#. RNI Regn. No. CHHENG/2012/42718, Postal Reg. No. - RYP DN/34/2013-2015 ,-(.,/0123 1/$2 3 / / 0 4/ 567 $ ) &6 53 8 2 , 5 .2 $ (45 ( 63(6 37 8 2 $,( 5*4 *2,&36+ !46$* !42!35 + 63 5,636 :> (4 3 3,4 $2 ,43 7 4 73 9 ( 2 6* 5 3)5,(5 6) 45*37 54 23 4: 5 ! 8.:+ , $45 ,, ;< = 5 & 6768689&%06 : ! "# $%& ' " "#! (( # )
& 35+ 5*4 CEO women on Wanderlust; he added. Samil Malhotra, Turin Union Minister Nitin wonder of the yore and a Marketing were other partici- Gadkari suggested the stake- Aland of contemporary fas- pants at the summit. holders in the sector to adopt cination, India holds enor- The conference was divid- three basic formulas — the PPP mous potential for both domes- ed in five different panels, the model, fast environment clear- tic and foreign tourists who first being ‘Dekho apna desh’. ances, and innovative ideas, have little explored its incred- This was moderated by The besides a strong political will. ible diversity for want of pro- Pioneer Editor-in-Chief Dr Gadkari said his Ministry motion and infrastructure. This Chandan Mitra and addressed is working on 22 green corri- was the focal point of a day- by Tourism Minister and chief dors, a dedicated Mumbai- long conference — The Pioneer guest Prahlad Patel. Delhi Expressway, and direct Exotica Tourism Summit — Union Minister for Road, road connectivity to where speakers, including Transport and Highways Nitin Mansarovar. These will help in Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Gadkari was guest of honour at growth and generation of Prahlad Patel and Piyush Goyal another panel discussion titled employment in the tourism on Wednesday showcased “Highway to heaven”. Dr Mitra sector, Gadkari said, adding India as a dream tourist desti- was the moderator. India under the dynamic lead- nation. Minister of Railways ership of Prime Minister Besides Punjab Cabinet Piyush Goyal spoke on the Narendra Modi is on the path Minister for Tourism & theme “Deep into India’s heart” of being a “Tourism Giant.” Cultural Affairs Charanjit in conversation with Dr Mitra. Gadkari said tourism has Singh Channi, filmmaker In a speech heard with great employment potential Bharat Bala, fashion designer rapt attention, Prahlad Patel, and this is the way forward to Ritu Beri, IATO president Minister of State (independent eradicate poverty from the Pronab Sarkar, Air India ex- charge) for Culture and 1 country. CMD Ashwini Lohani, Harkrit Tourism, talked about involve- ! " $ ! Continued on Page 4 Ahluwalia of Citrus Country ment of all the stakeholders, Related reports on P2 Foundation; Seema Bhat, vice including the Centre and State past. “Had it been, we would president of the Ecotourism Governments, hotels, tour have witnessed tremendous Society of India; Anil Chadha operators and locals, for the progress in the North-East of ITC Hotel; Abu Sufiya of growth of tourism in the coun- region where connectivity was Delhi Tourism; Mandip Singh try. He said that by next five never taken seriously. More Soin, founder ibex expedition; years, the Government aims to P * * ! ( ( ( 1 2 than monetary benefits, it is the Subhash Goyal, tourism policy double the domestic tourist ! " $ ! positive perception towards expert; Raveen Singh footfall. the tourism that matters. With Ahluwalia, Patiala Foundation “We all are responsible for individually promote it. All speaking at the Pioneer Exotica Patel was of the view that our holistic approach, we aim Chief; Amar Nath of Neemrana the growth of the tourism sec- the sectors should come togeth- Tourism Summit 2020 here the tourism has never been to double our domestic tourist Hotels; Sumitra Sernapathy, tor and an individual cannot er for its growth,” he said while on Thursday. given its due importance in the footfall within next five years,” & 35+ 5*4 ing of First Information Bagh with security personnel Reports (FIR) against alleged not allowing anyone to come wo days after the clashes in hate speeches by three out. The blackened walls of a TNorth-east Delhi, which Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mazaar in the locality spoke claimed 27 lives, including a leaders in connection with the volumes of the violence the day Delhi Police Head Constable, CAA violence and convey by before. the situation remained tense Thursday. The three BJP lead- After two days of mobs but under control with heavy ers are — Kapil Mishra, Anurag marauding the streets, looting presence of the security forces Thakur and Parvesh Verma. shops and setting property on in the riots-affected areas. On day three of the trou- fire, there was uneasy quiet in A few incidents of violence ble, the death toll rose from 13 the locality on Wednesday. were reported in some other on Tuesday to 24 on However, in Gokulpuri, places, including Joharpuri area Wednesday. “The death toll has smoke darkened the skies with in northeastern part of Delhi risen to 27,” GTB Hospital rioters setting on fire shops. bordering Uttar Pradesh, with Medical Superintendent Sunil Their livelihoods lost with their shops set ablaze and the body Kumar said. shops looted and their children of an IB staffer found in a drain Calling the situation in in a state of panic after wit- near Maujpur with multiple North-east Delhi alarming, nessing the bloodshed, many stab wounds on his body. As Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal people were seen leaving their police conducted flag marches said the Army should be called homes. Among them was a and security personnel spread in as police is “unable” to family that promised to be out across the northeastern establish control. back, but said they did not edge of national Capital in a bid Shops and schools were know when. to quell the violence raging closed and many streets desert- “Of the 24 killed since since Monday, Prime Minister ed with police making Monday, four were brought to Narendra Modi in his first + , +-+$ ! * announcements that none the hospital from the LNJP reaction to the event appealed . *! " ' should venture out of their Hospital,” a senior GTB for peace and brotherhood. homes. There was heavy Hospital official said. More than 200 people have of Delhi. Police and other Police Commissioner Amulya professionally and to check deployment of force in Chand Continued on Page 4 ! " $ ! been reported to be injured in agencies are working on the Patnaik and newly-appointed incidents of violence in north- riots between the pro and anti- ground to ensure peace and Special Commissioner (Law east Delhi. The apex court Citizen Amendment Act normalcy.” and Order) SN Shrivastava. lashed out at the law enforcing ')) (CAA) groups, which took The task of bringing the sit- Shrivastava is believed to agencies for allowing the insti- &'' ( place in Maujpur, Gokulpuri, uation under control was given have been handpicked by the gators of violence to get away ,- Gautampuri, Jafrabad, Shiv to National Security Adviser Ministry of Home Affairs and said they should act inde- Vihar, Bhajanpura, Seelampur, Ajit Doval. “What has hap- (MHA) after current police pendently as per law without '% O Kardampuri and Chand Bagh pened has happened. Inshallah, chief Patnaik faced flak for fail- waiting for somebody’s nod. * areas in North-east Delhi. there will be complete peace ing to curb the spiraling vio- “If somebody makes an & 35+ 5*4 Asserting that it was here,” Doval said as he walked lence against the backdrop of inflammatory remark, police & 35+ 5*4 important that calm was through the mostly mixed US President Donald Trump’s has to take action,” it said. he body of an officer of the restored at the earliest, Modi neighbourhoods of North-east visit, sources said. On Wednesday, the Delhi TIntelligence Bureau (IB) he CBSE Class XII English wrote on Twitter, “Had an Delhi and met locals. Meanwhile, the Supreme High Court also directed the was found in a drain in Chand Texam on Thursday has extensive review on the situa- On Tuesday, he undertook Court scolded the Delhi Police Delhi Police to take conscious Bagh, one of the areas worst-hit been postponed in North-east tion prevailing in various parts a late night tour with Delhi on Wednesday for failing to act decision with respect to lodg- by the communal violence that district and parts of East Delhi !" "# has rocked North-east Delhi, in view of the turbulent situa- on Wednesday. The officer tion due to violence, according Q R identified as Ankit Sharma, a to officials. Earlier the Delhi resident of the area, was work- High Court raised doubt if !"#$ $ $ #$% &'( ing as an IB security assistant. board exams can be held in & ' ) ) % Sharma’s father Devendra, North-east Delhi, and asked ( ) *' who also works with the IB, CBSE to come up with a plan + said Ankit returned home to re-schedule them or change around 5.30 pm on Tuesday the affected centres. + & 35+ 5*4 ed in the case. The matter will and soon left home to assess “Considering request of O be heard further on Thursday. the situation outside. “When he the Delhi Government and to " # he Supreme Court on Earlier, when the High didn’t return, we started look- avoid inconvenience to stu- TWednesday pulled up the Court asked Solicitor General ing for him. We also went to the dents, staff and parents, the said it was doubtful that board % Delhi Police for failing to act Tushar Mehta to advice the GTB and LNJP hospitals... We board has decided to postpone exams could be held there and % & “professionally” and check Police Commissioner on lodg- kept searching him till 3 am on the exam for Class XII in directed the CBSE to come up '#()(' ( “unfortunate incidents” of vio- ing of FIRs against alleged Wednesday. Around 10 am, we North-east part of Delhi,” with a plan to reschedule them lence in north-east Delhi even hate speeches by the three BJP got information that his body Central Board of Secondary or change the affected centres. & as the Delhi High Court direct- leaders, the SG pleaded that the was lying in the Chand Bagh Education Secretary Anurag For students who live in + " ed the police to take “conscious court should wait for the drain,” said Sharma’s father. Tripathi said. northeast Delhi, but have their , ) " decision” with respect to lodg- response of the authorities Ankit’s brother Ankur said The exam has been post- exam centres in other parts, the $ ing of FIRs against alleged concerned on the issue of lodg- some women from their colony poned at 73 centres in CBSE officials have asked the hate speeches by three BJP ing FIRs against alleged hate informed them that they saw Northeast Delhi and seven students to approach their # leaders in connection with the speeches by the BJP leaders. people throwing his brother in centres in the eastern part. school principals. “The board CAA violence. The HC was hearing a the drain. “When the killers “However, the exam in rest is in regular touch with school * %& The three BJP leaders are ((// 12( plea seeking lodging of FIRs saw the women, they threat- parts of Delhi shall be con- principals and, in a case such — Kapil Mishra, Anurag * ! " ' and arrests of those involved in ened them with dire conse- ducted as per scheduled. The as this, the principals can send %#( . / & Thakur and Parvesh Verma. the ongoing communal vio- quences if they revealed about next date of exam for affected details of students. Board will L M A High Court Bench of that he will sit with the Police lodging of FIRs. lence in parts of north-east it. He sustained several stab students will be notified short- assess and take appropriate Justices S Muralidhar and Commissioner on Wednesday The high court also issued Delhi over the Citizenship wounds before being dumped ly,” the official said. action,” an official said. Anup J Bhambhani took on itself and view all video clips of notices to the parties con- (Amendment) Act. The hear- into the drain,” Ankur claimed. Taking note of the “wors- The CBSE had also post- 23 4 , O record the assurance by Special their alleged hate speeches and cerned on the plea filed by the ing will continue at 2.30 pm. Continued on Page 4 ening situation” in violence-hit poned Class X exam in North- +# Commissioner Praveer Ranjan take a conscious decision on Centre seeking to be implead- Continued on Page 4 areas, the Delhi High Court east Delhi on Wednesday. ! " "
$ 556 /( TOURISM & 35+ 5*4
nion Road and Transport UMinister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the Centre in SECTOR HAS HUGE EMPLOYMENT coordination with Delhi and neighboring States are working on a war footing to contain the pol- lution in the national Capital. Stating that "pollution and POTENTIAL: NITIN GADKARI bad air environment" have been a deterrent to tourists in visiting Delhi, Gadkari said projects worth & 35+ 5*4 has been continuously working to take Rs 55,000 crore are on the anvil the load off 80 per cent traffic on road and under which 150 black spots nion Road and Transport by making a total of 1,80,000 network of have been identified other than Minister Nitin Gadkari on highways as against the present norm of taking away the vehicle movement UWednesday spelled out his 40 percent traffic on only two percent of from Delhi roads to the peripher- mantra to take the tourism sector in the road infrastructure. al Expressways. Gadkari said this country to newer heights. He suggested Talking about religious tourism, the at the Exotica Tourism Summit the stakeholders in the sector to adopt Road Minister said his agenda for the organized by The Pioneer. three basic formulas — the PPP model, current year is completing the about Rs The Road Minister said that immediate environment clearances and 12,000-crore Char Dham project with his ministry is in talks with the innovative ideas — that could, backed by weather connectivity roads to Badrinath, Delhi government, other stake- a strong political will, go a long way in Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri. holders like the DDA and munic- paying rich dividends. He also said efforts are on to com- ipalities to expedite the work on Highlighting the work on 22 Green plete a highway through Uttarakhand for these black spots which can be corridors, a dedicated Mumbai-Delhi making the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra made accident free and pollution Expressway and a direct road connec- easy. "The work is about to be complet- free and ensure good roads to tivity to Mansarovar which will help in ed and will be commissioned anytime motorists. the growth and generation of employ- soon. Ppeople can visit Mansarovar "I have already done the ment in the tourism sector, Gadkari said, through Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand," he Dhaula Kuan area congestion free India under the dynamic leadership of outlined. and reports have suggested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on the "I have also taken a keen interest in the air quality in the entire stretch path of becoming a tourism giant. developing our very own Auli has improved. Air pollution and Speaking at the Exotica Tourism (Uttarakhand) near Joshimath which can local environment affects and Summit organized by The Pioneer, be a destination like Davos in impacts a lot on tourists' mindsets. Gadkari said tourism has great employ- Switzerland. I am in talks with My government is working on var- ment potential and this is the way for- Uttarakhand government on this project ious projects worth Rs 55,000 ward to eradicate poverty from the so that several world-level conferences crore to make the national Capital country. Gadkari said the country's can be brought to the small place which and neighboring areas pollution 'ethno structure' requires a great is more scenic than Switzerland," said free," said Gadkari at the Summit. improvement if we need to augment Gadkari, known to give the country's The Centre is developing a tourism. first Tolled Expressway between Pune Dwarka Expressway costing Rs Known for dishing out numbers and and Mumbai. 10,000 crore and also a dedicated statistics at will, the Union Minister said Gadkari also shared details of his road to connect Delhi airport 22 projects comprising 7,500 km of inland waterway and ports projects from Dhaula Kuan, said Gadkari Greenfield expressways and corridors, which, according to him, have immense adding that his Ministry has hired costing Rs 3.10 lakh crore, are planned potential for the tourism sector besides a consultant to resolve the bottle- to be completed by 2025 and all through the commercial aspects. He said very necks at the identified black spots. different modes including PPP. soon India will also become a destina- ( The Union Minister also "We will complete the flagship tion for cruise tourism and pointed out 1 2 (2 expressed his keenness in devel- Mumbai- Delhi Expressway in the next that the present Varanasi to Haldia 7 * oping a Yamuna Riverside Front three years. This will be India's longest water project will be expanded till ! " and in this respect he has already expressway at 1,320 km and will reduce Bangladesh and further till Myanmar $ ! met Delhi L-G couple of times. travel time between Delhi and Mumbai making it easier for freight movement from 24 hours to 13 hours," Gadkari said right from Punjab till Myanmar which at the Summit sharing the dais with The will be cost effective and above all less the most competent and popular min- by the Minister will be completed with- a huge round of applause from the audi- the country, Gadkari in his first tenure Pioneer Editor Dr Chandan Mitra. polluting. ister in the Modi cabinet and exuded in deadlines. ence as Dr Mitra praised this ambitious of the Modi government did a lot of work On his prime role as Road and On the occasion, Mitra, a former confidence that the ambitious projects Gadkari, who is holding several project. for Ganga Rejuvenation as part of the Transport Minister, Gadkari said he Rajya Sabha member, termed Gadkari as lined up and talked about so passionately portfolios including Shipping, received Tagged as the infrastructure man of Namami Gange project. Aim to double our domestic tourist footfall by 2025: Prahlad / !
