Latest news with #SIMS
Malaysia Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- Malaysia Sun
New steel import rule could disrupt supply chains and impose heavy compliance costs on MSMEs: GTRI
New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): The recent regulation by the Ministry of Steel has the potential to disrupt supply chains and may impose heavy compliance costs on India's micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). GTRI said 'the abrupt change could disrupt supply chains and impose heavy compliance costs on MSMEs reliant on imported semi-finished steel'. It adds that new regulation has triggered panic among MSMEs that depend on imported semi-finished steel, with fears of large-scale losses and plant closures The rule, issued by ministry on June 13, mandates that not just the finished or semi-finished steel products, but also the raw materials used to manufacture them must comply with Indian Standards (IS) and be registered on the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) portal. The move applies to all products covered under India's Quality Control Orders (QCOs). Earlier, foreign exporters could ship finished steel to India after getting certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). However, under the new regulation, their raw material, like billets, slabs, or hot-rolled coils, must also meet BIS standards. For instance, if a Malaysian firm supplies steel slabs to a Vietnamese company that converts them into steel sheets before being exported to India, both companies must now be BIS-certified. It also highlighted that many importers have already paid advances for shipments arriving between June and August, which now risk of being labelled non-compliant, even though contracts were signed months earlier. Adding to the concern is the exemption given to finished products like welded pipes from the new traceability rule. GTRI noted that there was no need for such compliance, especially when BIS officials already inspect and certify finished products at foreign factories. It added 'BIS certification for upstream suppliers can take six to nine months. Yet the Ministry has enforced the new traceability requirement with only three days' notice and no stakeholder consultation. Also, when BIS officials have already inspected and audited the products, say CR coils, at the foreign entity's facility physically and ensured compliance with the Indian standards, then where is the need to ensure the compliance of the raw material used to make it?' GTRI asks the government to reconsider the move with a warning that without relief or extension, the order could result in widespread factory closures and financial distress. (ANI)
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Business
- India Gazette
New steel import rule could disrupt supply chains and impose heavy compliance costs on MSMEs: GTRI
New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): The recent regulation by the Ministry of Steel has the potential to disrupt supply chains and may impose heavy compliance costs on India's micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), according to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). GTRI said 'the abrupt change could disrupt supply chains and impose heavy compliance costs on MSMEs reliant on imported semi-finished steel'. It adds that new regulation has triggered panic among MSMEs that depend on imported semi-finished steel, with fears of large-scale losses and plant closures The rule, issued by ministry on June 13, mandates that not just the finished or semi-finished steel products, but also the raw materials used to manufacture them must comply with Indian Standards (IS) and be registered on the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) portal. The move applies to all products covered under India's Quality Control Orders (QCOs). Earlier, foreign exporters could ship finished steel to India after getting certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). However, under the new regulation, their raw material, like billets, slabs, or hot-rolled coils, must also meet BIS standards. For instance, if a Malaysian firm supplies steel slabs to a Vietnamese company that converts them into steel sheets before being exported to India, both companies must now be BIS-certified. It also highlighted that many importers have already paid advances for shipments arriving between June and August, which now risk of being labelled non-compliant, even though contracts were signed months earlier. Adding to the concern is the exemption given to finished products like welded pipes from the new traceability rule. GTRI noted that there was no need for such compliance, especially when BIS officials already inspect and certify finished products at foreign factories. It added 'BIS certification for upstream suppliers can take six to nine months. Yet the Ministry has enforced the new traceability requirement with only three days' notice and no stakeholder consultation. Also, when BIS officials have already inspected and audited the products, say CR coils, at the foreign entity's facility physically and ensured compliance with the Indian standards, then where is the need to ensure the compliance of the raw material used to make it?' GTRI asks the government to reconsider the move with a warning that without relief or extension, the order could result in widespread factory closures and financial distress. (ANI)
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Command & Control Centre launched at SCR's Rail Nilayam in Secunderabad to improve monitoring and co-ordination during emergencies
