Odisha Leads Public Transport Safety Transformation on World Transport Day

11 Nov 2024 CW Team

As we observe World Public Transport Day, it's an occasion to highlight the vital role of accessible and efficient transportation and to emphasize the need for safety in public transport systems worldwide.

Public transportation is essential for connecting communities, boosting economic growth, and minimising environmental impact. However, ensuring safety in these systems remains a major challenge. In Odisha, a partnership with Palladium has led to pioneering initiatives aimed at addressing critical road safety issues.

Odisha's roads, characterised by an extensive network and high traffic density, face significant safety risks. The state experiences an alarming 32 road accidents daily, with a fatality rate of 47 per cent, much higher than the national average of 36 per cent. Contributing factors include high speeds, distracted driving, inadequate infrastructure, and limited driver training.

Recognizing these dangers, Odisha's transport authorities, with Palladium as a strategic partner, have introduced multiple safety-focused initiatives to address the root causes of these issues.

Through comprehensive safety programs, the Odisha State Transport Authority (STA) and Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) are transforming public transport safety by focusing on infrastructure, traffic management, and skill development. Their flagship initiative, Project SuVahak, emphasizes driver training and skill-building. To date, the program has trained over 24,450 refresher drivers and 6,575 new drivers. Inclusivity is central to the initiative, extending training to marginalised groups, including women and former Maoist rebels.

Infrastructure Urban

11 Mar 2026

India Expands Semiconductor Training To 500 Institutions

Under the Chips to Startups programme of the India Semiconductor Mission, the Union minister responsible for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and IT reported notable progress in talent development. He indicated that over the past four years substantial steps have been taken towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. World-class EDA tools have been deployed in 315 academic institutions across the country to provide students with practical exposure to chip design. These EDA tools are supported by leading global firms and are accessible t..

Delhi Institutions Support India Semiconductor Mission

The Government of India has prioritised talent development through training, upskilling and workforce development under the Chips to Startups initiative of the India Semiconductor Mission, with officials noting progress in four years towards a 10-year target of training 85,000 engineers in semiconductor design. Electronic design automation tools provided by Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, Renesas, Ansys and AMD have been deployed in 315 academic institutions, enabling students to gain practical chip design experience. Chips have been fabricated and tested at the Semiconductor Laboratory, Mohali, a..

NHA Announces Winners Of NHCX Hackathon At IIT Hyderabad

The National Health Authority (NHA) has concluded the NHCX Hackathon under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) to stimulate innovation around the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX). The winning teams presented their solutions at the NHCX Innovation Meet held at IIT Hyderabad during a two-day event in March 2026 that also served as the hackathon grand finale. The hackathon itself ran from 22 to 28 February 2026 and aimed to accelerate paperless, transparent claims processing across India. The event was organised with a range of ecosystem partners, including the Insurance Regulatory a..