Ministry of Railways Launches New User Interface of its Next Generation e-Ticketing System

In line with Union Minister of Railways Shri Piyush Goyal’s vision to ensure better user experience by recommending best Information Technology industry practices, Railway's Online Travel Portal – www.irctc.co.in has now launched beta version of its new User Interface. The new link has more user friendly features for easier navigation.

The ‘Digital India’ initiative has paved way for government organizations to harness power of technology and in making lives easier for citizens of India. By creating Next Generation e-Ticketing (NGeT) system the new online ticket booking system of Railways provides easy and fast way of booking rail tickets by automating the journey planning and purchase of tickets.

E-ticketing today constitutes about two third of total reserved tickets on Indian Railways.

Salient features of the New User Interface:

• With the launch of new interface of e-Ticketing Website, user can now enquire / search trains and check availability of seats without login also, thereby saving precious time of the users. User can now change font size throughout the website for comfortable viewing experience.
• The new look and feel will have enhanced class-wise, train-wise, destination-wise, departure/arrival time wise and quota-wise filters for facilitating customer while planning their journeys. Single screen information about the train including the train no, train name, originating and destination station and distances between them, arrival and departure time and journey time has now been arranged.
• In addition, more features such as new filters on ‘My Transactions’ where user can also view their booked tickets based on Journey Date, Booking Date, Upcoming Journey and completed journey.
• To enhance customer’s booking experience, interesting features like ‘Waitlist prediction’, etc have been introduced. Using this feature, user can get the probability of a Waitlisted or RAC ticket getting confirmed. This technique uses algorithm based on historical booking trends of the particular train. This feature will add new value to the online e-ticket booking system of the railways. New attractive colour scheme for different trains with facility to modify the journey details on the journey planner page itself will bring further ease of booking to the users.
• The new look and feel is providing the facility for the user to find out the availability up to the entire Advance Reservation Period i.e. 120 days at present, except few trains. In the new system, user can perform multiple activities through booked history with improved interface for cancellation of tickets, printing of tickets, request for additional SMS, selecting alternative train by exercising the option of ‘Vikalp’ and change of boarding point if required. Technological advancements in the development of New User Interface also facilitate seamless navigation in mobiles, desktops, laptops and tablets.
• Users have been invited to initially, switch to the beta version of the website and get the first hand experience of its look, feel and usage for a period of 15 days during which Railways will take suggestions from them for further changes and improvement of the site. After this the beta version of the new interface will replace the old interface of IRCTC e-ticketing portal enabling a smooth transition of the users to the new interface.

Union Home Minister directs expediting construction of bunkers along the IB/LoC to protect border residents in J&K

Shri Rajnath Singh reviews progress of Department of J&K Affairs

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh reviewed the progress of Department of Jammu and Kashmir Affairs at a high level meeting in the Ministry of Home Affairs here today. The Union Home Minister expressed satisfaction that there has been a significant drop in stone-pelting incidents since the Government announced Suspension of Operations during the Ramzan.

In view of 1,252 ceasefire violations by Pakistan during the current year, the Home Minister called for expediting construction of bunkers along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) to protect the border residents. The MHA has approved Rs.415 crores for construction of more than 14,000 bunkers in Kathua, Samba, Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts. Work on construction of 1,431 community and more than 13,000 individual bunkers will commence from July.

The Home Minister was informed that compensation to victims of cross-border firing has been approved at NDRF rates and the limit of three milch animals removed for losses incurred upon livestock. The Minister directed that compensation for live-stock may be increased to Rs. 50,000 from Rs. 30,000 presently.

Shri Rajnath Singh directed to expedite the raising of two New Border Battalions of J&K Police. He said the recruitment should be completed by March, 2019. MHA has approved Rs.105 crores in March, 2018. These two battalions would be raised from the people living within 0 – 10 kms of IB/LoC. Besides, 5 India Reserve Battalions (IRB) are also being raised. 4,690 youth have been recruited for this, who will start joining next month. Also, 6,689 SPOs have been appointed out of a total of 10,000 new posts sanctioned. The possibility of filling up of the vacancies of SPOs from Border living community may be explored.

