Day: July 15, 2021

 

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered grievance management application in New Delhi on July 15, 2021, developed by Ministry of Defence with the help of IIT-Kanpur. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions Dr Jitendra Singh graced the occasion. 

This is the first AI based system developed to improve grievance redressal in the Government. The AI tool developed as part of the initiative has capability to understand the content of the complaint based on the contents therein. As a result, it can identify repeat complaints or spam automatically. Based on the meaning of the complaint, it can categorise complaints of different categories even when key words normally used for such search are not present in the complaint. It enables geographical analysis of complaints in a category including analysis of whether the complaint was adequately addressed or not by the concerned office. Easy user-friendly search enables user to formulate his own queries/categories depending on management requirements and seek performance results based on the query. Given that lakhs of complaints are received on CPGRAMS portal of DARPG, this application will have great use in understanding the nature of complaints, geographies from where they emanate and policy changes which can be introduced to create systemic improvements to address these grievances. 

 Speaking on the occasion, the Raksha Mantri described the application as a product of good governance, which reflects the growing synergy between the Government and academia. He said this initiative is another citizen centric reform of the Government that aims to empower the people at large. 

Shri Rajnath Singh lauded Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances (DARPG) for playing an important role in the reform of the Public Grievances Redressal System, saying that resolving the grievances of people is a great service in itself. He added that the active involvement of reputed institutions like IIT Kanpur will further bolster the system and resolve the grievances of people in a transparent and effective manner. 

The Raksha Mantri was briefed that this AI-powered application will automatically handle and analyse the complaints of the people and would reduce human intervention, save time and bring more transparency in their disposal. 

A tripartite MoU for the project was signed among Department of Defence, MoD, DARPG and IIT, Kanpur on August 04, 2020.   

The release of this application marks the introduction of AI-based innovations into governance and administration. This project is first of its kind initiative of the Government for using AI, data science and Machine Learning techniques in grievance redressal. The success of this project in MoD will pave the way for extension of this application across other Ministries. The MoD and IIT, Kanpur intend to drive their collaboration forward in the coming years, seeking to better leverage the use of AI for the disposal of citizens’ complaints. The web-based application has been jointly developed by Department of Defence, MoD; DARPG and a team of IIT Kanpur comprising of Professors Shalabh, Nisheeth Srivastava and Piyush Rai. 

Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar; Additional Secretary, DARPG Shri V Srinivas, Additional Secretary MoD Smt Nivedita Shukla Verma, Director, IIT Kanpur Prof Abhay Karandikar and other senior officials of MoD were present on the launch of the application. 

Raksha Mantri launches Artificial Intelligence powered grievance management application; Shri Rajnath Singh lauds the citizen centric reform that empowers the people; Raksha Mantri stresses on use of AI for overall development of the nation Read More

 

Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Environment, Forests and climate change Shri Bhupender Yadav today felicitated the donors who made generous donations of different equipment and material to ESIC Hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister of State for Labour & Employment and Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Rameswar Teli, Secretary, Labour & Employment, Shri Apurva Chandra and DG, ESIC Shri Mukhmeet S. Bhatia were present on the occasion.

Through the coordinated efforts of Government, Private Institutions, Civil Society, NGOs and Private Citizens overcame the health crisis caused by second wave of Covid-19 pandemic. More than 100 donors across India made donations of equipment/kits/disposables etc. to ESIC Hospitals amounting to the sum of Rs.13 Crore.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister  for Labour & Employment and Environment, Forests and climate change Shri Bhupender Yadav said the government has undertaken the 3Ts for confronting the pandemic for over 125 crore people of the country. These include tracking, testing and treatment. He said, the country has moved ahead in the field of production of masks and PPE kits, while two indigenous vaccines have been developed in the country. He expressed hope that around 257 crore vaccines will be produced and distributed by the year end. The Minister said the government is totally committed for welfare of the people, it has endeavoured to provide electricity and health facilities to all in the country. In this direction, the health budget has been enhanced by 137per cent.    He said under the new Social Security Codes all benefits will be extended even if there is only one employee covered in a company.

Minister of State for Labour & Employment and Petroleum & Natural Gas Shri Rameswar Teli said that government is working to uplift people from all walks of life. He complimented ESIC for extending benefits to over 13crore people. He, however, exhorted people to remain vigilant against the pandemic.

A total of 33 ESIC Hospitals with around 4000 dedicated Covid beds having 400 ventilators provided exclusive COVID medical services to the IPs and general public of the area as either dedicated COVID Hospital or as Hospital with dedicated Covid beds, as per requirement of local administration. During Covid-19 pandemic starting from April, 2020 till date, more than 50,000 Covid patients have been provided IPD treatment services through ESIC Hospitals across the country. Plasma therapy which is shown to save the lives of serious COVID-19 patients was also started in ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Faridabad (Haryana) and ESIC Medical College & Hospital, Sanath Nagar (Telangana).

ESIC made alternate provisions for providing routine medical services to ESI Beneficiaries through Tie-up Hospitals, in case an ESIC Hospital was declared as a dedicated Covid Hospital to cater exclusively to Corona suspected/confirmed cases. In such cases, ESI beneficiaries could be referred to tie-up Hospitals for providing prescribed secondary/SST consultation/admission/investigation during the period for which concerned ESIC Hospital functions as dedicated Covid-19 Hospital. ESI Beneficiaries were also allowed to seek Emergency/non-Emergency medical treatment from tie-up hospital directly without referral letter, in accordance with his/her entitlement.

In addition to existing cash benefits under ESI Act, Covid-19 Relief Scheme has been launched, in which periodic payment @ 90% of average wages of deceased Insured Worker is paid to the eligible dependents of the Insured Worker who died due to COVID-19. Till date, the periodic payment @ 90% of average wages were payable only against the death of Insured Worker caused by Employment Injury, but now the death caused by Covid-19 has also been included for payment of relief to eligible dependents. Against the abstention of Insured Worker being infected with COVID-19, Sickness benefit @ 70% of average daily wages for 91 days for the period of abstention can be claimed. In case of Insured Worker rendered unemployed, he/she may avail relief under Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY) @ 50% of average per day earning for a maximum 90 days. For availing this relief, the Insured Worker can submit the claim online at www.esic.in.

Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has undertaken multiple steps to provide host of cash benefits besides making every effort to ensure better medical care to its Stakeholders as well as general public during resurgence of COVID-19 Pandemic.             

The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation is a pioneer Social Security organization providing comprehensive social security benefits like reasonable Medical Care and a range of Cash Benefits in times of need such as employment injury, sickness, death etc. It is covering about 3.4 Crores of family units of workers and providing matchless cash benefits and reasonable medical care to its 13.24 crore beneficiaries. Today, its infrastructure has increased many folds with 1502 Dispensaries (including mobile dispensaries)/308 ISM Units and 159 ESI Hospitals, 744 Branch/Pay Offices and 64 Regional & Sub-Regional Offices. The ESI Scheme today stands implemented in 566 districts in 34 states and Union Territories of the country.  

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