Match the following - How to attempt in MCQ App - (through Video lesson)
Click below
Thursday, October 17, 2024
Wednesday, October 16, 2024
ACC - Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
ACC - Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
ACC stands for Appointments Committee of the Cabinet
A pivotal body functions under DoPT - Department of Personnel & Training (of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.)
Essential in ensuring appointments to top government positions.
Key Functions:
The ACC is primarily responsible for finalizing appointments, transfers, and disciplinary actions related to senior officers in the Government of India. Below are its critical roles:
Appointments of Key Officers:
The ACC decides on appointments of top-level bureaucrats, including Secretaries, Additional Secretaries, Joint Secretaries, Chief Executive Officers of public sector undertakings (PSUs), and other senior posts in various ministries and departments.
The ACC also plays a role in selecting heads of important government organizations such as regulatory bodies, statutory commissions, and autonomous institutions.
Transfers and Postings:
In addition to appointments, the ACC is responsible for approving the transfers and postings of top officials in the government.
Disciplinary Actions:
The ACC plays a crucial role in approving disciplinary measures and actions concerning senior officers, ensuring that any malpractices or misconduct are appropriately dealt with.
Appointments in Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs):
For appointments to key posts like the Chairman, Managing Director, and Board Members of Public Sector Enterprises, the ACC plays a significant role, often based on recommendations from the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB).
Policy Formulation:
Though the ACC’s primary role is related to appointments, it also influences personnel policies, working closely with DoPT in shaping the policy framework for bureaucratic governance.
Composition of ACC:
The ACC is composed of high-ranking members of the government:
Prime Minister: The Prime Minister of India is the chairperson of the ACC.
Minister of Home Affairs: The Home Minister acts as a key member of the committee.
Other ministers may be involved depending on the nature of the appointment.
Relationship with the DoPT:
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) acts as the administrative machinery for the ACC. DoPT handles the overall administrative work related to personnel management in the government. It drafts policies for the functioning of the civil services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFS), among others.
Some Key Features of the ACC’s Functioning:
Consultative Approach: The ACC often works in consultation with other agencies and boards such as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) to make decisions on appointments.
Recommendations from Search and Selection Committees: For many high-level appointments, search and selection committees are set up, whose recommendations are reviewed and approved by the ACC.
Transparency and Merit-Based Appointments: The ACC emphasizes transparency and ensures that all appointments to top posts are made based on merit, following a thorough process of vetting candidates.
Final Authority: Even though recommendations may come from various panels and selection committees, the ACC is the final authority in terms of giving the green light for an appointment.
Examples of ACC Appointments:
Appointment of the Cabinet Secretary, who is the topmost civil servant in India.
Appointment of the heads of Public Sector Banks (PSBs), Chairpersons of regulatory bodies like the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), or Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
Appointment of heads of key institutions like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Importance of ACC:
The ACC plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity of the Indian administrative machinery by ensuring that only qualified and deserving candidates fill key positions. The body’s decisions impact the governance framework significantly, as it influences the leadership of critical government departments, public sector enterprises, and autonomous bodies.
In summary, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) is a powerful decision-making body that ensures merit-based, transparent appointments and transfers of senior officials, while the DoPT functions as its administrative arm.
–end–
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
GMT - Gross Million Tonne - Statistics in IR
GMT - Gross Million Tonne (Statistics in IR)
Source: Click for Railway Board Letter No. 2024/I & Trans. Cell/GMT dated 24.04.2024
GMT stands for Gross Million Tonne
What is GMT ?
Gross = Total Load i.e., Carrying Capacity (Tare Load + Payload)
Million = 10 Lakhs
Tonne = 1000 Kgs
I.e., 100 Crores Kgs or 1 Million Tonne
GMT is a primary performance metric - serves 3 groups of Railway Statistics in IR Statistics Manual i.e., 1. Economic Statistics 2. Transportation Statistics & 3. Administrative Statistics.
GMT data of every train on every line - captured on FOIS / ICMS / CoA
FOIS stands for Freight Operations Information System
ICMS stands for Integrated Coaching Management System
CoA stands for Control Office Application
Traffic Density Data (GMT) - an integral part of Indian Railways IT Systems architecture.
Why GMT is important: GMT data is a crucial decision criterion for
Planned Track Renewals
Preventive maintenance (like periodicity of USFD - Ultrasonic Flaw Detection)
Riding quality (Track degradation model)
Effective allocation of rails, track materials & resources, among works/projects under Plan Heads 11 - New Lines, 15 - Doubling & 31 - Track Renewals.
Existing mechanism (up to 2022-23) - calculation of GMT
Computed by Zonal Railways
Basis is GTKM & Lead (Kms)
Manually input in TMS - Track Management System
Limitation is for sections with more than 2 lines (i.e., 3rd/4th line), the line wise GMT data is not available.
