Latest News
EDITORIALS & ARTICLES
08th Aug 2021
INDIAN RAILWAYS ONE-STOP PASSENGERS' HELPLINE 'RAIL MADAD' LAUNCHED
Recently, the Indian Railways has launched the ‘Rail Madad App’.
Rail Madad App
- It is the integrated & innovative one-stop solution for customer grievance, enquiry, suggestion and assistance, providing passengers the choice to access RailMadad through multiple channels.
- Under Rail Madad App, the national transporter has merged several existing helplines that were used for various purposes into one.
- It offers passengers multiple choices for access such as web, App, SMS, social media and Helpline number (139) during the journey for expeditious resolution of their complaints.
- The helpline 139 can be used for all kinds enquiries, and making complaints and the helpline facility is available round-the-clock in 12 languages.
- It allows passengers to lodge complaints through Mobile APP & WEB platform and enables them to check real-time feedback on the status of redressal of their complaints.
- It registers a complaint with minimum inputs from passenger (option of photo also available), issues unique ID instantly and relays the complaint online to relevant field officials for immediate action.
- The action taken on complaint is also relayed to passenger through SMS, thus fast tracking the entire process of redressal of complaints through digitisation.
- The app also displays various helpline numbers (e.g., Security, Child helpline etc) and provides direct calling facility for immediate assistance in one easy step.
- All modes of filing complaints including offline and online modes are being integrated on a single platform, therefore the resultant management reports present a holistic picture of weak/deficient areas and enable focused corrective action by officials concerned.
- The data analysis would also generate trends on various performance parameters of a selected train/station like cleanliness, amenities etc thus making managerial decision more precise and effective.
- Hierarchy based dashboard/reports will be available for management at Division /Zonal/Railway board level and sent through auto email to every concerned officer weekly.
- The Regulatory Data Dashboard was also launched by the Ministry of Power.
- India is preparing itself for the next generation by modernisation, but the process of making our system sustainable is work in progress.
- India has established one grid for the country and one unified market for power free from long term Power Purchasing Agreements (PPAs).
- The regulatory framework is the key to sustainability and the regulators exist to maintain a level playing field and at the same time to protect rights of the consumers.
- The transition from fossil fuels to green hydrogen is the need of the hour and green consciousness has already emerged in the industry but technology problems need to be resolved.
- It is an e-certification program to provide regulatory training to the practitioners from diverse backgrounds.
- It has been developed by IIT Kanpur.
- It is an e-compendium of data containing State-wise details of tariff and DISCOM performance.
- It has been developed by IIT Kanpur.
- It would assist benchmarking of the sector performance, over time and across the power sector utilities.
- It would help regulators and policy makers as well as the entities themselves to identify areas for improvement.
- Internet governance was one of the most controversial issues during the first phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS-I), held in Geneva in December 2003.
- It was recognised that understanding Internet governance was essential in achieving the development goals of the Geneva Plan of Action.
- The UN Secretary-General set up a Working Group on Internet Governance (WGIG) to explore these issues and prepare a report to feed into the second phase of WSIS (WSIS-II), held in Tunis in November 2005.
- WSIS-II requested the UN Secretary-General to convene an Internet Governance Forum, as a multilateral, multi-stakeholder, democratic and transparent platform for discussions on Internet governance issues.
- It is an Internet Governance policy discussion platform to bring representatives together from various groups, considering all at par to discuss public policy issues related to the Internet.
- It is referred to as the multi-stakeholder model of Internet Governance, which has been the key feature for the Internet's success.
- The theme of IGF-2021 is Inclusive Internet for Digital India.
- The multi-stakeholder concept is well adopted by IGF (Internet Governance Forum) under United Nations and by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
- It was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 16 December 2015.
- India is the second-largest broadband subscription country in the world and also has the highest data consumption per user per month.
- It is the correct initiative for the country to ensure that the growth of broadband adheres to the lifestyle and requirements of the Indian community.
- IIGF 2021 is adopting the multi-stakeholder concept in organizing the event as per the true spirit of global IGF.
- It informs and inspires those with policy-making power in both the public and private sectors.
- It is the highest sporting honour of India.
- It was instituted in 1991-92 and awarded annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
- It was officially known as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in Sports and Games.
- The award comprises a medallion, a certificate, and a cash prize of ₹ 25 lakh.
- The first recipient of the Khel Ratna was chess legend Viswanathan Anand.
- The recipient(s) is/are selected by a committee constituted by the Ministry and is honoured for their spectacular and most outstanding performance in the field of sports over a period of four years at international level.
- The nominations for the award are received from all government recognised National Sports Federations, the Indian Olympic Association, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the Sports Promotion and Control Boards, and the state and the union territory governments with not more than two eligible sportspersons nominated for each sports discipline.
- In case of cricket, the nominations are received from the Board of Control for Cricket in India and SAI is authorised to submit the nominations on behalf of all the de-recognised or under suspension National Sports Federations.
- Any sportsperson who is either penalised or being enquired for usage of drugs or substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency is not eligible for the award.
- The twelve member committee consists of:
- A Chairperson nominated by the Ministry;
- Four Olympians or previous recipients of Khel Ratna or Arjuna Award;
- Three sports journalists/experts/commentators;
- One sportsperson/expert/administrator associated with parasports;
- One sports administrator;
- The Director General of SAI; and
- The Joint Secretary of Department of Sports
- He was known as ‘The Wizard’ in field hockey.