35+ 5*4 Chandan Mitra, who made the arrivals by 2020. For this, there 241 welcome remarks, said India has is an urgent need to improve he Government aims to dou- an immense tourism potential infrastructure, cut down GST & Tble the domestic tourist foot- and the inaugural Summit dedi- rates further as tourism is not 35+ 5*4 fall in the next five years, Prahlad cated to the sector is a step luxury but an economic activity Patel, Minister of State (inde- towards harnessing it. He said the that can create lots of jobs assengers can now trav- pendent charge) for Culture and problems faced by foreign tourists around a monument and a Pel between Delhi to Tourism, said on Thursday but should be removed. tourist spot," he said. Shimla on a single ticket; not before pointing out that all the Mitra later moderated a panel For her part, Beri recalled said Railways Minister stakeholders including the Centre discussion with Ashwani Lohani, how she showcased India's cul- Piyush Goyal while speak- and State Governments, hotels, ex-CMD, Air India, Pronab ture through her work abroad. ing at 'EXOTICA Tourism media, tour operators and locals Sarkar, Indian Association of "We should be proud of our rich Summit' organised by The are equally responsible for the Tour Operators ( IATO) culture and we as Indians should Pioneer group on growth of tourism in the country. President, Ritu Beri, Fashion first accept that we are above the Wednesday. "We all as stakeholders are Designer and Anil Chadha, COO rest of the world." Talking about efforts responsible for the growth of the ITC Hotels. Chadha outlined how the of railways' to promote tourism sector and responsibili- Lohani, who has headed var- visiting US President Donald tourism, the Minister said ty cannot be laid on one individ- ious senior posts in the tourism Trump and his family loved the "We are running Ramayan ual. All the sectors should come departments like ITDC at the Indian cuisine that ITC Maurya Express which will connect together for its growth," he said Centre and Madhya Pradesh, served to them during their stay sites associated with Lord speaking at the Exotica Tourism pitched for domestic tourism there to stress the fact that India Ram. Similarly there is a Summit organized by The saying that there was a need to has many strengths up its sleeves train called Saamanta Pioneer here on Thursday. catalyse people within the State that could strengthen its tourism Express which will cover India's domestic tourist foot- and inter-States as well. He sug- sector in multifarious ways. prominent places associ- fall in 2018 was 1.85 billion. gested putting up signages all INSET ated with Gautam Buddha Patel was of the view that over in a large scale, improving As a measure to woo for- and chief architect of the tourism was never discussed approach, we aim to double our at the event, also spoke about connectivity through roads and eigners and for their conve- Constitution Dr B R minutely. Had it been, we would domestic tourist footfalls within relaxing norms in e-visa such as trains besides slashing the trav- nience, the monuments or Ambedkar," The idea is 1 have witnessed tremendous the next five years," he main- extending the facility from one el cost as measures to boost tourists hotspots witnessing more also to take the railway to 7 * ! " $ ! progress in the North-east region tained. year to five years, cutting down on tourism. than one lakh footfall, will have Chardham, he added. where connectivity was never Acknowledging that there e-visa fee and reducing GST for Sarkar felt that tourism in signage in the mother tongue of The Minister said that ramped up on the railways While responding to a taken seriously. It was only dur- was a lot yet to be done to put hotel rooms. the country can flourish only that country. For instance, in as a nation we all must act and road front. We believe question by The Pioneer ing former Prime Minister Atal India on the global map, he said This apart, he said his min- with the joint cooperation of Sanchi Stupa, which is visited by together to bring the connecting all the faith of editor Dr Chandan Mitra Bihari Vajpayee's regime that the stakeholders can take advan- istry is also working extensively States and the Centre. "But more than a lakh Chinese have excitement back of pro- north east with the main- on privitisation of rail- some efforts were made but they tage of the tourism vacuum that with the Ministry of External unfortunately, we don't even signboards in their mother moting India. In fact the land," he added. ways, Goyal asserted that were never taken up in a sus- has been created due to China Affairs to shorten the e-visa for- contribute 1 per cent share in the tongue. "Also, we plan to make it Prime Minister Narendra Goyal further said that India Railway is the prop- tained manner after that, he said. getting affected by the deadly mat and drastically reduce the global tourism while small possible for tourists to scan a QR Modi himself suggested train services are very crit- erty of the people of India "More than monetary bene- coronavirus. We can become an visa fees further which has been neighbouring countries are code at a location to listen to each of us to plan a visit of ical and essential for devel- and shall always remain. fits, it is the correct and positive alternate to China as a tourist des- a concern for many foreign doing much better. We want to information about that place in 15 places within the coun- opment of north east. The minister also perception towards the tourism tination, he said. tourists. reach the magical figure of 20 their own language, said Tourism try in next three years. "Only four out of eight received a great round of that matters. With our holistic Patel, who was the chief guest The Pioneer Editor Dr million international tourists' Minister Prahlad Patel. "India has a huge states are currently left out applause when he shared potential and I am sure this of services due to local to the august gathering initiative will go a long way pressure and problem. that there has not been in promoting tourism," he There are lots of trains even a single passenger added. running in Tripura but death on Indian railway The Minister also Arunachal Pradesh is not network from April 1till talked about energy poten- connected," he said. date. tial of India, saying that the "I am delighted that all To a query from audi- country is the fastest the eight states of the north ence, Goyal said that a lot renewable energy grow- east are aligned to the has been done on improv- ing and efforts are made to vision of the Prime ing the on-board food make it a power surplus Minister for faster infra- quality through use of country. structure development and artificial intelligence. After Prime Minister in next two and half years, "Now you can track your took the office, he has all these four states will be food packets by scanning been particularly focused connected to the railway the bar coded meal boxes on the north east to the map of India. We will be and gain access of the extent that every minister able to take the railway to base kitchen where it has trying to visit the region every parts of the region been prepared and twice or thrice in a year right to extreme end to packed. This can been and every month three to Bangladesh," he said. done through a rail app," four cabinet minister "We are also looking Goyal said. would actually go to north to working with The Railway Minister east, he said. Bangladesh to connect who also holds the "That is the level of some parts so that a long Commerce portfolio engagement the circuit is cut off and actu- appreciated The Pioneer / + . $/. Government had with the ally travel through for conducting a dedicat- $ ( 8, -9 north east I am happy to Bangladesh to other parts ed session on tourism as 7 * share with the investment of the region," the minis- this sector has immense ! " $ ! which has significantly ter said. potential. chhattisgarh 03 RAIPUR | THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 27, 2020 Budget session of C’garh Assembly EOW registers FIR Paddy issue refuses to die down against Aman , spouse STAFF REPORTER n euthanasia, such had never the minister said. RAIPUR happened during his tenure. Not satisfied with the For last seven days and reply, the BJP and other pposition staged a walk- night braving rains, the opposition leaders then Oout in the Assembly and farmers are continuing their walked out of the House in forced an adjournment on agitation. To end it, govern- protest. Wednesday, the third day of ment should come up with After they returned, Budget session. announcement, the Brijmohan Agrawal raised They raised the issue of Opposition demanded. objection stating already a agitating farmers demanding Speaker then adjourned call attention motion has that the state government the House for five minutes as been moved on the same should come up with state- din continued. After it issue and it is a violation of ment to procure the paddy resumed, Agriculture minis- rules of the House, which from those farmers having ter Ravindra Choubey came was countered by Choubey been issued token. up with suomoto statement stating it was suo moto state- Raising the issue BJP stating non-seasonal rains ment in favour of farmers. leaders Brijmohan Agrawal, and hail storms had affected Treasury benches said oppo- Ajay Chandrakar, Shivratan crops in districts of Koriya, sition is adopting escape Surguja, Surajpur, route from discussion. Sharma, Dharamjeet Singh STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR release said adding that Singh and others said their only Balrampur, Jashpur, Leader of Opposition was himself a promoter of YN demand is that Chief Bemetara, Kawardha, Durg, Dharamlal Kaushik read the conomic Offence Wing Singh memorial foundation Minister Bhupesh Baghel Rajnandgaon and Raipur call attention motion, E(EOW) has registered an even though he was a should announce procure- affecting Rabi crops. Revenue Minister Jaisingh FIR against former principal government employee. Government has directed all Agrawal then gave reply to it ment of paddy from farmers secretary to chief minister Meanwhile, reacting over collectors to provide com- stating, government has ini- who were issued token. Aman Singh, and his wife the action, Aman Singh termed pensation under RBC 6(4). tiated action to provide com- Former chief minister Yasmin Singh for allegedly it ‘political witch-hunting’. In a Raman Singh said farmers Action for compensation is pensation to farmers affected accumulating disproportionate initiated for insured farmers, by natural calamity. statement he said “I have learnt are seeking permission for assets against their known that the state (Chhattisgarh) income sources, sources said has lodged an FIR against me ‘Two privilege motions here on Wednesday. and my family. But I have against ministers According to a press release applied for a copy but it has not C’garh bags award for promoting from EOW, Aman Singh and his been provided to me. under consideration’ wife Yasmin Singh were booked Therefore, I am not aware of its under sections of Prevention of contents. The FIR has clearly RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh State Corruption Act and 120 (B). been done at the behest of the startups and ease of doing business Assembly Speaker Dr The FIR was filed on the Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel Charandas Mahant during the complaint of a Raipur-based RTI and only to harass my family STAFF REPORTER n Nitin Gadkari at the func- smoothly in the state, in budget session of the assembly activist. and to subvert the judicial RAIPUR tion organised by the min- which pending payments are on Wednesday said the two “Aman Singh and his wife process in the midst of the istry of Micro Small and being settled systematically. privilege motions brought hhattisgarh on Medium Enterprises. E-market portal has been against two ministers are under had amassed disproportionate High Court’s hearing on my CWednesday bagged the Shri Lakhma, who was a developed by the state to his consideration. Raising the assets in different cities like petition in which I had second prize for outstanding special guest at the function, strengthen the marketing issue during Zero Hour, BJP Raipur, Bhopal, Delhi and also challenged the mala fide and performance in MSME. also gave prizes to some of system of its industrial units. member Ajay Chandrakar said in foreign nations which we are malicious EOW enquiry on a Chhattisgarh was the awardees. The awards have been he had moved a privilege investigating,” the press release false and frivolous complaint.” awarded with National It is noteworthy, micro conferred under various cat- motion against agriculture and mentioned. The least the state could MSME Award for promot- small and medium enter- egories such as – National water resources minister The release further have done was to wait for ing startups, providing ease prises play a significant role MSME Awards Innovation Ravindra Choubey for violating claimed that Singh has formed honourable High Court’s of doing business, socio- in the economic develop- in MSMEs, Micro his oath of secrecy in office and shell companies which were decision, he said. economic development and ment of Chhattisgarh. There Enterprises announcing the contents of engaged in money laundering. “The present political creating employment oppor- are about 8.48 lakh small, The state has developed being set up by youths (Manufacturing), Special budget, which has not been “ It was found that shell com- dispensation is doing tunities at a function held at micro and medium units in a transparent system for resulting in employment Award to Outstanding tabled before the House. He fur- panies –Vyas Mines and everything it can to falsely Pravasiya Bhartiya Kendra the state, in which over 17 industrial development in generation. Women Entrepreneur in ther pointed out that in a func- Minerals, Samay Multi Trade, implicate me and my family, here. lakh people have been given ease of doing business. The Commercial Court has Small Enterprises tion, Choubey had announced Shrishti Natural Resources , and I have petitioned the High Chhattisgarh employment. Out of the government has been work- been set up for speedy settle- (Manufacturing), Special that `5000 crore provision has YN Singh Memorial Court to defend my Commerce and Industries total units, over 71 thousand ing towards expansion of ment of industrial disputes Award to Outstanding been made in the current budg- Foundation and Kargil India fundamental rights,” said Minister Kawasi Lakhma units have been set up with “Mukhyamantri Yuva Rojgar in the state. Also, Micro, SC/ST Entrepreneur in et for release of payment of Limited – was made by them Singh, who served as principal received the award from assistance and contribution Yojana” to ensure that more Small Industrial Facilitation Small Enterprises remaining amount of paddy and crores of money secretary to erstwhile chief Union MSME Minister from women entrepreneurs. number of industries is Council is functioning (Manufacturing) etc. procurement to the farmers. laundering was done,” the minister Raman Singh. Minister suspends six officials for ‘substandard’ E-way construction STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR inister for Public Works MTamradhwaj Sahu on Wednesday announced in the state assembly suspension of six engineers engaged in expressway construction. A demand in this regard was raised by Janta Congress Chhattisgarh- Jogi (JCC-J) legislator Dharamjeet Singh. Singh alleged that these six engineers didn’t have experi- ence of road construction Pioneer Archieve though they were engaged with the project, which result- not have proper experience of accountable for the substandard construction ed into substandard construc- handling the road projects substandard construction. would be done by the tion of the expressway. and hence they were being The minister also contractor, who was assigned Chhattisgarh Governor Anusuiya Uikey, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and Higher Education Minister Umesh Patel awarding The minister admitted suspended with immediate informed the House that the the job by the previous BJP degree to a student at the 25th convocation function of Pt Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur. Pioneer Photo that the said six engineers did effect holding them repairing work of the alleged government. Compensation announced Cop suspended for obstructing ‘Self-Introspection by youth MLA from entering Assembly for crop damage by hailstorm STAFF REPORTER n MLA Indu Banjare imperative for inner devpt’ RAIPUR was denied entry for STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR The Agriculture Minister STAFF REPORTER n RAIPUR further informed that Chief cop had to pay a hefty more than 10 minutes griculture Minister Minister Bhupesh Baghel had Aprice for preventing an by the cop for not he three-day workshop by ARavindra Choubey on already directed all the district MLA from entering the TNehru Yuva Kendra (NYK), Wednesday announced in the collectors of the state to evalu- assembly premises. having vehicle pass Raipur concluded here on state assembly that compensa- ate the damage caused to the Parliamentary Affairs even though she Wednesday. FANS Janjatiya tion would be provided to the crops due to unseasonal rain- Minister Ravindra Choubey Adhyayan Samuh National affected farmers within 15 days fall and hailstorm, and to sub- announced suspension of introduced herself to Chairman Dr Varnika Sharma whose crops were devastated mit the evaluation report with- the officer with immediate him as a legislator addressing the concluding cere- by the hailstorm and untimely in a week. effect when the issue was mony said to assess the full rains in the months of January The minister informed that raised by Pamgarh legislator him as a legislator, she said. potential and to achieve success and February this year. the Chief Minister has given Indu Banjare. After making her wait in life, youth must introspect. The issue was raised by instructions to provide finan- According to the legis- for more than 10 minutes, “It is imperative to develop from 24 February 2020 – 26 can be developed only through Leader of Opposition cial aid to affected farmers as lator she was stopped at the the cop let her go only after own inner self to contribute to February 2020 at PNB able and just leadership. Dharamlal Kaushik, BJP legis- per the provisions of RBC 4-6, barrier when she was on he took instruction from a community development. She Farmers Training centre at Pokhan Thakur, one of the lators Dr Krishnamurthy in case the crop damage due to way to enter the state senior official, she further emphasised that youth Jora gram in Dharsiva Block, participants from Dharsiva, Bandhi and Rajnesh Singh by natural calamity is more than assembly to attend the ses- informed in the House. should modulate their energy Raipur. Raipur said that the workshop moving call attention motion. affected farmers. 33%. Revenue Department has sion on Wednesday morn- Meanwhile, after taking in the right direction and instil Furthermore, the role of had helped him to overcome They charged that neither any Replying to them the issued letters to all the collec- ing. She was denied entry cognizance, the the rational approach in their youth and community devel- his fear of public speaking and survey was conducted for the Revenue Minister earlier tors, directing them to send for more than 10 minutes Parliamentary Affairs lifestyle,” she said. opment was discussed by instil self-confidence and self- damage to standing Rabi crop, informed that revenue depart- evaluation report of crop dam- by the cop for not having Minister Choubey The three-day workshop Master trainer and Social belief in his abilities, which nor did the government give ment had already rook stock of age within a week in the pre- vehicle pass even though announced suspension of the on leadership and community Activist Yogesh Chandrakar. would help him to harness his any financial assistance to the the situation. scribed format. she introduced herself to cop with immediate effect. development was organised He opined that community true potential. ! " "
