gilgit-Baltistan with Jammu and Kashmir`

National

Minister of State (MoS) in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh on Thursday reiterated that the government would free Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan from the illegal occupation of Pakistan. The Union minister added that the government’s objective was to restore Jammu and Kashmir in its original format, that includes Gilgit-Baltistan and PoK. Notably, today is Pakistan's Republic Day. Pakistan Day, or Republic Day, commemorates March 23, 1940, when a resolution was passed in Lahore, to demand a separate homeland for the Muslims. Earlier this month, a committee headed by Pakistan's foreign policy chief Sartaj Aziz had proposed to make Gilgit-Baltistan, the region north of the Line of Control in the Pakistan-administered Kashmir, fifth province. India h...