- He played international hockey from 1926 to 1949, scoring over 400 goals in his career.
- He was part of the Olympic team that won gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936.
- He has been conferred with several honours, including India’s third highest civilian honour of Padma Bhushan in 1956.
- The Dhyan Chand Award for Life-time Achievement in Sports and Games was introduced in 2002.
- It honours Indians who have contributed to sports by their performance and continue to help promote sports even after their retirement from active sporting careers.
- The Minister said that the approach of the Indian is of Zero Tolerance to Corruption and Black Money and the country has a sound legal framework backed by strong institutional mechanism to deal with corruption.
- The Minister apprised the gathering the slew of legislative and executive measures taken by India to be largely UNCAC (UN Convention against Corruption) compliant.
- The Minister informed the launching of E-Lok Adalat as an effective tool to settle disputes, combining technology.
- The Minister urged the SCO Member States to promote exchange of ideas, best practices and experiences in identified areas through this prestigious podium.
- The Experts Working Group of SCO Member States discussed the importance of providing free legal aid to the citizens as also cooperation in all spheres including legal initiatives, given the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
- The ministers of justice discussed the role of law (legal system) during the pandemic, emphasizing that no state can combat the virus alone, and all must work together to overcome its effects.
- The Ministers of Justice exchanged views on the provision of free legal aid to citizens in accordance with national legislation.
- The participants of the Meeting has noted the threat that corruption poses to human society and sharing the concern of the global community about this problem.
- The ministers of justice emphasized that the establishment of the rule of law based on the principles of respect, protection and promotion of human rights in all spheres of social, political and economic life is a major factor in the stability, sustainability and successful development of the SCO member states.
- The ministers of justice of the SCO member states declare the following:
- Strengthen the work on the implementation of the Agreement on Cooperation between the Ministries of Justice of the SCO Member States signed in Dushanbe on August 18, 2015;
- Strengthen interaction between the ministries of (law and) justice of the SCO member states in order to preserve and expand mutual trust;
- To make efforts to hold regional conferences on the provision of free legal aid to citizens, organize mutual visits of representatives of institutions and services involved in the provision of free legal aid;
- Establish an exchange of experience between the ministries of justice of SCO member states in the field of combating corruption, taking into account the improvement of national legislation and the introduction of new technologies.
- It was conceptualized on the basis of the “National Policy and Action Plan for Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Indian Judiciary – 2005”.
- It is a Pan-India Project, monitored and funded by Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice, for the District Courts across the country.
- The objectives of E-Court Services Project are:
- To provide efficient & time-bound citizen centric services delivery as detailed in eCourt Project Litigant's Charter.
- To develop, install & implement decision support systems in courts.
- To automate the processes to provide transparency in accessibility of information to its stakeholders.
- To enhance judicial productivity, both qualitatively & quantitatively, to make the justice delivery system affordable, accessible, cost effective, predictable, reliable and transparent.
- The Department of Justice has partnered with NALSA and CSC e-Governance Service India Limited for mainstreaming legal aid to the marginalised communities through Common Services Center (CSC).
- Tele-Law means the use of communications and information technology for the delivery of legal information and advice.
- The e-interaction between lawyers and people would be through the video-conferencing infrastructure available at the CSCs.
- The concept of Tele-Law is to facilitate delivery of legal advice through a panel of lawyers stationed at the state Legal Services Authorities (SALSA) and CSC.
- It aims at assisting the district judiciary in reduction of pendency of ten year old cases and increasing access to justice for marginalized people.
- The program was launched in 227 selected districts of 16 States i.e. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Odisha, eight states of North Eastern Region and Jammu & Kashmir during April 2017.
- The position of the NMs was open to retired judicial officers and retired government officers (with legal background only).
- The objectives of Nyaya Mitra Scheme are:
- Providing assistance to the High Court / district judges for speedier disposal of ten year old pending cases;
- Building convergence with legal services authorities, relevant govt. departments, subordinate judiciary and litigants for speedier disposal of pending cases; and
- Undertake Access to Justice Initiatives to support effective implementation of Article 39-A of the Constitution of India ensuring that easy and affordable legal aid is available to all irrespective of economic or other disabilities of those wishing to access it
- It is India's First-Ever e-Resource Center in Nagpur.
- It aims to provide ease of access and smooth functioning for e-filing and video conferencing to courts across the country from the Centre itself.
- It is equipped with features that will provide access to Supreme Court, other various High Courts, Courts in talukas and included Family and Labour courts.
- It is connected to all three levels of courts in the country.
- It aims to tackle the inequality of access with the use of technology, saving time and energy of the litigants seeking justice in the areas of traffic and transport.
POSTED ON 08-08-2021 BY ADMIN
Next previous 
General Studies
Political Science and International Relations
Some Reference Essays
List of previous year essay topics (1997-2019)
IAS GOOGLE is googled by the team of Raja Sir’s Cracking IAS Academy. Sources include The Hindu, Indian Express, pib.nic.in, Down To Earth, Economic Times, Vigyan Prasar, AIR and the like. IAS GOOGLE has been prepared in pace with emerging UPSC Trends.