Geneva: Jammu&Kashmir described Pakistan as the "epi- integral part of India," Swarup issue but India has asserted that in the Union Territory of have been largely restored, with an 81 per cent increase in "It is Pakistan that would "was, is and shall forever" centre of global terrorism". asserted a day after Pakistan's the abrogation of Article 370 Jammu&Kashmir." developmental activities are infiltration attempts since do well to look to its own house remain an integral part of He called for decisive Minister for Human Rights was its "internal matter". New Despite Pakistan's best being undertaken at a rapid last August — and disinfor- and introspect about the con- India, a top Indian diplomat action against those who direct, Shireen Mazari alleged that Delhi has also asked Islamabad efforts — over decades — to pace and there is access for all mation outside. Yesterday's dition of its people, especially asserted at the UN Human control, fund and shelter ter- India continues to violate the to accept the reality and stop its destabilise Jammu and to education and healthcare," speech was a good example of its minorities," he added. Rights Council's meeting here rorists, in an obvious reference human rights of the anti-India rhetoric. Kashmir through externally- Swarup added. the latter," Swarup said, refer- He said India is making on Wednesday, a day after to Pakistan, which is accused Kashmiri people and demand- Swarup said the transfor- instigated terror and a cam- He said schools, colleges ring to Pakistani minister's every effort for full and effec- Pakistan sought the interna- by its neighbours of providing ed the immediate repeal of all mative changes "wrought by paign of canards and untruth, and universities have resumed speech. tive enjoyment of all human tional community's interven- safe havens to terror groups. actions by India on August 5 our Parliament last August the situation on the ground is and regular examinations are Addressing the delegation rights by all its people. tion on the Kashmir issue. "It is more than a little iron- last year. were meant to strengthen the quite normal, he said. being held. Hospitals, clinics from Pakistan, Swarup said On Pakistan's warnings Speaking at the 43rd ses- ical that a nation that has India abrogated the special integration of the State... It "Most temporary restric- and pharmacies are well- India is a nation where democ- about the situation within sion of the UN Human Rights become the world's leading status of Jammu and Kashmir was intended to ensure the tions — imposed solely to stocked and staffing is at full racy, including the right to India, Swarup invoked poet Council which is being held exporter of terror and vio- under Article 370 on August 5 extension of all progressive ensure safety of the people capacity. protest, is vibrantly and noisi- Robert Burns to say that "some- here in Switzerland from lence seeks to lecture others and bifurcated it into two legislations passed for the entire from Pakistani trained terror- "These have been achieved ly celebrated every day and one should give them the February 24 to March 20, Vikas about human rights... Union territories. country to cover this region, ist attacks — have already been despite Pakistan's frenetic where dignity of every human power to see themselves as oth- Swarup, Secretary (West), the "Jammu&Kashmir was, is Pakistan has been trying to and to resume the pace of removed, political processes attempts to promote both vio- is protected by a robust ers see them." Ministry of External Affairs, and shall forever remain an internationalise the Kashmir socio-economic development have resumed, telecom facilities lence within our territory — Constitutional framework. PTI ! ?@ $)A " ! 7 # $ ' " " Betul: A 14-year-old girl died In her statement, the victim " of severe burn injuries on had named three persons Mumbai: A 68-year-old auto gave Rs 5 less, he said. Wednesday after she immolat- accusing them of raping and driver was allegedly beaten to When the Yadavs demand- & 2 ! As many as 79 persons softwares are still there in the ed herself, alleging rape and harassing her, the senior offi- death by employees of a gas sta- ed Rs 5, attendant Santosh have been arrested in connec- market. We are working on harassment by three persons in cial said. BC tion in the western suburb of Jadhav abused the duo and he Railway Protection tion with the rackets which them and trying to neutralize Madhya Pradesh's Betul dis- On the basis of girl's state- Borivali here following a spat other employees started hitting TForce (RPF) has busted were suspected to have links to them as well," said Kumar. trict, police said. ment, the police arrested Thrissur(Ker): An elephant over 5, police said on them, the official said. countrywide illegal e-ticket terror financing, he added. The RPF was working The police have arrested all Sandeep Hisare (23) and Nitesh credited with carrying the Wednesday. The deceased fell uncon- booking rackets and arrested 79 The arrests were made in closely with the Centre for three accused, an official said. Nagle (21), while another "Thidambu" —the miniature of Ramdular Sarju Yadav scious and was rushed to a persons, a top official said here various parts of the country Railway Information System The Class 8 student poured accused identified as Ajay \was the presiding deity of Lord went to fill gas in his autorick- nearby hospital, where he was on Wednesday. and the accused included own- (CRIC), IRCTC and the com- kerosene and immolated her- nabbed from Kamla Nagar Krishna of Guruvayur Temple- shaw at a CNG station on declared dead, the official It has also identified 16,735 ers of the illegal software. mercial departments of the self at her home in Devgaon area of Bhopal, Joshi said. - for several decades during Tuesday evening and tele- added. user IDs - through which tick- No agents have been arrest- railways, and CRIS keeps village on Tuesday evening The trio has been booked temple rituals died on phoned his son Santosh to "We have arrested five gas ets were booked illegally - for ed yet, he said. updating security features and and died while undergoing under section 376D (gang rape) Wednesday at the age of 84, a meet him there, an official station employees under sec- blacklisting besides blocking RPF sleuths deactivated disrupting the function of such treatment at a hospital in and other relevant provisions of top Gurvayur Devaswom offi- said. tion 302 (murder) and other 27,948 tickets worth 7.96 ANMS software on January 23 softwares, he said. Nagpur, additional superin- the Indian Penal Code and cial said. After filling the fuel for Rs relevant provisions of the crore for upcoming journeys, and MAC on February 8, he The RPF top boss also said tendent of police (ASP) Protection of Children from The elephant named 205, Yadav handed a note of Rs Indian Penal Code," senior said Arun Kumar, director- said. Similar softwares had that investigation revealed that Shraddha Joshi said. Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, Guruvayur Padmanabhan, who 500 to a gas station attendant inspector Namdev Shinde of general of the RPF. been deactivated in the past, he these softwares also bypassed The girl suffered 90 per she said. gained the title of 'Gajaratnam' but instead of returning balance Kasturba Marg police station ANMS and MAC, the said. OTP systems used for online cent burns and was first taken The victim has also left a due to his attractive features amount of Rs 295, the man said. PTI illegal softwares which the The illegal ANMS soft- transactions, and it was to the district hospital, from note in which she has held like long trunk touching the racketeers used for booking e- ware had captured nearly 80 brought to the notice of the where she was referred to a Hisare responsible for her death, ground and well-carved shape, tickets fraudulently by getting per cent of the ticket booking Reserve Bank of India, asking hospital in Maharashtra's the official said, adding that fur- died at 2.10 pm, Guruvayur around One Time Password market, Kumar said. it to make online payment for Nagpur city, Joshi said. ther probe is underway. PTI Devaswom Chairman K B (OTP) and CAPTCHA sys- The "master" or the railway ticket booking more Mohandas told PTI. tems, were completely "neu- owner having a password and secure. He said the tusker had From Page 1 Bagh and other areas, tralized" by RPF sleuths, he ID for the software would sell For online payments upto been undergoing treatment for Sharma’s mother Sudha pelting stones and setting said. "layers" of the software to Rs 2,000, OTP is not required, the last few weeks after it suf- was inconsolable and said property on fire. "Tickets valued around agents for a specific time slot he said. fered swelling on its body. she never thought “destiny Sharma, one of the 27 30 crore, which were already for booking tickets, the RPF "We have taken up this With the death of would be so cruel to her”. killed in the communal vio- used by passengers, were also DG said. with RBI and told them that as Padmanabhan, the number of “I can’t live without him,” lence over the seized," he said. Some other illegal soft- far as railway tickets are con- pachyderms in the elephant Sudha said repeatedly as rel- citizenship amendment law, is The racket existed since wares are available in the mar- cerned, single payments (with- sanctuary managed by atives and friends tried to survived by his parents, 2012 but became more active in ket but they do not work, out OTP) should not be Guruvayur Devaswom has console her. On Tuesday brother and sister. He joined the last two or three years, Kumar claimed. bypassed (allowed)," Kumar Washington: US National a stern message to Pakistan, come down to 47, he said. evening, mobs roamed Chand the service in 2017. Kumar said. "We are aware that some said. Security Advisor Robert India and the US on Tuesday Padmanabhan, one of the O'Brien has thanked the peo- asked oldest elephant in the captivi- ple of India who came out in Islamabad to ensure that ty, was much sought after dur- support of President Donald no territory under its control is ing the temple festivals across Trump and First Lady Melania used to launch terror attacks the state including famous %%%%% during their maiden visit to the and strongly condemned cross- Thrissur Pooram. From Page 1 “Violence is ending. country, underlining that they border terrorism in all its He got the highest pay of From Page 1 cover prominent places asso- tourist spots of the country. Asked if the victims have Investigation is on to find out have friends in America and forms. Rs 2.22 lakh in 2014 for par- Gadkari said the country’s ciated with Gautam Buddha Acclaimed filmmaker been identified, he said, “Many the truth and identify cul- the White House. A joint statement said the ticipating in famous Nenmara- ethno structure requires a great and chief architect of the Bharat Bata displayed a short people have been identified, prits... At such a time, attack- The president was accom- two leaders called on Pakistan Vellangi Vela festival in improvement if we need to Constitution Dr BR film on Punjab tourism some are yet to be. The gush of ing Government and politicis- panied by a high-powered del- to expeditiously bring to justice Palakkad district in 2004, tem- augment tourism. Ambedkar,” The idea is also to and the highlighted the impor- injured patients had reduced to ing violence is dirty politics,” egation comprising senior the perpetrators of 26/11 ple officials said. Gadkari said the Centre in take the railway to Char Dham, tance of presenting tourism a trickle.” said Union Minister Prakash Trump administration officials Mumbai and Pathankot attacks. The elephant was kept at coordination with Delhi and he added. potential in short story format “Patients have several kinds Javadekar, adding that it also including NSA O'Brien during The two leaders also called Anakkotta (the elephant sanc- neighboring States is working The Minister said that as a through audio-video presenta- of injuries, including from demoralises police. his maiden official visit to for concerted action against all tuary) located in the vicinity of on a war footing level to con- nation we all must act togeth- tion. gunshots, stones and other In a midnight hearing, the India from February 24 to 25. terrorist groups, including the Guruvayur Temple. tain the pollution in the nation- er to bring the excitement back Fashion designer Ritu Beri weapons and many were hurt Delhi High Court directed They visited Ahmedabad, Agra Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar- PTI al Capital. of promoting India. In fact talked about the need to pro- while jumping from rooftops to police to ensure safe passage to and New Delhi before leaving e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen, Stating that pollution and Prime Minister Narendra Modi mote domestic tourism and escape the rioters,” hospital Government hospitals and for Washington on Tuesday. the Haqqani Network, D- bad air environment have been himself suggested each of us to handicraft and said India authorities said. emergency treatment for those O'Brien, on his way back to Company, Al-Qaeda, ISIS and $/ a deterrent to tourists in visit- plan a visit of 15 places within offered a great potential to Holding the Centre and the injured in the communal vio- the US, thanked the people of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. ing Delhi, Gadkari said project the country in next three years. emerge as a mega tourist hot Delhi Government respon- lence erupted in northeast Delhi India for their support to At a press conference, the ( worth Rs 55,000 crore are on “India has a huge potential spot in the world. sible for the violence -- perhaps over the amended citizenship President Trump, his wife and US president also said that anvil and 150 black spots have and I am sure this initiative will In his interaction with the the first time since 1984 that the law. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police the American delegation. ways to deal with terrorism fig- been identified to reduce the go a long way in promoting Ministers, Dr Mitra appreci- city has seen such scenes of com- have arrested 106 people for "Thanks to all the people of ured prominently in his talks pollution. tourism,” he added. ated the vision of Tourism munal mayhem -- Congress their alleged involvement in India that came out to support with Prime Minister Modi Congress Talking about efforts of Former Air India Minister Prahlad Patel in pro- president Sonia Gandhi called the northeast Delhi violence and President Trump and the First who, Trump stressed, is deter- member Santosh Singh Saluja Railways to promote tourism, Chairman Ashwani Lohani moting tourism and said this for the resignation of Home registered 18 FIRs. Lady, Melania Trump, and the mined to check the menace. on Wednesday brought a Railway Minister Piyush Goyal underlined the need for pro- will go a long way in tackling Minister Amit Shah. According to Mandeep US delegation, affirming their Meanwhile, The Foreign Privilege Motion against Water said, “We are running Ramayan moting tourism by innovative India’s unemployment prob- “The conspiracy was wit- Singh Randhawa, the friendship and partnership far Policy magazine said that Resources Minister Express which will connect means and greater connectiv- lem. Dr Mitra called Gadkari a nessed during Delhi polls and Additional Commissioner of into the future," O'Brien said in Trump left New Delhi without Raghunandan Das in the State sites associated with Lord Ram. ity. He also stressed the need visionary and said he is a BJP leaders gave hate speech- Police, Crime, no a tweet. delivering on an "incredible" Assembly alleging that he mis- Similarly there is a train called for installing proper signages Minister known to achieve es creating atmosphere of fear untoward incident was report- "You have friends in the trade deal despite years of led the House by furnishing Saamanta Express which will and create a literature bank of whatever he sets out to do. and hatred,” she said. ed on Wednesday and PCR USA and in the White House," high-level negotiations. different information on irriga- Shah must take responsi- calls from northeast Delhi have the NSA said. "As Washington is discov- tion on different days. Raising bility for the violence in Delhi reduced. Separately, the White ering, it is not easy dealing with the issue during the Zero Hour, and resign, she said. Police also released two House in a tweet thanked a country led by a populist Saluja said that while he had The slugfest continued helpline numbers — 011- Prime Minister Narendra Modi leader with a strong mandate asked three questions to know with the BJP, in turn, accusing 22829334, 22829335 — for and the people of India for their and a proclivity towards pro- about the percentage of land Gandhi of politicising the vio- people to reach out during incredible hospitality. tectionism. Despite those hur- irrigated in Tureikela block in lence. distress. The White House tweet dles, the broader trendlines in his constituency’s Kantabanji said President Trump and the US-India relationship con- block, the Minister's data fur- Prime Minister Modi talked at tinue to seem robust, as shown nished in response to the sepa- length about the by the visit itself," the magazine rate questions were India–Pakistan relationship.In said. PTI different. PNS %%%% From Page 1 At the outset, the hearing implead the Centre as a party During the hearing, the witnessed heated arguments in the petition as the issue court asked Mehta and Deputy between Solicitor General involves law and order and Commissioner of Police Mehta and Delhi Government requested that the matter be (Crime Branch) Rajesh Deo if counsel Rahul Mehra, who heard on Thursday. He also they had seen the video clip of raised objection over the said the statements by BJP BJP leader Kapil Mishra mak- appearance of the law officer on leaders Verma and Thakur ing alleged hate speeches. behalf of the Police were made several days back While the solicitor gener- Commissioner. and it was not urgent to be al maintained that he does not Mehra said the issue has heard today. watch television and has not been settled by the The court observed, “Does seen those clips, Deo said he Constitution Bench of the that not make it even more has watched the video of BJP Supreme Court on the powers urgent. When the leaders Anurag Thakur and of the Centre and the Delhi Commissioner was made aware Parvesh Verma but has not Government and everyone of such statements, does he seen that of Mishra. should respect the Rule of Law need someone to approach him On the submission made by of the country. to take action. As a law officer the police officer, Justice Mehta contended that the you answer whether this prayer Muralidhar remarked, “I am Union of India is also a stake- (for lodging FIRs against three really amazed at the state of affairs holder in the matter and he has BJP leaders) is not urgent.” of the Delhi Police and asked the been instructed by the LG to Mehta replied, “I am not court staff to play Mishra’s video appear. saying it is not urgent, but it can clip in the courtroom.” “Don’t create an ugly scene wait till tomorrow.” When the gathering in the here. I am not addressing a Meanwhile, the Supreme jam-packed courtroom started rally. I am addressing the lord- Court chastised the Delhi hooting, the Bench asked them ships here,” he said, who was Police for failing to act “pro- to maintain decorum or else it then allowed to advance argu- fessionally” and check “unfor- will hold an in-camera pro- ments in the matter. tunate incidents” of violence in ceedings. The SG urged the court to north-east Delhi. ! " " " # $ % & ' Seoul: South Korean virus cases 670; 71888 & %O P jumped again on Wednesday & ) # and the US military confirmed vidual. South Korea’s 600,000- sonnel, protective suits and '(# $ 4 + 2 &(',