A Unified Command & Control Centre (UCCC) at Rail Nilayam, Zonal Interchange Monitoring System (ZIMS), Station Information Monitoring System (SIMS) and 198 Kwp (kilowatt peak) solar plant at Signal & Telecom workshop, Mettuguda in Secunderabad were launched by South Central Railway (SCR) general manager Arun Kumar Jain on Monday (June 16, 2025). The UCCC, set up at the Disaster Management Control Room (DMCR), was established in line with the Ministry of Railways' directive to improve monitoring and co-ordination during emergencies such as natural calamities, supply chain disruptions, and operational exigencies etc. Resources at UCCC It has high-end digital displays, including two 86-inch screens and two 65-inch interactive displays, integrated with a dashboard that offers real-time feeds from data loggers, CCTV surveillance of stations & locos, and systems like FOIS (Freight Operations Information System) and COA (Control Office Application), said an official release. ZIMS and SIMS ZIMS is to monitor interchange of trains performance across six divisions giving real-time information about rake and loco details through a live dashboard, facilitating smoother train operations. SIMS is a central database designed to ensure quick and seamless access to crucial data related to each station for seamless operations. The 198 kWp capacity solar plant is designed to generate approximately 3,20,760 units of solar energy annually and reduce nearly 259.8 tons of CO₂ emissions every year and will fully meet the workshop's annual energy consumption needs transforming it into an 'Energy Neutral Workshop.' Awards Earlier, Mr. Jain presented 'Employee of the Month' safety awards to nine employees during safety review meeting, including three from Vijayawada division, two from Guntur division and one from Hyderabad division. The employees belong to various categories like loco pilots, assistant loco pilots, station masters, track maintainers and points man. The general manager congratulated the awardees and called for intensified track patrolling focusing on newly constructed RUBs and other vulnerable areas to watch the water stagnation/water bodies along the track side. There should be more vigilance on miscreant activities tampering the signals, to ensure safe movement of the trains. Proper rest is a must for on-duty crew at proper time and interval, he said. The GM also released a book on 'Golden Years of Glorious SCR' – A three-year review from 2022 to 25 about the accomplishments of various departments. Later, he also launched MPs/MLAs representations Web app and Rail Kalarang Web Portal/Mobile Application, the release added.
Deccan Herald
02-06-2025
- Deccan Herald
Railway ministry wants train crew to avoid running-room gossips for safe operations
In its letter, the ministry has said during the previous year (2024-25), 33 SPAD (Signal Passing At Danger or red signal jump) incidents were reported on the Safety Information Management System (SIMS).
The Hindu
02-06-2025
- The Hindu
Railway ministry wants train crew to avoid running-room gossips for safe operations
The Railway Ministry wants train crew to be counselled for taking adequate rest and avoiding unnecessary debates in running rooms, among other measures, to prevent cases of red-signal jump. The Ministry, in a letter dated May 30 and addressed to the general managers of all the zones, expressed serious concern over the persistent cases of red-signal jump by the train crew, urging the respective department heads to counsel them on various issues regarding safety and learning. "Take adequate rest at headquarters and running rooms; avoid unnecessary debates in running rooms. Ensure proper road learning as per instructions for the booked route. Keep mobile phones in the bag in switched off condition during run" are some of the reference instructions that the ministry wants the train crew to be counselled about. In its letter, the Ministry has said during the previous year (2024-25), 33 SPAD (Signal Passing At Danger or red signal jump) incidents were reported on the Safety Information Management System (SIMS). "Despite ongoing preventive efforts, six SPAD cases have been reported this year, indicating the need for rigorous counselling of crew and necessary monitoring and corrective actions by officers and supervisors," it has said. Sources from various rail divisions said the number of SPAD cases is much higher than what is being reported in the system. "If six cases have so far been reported in the SIMS, the actual number could be much higher as many officers do not report all SPAD cases," a source said. The letter has summarised about 23 instructions for the counselling of the running staff and 20 for officers and supervisors for reference. Some of the instructions, besides those mentioned above, said the crew should be counselled about not obtaining operational instructions from the station staff through walkie-talkie and reducing speed gradually when approaching restrictive signal aspects. Regarding the instructions for officers and supervisors, the letter said they should educate all the running staff on the safety rules, regularly issue updated signal location booklets to all crew members, counsel the loco pilots (LPs) and assistant loco pilots (ALPs) on working in automatic-signalling systems, ensure adequate facilities in running rooms to promote quality rest for the running staff and conduct surprise inspections to verify the conditions. "Organise safety seminars for family members to promote awareness about the importance of proper rest. Analyse CUG call logs regularly through CMS and take disciplinary action in case of violations. Officers/LIs (loco inspectors) on footplate duty (travelling inside a locomotive) should observe silently and minimise interaction. Counselling must be done in lobbies," it added.