The Home Minister was informed that 1,079 youth have been selected during a Special recruitment drive for CAPFs and Assam Rifles in 2016-17 while 7,302 youth were inducted into the Army during the period 2014-2017.

The Home Minister was also informed about the progress of relief and rehabilitation programmes related to various sections of Migrants and Displaced Persons. 12,763 beneficiaries of Displaced persons of PoJK have been disbursed Rs. 578 crs. Shri Rajnath Singh directed holding special camps and publicity in regional newspapers for disbursing assistance of Rs.5.5 lakhs per family to Displaced People of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Chhamb, for which MHA has provided Rs.2,000 crores.

Reviewing the Prime Minister’s Development Package worth Rs.80,068 crores, it was informed that nearly 63,000 crores have been sanctioned for 63 projects pertaining to 15 Central Ministries. Out of which more than Rs.24,000 crores (31%) have been released and over Rs.20,000 crores (26%) utilized. 13 projects have been completed/substantially completed. Home Minister directed to accelerate the implementation of these projects.

The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Union Home Secretary Shri Rajiv Gauba were present during today’s review meeting.

Akshay Kumar launches ad campaign for Swachh Bharat

Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation

Eminent actor, Shri Akshay Kumar, today launched an advertisement campaign for the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) in the capital. The campaign was launched at a Collectors Convention for Toilet Technology organized in the capital. The campaign focuses on promoting the twin pit toilet technology in rural India, and also features actor, Ms Bhumi Pednekar along with Shri Kumar.

In his welcome address, Shri Parameswaran Iyer, Secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water

and Sanitation, spoke about the contribution made by Shri Akshay Kumar to the Swachh Bharat Mission. He said that right from his movie, Toilet Ek Prem Katha, which was seen and appreciated by rural and urban people across the country, to his participation in the twin pit toilet advertisement campaign for the Swachh Bharat Mission, Shri Kumar has been a strong supporter of the sanitation movement underway in the country

Shri Akshay Kumar interacted with Swachh Bharat Mission officials, district collectors, communication experts and members from the media on the occasion. During his interaction, he spoke about the need for influencers of society to talk freely about toilets, and empty toilet pits around the country to destigmatize cleaning of one’s own toilet by members of the family itself.

The District Collectors and field officials, during the interaction, spoke about the power of women in leading the sanitation mission in rural areas, and the role played by the movie, “Toilet Ek Prem Katha” in leading this behavior change. It was also announced by the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation on this occasion that the producers of Toilet Ek Prem Katha have given rights to all State and District teams of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) to screen the movie in villages on a non-commercial basis.

The twin pit toilet technology was invented in India and is the most well-suited toilet technology for rural India, and is recommended by Government of India and the World Health Organization. It is scientifically proven that:

1.         A pit in a standard twin-pit toilet model fills up in roughly 5 years for a 6-membered family

2.         The waste may then be easily re-directed to the second pit

3.         In 6 months to 1 year, the waste in the filled pit decomposes completely

4.       This decomposed waste is safe to handle and rich in NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) nutrients which makes it ideal for use in agriculture

The States are continuously encouraged by the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) to include awareness generation about the above facts as part of their grassroots information, education and communication (IEC) efforts.

The advertisement campaign launched today is an effort, supported by the World Bank, towards encouraging this technology using mass media. The film can be found on the YouTube channel of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) (link: tinyurl.com/sbmgramin). It will be translated in several regional languages, and the Hindi version will start airing on television channels with immediate effect.

PIB

WHERE ART THOU GOING TO, MY BHARAT ?

I am reproducing what I have received from a friend as I fully agree with his views and that of the Editor of Deccan Herald

I am not on WhatsApp but I’ve seen the divisive post by Col(Retd)….