3 )( & " 5 2 & & $A 2 " 3 & " & " 2 & $- " & &$= 4 4 $- 4 $= & & & $2 4 " $ & & '( " & " $ n the last two decades, the gender landscape in rural India has been slowly greening and women $ Iare now on the cusp of a powerful social and ( & political revolution. The harbinger of this change is " & & a unique policy experiment in village-level gover- nance that has brought transformative results for the $ weakest of the weak and the poorest of the poor: The $ village women. In 1993, India introduced the & Panchayati Raj Act, mandating a three-tiered struc- $ ture of local governance at the village, block and dis- ' trict levels with reservation of one-third of all posts 585 * +6 53 4 in gram panchayats (village councils) at the bottom +46 ( (5 " "& " tier of India’s decentralised governance system, for (45 $6*(,* 4 $ women. The vision was that these women-headed , 55 - councils would bring greater transparency and bet- 5*)' 5 , !5 & 3 $( ter governance in their villages. It revitalised an age- N 2!!5 ( $O old system of rural local Government whose name & " “panchayat” is drawn from Sanskrit, meaning the 6)),* 5 36+ $ council of five wise men. &37 I25 (63 - This new law was a step towards the fruition of !62( !2 75( & & Mahatma Gandhi’s dreams of village-level self-gov- **6,(63 # (45: $E 4 ernance with gender justice as a key pillar. Gandhi 685 !62( 3 !# $ believed that, if implemented correctly, the 7685 3 53( Panchayati Raj system would alleviate the alienation 6)),5 +(4 " of the common people from governance and also $6* 45 $2 4 " & preclude the external intervention of higher-level 3)6 *(: & $E civic officials, who might not be familiar with the 4 37 (45 tial euphoria of winning the elections has are very low. And, in a country where belonging to a Scheduled Caste or tribe concerns of local people. Earlier politics was con- ,63,5 3 +(4 not been easy. There have been growing democracy has been established in a top- has been elected as head of a panchayat 4 sidered a foul word and women were expected to pains and many early entrants retreated, down manner, a feudal mindset may still but is at the mercy of her upper caste land- $( keep a hygienic distance from it. However, devel- 6)),* 3 never to emerge again. The avalanche of prevail. The people may not be aware that lord in the village for her livelihood. In & opment scientists and social activists now acknowl- (635 6) social and cultural mores rained heavily the Government should be accountable to such cases, too, the reins of power and $= edge that the modern development paradigm has 2$$6 (8535 on them. Although the resistance is whit- the people — not the other way around. decision-making clearly lie elsewhere. S & $ a political salience and politics underpins all facets 3 * 6 tling down, it is clear that achieving gen- A lot of positive changes are coming At the policy level, we must under- ;& 4 of development. It is politics which is the firing 5 (8535 # der equality in leadership will require sus- in the better-governed villages. There are stand the structural impediments in the 4 " engine for all the cylinders of development. It is true (45: 5 tained policy actions that favour women still large swathes where discriminatory full evolution of Gram Panchayats as func- " " " $ that political power needs to be sanitised and has 2,,5 )2**: over a long time. traditions continue to dominate. Several tional governance units remain. The 4 & " " to be reinforced with ethical underpinnings in order ,4**53737 (45 The vision is truly not as romantic as factors constrain the effective participa- Panchayati Raj Act created these bodies $ to make it more benevolent. This can come about ( (63* many would like us to believe. But, as tion of women leaders. Some of these but did not endow them with various gov- only when more educated and development-orient- 8**75 *5 5*(5 women have shown, they have all that is relate to a patriarchal culture, which nei- ernance functions — like the financial ( ed individuals embrace politics as a critical arena for needed to ride out these storms. The men ther sees women as political entities nor authority on provision of education, innovation and change. Politics is the fulcrum of gov- !: 5):37 know this very well but they don’t want allows them to develop their potential. The health, sanitation and water. Instead the $' 3 & ernance and unless the quality of political timber $5( )5 6,* to concede that women possess the abil- same cultural standards also prohibit law simply enumerated the functions that & & $E 72 - is improved, governance will continue to limp. ,6 5 6) )5 *5 ity to be the better halves because they are women from envisioning themselves as could be transferred and left it to the State ) " " " & * Experience of this social and political experi- ! 3 5 36+ afraid of losing their last refuge, politics. political entities. Other related factors that Legislature to devolve them. There has $8 4 " & & ment has shown that women are not just equal to $6+5 )2* In the long-term, the journey is constrain participation are a lack of basic been very little devolution of authority and F"##"### 3 the task but orientate public-good provision more $ (63* going to be harder and tougher than pol- familiarity of women with political gov- functions till now. Gram sabhas were P & $Q2 CB towards the preferences of their gender, namely more : !6* 3 icy wonks can imagine. The wait could ernance and absence of legal literacy. expected to be the primary legislature of water, health and roads. Though less politically-savvy 6*5 6 5* # potentially be eternal. But if bureaucrats Women need to be given adequate advo- rural governance with responsibilities to @ S & and often only semi-illiterate, these women had an +6 53 *5 5 can muster the will, they can succeed. cacy tools strengthening democratic catalyse local planning by conducting advantage in being actively mentored by the district (6 : 5 6 5 They know from past lessons that they engagement and gain control over local ‘needs assessment’ exercises and devising $ bureaucracy. Several NGOs also designed pro- have the tools and they need to vigorous- resources and influence over local gover- plans for development projects that would ! A F# grammes for skilling them in governance. Women (43 .2 ( ly back reforms that can engender greater nance. Village assemblies are a critical par- be aggregated at the panchayat level. When !#0#C2 F# face a host of difficulties handling political power: 62(4$5,5 empowerment for women. For sustainable ticipatory institution in providing equal further aggregated and rationalised at the " " !# Cultural norms, social hierarchies and patriarchal )6 (45 change to happen, women need to active- access to all members of the community district level, these would become official & 0# practices — which together tend to favour and attract $6*(,**:' 88: ly compete in the present political game. to the deliberations and negotiations in inputs into the State Government’s annu- & $ men and discourage the participation of women. 42 !3 # )6 Legislation and policy pronouncements local governance; but elite control of these al budgeting process. " ( & Several women who started their political 6 ( 6) (45 seldom penetrate the surface of social and bodies has prevented functional democ- Gram sabhas did remain a pivotal $. 4 & careers as self-described “rubber stamp” officials are 5 5 85 $6 ( political barriers. They are ultimately racy from taking roots. It has been found institution in local planning; but had lit- " & now asking questions about Budget allocations. They 6))5 (45 63*: impotent against the grid of the established that the average participants in such vil- tle real role in governance. Despite the $ stride about in Government offices with polished 5* 6$$6 (23(: power structures inherent in most rural lage assemblies are the less-poor house- noble intention, they have struggled to stay informality sharing their concerns with officials in (6 ! 37 ,4375 households and villages. holds with the participation of the poor relevant. They continue to be plagued by " & tones of supportiveness and also assertiveness. They The great strength of democracy, dwindling over the years. This is the rea- low participation and frequent hijacking @' " are successfully challenging the traditional village (6 (45 according to Amartya Sen, lies in that, “it son why, in several remote and tribal pock- by influential interests and have not been $- & male elite by defying petrified social codes of female ,6 23(5 gives people in need a voice and, by so ets, Panchayat Raj has failed to enhance able to mature into viable democratic " & 4 bias and are now powerful aspirational symbols and doing, plays a protective role against so the social outcomes for most citizens. units. The dip in popular participation and < 4 4 & role models. Women leaders today are more than many different forms of political and eco- The social pecking order of villages weak political will has had significant & & $2 just mouthpieces for their politically-savvy husbands. nomic abuse”. The Panchayati Raj is just cannot be overturned easily and several implications for the future of democrat- " For most of them, reserved posts offer the only real a beginning; it is only one step on the way, challenges remain to fuller empowerment. ic decentralisation in India. & / opportunity to bring change to their communities. but it is the right step on the right ladder. Legitimately-elected women representa- The heroic stories of tenacious women $B & & When these seats are coupled with new skills — from These women are reconfiguring gen- tives remain vulnerable to manipulation scripting tales of success are great signs of $E public speaking to development planning to bud- der and social dynamics and have start- and harassment and are often reduced to a brighter tomorrow. Women’s empower- get management — they are better prepared to deliv- ed exploring their wider responsibilities mere proxies, while the real decision-mak- ment is a journey, not a fixed point that & " & er development to their societies and negotiate with- as stakeholders as citizens of a polity. ing authority remains with their husbands yields to simple policies. " 4 $ in the political space that has opened for them. However, decentralisation is not easy. The or power brokers from higher castes. (The writer is a well known develop- ) * However, the path they have trodden after the ini- skill levels in impoverished communities There are also instances where a woman ment professional) 8 6 : $ )* E
the education system. It was launched Jacqueline Kennedy, who visited Obama, but she is far more popular with Akie Abe while visiting Japan. S Radhakrishnan. Thankfully, VV on July 2, 2018 in the presence of the India in the ’60s made a terrific impres- than her husband.” Melania is also involved in an initiative Giri’s wife Saraswati Bai took up a more Dalai Lama, to help students remain sion on the people. Incidentally, many First Ladies to help American children that she public role and Abida Fakhruddin Ali stress-free. The curriculum is being Indians were also so enamoured by have supported some special cause close launched in May 2018. The awareness Ahmed became an MP twice. Pranab taught to an estimated 10 lakh students Rosalyn Carter and her husband Jimmy to their hearts using their celebrity sta- campaign, called “Be Best,” is dedicat- Mukherjee’s wife Suvra was unwell most .2 (,5 ( in over 1,000 schools. The daily 45- that the village of Chuma Kheragaon tus. While Jacqueline Kennedy promot- ed to children’s well-being, cyberbully- of the time and Giani Zail Singh nom- *637 * ( minute “happiness class” is usually the in Haryana was renamed Carterpuri in ed American arts, Eleanor Roosevelt ing and opioid abuse. inated his daughter as his hostess. first period for students in classes I to honour of their visit. Hillary Clinton took up progressive causes, including According to The New York Times, Prime Minister Lal Bahadur ) VIII, while Kindergarten children have was a household name in the country civil liberties, Hillary Clinton came up though President Trump tried to dis- Shastri’s wife Lalitha was more of a + , '- & classes twice a week. and she continued her interest in India with a new health plan, Laura Bush pro- suade her from getting involved in the housewife and most of the others fol- # ( The “happiness curriculum” has even after she ceased being the First moted literacy, Michelle Obama a bet- initiative, Melania stuck to the cause. lowed suit. However, Sonia Gandhi " K he only visible programme become one of the showcase projects of Lady. Similarly, Michelle Obama ter diets for children and so on. Melania The Palm Beach Atlantic University in took interest in her role as the hostess Q ( arranged for the visiting US First the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi enchanted India during her two visits. Trump, too, focusses on issues affect- Florida honoured her this month as its and Manmohan Singh’s wife Gursharan K TLady Melania Trump, apart from Party (AAP) Government in the edu- Melania’s visit also generated quite ing children. In the past four years she “2020 woman of distinction.” But Kaur was also more visible. PV posing for photographs with the icon- cation sector. In October 2019 Dutch a bit of interest as she was one of the has made multiple visits to schools — Melania has faced criticism for not Narasimha Rao declared his daughter "# 4 ic Taj Mahal serving as a majestic back- King Willem Alexander and Queen most glamorous First Ladies to visit the both in the US and abroad. From par- speaking out against her husband’s as his hostess and the wives of IK Gujral drop and waving at the massive crowds Maxima also witnessed a “happiness country and her carefully-chosen out- ticipating in a Viking huddle class, in tweets and actions, like the controver- and Deve Gowda kept a low profile. lustily greeting the American First class.” fits created quite a stir, with the fash- Michigan, to taking the Queen of sial separation policy where children Sadly, most of them did not utilise ' Couple in Ahmedabad, was a visit to a The US First Lady’s role is not ion police appreciating two and dissing Jordan to Washington DC’s first pub- caught on the border were split up from their position like the American First Delhi Government school on Tuesday. restricted to being just decorative and the third. However, apart from her obvi- lic charter school for girls at Excel their parents and kept at detention cen- Ladies to promote any social cause or # This was the first time that a US First has evolved significantly since the days ous glamour quotient, she has kept a Academy, Melania showed her commit- tres. take active part in politics. 8 Lady visited a school in India. The visit of Martha Washington who played somewhat low profile. The Guardian ment to kids. During international trips, However, unlike the US, there One just hopes that the spouses of was arranged as Melania showed an hostess to visiting dignitaries during newspaper once described Melania as she has visited the American have been few visible and active spous- future leaders of the country will come L interest in the “happiness curriculum” George Washington’s presidency. They “seldom seen and even more seldom International School in Riyadh and took es of Indian presidents and prime min- out from under the shadow of their hus- M # introduced by the Delhi Government have always made use of their global vis- heard. The former model may not be a calligraphy lesson with local children isters. Not much is known about the bands. as part of its innovative move to refine its in a positive manner. as popular as her predecessor Michelle at a Kyobashi Tsukiji Elementary School wives of Presidents Rajendra Prasad and (The writer is a senior journalist) E F ! " " + % 7 8 $ & NCP MP Supriya Sule also pened in Delhi is a colossal fail- 35+ 5*4 demanded Amit Shah's resig- ure of duty for which the entire nation for the "huge security responsibility must be borne by <2(P=> . he Opposition on lapse" in connection with the the Central Government and TWednesday slammed the violence in Delhi and also particularly the Home Minister Centre over Delhi violence urged Prime Minister and (the CWC) calls upon the with Congress president Sonia Narendra Modi to conduct a Home Minister to tender his 2 / Gandhi and NCP demanding "transparent" probe into the resignation immediately," said the resignation of Home alleged security lapse. Gandhi, reading out the CWC Minister Amit Shah and "The Centre should be held resolution. & 35+ 5*4 Senior BJP leader and Union $A#,-', CPI(M) saying that the Delhi responsible for what has hap- She went on to attack the Minister Prakash Javadekar said !$#-# $ ,$'"#)-- is a “chilling reminder” of the pened in Delhi. Union Home AAP dispensation, saying Chief esponding to Congress that Shah was continuously ?$!?#)-'A$'( 2002 Gujarat riots. The Minister Amit Shah must resig- Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Rpresident Sonia Gandhi’s working with the police to con- (#//'!-#)-A4 ! Opposition also sought time nowning moral responsibility," his government are "equally demand for the resignation of trol the situation in the nation- !$AA#-,(#/?$-!,F'$A from President Ram Nath Sule told reporters outside the responsible for not activating Union Home Minister Amit al capital and demanding his res- - $#)',,#$-?- Kovind to discuss the violence Vidhan Bhavan (Legislature the administration" to reach Shah over the Delhi violence, ignation was "laughable". A$'($F-?$!4 that has engulfed parts of Complex) in Mumbai. "It is a other than by calling in the Delhi to "reject the politics of out to the people to maintain the BJP on Wednesday raked "The Home Minister is (??(-$-A-$#$-/$ northeast Delhi. CPI(M) gen- huge security lapse during US Army. hate and do their best in heal- peace and harmony. "It is the up Sikh riots of 1984 saying the continuously working with the eral secretary Yechury has writ- President Donald Trump''s "It's clear that the violence ing the rifts caused by these collective failure of the two gov- party whose hands are soiled police, helping their morale and ?$-!,$#-,, ten a letter to the President visit. The home minister is in Delhi has the sanction of shameful events". ernments that has resulted in a with the blood of innocent directing them. Such com- M seeking appointment for the responsible for it," she added. police and that of the powers "After reviewing the situa- great tragedy in the capital Sikhs is talking about control- ments and politics from the group of leaders. "There should be an impar- that govern them. Adequate tion, the CWC is of the firm city which threatens to become ling violence and indulging in Congress will not help the "Playing a blame-game at Calling for Amit Shah's tial probe into it...It is my compensation should be pro- opinion that what has hap- worse by the day," she said. "dirty politics". morale of the police. We appeal this time is wrong. Politicising resignation, Sonia held the humble request that the PM vided to the kin of the dead and to them to not do politics on such violence is a wrong way Centre, the Home Minister carries out a transparent those injured by the Centre and the issue," Javadekar told a always used by the Congress," and the Delhi Government inquiry into the security lapse," the state government," he said. .* $ %% + press conference. Javadekar said, while asserting responsible for the communal the NCP leader said. "I, along with the General He further said Shah had that culprits will be identified violence in the city. Senior Talking to reporters sepa- Secretary of the Communist called a meeting of all political and no one responsible will be Congress leaders including rately, former Maharashtra Party of India, D Raja, % / * parties including the Congress spared. general secretary Priyanka chief minister Prithviraj President of the Loktanthrik over the communal violence in "At such a time, attacking Gandhi Vadra participated in a Chavan said, "TheGodhra Janata Dal, Sharad Yadav, New Delhi: Accusing the the events then, he said, noting Delhi -- which has, so far, left the government and politicis- party peace march from the model has been replicated in President of the Samajwadi Congress of putting “family that Rajnath Singh and Nitin at least 22 dead -- and assert- ing violence is a dirty politics," AICC headquarters against the Delhi."He was referring to the Party, Akhilesh Yadav and interest above national interest”, Gadkari were the party president ed it is the responsibility of all he said, adding that it also violence in Delhi and would 2002 post-Godhra communal prominent leaders of political the BJP on Wednesday attacked in 2006 and 2010 respectively parties to help maintain peace. demoralizes police. submit a memorandum to riots in Gujarat, in which over parties like the DMK, NCP and the Opposition party for declin- during the visits of US presi- Javadekar said all parties He also raked up the 1984 President Ram Nath Kovind on 1,000 people, mostly from the others wish to seek an appoint- ing to attend a banquet given in dents. should cooperate and work anti-Sikh riots when the Thursday. minority community, were ment with you at the earliest, the honour of visiting US Prasad noted that Ghulam for peace at a time when vio- Congress was in power to hit Sonia spoke to the media killed. preferably the 28th of February, President Donald Trump at the Nabi Azad and Adhir Ranjan lence is abating, notwithstand- back at the opposition party. after chairing a Congress CPI(M) general secretary 2020," Yechury said in his the Rashtrapati Bhavan because its Chowdhury, Congress leader ing the ongoing investigation. "Those whose hands are Working Committee (CWC) Sitaram Yechury on letter to President Kovind. president Sonia Gandhi was quets to honour US president in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Earlier, at a press confer- tainted with the bloods of meeting, and alleged there was Wednesday said the violence in The Congress Working not extended an invitation. George Bush and Barrack respectively, besides former ence here Congress President innocent sikhs in 1984 are a "well-planned" conspiracy Delhi is a "chilling reminder" of Committee (CWC) passed a Senior BJP leader and Law Obama when they had visited Prime Minister Manmohan had held Union Home Minister now talking about checking the behind the violence, that has also the 2002 Gujarat riots. He said resolution, demanding answers Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad India when the Congress-led Singh were invited for the ban- for failing to check violence and violence...They themselves had led to injuries to more than 200 there was no way to restore from both the governments, said his party presidents were UPA was in power. quet given in Trump's demanded that he should step supported the violence," people over the past three days. peace and normalcy in Delhi while also urging the people of also not invited for similar ban- The BJP had not boycotted honour. down. Javadekar alleged. 2 ,-. /0/ /" &1 2 $ & "/-2 & "., % $ + %