New mechanism - from 2023-24 onwards - calculation of GMT
Zonal Railways would provide GMT data by May of the following year. Example: For 2023-24 the data should be available by May 2024 and so on.
All GMT data in TMS - sync (API based) with the systems architecture
API stands for Architecture Programming Interface
No physical copies. No manual input in TMS - Track Management System
No signed copies in parallel
GMT data from FOIS/ICMS/CoA would flow daily into TAMS - Traffic Accounts Management System ( SMRTI - Statistical Module on Rail Transport Information)
From TAMS to TMS
From 2024-25 onwards - GMT data - refined format i..e, Block section wise Line wise (earlier line was not available)
Zonal Railways Statistical Units (under PFA) - issue Monthly & Annual GMT Data
SPOC for Statistical Information Module - GM/TAMS @ CRIS
SPOC for input data of FOIS/ICMS/CoA - GM/OR @ CRIS
SPOC stands for Single Point of Contact
It is calculated for Railway Tracks involving multiple factors and is a complex process.
It is determined through detailed engineering analysis and simulation.
GMT Calculated for Railway Tracks involving multiple factors. These are:
Axle Load: Higher axle loads leads to greater wear and tear.
Train Speed: Higher speeds can cause track degradation.
Train Frequency: The number of trains passing over a track within specified time (Line Capacity) can affect stress & wear on the track.
Track structure & Material: Ballasted or non-ballasted track and the material used play a significant role in determining load capacity & maintenance requirements.
Climate & weather: Extreme temperature or heavy rainfall conditions impact the Track’s durability.
Track maintenance practices: Frequency of track maintenance influences the overall track performance.
Note: The above instructions are in supersession of any previous instructions on the subject (GMT) and in the event of conflict with any other instructions / part of any other instructions, the above instructions would prevail.
Key points - GMT
GMT is a primary performance metric - serves 3 groups of Railway Statistics in IR Statistics Manual i.e., 1. Economic Statistics 2. Transportation Statistics & 3. Administrative Statistics.
Statistical units in Zonal Railways - under control of PFA
GMT - Revised policy w.e.f 01.4.2024 onwards (or FY 2023-24 onwards)
GMT means Traffic Density Data
GMT data from FOIS/ICMS/CoA would flow daily into TAMS - Traffic Accounts Management System ( SMRTI - Statistical Module on Rail Transport Information)
From TAMS to TMS
No physical copies. No signed copies. No manual input in TMS
From 2024-25 onwards - GMT data - refined format i..e, Block section wise Line wise (earlier line was not available)
Zonal Railways Statistical Units (under PFA) - issue Monthly & Annual GMT Data
SPOC for Statistical Information Module - GM/TAMS @ CRIS
SPOC for input data of FOIS/ICMS/CoA - GM/OR @ CRIS
Abbreviations
GMT - Gross Million Tonne
FOIS - Freight Operations Information System
ICMS - Integrated Coaching Management System
CoA - Control Office Application
USFD - Ultrasonic Flaw Detection
TMS - Track Management System
GTKM - Gross Tonne Kilometer
API - Architecture Programming Interface
SMRTI - Statistical Module on Rail Transport Information
SPOC - Single Point of Contact
CRIS - Centre for Railway Information Systems
—-end—-
Traffic Accounts - Short Lead Traffic
Short Lead Traffic
Sources: Rate Circular 16 of 2020 and Corrigendum-1 to RC 16/2020 dt. 05.08.2020. Validity is extended from time to time. Presently it is extended up to 31.12.2024 vide Corrigendum No. 05 dt. 22.12.2023
Salient Features:
Up to 100 KMs
Agreement Period: Maximum 10 Years
Applicable for all Traffic (except Coal & Coke, Iron Ore, Military Traffic, Rail Material Consignments and Container Traffic )
Permitted Distance slab and Freight Concession as follows,
The applicable concession as mentioned above shall be given on Normal Tariff Rate (NTR).
This concession shall not be available with any other concession. (except 6% concession on freight applicable to traffic booked to and from the North East region).
CRIS has developed necessary modifications in FOIS.
The agreement shall have a clause of enhanced loading commitment supported with Bank Guarantee. Depending upon the commitment, the percentage concession may vary from the rates mentioned in above referred Rates Circular.
Zonal Railways must assess the concession vis-a-vis the additional traffic and revenue projections to determine the rate of concession.
Zonal Railways shall evaluate the fulfillment of committed traffic and revenue projections annually, and realize the unmet revenue from customer or from Bank Guarantee at the end of year.
Zonal Railway shall get the MIS report designed in TMS through FOIS/CRIS before effecting the agreements, so as to get data on traffic, revenue and concession given for assessment of performance
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)