I am not surprised. Some others too have shown their true colours by voicing their belief and support for a Hindu India. These are the ones who think that the minorities have no place in the land of their birth and that our Country will be better off without us. They are sadly mistaken. Hopefully, these brazen Hindultwa advocates are still in a minority.

In the last 70 yrs, members of the majority community have shaped the future of our Country. Yet, on all indicators – social, health, education, wealth, etc, the Country is almost at the bottom of the pecking order, compared to developed nations . We will always be so, because the ruling class, in order to preserve their privileges, is more focused on keeping the ‘lower castes’ in their place.

Just the other day in Rajkot, Gujarat, ‘low caste’ rag picker was tied up and beaten to death. Earlier, there was a case of a dalit being beaten up because he rode a horse at his wedding. In another incident, a dalit was beaten up for keeping a moustache. All this happening with increasing frequency since plans for a Hindu Nation were announced.

The very large numbers of dalits will never be allowed to rise by the present set up of privileged ruling class comprising of high castes. Situation is getting more and more desperate, every year and it is going to be a long, long conflict.

It may be worthwhile to read what (below) what the Editor, (A Reddy and certainly belonging to the majority community), of the Deccan Chronicle had to say in yesterdays issue of the daily :

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First time since WWII, India to station fighter planes in Andaman & Nicobar to counter China

India has decided to station fighter airplanes in the Andaman and Nicober Islands to strengthen India's hold over the crucial Malacca, Sunda, and Lumbok Strait and the Straits of Ombai Wetar and the eastern Indian Ocean Region, top sources told India Today.

This is the first time fighter airplanes will be positioned in Andaman and Nicobar islands since World War II.

The Malacaa, Sunda and Lumbok straits are narrow ocean passes that connect the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. About 70 per cent of world's trade, by volume and energy passes through these narrow straits.

Over the last few years, more and more Chinese warships and submarines including nuclear submarines have been spotted in India's backyard as the game to dominate the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) hots up.

Recently, the Indian Navy sent a tacit message to Beijing that it will keep an eye over the region by tweeting pictures of Chinese warships entering the Indian Ocean Region.

Leveraging the Andaman Island chain as line of defence against an aggressive China has been in the plans for some time now. The Modi government, however, has put more energy and focus to realise this.

The decision to beef up security at the Andaman and Nicobar island comes at a time when India and China are looking to cool down tempers along the 3,488 km long un-demarcated and disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) after an informal summit between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping last month.

The India Navy has positioned about 19 capital warships in the area and has built two floating docks to repair and refurbish warships.

"Warships no longer need to be brought to the docks in mainland India for repairs," said a senior Navy officer explaining the significance of setting repair and maintenance facilities in the island chain.

Top government sources, who didn't want to be named, told India Today that air bases in Car Nicobar and on Campbell Bay has been identified as possible bases for the fighter planes.

"The Andamans must emerge as one of India's top most outposts to project power," the officer said. While the base at Car Nicobar needs upgrades, the airstrip at Campbell Bay is being extended to accommodate heavier aircraft. As of now the Russian made Mi17V5 helicopters are stationed in Car Nicobar airbase.

Administrative Changes

New Delhi is also likely to issue fresh orders allowing the Commander in Chief of Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) to exercise direct control of all assets and men including that of the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army soon, top sources told India Today and added that "the issue is being pursued vigorously by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman."

The fresh order is also likely to empower CINCAN to requisition assets that he deems fit to carry out the charter.

As a precursor to empowering the Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar, the government recently notified new "statutory rules and orders" that allows the Andaman and Nicobar Command to "exercise direct command" over personnel from the other two services.

As of now in tri-service organisations men, officers are governed by different acts and rules. The change was brought about especially for the Andaman and Nicobar Command. The ANC command was established in October 2001 but has largely failed to realise its potential because of turf wars among the three services, environmental concerns, fund-crunch and importantly political lethargy.