& During his interaction with & 35+ 5*4 Airport sector along with 4 9 . 2 the soldiers, Naravane praised Commandant, Srinagar airport the sharp vigil and alertness he Central Industrial and Airport Director, Srinagar & the fearless @IAF_MCC air plane was hit by ground fire hief of Army Staff (COAS) along the Line of Control (LoC) TSecurity Force (CISF) on airport, AAI visited all the area 35+ 5*4 warriors," Singh tweeted. from Pakistan and he had to CGeneral MM Naravane on and the high morale of the Wednesday took over the secu- of airport including terminal & 35+ 5*4 He said the Modi govern- eject. The Pakistan Army cap- Wednesday visited Kashmir troops. rity of the strategic Srinagar building and airside, and ndia will not hesitate to cross ment has adopted a new tured him after his parachute for two days to review the pre- He also exhorted the sol- international airport. reviewed the security arrange- resident Ram Nath Kovind Ithe border in dealing terror- approach to combat terror landed across the LOC. vailing security situation. diers to remain alert for any The security unit will at the ment of the airport. Ganpathy Pwill be conferring awards on ism, Defence Minister Rajnath reflecting a strong resolve to The IAF pilot returned to Accompanied by Northern eventuality. Naravane further Srinagar airport be headed by a also addressed the CISF per- five women scientists for their Singh said on Wednesday on the even carry out cross border India three days later following Army Commander Lt Gen YK reinforced the need to be pre- senior Commandant rank offi- sonnel at the airport. research achievements and for occasion of the first anniversary strikes to protect India from the diplomatic outreach by major Joshi and Chinar Corps pared to meet emerging security cer. The airport was earlier The CISF has deployed application of technology for the of the Balakot air strikes. The scourge of terrorism. powers and India's stern warn- Commander Lt Gen KJS challenges effectively at all times. secured by the Central Reserve over 500 personnel to guard the societal benefits at the National IAF jets on this day bombed For his part, Air chief ing to Islamabad led to his Dhillon, Naravane visited the The COAS was earlier Police Force (CRPF) that has premises, which includes frisk- Science Day (NSD) function at Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror Marshal RKS Bhadoria flew a release after two days, averting formations and units deployed briefed by the Chinar Corps major deployment in Jammu ing at the gate followed by Vigyan Bhawan on February 28. camp in Pakistan in retaliation MIG 21 sortie of squadron 51 further escalation of the conflict. along the Line of Control. Commander at the Badami Bagh and Kashmir besides compo- comprehensive search ahead of The focal theme of NSD 2020 is against the killing of 40 Central at Srinagar base. This squadron It was the first time since The COAS was briefed by Cantonment on the overall sit- nent of the Jammu and Kashmir boarding a flight. " Women in Science". Reserve Police Force(CRPF) had taken part in the dog fight the 1971 India-Pakistan war the local commanders on the uation pertaining to the Line of police. With this induction, The CISF, which has been Five women scientists will men in a suicide attack in with Pak F 16s on Feb 27, a day that the IAF jets crossed the situation prevailing in the Line Control and the hinterland. total airports under CISF secu- tasked with security of all air- receive awards under two cate- Pulwama on February 14. after the Balakot strikes. LOC thereby signaling a doc- of Control (LoC), ceasefire Naravane also interacted rity cover raised to 62 as on date. ports and government installa- gories - SERB Women excel- In his tweet message to On September 29, 2016, trinal change in India's violations, India’s retaliation, with senior officials of the Special Director General tions, will provide a "compre- lence awards and National mark the anniversary, the the Army carried out surgical counter-terror approach as the counter-infiltration operations administration and security of CISF Airport Sector M A hensive anti-terror cover to the Award for Young Woman defence minister said India's strikes on a number of terror strike was carried out deep and operational preparedness forces besides meeting mem- Ganapathy was the chief guest facility", a senior official said. Showing Excellence through approach in dealing with ter- launch pads across the Line of inside Pakistan. being maintained in the region. bers of the civil society. on the occasion. The function The CISF has deployed Application of Technology for rorism has undergone a major Control (LoC) in Jammu and was attended by senior officials over 500 personnel to guard the Societal Benefits. This year's change as its armed forces now Kashmir in retaliation to an of Airports authority of India, premises, which includes frisk- awardees Under the Serb do not hesitate to cross the bor- attack on its base in Uri that CRPF and representatives of ing at the gate followed by Women Excellence Award, are der to protect the country month. Airlines operators (Air India, comprehensive search ahead of Dr Niti Kumar, Central Drug against the menace. A fleet of Mirage jets on Air Asia, Indigo, Spice jet, Go boarding a flight. Research Institute Lucknow, Dr "I thank the Prime Minister February 26 early morning last Air etc.) and other stakeholders, The CISF is the designated Deepa Agashe, National Centre Shri @narendramodi for bring- year carried out aerial strikes the CISF said in a statement. Force for securing all the air- for Biological Sciences (NCBS), ing change in India's approach against the JeM terrorist camp During the ceremony, ports and other vital installa- Tata Institute of Fundamental against terrorism & our ways to in Balakot. The next day Airport Director, Srinagar air- tions, including government Research (TIFR), Bangalore, counter terror. The Surgical Pakistan Air Force retaliated by port, Santosh Dhoke handed buildings and industrial estab- and Dr K Geetharani, Indian Strikes of 2016 and Balakote crossing the Line of over a key replica to lishments in the defence and Institute of Science (IISc), Air Strikes of 2019 are testi- Control(LOC) in Rajouri and Commandant Srinagar airport, space sectors as also private sec- Bangalore, a senior official from mony to this change. This is Poonch to target military Amandeep Singh Dhaliwal as tor. The CISF will provide a the Ministry said. certainly a New and Confident installations. symbol of handing over of secu- "comprehensive anti-terror Similarly, national award India in making," Singh said in However, the IAF jets rity to CISF. In his address, cover to the facility", officials for Young Woman Showing a series of tweets. thwarted the attempt and in the Ganapathy emphasized that said. Excellence Through Application He also said "India today ensuing aerial battle one F-16 coordinated efforts should be The CISF will be guarding Of Technology For Societal celebrates the first anniversary was downed by a Mig-21 flown made by all government agen- the airport premises while the Benefits will be given to Dr of Balakote airstrikes. by Wing Commander + 1 cies and stakeholders to ensure CRPF and the Jammu and Shweta Rawat, DRDO DIPAS, It was a successful counter Abhinandan Varthaman. " ( security of Srinagar airport. Kashmir Police will secure the Delhi and Dr Shalini Gupta, IIT terror operation launched by During the aerial combat, his After the function, SDG, outer perimeter. Delhi. / ? . * " > 1 , " / 1 8 # + & 35+ 5*4 outlay of Rs 1,480 crore with a view to position the country as a global leader in technical tex- New Delhi: The Supreme Court # 1 he Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved tiles. The Mission will have a four year imple- on Wednesday asked Poonam Tthe Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2020, which mentation period from financial year 2020-21 to Jaidev Shroff, socialite estranged New Delhi: The Bar Association ## allows any "willing" woman to be a surrogate 2023-24. Irani said arrangements have been made wife of industrialist Jaidev Shroff, of India (BAI) has expressed mother and proposes that widows and divorced under the Mission for skill development of 50,000 to search for a house of her concern and dismay over the use women can also benefit from its provisions, people in the field of technical textiles. "choice" in Mumbai in a week's of "effusive terms of praise and & besides infertile Indian couples. "We have mandated use of technical textiles time or it will direct the Bombay adulation" by Supreme Court 35+ 5*4 Briefing media, Union Ministers Smriti in 9 ministries and 92 products and our hope is High Court registry to do the Judge Justice Arun Mishra for Irani and Prakash Javadekar said that this bill that with convergence of efforts with the tech- needful which will be binding on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ndia on Thursday sent an air- incorporated all recommendations made by the nology group we will see a new future for espe- her. saying such an act served to Icraft to evacuate its nation- Rajya Sabha select committee, which studied an cially MSME and technologists in the field of The top court, which had dilute the perception of impar- als from coronavirus-hit earlier version of the draft legislation, and is technical textiles, thereby making India self suf- earlier asked her to locate a tiality and independence of the Wuhan and deliver a consign- aimed at banning commercial surrogacy and ficient specially in strategic fields like defence and premises of her choice as her judiciary. ment of medical supplies to allowing altruistic surrogacy. aerospace," she said. husband agreed to pay the rent It is a foundational obliga- China. In the meantime, India ITBP officials said that quar- medicine there. Irani said the bill proposes that only Indian The Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime till final disposal of their divorce tion of the judges to maintain a has also issued a fresh travel antine facility is ready to They were taken directly to couples, with both partners being of Indian ori- Minister Narendra Modi also approved bill to plea by a family court at Bandra, discreet and dignified distance advisory to avoid non-essential receive the Indians and for- two special quarantine facilities gins, can opt for surrogacy in the country. She grant institution of national importance status got irked when told that so far no from the executive branch of the travel to Korea, Iran and Italy eigners who are being evacu- on arrival. All of them have asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to National Institutes of Food Technology at suitable premises has been found government, it said. due to incidences of coron- ated from Wuhan. been discharged after testing led from the Kundli in Haryana and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. for her stay. BAI President Lalit Bhasin avirus (COVID-19) infections Earlier this month, Prime negative for the virus. front with a liberal view on the issues of "Do you want a house or said in a statement on Tuesday in those countries. Minister Narendra Modi had In the meantime, India has reproductive rights of women, be it medical ter- not? You look for a house and that such act also diminishes the Sources said that an Indian written to Chinese President Xi issued a travel advisory to mination of pregnancy, the Assisted Reproductive come back next week. There are confidence of the public as the Air Force special flight carry- Jinping expressing the solidar- avoid non-essential travel to Technology Regulation Bill or the surrogacy bill. all kind of people living in judges of the apex court are ing around 15 tons of medical ity of India and also offered Korea, Iran and Italy due to The amended bill is reformed version of the draft Mumbai and for all kind of peo- expected to decide cases against assistance comprising masks, assistance to the affected coun- incidences of coronavirus legislation which was passed by Lok Sabha in ple, there there are houses," a the executive branch while gloves and other emergency try. The medical supplies will (COVID-19) infections in August 2019 but its provisions, including that bench headed by Chief Justice S upholding constitutional prin- medical equipment has depart- help augment China's efforts to those countries. only a close relative of a couple can be a surro- A Bobde said. ciples and the Rule of Law as ed for Wuhan. This assistance control the outbreak of this The new travel advisory, gate mother, had invited criticism. "We will treat it as lack of paramount. has been provided in the wake infection which has been issued on Thursday will be The Government then agreed to send the bill bona fide on your part if you do "The executive committee of of the Corona virus outbreak declared as a Public Health applicable along with the exist- to a Rajya Sabha Select Committee, which is not get a house. You select a the Bar Association of India is in China and the request by the Emergency by the World ing advisories against travel to headed by BJP MP Bhupender Yadav, for hold- house, he (her estranged hus- deeply concerned and dismayed neighbouring country to pro- Health Organisation. China. In addition, people ing wide consultations with various stakehold- band) will pay the rent... by certain statements made by vide medical supplies. A few days back, India coming from Republic of ers and making recommendations. Bill will be Otherwise, we will ask the Justice Arun Mishra, Judge, The Flight will bring back had flown back two batches of Korea, Iran and Italy or having tabled in the forthcoming Session, starts from Registrar General of Bombay Supreme Court of India, as part over 80 Indians and around 40 evacuees from China, com- such travel history since 10 March 2. HC to select an architect who of his vote of thanks address in citizens from neighbouring prising 640 Indians and seven February may be quarantined Cabinet also approved setting up of a will find a house for you," said the International Judicial countries on February 27, the Maldivian nationals. Most of for 14 days on arrival to India, National Technical Textiles Mission with a total the Bench. PTI Conference..., Bhasin said. PTI sources said. Meanwhile, the them were students studying the advisory said. ! " " 3
/; < = $ # ; # ) <" <
& 4 5 ! night, he has been promoted as Later, he was also made an wef 29-09-2007. I am thankful the police service as a Deputy Prajapati, Sheikh's aide and an the IGP with effect from accused in the Ishrat Jahan to both Govt of India & Govt Superintendent of Police eyewitness to the alleged ormer IPS officer DG September 29, 2007. alleged fake encounter case. of Gujarat,” Vanzara tweeted (DySP) in 1980, was promoted encounter, was later killed by FVanzara, who was accused Additional secretary to the The former IPS officer was along with the copy of the as an IPS officer in 1987. the police at Chapri village in in the alleged fake encounters State Home Department, subsequently discharged in Government notification. He served as Deputy Gujarat's Banaskantha district of Ishrat Jahan and Nikhil Bhatt, on Wednesday both the cases by special CBI Vanzara was heading the Commissioner of Police of in December 2006. Sohrabuddin Sheikh and was confirmed that his department courts, first in August 2017 in Gujarat ATS when the alleged Ahmedabad Crime Branch and Ishrat, a 19-year-old later discharged in both the has issued a notification about the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case, fake encounters took place. was later promoted as DIG. He woman from Mumbra near cases, has been given post- Vanzara’s promotion. and then in May last year in the After his arrest in March also worked as DIG of Anti Mumbai, Javed Shaikh alias retirement promotion as the Vanzara, a 1987-batch IPS Ishrat Jahan case. 2007 by the state CID, Vanzara Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Pranesh Pillai, Amjadali Inspector General of Police officer, had retired as the “Consequent to clean chit remained in jail for around Ahmedabad. Sheikh was killed Akbarali Rana and Zeeshan (IGP) by the Gujarat Deputy Inspector General of received from Judiciary in all seven years. The Sohrabuddin in an alleged fake encounter Johar were killed by Gujarat Government, six years after he Police (DIG) on May 31, 2014. Encounter Cases vch (which) case was transferred to Mumbai near Gandhinagar in November police in an alleged fake retired from service. He was suspended by the were concocted by Anti- in September 2012. He was 2005, after which his wife dis- encounter on the outskirts of As per the notification State Government in May 2007 National Forces agnst (against) serving as Deputy Inspector appeared. According to the Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004. issued by the State Home after his arrest in connection me & Gujarat Police, I am given General of Police of Border CBI, she, too, was killed. The police had claimed Department, a copy of which with the alleged fake encounter Post-Retirement Promotion of ( Range at the time of his arrest. The central agency had that they had links with ter- Vanzara tweeted on Tuesday case of Sohrabuddin Sheikh. Inspector General of Police Vanzara, who had joined claimed that Tulsiram rorists. 1; < 2 9 * @>2 .5 $ / & *2,&36+ Rampur's Additional Rampur assembly seat. Their bias,” the party tweeted in District Judge Dhirendra son Abdullah won from the Hindi. (( amajwadi Party MP Azam Kumar on Monday rejected an Suar assembly segment in "The Samajwadi Party SKhan, his legislator-wife anticipatory bail plea filed by 2017. also trusts the judicial process. Tazeen Fatma and MLA-son the family and issued non- The Allahabad High We have faith in court, we will & &6( E . (43F the spot including the driver the five injured. Abdullah Azam surrendered bailable warrants and a notice Court set aside Abdullah's get justice, it added. while the others succumbed to He said three of the before a Rampur court on for attaching their property. election last December on a The Bharatiya Janata wenty-four people were their injuries on the way to a injured are in a state of trauma Wednesday and were sent to On Wednesday, the three plea by defeated BSP candi- Party welcomed the develop- Tkilled and five others sus- hospital in Lakheri town, the and have been sent to a hospi- judicial custody over family members surrendered date Kazim Ali Khan that the ment. tained injuries after a private policeman added. tal in Kota for treatment. Abdullah’s allegedly fake birth before the court, which sent SP candidate was under 25 "Azam Khan did politics bus carrying a wedding party Reacting to the incident on Two of the injured were certificate. Rampur them to judicial custody. when he filed his nomination for himself only. It is for the fell into a river on Kota-Dausa Twitter, Chief Minister Ashok discharged after receiving treat- Superintendent of Police In a tweet, the SP accused papers in 2017. Abdullah exploitation of the poor. We highway in Bundi district on Gehlot said, "I am deeply sad- ment, Nehra further said. Santosh Kumar Mishra told the ruling BJP of vendetta Azam allegedly used fake welcome the decision of the Wednesday morning, police dened to learn about the trag- After being discharged, the PTI that the three Khan fam- against the powerful politician. documents to claim that he court to send him to the jail,” said. ic incident in Bundi in which two persons claimed that the ily members have been A Rampur BJP leader had reached the age to contest BJP spokesperson Chandra The wedding party with at 24 persons have lost lives after bus lost control as one of the remanded in custody till Akash Saxena had lodged an the polls. Mohan said. least 29 persons on board was the bus fell into river Mej." wheels came off, the collector March 2. FIR at Gang police station on In recent years, Azam He said SP chief Akhilesh headed to Sawai Madhopur He shared his condolences quoted them as saying. The case relates to two January 3, 2019 alleging fraud Khan has also faced charges of Yadav should give an expla- from Kota when driver Shyam to the bereaved families and However, it has not yet birth certificates for Abdullah related to Abdullah Azam's said he was born in Lucknow encroachment of land around nation on the kind of people Singh apparently lost control of wished for speedy recovery of been confirmed as the reason Azam, who allegedly also gave two birth certificates. In April, on September 30, 1990, Rampur's Mohammad Ali associated with him in politics. the bus around 9:30 am while those who were injured in the behind the accident, Nehra a wrong date of birth while fil- police filed the charge sheet in according to the charge against Jauhar University, where he is The Supreme Court had on a bridge near Papdi village incident. clarified. ing his nomination papers for court. him. the chancellor. on January 17 refused to stay under Lakheri police station Gehlot also announced a The five injured persons the Assembly elections in It alleged that Azam A case was also registered The SP indirectly blamed the Allahabad High Court ver- limits, Lakheri Sub-Inspector compensation of Rs 2 lakh to were identified as Murli (55), a 2017. Khan's son also had two pass- against Azam Khan and his the ruling BJP for the case dict annulling Abdullah's elec- Rajendra Kumar told PTI over the next of kin of the deceased. resident of Basant Vihar, Abdullah's election was ports and two PAN cards. wife as they had submitted an against the politician, sug- tion to the UP Assembly. phone. Bundi District Collector Ganeshpal area of Kota city; set aside by the Allahabad In one birth certificate, affidavit testifying their son's gesting that it was vendetta. A bench headed by Chief The bus, then, plunged Antar Singh Nehra told PTI Deepak Sindhi (18), son of High Court last December. He issued by the Rampur munic- second birth certificate. “The Samajwadi Party Justice S A Bobde had sought into Mej river from the bridge that the 24 people who died Narayan; Amit (35); Kannu then approached the Supreme ipality, Abdullah's birth date Azam Khan represents doesn't consider any action the response of the Election that had no wall or railing, he include 11 women, 10 men and (13), daughter of Suresh; Manju Court, which is still hearing was mentioned as January 1, Rampur in the Lok Sabha and taken in revenge appropriate. Commission and the defeated said. three children while a woman (35), wife of Mahavir Dhobi, the case. 1993. The other certificate his wife is an MLA from the Governments can't run on BSP candidate on the matter. Thirteen people died on and a minor girl were among Lakheri SI Kumar said. G /4 " /$ 4 " 5 = Q ? 