Railways Minister Urges Startups to Engage with Rail Tech Portal for Technological Solutions
Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, has extended a formal invitation to startups and innovators across India to collaborate with the government through the newly established 'Rail Tech Portal.' This initiative aims to leverage technology to solve difficult and persistent problems within the Indian Railways system. Speaking at the DNPA Conclave on Thursday, the minister emphasized the portal's role as the primary digital platform for accepting and implementing innovative solutions.
Digital Framework for Problem-Solving
Vaishnaw described the Rail Tech Portal as a crucial digital framework designed to facilitate engagement between the government and the tech community. He encouraged individuals and organizations with an interest in problem-solving to actively contribute their ideas and expertise. "I would like to request the startups, innovators across the country and all the people who are interested in solving difficult problems with technology to get associated with the Rail Tech Portal," the minister stated. "Rail Tech Portal is the digital way of accepting solutions. Any problem that you think is worth your attention. We will be very happy to consider it as a part of the Rail Tech Portal."
Vision of Inclusive Innovation
The minister further explained that the portal is built upon a visionary foundation set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on inclusive innovation to drive national achievement. "The vision of the Prime Minister at the beginning of this Rail Tech Portal is when science meets scale, when innovation becomes inclusive, when technology drives transformation, the foundation of great achievement," Vaishnaw said. "So, with this vision, this Rail Tech Portal will move forward." This approach underscores the government's commitment to harnessing technological advancements for broad-based development and efficiency improvements in the railways sector.
Responsibilities of Tech Platforms
During the same event, Minister Vaishnaw also addressed the critical responsibilities of technology platforms concerning internet governance and the rights of content creators. He called on these platforms to recognize their role in safeguarding society and reinforcing institutional trust. "I will request that platforms must wake up, must understand the importance of reinforcing trust in the institutions which human society has created over thousands of years," he asserted. "Platforms must take the responsibility for the content that is hosted by them."
Vaishnaw highlighted the importance of online safety, particularly for children and all citizens, as a key responsibility for tech companies. "The online safety of children, the online safety of all citizens, is the responsibility of the platforms," he emphasized. "Non-adherence to these principles will definitely make them responsible because the nature of the Internet has changed now."
Fair Revenue for Content Creators
In addition to safety concerns, the minister discussed the need for fair revenue-sharing policies for content creators. He urged platforms to reconsider their current practices to address societal concerns. "I will request all the platforms to rethink their revenue-sharing policies because that is also one of the major concerns that the entire society today is raising," Vaishnaw said. "If this is not done voluntarily, then there are so many countries which have shown the path to get it done in a legal way." This statement signals potential regulatory actions if platforms fail to adopt equitable policies voluntarily.
