BJP protest march: Party demands CM Kejriwal's resignation
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi BJP leaders and workers took out a protest march here on Tuesday demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who has been arrested in connection with an excise policy-linked money laundering case.
They gathered near the Ferozshah Kotla stadium and marched towards the Delhi Secretariat, raising slogans against Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and alleging corruption in his government.
Senior BJP leader and MP Harsh Vardhan said Kejriwal has been arrested, and therefore, he should resign on moral grounds and give his responsibility to someone else.
Slamming Kejriwal for issuing directions to his ministers while being in custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), BJP national secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said a chief minister cannot issue directions while being in custody and alleged that the AAP was creating a drama.
He said he has lodged a complaint in the matter with Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena for strict action.
Health Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said on Tuesday that Kejriwal has issued directions from ED custody to ensure that medicines and tests are available to people at all government hospitals and Mohalla Clinics.
On March 24, Water Minister Atishi had said the chief minister from ED custody had directed her to solve water and sewer related problems in some areas of Delhi.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, who was arrested on March 21 and subsequently remanded to the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) custody till March 28 by a Delhi court, faces allegations of direct involvement in a conspiracy related to the formulation of the excise policy favouring specific individuals.
VIDEO | Delhi excise policy case: Water cannons being used to disperse BJP workers in Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla as they protest against CM Arvind Kejriwal.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 26, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/zFDzbRMZZ1
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AI chatbot 'MahaChatur' to offer skills, jobs, entrepreneurship support on 1 platform: Fadnavis
Mumbai (PTI): An artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot developed by a Maharashtra government department will provide skill training, employment avenues, entrepreneurship support and guidance to youth on a single platform, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Monday.
He called the AI chatbot, 'MahaChatur', a "transformative initiative" and noted it will make the transition from education to employment easier for young people while helping industries access skilled manpower quickly.
The chatbot, developed by the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department, is the first such initiative by any state government in the country, the CM said.
Fadnavis was speaking at the launch of the chatbot and the signing of multiple MoUs here.
Skill Development Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, senior officials, diplomats and representatives from industry and academic institutions were present at the event, an official release said.
Highlighting India's demographic advantage, Fadnavis said nearly 65 per cent of the population is below 35 years of age, and equipping this workforce with relevant skills is critical to economic growth.
He said the MahaChatur chatbot, a digital assistant built to converse with users, will act as a bridge between job-seeking youth and industry requirements.
The AI-based platform will function as a one-stop solution, offering information on skill training, job opportunities, entrepreneurship guidance, application processes, assessments and market linkages. It will be easily accessible through WhatsApp, enabling wider outreach, he stated.
The chief minister emphasised the initiative will be particularly useful for employment-oriented youth seeking guidance.
He said efforts such as setting up centres of excellence, modernisation of ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes), increased participation of women in skill programmes and global partnerships will help strengthen the skill ecosystem.
Speaking on the occasion, Lodha said the state government aims to bring together the unorganised skill sector on a single platform to strengthen Maharashtra's growth.
He noted that while AI may disrupt some jobs, it will also create new employment opportunities, and the Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Department is working to connect youth from the state to global job markets.
The department has also launched the chatbot to streamline apprenticeship processes under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) and the Maharashtra Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (MAPS). The platform enables registration in about 15 minutes, significantly reducing the earlier time of two to three days, Lodha maintained.
Developed in partnership with the Right Walk Foundation, 'MahaChatur' operates on government servers using open-source AI and ensures data security. It will provide end-to-end information -- from training to placement -- for both rural and urban youth, officials said.
In the CM's presence, MoUs were signed with several organisations, including IPE Global Ltd, National Skill Training Institute, Mumbai, Shrimad Rajchandra Educational Trust, Shri Shri Rural Development Programme Trust and UN Women for collaboration in areas such as women's skill training, data security, prison skill development and youth employment initiatives, the release said.
Representatives of several industry partners, including Toyota Kirloskar Motor Pvt Ltd, Bajaj Auto Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd and others, were felicitated for their contribution to skill development.
Six ITI students selected for apprenticeships in Germany were also honoured and presented offer letters at the event.
Panel discussions on "Industry Leadership Dialogue" and "AI for Public Service Delivery" were held, focusing on emerging opportunities in skill development and AI-driven services.
The initiative is expected to significantly improve transparency, grievance redressal and access to employment-linked services, the release said.