0 , P". /4 66 4 * & 35+ 5*4 Comfort Inn was grabbed by Padmini by conniving with 2 * R here’s more trouble coming IOB officials. Tin former Finance Minister He said that his business 2 & *2,&36+ Samajwadi Party MP Court last December. He then P Chidambaram’s way. The were illegally declared by the Azam Khan, his legislator- approached the Supreme CBI on Wednesday informed Bank as NPA and conducted & 2 ! n a day Samajwadi Party wife Tazeen Fatma and MLA- Court, which is still hearing the the Delhi High Court that it auction and granted the hotel OMP Azam Khan and his son Abdullah Azam surren- case. will register an FIR in the to Padmini. Those days assengers arriving at the family surrendered before a dered before a Rampur court Rejecting the opposition hotel grabbing case involving Chidambaram was Finance PMumbai International will be screened at the airport Rampur court in a fake birth on Wednesday and were sent Samajwadi Party's claims of Chidambaram’s family mem- Minister. Kathirvel produced Airport from Iran and Italy will apart from those from ten other certificate case, Uttar Pradesh to judicial custody over vendetta politics, the chief bers and bank officials. The before the CBI and HC the let- also be screened for the novel countries," the minister said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Abdullah's alleged fake birth minister asserted that his gov- CBI had in November 2017 ters from Chidambaram to coronavirus (Covid-19) infec- A total of 53,981 travelers on Wednesday said his certificate. ernment has never discrimi- registered a preliminary him on the issue and Nalini's tion, Maharashtra Health who arrived here by 441 flights Government was cleaning all Rampur Superintendent of nated against anyone. enquiry on a complaint by an Rajnish Bhatnagar, advocate conversation records with him Minister Rajesh Tope said on have been screened at the the “dirt”, whichever form it Police Santosh Kumar Mishra "We have never discrimi- industrialist Dr Kathirvel Yatinder Chaudhary pointed to settle the case. He also pro- Wednesday. Passengers arriv- Mumbai airport so far since the might be. told PTI that the three Khan nated. Our minister came and accusing Chidambaram’s wife out that for the past three duced a cheque given by Nalini ing from China, Hong Kong, outbreak of the coronavirus was Speaking in the State family members have been asked whether power has to be Nalini and her sister Padmini years, CBI’s delaying the case. to the agencies and court. Thailand, Singapore, reported in China's Wuhan city. Assembly, the Chief Minister remanded in custody till March supplied to Rampur and I said for grabbing his hotel in The CBI's counsel told the Soon after the CBI regis- South Korea, Japan, Nepal, As many as 91 travelers noted, “Virus grows in dirt. 2. The case relates to two birth it should be as it was in the Tirupur in Tamil Nadu by court that the agency has fin- tered the probe, Padmini Indonesia, Vietnam and were admitted to isolation facil- There is a campaign to clean certificates for Abdullah Azam, past," Adityanath said. conniving with Indian ished the probe and decided to passed away and CBI had ques- Malaysia are already undergo- ities in the state for suspected this kind of dirt.” who allegedly also gave a wrong Without taking names, the Overseas Bank officials. register FIR on the hotel grab- tioned many senior bank offi- ing screening at the airport. Iran Covid-19 infection, but none of He was apparently refer- date of birth while filing his chief minister said, "Bijli to ab The CBI informed the bing case and will file detailed cials involved in the illegal and Italy were added to the list them tested positive, Tope said. ring to the arrest of Azam Khan nomination papers for the bahut chamak rahi hai wahan High Court they will file the probe findings by the next auction of Kathirvel's hotel on Wednesday on the instruc- Eighty-eight of these trav- and the BJP-led State assembly elections in 2017. par. Bahut tezi se chamak rahi detailed probe report by next hearing. facilitating auction, leading to tions of the Union Government, elers were discharged while Government's resolve to pun- Abdullah's election was set hai. Jab chamakti hai to faltu hearing scheduled on April According to Kathirvel's ownership of the hotel to Tope said. "Travelers from two three are under observation at ish corrupt leaders. aside by the Allahabad High virus nahi panapte." 21. Arguing before Justice complaint, in 2008, his hotel Padmini. more countries, Iran and Italy, hospitals in Pune and Mumbai. " !.$A ?@ $)A "
Mohammed (JeM) comman- . H9 3 der Zahid Ahmad Wani at " ' " " Karimabad and Sameer Ahmad Dar, a driver by pro- & 2 ! lishing "objectionable" refer- Ratna. & 2 ! racketeers used for booking e- were suspected to have links to fession and was arrested dur- ences to Savarkar. He tore a "I wonder why there had tickets fraudulently by getting terror financing, he added. & 37 ing Nagrota encounter on aharashtra Assembly copy of the magazine. been a delay when the BJP was he Railway Protection around One Time Password The arrests were made in January 31. MSpeaker Nana Patole on Speaking in the Assembly, in power in Maharashtra and TForce (RPF) has busted (OTP) and CAPTCHA sys- various parts of the country fortnight after having been Dar, cousin of suicide Wednesday rejected the BJP's Fadnavis demanded that the also at the Centre," he said. countrywide illegal e-ticket tems, were completely "neu- and the accused included own- Ahanded over the case, the bomber Adil Dar who killed 40 demand for a State Government move a resolution "Modi had been the PM booking rackets and arrested 79 tralized" by RPF sleuths, he ers of the illegal software. National Investigation Agency CRPF personnel in a deadly Government resolution hon- on the death anniversary of formore thanfive years persons, a top official said here said. No agents have been arrest- on Wednesday raided seven attack last year in Pulwama, ouring Hindutva icon Vinayak Savarkar for his sacrifices and now while Fadnavis had on Wednesday. "Tickets valued around ed yet, he said. places in South Kashmir's was among the five arrested Damodar Savarkar for his con- contribution to the freedom ruled the state for the last five It has also identified 16,735 30 crore, which were already RPF sleuths deactivated Pulwama district in connection after the incident. tribution to the Independence struggle. years. user IDs - through which tick- used by passengers, were also ANMS software on January 23 with a probe into an encounter The houses of three over- struggle, triggering protest To this, deputy Chief Like today, Savarkar's death ets were booked illegally - for seized," he said. and MAC on February 8, he along the Jammu-Srinagar ground workers (OGWs) who from the Opposition party. Minister Ajit Pawar said that anniversary falls every year," he blacklisting besides blocking The racket existed since said. Similar softwares had National Highway last month were arrested from Pulwama in Leader of Opposition Fadnavis, a former chief min- said. 27,948 tickets worth 7.96 2012 but became more active in been deactivated in the past, he that left three JeM terrorists connection with the January 31 Devendra Fadnavis also ister, had written to Prime NCP ministers Chhagan crore for upcoming journeys, the last two or three years, said. killed, officials said here. encounter - Suhail Javed Lone, demanded that the Minister Narendra Modi on Bhujbal and Jayant Patil object- said Arun Kumar, director- Kumar said. The illegal ANMS soft- The officials said the Zahoor Ahmad Khan and Government ban "Shidori", the August 20, 2018 and January ed to the references made to general of the RPF. As many as 79 persons ware had captured nearly 80 raids were conducted at the Shoiab Manzoor -were also in-house magazine of the 17, 2019 urging the Centre to Savarkar by Fadnavis while ANMS and MAC, the have been arrested in connec- per cent of the ticket booking residence of Jaish-e- searched. Maharashtra Congress for pub- honour Savarkar with Bharat quoting from the magazine. illegal softwares which the tion with the rackets which market, Kumar said. Q! ? @ < / *# 37 2 & $(3 on Tuesday passed a unani- done as per the 2010 format. al vice president Rabri Devi, an inch" on the NCR-NPR issue. birth of parents were causing peeved when he told a news mous resolution categorically The sudden development who is also the leader of the Congress MLC Prem anxieties among the people channel, "I wonder if the party's he unanimous resolution stating that there is no need of also seems to have bewildered opposition in the legislative Chandra Mishra, who is also an and got his MPs to request the central leadership was seized of Tpassed by the Bihar NRC in the State and that the the BJP, which is part of the rul- council said, "We are not going AICC panelist, also took a Centre for dropping these the matter." Assembly against the new for- National Population Register ing coalition in the state, with to have any change of mind sceptical view of Tuesday's besides writing on the issue State minister Vijay Kumar mat of NPR and NRC with (NPR) exercise be done strict- some of its leaders asserting that (about Nitish Kumar)." development and said, "Nitish himself, much before the res- Sinha, who was in the House more than 50 BJP MLAs in tow ly according to the 2010 format. the resolution will take the wind Notably, a couple of hours Kumar should explain how olution was passed. The when the resolution was passed has thrown the Opposition The all-party resolution out of the sails of the opposition, before the resolution was come he can go on supporting alliance partner BJP, which has said, "It would have been bet- Grand Alliance in disarray. got the approval of the legisla- which had been sharpening its passed, her son Tejashwi Yadav, the CAA while being opposed felt hamstrung under the shad- ter had the members been Jitan Ram Manjhi, a bete tive Assembly in the post- attack against the government who is the leader of the oppo- to NPR and NRC. All the ow of the chief minister, has informed about the resolution noire of Kumar, appeared lunch session following a on the emotive issue. sition in the state assembly, had three issues are connected." emerged a confused lot. in advance." bowled over by Kumar’s move debate on the adjournment Another section within the a 20-minutes long meeting The Citizenship Deputy Chief Minister With the deft move, the as the former told reporters motion moved by Leader of the saffron party has been left ist movement. We would be with the chief minister inside (Amendment) Bill was sup- Sushil Kumar Modi wrote on chief minister also appears to outside the Assembly on Opposition Tejashwi Yadav wondering as to whether such happy if he leaves the NDA and Kumar's chamber in the ported by the JD(U) in parlia- Twitter that the resolution have won back the respect of Wednesday, “He (Kumar) is and others in the House. a move was tantamount to a comes back." Vidhan Sabha premises. ment. The chief minister has, should "silence the opposition election strategist Prashant most welcome to return to the Bihar is the first NDA- change in the party's stand. The RJD, headed by its The young RJD leader has however, remained steadfast trying to reap political benefits Kishor, a staunch opponent of Grand Alliance.. There will be ruled State to categorically say Congress MLA Awadhesh jailed founder Lalu Prasad been celebrating the resolution in his opposition to a country- out of rumour-mongering on CAA-NPR-NRC, who was no confusion over leadership if no to the National Register of Singh echoed the sentiments of Yadav, was, however, not as a "success" of the opposition wide NRC. NRC and NPR". recently sacked from the party he comes back. He will be the Citizens (NRC) and stating Manjhi, saying, "We know that impressed by showering of in Bihar in making the BJP Regarding the NPR, the BJP MLC Sachchidanand and had accused Kumar of obvious choice.” that the National Population Nitish Kumar is a secular leader praises on Kumar. retreat despite its central leader- JD(U) leader had agreed that Rai, one of the known detrac- capitulation before the BJP for The Bihar Assembly had Register (NPR) exercise be who has his roots in the social- Lalu's wife and RJD nation- ship's insistence on "not yielding additional clauses like places of tors of Kumar, was visibly continuance in power in Bihar. ! " " , /7
1 $ # ? 2 2 % % & @ 1 * R * & 7 Q/ Forum (USISPF) on Tuesday. NPAs never gets solved very E "In the second half of the quickly," he said. Sounding an , F * & 35+ 5*4 Last year in August, the current fiscal year, which would optimistic note, he said as the / 5 government announced merg- ) # # be ending on March 31, we clean up happens, "we should 7 # he government is keeping a ing 10 public sector banks into should see some bit of recov- see the growth returning". Tclose watch on the impact four. United Bank of India and &?@ $ ery, not a big one but certain- On the Budget, Panagariya 9DD 5 of coronavirus outbreak on Oriental Bank of Commerce ly the second half (of the fiscal welcomed positive steps taken 4 &" the Indian economy and vari- are to be merged with Punjab & 35+ :6 & year) should look better than by the government including $ ous options are being gauged at National Bank, making the the first half," he said. on fiscal consolidation, fiscal +# various levels, Finance Minister proposed entity the second ndia's slowdown has bot- Panagariya noted that since deficit, corporate tax reduction, 7 . Nirmala Sitharman said on largest public sector bank (PSB) Itomed out and now its econ- about 2003, India has been initiation of simplification for * Wednesday. from April 1 this year. omy needs to be opened up if growing at an average rate of the personal income taxation as / 5 ( / ) 7 # $ The minister also said that It was also decided to the country wants to realise the about 7 per cent and the first well as privatisation. , 7 # 8 7 8 $ &" the process of merger of pub- level. We will have quick review merge Syndicate Bank with ambition of a 10 per cent five years of the Modi govern- Pointing to a "negative" in # ( lic sector banks was underway of all departments coming back Canara Bank, and Allahabad growth rate, former NITI ment was characterised by 7.5 the Budget, Panagariya said $ , ! # , as per the schedule. The gov- with specific help that they may Bank with Indian Bank. Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind per cent growth on an average. that one of the things that has / 7 # $ $ 8 ernment has announced to require. We will collate all Similarly, Andhra Bank and Panagariya has said. Emphasising that the been going on for the last 2-3 + 7 # $ & & merge 10 state-run banks to these and come back to you," Corporation Bank are to be In his keynote address at a Indian economy "can do a lot years is that India is turning , " ) $ create four big lenders. Sitharaman said. consolidated with Union Bank discussion on India's Union better no doubt", he said that in more and more towards import 7 # $ " $ &" The government is "close- Over 2,700 people have of India. Budget 2020, he said in the next his assessment, the main factor substitution. , ,"" *, , ly monitoring" the impact of died due to novel coronavirus In April 2019, Bank of fiscal year, India's GDP growth which led to the slowdown has "Trade economists use a " * &" , & & the coronavirus outbreak on 2019 (COVID-19) while the Baroda, in the first three-way is expected to be 6 per cent and to do with the financial markets more aggressive term - protec- , 5 ,# the economy, she said. number of those infected is merger exercise, amalgamated then it will get back to 7-8 per and that translated into weak- tionism. And I've been saying "We are very closely mon- around 80,000. In the wake of Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank cent which has been the case in ening of the balance sheets of that this is something that & & && H itoring it. Secretary-level offi- the virus outbreak, whose epi- with itself. the last 15-16 year period. both the banks as well as the should not only be stopped but 3($, * cials are engaging with their centre is China, many airlines, SBI had merged five of its "On the slowdown, my corporates. has to be reversed. O respective industries. I had including Indian carriers, have associate banks -- State Bank of own assessment is that we have "I think you could criticise "Unfortunately, this budget informed you about various cancelled some of their over- Patiala, State Bank of Bikaner bottomed out," Panagariya, a the government here for being goes very far in the direction of , options we have including air- seas flights. and Jaipur, State Bank of Professor of Economics at the a little slow in beginning the raising duties and particularly $ , ! lifting raw material for some On bank mergers, Mysore, State Bank of Columbia University, said at process of cleaning up of the disconcerting is the fact that a E,$,!F specific sectors, resourcing Sitharaman said there is "no Travancore and State Bank of the discussion organised by bank Non-Performing Assets lot of the items on which the from other countries. uncertainty about bank merg- Hyderabad as well as Bharatiya India's Consulate General here (NPAs). The problem was duties have been raised and / "All these are being worked er" and the process is on as per Mahila Bank with itself effec- in partnership with the US- known actually by 2013…" but that too quite a bit are all labour at the concerned department the schedule. tive April 2017. India Strategic Partnership this particular problem of intensive products," he said. , I E,I F# 3($, BD O; * BD G(%H"JK( 3 15! ,I < H 2 ( # ( ,I 7 E $ F E. "F $ L * E! F 8 * " & E 2 # $$ D& G $ F $ J , E F E( Mumbai: Extending gains for announced two long-term repo 3F# ,I the second day, the rupee on operations (LTROs) for three- "DD B DDD / 3 / 3 4 / Wednesday rose by 20 paise to year tenors worth Rs 25,000 ) *?*H E$ ! F# ( 2 # $ settle at 71.65 against the US crore each to be conducted on & 2 ! future of the retail landscape. & 35+ 5*4 stopped using 2,000 notes in 7 ,$,! 8 ! 7 dollar in line with other Asian March 2 and March 9," said "With the onset of digital their ATMs, sources said. E, 5 F 3($, * currencies, helped by lower Gaurang Somaiyaa, Forex & otwithstanding a slow- revolution, it is imperative for anks have started dispens- According to the RBI's RTI $ " ( E 6 F ! 8 5 , crude oil prices. Bullion Analyst, Motilal Oswal Ndown in consumption due retailers to embrace data and Bing more of 500 notes reply, 3,542.991 million notes of ! ! ,7 E 5F# At the interbank foreign Financial Services. to the sluggish economy, the technology to shape consumer than 2,000 denomination 2,000 denomination were I # exchange market, the local Also, forex traders said, Indian retail market is esti- shopping preferences and min- notes, a move seen as gradual printed during 2016-17. 3($, " # currency opened at 71.76 to the easing crude oil prices sup- mated to reach $1.3 trillion by imise costs prompting retailers phasing out of the high denom- However, 2017-18 saw a US dollar. During the day, the ported the local unit. The glob- 2025, helped by multiple struc- to up their game. Also, ination currency note. substantial reduction in print- * % local unit saw a high of 71.59 al crude benchmark Brent tural, socio demographic and increased margin pressures, The Reserve Bank of India ing and only 111.507 million and a low of 71.79. The domes- futures fell 1.40 per cent to economic drivers, says a recent retail space crunch, rising costs (RBI) in an RTI response last notes were produced, which , tic unit finally settled at 71.65, trade at USD 54.18 per barrel. study. According to a study are putting considerable strain year had said that the central further reduced to 46.690 mil- &" up 20 paise from its previous "Indian rupee, in line with jointly released by Boston on business models thus push- bank had stopped printing lion notes in 2018-19. O< close. The rupee had settled at other Asian currencies, gained Consulting Group and ing retailers to innovate to win 2,000 denomination curren- This indicates that while OC ) ODOD 71.85 against the US dollar on amid lower dollar index and Retailers Association of India in the next decade," it said. cy notes. these high denomination notes , , # ( Tuesday. crude oil prices," said VK titled R'etail 4.0: Winning the According to Abheek Although there has been would continue to be a legal $ "The rupee opened on a flat Sharma, Head PCG and 20s', the retail market stood at Singhi, Managing Director and no dictate from the Finance tender but will be phased out note and witnessed volatility Capital Markets Strategy, USD 0.7 trillion in 2019. Senior Partner, BCG the Indian Ministry, banks on their own eventually. after the RBI, yesterday, HDFC Securities. PTI "India's long-term con- retail market is still fragment- have decided to fill their ATMs The move is seen as an & sumption and retail growth ed and offers an opportunity with smaller denomination attempt to prevent hoarding of 4 (# ( $ , drivers are expected to provide for the top five retailers to more notes for the convenience of the high-value currency and 8 A a strong foundation for future than double their share from customers, sources said. thus, curb black money. The , ' 5 ' growth. Indian retail market is less than five percent to over 10 Some banks have already government had in November $ # #&# E F estimated to reach USD 1.1-1.3 per cent in the next decade. started recaliberation of their 2016 demonetised 1,000 and , trillion mark by 2025, report- "Winning in the 20s will ATMs and other banks will also 500 denominations notes. # ing a CAGR of 9-11 per cent require retailers to rethink follow the suit, sources said. Replying to a question in #(#$#7 $ 8 , from 2019," it said. their value proposition and State-owned Indian Bank Parliament, Minister of State ( The report noted that data operating model. Precipitating has already announced that its for Finance Anurag Singh and technology driven disrup- and participating in ecosystems has decided to stop Thakur in December said there # tions along with supply side will be a key driver of success," using 2,000 notes in their is no proposal to withdraw innovations will shape the he added. ATMs. 2,000 denomination notes. When asked if the Finance "This is the real worry Ministry has asked banks not (about demonetisation) which < 5 # to push 2,000 notes through has surfaced now. I think that ATMs, Union minister you should not worry about it," ) J Nirmala Sitharaman said the Thakur told the Rajya Sabha ministry has not issued any while replying to a question # instruction to banks in this whether the government was regard. planning to withdraw 2,000 & 35+ 5*4 received any communication "As far as I know, no such notes in future. from Sebi regarding any out- instruction has been given," the According to the reply, ndiGo on Wednesday said it come of any preliminary finance minister said on the notes in circulation (NIC) as on Ihas responded to all queries enquiry by the regulator. sidelines of an event here. November 4, 2016, were from markets regulator Sebi "Further, IndiGo strongly Getting change for a 2,000 17,74,187 crore which have regarding related party trans- denies any allegations of note has become an issue and now increased to 22,35,648 actions and asserted that they wrongdoing or avoidance of due to that some banks have crore as on December 2, 2019. were entered into in the best processes. It reiterates that it interests of the company. has strong processes for ensur- InterGlobe Aviation, par- ing arm's length dealings with 7 8 ent of the country's largest air- related parties and that such line IndiGo, also said it has transactions were entered into # # I strong processes for ensuring in the ordinary course of busi- arm's length dealings with ness and were in the best inter- related parties. ests of IndiGo," he said. L On Tuesday, sources told According to him, IndiGo 1 H PTI that a preliminary probe by has responded to all queries & 35+ 5*4 Sebi has suggested prima-facie from Sebi regarding these mat- & 2 ! violations of corporate gover- ters and remains confident that he government on nance and listing disclosure its position would be accepted. are paintings, exquisite wrist TWednesday decided to lift norms in certain related party "If and when Sebi conveys Rwatches and luxury cars the nearly six-month-old ban transactions involving to IndiGo any outcome of an belonging to fugitive diaman- on export of onions in a bid to InterGlobe Aviation. enquiry, IndiGo being confi- taire Nirav Modi will be auc- protect the interests of farmers In a statement, IndiGo dent of its compliance record, tioned next month, auction as prices are likely to fall Whole Time Director and CEO will deal with it appropriately," house Saffronart said on sharply due to bumper rabi Ronojoy Dutta said it has not he added. Wednesday. The sale of 112 crop. assets is being done by Saffronart Sources said the decision on behalf of the Enforcement was taken at a meeting of a Directorate through a live auc- Group of Ministers (GoM) '/ 24: 2 tion, while 72 other items would headed by Home Minister be sold through an online auc- Amit Shah. ( tion. Modi, who has allegedly "Since the price of onion defrauded state-run Punjab has stabilised and there is National Bank of over 14,000 bumper onion crop, govern- / 2 crore, is currently lodged in a ment has decided to lift ban on British jail. export of onions. Expected & 2 ! lending rate (repo) can be Saffronart, which had con- monthly harvest in March is passed on to medium enter- ducted an auction of some art- over 40 lakh MT compared to ll new floating rate loans prises also, the apex bank said. works belonging to Modi in 28.4 lakh MT last year," Food Agiven to medium enter- Floating rate personal and March last year that fetched over Minister Ram Vilas Paswan prises will be linked with exter- retail loans have already been 55 crore, initially said there said in a tweet on Wednesday. nal benchmarks from April 1, linked to external benchmarks. would be a live auction of 112 The lifting of ban would be according to the Reserve Bank RBI repo rate, treasury bill items on Thursday (February effective once the Directorate of India. yields, and other market inter- 27) and an online auction next General of Foreign Trade With respect to micro and est rate published by FBIL week. In a late evening state- (DGFT) issues a notification in small enterprises, floating rate (Financial Benchmark India ment on Wednesday, Saffronart this regard. loans are already linked with Private Ltd) are among the said the live auction has been The GoM on Wednesday external benchmarks. benchmarks. postponed to March 5 on also deliberated on whether to In a circular issued on According to the RBI, sub- "instructions from the reduce or scrap the Minimum Wednesday, RBI said it has now sequent to the introduction of Enforcement Directorate". Export Price (MEP) on onion been decided that all new float- an external benchmark system, The online auction would to facilitate outbound ship- ing rate loans to the medium the monetary policy transmis- be held as scheduled earlier on ments, the sources said. The enterprises extended by banks sion has improved in respect of March 3 and 4. A 1935 paint- MEP is the rate below which no from April 1, 2020, "shall be the sectors where new floating ing by Amrita Sher-Gil titled exports are allowed.Paswan, linked to the external bench- rate loans have been linked to 'Boys with Lemons' is expect- Agriculture Minister Narendra marks". external benchmarks. ed to be the biggest draw at the Singh Tomar, Commerce The move is aimed at fur- Since February 2019, the live auction and could fetch Minister Piyush Goyal and ther strengthening monetary RBI has reduced the repo rate anywhere between 12-18 Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba policy transmission so that or short term lending rate by crore. were present at the meeting. benefits of reduction in key 135 basis points. ! " " " 77
& Antoine Griezmann res- cued a 1-1 draw for Barcelona at * H : B Napoli in the first leg of their last- 16 tie on Tuesday. Frenchman Griezmann struck just before the hour mark in Naples R 3 after Dries Mertens had put the & *63 63 Sport of his London goal streak. hosts ahead in the 30th minute with “Three goals should give us his 121st Napoli goal, drawing erge Gnabry fired Bayern a lot of confidence. But we need level with Marek Hamsik as the Munich to the brink of the to be prepared for the second leg club’s all-time top scorer. SChampions League quar- and we can’t take it serious Barcelona ended the game with ter-finals as the German’s dou- enough. 10 men after Arturo Vidal was sent ble inspired a superb 3-0 rout of “We saw last season with off with two minutes to go after Chelsea in the last-16 first leg at Liverpool beating Barcelona, we picking up two yellow cards, follow- Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. know we have to be careful and ing an angry clash with Napoli Gnabry had tormented focus.” defender Mario Rui. Tottenham Hotspur with four This hasn’t been a vintage “In the end it’s a draw that is a goals in Bayern’s 7-2 victory in year for Bayern, but they have good result considering that we north London earlier this sea- been energised since the exit of have another home game,” said son and the former Arsenal disliked boss Niko Kovac Barcelona coach Quique winger returned to the English and outclassed Chelsea Setien, with his side in a capital to push Chelsea to the in all phases. strong position ahead of the brink of elimination. None of the previous second leg at the Camp Nou The 24-year-old’s time with six teams to have won all on March 18. ! ,G>- / : ' ,@>- ( P( + Arsenal was a disappointment of their Champions The clash was the first and he even flopped during a League group games have between the two teams and Champions League goals. Spaniard will be suspended for the loan spell at West Bromwich lifted the trophy that sea- also a CL debut for both “If Barca didn’t do today what second leg. Albion. son, but five-time winners Bayern Setien and Napoli counterpart they did three days ago (against Barcelona did not waste much But he has been reborn with will fancy their chances of break- Gennaro Gattuso, who took over Eibar) it’s to Napoli’s credit,” said time in getting on level terms, as Bayern and his two goals in the ing that duck if they can maintain after the group stage. Gattuso. Messi and Busquets combined to space of three minutes left this form. “They didn’t hurt us, they tick- “I hope that no one thinks it’s send Semedo into the box in the Hansi Flick’s side within touch- Chelsea boss Frank Lampard led us,” said Gattuso. “It went over. We know it will be very hard 57th minute. ing distance of the last eight. admitted his young team were wrong in one moment and they but nothing is finished yet. The Portuguese full-back Robert Lewandowski got “underdogs” against a club of punished us.” Napoli captain Messi fired over on nine min- crossed low for Griezmann to Bayern’s third before Chelsea Bayern’s vast European experi- Lorenzo Insigne added: “We could utes after combining well with power home right-footed. defender Marcos Alonso was ence and his pre-match predic- have won, so we’re a bit disappoint- Frenkie de Jong but Gattuso’s side “At first we found it hard to find sent off in the 83rd minute. tion proved spot on in a chasten- ed. It was emotional to face players piled the pressure on the Catalans. space, or create space or get shots Chelsea will need another ing defeat. like (Lionel) Messi.” Their pressing paid off on the on goal,” said Griezmann. Munich miracle in the second “The performance was poor Messi failed to score on his first half-hour mark, with Piotr Zielinski “But the more we saw that they leg on March 18 to overturn the and sometimes you have to be appearance at the Stadio San Paolo, breaking free down the right before were tiring, the more we were able deficit at the Allianz Arena, brutally honest. They outclassed where Napoli legend Diego finding Mertens, who curled a to push forward and make chances.” where they famously beat the us in every department and it’s Maradona reigned supreme three magnificent finish past Marc-Andre Vidal was sent off after a slid- German club in the 2012 quite sobering,” Lampard said. decades ago. ter Stegen. ing tackle on Rui before appearing Champions League final. “I’m disappointed we could- The 32-year-old Messi scored He equalled Hamsik’s record to headbutt the Napoli defender. “I have a lot of friends here. n’t do more against them. We four goals at the weekend in and is now six goals clear of The Chilean will also miss the A lot of them were in the stands have to take it on the chin and Barcelona’s 5-0 win over Eibar that Maradona, but was forced off early return leg in Spain, with defender and I think they were giving me work towards getting back to the put the Spaniards back top of La in the second half after a Sergio Gerard Pique a doubt after going off good power,” Gnabry told BT 1 / / P + levels we want to be at.” Liga, but could not add to his 114 Busquets tackle for which the late on with an ankle injury. AFP A . , 5 $ ## K Chenniyin FC will take on In case scores are tied after two * P *( & 3,45 (5 Fair Play Regulations.” FC Goa in the first semi-final of the legs, the “away goal” rule will CAS said it was not possi- Indian Super League on February apply that is the team which has M 2 R (D + N $ anchester City’s appeal ble to say when the matter 29 in Chennai. scored more away goals will qual- (D ! * * Magainst their two-year would be resolved but it is The Football Sports ify for the final. (D / European ban for breaches of expected to take several Development Limited on If the away goal rule cannot financial regulations has been months. Wednesday announced the sched- determine a winner, then the game & 35+ 5*4 officially registered by the The adjudicatory cham- ule of the playoffs for the league, will go to the extra time in the sec- Court of Arbitration for Sport, ber said on February 14 City which will be played over two legs. ond leg. orld No 1 Chen Yufei and defending men’s CAS announced on had broken the rules by “over- Defending champions The away goal rule will not Wsingles champion Viktor Axelsen will Wednesday. stating its sponsorship revenue Bengaluru FC will take on ATK apply in extra time and the team headline a star-studded international contingent The Premier League club, in its accounts and in the and FC Goa will play Chennaiyin that scores the higher number of when the 10th edition of the India Open Super who were also fined 30 million break-even information sub- FC for a spot in the final, to be held goals in extra time will win the 500 tournament will begin here on March 24. 2,- +$ 2 ' euros ($32.5 million) by mitted to UEFA between 2012 on March 14. semi-final. With the Olympic qualification cut-off set to European football’s governing and 2016.” In the first leg, FC Goa and If both teams score none or end on April 26, the $ 400,000 event will see a body UEFA earlier this month, Pep Guardiola’s City face Chenniyin will play at Chennai on equal number of goals in extra galaxy of stars descending at the Indian capital, had immediately contested the losing hundreds of millions of February 29, while Bengaluru and time, the winner will be decided making the upcoming edition of the Super 500 “flawed” process and stated pounds in prize money, TV ATK will clash against each other through the penalty shootout. event one of the best ever. / * P their intention to appeal. revenue, gate receipts and spon- at Bengaluru. Moreover, yellow cards and Yufei will be leading eight of the world’s top CAS said in a statement on sorship income should their The second-leg games are cautions accumulated from the 10 women’s singles shuttlers with the others being & *2,&36+ Wednesday: “The Court of appeal fail. scheduled to be played on March league stage will not be carried for- Akane Yamaguchi, He Bingjiao, Carolina Marin, Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has Last week, City Football 7 in Goa (FC Goa vs Chennaiyin ward to the playoffs. An Se Young, Michelle Li, three-time champi- roving her mettle yet again, young registered an appeal filed by (1 Group CEO Ferran Soriano FC) and March 8 in Kolkata (ATK However, a suspension result- on Ratchanok Intanon and India’s very own world PSonam Mailk downed Sakshi Malik for Manchester City football club B said the club hoped to have vs Bengaluru FC) ahead of the ing from a caution in their last champion PV Sindhu, besides former World No the second time in a row, this time by pin- against the Union of European their appeal heard by CAS summit clash in Goa, the weekend league game will be applicable in 1 Saina Nehwal. ning the Olympic medallist, to make it to Football Associations (UEFA). Body (CFCB) dated 14 before the start of next season’s thereafter. the first-leg semi-final. Among the men, while Axelsen will be gun- the Indian team for next month’s Olympic “The appeal is directed February 2020 in which Champions League. The organisers also announced In addition, if a player or team ning for his third title, he will have to contend Qualifiers here on Wednesday. against the decision of the Manchester City was deemed If the ban stands, it could that teams with the highest goal official receives a caution in both with fellow top-10 players, Sai Praneeth and 2018 Asked to re-appear in trials after not- adjudicatory chamber of the to have contravened UEFA’s raise questions about the future aggregate in their respective two- legs of their playoffs, he will be sus- winner Shi Yuqi. 2012 champion and former so-strong performance at the Rome UEFA Club Financial Control Club Licensing and Financial of Guardiola and key players. legged ties progress to the final. pended for the final. PTI World No 1 Son Wan Ho will be another of the Ranking series event and the recently-con- star shuttlers vying for the title. Three-time world cluded Asian Championships, the 18-year- junior champion Kunlavut Vitidsarn, who old Sonam tore apart the challenge of estab- reached the Barcelona Spain Masters final this lished seniors in the 62kg competition. 3 4 % month, will be one of the young guns capable of She first got past Radhika and then car- causing an upset. ing little for reputations, Sonam beat the & 6 ,6+ many matches as she won and Grand Slam. She added Olympic For India’s 2015 champions Saina Nehwal Asian Championship 59kg Gold medallist was dumped out in the first Silver to her resume that year. and Kidambi Srikanth, the tournament will be Sarita Mor (3-1) in the semifinals before ive-time Grand Slam winner rounds at Wimbledon, the US Her 2014 French Open title crucial as they look to bag some valuable rank- winning by fall against Rio Olympics FMaria Sharapova, one of the Open and, most recently, the was another high after a dispir- ing points and materialize their Tokyo Olympic Bronze medallist Sakshi in the final. world’s most recognisable sports- Australian Open in Melbourne. iting injury low. dreams. 2014 Commonwealth Games Gold She pinned Sakshi in the second peri- women, on Wednesday announced Sharapova shot to fame as a “In giving my life to tennis, medallist Parupalli Kashyap, HS Prannoy, od when she was trailing 1-2 and one her retirement at the age of 32. giggly 17-year-old Wimbledon tennis gave me a life,” Sharapova Sourabh Verma, Sameer Verma and Lakshya Sen minute left in the bout. “Tennis — I’m saying goodbye,” winner in 2004, the third- said in her retirement missive. are the other Indian shuttlers who will be show- Nine wrestlers appeared in the 62kg tri- Sharapova said in an article for youngest player to conquer the “I’ll miss it everyday. I’ll miss ing their fireworks in the singles main draw. als, including 2018 World Championship Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines. All England Club’s hallowed grass the training and my daily routine: For the 2017 champion Sindhu, the tourna- Bronze medallist Pooja Dhanda and a few “After 28 years and five Grand courts. Waking up at dawn, lacing my left ment will be the perfect battleground to test her- from upper weight categories. Slam titles, though, I’m ready to She became world number shoe before my right, and closing self against the world’s best in her quest for the “There was no nervousness before the scale another mountain — to com- one in 2005 and won the US the court’s gate before I hit my Olympic Gold she missed at Rio the last time. bouts. I was determined to compete hard. pete on a different type of terrain.” Open the next year. first ball of the day. With the draw having the planet’s best shuttler, I have fought against them before and I Sharapova burst onto the scene “One of the keys to my suc- “I’ll miss my team, my coach- Chen Yufei, who began the season with the knew I had to battle it out. So I was pre- as a supremely gifted teenager and cess was that I never looked es. I’ll miss the moments sitting Malaysia Masters title, Sindhu is expected to put pared,” Sonam said. won her Grand Slams before serv- back and I never looked forward,” with my father on the practice up a flawless show in front of the home audience. Sonam said she needs to hone her style ing a 15-month ban for failing a Sharapova said on Wednesday. court bench. The tournament will also give the biggest before the Bishkek Qualifiers. drugs test at the 2016 Australian “I believed that if I kept The handshakes — win or stars a chance to improve their ranking and, in “I will try my best. I need to work on Open. grinding and grinding, I could lose — and the athletes, whether turn, better their seeding at Tokyo — something my leg defence and ground attack before the The Russian former world push myself to an incredible they knew it or not, who pushed the likes of Yamaguchi, Intanon, Marin will be Bishkek Qualifiers.” number one’s ranking is currently place.” me to be my best. hoping to do. Meanwhile, Kiran won the trial in 76kg. 373rd. She would win the 2008 “Looking back now, I realize In doubles, all eyes will be on Thailand Open The Asian Olympic Qualifiers will be Sharapova has hardly played in Australian Open and in 2012, the that tennis has been my moun- champions Satwiksairaj held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan from March 27- the past year because of long- Siberian-born captured the tain. My path has been filled with Rankireddy and Chirag 29. The finalists will qualify for the Tokyo standing shoulder problems. French Open to become the 10th valleys and detours, but the views Shetty, who are current- Olympics. When she did play she lost as (2 C( ( +B , (D.@EEF- woman to complete a career from its peak were incredible.” ly ranked 10th and are almost certain of making the trip to Tokyo. The heavily-stacked draw has 2"8 - 2 /": -2 4. :2 2 0". 4; /. seven men’s doubles pairs from the & 35+ 5*4 national policies,” he added, president) has informed me world’s top 10, led referring to the domestic that ‘our coach in Germany 5 @41 by World No 4 he novel coronavirus travel restrictions imposed is only available during that Takeshi Kamura and Toutbreak has prompted by the governments of these time and our shooters India’s national from the Indian Olympic Keigo Sonoda. six countries, including countries. would much rather train shooting federation on Association (IOA) or the inter- The Indian pairs the deadly disease’s epi- The NRAI chief also with him for the Olympic Wednesday said it will not allow national federation, our own of Satwiksairaj centre China, to with- informed that Pakistan will events than participate in its shooters to travel abroad for mission in Tokyo or even our Rankireddy-Ashwini draw from next month’s also not be competing at the the World Cup’,” Singh training due to the novel coro- own assessment we feel there’s a Ponnappa and Pranaav shooting World Cup event as the country’s shoot- added. navirus threat and won’t hesitate threat, it isn’t worth the risk,” Jerry Chopra-Sikki Reddy here, the National Rifles ers are busy familiarising Last year, the in pulling out of a Tokyo National Rifle Association of need to show their best Association of India themselves with a new International Olympic Olympics Test event in April if India (NRAI) president form in a mixed doubles (NRAI) revealed on coach. Committee (IOC) had sus- it becomes a health risk. Raninder Singh said. field that sees the World Wednesday. “Don’t connect last time pended all Indian applica- Indian shooters are sched- “We are also not allowing No 1 combine of Zheng The ISSF World to this time. Pakistan were tions to host international uled to travel to Tokyo to par- our shooters to travel overseas Si Wei and Huang Ya Cup is slated to be held never coming. They have events after two Pakistani ticipate in the Olympic Test to train as well due to the virus,” Qiong leading 9 top-10 from March 15 to 26 at two athletes who have qual- shooters were denied visas event slated to take place from Singh said. teams. the Karni Singh Shooting +' . $$( 2 ified for pistol events for the to compete in the World April 16 to 26 in the Japanese “If a shooter is infected in The women’s dou- Range. Tokyo Olympics,” he said Cup held here. capital, which will host the main the test event then we are sub- bles section too is “There were some NRAI President Raninder won’t travel. Taiwan, which referring to the denial of The sanction was later event in July-August this year. jecting him or her to the gravest packed with eight top- countries which were com- Singh told reporters. has locked down their entire visas to Pakistani shooters in lifted after assurances from “We have chosen our test of dangers and then that shoot- 10 teams where Sikki ing but because of the “China have taken a island, Hong Kong, Macau, last year’s World Cup. the Sports Ministry that event team but we are yet to er won’t be able to participate in and Ashwini will be the Coronavirus outbreak, wise decision on their own North Korea and “My colleague Mr Javed political issues will not come decide (on travelling there). I’m the Olympics, hampering our Indian team looking to their national policies dic- as a nation. They don’t want Turkmenistan have also Lodhi (Pakistan shooting in the way of granting visas not going to risk any of those chances of winning a medal,” he leave their mark. tate that they can’t come,” to infect others and hence backed out because of federation’s executive vice to participating athletes. kids. If we receive any advice added. PNS ! " " " 7
7
& 5*!62 35 ARSENAL MUST KEEP AUBA: LACAZETTE London: * he has been the backbone of " $ '5 " SIndian women’s cricket " 5 # team’s batting but swashbuck- LA E " FM * ling India opener Smriti # L4A A Mandhana is delighted that # 6 A teen prodigy Shafali Verma is #M stealing her thunder at the ongoing tournament as it takes SHARAN-SITAK PROGRESS TO QUARTERS the pressure off her. Santiago: 3 SA " The 23-year-old G , 6 # ( ' Mandhana, who has been a key '& ! ( player for the Indian team in the ) ?'< ?'<# last two-three years, said Verma 9 P ( '& , ! is showing she is capable of fill- ) "# ing her boots. to follow and no one has gone 5$ “I used to score a lot of our in and told her she has to SL CRUSH WINDIES BY 161 RUNS ' 6478 runs in the last two of three change that”. Hambantota: *" + 9<9 years, especially in the Talking about New Zealand ' . 3 63. & 7/.463 Powerplay, but now with Shafali match, Mandhana said, “I don’t +# , HC< + ' (( ( ' " P" @E 'B coming in, she’s getting the think we will be going into the 9BC H@#9 runs in the way I do. It makes game thinking about a total, but + 4 *" " " & 5*!62 35 One-down Jemmiah for a late flourish against New Zealand in the previous edi- the team more balanced,” we will continue playing the " # " ) 9O? Rodrigues has also been among Bangladesh. tion in 2018. Harmanpreet had Mandhana said. way that is working for all of our & 99@ OH@ n a high after two easy victo- the runs with 26 and 34 in the two The bowling department has struck a memorable 103 to lead her “Shafali has been a huge batters.” *"A ' " Ories on the trot, including one matches so far. been led admirably by seasoned side to victory. positive coming into the T20 Seasoned New Zealand HC; # against defending champion Only captain Harmanpreet, leg-spinner Poonam Yadav — New Zealand have some top side. The way she’s going about pacer Lea Tahuhu said she is Australia, the Indian women’s among the top order batters, has seven wickets in the first two class players in their ranks in the her batting, it’s so easy to bat looking forward to bowling at MURRAY MAY NEED FURTHER OPERATION cricket team will aim to inch clos- not scored big and she is due a big matches — with pacer Shikha form of captain and all-rounder alongside her,” she said on the Verma. London: ! A er to a semifinal berth when it innings. Pandey ably supporting her with Sophie Devine and top-order eve of India’s group match “Personally, I love the " G takes on New Zealand in the ICC India is also likely to be bol- five scalps so far. batswoman Suzie Bates while against New Zealand. thought of facing Verma. It ' # ( HO' ' Women’s T20 World Cup here stered by the return of star open- New Zealand, though, have a pacer Lea Tahuhu and leg-spinner Verma has already makes me fire up a little bit ' 7 today. er Smriti Mandhana who missed better head-to-head record against Amelia Kerr will lead the bowling announced her emergence on more and I’m really looking for- 3 The Indians have hardly broke the match against Bangladesh due India in recent years, having won department. the global stage. The 16-year- ward to playing her,” said # ! a sweat in their 17-run and 18-run to fever. the last three matches between the They will go into this match old has scored 68 runs across Tahuhu. wins over hosts Australia and The middle-order has also two sides. on a high after an easy seven-wick- two games in this World Cup, “I actually played her in the " # Bangladesh in their previous two done its bit with Deepti Sharma Exactly a year back, they had et win over Sri Lanka on Saturday. including five sixes and seven T20 Challenge in India last matches, and they are perched at playing a major role against beaten the Indian team 3-0 in a Devine had led her side from fours, at an impressive strike year and I know she’s not going RAVI OFF TO FLYING START IN DUTCH JR the top of five-team Group A Australia with an unbeaten 49 three-match T20I home series. the front with an unbeaten 75 off rate of 212. to take a step back,” she said, New Delhi: : " standings with four points from while Veda Krishnamurthy hit a India will, however, remember 55 balls at the top of the order in Smriti said Verma’s best referring to India’s IPL style T20 & ' two matches. match-defining 11-ball 20 not out their massive 34-run win against that win. attribute is the “routine she likes tournament played in Jaipur. 2'9@ A A win against New Zealand . A 4 # + today will take the Harmanpreet O9'99 O9'B Kaur-led side on the threshold of ,+ 2 + a remarkable start to the game when the " a knock-out stage spot, to be 2009 winners were reduced to seven for A S * O9'9O O9'99 competed among top two teams being sent in to bat, was their highest T20I two. Bot England openers were dismissed # from Group A and B. Captain Heather Knight’s maid- total and Knight’s unbeaten third-wicket for ducks for just the second time in T20Is. In the two matches so far, the en T20I century helped England notch up stand of 169 with Nat Sciver (59 not out) Knight has a remarkable record at JAPAN DAVIS CUP TIE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS Indian team has been impressive a record-breaking 98-run victory over was the highest partnership for any wick- Manuka Oval, with all four of her T20I 50+ Tokyo: . A , 5 both in batting and bowling. debutants Thailand on Wednesday. et in Women’s T20 World Cup history. scores coming in Australia’s capital, the most " The 16-year-old sensation Knight blasted a majestic 108 not out Thailand managed 78 for seven from of any woman at a single venue in the for- Shafali Verma has been the stand- from 66 balls to become the fourth batter their 20 overs, with England’s victory by 98 mat. # . A out batter with a whirlwind 17-ball to make a hundred at the event and send runs the largest winning margin at the tour- Natthakan Chantham top-scored with 39 against Bangladesh, following records tumbling. nament. a 53-ball 32 in the Thailand’s unsuccessful 6" her 29 against Australia. England’s total of 176 for two, after All this was scarcely conceivable after run chase. PTI B# +1 ' 6 (( Q 2 * N 2 2 R 2 & ,4 (,42 ,4 for the first time and is probably expe- (when he gets them). He gets big runs and overseas, the opening partnership has riencing different kind of bowling knows how to get runs.” been with a lot of clarity and positivity & 2! rent Boult and Tim Southee have attack at international level compared The reason why Shaw faltered could even clearing the in-field, taking bowlers Texposed the chinks in Prithvi to playing at home,” Kohli had said, be due to the lack of understanding of the on so that you put them under pressure. ndia skipper Virat Kohli lost the top Shaw’s armour but India skipper Virat when asked about Shaw’s dismissals. pace of the Basin Reserve track but the He is that kind of a player,” Kohli said. Ispot in the ICC Test Player Rankings Kohli is ready to wait and watch before “I don’t think at this stage, we need former U-19 World Cup-winning skip- “Once he feels that he can do it, I after managing only 21 runs in the first any corrective analysis as he does not to sit down and discuss what’s going per was not alone as some of the team’s think it will be a different ball game. The Test which his side lost to New see a pattern in the young opener’s dis- wrong because I don’t see anything other big names also failed to gauge the mindset can shift very quickly.” Zealand by 10 wickets in Wellington. missals so far. wrong. It’s the execution of things nature of the pitch. While Kohli’s Test squad has had Kohli, who has 906 points, slipped There are a few shortcomings which was not there.” “It is just a matter of understanding horses for courses policy, it seems that the to the second position in the list which that experts have noticed in Shaw’s bat- International cricket is about find- the pace of the wicket and conditions as skipper wants to stick with Shaw in the also features Ajinkya Rahane, ting after the 20-year-old right-hand- ing one’s own straps and Shaw also will soon as possible. Again, when he is in a second Test even though Shubman Gill Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank ed batsman scored just 16 and 14 in the work out what is best for him, feels the clear frame of mind, he is very, very can’t be completely ruled out of reckon- Agarwl at the eighth, ninth and 10th two innings of the first Test against captain who has 70 hundreds to his destructive,” Kohli said, hopeful that ing. “Prithvi obviously wants to perform place respectively. New Zealand. credit in all formats. Shaw will learn quickly. and no doubt about it, every batsman While India vice-captain Rahane, “I think we can sit down and “He (Shaw) will figure out. He will Clarity of mind is paramount at the wants to. We need to give him that time who scored 75 in the opening Test, analyse, maybe after 8 or 10 similar dis- find ways to score runs because he is highest level and once Shaw has that, there to get used to the conditions a little bit and gained a spot and Mayank returned to missals. I don’t think (it’s fair to the a natural stroke-player and he scores would be no stopping him. once he starts scoring, he will feel more a career-best 10th position after amass- guy), who is playing away from home runs. It is not that he gets small runs / ' P G + “I think whenever we have done well confident about it.” ing 92 runs, which included a second- innings half-century, Pujara dropped two places after returning with iden- tical scores of 11 in the two innings. $+ $$ Kohli’s slump meant Australia’s < / * Steve Smith was back on top of the list for the eighth time after first occupy- $ $4 ing the top position in June 2015. The & ,4 (,42 ,4 “I always liked batting, it was probably with pace and bounce. last batsman apart from Smith and returned with a five-wicket haul, his what I grew up admiring the most — With India troubled by short balls bowled Kohli to be number one is New pace colleagues Jasprit Bumrah specialist batsman during his forma- whilst I did bowl, I did not think of that from round the wicket, the 33-year-old Wagner Zealand’s Kane Williamson, for an and Mohammed Shami managed Ative years before shifting to fast bowl- as my career option growing up. Now promised that they will employ the same strat- eight-day period in December 2015. just one wicket each as New ing, New Zealand’s imposing pacer Kyle I’m a bowler who can bat, trying to get egy during the second match starting Saturday. In bowling chart, off-spinner Zealand posted a match-deciding Jamieson wants to transform into an all- to the all-rounder stage, that’s where "It's obviously tough for them to come here Ravichandran Ashwin, who took three first innings score of 348 despite rounder going forward. I ideally want to be,” the 6-ft-8-inch and play where there is obviously a bit more wickets for 99 in the first innings being 216 for six at one stage in first The 25-year-old, who made a dream tall fast bowler said. bounce and pace," said Wagner. against New Zealand, slipped a place Test. debut against India in the first Test, played as Jamieson impressed with his "Obviously, playing in India where there is to ninth but remained the only Indian “I still have total faith in the a batsman in his younger days, and it wasn’t bounce and ability to extract move- not that much bounce and pace around and so featuring in the top 10 with 765 Indian (bowling) lineup. They had until he met the then New Zealand U-19 ment in the first innings of the it is something new for them to adapt to," he points. a few injuries of late. Sharma is com- coach Dayle Hadlee that he was asked to seri- Wellington Test, where he picked added. Fast bowler Ishant Sharma, who ing back and he did get five wick- ously consider focusing on fast bowling as a up four wickets. He also scored 44 Wagner, just like his coach Gary Stead, took a five-wicket haul on his come- ets. Bumrah had a couple of injuries primary skill. off just 45 balls in New Zealand’s reply. believes that Indians will be better but he expects back from injury during the opening and he is coming back,” McGrath “I was pretty much a batter all through the home side to be relentless in its endeavour Test, gained a place to be at the 17th told reporters. high school and then made the New ‘TOUGH TO COUNTER’ to compound the agony for the visitors. spot. “So, yeah, I think the Indian Zealand U-19s, and Dayle Hadlee got a Indian batsmen will get a liberal dose "Hopefully, we can keep the squeeze on and New Zealand pac- <( ' ' bowling attack is world class and hold of me and told me to run in, of "chin music" in the second Test at the bowl the way the boys bowled in Wellington ers Tim Southee and there is no doubt about that,” he which kind of shifted me towards seamer-friendly Hagley Oval, senior New and if we can keep piling the pressure on, we Trent Boult made & 2 ! added. becoming more of a bowler,” Jamieson Zealand pacer Neil Wagner declared, harp- will make the job a lot easier for ourselves," he big gains after fin- “I don’t have any issues with the told ICC. ing on the visitors' struggles when faced said. ishing with nine and ustralian pace legend Glenn bowling attack, you don’t lose form five wickets, respec- AMcGrath on Wednesday said overnight. It was just one of those tively in the first Test India’s bowling attack remains a things where the toss made a huge & .64335 !2 7 against India. “world class” one despite the recent difference. (in the first test in New While Southee debacles against New Zealand and Zealand), but you still got to get and ormer captain Faf du Plessis will 6 1 / P advanced eight blamed the under-whelming score runs.” Fnot play for South Africa in a spots to take sixth performance on factors such as McGrath praised Ishant for three-match one-day international “We always saw the series against Australia ODI squad for three clash- position, which injury layoffs and toss. “reinventing” himself and also laud- series against Australia but remains England and Australia as an oppor- es in South Africa. is his highest While Ishant Sharma ed Shami and Bumrah. part of the country’s future plans, tunity to play some fresh talent,” said Selectors also named an since a career- Cricket South Africa (CSA) Boucher. “If we feel that we need to unchanged line-up for the one-day best fifth place announced on Wednesday. rest players, we will, as we have done series against New Zealand at home in June 2014, < /" " " 0 Du Plessis, who stepped down in the recent past. Faf (du Plessis) has next month. Richardson dislocated Boult moved up from the captaincy in all forms of the been fantastic for us in white-ball his shoulder ahead of last year’s four slots to take Glenn McGrath is not et. I am big fan of it . I’m not a big game earlier this month, is being rest- cricket and remains very much in our World Cup in England but was joint-13th posi- in favour of tinkering with the fan of four-day Test cricket. I’m ed along with recent regular players ODI plans and we will manage his recalled for T20 series against South tion.The all- five-day format, saying to bring in very much a traditionalist — five in Rassie van der Dussen and workload for the near future diligent- Africa and will remain with the team rounders’ list more fans to the game, day- days — that’s Test cricket to me,” Dwaine Pretorius. ly.” for the one-dayers. features Jadeja night Test matches is the way for- elaborated McGrath. The first match in the series will The squad includes batsman “He has slotted back into the T20 and Ashwin at ward. “But if we can bring something be in Paarl on Saturday, following the Janneman Malan and wicketkeeper- squad in South Africa and is push- the third and “I am a big fan of Test crick- new that keeps people coming to conclusion of a T20 series. batsman Kyle Verreynne, who were ing for a place in that side,” nation- fifth posi- et. To me, Test cricket is still the the game, then that’s brilliant. Day Test left-arm spinner Keshav both included in the squad for a al selector Trevor Hohns said of tions respec- ultimate and we got to keep the Night cricket it that, it brings dif- Maharaj has been rewarded for recent series against England but did Richardson. tively. While game fresh, people enjoying it. ferent challenges. When you bowl, good form in a domestic one-day not play. Malan has previously been “Keeping him in South Africa Jadeja didn’t We have got to keep Test crick- you bat it can make a big differ- tournament with his first one-day capped at T20 level while Verreynne with the one-day squad gives us play the first et alive and moving forward and ence. Different tactics, so it just international call-up since 2018. is uncapped. another exceptional fast bowler who Test, Ashwin positive and people coming to brings a different awareness and Coach Mark Boucher said the is ready to go.” scored 0 and 4 the game. And to me, the way different things you have to do,” he squad was picked with an eye to the RICHARDSON IN AUS TEAM Australia face New Zealand in to lose a place to that is Day-Night Test crick- elaborated. PTI future with the next World Cup still Pace bowler Jhye the first of three ODIs in Sydney on in rankings. three years away. / 'B Richardson was added to the March 13.